JP7789147B2 - Multi-Material Iron Golf Club Head - Google Patents

Description

(Related Applications)
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/857,741, filed June 5, 2019, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/865,831, filed June 24, 2019, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/925,912, filed October 25, 2019, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

This disclosure relates generally to golf equipment, and more particularly to multi-material iron golf club heads and methods of manufacturing such golf club heads.

Iron-type golf club heads typically include various styles, such as muscle back, cavity back, or tour irons. Low-handicap, high-skill golfers prefer compact, aesthetically sleek tour irons. Tour irons have high lofts, low centers of gravity (CG), short shaft lengths, small profiles, and thin toplines. Tour irons generally have a sleek, classic appearance, and desirable sound. Forged tour irons, in particular, are considered to offer improved "feel" and aesthetic appeal over other types of irons, such as cast irons. Low-handicap golfers, such as tour players, generally desire iron-type club heads with a CG that is low and close to the club face. Tour irons have a smaller sweet spot for straighter flight, allowing these golfers to further shape their shots by manipulating the area of the club face that impacts the golf ball. While difficult for high-handicap golfers to use effectively, tour irons fill a niche demand for highly skilled, often low-handicap, golfers.

Game improvement irons, on the other hand, are typically designed to accommodate high-handicap golfers who desire increased iron forgiveness and higher loft. High-handicap golfers tend to play iron-type club heads with higher moments of inertia (MOI), which give the club head more forgiveness. Game improvement irons, such as deep cavity back, muscle back, or hollow body irons, allow for perimeter weighting, which increases the club head's forgiveness and allows the face to flex, resulting in greater distance. However, game improvement irons naturally do not feel like solid tour irons and are not pure to golfers accustomed to traditional solid irons. Game improvement irons have a large profile, resulting in a bulky feel. Such game improvement irons can also have thick toplines and other shaping features that many golfers consider less aesthetically pleasing. The golf club heads described herein address the needs of golfers who desire a club that shares the benefits of both game improvement and tour irons.

There is a need in the art for a club head that can be used by mid-to-low handicap players and has the compact size and solid feel and sound of a traditional tour iron without sacrificing the high moment of inertia and perimeter weighting of a traditional game improvement iron.

FIG. 1 shows an exploded perspective view of a golf club head according to one embodiment.

FIG. 2 shows a front view of the golf club head of FIG.

FIG. 3 shows a rear view of the golf club head of FIG.

FIG. 4 shows a toe side view of the golf club head of FIG.

5 shows a toe-side view of the golf club head of FIG. 1 in cross section taken along line VV of FIG.

FIG. 6 shows a toe-side view of the golf club head of FIG. 1 in cross section along line VV of FIG. 3 according to a first embodiment with a multi-material insert.

FIG. 7 shows a toe-side view of the golf club head of FIG. 1 in cross section taken along line VV of FIG. 3 according to a second embodiment with a multi-material insert.

FIG. 8 shows a toe-side view of a cross section of the golf club head of FIG. 1 taken along line VV of FIG. 3 according to a third embodiment with a multi-material insert.

FIG. 9 shows a toe-side view of the golf club head of FIG. 1 in cross section taken along line VV of FIG. 3 according to a fourth embodiment with a multi-material insert.

FIG. 10 illustrates a front perspective view of a lightening insert, according to one embodiment.

FIG. 11 shows a front view of the lightweight insert of FIG.

FIG. 12 shows a rear view of the lightening insert of FIG.

FIG. 13 shows a cross-sectional view of the lightweight insert of FIG. 10 taken along line XII-XII in relation to a golf club head.

FIG. 14 illustrates a front perspective view of a second lightening insert, according to one embodiment.

FIG. 15 shows a front view of the lightening insert of FIG.

FIG. 16 shows a front perspective view of a variation of the lightening insert of FIG.

FIG. 17 shows a toe-side view of a cross section of a golf club head according to an embodiment having a rear shelf.

FIG. 18 shows a toe-side view of a cross section of a golf club head according to an embodiment having a rear shelf at a 90 degree angle from the loft plane.

FIG. 19 shows a toe-side view of the golf club head of FIG. 1 in cross section taken along line VV of FIG. 3, including the tape layer.

FIG. 20 shows a rear perspective view of the golf club head of FIG. 1, including an exploded view of the toe cavity and toe weight.

FIG. 21 shows an exploded view of a golf club head according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 22 shows a rear view of the golf club head of FIG.

23 shows a heel side view of the golf club head of FIG. 21 in cross section taken along line XVI-XVI of FIG.

FIG. 24 shows a front perspective view of the body of the golf club head of FIG.

FIG. 25 shows a rear perspective view of the golf club head of FIG.

26 shows a heel side view of the golf club head of FIG. 21 in cross section taken along line XVI-XVI of FIG.

27 shows a heel side view of the golf club head of FIG. 21 in cross section along line XVI-XVI of FIG. 22 according to the first embodiment having a partial fill insert.

28 shows a heel side view of the golf club head of FIG. 21 in cross section along line XVI-XVI of FIG. 22 according to a second embodiment having a partial fill insert.

29 shows a heel side view of the golf club head of FIG. 21 in cross section along line XVI-XVI of FIG. 22 according to a third embodiment having a partial fill insert.

30 shows a heel side view of the golf club head of FIG. 21 in cross section along line XVI-XVI of FIG. 22 according to a fourth embodiment having a partial fill insert.

FIG. 31 shows a variation of the golf club head of FIG. 22 having an enclosed rear portion.

FIG. 32 shows a variation of the golf club head of FIG. 22 having an enclosed rear section and a locking feature.

FIG. 33 shows a side view of a toe screw weight according to one embodiment.

FIG. 34 shows a perspective view of the toe screw weight of FIG. 33.

FIG. 35 shows a front view of a golf club head according to one embodiment.

FIG. 36 shows a front view of the body of the golf club head of FIG. 35 without the insert.

FIG. 37 shows a cross-sectional view of the golf club head of FIG.

FIG. 38 shows an enlarged view of the top rail shown in FIG.

FIG. 39 shows a front view of a body of a golf club head according to an embodiment similar to the golf club head of FIG.

FIG. 40 shows a perspective view of the body of the golf club head of FIG.

FIG. 41 shows a cross-sectional view of the golf club head of FIG.

FIG. 42 shows a front view of a body of a golf club head according to an embodiment similar to the golf club head of FIG.

FIG. 43 shows a perspective view of the body of the golf club head of FIG.

FIG. 44 shows a cross-sectional view of the golf club head of FIG.

FIG. 45 shows a front view of a body of a golf club head according to an embodiment similar to the golf club head of FIG.

FIG. 46 shows a front view of a body of a golf club head according to an embodiment similar to the golf club head of FIG.

FIG. 47 shows a perspective view of the body of the golf club head of FIG.

FIG. 48 illustrates a rear view of a golf club head having at least toe and heel weights according to an embodiment similar to the golf club head of FIG.

FIG. 49 illustrates a rear view of a golf club head having multiple weights according to an embodiment similar to the golf club head of FIG.

FIG. 50 shows a rear view of a golf club head having multiple weights according to an embodiment similar to the golf club head of FIG.

FIG. 51 shows a cross-sectional view of a golf club head according to one embodiment.

FIG. 52 shows a cross-sectional view of the golf club head of FIG. 51 including a locking feature.

FIG. 53 shows a statistical plot area chart of the golf club comparison test.

FIG. 54 illustrates a method for manufacturing a golf club head according to one embodiment.

FIG. 55 shows a method for manufacturing a golf club head according to the second embodiment.

It is well understood by those knowledgeable in golf that tour irons are visually distinct from game improvement irons by both their size and appearance. Therefore, tour irons include different design requirements than game improvement irons. The golf clubs described herein satisfy the market demand for tour style irons while retaining the functional benefits of game improvement irons.

Specifically, the golf club heads described herein share the aesthetically appealing features of tour irons (e.g., compact size, forged construction, solid feel) and the performance advantages of game improvement irons (e.g., perimeter weighting and high forgiveness). Golf club heads are described herein having a body forming a cavity, and an insert can fit within the cavity, which can be surrounded by a rear cap or a face plate of the body. The insert can alternately be exposed to the exterior of the club head through one or more openings to maximize the insert's mass and benefit weight distribution within the club head. Thus, the golf club heads provide golfers with a tour-style iron club while maintaining the level of forgiveness necessary for intermediate or beginner golfers to make the most accurate shots possible for their skill level. Generally, tour irons are designed for highly skilled golfers or low- to mid-handicap players, while game improvement irons are designed for beginner- to intermediate-level golfers with high handicaps (over 10). The golf club head described herein provides an option for golfers who want to play with a set of tour irons but lack the technique to use a traditional tour iron.

Furthermore, the golf club heads provide an option for highly skilled golfers seeking to enhance shot accuracy through a high MOI design. While the golf club heads described herein may include a lower MOI than certain game improvement irons or standard irons, the club heads nevertheless include a higher MOI than other golf club heads within the same category, i.e., tour irons or miniature irons. Furthermore, the disclosed golf club heads provide a low CG, which is desirable for advanced golfers. The golf club heads described herein may be exemplified by, but are not limited to, these embodiments.

The golf club head can be manufactured by a method that includes swaging a face plate onto the body of the golf club head. In a surface fusion process, the interface between the face plate and the body after swaging can be laser welded. The insert is not damaged by the swaging or laser welding.

For simplicity and clarity of explanation, the drawings show general construction methods, and descriptions and details of well-known features and techniques may be omitted to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present disclosure. Furthermore, elements in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. The same reference numbers in different drawings refer to the same elements.

Described herein are golf clubs having hollow golf club heads or partially/almost hollow golf club heads, each of which includes a low-density insert (the hollow golf club heads or partially/almost hollow golf club heads are hereinafter referred to as "golf club heads"). The golf club includes a golf club head, a shaft, and a grip. The golf club head includes a body having a hosel, a front, a rear, a top rail, and a sole. The body can include a cavity. The face plate, sole, rear, and top rail surround the cavity. In some embodiments, the cavity of the golf club head can be sealed from the front by the face plate. In some embodiments, the cavity can be open at the rear of the club, partially exposing the cavity. The insert can fit within the cavity. The front of the golf club head can further include a face plate that seals the cavity from the front.

One embodiment of a golf club head described herein includes a body defining a cavity and a low-density insert, the cavity opening toward the front of the golf club head. The body has an internal cavity formed in the center of the club head. The body can be cast or forged. The cavity can receive and accommodate the low-density insert.

The golf club head has a low-density center, a high-density perimeter, and, as previously described, a low-density insert to move weight to the perimeter, thereby improving overall forgiveness. The insert comprises a low-density material such as aluminum, titanium, or a composite. Filling the cavity with a solid insert improves the sound and feel of the golf club head over other similar hollow-body irons. In some embodiments, adhesive and/or tape are used to further secure the insert within the cavity and prevent rattle.

The face plate seals the front opening of the golf club head, forming a cavity. Swaging, press-fitting, or other low-temperature methods are used to secure the face plate. TIG welding is not used. In some embodiments, the face plate can be further secured to the body by laser welding, as laser welding is very precise and does not create a significant heat-affected zone (hereinafter referred to as "HAZ") that would affect the insert, tape, and/or adhesive. If the face plate were TIG welded to the front of the golf club head body, the insert, tape, and/or adhesive would be exposed to high temperatures and damaged, thereby compromising the weight distribution of the insert and compromising the material properties of the tape and/or adhesive.

The high density perimeter of the golf club head can also be achieved by a toe weight and/or a tip weight within the hosel. In some embodiments, the body can further include a toe cavity. The toe weight can be mounted within the toe cavity. The toe weight can include a high density material, such as tungsten. Additionally, in some embodiments, the golf club head can include a toe screw weight for swing weighting.

In a second embodiment of the golf club head, the cavity in the body is exposed through an opening in the rear upper portion. Like the first embodiment, the golf club head of the second embodiment includes a body and a low-density insert. The body can be cast or forged. The body includes a rear opening in the upper portion of the body. The low-density insert is housed within the cavity in the body. In this embodiment, the insert includes a material that can be injected into the cavity, such as a thermoplastic composite, foam, or other filler damping material.

The golf club head further includes a face plate that forms a front boundary of the cavity. The injection molding process can form a low-density insert within the cavity of the body. The golf club head can further include a toe weight within the toe cavity of the body and/or a tip weight within the hosel for perimeter weighting. Additionally, the golf club head can include a toe screw weight for swing weighting.

In the description and claims, the terms "first," "second," "third," "fourth," etc., if any, are used to distinguish between similar elements and are not necessarily used to describe a particular sequence or chronological order; terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances; for example, it should be understood that the embodiments described herein may operate in sequences other than those illustrated or otherwise described herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprise," "comprise," and "have" and variations thereof are intended to include non-exclusive inclusions; a process, method, article, or apparatus that includes a list of elements is not necessarily limited to those elements and may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent in such process, method, article, or apparatus.

The terms "front," "back," "rear," "top," "bottom," and the like, if any, in the specification and claims are used for descriptive purposes and not necessarily to describe permanent relative positions. It should be understood that terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances, such that embodiments of the apparatus, methods, and/or articles of manufacture described herein may, for example, operate in other orientations other than those illustrated or otherwise described herein.

The term "couple" and similar terms should be understood broadly and refer to connecting two or more elements mechanically and/or otherwise. For example, two or more mechanical elements may be mechanically coupled but not electrically or otherwise coupled. The coupling may be for any length of time, e.g., permanently or semi-permanently, or may be only momentarily.

As used herein, the term MOI can be a quantity that describes a body's tendency to resist angular acceleration. MOI is also known as angular mass or rotational inertia. MOI determines the torque required to achieve a desired angular acceleration about the axis of rotation. A higher MOI makes the club head more forgiving; that is, the golfer will notice more consistent shots, even when the golf ball is struck on a portion of the striking face that is off-center. MOI is increased by moving weight away from the center of the golf club head toward the periphery of the golf club head. To maintain a desirable overall golf club head weight, the center of the golf club head must contain either a cavity or a material that is lighter than the main golf club head to increase the MOI.

Aspects of golf clubs described herein may be applied to one or more golf clubs in a set of irons. In some embodiments, a set of irons includes irons having varying club head sizes, shaft lengths, lie angles, loft angles, head weights, and/or other parameters. Each club head in a set of irons may be conventionally numbered with a number ranging from 1 to 10. Most commonly, sets are numbered 3-9. Additionally, a set of irons may include one or more wedges having a higher loft angle than the numbered irons.

In some embodiments, the golf club head may be a wedge. In many embodiments, the loft angle of the golf club head is less than about 50 degrees, less than about 49 degrees, less than about 48 degrees, less than about 47 degrees, less than about 46 degrees, less than about 45 degrees, less than about 44 degrees, less than about 43 degrees, less than about 42 degrees, less than about 41 degrees, or less than about 40 degrees. Furthermore, in many embodiments, the loft angle of the golf club head is greater than about 16 degrees, greater than about 17 degrees, greater than about 18 degrees, greater than about 19 degrees, greater than about 20 degrees, greater than about 21 degrees, greater than about 22 degrees, greater than about 23 degrees, greater than about 24 degrees, or greater than about 25 degrees.

In many embodiments, the loft angle of the golf club head is less than about 64 degrees, less than about 63 degrees, less than about 62 degrees, less than about 61 degrees, less than about 60 degrees, less than about 59 degrees, less than about 58 degrees, less than about 57 degrees, less than about 56 degrees, less than about 55 degrees, or less than about 54 degrees. Additionally, in many embodiments, the loft angle of the golf club head is greater than about 46 degrees, greater than about 47 degrees, greater than about 48 degrees, greater than about 49 degrees, greater than about 50 degrees, greater than about 51 degrees, or greater than about 52 degrees.

In many embodiments, the golf club head can include a total volume of 1.9 cubic inches to 2.7 cubic inches. In some embodiments, the total volume of the golf club head can be 1.9 cubic inches to 2.4 cubic inches, 2.0 cubic inches to 2.5 cubic inches, 2.1 cubic inches to 2.6 cubic inches, 2.2 cubic inches to 2.7 cubic inches, 2.3 cubic inches to 2.7 cubic inches, or 2.4 cubic inches to 2.7 cubic inches. In other embodiments, the total volume of the golf club head 100 can be 1.9 cubic inches, 2.0 cubic inches, 2.1 cubic inches, 2.2 cubic inches, 2.3 cubic inches, 2.4 cubic inches, 2.5 cubic inches, 2.6 cubic inches, or 2.7 cubic inches.

In some embodiments, the golf club head can include a total mass of 200 grams to 210 grams, 210 grams to 220 grams, 220 grams to 230 grams, 230 grams to 240 grams, 240 grams to 250 grams, 250 grams to 260 grams, 255 grams to 260 grams, 260 grams to 270 grams, 265 grams to 275 grams, 270 grams to 280 grams, 275 grams to 280 grams, or 250 grams to 270 grams, 270 grams, and 270 grams. In other embodiments, the total mass may be 200 grams, 205 grams, 210 grams, 220 grams, 225 grams, 230 grams, 235 grams, 240 grams, 245 grams, 250 grams, 255 grams, 260 grams, 265 grams, 270 grams, 275 grams, 280 grams, 285 grams, 290 grams, 295 grams, or 300 grams.

The golf club heads described herein can be viewed from various perspectives while in the address position, including, but not limited to, a front view, a back view, a toe-side view, a heel-side view, a top view, a bottom view, and various perspective views. For example, the front view of the golf club head 100 views the club head from a direction forward of the loft plane 20 and parallel to the ground plane 10. The back view of the golf club head 100 views the club head from a direction behind the back surface 103 and parallel to the ground plane 10. The toe-side view of the golf club head 100 views the club head from a toe-heel direction parallel to the ground plane 10. The heel-side view of the golf club head 100 views the club head from a heel-to-toe direction parallel to the ground plane 10. The bottom view of the golf club head 100 views the club head from a bottom-to-top direction perpendicular to the ground plane 10. A top view of the golf club head 100 is viewed from the top to bottom direction perpendicular to the ground plane 10 .

I. Golf club head with insert and sealed face plate

A golf club head 100 will now be described. As described above, the golf club head 100 may be a tour-style golf club head with forgiveness. The golf club head 100 may include a body having a cavity for receiving an insert. The golf club head includes a face plate, a body, and an insert. The body includes an upper portion, a lower portion, a sole, a rear, and a top rail. The rear may further include a flex seam. The flex seam is the boundary between the upper and lower portions of the golf club head. The face plate and a portion of the body define the strike face of the golf club head. The face plate, sole, rear, and top rail surround the cavity.

The body cavity opens toward the front of the golf club head and is sealed by a face plate. The face plate may be swaged and laser welded to the body. The club head is a tour iron club head and has a volume of 1.8 cubic inches to 2.7 cubic inches (30 cubic centimeters (cc) to 45 cc). The golf club head body may be cast or forged from a metal material.

The insert comprises a low-density material and fills the cavity formed by the body of the golf club head. Reducing the mass at the center of the golf club head allows for additional mass to be concentrated around its perimeter, increasing the moment of inertia of the golf club head. As described above, the golf club head comprises a lower portion and an upper portion. The lower portion comprises a greater depth than the upper portion. This allows the lower portion to have more mass concentrated around the heel end, toe end, and sole. Lowering the body mass lowers the center of gravity, increasing launch angle and reducing spin. As introduced above, there is a need in the art for an iron that bridges the gap between tour irons, having a relatively high moment of inertia from perimeter weighting and a low center of gravity from low mass positioning. In some embodiments, a tip weight located in the hosel and/or a toe weight located in the toe cavity of the body provides additional perimeter weighting.

