Golf club head with interchangeable striking face-plates

Abstract

A golf club head having one or more easily attachable and detachable striking face-plates. A wood-type embodiment includes a hollow shell body and a striking face-plate removably attached to the body. A second wood-type embodiment includes a hollow shell body within which is a honeycomb assembly, and a striking face-plate removably attached to the body. An iron-type embodiment includes a body with an aperture therethrough and a striking face-plate removably attached to the body.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A golf club head comprising: 
 a body having an aperture; and    a striking face-plate having a front portion and a rear portion, the front portion having a striking face and a generally planar back surface, the rear portion having a generally planar front surface, the back surface of the front portion attached to and overlapping the front surface of the rear portion in a peripheral flange, the rear portion closely received within the aperture, the face-plate removably attached to the body.    
     
     
         2 . The club head of  claim 1  wherein the front and back portions have a plurality of holes therethrough.  
     
     
         3 . The club head of  claim 2 , wherein the body is a wood-type body having a hollow shell.  
     
     
         4 . The club head of  claim 2 , wherein the body is an iron-type body having the aperture therethrough.  
     
     
         5 . A wood-type golf club head comprising: 
 a hollow shell body having a crown and a sole extending forwardly in a toe, the crown and toe determining a front aperture bounded by a circumferential rim with a recessed lip, the body further comprising first and second posts rigidly attached between the crown and sole, and a rearmost portion having a hole therethrough; and    a striking face-plate having a front portion and a rear portion, the front portion having a striking face and a generally planar back surface, the rear portion having a generally planar front surface, the back surface of the front portion attached to and overlapping the front surface of the rear portion in a peripheral flange, the rear portion closely received within the aperture so that the flange abuts the lip, the face-plate removably attached to the lip and posts.    
     
     
         6 . The club head of  claim 5  wherein the front and back portions have a first plurality of holes therethrough, and the crown has a second plurality of holes therethrough.  
     
     
         7 . The club head of  claim 5  wherein the striking face is inclined at an angle in a range from about 6 degrees to about 12 degrees.  
     
     
         8 . A wood-type club head comprising: 
 a hollow shell body having a crown and a sole extending forwardly in a toe, the crown and toe determining a front aperture bounded by a circumferential rim with a recessed lip, the crown and sole determining a cavity, the body further comprising a rearmost portion having a hole therethrough;    a honeycomb assembly comprising a multiplicity of cells through which air may pass, having a preselected shape, size and wall thickness, the assembly closely received and rigidly disposed within the cavity between the crown and sole;    a striking face-plate having a front portion and a rear portion, the front portion having a striking face and a generally planar back surface, the rear portion having generally planar front and back surfaces, the back surface of the front portion attached to and overlapping the front surface of the rear portion in a peripheral flange; and    generally vertical first and second posts rigidly attached to the back surface of the rear portion, the rear portion closely received within the aperture so that the flange abuts the lip, the face-plate removably attached to the crown and sole.    
     
     
         9 . The club head of  claim 8  wherein the front and back portions have a first plurality of holes therethrough, and the crown has a second plurality of holes therethrough.  
     
     
         10 . The club head of  claim 8  wherein the striking face is inclined at an angle in a range from about 6 degrees to about 12 degrees.  
     
     
         11 . The club head of  claim 9  wherein the cell shape is hexagonal, the cell size is in a range from {fraction (1/16)}-inch to ⅛-inch, and the cell wall thickness is in a range from 0.001-inch to 0.003-inch.  
     
     
         12 . The club head of  claim 11  wherein the honeycomb assembly is made of an aluminum alloy.  
     
     
         13 . An iron-type golf club head comprising: 
 a body having an aperture therethrough determined by a circumferential surface and circumscribed by a rim with a recessed lip, the body further comprising generally vertical first and second posts rigidly attached to the circumferential surface; and    a striking face-plate having a front portion and a rear portion, the front portion having a striking face and a generally planar back surface, the rear portion having generally planar front and back surfaces, the back surface of the front portion attached to and overlapping the front surface of the rear portion in a peripheral flange; the rear portion closely received within the aperture so that the flange abuts the lip, the face-plate removably attached to the posts.    
     
     
         14 . The club head of  claim 13  wherein the front and back portions have a plurality of holes therethrough.