Metal-organic composite golf club head

Abstract

A golf club head is formed of a hollow body, the rear body portion of which includes a metallic stringer that extends along the crown-skirt interface and a plurality of ribs intersecting the metallic stringer to form a lattice frame, the openings of which are filled with an organic composite material such as graphite epoxy. An additional aperture formed in the skirt is also filled with the same graphite epoxy material. Because the graphite epoxy is lighter than the surrounding metal frame, the rear body portion of the golf club head is lighter than a comparable all metal club head. Yet, the presence of the metallic stringer and frame renders the metal-organic composite rear body portion substantially stiffer than a comparable all-composite rear body portion.

1 . A golf club head comprising: 
 a hollow body formed of a metallic material, said hollow body having an inner surface, an outer surface, a heel end, a toe end, a front wall and a rear body portion, said front wall including a metallic face arranged for impacting a golf ball, said rear body portion including a crown, a sole, a skirt and an arcuate perimeter region extending substantially continuously from said toe end to said heel end, said arcuate perimeter region forming a junction between said crown and said skirt, said hollow body having an aperture formed in one of said crown and said skirt; and    a layer of nonmetallic material attached to the inner surface of said hollow body, said layer of nonmetallic material extending across and closing said aperture from an inner side of said aperture.    
   
   
       2 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said layer of nonmetallic material extends into and at least partially fills said aperture.  
   
   
       3 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said layer of nonmetallic material has an outside surface which abuts and forms a smooth, substantially flush transition with said outer surface of said hollow body.  
   
   
       4 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said aperture is formed in said crown.  
   
   
       5 . The golf club head of  claim 4 , further comprising: 
 another aperture formed in said skirt; and    another layer of nonmetallic material extending across and closing said another aperture.    
   
   
       6 . The golf club head of  claim 5 , wherein said another layer of nonmetallic material is attached to the inner surface of said hollow body.  
   
   
       7 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said hollow body includes a metallic portion which ranges in weight from 150 to 170 grams, and a portion of said-rear body portion formed from said nonmetallic material ranges in weight from 10 to 40 grams.  
   
   
       8 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said metallic face has a maximum thickness of from 0.110 to 0.160 inches proximal the geometric center of the metallic face, tapering toward a thinner region proximal the heel and toe ends of said hollow body.  
   
   
       9 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said metallic face has an area of at least 5.00 square inches.  
   
   
       10 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said hollow body is at least 400 cubic centimeters in volume.  
   
   
       11 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said layer of nonmetallic material is a layer of graphite epoxy.  
   
   
       12 . A golf club head comprising: 
 a hollow body having a heel end, a toe end, a front wall and a rear body portion, said front wall including a metallic face arranged for impacting a golf ball, said rear body portion including a crown, a sole and a skirt, the crown and the skirt meeting along an arcuate perimeter region, said rear body portion having an inner surface and an outer surface, said crown having an aperture formed therein;    at least one metallic rib having an inward-facing bottom surface and an outward-facing top surface, said at least one metallic rib extending across said aperture from proximal said arcuate perimeter region toward said front wall; and    a composite filler extending from said at least one metallic rib generally toward said heel: end and toward said toe end of said hollow body to form at least a portion of said crown, at least a portion of said composite filler being attached to said inner surface :of said rear body portion,;, said outward-facing top surface of said at least one metallic rib remaining, uncovered by said composite filler.    
   
   
       13 . The golf club head of  claim 12 , wherein said at least one metallic rib has a longitudinal axis that intersects a vertical plane parallel to said metallic face at an angle less than 90 degrees.  
   
   
       14 . The golf club head of  claim 12 , wherein said composite filler includes an outer surface which abuts and forms a smooth, substantially flush transition with at least one of said outer surface of said hollow body and said outward-facing top surface of said at least one metallic rib.  
   
   
       15 . The golf club head of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 another aperture formed in said skirt; and    another composite filler extending across said another aperture forming at least a portion of said skirt.    
   
   
       16 . The golf club head of  claim 15 , wherein said another composite filler is attached to the inner surface of said rear body portion.  
   
   
       17 . The golf club head of  claim 12 , wherein said hollow body includes a metallic portion which ranges in weight from 150 to 170 grams, and the portion of said rear body portion made from said composite filler ranges in weight from 10 to 40 grams.  
   
   
       18 . The golf club head of  claim 12 , wherein said metallic face has a maximum thickness of, from 0.110 to 0.160 inches proximal the geometric center of the metallic face, tapering toward a thinner region proximal the heel and toe ends of said hollow body.  
   
   
       19 . The golf club head of  claim 12 , wherein said composite filler is graphite epoxy.  
   
   
       20 . The golf club head of  claim 12 , wherein said composite filler is organic resin.