A. Part of the golf club head

With reference to Figures 1-13, the golf club head 100 comprises a face plate 155, a body 110, and an insert 140, as described above. The body 110 may further comprise an upper portion 108, a lower portion 109, a sole 107, a rear 103, a toe side 101, a heel side 102, and a top rail 106. The face plate 155 and a portion of the body may define a strike face 111. The face plate 155, the sole 107, the rear 103, and the top rail 106 enclose a cavity 120. The upper portion 108 is bounded by the top rail 106. The lower portion 109 is bounded by the sole 107. The rear 103 may include a flex seam 130. The flex seam 130 can extend from the toe side 101 to the heel side 102 of the golf club head. The flex seam 130 bounds the upper portion 108 to the top rail 106. The flex seam 130 bounds the lower portion 109 to the sole 107. The flex seam 130 marks the end of the uniform upper portion depth 116, as described below. As shown in Figures 4-12, the flex seam 130 is depicted as an inflection point in the toe-side view of any cross section taken from the top rail toward the sole.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the ground plane 10 serves as a ground reference when the golf club is in the address position. As shown in FIG. 4, the face surface 20 is parallel to the strike face 111. As shown in FIG. 2, the center plane 45 is perpendicular to the ground plane 10, perpendicular to the loft plane 20, and coincides with the center point 80 of the strike face 111. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the golf club head 100 may have a coordinate system centered on the CG 60 of the golf club head 100. The golf club head 600 described below may have similar coordinate axes. The x-axis 30 reference axis extends in the toe-to-heel direction through the CG 60. The x-axis 30 is parallel to the strike face. The y-axis 40 reference axis extends in the top rail-to-sole direction through the CG 60. The y-axis 40 is perpendicular to the ground plane 10 when the golf club head 100 is in the address position. A reference axis of the z-axis 50 extends through the CG 60 in the front-rear direction. The z-axis 50 is parallel to the ground plane 10 and perpendicular to the x-axis 30 and y-axis 40. Additionally, a reference axis of the hosel axis 70 extends through the concentric center of the hosel 105. The lead-edge axis 35 is parallel to the ground plane 10, extends in the heel-to-toe direction, and is coincident with the lowest point on the substantially planar strike face 111 and along the center of the strike face 111. The lead-edge plane is coincident with the lead-edge axis 35 and is parallel to the ground plane 10.

1) The upper and lower portions of the golf club head

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 , the golf club head 100 includes an upper portion 108 and a lower portion 109. As described above, the upper portion 108 may be separated from the lower portion 109 by a bend seam 130. The upper portion 108 of the rear 103 of the body may include a uniform depth 116 measured perpendicular to the loft plane 20 from the strike face 111 to the rear 103. The rear 103 includes an upper wall 131 and a lower wall 132. By remaining substantially parallel to the loft plane 20, the upper wall of the rear 103 enables the constant depth 116 in the upper portion 108 of the golf club head 100. At the bend seam 130, the rear profile transitions between the upper portion 108 and the lower portion 109 of the golf club head 100, shifting the depth of the golf club head 100. This change in depth leads to a lower portion 109 having a greater depth 118 than the upper portion 108, as will be described below. The greater depth of the lower portion 109 is beneficial for reducing the CG of the golf club head 100 and improving launch characteristics.

This contour of the rear 103 of the golf club head 100 allows mass to be located lower in the golf club head 100 than golf club heads having a flat rear design. By lowering the mass within the club head, the CG is lowered, which allows for improved ball launch and spin characteristics of the golf ball upon impact with the golf club head 100. The full benefit of the CG location is best understood by comparison with a golf club head having a flat rear, as provided in Example 3 below. In some embodiments, the golf club head 100 can include a CG that is 0.030 inches to 0.050 inches lower than the CG of a flat-back comparison golf club head. In some embodiments, the CG is lowered by 0.030 inches to 0.032 inches, 0.032 inches to 0.034 inches, 0.034 inches to 0.036 inches, 0.036 inches to 0.038 inches, 0.038 inches to 0.040 inches, 0.040 inches to 0.042 inches, 0.042 inches to 0.044 inches, 0.044 inches to 0.046 inches, 0.046 inches to 0.048 inches, or 0.048 inches to 0.050 inches.

The rear profile can vary between embodiments to allow the upper and lower portions 108, 109 to have different depths, volumes, or masses. As shown in the cross-sectional views of FIGS. 17 and 18 , in some embodiments, the lower wall 132 of the rear 103 can include a shelf 139 immediately below the bend seam 130. The shelf 139 can be between the upper wall 131 and the remainder of the lower wall 132. In these embodiments, the shelf 139 extends rearward and/or downward from the bend seam 130. In embodiments such as that shown in FIG. 18 , the shelf 139 is approximately perpendicular to the loft plane 20. Varying the rear profile can change the depth, volume, or mass of the upper and lower portions 108, 109, which affects the CG location and MOI value.

2) Height of the upper and lower parts

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the golf club head 100 includes an upper portion 108 and a lower portion 109 separated by a bend seam 130. The upper portion 108 has a height 188 measured along the center plane 45 from the top rail 106 to the bend seam 130 in a direction parallel to the loft plane 20. The upper portion height 188 can be between 0.60 inches and 0.90 inches. In some embodiments, the upper portion height 188 can be between 0.60 inches and 0.65 inches, 0.65 inches and 0.70 inches, 0.70 inches and 0.75 inches, 0.75 inches and 0.80 inches, 0.80 inches and 0.85 inches, 0.085 inches and 0.90 inches, 0.60 inches and 0.70 inches, 0.70 inches and 0.80 inches, or between 0.80 inches and 0.90 inches.

The lower portion 109 includes a height 189 measured along the center plane 45 from the top rail 106 to the bend seam 130 in a direction parallel to the loft plane 20. The lower portion height 189 can be between 0.80 inches and 1.10 inches. In some embodiments, the lower height 189 can be between 0.80 inches and 0.85 inches, 0.85 inches and 0.90 inches, 0.90 inches and 0.95 inches, 0.95 inches and 1.0 inches, 1.0 inches and 1.05 inches, 1.05 inches and 1.10 inches, 0.9 inches and 1.0 inches, or 1.0 inches and 1.1 inches.

The ratio of the upper portion height 188 to the lower portion height 189 can be between 9:8 (54:48) and 6:11 (54:99). In some embodiments, the ratio of the upper portion height 188 to the lower portion height 189 can be between 9:8 (54:48) and 6:8 (54:72), between 6:8 (54:72) and 9:11 (54:66), or between 9:11 (54:66) and 6:11 (54:99). A higher ratio of the upper portion height 188 to the lower portion height 189 results in a lower CG because the lower portion 109 has greater depth and mass, as described below. A lower CG improves launch and spin characteristics by reducing the torque imparted to the golf club head 100 upon impact with a golf ball. A lower CG can also increase ball speed and improve the feel of the golf club head 100.

3) Depth of the upper and lower portions of the golf club head

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the upper portion 108 of the golf club head 100 can have a uniform depth. The upper portion depth 116 of the club head 100 can be between 0.200 inches and 0.250 inches. In some embodiments, the upper portion depth 116 can be between 0.200 inches and 0.210 inches, 0.205 inches and 0.215 inches, 0.210 inches and 0.220 inches, 0.215 inches and 0.225 inches, 0.220 inches and 0.230 inches, 0.225 inches and 0.235 inches, 0.230 inches and 0.240 inches, 0.235 inches and 0.245 inches, 0.240 inches and 0.250 inches, or 0.245 inches and 0.250 inches.

The lower portion 109 includes a depth 118 measured perpendicular to the loft plane 20 along the center plane 45 from the strike face 111 to the outer surface of the rear 103. The lower portion depth 118 may vary in the top rail-to-sole direction and/or the heel-to-toe direction. The lower portion depth 118 is equal to or deeper than the depth of the upper portion 116 of the golf club head 100. The lower portion depth 118 may be between 0.270 inches and 0.780 inches. In other embodiments, the lower portion depth 118 is between 0.270 inches and 0.320 inches, between 0.320 inches and 0.380 inches, between 0.380 inches and 0.430 inches, between 0.430 inches and 0.480 inches, between 0.480 inches and 0.530 inches, between 0.530 inches and 0.580 inches, between 0.580 inches and 0.630 inches, between 0.630 inches and 0.680 inches, between 0.680 inches and 0.730 inches, between 0.730 inches and 0.730 inches, between 0.730 inches and 0.830 inches, between 0.8 ... It can be between 0 inches and 0.780 inches, 0.270 inches and 0.470 inches, 0.320 inches and 0.520 inches, 0.370 inches and 0.570 inches, 0.420 inches and 0.620 inches, 0.470 inches and 0.670 inches, 0.420 inches and 0.620 inches, 0.470 inches and 0.670 inches, 0.520 inches and 0.720 inches, or 0.570 inches and 0.770 inches.

At the toe 101 and heel 102 of the club head 100, the lower portion depth 118 can be different from the lower portion depth 118 at the center plane 45. The minimum lower portion depth 118 in the toe 101 can be between 0.300 inches and 0.460 inches. In other embodiments, the lower portion depth 118 in the toe region 101 can be between 0.300 inches and 0.320 inches, 0.320 inches and 0.330 inches, 0.330 inches and 0.340 inches, 0.340 inches and 0.360 inches, 0.360 inches and 0.380 inches, 0.380 inches and 0.400 inches, 0.400 inches and 0.420 inches, 0.420 inches and 0.440 inches, or 0.440 inches and 0.460 inches.

The lower portion depth 118 at the heel 102 may similarly differ from the lower portion depth at the center plane 45. The minimum lower portion depth 118 in the heel region 102 may be between 0.270 inches and 0.315 inches. In other embodiments, the lower portion depth 118 of the heel region 102 can be between 0.270 inches and 0.280 inches, 0.280 inches and 0.290 inches, 0.290 inches and 0.300 inches, 0.300 inches and 0.310 inches, 0.310 inches and 0.320 inches, 0.320 inches and 0.340 inches, 0.340 inches and 0.360 inches, 0.360 inches and 0.380 inches, 0.380 inches and 0.400 inches, 0.400 inches and 0.420 inches, 0.420 inches and 0.440 inches, or 0.440 inches and 0.460 inches.

The maximum depth of the club head 100 is located within the lower portion 109 of the body 110. The maximum depth of the club head 100 is measured perpendicular to the loft plane 20 from the strike face 111 to the outer surface of the rear 103. The maximum depth may be between 0.670 inches and 0.770 inches. In other embodiments, the maximum depth may be between 0.670 inches and 0.690 inches, 0.690 inches and 0.710 inches, 0.710 inches and 0.730 inches, 0.730 inches and 0.750 inches, or 0.750 inches and 0.770 inches.

In some embodiments, the ratio between the upper portion depth 116 and the lower portion depth 118 can be between 1:3 and 4:5. In some embodiments, the ratio between the upper portion depth 116 and the lower portion depth 118 can be between 1:3 and 1:2, between 1:2 and 2:3, or between 2:3 and 4:5. In club heads with a larger ratio between the upper portion depth 116 and the lower portion depth 118, the lower portion extends further rearward. Conversely, in club heads with a smaller ratio between the upper portion depth 116 and the lower portion depth 118, the lower portion does not protrude as far rearward. These embodiments can appear sleeker and resemble a tour iron with a thinner profile.

4) The volume of the upper and lower portions of the golf club head and cavity

4 and 5, the upper portion 108 and lower portion 109 of the golf club head 100 can include a volume. The volume is measured from a plane adjacent the heel 102 and coincident with the edge/periphery of the face plate 155 to the toe 101. The volume of the upper portion 108 can be between 0.20 cubic inches and 0.60 cubic inches. In some embodiments, the volume of the upper portion 108 can be between 0.20 cubic inches and 0.30 cubic inches, 0.25 cubic inches and 0.35 cubic inches, 0.30 cubic inches and 0.40 cubic inches, 0.35 cubic inches and 0.45 cubic inches, 0.40 cubic inches and 0.50 cubic inches, 0.45 cubic inches and 0.55 cubic inches, or 0.50 cubic inches and 0.60 cubic inches. In some embodiments, the volume of the upper portion 108 is 0.48 cubic inches.

As shown in FIG. 5, the upper portion 108 and the lower portion 109 together form a body 110, which defines a cavity 120. A portion of the cavity 120 within the upper portion 108 of the body 110 can have a volume between 0.05 cubic inches and 0.40 cubic inches (0.82 cc and 6.55 cc). In some embodiments, the cavity volume within the upper portion 108 can be between 0.05 cubic inches and 0.15 cubic inches, 0.10 cubic inches and 0.20 cubic inches, 0.15 cubic inches and 0.25 cubic inches, 0.20 cubic inches and 0.30 cubic inches, 0.25 cubic inches and 0.35 cubic inches, 0.30 cubic inches and 0.40 cubic inches, or 0.35 cubic inches and 0.45 cubic inches. In some implementations, the cavity volume within the upper portion 108 is 0.17 cubic inches. In some embodiments, the ratio of the club head upper portion volume to the cavity volume within the top portion may range from 11:10 to 12:1.

To position the CG appropriately low within the golf club head 100, the golf club head 100 below the flex seam 130 (i.e., the lower portion 109) has a larger volume than the golf club head 100 above the flex seam 130 (i.e., the upper portion 108). The volume of the lower portion 109 of the club head 100 is measured the same as the upper portion 108 (i.e., measured from a plane adjacent the heel 102 and coinciding with the edge/periphery of the face plate 155 to the toe). The volume of the lower portion 109 may be between 1.15 cubic inches and 1.55 cubic inches. In some embodiments, the volume of the lower portion 109 can be between 1.15 cubic inches and 1.35 cubic inches, 1.25 cubic inches and 1.45 cubic inches, 1.35 cubic inches and 1.55 cubic inches, 1.20 cubic inches and 1.30 cubic inches, 1.30 cubic inches and 1.40 cubic inches, or 1.40 cubic inches and 1.50 cubic inches. In some embodiments, the volume of the upper portion is 1.36 cubic inches.

A portion of the cavity 120 in the lower portion 109 can have a volume between 0.15 cubic inches and 0.60 cubic inches (2.46 cc and 9.83 cc). In some implementations, the cavity volume in the lower portion 109 can be between 0.15 cubic inches and 0.25 cubic inches, 0.20 cubic inches and 0.30 cubic inches, 0.25 cubic inches and 0.35 cubic inches, 0.30 cubic inches and 0.40 cubic inches, 0.35 cubic inches and 0.45 cubic inches, 0.40 cubic inches and 0.50 cubic inches, 0.45 cubic inches and 0.55 cubic inches, or 0.50 cubic inches and 0.60 cubic inches. In some embodiments, the cavity volume in the lower portion 109 is 0.37 cubic inches. In some embodiments, the ratio of the club head lower portion volume to the cavity volume within the lower portion may range from 1.1:1 to 10:1.

5) Total volume of the cavity

Referring again to FIG. 1 , the golf club head 100 may include a body 110 that includes a cavity 120 in a central portion of the golf club head 100. The cavity 120 is filled with a low-density insert 140, which increases the forgiveness of the golf club head 100 without sacrificing the solidity and appearance of a tour iron. The forgiveness of the golf club head 100 corresponds to the amount of perimeter weighting that is affected by the volume of the cavity 120. A larger cavity will remove more mass from the central region of the golf club head 100 than a smaller cavity. As a result, a larger cavity allows more weight to be placed on the perimeter of the golf club head 100.

The cavity 120 can have a volume of 0.2 cubic inches to 0.8 cubic inches (3.28 cc to 13.11 cc). In some embodiments, the volume of the cavity 120 is 0.2 cubic inches to 0.3 cubic inches, 0.2 cubic inches to 0.25 cubic inches, 0.25 cubic inches to 0.30 cubic inches, 0.30 cubic inches to 0.35 cubic inches, 0.35 cubic inches to 0.40 cubic inches, 0.40 cubic inches to 0.50 cubic inches, 0.40 cubic inches to 0.45 cubic inches, 0.45 cubic inches to 0. It can be between 50 cubic inches, 0.50 cubic inches and 0.60 cubic inches, 0.50 cubic inches and 0.65 cubic inches, 0.55 cubic inches and 0.60 cubic inches, 0.60 cubic inches and 0.65 cubic inches, 0.65 cubic inches and 0.70 cubic inches, 0.70 cubic inches and 0.80 cubic inches, 0.70 cubic inches and 0.75 cubic inches, 0.75 cubic inches and 0.80 cubic inches. In other embodiments, the cavity 120 is 0.20 cubic inches, 0.22 cubic inches, 0.26 cubic inches, 0.28 cubic inches, 0.30 cubic inches, 0.32 cubic inches, 0.34 cubic inches, 0.36 cubic inches, 0.38 cubic inches, 0.40 cubic inches, 0.42 cubic inches, 0.44 cubic inches, 0.46 cubic inches, 0.48 cubic inches, 0.50 cubic inches, 0.54 cubic inches, 0.56 cubic inches, 0.58 cubic inches, 0.60 cubic inches, 0.62 cubic inches, 0.64 cubic inches, 0.66 cubic inches, 0.68 cubic inches, 0.70 cubic inches, 0.72 cubic inches, 0.74 cubic inches, 0.76 It can have a volume of 0.3 cubic inches, 0.78 cubic inches, or 0.80 cubic inches.

As described above, the cavity 120 may have a volume that is 5% to 60% of the total club head volume. In some embodiments, the cavity 120 may have a volume that is 5% to 10%, 10% to 30%, 15% to 35%, 20% to 40%, 25% to 45%, 30% to 50%, 35% to 55%, or 40% to 60% of the total club head volume. In one embodiment, the volume of the cavity 120 is 17% to 32% of the club head volume.

Increasing the volume of cavity 120 eliminates weight from the central region of body 110. This saved weight can be redistributed around the periphery of golf club head 100, giving golf club head 100 greater forgiveness. The height, depth, and volume of upper and lower portions 108, 109 of body 110 give club head 100 a lower-located CG 60. Accordingly, golf club head 100 has a lower CG than a golf club head having a flat rear, as illustrated in Example 3 below. As discussed above, golf club head 100 can include a CG 60 that is 0.030 inches to 0.050 inches lower than the CG of a flat-back comparative golf club head. With a lower CG 60, golf club head 100 has better launch characteristics, better spin characteristics, and higher ball speeds than a flat-back golf club head.

6) Golf club head thickness profile

The thickness of the rear 103 of the body 110 also affects the weight of the golf club head 100, and therefore the CG position. The thickness is measured from the outer surface of the rear 103 to the inner surface of the rear 103 within the cavity 120. In some embodiments, the rear 103 of the body 110 is thicker in a portion adjacent the sole 107 of the body 110. Due to the density of the material of the body 110, the greater thickness in the portion adjacent the sole 107 shifts the mass downward compared to a golf club head body having a uniform rear thickness. As shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 5, the rear 103 of the body 110 can have a thickness 113. The rear thickness 113 can range from 0.030 inches to 0.100 inches. In some embodiments, the thickness 113 can be 0.030 inches, 0.040 inches, 0.050 inches, 0.060 inches, 0.070 inches, 0.080 inches, 0.090 inches, or 0.100 inches. The rear thickness 113 can be constant across the rear 103. In some implementations, the rear thickness 113 varies in the heel-to-toe direction and/or the top rail-to-sole direction across the rear 103. Varying the thickness 113 of the rear 103 can help move mass toward the sole 107 and rear 103 of the golf club head 100. Shifting mass toward the sole 107 and rear 103 lowers CG, which can lead to improved launch characteristics, improved spin characteristics, and increased ball speed.

7) Body cavity

1 and 5, the body 110 may include an inner periphery 127 that defines the outer boundary of the cavity 120. The inner periphery 127 surrounds the cavity 120. The periphery 127 internally bounds the top rail 106, the sole 107, the toe 101, and the heel 102. The inner periphery 127 may follow the contour of the outer edge of the golf club head 100. The periphery 127 of the cavity 120 extends as close as possible to the edge of the golf club head 100, thereby maximizing the size of the cavity 120. As a result, the size of the low-density insert 140 and its weight benefits are also maximized.

In some implementations (not shown), perimeter 127 gently tapers such that, in a cross-section of golf club head 100 taken in the front-to-back direction, cavity 120 covers a larger area closer to the front 104 and a smaller area closer to the rear 103. In these embodiments, this tapered shape allows the larger area adjacent to the front 104 to incorporate more surface area of the low-density insert, thereby placing it closer to the front 104. Less internal cavity area is left for the low-density insert, leaving more high-density material at the rear 103 of golf club head 100. Thus, the shape of cavity 120 allows for more mass to be placed adjacent the rear 103 and sole 107 of golf club head 100, allowing the CG to move downward and rearward.

