Golf club head having multi-material face and method of manufacture
A golf club with a multi-material face is disclosed herein. More specifically, the golf club head in accordance with the present invention has a multi-material striking face portion that is made out of a backing layer having a frontal pocket, made out of titanium, and an insert, made out of a composite material, adapted to be inserted into the frontal pocket. The frontal pocket and the insert could have complementary dovetail shaped undercut features to create a mechanical bond between these two components.
1. A golf club head comprising:
a striking face provided near a forward portion of said golf club head;
a body portion connected to an aft portion of said striking face further comprising a crown, a sole, and a skirt; said striking face further comprising;
a perimeter portion made out of a first material having a first density around a border of said striking face; and
a central portion near a center of said striking face surrounded by said perimeter portion,
wherein said central portion comprises a backing portion,
wherein said central portion defines a pocket having a dovetail shaped undercut, and
said pocket is filled with a face insert having a dovetail shaped protrusion around its perimeter, said dovetail shaped protrusion adapted to engage said dovetail shaped undercut,
wherein said face insert is made out of a second material having a second density,
wherein said second density is less than said first density, and
wherein said golf club head has a Striking Thickness Ratio of less than about 1.0, said Striking Thickness Ratio defined as:
Striking
Thickness
Ratio
=
depth
(
d
2
)
of
thickness
(
d
3
)
of
backing
portion
,
wherein said dovetail shaped protrusion forms an angle θ of between about 40 degrees to about 65 degrees with said striking face,
wherein said dovetail shaped protrusion extends a distance (d 11 ) between about 3 mm to about 6 mm into said dovetail shaped undercut, and
wherein said distance (d 11 ) is generally greater than the thickness (d 3 ) of said backing portion.
2. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein said Striking Thickness Ratio is less than about 0.8.
3. The golf club head of claim 2 , wherein said Striking Thickness Ratio is less than about 0.7.
4. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein said angle θ is between about 45 degrees to about 60 degrees with said striking face.
5. The golf club head of claim 4 , wherein said angle θ is between about 50 degree to about 55 degrees with said striking face.
6. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein said dovetail shaped protrusion extends between about 3.5 mm to about 5.5 mm into said dovetail shaped undercut.
7. The golf club head of claim 6 , wherein said dovetail shaped protrusion extends between about 3.75 mm to about 5.25 mm into said dovetail shaped undercut.
8. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein said striking face has a characteristic time slope of greater than about 10 and less than about 45.
9. A golf club head comprising:
a striking face provided near a forward portion of said golf club head;
a body portion connected to an aft portion of said striking face further comprising a crown, a sole, and a skirt; said striking face further comprising;
a perimeter portion made out of a first material having a first density around a border of said striking face; and
a central portion near a center of said striking face surrounded by said perimeter portion,
wherein said central portion comprises a backing portion
wherein said central portion defined defines a pocket having an undercut, and
said pocket is filled with a face insert having a protrusion around its perimeter, said protrusion adapted to engage said undercut,
wherein said face insert is made out of a second material having a second density,
wherein said second density is less than said first density, and
wherein said striking face has a characteristic time slope of greater than about 10 and less than about 45,
wherein said protrusion forms an angle θ of between about 40 degrees to about 65 degrees with said striking face,
wherein said dovetail shaped protrusion extends a distance (d 11 ) between about 3 mm to about 6 mm into said dovetail shaped undercut, and
wherein said distance (d 11 ) is generally greater than a thickness (d 3 ) of said backing portion.
10. The golf club head of claim 9 , wherein said first density is greater than about 4.0 g/cm 3 and said second density is less than about 2.7 g/cm 3 .
11. The golf club head of claim 9 , wherein said angle θ is between about 45 degrees to about 60 degrees with said striking face.
12. The golf club head of claim 11 , wherein said angle θ is between about 50 degree to about 55 degrees with said striking face.
13. A golf club head comprising:
a striking face provided near a forward portion of said golf club head;
a body portion connected to an aft portion of said striking face further comprising a crown, a sole, and a skirt; said striking face further comprising;
a perimeter portion made out of a first material having a first density around a border of said striking face; and
a central portion near a center of said striking face surrounded by said perimeter portion,
wherein said central portion comprises a backing portion,
wherein said central portion defines a pocket having an undercut, and
said pocket is filled with a face insert having a protrusion around its perimeter, said protrusion adapted to engage said undercut,
wherein said face insert is made out of a second material having a second density,
wherein said second density is less than said first density, and
wherein said golf club head has a first peak frequency to volume ratio of greater than about 7.0 hertz/cc and less than about 15.0 hertz/cc; said first peak frequency to volume ratio is defined as a first peak frequency of a signal power diagram of a sound of said golf club head as it impacts a golf ball, divided by a volume of said golf club head,
wherein said golf club head has a Striking Thickness Ratio of less than about 1.0, said Striking Thickness Ratio defined as:
Striking
Thickness
Ratio
=
depth
(
d
2
)
of
thickness
(
d
3
)
of
backing
portion
,
wherein said protrusion forms an angle θ of between about 40 degrees to about 65 degrees with said striking face,
wherein said dovetail shaped protrusion extends a distance (d 11 ) between about 3 mm to about 6 mm into said dovetail shaped undercut, and
wherein said distance (d 11 ) is generally greater than the thickness (d 3 ) of said backing portion.
14. The golf club head of claim 13 , wherein said angle θ is between about 45 degrees to about 60 degrees with said striking face.
15. The golf club head of claim 14 , wherein said angle θ is between about 50 degree to about 55 degrees with said striking face.