Golf club head with composite face

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9283447-B1
Application number	US-201414158963-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jan 20, 2014
Priority date	Sep 23, 2013
Publication date	Mar 15, 2016
Grant date	Mar 15, 2016

Abstract

A novel material comprising collections of prepreg plies and a variable thickness core material such as sheet molding compound or metal, methods of forming said material, and golf clubs comprising said material are disclosed herein.

First claim

We claim:

1. A golf club head comprising a component composed of a composition comprising:
a first plurality of prepreg plies;
a second plurality of prepreg plies; and
a variable thickness core material,
wherein the variable thickness core material is permanently sandwiched between the first plurality of prepreg plies and the second plurality of prepreg plies,
wherein the variable thickness core comprises a sheet molding compound comprising bundles of aligned carbon fibers and at least one reinforcing fiber material,
wherein the carbon fiber bundles have random orientations within the sheet molding compound,
wherein the carbon fiber bundles are pre-spread prior to being processed into the sheet molding compound,
wherein the at least one reinforcing fiber material is selected from the group consisting of carbon, fiberglass, and aramid,
wherein the component comprises a variable thickness pattern,
wherein the component satisfies at least one equation selected from the group consisting of

Dxx
Dyy

>
C

 and

Dyy
Dxx

>
C

,

 and
wherein C is at least 1 and is no more than 1.5.

2. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the component is selected from the group consisting of a face cup, a face insert, a face plate, a sole, and a crown.

3. A golf club head comprising:
a body comprising a top portion, a bottom portion, and a face portion; and
a first patch composed of a composition comprising:
a first plurality of prepreg plies;
a second plurality of prepreg plies; and
a variable thickness core material,

wherein the variable thickness core material is permanently sandwiched between the first plurality of prepreg plies and the second plurality of prepreg plies,
wherein the variable thickness core material comprises a sheet molding compound comprising bundles of aligned carbon fibers and at least one reinforcing fiber material,
wherein the carbon fiber bundles have random orientations within the sheet molding compound,
wherein the carbon fiber bundles are pre-spread prior to being processed into the sheet molding compound,
wherein the at least one reinforcing fiber material is selected from the group consisting of carbon, fiberglass, and aramid,
wherein the first patch is affixed to an inner surface of the face portion, and
wherein the face portion comprises at least one hole through which a portion of the first patch is visible.

4. The golf club head of claim 3 , wherein the first patch is custom molded onto the face portion.

5. The golf club head of claim 3 , wherein the first patch is affixed to the face portion with an adhesive material.

6. The golf club head of claim 3 , wherein the face portion is composed of a metal material.

7. The golf club head of claim 3 , wherein at least one of the face portion and the first patch comprises a variable thickness pattern.

8. The golf club head of claim 3 , further comprising a second patch composed of the composition, wherein the second patch is affixed to an outer surface of the face portion.

9. The golf club head of claim 3 , wherein the face portion comprises a recess sized to receive the first patch.

Assignees

• Callaway Golf Co

Inventors

• Demille Brandon D
• Ehlers Steven M

Classifications

• A63B2209/023

  Long, oriented fibres, e.g. wound filaments, woven fabrics, mats · CPC title

• A63B2209/02

  with reinforcing fibres, e.g. carbon, polyamide fibres · CPC title

• A63B53/04 Primary

  Heads · CPC title

• A63B60/00

  Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like · CPC title

• A63B53/0425

  the face insert comprising two or more different materials · CPC title