8) Cavity recess in golf club head

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5 , the front 104 of the body 110 further includes a recess 142 for receiving the face plate 155. The recess 142 connects to the front opening of the cavity 120 but is not considered part of the cavity 120. The recess 142 includes a perimeter 143 that generally follows the contours of the golf club head 100, including, but not limited to, the top rail 106, the edge of the body in the toe 101, the sole 107, and the generally vertical parting line adjacent the heel 102. The perimeter 143 of the recess 142 is offset from the inner perimeter 127 that defines the cavity 120. The bottom surface of the recess 142, as bounded by the perimeter 143, is larger than the area enclosed by the inner perimeter 127 at the front of the cavity 120. The recess 142 has a depth generally equivalent to the thickness of the face plate 155, which will be described below.

The face plate 155 is aligned with the recess 142 and is positioned within the cavity 120, seating on the recess 142. The insert 140 (described below) fits within the cavity to a volume that is flush with the recess 142. The remaining volume of the cavity 120 is filled by the face plate 155, which seats in the recess 142. Together, the insert 140 and face plate 155 fill the entire volume of the cavity 120 and the recess 142 of the golf club head 100. The insert 140 does not cover the recess 142, but rather sits flush with it. This ensures that the insert 140 does not interfere with the face plate 155, which seats in the recess 142.

In other embodiments described below, the insert 140 does not fill the volume of the cavity 120 up to the recess 142, but only partially. Again, these embodiments require the insert 140 to not interfere with the faceplate 155 that seats over the recess 142.

B. Golf club head insert

In contrast to conventional single-material tour irons, the golf club head 100 includes a low-density insert 140 that fits within the cavity 120 of the body 110. As illustrated in FIG. 1 , the insert 140 is molded to fit within the cavity 120. The insert 140 may completely fill or partially fill the cavity 120, as described above. In some implementations, the insert 140 shares a wall geometry with the cavity 120. The shape of the insert 140 may be identical or substantially identical to the shape of the cavity 120. In embodiments in which the insert substantially fills the cavity 140, the volume and other dimensions of the insert 120 generally correspond to the respective volumes and other dimensions of the cavity 140. As explained below, manufacturing tolerances and the insertion of tape and/or adhesive into the cavity 120 may require the insert 140 to have a slightly smaller volume compared to the cavity 120.

1) Multi-material (multi-density) insert

6-9, in some embodiments, a multi-material insert 440 is used in place of the insert 140. The multi-material insert 440 can include dimensions and volumes similar to those of the insert 140. The multi-material insert 440 can include a first portion 450 and a second portion 460 of different materials having different densities. In some embodiments, the first portion 450 is a low-density portion, and the second portion 460 is a weight. Adding weight to the lower portion of the insert 440 lowers the CG 60 of the golf club head 100, thereby improving launch characteristics and increasing ball speed. Adding weight to lower the CG 60 can also increase ball speed and improve the feel of the golf club head 100. In other embodiments, the first portion 450 is a vibration-damping material, and the second portion 460 is a low-density material. Forming the first portion 450 from a vibration-damping material can affect the feel and sound of the golf club head 100. By forming the insert 440 from multiple materials, the feel, sound, and perimeter weighting of the golf club head 100 can be altered.

The insert 440 can be formed with the first portion 450 and the second portion 460 in any orientation or combination relative to one another, so long as the first portion 450 and the second portion 460 form an insert 440 configured to fit within the cavity 120 of the body 110 as described above. The first portion 450 can be separate from the second portion 460 or can be integrally formed into a single multi-material insert 440. Various embodiments of the multi-material inserts 440, 440B, 440C, and 440D are shown in Figures 6-9 and described below.

6, the insert 440 includes a first portion 450 and a second portion 460. The insert 440 can be designed to fit within the cavity 120 of the golf club head 100. The cross section of FIG. 6 is taken along the center plane 45 of the golf club head 100. The first portion 450 of the insert 440 is adjacent to the strike plate 155 and includes a first material. The second portion 460 of the insert 440 is adjacent to the rear 103 of the body 110 and includes a second material. The first portion 450 overlaps the second portion 460. The first portion 450 of the insert 440 includes a front surface that abuts the rear surface 128 of the face plate 155. The second portion 460 does not engage the face plate 155. The second portion 460 includes a front surface that engages the rear surface of the first portion 450. The second portion 460 is confined within a section of the cavity 120 in the lower portion 109 of the golf club head 100.

In some embodiments, the engagement surfaces of one or both of the first and second portions 450, 460 include small features (not shown) extending outward from the generally flat surface to increase the engagement surface area. These small features may include protrusions, lips, ribs, hooks, or any other suitable features. These features allow the first portion 450 to be secured to the second portion 460 through a molding or co-molding process.

7-9, three additional exemplary embodiments of a multi-material insert are depicted in a cross-sectional view of the club head 100 taken along the central plane 45. A second embodiment of a multi-material insert 440B includes a first portion 450B and a second portion 460B arranged as shown in FIG. 7. In this embodiment, the first portion 450B forms the upper portion of the insert 440B, and the second portion 460B forms the lower portion of the insert 440B. Both the first portion 450B and the second portion 460B are flush with the face plate 155. The first portion 450B fills a portion of the cavity 120 in the upper portion 108 of the body 110. The second portion 460B fills a portion of the cavity 120 in the lower portion 109 of the body 110. The second portion 460B is flush with the entire interior sole wall of the cavity 120.

A third embodiment of the multi-material insert 440C includes a first portion 450C and a second portion 460C arranged as shown in FIG. 8. In this embodiment, the first portion 450C comprises the majority of the volume of the insert 440C. The first portion 450C extends partially into the rear end of the insert 440C. The entire second portion 460C is located rearward of the first portion 450C. The first portion 450C is flush with the face plate 155 within the cavity of the golf club head 100 from the top rail 106 to the sole 107. The second portion 460C does not engage the face plate 155. The second portion 460C partially fills and is fully seated within a portion of the cavity 120 within the lower portion 109 of the body 110. The second portion 460C engages with a portion of the interior sole wall and rear rear wall of the cavity 120. In some embodiments, the second portion 460C is formed from a high-density material.

A fourth embodiment of the multi-material insert 440D includes a first portion 450D and a second portion 460D arranged as shown in FIG. 9 . In this embodiment, the first portion 450D extends partially into the rear end of the insert 440D. The first portion 450D engages with the second portion 460D along a plane angled relative to the loft plane 20. Additionally, the first portion 450D is wider adjacent the bottom of the insert 440D than adjacent the top of the insert 440D. With respect to the golf club head 100, the first portion 450D is wider adjacent the sole 107 than adjacent the top rail 106. The first portion 450D is flush with the face plate 155 from the top rail 106 to the sole 107 within the cavity 120 of the golf club head 100. The second portion 460D does not engage the face plate 155. The second portion 460D partially fills and is completely disposed within a portion of the cavity 120 within the lower portion 109 of the body 110. The second portion 460C engages the rear wall of the cavity 120. In some embodiments, the second portion 460D is formed from a high-density material. The golf club head 100 with the multi-material insert 440 provides improved feel and sound compared to tour irons without the insert.

In yet another embodiment of the golf club head 100 having a multi-material insert (not shown), a second portion similar to second portions 460, 460B, 460C, and 460D can be located primarily at the toe 101 of the golf club head 110. This provides a toe weight effect that acts similarly to toe weight 161, described below. Embodiments having the second portion of the insert acting as a toe weight eliminate the need for an external toe weight. This eliminates the need for welding at the toe weight, improving aesthetics and simplifying manufacturing.

2) Lightweight insert

In some embodiments, a lightweight insert 240 is used in place of the insert 140. The lightweight insert 240 shown in FIGS. 10-13 has a shape and size similar to the insert 140. In other words, the lightweight insert 240 is configured to fit within the cavity 120 of the golf club head 100. The lightweight insert 240 is divided into an insert upper portion 250 (toward the top rail of the golf club head) and an insert lower portion 260 (toward the sole of the golf club head). The insert upper portion 250 can be separated from the insert lower portion 260 by an insert flex seam 245. The insert upper portion 250 can be solid. The insert lower portion 260 includes a recess 269 extending inward from the front surface 241 of the insert 240, giving the insert lower portion 260 a shell-out structure and reducing insert weight.

The insert 240 includes a front surface 241, a rear surface 242, a perimeter 244, and an insert flex seam 245. The depth 243 of the insert 240 can be measured perpendicular to the front surface 241 in the front-to-back direction. The front surface 241 is generally parallel to the loft plane 20. In some embodiments, a portion of the rear surface 242 of the insert upper portion 250 is also generally parallel to the loft plane 20. The insert lower portion 260 has a depth 243 that is greater than the insert upper portion 250. The insert upper portion 250 has a maximum depth that is less than the maximum depth of the insert lower portion 260. In some embodiments, the insert upper portion 250 includes a uniform depth 243. The ratio of the depth 243 of the insert upper portion 250 to the insert lower portion 260 can be in the range of 1:3 to 1:10.

The upper and lower portions 250 and 260 of the insert may each include a length measured in a heel-to-toe (approximately horizontal) direction. The maximum upper insert portion length 248 may be greater than the maximum lower insert portion length 249. In some embodiments, the shorter lower portion 260 is due to a toe weight occupying space below the golf club 100. Due to the toe weight in these embodiments, the lower portion of the insert cavity is shorter than the upper portion of the insert cavity.

The insert upper portion 250 is solid and bounded by the insert perimeter 244. The perimeter of the insert upper portion 250 includes a top rail end 256, a toe end 251, and a heel end 252. The insert perimeter 244 can be configured to be flush with the walls of the cavity 120. In some embodiments, the toe end 251 has a bend to connect the longer insert upper portion 250 to the insert lower portion 260. The insert upper portion 250 forms a portion of the front surface 241 of the insert 240. The front surface 241 of the insert 240 lies adjacent to and/or flush with the rear surface of the club head's face plate, as shown in FIG. 13.

The insert lower portion 260 includes a rear wall 263, a toe-end wall 261, a heel-end wall 262, a bottom wall 267, and a top wall 266, which together form a recess 269 (or cavity) within the insert 240. In some embodiments, the recess 269 is open only toward the face plate and not toward the other walls of the cavity 120. In some embodiments, one or more ribs 268 are present across the recess 269 to provide structural support to the insert 240. The one or more ribs 268 can further provide structural support to the face. The one or more ribs 268 can be oriented approximately perpendicular to the face plate when the insert 240 is installed in the club head body. The one or more ribs 268 can be oriented approximately parallel to the top rail-to-sole direction. The one or more ribs 268 can alter the feel or sound of the club upon impact with a golf ball. In some embodiments, at least one of the ribs 268 may include a rounded peg break point (not shown) to accommodate gate break-off required for die-cast manufacturing methods. In other embodiments, one or more of the ribs 268 are thick enough to be broken off without the need for a rounded peg break-off point.

The one or more ribs 268 divide, separate, and/or subdivide the insert recess 269 into multiple sections or one or more sub-recesses. In some embodiments, the one or more ribs 268 subdivide the lower portion 260 into 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 sections or sub-recesses. The insert shown in Figures 10 and 11 is divided into five recesses.

The lower portion recess 269 reduces the material volume of the insert 240, and therefore reduces the weight of the insert 240. In some embodiments, the lightweight insert 240 can be 5 to 10 grams lighter than a similar insert lacking the lightweight recess. In some embodiments, the lightweight insert 240 can be 5 to 6 grams, 5.5 to 6.5 grams, 6 to 7 grams, 6.5 to 7.5 grams, 7 to 8 grams, 7.5 to 8.5 grams, 8 to 9 grams, 8.5 to 9.5 grams, or 9 to 10 grams lighter than a similar insert lacking the lightweight recess. In some embodiments, the lightweight insert 240 can be approximately 5 grams, 6 grams, 7 grams, 8 grams, 9 grams, or 10 grams lighter than a similar insert lacking the lightweight recess. For example, in one comparison, a 7-iron lightweight insert weighs 7.1 grams less than a 7-iron solid aluminum insert such as that described for the golf club head 100 above.

A second embodiment of the lightweight insert 270 is shown in Figures 14-16. A variation of this embodiment is shown in Figure 17. The lightweight insert 270 is similar to the lightweight insert 240. The lightweight insert 270 includes a front surface 271, a rear surface, a perimeter 274, and an insert flex seam 275. The depth of the lightweight insert 270 can be similar to the depth of the lightweight insert 240. An insert upper portion 280 is defined above the insert flex seam 275, and an insert lower portion 290 is defined below the insert flex seam 275. The insert upper portion 280 includes at least one connecting rail 284 that forms two or more openings 285 (or lightweight zones). The two or more openings 285 reduce the amount of material required to form the insert 270 and, therefore, the weight of the insert 270.

Within the insert upper portion 280, the perimeter 274 forms a frame that supports at least one connecting rail 284. The perimeter 274 includes a top rail 286, a heel edge rail 282, and a toe edge rail 281. The heel edge rail 282 and the toe edge rail 281 connect the top rail 286 to the insert lower portion 290. The insert upper portion 280 may be integrally formed with the insert lower portion 290 at an insert flex seam 275. The at least one connecting rail 284 extends from one end of the perimeter frame to the other end of the perimeter frame. The at least one connecting rail 284 may extend in a toe-to-heel direction, a top rail-to-sole direction, or in a direction angled from any of the aforementioned directions. The at least one connecting rail 284 may include one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, or more connecting rails 284.

The insert upper portion 280 can include a subset of connecting rails 284. In some embodiments, the subset of connecting rails 284 can be positioned horizontally (generally in a toe-to-heel direction). In some embodiments, the subset of connecting rails 284 can be positioned vertically (generally in a top rail-to-sole direction). In some embodiments, the horizontally positioned subset of connecting rails 284 intersects with the vertically positioned subset of connecting rails 284.

The two or more openings 285 may include voids, openings, recesses, holes, or areas without material. The two or more openings 285 are formed by the perimeter 274 and at least one connecting rail 284. In some embodiments, the two or more openings 285 are arranged in a grid pattern across the insert upper portion 280. The portions of the rails 284 that form the two or more openings 285 may include rounded cut-off points at their intersections (not shown), serving the same functionality as the cut-off points (not shown) on the insert lower portion 290. The pattern of openings 285 helps to reduce the weight of the insert 270.

The lower insert portion 290 of the second lightening insert 270 is similar to the lower insert portion 250 of the first lightening insert 240. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 14, the insert includes two ribs 298 that subdivide the lower portion recess 299 into three recesses. The three recesses may have unequal dimensions due to the location of the ribs 298 adjacent either end of the recess 299. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 16, the insert 270 includes five ribs 298 that subdivide the lower portion recess 299 into six recesses. In some embodiments (not shown), one or more gate blocking points may be positioned coincident with one or more ribs 298.

The insert lower portion recess 299 and the insert upper portion opening 285 reduce the material volume of the insert 270 and therefore reduce the weight of the second weight saving insert 270. In some embodiments, the second weight saving insert 270 can be 5 to 12 grams lighter than a similar insert lacking the weight saving recess 299 and opening 285. In some embodiments, the weight saving insert 270 can be 5 to 6 grams, 5.5 to 6.5 grams, 6 to 7 grams, 6.5 to 7.5 grams, 7 to 8 grams, 7.5 to 8.5 grams, 8 to 9 grams, 8.5 to 9.5 grams, 9 to 10 grams, 9.5 to 10.5 grams, 10 to 11 grams, 10.5 to 11.5 grams, or 11 to 12 grams lighter than a similar insert lacking the weight saving recess 299 and opening 285. In some embodiments, the weight-reducing insert 270 can be approximately 5 g, 6 g, 7 g, 8 g, 9 g, 10 g, 11 g, or 12 g lighter than a similar insert lacking the weight-reducing recess 299 and opening 285 .

3) The volume of the cavity filled with the insert in the golf club head.

As described above, the insert 140 can completely or partially fill the cavity 120 of the golf club head 100. The insert 140 can fill between 80% and 100% of the volume of the cavity 120. In some embodiments, the insert 140 can fill between 80% and 85%, 85% and 90%, 90% and 95%, 95% and 100%, 80% and 90%, or 90% and 100% of the volume of the cavity 120. In contrast to conventional hollow body irons, the golf club head 100 does not include a cavity that is completely filled with air. Rather, the cavity 120 is at least partially filled with the insert 140.

Referring back to Figures 6-9, in embodiments having a multi-material insert such as insert 440, the first portion 450 can fill a majority of the cavity 120. The second portion 460 can fill the remaining portion of the cavity 120. In some embodiments not shown, the first and second portions together only partially fill the cavity 120. In embodiments having a multi-material insert 440, the first portion 450 can fill 20% to 90% of the volume of the cavity 120. In some embodiments, the first portion 450 can fill 20% to 30%, 30% to 40%, 40% to 50%, 50% to 60%, 60% to 70%, 70% to 80%, or 80% to 90%. The second portion 460 can fill 10% to 80% of the volume of the cavity 120. In some embodiments, the second portion 460 can be filled between 10% and 20%, between 20% and 30%, between 30% and 40%, or between 40% and 50%.

Because the first and second portions 450, 460 are formed from different materials having different densities, as described in more detail below, the volumes of the first and second portions 450, 460 affect the overall weight of the golf club head 100. Many design parameters must be considered together in the design of a golf club head. By forming the insert from multiple materials, mass placement can be controlled to increase perimeter weighting and lower CG, leading to improved launch characteristics and faster ball speeds.

4) A tape layer combined with an insert in a golf club head.

In some embodiments, the tape layer 150 is positioned within the cavity 120 between the insert 140 and the strike face 111. As seen in FIG. 19 , the tape layer 150 is sandwiched between the insert 140 and the face plate 155. Golf club head embodiments having a multi-material insert, such as 440, can similarly include a tape layer 150 between the first portion 450 and the face plate 155 or between the first portion 450 of the insert 440 and the body 110. Within the golf club head 100, the insert 140 fits within the body 110, the tape layer 150 can optionally rest on the insert 140, and the face plate 155 covers the tape layer 150 and fills the recess 142 in the body 110.

In some embodiments (not shown), the second tape layer can be located within the cavity 120 flush with the inner surface of the rear 103 of the body 110. The second tape layer can be sandwiched between the rear 103 of the body 110 and the insert 140. In some embodiments, the third tape layer can be located flush with the bottom of the cavity 120. The third tape layer can be sandwiched between the sole 107 of the body 110 and the insert 140. The golf club head 100 can include one or more of the first tape layer 150, the second tape layer, and the third tape layer.

The tape layer 150, the second tape layer, or the third tape layer may comprise a material such as very high bond (hereinafter "VHB") tape. VHB tape is compressible such that the original thickness of the tape layer 150 when initially applied (measured perpendicular to the strike face 111) is greater than the thickness of the compressed tape layer in the assembled golf club head 100. The second and third tape layers may be similarly compressible. The compressible nature of the tape layer(s) reduces the possibility of rattle caused by manufacturing tolerances between the body 110 and the insert 140. Additionally, the tape layer(s) may provide vibration damping and positively influence the feel and sound of the golf club head 100.

C. Golf club head face plate

The full golf club head 100 is formed by combining a body 110, an insert 120, and a face plate 155. The body 110 has an opening for the cavity 120 at the front 104 of the golf club head 100. The opening is covered by the face plate 155 to completely enclose the cavity 120 and the insert 140. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the cavity 120 and the insert 140 are not visible from the outside of the golf club head 100 when the insert 140 is positioned within the cavity 120. By hiding the insert 140 within the golf club head 100, the appearance of the golf club head 100 can resemble that of a conventional tour iron.

A portion of the front 104 of the body 110 and the face plate 155 thus form the strike face 111. The strike face 111 can cover 70% to 95% of the surface area of the front 104 of the golf club head 100. In some embodiments, the strike face 111 can cover 70% to 80%, 75% to 85%, 80% to 90%, or 85% to 95% of the surface area of the front of the golf club head 100. Additionally, the front surface of the strike face 111 can include one or more grooves. In some embodiments, the grooves extend beyond the edge of the face plate 155 onto a portion of the body 110.

