Club heads with bounded face to body yield strength ratio and related methods

Abstract

Some embodiments include a club head with a bounded face to body yield strength ratio. Other embodiments of related club heads and methods are also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 ) A golf club head comprising:
 a face portion comprising a first material having a first yield strength, the first yield strength being greater than or equal to approximately 910 MegaPascals; and   a support body comprising a second material having a second yield strength, the support body being configured to be coupled to the face portion;   wherein:
 a yield strength ratio of the second yield strength to the first yield strength is greater than or equal to approximately 0.50. 
   
     
     
         2 ) The golf club head of  claim 1  wherein:
 the yield strength ratio is greater than or equal to approximately 0.63. 
 
     
     
         3 ) The golf club head of  claim 1  wherein:
 the first yield strength is greater than or equal to approximately 1378 MegaPascals. 
 
     
     
         4 ) The golf club head of  claim 3  wherein:
 the yield strength ratio is greater than or equal to approximately 0.63. 
 
     
     
         5 ) The golf club head of  claim 1  wherein:
 the first yield strength is greater than or equal to approximately 1655 MegaPascals. 
 
     
     
         6 ) The golf club head of  claim 1  wherein:
 the first yield strength is greater than or equal to approximately 1720 MegaPascals. 
 
     
     
         7 ) The golf club head of  claim 6  wherein:
 the yield strength ratio is greater than or equal to approximately 0.63. 
 
     
     
         8 ) The golf club head of  claim 1  wherein:
 the face portion consists essentially of the first material. 
 
     
     
         9 ) The golf club head of  claim 1  wherein:
 the support body comprises a crown support body; 
 the golf club head comprises a crown, and the crown comprises the crown support body; and 
 the crown support body consists essentially of the second material. 
 
     
     
         10 ) The golf club head of  claim 1  wherein:
 the support body comprises a sole support body; 
 the golf club head comprises a sole, and the sole comprises the sole support body; and 
 the sole support body consists essentially of the second material. 
 
     
     
         11 ) The golf club head of  claim 1  wherein:
 the face portion comprises a face insert; 
 the golf club head comprises a face comprising the face insert; and 
 the face insert comprises a face insert front surface, a face insert rear surface opposite the face insert front surface, and a face insert perimeter edge. 
 
     
     
         12 ) The golf club head of  claim 1  wherein:
 the face portion comprises at least one of a crown face portion or a sole face portion; 
 the golf club head comprises a crown and a sole; 
 when the face portion comprises the crown face portion, the crown comprises the crown face portion; and 
 when the face portion comprises the sole face portion, the sole comprises the sole face portion. 
 
     
     
         13 ) The golf club head of  claim 1  wherein at least one of:
 the first material comprises one of iron or titanium; 
 the second material comprises one of iron or titanium; or the face portion comprises a face center, and a thickness of the face portion at the face center is less than or equal to approximately 0.2540 centimeters. 
 
     
     
         14 ) The golf club head of  claim 13  wherein:
 the thickness of the face portion at the face center is less than or equal to approximately 0.1905 centimeters. 
 
     
     
         15 ) The golf club head of  claim 1  wherein:
 the golf club head comprises a wood-type golf club head. 
 
     
     
         16 ) A method of manufacturing a golf club head, the method comprising:
 providing a face portion comprising a first material having a first yield strength, the first yield strength being greater than or equal to approximately 1378 MegaPascals; and   providing a support body comprising a second material having a second yield strength, the support body being configured to be coupled to the face portion;   wherein:   a yield strength ratio of the second yield strength to the first yield strength is greater than or equal to approximately 0.50.   
     
     
         17 ) The method of  claim 16  wherein at least one of:
 the yield strength ratio is greater than or equal to approximately 0.63; or 
 the first yield strength is greater than or equal to approximately 1720 MegaPascals. 
 
     
     
         18 ) The method of  claim 16  further comprising:
 coupling the face portion to the support body. 
 
     
     
         19 ) The method of  claim 18  wherein:
 coupling the face portion to the support body comprises welding the face portion to the support body. 
 
     
     
         20 ) The method of  claim 16  wherein:
 providing the face portion comprises providing a face insert having a face insert perimeter edge with an elliptical shape. 
 
     
     
         21 ) A golf club head comprising:
 a face portion comprising a first material having a first yield strength, the first yield strength being greater than or equal to approximately 1378 MegaPascals; and   a support body comprising a second material having a second yield strength, the support body being coupled to the face portion;   wherein:
 a yield strength ratio of the second yield strength to the first yield strength is greater than or equal to approximately 0.50; 
 the support body comprises a support shell; and 
 the golf club head comprises a wood-type golf club head. 
   
     
     
         22 ) The method of  claim 21  wherein at least one of:
 the yield strength ratio is greater than or equal to approximately 0.63; or 
 the first yield strength is greater than or equal to approximately 1720 MegaPascals.