In one embodiment the golf club head includes three main components, a frame component, a rear cap component, and a striking plate. In another embodiment the club head may also comprise a front component, which is manufactured as a single unitary piece, and a rear cap component. The front component may also be overmolded by a thermoplastic polymeric outer portion which may or may not cover the striking face and which provides additional reinforcement at the load bearing sections of the club head and allows a more facile connection to the rear cap component. In another embodiment, a club head having a main body, crown insert, sole insert and metal face plate frame is formed by forming the sole insert and crown insert from a polymeric material using a thermoforming or thermosetting process and then injection molding the main body over the sole insert, crown insert and metal face plate frame.
1. A golf club head comprising:
a main body formed from a thermoplastic material suitable for injection molding;
at least one composite insert joined to the main body; and
a metal face plate frame joined to the main body and including a peripheral edge, the metal face plate frame being distinct from the main body and configured to receive a face plate;
wherein the main body is injection molded around the metal face plate frame and mechanically captures the peripheral edge of the metal face plate frame; and
wherein the thermoplastic material of the main body has a mass that is at least 20% of the mass of the entire club head; and
wherein the thermoplastic material of the main body is a first thermoplastic composite material, and the at least one insert includes a second thermoplastic composite material, the first and second thermoplastic composite materials each having a matrix material compatible with one another to facilitate injection molding the main body over the at least one composite insert.
2. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic material of the main body has a mass that is at least 30% of the mass of the entire club head.
3. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the at least one composite insert includes a continuous fiber thermoplastic composite material.
4. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the at least one composite insert is one of a crown insert, a sole insert or both a crown insert and a sole insert.
5. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the main body extends over and at least partially overlies a face-side-most surface of the metal face plate frame.
6. A golf club head comprising:
a main body having a crown opening, a sole opening, and a face opening, the main body comprising a first thermoplastic composite material suitable for injection molding; and
at least one composite insert configured as a crown insert joined to the main body and overlying the crown opening, or configured as a sole insert joined to the main body and overlying the sole opening, the at least one composite insert including a second thermoplastic composite material; and
a metal face plate frame joined to the main body and including a peripheral edge, the metal face plate frame being distinct from the main body and configured to receive a face plate;
wherein the main body is injection molded around the metal face plate frame and mechanically captures the peripheral edge of the metal face plate frame; and
wherein the first and second thermoplastic composite materials each have a matrix material compatible with each other to facilitate injection molding the main body around the at least one composite insert.
7. The golf club head of claim 6 , wherein the first thermoplastic composite material of the main body comprises chopped fibers.
8. The golf club head of claim 6 , wherein the second thermoplastic composite material of the at least one composite insert includes a continuous fiber thermoplastic composite material.
9. The golf club head of claim 6 , wherein:
the at least one composite insert is a crown insert that overlies the crown opening; and
the golf club head further comprises a sole insert that overlies the sole opening.
10. The golf club head of claim 6 , wherein the main body at least partially overlies a face-side-most surface of the metal face plate frame.
11. The golf club head of claim 6 , wherein the main body has a thickness of about 0.75 mm to about 3 mm, and the at least one composite insert has a thickness of about 0.5 mm to about 1.5 mm.
12. The golf club head of claim 6 , wherein the first thermoplastic material of the main body has a mass that is at least 20% of the mass of the entire club head.
13. The golf club head of claim 6 , wherein the at least one composite insert is configured as both a crown insert and a sole insert.
14. A golf club head comprising:
a main body formed from a first thermoplastic composite material suitable for injection molding;
at least one composite insert joined to the main body, the at least one insert including a second thermoplastic composite material; and
a metal face plate frame joined to the main body and including a peripheral edge, the metal face plate frame being distinct from the main body and defining an opening configured to receive a face plate;
wherein the main body is injection molded around the metal face plate frame and mechanically captures the peripheral edge of the metal face plate frame; and
wherein the first and second thermoplastic composite materials each have a matrix material compatible with one another to facilitate injection molding the main body over the at least one composite insert.
15. The golf club head of claim 14 , wherein the first thermoplastic composite material of the main body comprises chopped fibers.
16. The golf club head of claim 14 , wherein the second thermoplastic composite material of the at least one composite insert includes a continuous fiber thermoplastic composite material.
17. The golf club head of claim 14 , wherein:
the at least one composite insert is a crown insert that overlies the crown opening; and
the golf club head further comprises a sole insert that overlies the sole opening.
18. The golf club head of claim 14 , wherein the main body has a thickness of about 0.75 mm to about 3 mm, and the at least one composite insert has a thickness of about 0.5 mm to about 1.5 mm.
19. The golf club head of claim 14 , wherein the first thermoplastic material of the main body has a mass that is at least 20% of the mass of the entire club head.
20. The golf club head of claim 14 , wherein the at least one composite insert is configured as both a crown insert and a sole insert.