The face plate 155 can comprise a different material than the body 110, as described below. In some embodiments, the material of the face plate 155 is stronger than the material of the body 110. To take advantage of the benefits of the face plate 155 material, a majority of the strike face 111 is formed by the face plate 155. The face plate 155 can form 50% to 95% of the surface area of the front 104 of the golf club head 100. In some embodiments, the face plate 155 can form 50% to 60%, 60% to 70%, 70% to 80%, 80% to 90%, or 85% to 95% of the surface area of the strike face 111. Despite having different materials, both the face plate 155 and the body 110 portions of the strike face 111 provide a solid feel because the insert 140 provides firm support for the face plate 155. The body 110 , insert 140 , and face plate 155 can all contribute to a consistent feel and sound of the golf club head 100 when the golf club head 100 impacts a golf ball on various areas of the face plate 155 .

1) Other faceplate features

The support provided to the face plate 155 by the insert 140 allows a thin face plate 155 to be used in the golf club head 100. As shown in FIG. 5, the face plate 155 of the golf club head 100 has a thickness 112. The thickness 112 can range from 0.030 inches to 0.100 inches. In some embodiments, the face plate thickness 112 can be 0.030 inches, 0.040 inches, 0.050 inches, 0.060 inches, 0.070 inches, 0.080 inches, 0.090 inches, or 0.100 inches. The face plate thickness 112 can be constant across the face plate 155. In some embodiments, the face plate thickness 112 can vary in a heel-to-toe direction or a top rail-sole direction. In some embodiments, the face plate thickness 112 can vary radially from the center of the face plate 155.

In other embodiments, faceplate 155 can further include a variable thickness region. In some embodiments, a central region of faceplate 155 can be thicker than a peripheral region of faceplate 155. In some embodiments, the thickened central region can include an elliptical shape. The thickness of faceplate 155 can taper from the center toward the periphery of faceplate 155.

D. Other Perimeter Weighting of Golf Club Head (Tip Weight, Toe Weight)

The golf club head 100 may further include other perimeter-type weights in addition to the perimeter weighting and swing characteristics provided by the insert 140 and the body 110. In some embodiments, the golf club head 100 may further include a tip weight 160. The tip weight 160 is a weight that fits at the junction between the hosel 105 and the golf club shaft. The tip weight 160 provides additional perimeter weighting to the club head 100. As shown in FIG. 20 , the tip weight 160 fits within the hosel 105 of the body 110. The tip weight 160 may be cylindrical, spherical, cubic, or any other suitable shape. The tip weight 160 may be located higher or lower within the hosel 105 than shown in FIG. 20 .

1 and 20, the body 110 of the golf club head 100 may further include a toe cavity 114. The toe cavity 114 is designed to accommodate a toe weight 161, which improves the perimeter weighting and swing characteristics of the golf club head 100. FIGS. 3 and 4 show the toe cavity 114 with the toe weight 161 attached. FIG. 20 shows the toe weight 161 removed from the toe cavity 114. In some embodiments, the toe cavity 114 is located partially within the sole 107 and partially within the toe 101. In some embodiments, the toe cavity 114 is located entirely within the toe 101 of the golf club head 100 and adjacent to the sole 107. In some embodiments, the toe cavity 114 is located entirely within the sole 107 and adjacent to the toe 101. In some embodiments, the toe cavity 114 is located entirely within the toe 101. In some embodiments, the toe cavity 114 is located in the center of the toe 101, approximately halfway between the top rail 106 and the sole 107.

In some embodiments, the toe cavity 114 is visible from a rear view of the body 110 of the club head 100. In other embodiments, the toe cavity 114 is not visible from a rear view of the body 110. In some embodiments, the toe cavity 114 is visible from a toe side view of the body 110. In other embodiments, the toe cavity 114 is not visible from a toe side view of the body 110. In some embodiments, the toe cavity 114 is visible from a sole view of the body 110. In other embodiments, the toe cavity 114 is not visible from a sole view of the body 110. In the embodiment of Figures 1-13, the toe cavity 114 is visible from the rear view, the sole view, and the toe side view.

The toe weight 161 is shaped to match the contours of the toe cavity 114 of the body 110. The outer wall of the toe weight 161 is designed to follow the curvature of the golf club head body 110. In some embodiments, the mass of the toe weight 161 may be 5% to 45% of the mass of the body 110. In some embodiments, the mass of the toe weight 161 may be 5% to 20%, 5% to 15%, 10% to 20%, 15% to 25%, 20% to 40%, 20% to 30%, 30% to 40%, or 35% to 45% of the mass of the body 110.

In some embodiments, the body 110 of the golf club head 100 may further include a toe screw weight port (not shown) at the toe 101. The golf club head 100 may further include a toe screw weight that fits within the screw weight port. In some embodiments, the toe screw weight may include a mass between 2 grams and 15 grams, as described below. A screw weight having one weight value may be interchangeable with a different screw weight having a different weight value to customize the golf club head 100 to a golfer's swing.

In some embodiments, there are combinations of the above weights, including an insert, a toe weight, a tip weight, and a toe screw weight. Other embodiments may include a multi-material insert combined with one or more of a toe weight, a tip weight, and a toe screw weight. Still other embodiments include a lightening insert combined with one or more of a toe weight, a tip weight, and a toe screw weight. For example, some embodiments include a lightening insert, a tip weight, and a toe screw weight.

E. material

The materials forming the body 110, insert 140, and face plate 155 affect the mass distribution of the golf club head 100. As a result, the MOI and CG of the golf club head 100 are also affected by the density of the materials. Furthermore, these materials provide the golf club head 100 with the necessary strength and flexibility. The golf club head 100 may include one or more, two or more, three or more, or four or more materials. In some embodiments, the materials may have a first density, a second density, a third density, a fourth density, a fifth density, or a sixth density.

In some embodiments, faceplate 155 can include a first material with a first density. Body 110 can include a second material with a second density. Insert 140 can include a third material with a third density. The third density can be less than the first density and/or the second density. In some embodiments, faceplate 155 can be the same material (and therefore the same density) as body 110. As mentioned above, in some embodiments, insert 440 can include two or more materials, where the materials have different densities from each other and can be different or the same relative to the material of faceplate 155 and/or body 110.

1) Body material

The body 110 can comprise a material such as steel, a steel alloy, or any other suitable material. In some embodiments, the body 110 can comprise materials of different densities relative to the faceplate 155 and the insert 140. The material can comprise a material selected from the group consisting of a steel-based material or a steel alloy. In some embodiments, the body material can be 8620 carbon steel, which includes iron, approximately 0.17-0.23 weight percent carbon, 0.15-0.35 weight percent silicon, 0.60-0.90 weight percent manganese, 0.15-0.30 weight percent molybdenum, 0.40-0.70 weight percent nickel, 0.40-0.65 weight percent chromium, 0.040 weight percent phosphorus, and trace amounts of other elements. In some embodiments, the body material can be 300-grade steel containing iron, approximately 18-19% nickel, 8.5-9.5% cobalt, 4.6-5.2% molybdenum, 0.5-0.8% titanium, 0.05-0.15% aluminum, and trace amounts of other elements. In some embodiments, the body material can be maraging steel containing iron, approximately 17-19% nickel, 8-12.5% cobalt, 3.0-5.2% molybdenum, 0.15-1.6% titanium, 0.05-0.15% aluminum, and trace amounts of other elements. The density of the body 110 material can be in the range of 7.70-8.10 grams per cubic centimeter (hereinafter "g/cc"). In some embodiments, the density of the body material can be 7.70 g/cc, 7.75 g/cc, 7.80 g/cc, 7.85 g/cc, 7.90 g/cc, 7.95 g/cc, 8.05 g/cc, or 8.10 g/cc. In one embodiment, the density of the body material is 7.85 g/cc.

2) Insert material

The insert 140 may comprise a material such as titanium, a titanium alloy, aluminum, an aluminum alloy, an elastomer, a polymer matrix composite, any other suitable low-density material, or any other suitable material with a lower density than the material of the body 110. The aluminum alloy may be a high-strength aluminum alloy or a composite aluminum alloy coated with a high-strength alloy. The polymer matrix composite may be a glass-filled elastomer, a stainless steel-filled elastomer, a tungsten-filled elastomer, a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), or any other elastomer matrix composite, Kevlar® (aramid) fiber-reinforced polymer, a carbon fiber-reinforced polymer, or any combination of a suitable resin and suitable reinforcing fibers. The polymer matrix composite may be an elastomer matrix composite. In some embodiments, the metallic material may be a steel-based material, a titanium-based material, an aluminum alloy, a titanium alloy, or any combination thereof. The steel-based material may be 17-4PH stainless steel, 431, 455, 475, C300, maraging steel, or other types of stainless steel. The aluminum alloy can be a high-strength aluminum alloy or a composite aluminum alloy coated with a high-strength alloy. The titanium alloy can be Ti-9S, Ti-6-4, or Ti-15-3-3-3. The titanium alloy can be an alpha-beta titanium alloy.

The insert 140 may comprise a material of a different density than the body 110 and faceplate 155. Suitable materials for the insert 140 may include any material having a density lower than that of the body material. In some embodiments, particularly those having a metal insert material, the density of the insert 140 material may range from 2.4 to 5.0 g/cc. In some embodiments, the density of the insert 140 material can be 2.4 g/cc, 2.5 g/cc, 2.6 g/cc, 2.7 g/cc, 2.8 g/cc, 2.9 g/cc, 3.0 g/cc, 3.1 g/cc, 3.2 g/cc, 3.3 g/cc, 3.4 g/cc, 3.5 g/cc, 3.6 g/cc, 3.7 g/cc, 3.8 g/cc, 3.9 g/cc, 4.0 g/cc, 4.1 g/cc, 4.2 g/cc, 4.3 g/cc, 4.4 g/cc, 4.5 g/cc, 4.6 g/cc, 4.7 g/cc, 4.8 g/cc, 4.9 g/cc, or 5.0 g/cc. In one embodiment, the material of the insert 140 is aluminum, and the density of the material of the insert 140 is approximately 2.7 g/cc. In another embodiment, the material of the insert 140 is titanium, and the density of the material of the insert 140 is approximately 4.5 g/cc.

In some embodiments, particularly those having a polymer matrix composite material, the density of the insert 140 can range from 1.0 to 12.0 g/cc. In preferred embodiments of a polymer matrix composite material, the density of the insert 140 can range from 1.0 g/cc to 5.0 g/cc. In some embodiments, the density of the insert 140 can be 1.0 g/cc, 1.5 g/cc, 2.0 g/cc, 2.5 g/cc, 3.0 g/cc, 3.5 g/cc, 4.0 g/cc, 4.5 g/cc, or 5.0 g/cc. A lower density insert 140 lightens the central portion of the club head that houses the insert 140, allowing weight to be redistributed to the perimeter of the club head. The redistributed weight increases the MOI.

In some embodiments of the golf club head 100, the insert 440 includes separate portions formed from different materials and different densities. In some embodiments, the first and second portions 450, 460 of the insert 440 can each be formed from any of the materials described above for the single-material insert. In some embodiments, the first portion 450 of the insert 440 is formed from an elastomer or polymer matrix composite material having a density between 0.8 g/cc and 1.4 g/cc, and the second portion 460 of the insert 440 is formed from aluminum or an aluminum alloy having a density between 1.5 g/cc and 3.0 g/cc.

In some embodiments of the golf club head 100, the first portion 450 of the insert 440 may comprise any of the materials described above having a density between 1.0 g/cc and 12.0 g/cc. In some embodiments, the second portion 460 of the insert 440 may comprise a material having a density higher than the density of the body material. In some embodiments, the second portion 460 of the insert 440 may comprise any of the materials described below for the toe weight 161, making it a weight portion having a density between 14.0 and 19.6 g/cc. In some of these embodiments, the toe weight 161 is not necessary, as the second portion 460 of the insert 140 serves a similar purpose.

The weight of the insert 140 or 440 can range from 10 grams to 50 grams. In some embodiments, the weight of the insert 140 can be 10 grams, 11 grams, 12 grams, 13 grams, 14 grams, 15 grams, 16 grams, 17 grams, 18 grams, 19 grams, 20 grams, 21 grams, 22 grams, 23 grams, 24 grams, 25 grams, 26 grams, 27 grams, 28 grams, 29 grams, 30 grams, 31 grams, 32 grams, 33 grams, 34 grams, 35 grams, 36 grams, 37 grams, 38 grams, 39 grams, 40 grams, 41 grams, 42 grams, 43 grams, 44 grams, 45 grams, 46 grams, 47 grams, 48 grams, 49 grams, or 50 grams. In multi-material insert embodiments in which the second portion 460 of the insert comprises a material similar to that of the toe weight 161 described below, the weight of the insert 140 or 440 can range from 10 grams to 70 grams. In some embodiments, the weight of the multi-material insert 140 or 440 can be 10 grams to 20 grams, 20 grams to 30 grams, 30 grams to 40 grams, 40 grams to 50 grams, 50 grams to 60 grams, or 60 grams to 70 grams.

Additionally, inserts 140 and 440 provide structural support to strike face 111. In embodiments having a metal insert material, insert 140 or 440, or a portion of insert 140 or 440, can include a Rockwell B hardness of 30 HRB to 100 HRB. In some implementations, insert 140 or 440, or a portion of insert 140 or 440, can have a Rockwell B hardness of between 30 HRB to 40 HRB, 40 HRB to 50 HRB, 50 HRB to 60 HRB, 60 HRB to 70 HRB, 70 HRB to 80 HRB, 80 HRB to 90 HRB, or 90 HRB to 100 HRB. In other embodiments, insert 140 or a portion of insert 140 can have a Rockwell B hardness of between 30 HRB to 40 HRB, 40 HRB to 50 HRB, 50 HRB to 60 HRB, 60 HRB to 70 HRB, 70 HRB to 80 HRB, 80 HRB to 90 HRB, or 90 HRB to 100 HRB. HRB, 3HRB, 32HRB, 33HRB, 34HRB, 35HRB, 36HRB, 37HRB, 38HRB, 39HRB, 40HRB, 41HRB, 42HRB, 43HRB, 44HRB, 4 5HRB, 46HRB, 47HRB, 48HRB, 49HRB, 50HRB, 51HRB, 52HRB, 53HRB, 54HRB, 55HRB, 56HRB, 57HRB, 58HRB, 59HRB , 60HRB, 61HRB, 62HRB, 63HRB, 64HRB, 65HRB, 66HRB, 67HRB, 68HRB, 69HRB, 70HRB, 71HRB, 72HRB, 73HRB, 74H RB, 75HRB, 76HRB, 77HRB, 78HRB, 79HRB, 80HRB, 81HRB, 82HRB, 83HRB, 84HRB, 85HRB, 86HRB, 87HRB, 88RB, 89 90 HRB, 91 HRB, 92 HRB, 93 HRB, 94 HRB, 95 HRB, 96 HRB, 97 HRB, 98 HRB, 99 HRB, or 100 HRB. In other embodiments having a metal insert, the insert 140 or 440, or a portion of the insert 140 or 440, can have a Rockwell C hardness of between 30 HRC and 60 HRC. In some implementations, the insert 140 or 440 can have a hardness of between 30 HRC and 40 HRC, 35 HRC and 45 HRC, 40 HRC and 50 HRC, 45 HRC and 50 HRC, or 50 HRC and 60 HRC. In other embodiments, the insert may have a Rockwell C hardness of 30 HRC, 31 HRC, 32 HRC, 33 HRC, 34 HRC, 35 HRC, 36 HRC, 37 HRC, 38 HRC, 39 HRC, 40 HRC, 41 HRC, 42 HRC, 43 HRC, 44 HRC, 45 HRC, 46 HRC, 47 HRC, 48 HRC, 49 HRC, 50 HRC, 51 HRC, 52 HRC, 53 HRC, 54 HRC, 55 HRC, 56 HRC, 57 HRC, 58 HRC, 59 HRC, or 60 HRC. In embodiments including titanium or titanium alloy inserts 140 or 440, the insert hardness is 44 HRC.

3) Faceplate material

The faceplate 155 can be formed from a faceplate material. In some embodiments, the faceplate material is the same material as the body 110 material. In other embodiments, the faceplate material is a different material than the body material. In some embodiments, the faceplate 155 can include materials of different densities relative to the body 110 and the insert 140.

The faceplate material can be a steel-based material, a titanium-based material, a titanium alloy, or any combination thereof. The steel-based material can be carbon steel, 17-4PH stainless steel, 431, 455, 475, C300, maraging steel, or other types of stainless steel. The titanium alloy can be Ti-7S+ (ST721), Ti-9S, Ti-6-4, Ti-15-3-3-3, or any other suitable titanium alloy. The titanium alloy can be an alpha-beta titanium alloy. In embodiments in which faceplate 155 is a titanium-based material, an aluminum alloy, a titanium alloy, or any combination thereof, the density of the faceplate 155 material can range from 2.6 to 8.7 g/cc. In some embodiments, the density of the faceplate material is 2.6 g/cc, 2.8 g/cc, 3.0 g/cc, 3.2 g/cc, 3.4 g/cc, 3.6 g/cc, 3.8 g/cc, 4.0 g/cc, 4.2 g/cc, 4.4 g/cc, 4.6 g/cc, 4.8 g/cc, 5.0 g/cc, 5.2 g/cc, 5.4 g/cc In embodiments where faceplate 155 is a steel-based material, the density of the faceplate material may be in the range of 7.7 g/cc to 8.1 g/cc.

4) Tip weight material

The tip weight 160 may comprise a material that is different from the materials of the body 110, the faceplate 155, and the insert 140 or 440. The tip weight 160 comprises a high density material, such as tungsten or any other suitable metal or metal alloy material. The density of the tip material 160 may range between 1.1 g/cc and 19.6 g/cc. In some embodiments, the density of the tip weight 160 material is 1.1 g/cc, 1.5 g/cc, 2.0 g/cc, 2.5 g/cc, 3.0 g/cc, 3.5 g/cc, 4.0 g/cc, 4.5 g/cc, 5.0 g/cc, 5.5 g/cc, 6.0 g/cc, 6.5 g/cc, 7.0 g/cc, 7.5 g/cc, 8.0 g/cc, 8.5 g/cc, 9.0 g/cc, 9.5 g/cc, 10.0 g/cc, 10.5 g/cc, 11.0 g/cc, 11.5 g/cc, 12.0 g/cc, 12.5 g/cc, 13.0g/cc, 13.5g/cc, 14.0g/cc, 14.5g/cc, 15.0g/cc, 15.5g/cc, 15.8g/cc, 16.0g/cc, 16.2g/cc, 16.4g/cc, 16.6g/cc, 16.8g/cc, 17.0g /cc, 17.2g/cc, 17.4g/cc, 17.6g/cc, 17.8g/cc, 18.0g/cc, 18.2g/cc, 18.4g/cc, 18.6g/cc, 18.8g/cc, 19.0g/cc, 19.2g/cc, 19.4g/cc, or It can be 19.6g/cc. The weight of the tip weight 160 can range from 0 grams to 18 grams. In some embodiments, the weight of the tip weight 160 can be 0 grams (in embodiments without a tip weight), 1 gram, 2 grams, 3 grams, 4 grams, 5 grams, 6 grams, 7 grams, 8 grams, 9 grams, 10 grams, 11 grams, 12 grams, 13 grams, 14 grams, 15 grams, 16 grams, 17 grams, or 18 grams. In most embodiments, the tip weight 160 ranges from 0 grams to 9 grams.

