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  Multi-material golf club headUSPTO Application #: 20080102986Title: Multi-material golf club head Abstract: A golf club head in accordance with various aspects of the present invention, may have a higher volume and/or higher strength. The golf club head may comprise a frame structure with a composite matrix. The golf club head may also comprise a detachable face, allowing various faces of differing materials to be attached to the body. A detachable face further allows the head to be tuned via placement/rearrangement of weights within the head to change the center of gravity and moment of inertia. (end of abstract) Agent: Snell & Wilmer L.L.P. (main) - Phoenix, AZ, US Inventor: Howard Alvin Lindsay USPTO Applicaton #: 20080102986 - Class: 473350000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Games Using Tangible Projectile, Golf, Club Or Club Support, Head, Particular Material Composition Or Mass Distribution, Recess Or Cavity Behind Striking Face The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20080102986. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This continuation application claims priority to U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 10/712,401 entitled "Multi-Material Golf Club Head," filed Nov. 12, 2003 which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/425,244 entitled "Multi-Material Hybrid Golf Club Head Design/Construction," filed Nov. 12, 2002, which are incorporated herein by reference. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to golf club heads having detachable faces, and more particularly, to a golf club heads constructed of multiple materials and methods for manufacturing the same. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Current high-performance golf club heads are often manufactured from substantially unitary metal or graphite structures. In attempts to maintain low weight, while having large volumes, in the case of drivers (commonly referred to as "woods"), the heads are often made of materials such titanium, steel or graphite composites. [0004] Many performance characteristics are desirable in the case of driver heads, including size, strength, mass distribution/inertia properties and sound. For example, generally, as the size of the heads increases (many approaching 500 cc), the heads tend to be more "forgiving" for off-center hits. [0005] Higher strength heads, particularly with respect to the face of the head, are likewise desirable as reduction of the combined deflection of the face and ball upon impact preserves energy from club to ball. Stated otherwise, using stronger, yet thinner materials in the face provides the ability to decrease the deflection in the ball (where the most energy loss occurs) by increasing the deflection in the face. To that end, faces have been manufactured from stronger materials than the remainder of the head. For example, some heads have faces manufactured of materials such as Beta titanium, which are welded to head bodies made of weaker materials such as cast titanium. [0006] Further still, more and more, golfers seek club heads with specific centers of gravity locations and moments of inertia to control drive characteristics. Further yet, golfers increasingly seek to change certain subjective characteristics such as the sound made upon impact between the club head and the ball. For example, some golfers prefer the hollow "ping" sound of a titanium driver, while others prefer the "dead" or solid sound of a composite head (more like a traditional wood driver). [0007] These various performance attributes combine to allow club designers to tune or enhance certain characteristics of club performance. However, conventional metal design/construction methods are limited by basic properties (e.g., stiffness, strength and density) of the metal as well as by manufacturing limitations (e.g., casting, welding and forming). Similarly, composite heads have limitations including durability "out of plane" or perpendicular to the fiber plane. For example, loads at impact tend to de-laminate the composite layers and yet, when a design is created with sufficient strength to survive the impact loads, the resulting face is very thick which increases stiffness causing more deflection in the ball reducing the conversion of energy to the ball at impact. [0008] Thus, while the above-mentioned attributes are sought, many remain unrealized. Improved heads which can vary stiffness and strength areas redistribute total weight allowing control of the location of center of gravity and moment of inertia and/or are made of lighter and stronger materials, allowing bigger club heads with correspondingly larger "sweet" spots. Further still, clubs which provide "tunable" centers of gravity and moments of inertia are also desirable. Such clubs may be further capable of producing varying impact sounds, and are therefore desirable. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0009] While the way that the present invention addresses the disadvantages of the prior art is discussed in greater detail below, in general, the present invention provides an improved golf club head. For example, a golf club head in accordance with various aspects of the present invention, may be manufactured with a higher volume and have stronger characteristics allowing redistribution of the total weight to control the location of the center of gravity and/or moment of inertia and/or which weigh less, allowing additional weight to be added to specific locations on the clubs, thereby allowing the center of gravity and moment of inertia to be controlled/adjusted. For example, the golf club head may comprise a frame structure and a composite matrix. The golf club head also may have a detachable face, allowing various faces of differing materials to be attached to one body. A detachable face further allows the head to be tuned via placement/rearrangement of weights within the head to change the center of gravity and moment of inertia as well as sound. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0010] A more complete understanding of the present invention may be derived by referring to the detailed description when considered in connection with the Figures, where like reference numbers refer to similar elements throughout the Figures, and: [0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a body combination of a golf club head in accordance with the present invention; [0012] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a frame structure of a golf club head in accordance with the present invention; [0013] FIG. 3 is an exemplary embodiment of a mold and body combination in accordance with the present invention; [0014] FIG. 4 is another exemplary embodiment of a mold and body combination in accordance with the present invention; [0015] FIG. 5 illustrates various exemplary design configurations of a club in accordance with the present invention; and [0016] FIG. 6 illustrates heat sinks used during welding clubs in accordance with the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0017] The following description is of exemplary embodiments of the invention only, and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description is intended to provide a convenient illustration for implementing various embodiments of the invention. As will become apparent, various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described in these embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth herein. For example, though various portions of the specification refer to particular materials used in connection with golf club heads, numerous other materials, now known or as yet unknown, having desirable properties should be considered within the scope of the present invention. [0018] Additionally, briefly, each and every process for manufacturing hollow items from various materials is not explained herein, however, one skilled in the relevant art will appreciate that various conventional metal and/or composite forming techniques may be used in accordance with the present invention. Continue reading... Full patent description for Multi-material golf club head Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Multi-material golf club head patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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