5) Toe weight material

The toe weight 161 can comprise a material that is different from the materials of the body 110, face plate 155, tip weight 160, and insert 140 or 440. The toe weight 161 comprises a high density material, such as tungsten or any other suitable metal or metal alloy material. The density of the toe weight 161 material can range from 14.0 to 19.6 g/cc. In some embodiments, the density of the toe weight 161 material is 14.0 g/cc, 14.2 g/cc, 14.4 g/cc, 14.6 g/cc, 14.8 g/cc, 15.0 g/cc, 15.2 g/cc, 15.4 g/cc, 15.6 g/cc, 15.8 g/cc, 16.0 g/cc, 16.2 g/cc, 16.4 g/cc, 16. 6 g/cc, 16.8 g/cc, 17.0 g/cc, 17.2 g/cc, 17.4 g/cc, 17.6 g/cc, 17.8 g/cc, 18.0 g/cc, 18.2 g/cc, 18.4 g/cc, 18.6 g/cc, 18.8 g/cc, 19.0 g/cc, 19.2 g/cc, 19.4 g/cc, or 19.6 g/cc. The weight of the toe weight 161 can range from 10 grams to 40 grams. In some embodiments, the weight of the toe weight 161 can be 10 grams, 11 grams, 12 grams, 13 grams, 14 grams, 15 grams, 16 grams, 17 grams, 18 grams, 19 grams, 20 grams, 21 grams, 22 grams, 23 grams, 24 grams, 25 grams, 26 grams, 27 grams, 28 grams, 29 grams, 30 grams, 31 grams, 32 grams, 33 grams, 34 grams, 35 grams, 36 grams, 37 grams, 38 grams, 39 grams, or 40 grams. In some embodiments, the weight of the toe weight 161 can range from 12 grams to 26.5 grams.

6) Toe screw weight material

The toe screw weight (swing weight) can include any high-density material similar to the high-density material of the tip weight or toe weight. The density of the toe screw material can be similar to the density of the tip weight material. The weight of the toe screw weight can be similar to the weight of the tip weight described above.

II. Golf club head with rear opening

A golf club head 600 is described herein. Similar to the golf club head 100, the golf club head 600 may be a tour-style golf club head with the forgiveness described above. The golf club head 100 may include a body 610 having a cavity 620 that receives an insert 640. The golf club head 600 includes a face plate 655, the body 610, and the insert 640. The body 610 includes an upper portion 608, a lower portion 609, a sole 607, a rear 603, and a top rail 606. The rear 603 may further include a flex seam 630. The flex seam 630 is the boundary between the upper portion 608 and the lower portion 609 of the golf club head 600. The face plate 655 and a portion of the body define a strike face 611 of the golf club head. The faceplate 655, sole 607, rear 603, and top rail 606 enclose a cavity 620.

Figures 21-32 show a golf club head 600 similar to golf club head 100. The golf club head 600 includes a body 610 forming a cavity 620, a face plate 655, a rear opening 680, and a low-density insert 640 within the cavity. The body 610 includes an upper portion 608, a lower portion 609, a sole 607, a rear 603, and a top rail 606. The rear 603 may further include a flex seam 630. The flex seam 630 is the boundary between the upper portion 608 and the lower portion 609 of the golf club head 600. The face plate 655 and a portion of the body 610 define a strike face 611 (striking surface) of the golf club head 600.

The body 610 is similar to the body 110. The face plate 655, sole 607, and rear 603 form a cavity 620 with a rear opening 680 in the upper portion 608 of the golf club head 600. The rear opening 680 in the body 610 partially exposes the cavity 620. After assembly, the insert 640 is visible through the opening 680 in the rear 603. The body 610 further includes a recess 642 in the front 604 of the body 610 for receiving the face plate 655, similar to the recess 142 described above for the club head 100.

The insert 640 is housed within the cavity 620. The insert 640 may comprise a non-metallic or polymer-based material. The insert material may be injected into the cavity 620 of the golf club head 600 through the rear opening 680 to form the insert 640 within the cavity 620. In other embodiments, the insert 640 may comprise a metallic material similar to the insert 140 described above. A face plate 655 seals the cavity 620 at the front 604 of the golf club head 600. The face plate 655 and the front 604 of the body 610 together define a strike face 611.

The golf club head 600 is a tour iron club head and has a volume of 1.8 cubic inches to 2.7 cubic inches (30 cubic centimeters (cc) to 45 cc). The body 610 of the golf club head 600 can be cast or forged from a metal material.

The insert 640 comprises a low-density material and fills the cavity 620 formed by the body 610 of the golf club head 600. Reducing the mass at the center of the golf club head 600 allows for additional mass to be concentrated at its perimeter, increasing the moment of inertia value of the golf club head 600. As described above, the golf club head 600 includes a lower portion 609 and an upper portion 608. The lower portion 609 has a greater depth than the upper portion 608. This allows the lower portion 609 to have more mass concentrated around the heel 602, toe 601, and sole 607. Lowering the mass of the body 610 results in a lower center of gravity (CG), which increases launch angle, reduces spin, and increases ball speed. As introduced above, there is a need in the art for an iron that combines a relatively high moment of inertia from perimeter weighting with a low center of gravity (CG) from low mass positioning, similar to a tour iron. In some embodiments, a tip weight 660 located in the hosel and/or a toe weight 661 located in the toe cavity 614 of the body 610 provides additional perimeter weighting. In some embodiments, a toe screw weight 662 (swing weight) located in the toe screw weight cavity 663 (swing weight cavity) of the body 610 provides additional perimeter weighting.

Golf club head 600 can be described in terms of the same reference planes and axes as golf club head 100. The definitions of ground plane 10, loft plane 20, center plane 45, center point 80, lead edge axis 35, lead edge plane, x-axis 30, y-axis 40, z-axis 50, and hosel axis 70 remain the same for golf club head 600 as they were for golf club head 100.

A. Part of the golf club head

22 and 23, the body 610 includes at least an upper portion 608, a lower portion 609, a sole 607, a top rail 606, a rear 603, a front 604, a toe 601, a heel 602, and a hosel 605, which are similar to the upper portion 108, the lower portion 109, the sole 107, the top rail 106, the rear 103, the front 104, the toe 101, the heel 102, and the hosel 605 of the golf club head 100, respectively. In some embodiments, the face plate 655 is welded or swaged onto the front opening of the body 610.

The body 610 includes a flex seam 630 and a rear profile similar to the flex seam 130 and rear profile of the golf club head 100. The height of the upper and lower portions 608, 609, the depth of the upper and lower portions 608, 609, and the thickness of the rear 603 are similar to the height of the upper and lower portions 108, 109, the depth of the upper and lower portions 108, 109, and the thickness of the rear 103 of the golf club head 100.

The body 610 further includes an aperture wall 682 at the rear of the body 610. The aperture wall 682 defines a rear aperture 680. The rear aperture 680 of the body 610 is located in the upper portion 608 of the club head 600, above the bend seam 630. The uniform depth of the upper portion 608, coupled with the location of the rear aperture 680 within the upper portion 608, allows for a flat surface surrounding the aperture 680. On all sides of the aperture wall 682 of the body 610 (the rear aperture 680), the exterior surface of the golf club head 600 is flat. This flat surface is necessary to provide a seal around the rear aperture 680 during injection of insert material into the cavity 620 during manufacturing, as described further below.

To identify the size of the rear opening 680, one can take the projected area of the rear 603 (not including the hosel 605 or sole 607) parallel to the loft plane 20. The projected area of the rear 603 can be compared to the projected area enclosed by the opening walls 682. The opening walls 682 surround (cover) between 25% and 50% of the projected area of the rear 603 of the club head 600. In some embodiments, the opening walls 682 can surround a percentage of the rear area between 25% and 30%, 25% and 35%, 30% and 40%, 35% and 45%, 40% and 50%, or 45% and 50%. In other embodiments, the aperture wall 682 can encompass a percentage of the rear area of 25%, 26%, 27%, 28%, 29%, 30%, 31%, 32%, 33%, 34%, 35%, 36%, 37%, 38%, 39%, 40%, 41%, 42%, 43%, 44%, 45%, 46%, 47%, 48%, 49%, or 50%.

In some embodiments, the insert 640 is visible through the rear opening 680. In some embodiments, 10% to 60% of the insert is visible through the rear opening 680. In some embodiments, 10% to 20%, 15% to 25%, 20% to 30%, 25% to 35%, 30% to 40%, 35% to 45%, 40% to 50%, 45% to 55%, or 50% to 60% of the insert 640 is visible through the rear opening 680. In some embodiments, a badge (not shown) is positioned over the rear opening 680. In these embodiments, the badge can cover 10% to 60% of the insert. In some embodiments, the badge can cover 10% to 20%, 15% to 25%, 20% to 30%, 25% to 35%, 30% to 40%, 35% to 45%, 40% to 50%, 45% to 55%, or 50% to 60% of the insert 640.

The rear 603, including the opening wall 682 that defines the rear opening 680, contributes to the low mass of the upper portion 608. Filling the rear opening 680 with a material having a density lower than that of the body material results in a golf club head 600 with a low CG. Reducing the mass of the upper portion 608 lowers the CG and allows for perimeter weight distribution, improving the forgiveness of the golf club head. Various design parameters can contribute to the low mass of the upper portion. As discussed above for the golf club head 100, maintaining a uniform upper portion depth also contributes to the low mass of the upper portion 608.

Because the material used to form the body 610 generally has a higher density than the material of the insert 640, replacing the portion of the rear body 610 surrounded by the opening wall 682 with the insert material can reduce the mass of the upper portion 608. Compared to a similar golf club head with a solid rear formed entirely from body material, the golf club head 600 includes a lower CG due to the rear opening 680. The projected area percentage of the opening 680 and the density of the insert material can reduce the mass of the upper portion 608 by between 1 gram and 17 grams. In some embodiments, the mass of the upper portion 608 can be reduced by between 1 gram and 3 grams, 3 grams and 5 grams, 5 grams and 7 grams, 7 grams and 9 grams, 9 grams and 11 grams, 11 grams and 13 grams, 13 grams and 15 grams, or 15 grams and 17 grams. In other embodiments, the mass of the upper portion 608 can be reduced by 1 gram, 2 grams, 3 grams, 4 grams, 5 grams, 6 grams, 7 grams, 8 grams, 9 grams, 10 grams, 11 grams, 12 grams, 13 grams, 14 grams, 15 grams, 16 grams, or 17 grams. This reduction in mass of the upper portion 108 of the body 610 assists in lowering CG, improving launch and spin characteristics, and increasing ball speed.

The body 610 of the golf club head 600 defines a cavity 620. The cavity 620 of the body 610 can be configured to receive a low-density insert 640 that increases the MOI of the golf club head 600 without sacrificing the desirable solid feel of a tour iron. The area, volume, and contours of the cavity 620 are similar to the area, volume, and contours of the cavity 620. Adjacent to the front opening of the cavity 620, the body 610 includes an inner periphery 627 similar to the inner periphery 127 of the golf club head 100. The sole 607, the top rail 606, the rear 603, the inner periphery 627, and the face plate 655 define the cavity 620. The cavity 620 connects to a rear opening 680 of the body 610 and is sealed at the front 604 of the body 610 by the face plate 655. The cavity 620 is exposed through a rear opening 680 in the rear 603 of the body 610 .

B. Golf club head insert

The insert 640 is configured to fit within the cavity 620 of the body 610 to increase the MOI and maintain the solid feel of the golf club head 600. The volume of the insert 640 can be similar to the volume of the insert 140 of the golf club head 100. In some embodiments, the volume of the insert 640 can be greater than the volume of the cavity 620 because the insert 640 extends beyond the cavity 620 into the rear opening 680.

The insert 640 may completely or partially fill the cavity 620, as described above for the golf club head 100. The insert 640 may fill a volume percentage of the cavity 620, as described above for the golf club head 100. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 26, the insert 640 may fill 100% of the cavity 620 and extend into the rear opening 680. As shown in FIG. 27, the insert 640 may fill 60% of the cavity 620. As shown in FIG. 28, the insert 640 may fill 70% of the cavity 620 and extend partially into the rear opening 680. As shown in FIG. 29, the insert 640 may fill 80% of the cavity 620 and extend partially into the rear opening 680. As shown in FIG. 30, the insert 640 may fill 90% of the cavity 620 and extend partially into the rear opening 680. In some implementations (not shown), the insert 640 can fill only the cavity 620 and not the rear opening 680. In some embodiments, the insert 640 can comprise a metallic material and can fill only the cavity 620. In this exemplary embodiment (not shown), the opening wall 682 of the body 610 can taper to blend into the insert 640, providing a less defined boundary for the rear opening 680.

In some embodiments, the insert 640 is formed prior to insertion into the golf club head 600, as described below. In other embodiments, the insert 640 is formed within the cavity 620 of the body 610. In these embodiments, the opening wall 682 forming the rear opening 680 can function as a port through which the insert 640 is injected into the cavity 620, as described below.

C. Body cavity

The front surface of the body cavity 620 may be sealed by a face plate 655. The face plate 655 and strike face 611 may be similar to the face plate 155 and strike face 611 of the golf club head 100. However, in some embodiments, the strike face 611 may be integrally formed with the body 610. The strike face 611 includes a thickness 612 similar to the thickness 112 of the strike face 111 of the golf club head 100.

The body 610 is partially or completely filled with an insert 640 that is secured within the golf club head 600 by a face plate 655. In some embodiments, the cavity 620 further accommodates a tape layer 150 and/or adhesive, similar to the tape layer 150 and/or adhesive of the golf club head 100.

The cavity 620 may vary in dimension in the toe-to-heel direction. In some embodiments, the rear 603 of the golf club head 600 includes a thickened region, as shown in FIG. 31 . This thickened region of the body 610 may provide additional weight in certain areas of the golf club head 600. Additionally, as shown in FIGS. 31 and 32 , a weld bead 648, protrusion, depression, or seam (collectively referred to hereinafter as a "weld bead") may be interposed in the cavity 620. The weld bead may be located along the periphery of the face plate 655. In some embodiments, the weld bead 648 is created during the manufacturing step of welding the face plate 655 to the body 610 to form the strike face 611. As shown in FIGS. 31 and 32 , the weld bead 648 may extend rearward from the rear surface of the strike face 611. In some embodiments, the weld bead 648 not only structurally bonds the strike plate 655 to the body 610 but also helps retain the insert 640 within the cavity 620. The weld bead 648 can be a locking shape. The weld bead 648 can separate a perimeter region of the cavity 620 that has a front-to-rear depth that is greater than the front-to-rear depth of the cavity at the weld bead. This change in the depth of the cavity 620 caused by the weld bead 648 allows the insert to have a thicker or deeper (front-to-rear) dimension adjacent the top rail 606 and sole 607 than at the weld bead 648, preventing the insert from sliding, moving, or being removed in the top-to-sole direction.

F. Other Perimeter Weighting of Golf Club Head (Tip Weight, Toe Weight)

In some embodiments, the golf club head 600 further includes a shaft tip weight 660 similar to the shaft tip weight 160 of the golf club head 100. In some embodiments, the body 610 further includes a toe cavity 614 that accommodates a toe weight 661 similar to the toe cavity 114 and toe weight 161 of the golf club head 100.

24 and 25, the golf club head 600 may further include a toe screw cavity 663 and a toe screw weight 662 for adjusting swing weight. The toe screw weight 662 may include a weight between 2 grams and 15 grams, as described for the additional toe screw weight of the golf club head 100. The toe screw weight 662 may be removed and replaced with a different screw weight 662 having a different weight value in order to customize the golf club head 600 to suit a golfer's swing.

33 and 34 , the toe screw weight 662 of the golf club head 600 may include a head 690 and a shaft 695. The head 690 may include an outer surface 691, an inner surface 692, and an outer rim 694. The shaft 695 projects outward from the head inner surface 692. The head inner surface 692 further includes a slot 696 extending radially outward from the shaft 695. The slot 693 may allow air to escape from the body cavity 620 during manufacturing. The slot 693 may be oriented generally perpendicular to the outer rim 694 of the toe screw weight head 690 (or perpendicular to a plane tangent to the outer rim 694 of the toe screw weight head 690). The slots 693 can be radially spaced apart by an angle of approximately 180 degrees, 120 degrees, 90 degrees, 72 degrees, 60 degrees, 51 degrees, 45 degrees, between 10 degrees and 45 degrees, between 45 degrees and 90 degrees, between 90 degrees and 180 degrees, between 180 degrees and 270 degrees, or between 270 degrees and 360 degrees.

The tow screw weight 662 can include one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, or more slots 693. The slots 693 can each have a depth. The depth of each slot 693 can range from 0.002 inches to 0.010 inches. In some embodiments, the depth of each slot 693 can range from 0.002 inches to 0.004 inches, 0.003 inches to 0.005 inches, 0.004 inches to 0.006 inches, 0.005 inches to 0.007 inches, 0.006 inches to 0.008 inches, 0.007 inches to 0.009 inches, or 0.008 inches to 0.010 inches. The depth of the slot 693 can affect the velocity at which air can flow through the slot 693. A slot 693 cut or formed in the head of the toe screw weight 662 prevents the toe screw weight 662 from sealing the toe screw cavity 663 when the toe screw weight 662 is received in the toe screw cavity 663. The slot 693 allows air to move in and out of the body cavity 620 even when the toe screw weight 662 is installed in the toe screw cavity 663. The slot 693 can allow air to escape from the body cavity 620 during injection of the insert material 140 into the body cavity 620 during manufacturing. In embodiments with low viscosity inserts, the depth of the slot 693 can also prevent the insert material from flowing or escaping through the slot 693 during manufacturing.

The tow screw weight shaft 695 can include a neck 696, a threaded portion 698, and an unthreaded portion 699. The neck 696 can be located between the threaded portion 698 of the shaft 695 and the tow screw weight head 690. The neck 696 can include a diameter 697 that is smaller than the diameter of the corresponding region of the tow screw cavity 663. The neck diameter 697 can be 0.005 inches to 0.015 inches smaller than the diameter of the corresponding region of the tow screw cavity 663. In some embodiments, the corresponding region of the tow screw cavity 663 has a diameter that is 0.005 inches to 0.008 inches, 0.007 inches to 0.010 inches, 0.009 inches to 0.012 inches, or 0.011 inches to 0.015 inches smaller than the neck diameter 697.

The threaded portion 698 of the shaft 695 can be positioned adjacent to the neck 696 of the shaft 695 near the toe screw weight head 690. The threaded portion 698 can include 1 to 10 threads. In some embodiments, the threaded portion 698 can be between ¼ and ½ of the length of the shaft 695. In other embodiments, the threaded portion 698 is approximately ⅓ of the length of the shaft 695. The purpose of the threaded shaft portion 698 is to engage with corresponding threads on the toe screw cavity 663 to retain the toe screw weight 662 on the golf club head body 610. Additionally, the threaded shaft portion 698 can be offset from the threads of the toe screw cavity by a tolerance or gap. In some embodiments, the tolerance gap can provide sufficient space for air to pass between the toe screw weight 662 and the toe screw cavity 663 during the injection molding process to form the insert. Additionally, the tolerance gap between the threads of the toe screw weight and the threads of the toe screw cavity can prevent insert material from leaking out of the cavity 620 during the manufacturing process. Despite the insert material contacting the threaded portion 698 of the toe screw weight, the toe screw weight can remain removable due to the different material properties of the metal toe screw weight 662 and the insert 640.

Beyond the threaded portion 698, the remaining unthreaded portion 699 of the shaft 695 can extend at least partially into the toe screw cavity 663. The unthreaded shaft portion 699 can include a diameter smaller than the diameter of the corresponding portion of the toe screw cavity 663 configured to receive the unthreaded shaft portion 699. In some embodiments, the unthreaded shaft portion 699 can extend at least partially into the body cavity 620 of the club head 600. The purpose of the unthreaded shaft portion 699 can add weight to the toe screw weight 662.

The toe screw weight shaft is constructed with tolerances that allow air to pass between the toe screw weight 662 and the corresponding toe screw cavity 663. In embodiments of the golf club head 600 having an injection-molded insert, the threaded portion of the toe screw weight 662 shaft prevents the insert material from escaping the body cavity during the manufacturing process, as described below. The slot is also sized to prevent the insert material from escaping if it passes through the threaded portion of the toe screw weight 662.

The slots, shaft diameter, and shaft threading of the toe screw weight 662 described above allow air to vent through the toe screw weight 662, allowing the insert 620 to be injection molded without flash (excess, unwanted material between metal portions of the mold interface surfaces, including within the vent holes). As described below, venting air through the toe screw weight 662 can eliminate or reduce the need for post-injection molding processing to clean flash.

While the perimeter weighting described above contributes to the perimeter weighting and high MOI of the club head, the perimeter body also plays a key role in perimeter weighting. Shaping the perimeter of the body to include more material can alter the weight and increase the MOI.

D. Clubhead Body Materials with Rear Openings

The materials used to form the components of golf club head 600 may be similar to the materials used to form the components of golf club head 100, as described above. In particular, body 610 may include the same body material as body 110. Insert 640 may include the same insert material as insert 140. Face plate 655 may include the same face plate material as face plate 155. Toe weight 661, tip weight 660, and toe screw weight 662 may include the same toe weight 161, tip weight 160, and toe screw weight materials as golf club head 100.

III. Golf club head with rear and front openings

Now, the golf club head 300 will be described. Similar to the golf club heads 100 and 600, the golf club head 300 can be a tour-style golf club head with the forgiveness described above. Referring to FIGS. 35-38, the golf club head 300 can include a body 310 having a cavity 320 that houses an insert 340. Unlike the golf club heads 100 and 600, the golf club head 300 does not include a metal face plate. The golf club head includes a body 310 and an insert 340. The insert 340 is exposed at the front of the golf club head 300 and functions as a strike face (also called a "striking surface" or "hitting surface") 311 for impacting a golf ball. The strike face 311 formed by the insert can include grooves. The strike face 311 can be flush with the front 304 of the body 310. The strike face 311 can be configured to impact a golf ball. In some embodiments, the insert material strike face 311 can be formed from a polymer or composite material.

The body 310 includes an upper portion 308, a lower portion 309, a sole 307, a rear portion 303, a front portion 304, a toe region 301, a heel region 302, and a top rail 306. The rear portion 303 may further include a flex seam 330. The flex seam 330 is the boundary between the upper portion 308 and the lower portion 309 of the golf club head 300. The sole 307, the rear portion 303, and the top rail 306 enclose a cavity 320.

Figures 35-52 show several variations of a golf club head 300 that may be similar to golf club heads 100 and 600. The golf club head 300 includes a body 310 that forms a cavity 320. The body 310 defines a rear opening 380 in the upper portion 308. The rear opening 380 at least partially exposes the cavity 320. The body 310 further defines a front opening or recess 342. The front opening at least partially exposes (and/or is connected to) the cavity 320. The front opening can be sized to cover a majority of the strike face 311. After assembly, the insert 340 is visible through the rear opening 380 and the front opening 342.

The insert 340 is housed within the cavity 320. The insert 340 may comprise a non-metallic or polymer-based material. The insert 340 may comprise a low-density material. The insert material may be injected into the cavity 320 of the golf club head 300 through the rear opening 380 or the front opening 342 to form the insert 340 within the cavity 320. In other embodiments, the insert 340 comprises a metallic material similar to the insert 140 described above. The insert 340 extends completely from the front 304 to the rear 303 of the golf club head 300.

In some embodiments, the golf club head 300 may be a tour or game improvement iron club head and may have a volume of 1.8 cubic inches to 2.7 cubic inches (30 cubic centimeters (cc) to 45 cc). The body 310 of the golf club head 300 may be cast or forged from a metallic material. In some embodiments, the insert 340 may be injection molded into the cavity 320 of the body 310. The insert 340 may be formed from a polymer or composite material. In some embodiments, the golf club head 300 may be a game improvement iron having a volume greater than that of a tour iron. In some embodiments, the golf club head 300 may be a game improvement iron having a blade length greater than 2.7 inches and/or between 2.7 inches and 2.9 inches, between 2.8 inches and 2.9 inches.

The insert 340 includes a low-density material similar to that of the inserts of the club heads 100 and 600. However, the insert 340 of the golf club head 300 can further increase the moment of inertia value of the golf club head compared to the inserts of the golf club heads 100 and 600 because the insert 340 of the golf club head 300 can replace the higher-density body material. In other words, the body 310 of the golf club head 300 includes less material than the bodies of the golf club heads 100 and 600. Specifically, the golf club head 300 lacks a metal face plate. Instead, the low-density insert 340 of the golf club head 300 forms the strike face 311 of the golf club head 300. Because a high-density face plate is not used in the golf club head 300, the mass of the body 310 can be significantly reduced. The saved weight can be redistributed as optional built-in or removable weight. By distributing the saved weight around the periphery of the club head 300, the moment of inertia can be increased. CG can also be lowered in a similar manner as described for golf club heads 100 and 600.

In some embodiments, a tip weight 360 disposed within the hosel and/or a toe weight 361 disposed within the toe cavity 314 of the body 310 provide additional perimeter weighting. The tip and/or toe weights may have a density greater than the body material density and greater than the insert density. The body material may include, but is not limited to, a steel-based material or a steel alloy. The body material may include a density of 7.70 to 8.10 g/cc. The insert material may include, but is not limited to, a glass-filled elastomer, a stainless steel-filled elastomer, a tungsten-filled elastomer, a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), or any other elastomer matrix composite, Kevlar® (aramid) fiber-reinforced polymer, a carbon fiber-reinforced polymer, or any suitable polymer matrix composite (i.e., any combination of a suitable resin and a suitable reinforcing fiber). In some embodiments, the insert material may include a density of 0.8 g/cc to 1.4 g/cc. In other embodiments, the insert material may include a density between 1.0 g/cc and 12.0 g/cc. The metal body material and polymer or composite insert material may be similar to the materials described above for the body and insert of the golf club head 600.

In some embodiments, a toe screw weight 362 (swing weight) located within a toe screw weight cavity 363 (swing weight cavity) of the body 310 provides additional perimeter weighting. In some embodiments, the interior contour of the cavity 320 is modified to leave body material in locations requiring additional weight. In some embodiments, the rear 303 of the club head 300 includes one or more weight ports for receiving removable weights. In some embodiments, the rear 303 of the club head can be configured to receive tungsten weights in the low toe region 301 or low heel region 302. These weights can be co-molded, swaged, or welded to the body.

Golf club head 300 can be described in terms of the same reference planes and axes as golf club head 100. The definitions of ground plane 10, loft plane 20, center plane 45, center point 80, lead edge axis 35, lead edge plane, x-axis 30, y-axis 40, z-axis 50, and hosel axis 70 remain the same for golf club head 300 as they were for golf club head 100.

E. Part of a golf club head

As described above and shown in Figures 28-31, the body 310 includes at least an upper portion 308, a lower portion 309, a sole 307, a top rail 306, a rear 303, a front 304, a toe 301, a heel 302, and a hosel 305, each of which is similar to the upper portion 108, the lower portion 109, the sole 107, the top rail 106, the rear 103, the front 104, the toe 101, the heel 102, and the hosel 105 of the golf club head 100.

The body 310 has a flex seam 330 and a rear profile similar to the flex seam 130 and rear profile of the golf club head 100. The height of the upper and lower portions 308, 309, the depth of the upper and lower portions 308, 309, and the thickness of the rear 303 are similar to the height of the upper and lower portions 108, 109, the depth of the upper and lower portions 108, 109, and the thickness of the rear 103 of the golf club head 100.

The body 310 further includes an aperture wall 382 similar to the aperture wall 682 of the golf club head 600. The aperture wall 382 defines a rear aperture 380. The location, size, and dimensions (including projected area) of the rear aperture 380 can be similar to the rear aperture 380 of the golf club head 300. The CG position and weight of the golf club head 300 can be affected in a manner similar to that described for the golf club heads 100 and 600. However, the golf club head 300 can have a more extreme change in CG position compared to a similar club lacking the low-density insert because the golf club head 300 has additional discretionary weight due to the removal of the metal strike plate. Replacing a portion of the insert 340 with the metal strike plate frees up a significant amount of weight that can be redistributed to the perimeter of the golf club head 300, lowering the CG and/or increasing the moment of inertia.

The golf club head 300 can be compared to a similar golf club head having a metal body including a metal face plate (corresponding to the front opening 642 of the golf club head 300) and a metal upper portion rear wall (covering the area corresponding to the rear opening 380 of the golf club head 300). By replacing the metal body material that would otherwise occupy the rear opening 380 and the front opening 342, the insert 340 can reduce the mass of the upper portion 308 by 1 to 70 grams. In some embodiments, the mass of the upper portion 308 can be reduced by 1 to 10 grams, 10 to 20 grams, 20 to 30 grams, 30 to 40 grams, 40 to 50 grams, 50 to 60 grams, or 60 to 70 grams. This reduction in the mass of the upper portion 308 of the body 310 helps lower CG, improve launch and spin characteristics, and increase ball speed.

36 , the body 310 of the golf club head 300 defines a cavity 320. The cavity 320 of the body 310 can be configured to receive a low-density insert 340. The area, volume, and contours of the cavity 320 are similar to the area, volume, and contours of the cavity 120. The sole 307, the top rail 306, and the rear 303 define the cavity 320. The cavity 320 is exposed through a front opening 342 and a rear opening 380 of the body 310.

F. Golf Club Head Inserts

The insert 340 is configured to fit within the cavity 320 of the body 310 to increase the MOI and maintain the solid feel of the golf club head 300. Because the insert 340 forms the strike face as well as an internal central insert, the volume of the insert 340 can be greater than the volume of the insert 140 of the golf club head 100. In some embodiments, the insert 340 completely fills the cavity 320, having the same volume as the cavity 320. As shown in FIG. 37 , the insert 640 can be formed within the cavity 320 of the body 310. The rear opening 380 can function as a port for injecting the insert 340 into the cavity 320, as described below.

G. Body cavity

As shown in FIGS. 35 and 30, the body 310 of the golf club head 300 can define the edges or walls of the cavity 320. As shown in FIGS. 39-45, in some embodiments, the body 310 further includes one or more retention features 345, locking mechanisms, arches, tubes, or other mechanisms that interrupt the cavity space (collectively referred to hereinafter as "retention features"). The retention features 345 can be internally located. The retention features 345 are not visible externally on the completed golf club head 300. The retention features 345 can geometrically secure the insert 340 within the cavity 320. The material of the insert 340 can flow around and then harden around the one or more retention features 345 so that the insert 340 is permanently secured within the cavity 320. The retention features 345 can also add weight to specific areas of the golf club head 300.

The body 310 can include between one and six securing features 345. In some embodiments, the body 310 includes one, two, three, four, five, or six securing features 345. One or more securing features 354 can extend from one or more of the rear 303, the sole 307, the toe region 301, or the heel region 302. In some embodiments, one or more securing features 345 extend between the rear 303 and the sole 307. In some embodiments, one of the securing features 345 includes first and second ends that both connect to the remainder of the body 310 in the toe region 301. In some embodiments, one of the securing features 345 includes first and second ends that both connect to the remainder of the body 310 in the heel region 302. In some embodiments, one of the securing features 345 includes first and second ends that both connect to the remainder of the body 310 in the sole 307.

39-41, the golf club head 300 includes two securing features 345 extending from the rear 303 to the sole 307. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 42-44, one securing feature 345 extends from the toe end of the sole 307 to the heel end of the sole 307. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 45, a single securing feature 345 (or arch) includes first and second ends that both connect to the body 310 in the heel region 302. As shown in FIG. 45, one or more securing features 345 may define channels 346, openings, through-holes, or tubes (hereinafter collectively referred to as "channels") that may be filled with an insert material. The channels 346 may have a minimum diameter of 0.065 inches. In some embodiments, the channel 346 can have a diameter of 0.065 to 0.075 inches, 0.070 to 0.080 inches, 0.075 to 0.085 inches, or 0.080 to 0.090 inches. In some embodiments, the channel 346 can have a diameter greater than 0.080 inches or greater than 0.090 inches. The diameter of the channel 346 below and/or surrounded by the fixation feature allows the insert material to flow when injected into the cavity being manufactured.

One or more locking features 345 can have a cross-sectional shape that is circular, oval, elliptical, or any other shape configured to promote the flow of insert material around the locking feature. FIG. 44 illustrates a locking feature having a circular cross-section. In some embodiments, the cavity 620 further includes an undercut in the top rail 306 and/or sole 307. The undercut 347 can help mechanically secure the insert 640 within the cavity 320. A golf club having a top rail 306 and sole 307 with undercuts 347 is shown in the embodiment of FIGS. 37 and 38.

51 and 52 , some variations of the golf club head 300 do not include a rear opening 380. Instead, the body 310 covers the entire rear 303 of the club head 300. In these embodiments, the cavity 320 is exposed only at the front 304 of the club head 300. These embodiments may include one or more undercuts 347 and/or one or more locking features 345 to retain the insert 340 within the cavity 320.

H. Other Perimeter Weighting of Golf Club Head (Tip Weight, Toe Weight)

The golf club head 300 may include a toe weight 361 similar to toe weights 161 and 661, a tip weight 360 similar to tip weights 160 and 660, and a toe screw weight 362 similar to toe screw weight 662. As shown in FIGS. 48-50 , the golf club head 300 may additionally or alternatively include a plurality of weights 365 located at the rear of the club head 300. In some embodiments, such as shown in FIG. 48 , the club head 300 may include a toe weight 361 and a heel weight 364. In some embodiments, the toe weight 361 and the heel weight 364 may be swaged, welded, co-forged, or otherwise secured within receiving cavities in the club head 300. In other embodiments, the toe weight 361 and the heel weight 364 are secured to the club head 300 via a fastening mechanism. For example, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 49 , the toe weight 361 and the heel weight 364 are threaded into receiving holes in the club head 300. In some embodiments, such as that shown in FIG. 50, a plurality of weights 365 are secured to or formed in the rear 303 of the club head 300 .

IV. Golf Club Head Characteristics
A. Golf club head measurement

Golf club heads 100, 300, 600 can be tour irons. The golf club heads 100, 300, 600 described herein can be tour iron heads, including the blade length, hosel-X length, offset distance, and upper portion depth characteristics of a tour iron. The characteristics that identify golf club head 100 as a tour iron are described below. Golf club heads 300 and 600 can have tour iron characteristics similar to those of golf club head 100.

As shown in FIG. 2, the golf club head 100 has a blade length 173. The blade length 173 is measured as the maximum distance from the edge of the strike face 111 in the heel region 102 to the edge of the club head 100 in the toe region 101. The blade length of a typical tour iron may be less than 2.8 inches. The blade length of a game improvement iron is generally greater than 2.8 inches. The blade length 173 of the golf club head 100 is less than 2.8 inches, as is characteristic of a tour iron. In some embodiments, the blade length 173 of the golf club head 100 may be between 2.2 inches and 2.8 inches, between 2.2 inches and 2.4 inches, between 2.4 inches and 2.6 inches, or between 2.6 inches and 2.8 inches.

As shown in FIG. 2, the hosel-X length 174 is measured from the center plane 45 to the intersection of the hosel axis 70 and the lead edge axis 35. The hosel-X length of a tour iron is typically less than 1.5 inches, while the hosel-X length of a game improvement iron is typically greater than 1.5 inches. The hosel-X length of the golf club head 100 is less than 1.5 inches, as is characteristic of a tour iron. In some embodiments, the hosel-X length 174 can be between 1.30 inches and 1.50 inches, between 1.30 inches and 1.40 inches, or between 1.40 inches and 1.50 inches.

As shown in FIG. 4, the offset distance 173 is measured from the front edge of the hosel 105 to the forward-most point of the golf club head 100. Typically, the forward-most point is located at the bottom of the strike face 111, adjacent to the sole 107. The offset distance 172 may vary among golf club heads within the same set due to different loft angles. Therefore, to compare sets of irons, the average offset distance 173 of all golf clubs in the set is taken. The average offset of a tour iron set is generally less than 0.140 inches. The average offset of a game improvement iron set is generally greater than 0.140 inches. The average offset of a set of golf clubs that includes golf club heads similar to club head 100 is less than 0.140 inches. The offset distance 172 of a single golf club head 100 may be between 0.100 inches and 0.160 inches. In some embodiments, the offset distance 172 of 0.100 inches can be between 0.100 inches and 0.110 inches, 0.110 inches and 0.120 inches, 0.120 inches and 0.130 inches, 0.130 inches and 0.140 inches, 0.140 inches and 0.150 inches, or 0.150 inches and 0.160 inches.

The upper section depth 116 is measured from the front 104 to the rear 103 adjacent the top rail 106 and perpendicular to the strike face 111, as shown in FIG. 4. The average upper section depth of a tour iron is typically less than 0.290 inches. The average upper section depth of a game-improving iron is typically greater than 0.290 inches. The average upper section depth of a set of golf clubs that includes a golf club head similar to golf club head 100 is typically less than 0.290 inches, as is characteristic of a set of tour irons.

A similar parameter between game improvement and tour irons is the height of the golf club head. As shown in FIG. 2, each golf club head 100 can have a maximum height 175 measured along the loft plane 20 from the lead edge axis 35 to the highest point on the top rail 106. The golf club head 600 can have a golf club head 100 of a similar height. The maximum height 175 can be between 2.0 inches and 2.5 inches. In some embodiments, the maximum height 175 can be between 2.0 inches and 2.1 inches, 2.1 inches and 2.2 inches, 2.2 inches and 2.3 inches, 2.3 inches and 2.4 inches, and 2.4 inches and 2.5 inches.

Table I below compares the blade length, hosel X, average offset, average upper section depth, and maximum height of tour irons versus game improved irons.
B. Golf Club Head CG and MOI

To truly understand the benefits of perimeter weighting in the golf club heads 100, 300, 600, one must consider both the MOI and CG characteristics of the golf club heads 100, 300, 600 as well as the tour size of the golf club heads 100, 300, 600. Game improvement irons are known for their high MOI values but lack other characteristics unique to tour irons. The golf clubs described herein combine the benefits of game improvement irons with the tour iron style.

In some embodiments, the CG 60 of the golf club head 100, 300, 600 has been shifted downward and rearward compared to a flat-back tour iron. The CG 60 position of the golf club head 100, 300, 600 can also be measured from the lead edge surface.

The CG 60 of the golf club head 100, 600 can be positioned between 0.380 inches and 0.670 inches above the lead edge surface. In some embodiments, the golf club head 100, 600 has a depth of 0.400 inches to 0.650 inches, 0.380 inches to 0.400 inches, 0.400 inches to 0.420 inches, 0.420 inches to 0.440 inches, 0.440 inches to 0.460 inches, 0.460 inches to 0.480 inches, 0.480 inches to 0.500 inches, 0.500 inches to 0.520 inches, 0.520 inches to 0.540 inches, 0.540 inches to 0.560 inches, 0.560 inches to 0.580 inches, 0.580 inches to 0.600 inches, 0.600 inches to 0.620 inches, 0.620 inches to 0.640 inches, 0.640 inches to 0.660 inches, 0.660 inches to 0.670 inches above the lead edge surface. In other embodiments, the CG 60 can be positioned 0.380 inches, 0.390 inches, 0.400 inches, 0.410 inches, 0.420 inches, 0.430 inches, 0.440 inches, 0.450 inches, 0.460 inches, 0.470 inches, 0.480 inches, 0.490 inches, 0.500 inches, 0.510 inches, 0.520 inches, 0.530 inches, 0.540 inches, 0.550 inches, 0.560 inches, 0.570 inches, 0.580 inches, 0.590 inches, 0.600 inches, 0.610 inches, 0.620 inches, 0.630 inches, 0.640 inches, 0.650 inches, 0.660 inches, or 0.670 inches above the lead edge surface.

As mentioned above, the golf club heads 100, 300, and 600 described herein can include a lightweight insert 140, 440, 240, 270, and/or 640 in the center of the golf club head. The saved weight can be added to the perimeter of the golf club head 100, 300, and 600 without significantly changing the overall weight of the golf club head 100, 300, and 600, but still allow for a shift in the CG 60 and an increase in the MOI. This perimeter weighting may be achieved through toe weights, tip weights, or body material added to the perimeter. The compact nature of the golf club heads 100, 300, and 600 allows material properties to play a larger role in MOI improvement than structural size. Ixx, which is the MOI around the CG 60 and about the x-axis 30, can range from 70 to 140 grams per square inch. The MOI, Iyy, about CG 60 and about y-axis 40 may range from 310 to 500 grams per square inch. These MOI values may apply to golf club heads 100, 300, and 600. These MOI values may also apply to any embodiment having insert 140, 640, multi-material insert 440, or lightweight insert 240 or 270.

V. method

As shown in FIG. 54, a method 500 for manufacturing a golf club head 100 is described herein. The method includes the steps of preparing each component 510, placing an insert within a body 520, swaging a face plate onto a body 530, laser welding the interface between the face plate and the body 540, and cleaning the final product by grinding and polishing. In some embodiments of the method 500, the method 500 can consist of steps 510, 520, 530, and 550.

Step 510 may include preparing at least the body 110, the insert 140 or multi-material insert 440, and the face plate 155 as components of the golf club head 100. In some embodiments, preparing the body 110 may comprise one or more of forging, casting, additive manufacturing molding, machining, or any other suitable method for forming the body 110. Step 510 may include forming the body 110 as a unitary piece.

In some embodiments, preparing the insert 140 can consist of one or more of forging, casting, additive manufacturing molding, machining, or any other suitable method for forming the body 140. In some embodiments, the insert 140 or a portion of the multi-material insert 440 is molded by pouring resin into a fiber-reinforced structure to form an elastomeric matrix composite. The insert 140 can be formed as a single piece having a uniform density or as multiple pieces having different densities. In some embodiments, with a multi-material insert 440, the insert 440 can be formed as a single unit or placed into the cavity 120 in two separate pieces.

In some embodiments, preparing the multi-material insert 440 includes (1) preparing a first portion 450 of the insert 440, (2) preparing a second portion 460 of the insert 440, and (3) joining the first and second portions 450, 460 of the insert 440. Preparing the first portion 450 of the insert 440 may include molding the first portion 440. Preparing the second portion 460 of the insert 440 may include casting, forging, stamping, die casting, or other means of preparing the second portion 460. In some embodiments, (1) preparing the second portion 460 and (2) joining the first portion 450 and the second portion 460 are combined when the first portion 450 is molded and joined to the second portion 460. In some embodiments, the insert 440 may be ground or polished before being inserted into the cavity 120 of the golf club head 100.

In some embodiments, forming the faceplate 155 can comprise forging, casting, machining, forming by additive manufacturing, or other methods of forming the faceplate 155. In some embodiments, forming the faceplate 155 can include machining, casting, or forging variable thickness geometries into the faceplate 155.

In some embodiments, step 510 of method 500 may further include providing a toe weight, a tip weight, and/or a toe screw weight. In these embodiments, step 510 may further include welding a toe weight 161 to the toe cavity 114 of the body 110. In other embodiments, the toe weight 161 may be swaged, glued, or otherwise secured onto the body 610. In embodiments of the golf club head 100 that further include a toe screw weight, the toe screw weight may be threaded into the golf club head at steps 510, 520, 530, or 550.

Step 520 of method 500 includes placing the insert 140 within the cavity 120 of the body 110. The insert 140 is inserted through a front opening of the cavity 120 at the front 104 of the body 110. In some embodiments, this step 520 includes applying an adhesive, such as an epoxy resin, to the cavity 120 of the body 110 and the insert 140 to secure the insert 140 within the body 110. In some embodiments, this step 520 includes applying one or more tape layers, such as tape layer 150, to the cavity 120 before placing the insert 140 within the cavity. The one or more tape layers, such as tape layer 150, can form a strong and durable connection between the insert 140 and the cavity 120 of the body 110. Additionally, the use of tape can reduce the possibility of rattles and other undesirable quality issues. In some embodiments, various other methods of securing the insert 140 to the body 110 are combined for maximum safety. Not all embodiments of the method 500 require the insert 140 to be glued or secured within the cavity 120.

Step 530 of method 500 includes securing the face plate 155 onto the body 110. The face plate 155 is positioned within the recess 142. By placing the face plate 155 within the recess 142, the face plate 155 is positioned to cover the insert 140 and the cavity 120 of the body 110. Step 530 may further include swaging the face plate 155 onto the body 110 such that the face plate 155 is embedded in the recess 142 on the front 104 of the body 110. In this manner, the insert 140 is retained within the golf club head 100 and completely isolated from the outside of the golf club head 100. In other embodiments, the face plate 155 is glued, press-fit, or otherwise secured to the body.

Some golf club heads are manufactured using methods including co-forging (also known as integral forging) and joining of individual cast components using high temperatures and applied pressures. These methods apply high temperatures that affect multiple components of the golf club head, including any inserts. For example, the co-forging process occurs at temperatures between 700 and 1000°C. The melting point of some aluminum alloys drops to 650 to 680°C. Therefore, in the case of aluminum inserts, co-forging would compromise the integrity of the aluminum material. The inserts 140, 440, body 110, and face plate 155 are not co-forged together because co-forging can result in high temperatures that could damage the inserts 140, 440.

Furthermore, TIG welding the face plate to the golf club head also exposes the golf club head to high temperatures, which can damage the insert. The possible materials for the low-density center of an iron-type golf club head are significantly limited by conventional manufacturing processes. The golf club head 100 can be manufactured with a wide variety of insert materials because the manufacturing process does not subject the final product to high temperatures. Furthermore, some insert materials described herein, such as thermoplastic composites, simply cannot be co-forged with the metal body material. The manufacturing method 500 described herein allows the insert 140, 440 to be formed from any suitable material without requiring the material to be co-forged with the body 110.

Steps 530 and 540, described below, both employ low-heat methods to secure the faceplate 155 and encapsulate the insert 140 within the cavity 120. Swaging, laser welding, and other low-temperature methods of securing the faceplate 155 allow the insert 140 or 440 to include a wide variety of materials to fine-tune sound, feel, and weight. The low-temperature methods of steps 530 and 540 allow for additional design flexibility, such as using adhesives and/or tape around the cavity 120 to reduce unwanted rattle and vibration.

Step 540 involves laser welding the interface between the face plate 155 and the body 110. The process of step 540 is also referred to as surface fusion. After the face plate 155 is swaged onto the body 110 in step 530, the overlap area or interface between the face plate 155 and the body 110 is laser welded. This laser welding process blends the metallic materials of the face plate 155 and the body 110 without creating a deep heat-affected zone (hereinafter referred to as "HAZ"). Laser welding the interface eliminates any cracks or seams between the face plate 155 and the body 110. In some embodiments, the golf club head 100 is finished with a coating in step 550, as described below. Even small cracks or seams at the interface can allow the coating to penetrate the seam and cause quality issues. Laser welding the interface in step 540 eliminates this manufacturing issue.

The above-described process 540 can be performed without compromising the integrity of the material within the cavity 120 because the HAZ depth can be between 0.03 inches and 0.08 inches, which can be less than the thickness 112 of the face plate 155. In some embodiments, the HAZ depth can be less than 0.08 inches, less than 0.07 inches, less than 0.06 inches, less than 0.05 inches, less than 0.04 inches, or less than 0.03 inches. In some embodiments, the HAZ depth can be 0.03 inches, 0.04 inches, 0.05 inches, 0.06 inches, 0.07 inches, or 0.08 inches. The laser welding heats the insert and other cavity fillers, such as tape layers, to a temperature below the melting temperature of the insert material. The heat applied to the golf club head 100 during process 540 does not compromise any of the materials sealed within the cavity 120.

In step 550 of method 550, the golf club head 100 is cleaned by grinding and polishing. Grinding is used to create a smooth surface on the strike face 111 of the golf club head 100. Additionally, this step 550 may include polishing the surface of the golf club head 100 after grinding. In some embodiments, grooves are formed in the strike face 111 of the face plate 155, and the strike face 111 is then polished. No step in manufacturing method 500 involves co-forging with a different material.

As shown in FIG. 32, similar to the golf club head 600, a method 700 for manufacturing a golf club head includes the steps of providing at least a body 610, an insert material, and a face plate 655, welding or swaging the face plate 655 to the body 610, injecting the insert material into the cavity 620 of the body 610, and polishing and cleaning the golf club head 600.

In step 710, the body 610 can be formed by forging, casting, or additive manufacturing. The face plate 655 can be formed by forging, casting, or additive manufacturing. In a variation of the manufacturing process 700, the strike face 655 is integrally formed as part of the body 610, rather than being separately formed as the face plate 655 and welded or swaged onto the front opening of the body 610. In some embodiments, step 710 of method 700 further includes providing a toe weight 661, a tip weight 650, and/or a toe screw weight 662. In these embodiments, step 710 further includes welding the toe weight 661 to the toe cavity 614 of the body 610. In other embodiments, the toe weight 661 can be swaged, glued, or otherwise secured onto the body 610. In embodiments of the golf club head 600 that further include a toe screw weight 662, the toe screw weight 662 may be threaded into the golf club head at steps 710, 720, 730, or 750.

Furthermore, in step 710 of method 700, the opening walls 782 defining the rear opening 680 may be formed in the body 610 or may be cut into the rear portion 603 of the body 610 after the body 610 is formed. Step 710 may further include polishing or finishing the opening walls 782 of the rear 603.

Step 720 includes placing a faceplate 655 within the body recess 642. The faceplate 655 is secured to the body 610 by welding, swaging, or other methods. The body 610 and strike plate 655 form a cavity 620. After the faceplate 655 is secured to the body 610, the only opening to the cavity 620 is the rear opening 680 of the body 610, as shown for the embodiment in Figures 14-23. In some embodiments, step 720 of method 700 can further include a laser welding or surface fusion process similar to that described for step 540 of method 500 above.

Step 720 may further include installing a toe screw weight 662 within the toe screw cavity 663. Because the toe screw cavity 663 opens into the body cavity 620, the toe screw weight 662 may be inserted within the toe screw cavity 663 to prevent insert material from being ejected through the toe screw cavity 663 during injection molding in step 730. The club head 600 may be further prepared for injection molding by precision machining the back or mouth of the rear opening 680. Golf club heads prepared by casting or forging typically lack a surface smooth enough to seal the surrounding mold. In this embodiment of the manufacturing process, the back or mouth of the rear opening 680 serves as a blocking surface against which injected material is filled during manufacturing. Tight tolerances are required for the blocking surface to provide a clean seal against the mold and prevent flash formation during injection molding. Therefore, the blocking surface (in this embodiment, the back or mouth of the rear opening 680) can be precision machined to provide a surface with an appropriately close tolerance to the mold.

In step 730, the insert material is injected in liquid form into the cavity 620 through the rear opening 680. The cavity 620 of the body 610 acts as a mold for the injected material. In some embodiments, the injection molding process bonds the insert material to the surface of the cavity 620. To inject the material into the cavity 620 under pressure, the injection device must seal to the mouth of the rear opening 680. The flat surface surrounding the rear opening 680 in the upper portion 608 of the golf club head 600 allows for a good seal to be created between the injection device and the body 610 of the golf club head 600. In some embodiments, if the insert 640 only partially fills the cavity 620, the injection device is configured to further form a seal against a portion of the cavity 620 to prevent the material from filling the entire cavity 620.

In step 740 of method 700, the golf club head 600 is cleaned by grinding and polishing. Grinding is used to create a smooth surface on the strike face 611 of the golf club head 600. Additionally, this step 740 may include polishing the surface of the golf club head 600 after grinding. In some embodiments, grooves are formed in the strike face 611 of the face plate 655, and then the strike face 611 is polished.

The method of manufacturing some embodiments of the golf club head 600 is more similar to the method 500 described above than to the method 700. In some embodiments, the method of forming the golf club head 600 in which the golf club head 600 includes a metal insert 640 requires placing the insert 640 in the cavity 640 prior to swaging the face plate 655.

VI. Examples
Example 1: Golf Club Head Measurements The golf club head 100 was measured using several different parameters, as described above, including blade length 173, hosel-X length 174, offset distance 172, upper section depth 116, and maximum height 175. These values were compared to a game improved iron and are both shown in Table II below. The measured golf club head 100 and game improvement iron were both 7 irons and had approximately the same loft angle.
Example 2: Moment of Inertia (MOI) Comparison and Center of Gravity (CG) Comparison

Testing was conducted to compare the MOI of a conventional tour iron head with the golf club head 100 described above. The conventional tour iron head used in this comparison testing was identical in size and head weight to the sample golf club head. Therefore, this testing isolated MOI as a variable and provided an accurate comparison of the sample's performance relative to the conventional tour iron head. The testing produced an Ixx value of approximately 108 grams squared for the sample club head and an Ixx value of approximately 103 grams squared for the conventional tour iron head. Therefore, the MOI about the x-axis 30 is approximately 4.8% higher for the sample club head. The testing produced an Iyy value of approximately 413 grams squared for the sample club head and an Iyy value of approximately 398 grams squared for the conventional tour iron head. Therefore, the MOI about the y-axis 40 is approximately 3.7% higher for the sample club head. This testing demonstrates that a lightweight insert for the golf club head 100 provides an MOI improvement without changing the size or weight of the golf club head 100.

Additionally, comparisons were made between five club heads: (1) an iron similar to golf club head 600 with a rear opening and an insert formed from TPC; (2) an iron similar to golf club head 600 with a rear opening and an insert formed from aluminum; (3) an iron similar to golf club head 100 with a sealed cavity filled with a TPC insert; (4) an iron similar to golf club head 100 with a sealed cavity filled with an aluminum insert; and (5) a solid steel club head with a total club head volume similar to the golf club heads described herein. Measurements were made using computer-aided design (CAD) models of each golf club head. Table III below summarizes the collected MOI data. Table IV below summarizes the collected CG data.

Because MOI is a function of distance from the center of gravity and mass, it reflects changes in the overall mass of the golf club head. Therefore, to accurately compare club head MOI, differences in the total mass of the golf club heads must be considered. To demonstrate the MOI efficiency across the compared golf club heads, the MOI was divided by the mass of the golf club head to derive an MOI efficiency value. The MOI efficiency values of the golf club heads can be compared independently of mass to demonstrate how the structure and local weight of the golf club head affect the MOI. Therefore, while the MOI values along both the x-axis 30 and y-axis 40 were higher for the solid steel golf club head (5) than for the low-density insert golf club heads (1)-(4), the MOI efficiency of the solid steel golf club head (5) was lower than the MOI efficiencies of the golf club heads (1)-(4). Therefore, the golf club heads (1)-(4) having the low-density inserts are more forgiving than the golf club heads lacking the low-density inserts 140, 440, 460 of the golf club heads 100, 600 described herein.

As can be seen from Table III, golf club heads (1)-(4) with low-density inserts have MOI efficiencies along the x-axis 30 that are 5.9% to 11.2% higher than the solid steel golf club head (5). As can be seen from Table III, club heads (1)-(4) with low-density inserts have MOI efficiencies along the y-axis 40 that are 8.5% to 15.5% higher than the solid steel golf club head (5).

In addition to increasing the MOI, lowering the CG can also be beneficial to golf club head performance. The golf club heads 100, 300, 600 described herein include a lower CG 60 than comparable solid steel irons having a similar shape to the golf club heads 100 and 600. A lower CG is desirable in tour irons because it is easier to shape shots with a lower CG. In the case of golf club head 600, the lower CG is due, in part, to the elimination of dense body material by including opening 680 in the rear 603.

Referring to FIG. 1 , CGy is measured vertically and upward from the leading edge axis 35 along the y-axis 40. CGx is measured horizontally along the leading edge axis 35, with the y-axis 40 as the origin, where a positive CGx value indicates that the CG is closer to the heel 102. CGz is measured rearward and horizontally along the z-axis 50 from the leading edge axis 35. CGy values are lower for golf club heads 1 and 2 than for golf club heads 3-5. This indicates that golf club heads with an opening in the rear of the body (similar to golf club head 600 described above) have a desirable lower CG. CG is 2.06% lower for club head 2 than for steel club head 5. CG is 2.84% lower for golf club head 1 than for steel golf club head 5, indicating that the low-density TPC insert provides even better CG placement than its aluminum insert counterpart (golf club head 2).

The comparative data in Tables III and IV further demonstrate the strengths of the closed cavity embodiment and the rear aperture embodiment. While all of the embodiments of the present invention (comparative golf club heads (1)-(4)) are improvements over solid club head (5), both the closed cavity embodiment (comparative golf club heads (3) and (4)) and the rear aperture embodiment (comparative golf club heads (1) and (2)) offer unique advantages. The comparative data, as shown in the MOI Efficiency column of Table II, indicates that the MOI efficiency in both the x-axis 30 and y-axis 40 directions is higher for closed cavity club heads (3) and (4) than for club heads (1), (2), and (5). This suggests that closed cavity embodiments similar to golf club head 100 described herein or comparative club heads (3) and (4) are more forgiving than rear aperture embodiments such as golf club head 600 or comparative club heads (1) and (2). However, the embodiment with the rear opening 680 in the body 610 has a lower CG value than the embodiment with the sealed cavity, as shown in the CGy column of Table IV.

Example 3: Center of Gravity Flat Back vs. Curved Seam Back Comparison

In addition to MOI and feel, the location of the golf club head's CG affects performance. In particular, CG location affects the amount of torque imparted to the golf club head upon impact with the golf ball. By lowering the CG, the arm between the force applied by the golf ball and the CG is smaller, as the golf ball is typically struck lower on the strike face. This shortened arm between the applied force and the CG results in lower torque and improved launch characteristics upon impact with the golf ball. Therefore, to provide the golfer with the best possible experience, the golf club heads described herein include a low CG.

To demonstrate how the uniform depth of the upper portions 108, 608 of golf club heads 100, 600 leads to a lower CG 60, a comparison was made between golf club heads similar to golf club heads 100, 300, and 600 and comparative golf club heads having varying depths from their top rails to their soles. The comparative golf club heads have a flat rear extending from their top rails to their soles. To provide an accurate depiction, the comparative golf club heads and golf club heads similar to 100, 300, and 600 were both modeled with the same total mass. The results of the comparison are summarized in Table IV below.

As shown in Table IV, the CGy values measured along the vertical y-axis 40 are significantly lower for golf club heads similar to 100, 300, and 600. Specifically, golf club heads similar to 100, 300, and 600 include a CGy that is 0.039 inches lower than the comparative golf club head. This indicates that the uniform depth of the upper portions 108, 608 above the inflection points 130, 630 lowers the CG, providing better launch and spin characteristics and faster ball speeds.

Additionally, the CGz value is measured along the z-axis 50, with the rear of the CG 60 being negative and the front of the CG 60 being positive. The CG 60 of golf club heads similar to the 100, 300, and 600 are closer to the front of the golf club head.

Example 4: Touch and Sound

Part of the appeal of tour irons is their compact profile and sleek aesthetic design. Furthermore, forged golf club heads are perceived by many golfers as superior to cast club heads. Therefore, it is important that tour irons satisfy these expectations. Golfers particularly enjoy the sound and feel of forged tour irons compared to other types of irons. In golf, the "feel" of a golf club head, as perceived by the golfer, plays a large role in the golfer's performance, and "feel" is generally influenced by the weight, material, acoustics, and thickness of the strike face. Many golfers agree that tour irons offer a solid feel not found in many other types of irons. The golf club heads described herein exhibit solidity and acoustic qualities equal to, if not exceeding, existing tour irons.

A survey was conducted to quantify the feel of a sample tour iron having a golf club head similar to the golf club head 100 described herein. Twenty golfers participated in the survey and compared their experience with the sample iron to their experience with a traditional tour iron. After using both the sample and traditional irons, survey participants were asked the following question for each iron: "How satisfied are you with the impact experience (feel/sound) this iron provides?" The majority of players preferred the impact experience of the sample tour iron over the traditional tour iron.

Finally, the quality and durability of the irons are crucial to their sustained performance. The strike face 111, 311, and 611 alone is designed to withstand the stresses placed on it by striking a golf ball. However, the inclusion of a thermoplastic composite insert 140 or 640, a full metal insert 140 or 640, a multi-material insert 440, or a lightweight insert 240 or 280 can provide an additional solid feel to the golf club head and improve the acoustic quality of the golf club head over a similar hollow-body golf club head. The face plate 155, 655 can improve the quality and durability of the golf club head by ensuring that the insert 140, 340, 440, 240, 280, or 640 remains secured inside the golf club head at all times.

Example 5: Performance Test

Tests were conducted to compare a control club, a first test club with an insert having a Shore A 30 hardness (similar to the golf club head 600 described above), and a second test club with an insert formed from TPU (similar to the golf club head 600 described above). Shot data for all three clubs was recorded for 12 golfers. Results showed that both the first test club (Shore A 30 insert) and the second test club (TPU insert) exhibited ball speeds similar to the control club (within 0.9 mph). The launch angles and spin rates of the first and second test clubs were not significantly different from the launch angle of the control club. It was predicted that the control club would outperform the first and second test clubs in ball speed, launch angle, and spin rate due to the insert material. Therefore, it was unexpected when the test results showed that the three clubs performed with similar ball speeds, launch angles, and spin rates.

As illustrated in Figure 53, ball speed, launch angle, and spin rate were comparable for the three clubs, but the second test club exhibited more downline (or carry) and off-line consistency. The landing points of each shot were charted and analyzed to determine a statistical plot area for each club. The statistical plot area is an elliptical area derived from the test data within which 90% of future shots are expected to land. The statistical plot area is determined by first taking the average standard deviation of the downline distances of the test shots and multiplying it by a factor to form the downline radius of the ellipse. Taking the average standard deviation of the off-line distances of the test shots and multiplying it by a factor gives the off-line radius of the ellipse. The ellipse for the statistical plot area is centered at the average downline and off-line distances within which 90% of future shots are expected to land.

The first test club performed similarly to the control club. The first test club generated a statistical plot area of 1,246 square yards, while the control club generated a statistical plot area of 1,183 square yards. However, the second test club (TPU insert) generated a statistical plot area that was approximately 42% smaller than the size of the statistical plot area of the control club. The second test club produced a statistical area of 690 square yards. The smaller statistical plot area of the second test club indicates that this club (TPU insert) significantly increases the consistency of a golfer's shots. As plotted in FIG. 53, the second test club (TPU insert) demonstrated greater consistency in both downline and off-line directions compared to the control and first test club. This performance test demonstrated that the second golf club (with a TPU insert similar to golf club head 600) provided greater shot accuracy than either the control or the first golf club.

By combining and balancing CG placement, perimeter weighting for MOI, and the look and feel of a tour iron, the golf club heads 100, 300, 600 described herein fill a need in the art for an iron-type club head that combines the reliability of a game improvement iron with the elegance of a tour iron. Golf club head 600 can also exhibit greater downline and off-line consistency than conventional golf club heads.

The golf club heads 100 and 600 described herein function as tour-style golf club heads. Golf club head 300 can function as a tour-style iron or a game improvement iron. Golf club heads 100 and 600, and optionally 300, provide a high MOI while remaining smaller than typical game improvement irons. These multi-material golf club heads 100 and 600, and optionally 300, provide a very forgiving and compact product.

While Figures 1-52 illustrate specific embodiments of golf club heads, the disclosure of the embodiments is intended to illustrate, not limit, the scope of the present disclosure. The scope of the present disclosure is intended to be limited to the extent required by the appended claims.

Because the Rules of Golf change from time to time (e.g., new Rules may be adopted, or old Rules may be repealed or modified, by golf standards organizations and/or governing bodies such as the United States Golf Association (USGA) or the Royal and American Golf Association (R&A)), golf equipment related to the devices, methods, and products described herein may or may not conform to the Rules of Golf at any particular time. Accordingly, golf equipment related to the methods, devices, and/or products described herein may be advertised, offered for sale, and/or sold as conforming or non-conforming golf equipment. The methods, devices, and/or products described herein are not limited in this respect.

The substitution of one or more claimed elements constitutes a rearrangement, not a repair. Furthermore, benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have been described with respect to particular embodiments. However, the benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems, and any one or more elements that give rise to or make apparent any benefit, advantage, or solution, do not constitute a critical, essential, or essential feature or element of any or all elements of a claim, unless such benefit, advantage, solution, or element is expressly recited in such claim.

Furthermore, the embodiments and limitations described herein are not offered to the public under the doctrine of disclosure if the embodiments and/or limitations (1) are not explicitly claimed in the claims and (2) are equivalent or potentially equivalent to the express elements and/or limitations in the claims under the doctrine of equivalents.

Item 1: A golf club head comprising a face plate, a body, and an insert, wherein the body comprises an upper portion, a lower portion, a sole, a rear, and a top rail, wherein the sole rests on a ground surface, and a loft plane contacts the face plate and intersects with the ground surface, the rear comprises a bent seam, wherein the upper portion is bounded by the top rail and the bent seam, and the lower portion is bounded by the bent seam and the sole, the face plate, the rear, and the top rail surround a cavity, and the insert a face plate formed in the cavity; an insert housed within the cavity; an insert upper portion configured to be received within the upper portion of the body; an insert lower portion configured to be received within the lower portion of the body; one or more recesses formed within the insert lower portion; the face plate comprising a first material having a first density; the body comprising a second material having a second density; and the insert comprising a third material having a third density, the third density being less than the first and second densities.

Clause 2: The golf club head of clause 1, wherein the insert has a front surface, a rear surface, a perimeter, and an insert bend seam separating the insert upper portion from the insert lower portion, the insert upper portion and the insert lower portion being integrally formed at the insert bend seam, the one or more recesses extending inward from the insert front surface toward the insert rear surface but not penetrating the insert rear surface, the insert perimeter being flush with the cavity wall, and the one or more recesses opening only toward the face plate.

Clause 3: The golf club head described in clause 1, wherein the one or more recesses include a plurality of recesses selected from the group consisting of two recesses, three recesses, four recesses, five recesses, and six recesses, and the insert further includes one or more ribs separating the plurality of recesses.

Clause 4: The golf club head described in clause 3, wherein the one or more ribs are oriented in a direction perpendicular to the face plate and parallel to the top rail-sole direction.

Item 5: The golf club head described in item 1, wherein the upper portion of the insert is solid.

Clause 6: The golf club head of clause 1, wherein the insert comprises a front surface, a rear surface, a perimeter, and an insert flex seam separating the insert upper portion from the insert lower portion, the insert upper portion further comprising at least one connecting rail forming two or more openings, the insert perimeter forming a frame supporting the at least one connecting rail, and the at least one connecting rail may comprise a plurality of rails selected from the group consisting of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 rails.

Clause 7: The golf club head described in Clause 1, wherein the insert has a mass less than a similar insert lacking the one or more recesses by a value selected from the group consisting of 5 to 6 grams, 5.5 to 6.5 grams, 6 to 7 grams, 6.5 to 7.5 grams, 7 to 8 grams, 7.5 to 8.5 grams, 8 to 9 grams, 8.5 to 9.5 grams, and 9 to 10 grams.

Clause 8: The golf club head described in clause 1, wherein the insert fills a percentage of the volume of the cavity selected from the group consisting of ranges of 80% to 85%, 85% to 90%, 90% to 95%, 95% to 100%, and 80% to 90%.

Clause 9: The golf club head of clause 1, wherein the upper portion of the insert has a height measured from the top rail to the flex seam in a direction parallel to the loft plane, and the lower portion of the insert has a height measured from the sole to the flex seam in a direction parallel to the loft plane, the height of the upper portion and the height of the lower portion having a ratio of 9:8 to 6:11, the upper portion has a first depth, and the lower portion has a second depth, the depth being measured from the striking face to the rear outer surface in a direction perpendicular to the loft plane, and the first depth is constant and less than the second depth.

Clause 10: The golf club head of clause 1, further comprising a heel and a toe, an x-axis extending in the heel-to-toe direction, parallel to the striking surface and coincident with the center of gravity of the club head, and a y-axis perpendicular to the ground plane and coincident with the center of gravity, wherein the moment of inertia Ixx measured about the x-axis is in the range of 78 grams square inches to 120 grams square inches, and the moment of inertia Iyy measured about the y-axis is in the range of 310 grams square inches to 466 grams square inches.

Item 11: The golf club head described in Item 1, wherein the third density is 2.4 to 5.0 g/cc.

Claim 12: The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the third material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum and titanium.

Item 13: The golf club head described in Item 1, wherein the first density is 2.6 to 8.7 g/cc and the second density is 7.7 to 8.1 g/cc.

Clause 14: The golf club head of clause 13, wherein the first material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a steel-based material, a titanium-based material, an aluminum alloy, or a titanium alloy, and the second material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a steel-based material or a steel alloy.

Clause 15: The golf club head of clause 1, further comprising a total mass and a toe weight, wherein the body further comprises a toe cavity, the toe cavity receiving the toe weight, and the toe weight having a mass between 5% and 45% of the total mass of the club head.

Clause 16: The golf club head described in clause 1 further comprises a center of gravity, a lead edge axis that is parallel to the ground plane, extends in a heel-to-toe direction, and coincides with the loft plane, a lead edge plane that is parallel to the ground plane and coincides with the lead edge axis, and a y-axis that is perpendicular to the ground plane and coincides with the center of gravity, and the center of gravity of the golf club head is located between 0.380 inches and 0.670 inches above the lead edge plane.

Clause 17: The golf club head described in clause 1, further comprising a heel and a toe, a center plane passing vertically through the center of the face plate, a cylindrical hosel integral with the body, a hosel reference plane parallel to the front end of the cylindrical hosel when viewed from the toe side, a hosel axis defined as the central axis of the cylindrical hosel, a lead edge axis parallel to the ground plane, extending in the heel-to-toe direction and coinciding with the loft plane, a hosel-X distance measured from the intersection of the lead edge axis and the center plane to the intersection of the lead edge axis and the hosel axis when viewed from the front, that is less than 1.5 inches, and an offset distance measured as the smallest distance between the lead edge axis and the hosel reference plane that is between 0.05 inches and 0.27 inches.

Claim 18: The golf club head described in paragraph 1, further comprising a heel and a toe, and a blade length measured from the edge of the heel of the striking face to the outermost point of the toe in the heel-toe direction, that is less than 2.8 inches.

Item 19: The golf club head described in item 1, further comprising high-density tape disposed between the insert and the face plate.

Clause 20: The golf club head described in clause 1, wherein the body further includes a recess that abuts the periphery of the cavity, a region of the back surface of the face plate contacts the insert, and the remaining region of the back surface of the face plate contacts the recess.

Clause 21: A golf club head comprising a body and an insert, wherein the body comprises an upper portion, a lower portion, a sole, a rear, a toe region, a heel region, and a top rail, the sole rests on a ground surface, a loft plane contacting the face plate and intersecting the ground surface, the rear portion comprising a flex seam, the upper portion being bounded by the top rail and the flex seam, and the lower portion being bounded by the flex seam and the sole, the sole, the rear, and the top rail of the body enclosing a cavity, the body defining a front opening connecting to the cavity, the insert being received in the cavity and the front opening, the insert forming at least a portion of a striking face, the body comprising a first material having a first density, and the insert comprising a second material having a second density, the second density being less than the first density.

Clause 22: The golf club head of clause 21, wherein the insert comprises an upper insert portion configured to be received in the upper portion of the body, and the insert comprises a lower insert portion configured to be received in the lower portion of the body, the upper insert portion and the lower insert portion together forming at least a portion of the strike face.

Item 23: The golf club head described in Item 21, wherein the first density of the first material is between 7.70 and 8.10 g/cc.

Clause 24: The golf club head described in clause 21, wherein the second material comprises a polymer resin and reinforcing fibers.

Clause 25: The golf club head of clause 24, wherein the second material is selected from the group consisting of glass-filled elastomer, stainless steel-filled elastomer, tungsten-filled elastomer, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), Kevlar® (aramid) fiber-reinforced polymer, and carbon fiber-reinforced polymer.

Item 26: The golf club head described in Item 21, wherein the second density of the second material is between 0.8 g/cc and 1.4 g/cc.

Clause 27: The golf club head of clause 21, wherein the body further includes a rear wall defining a rear opening, the rear opening being opposite the front opening and located in the upper portion of the body, and the insert being further housed in the rear opening.

Clause 28: A golf club head as described in clause 27, wherein the mass of the upper portion of the body is 1 gram to 70 grams less than the mass of a golf club head lacking a rear opening and an insert having a lower density than the body.

Clause 29: The golf club head of clause 21, wherein the body further comprises one or more fastening features disposed within the cavity and extending from one or more of the rear, the sole, the toe region, and the heel region.

Clause 30: The golf club head described in clause 29, wherein at least one of the securing features extends from the rear to the sole within the cavity.

Clause 31: The golf club head of clause 29, wherein at least one of the securing features has a first end and a second end, both of which are attached to the sole within the cavity.

Clause 32: The golf club head described in clause 29, wherein at least one of the locking features forms a through hole that is filled by the insert, and the insert is geometrically locked by the at least one locking feature.

Clause 33: The golf club head of clause 21, wherein the body further includes an undercut in the top rail, the undercut forming part of the cavity, and the insert is mechanically locked within the cavity by filling the undercut.

Clause 34: The golf club head of clause 21, wherein the body further includes an undercut in the sole, the undercut forming part of the cavity, and the insert is mechanically locked within the cavity by filling the undercut.

Clause 35: A golf club head as described in clause 21, further comprising an x-axis extending in a heel-toe direction, parallel to the striking surface, and coincident with the center of gravity of the club head, and a y-axis perpendicular to the ground plane and coincident with the center of gravity, wherein the moment of inertia Ixx measured about the x-axis is in the range of 78 grams square inches to 120 grams square inches, and the moment of inertia Iyy measured about the y-axis is in the range of 310 grams square inches to 466 grams square inches.

Clause 36: The golf club head of clause 21, wherein the first material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a steel-based material, a titanium-based material, an aluminum alloy, and a titanium alloy.

Clause 37: The golf club head of clause 21, further comprising a total mass and a toe weight, the body further comprising a toe cavity, the toe weight comprising a mass between 5% and 45% of the total mass of the club head.

Clause 38: A golf club head according to clause 21, further comprising a center of gravity, a lead edge axis parallel to the ground plane, extending in a heel-to-toe direction, and coinciding with the loft plane, a lead edge plane parallel to the ground plane and coinciding with the lead edge axis, and a y-axis perpendicular to the ground plane and coinciding with the center of gravity, wherein the center of gravity of the golf club head is located between 0.380 inches and 0.670 inches above the lead edge plane.

Clause 39: The golf club head described in Clause 21, further comprising a heel and a toe, a center plane perpendicularly passing through the center of the face plate, a cylindrical hosel integral with the body, a hosel reference plane parallel to the front end of the cylindrical hosel when viewed from the toe side, a hosel axis defined as the central axis of the cylindrical hosel, a lead edge axis parallel to the ground plane, extending in the heel-to-toe direction and coinciding with the loft plane, a hosel-X distance of less than 1.5 inches measured from the intersection of the lead edge axis and the center plane to the intersection of the lead edge axis and the hosel axis when viewed from the front, and an offset distance of between 0.05 inches and 0.27 inches measured as the smallest distance between the lead edge axis and the hosel reference plane.

Item 40: The golf club head of item 21, further comprising a heel and a toe, and a blade length measured from the edge of the heel of the striking face to the outermost point of the toe in the heel-to-toe direction, that is less than 2.8 inches.

Claims (14)

A golf club head,
It has a faceplate, body and insert.
the body includes an upper portion, a lower portion, a sole, a rear, and a top rail;
The sole is placed on a ground surface,
a loft plane contacting the face plate and intersecting the ground plane;
the rear has a flex seam;
the upper portion is bounded by the top rail and the bend seam;
the lower portion is bounded by the flex seam and the sole;
the face plate, the sole, the rear, and the top rail surround a cavity;
The insert is received in the cavity,
the insert includes an insert upper portion configured to be received in the upper portion of the body;
the insert includes an insert lower portion configured to be received in the lower portion of the body;
one or more recesses formed in the insert lower portion;
the faceplate comprises a first material having a first density;
the body comprises a second material having a second density;
the insert comprises a third material having a third density;
the third material is aluminum and the third density is between 3.6 and 5.0 g/cc;
the third density is less than the first and second densities;
the insert having a front surface, a rear surface, a perimeter, and an insert flex seam separating the insert upper portion from the insert lower portion;
the insert upper portion and the insert lower portion are integrally formed at the insert bend seam, and the one or more recesses extend inwardly from the front surface toward the rear surface of the insert but not through it;
the insert periphery is flush with the cavity wall;
the one or more recesses are open only toward the face plate;
the insert upper portion is solid;
tape is provided between the insert and the faceplate to secure the insert to the faceplate;
the face plate is coupled to the body via a low temperature bonding mechanism such that heat imparted to the golf club head from the low temperature bonding mechanism during assembly of the golf club head does not compromise the integrity of the third material and the tape;
The golf club head, wherein the low temperature bonding mechanism does not exceed the melting point of the third material. the one or more recesses comprise a plurality of recesses selected from the group consisting of two recesses, three recesses, four recesses, five recesses, and six recesses;
The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the insert further comprises one or more ribs separating the plurality of recesses. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the one or more ribs are oriented in a direction perpendicular to the face plate and parallel to the top rail-sole direction. The golf club head of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the insert has a mass less than a similar insert lacking the one or more recesses by a value selected from the group consisting of 5 to 6 grams, 5.5 to 6.5 grams, 6 to 7 grams, 6.5 to 7.5 grams, 7 to 8 grams, 7.5 to 8.5 grams, 8 to 9 grams, 8.5 to 9.5 grams, and 9 to 10 grams. the insert fills a percentage of the volume of the cavity selected from the group consisting of the following ranges: 80% to 85%, 85% to 90%, and 90% to 95%;
The golf club head according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the one or more recesses are not included in the volume of the insert . the upper portion of the body has a height measured from the top rail to the bend seam in a direction parallel to the loft plane;
the lower portion of the body has a height measured from the sole to the flex seam in a direction parallel to the loft plane;
the height of the upper portion of the body to the height of the lower portion of the body having a ratio of 9:8 to 6:11;
the upper portion of the body having a first depth and the lower portion of the body having a second depth;
the depth is measured from the face plate to the rear outer surface in a direction perpendicular to the loft plane;
The golf club head according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the first depth is constant and less than the second depth. Heel and toe,
an x-axis extending in a heel-to-toe direction, parallel to the face plate, and coincident with the center of gravity of the golf club head;
a y-axis perpendicular to the ground plane and coincident with the center of gravity;
a moment of inertia Ixx measured about the x-axis in the range of 78 grams squared to 120 grams squared;
The golf club head of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the moment of inertia Iyy measured about the y-axis is in the range of 310 grams squared to 466 grams squared. The golf club head according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the first density is 2.6 to 8.7 g/cc and the second density is 7.7 to 8.1 g/cc. the first material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a steel-based material, a titanium-based material, an aluminum alloy, or a titanium alloy;
The golf club head of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the second material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a steel-based material or a steel alloy. The total mass,
It also has a toe weight and
the body further comprising a tow cavity;
the toe cavity receives the toe weight;
The golf club head of any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the toe weight comprises a mass between 5% and 45% of the total mass of the golf club head. The center of gravity and
a lead edge axis that is parallel to the ground plane, extends in a heel-to-toe direction, and coincides with the loft plane;
a lead edge surface parallel to the ground plane and coincident with the lead edge axis;
a y-axis perpendicular to the ground plane and coincident with the center of gravity;
2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the center of gravity of the golf club head is located between 0.380 inches and 0.670 inches above the lead edge plane. Heel and toe,
a center plane perpendicular to the center of the faceplate;
a cylindrical hosel integral with said body;
a hosel reference plane parallel to the front end of the cylindrical hosel when viewed from the toe side;
a hosel axis defined as a central axis of the cylindrical hosel;
a lead edge axis that is parallel to the ground plane, extends in a heel-to-toe direction, and coincides with the loft plane;
a hosel-X distance, measured from the intersection of the lead edge axis and the center plane to the intersection of the lead edge axis and the hosel axis, that is less than 1.5 inches when viewed from the front;
10. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising: an offset distance, measured as the smallest distance between the lead edge axis and the hosel reference plane, that is between 0.05 inches and 0.27 inches. Heel and toe,
10. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising: a blade length, measured in a heel-to-toe direction from the heel edge of the face plate to the outermost point of the toe, that is less than 2.8 inches. the body further comprises a recess;
the recess abuts the periphery of the cavity;
a rear surface area of the faceplate contacting the insert;
The golf club head according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the remaining area of the rear surface of the face plate contacts the recess.