Abstract:
A golf club head comprising a body, at least one weight cartridge, and a plurality of hollow tubes is disclosed herein. The body comprises a face section, a sole section, and a return section, and also defines a hollow interior. Each of the plurality of hollow tubes extends from the return section to the sole section to reduce stresses placed on the face during impact with a golf ball, and the at least one weight cartridge is sized to fit within at least one of the plurality of hollow tubes. The sole section and return section each comprise keyed apertures providing access to the hollow tubes with which they communicate, and the at least one weight cartridge comprises a keyed structure sized to fit through the keyed apertures.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present invention is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/005,875, filed on Jan. 25, 2016, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/847,227, filed on Sep. 8, 2015, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/788,326, filed on Jun. 30, 2015, and is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/794,578, filed on Jul. 8, 2015, the disclosure of each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety herein. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not Applicable 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Field of the Invention 
         [0004]    The present invention relates to a golf club head. More specifically, the present invention relates to a golf club head with stress-reduction tubes disposed proximate the face. 
         [0005]    Description of the Related Art 
         [0006]    The prior art discloses various golf club heads having interior structures. For example, Yabu, U.S. Pat. No. 6,852,038 for a Golf Club Head And Method OF Making The Same, discloses a golf club head with a sound bar, Galloway, U.S. Pat. No. 7,118,493 for a Multiple Material Golf Club Head discloses a golf club head with a composite aft body having an interior sound component extending upward from a sole section of a metal face component, Seluga et al., U.S. Pat. No. 8,834,294 for a Golf Club Head With Center Of Gravity Adjustability discloses a golf club head with a tube having a mass for adjusting the center of gravity (CG) of a golf club head, and Dawson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 8,900,070 for a Weighted Golf Club Head discloses a golf club head with an interior weight lip extending from the sole towards the face. However, the prior art fails to disclose an interior structure that increases ball speed by reducing stress in the face at impact, with a minimal increase in mass to the golf club head, while at the same time permitting vertical adjustment of CG location. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The golf club head comprises interior tubes to reduce the stress in a face during impact with a golf ball. One aspect of the present invention is a golf club head comprising a body and a plurality of tubes. The body comprises a face section, a sole section and a crown section. The body defines a hollow interior. Each of the plurality of tubes extends from the crown section to the sole section proximate the face. Each of the tubes may be composed of composite or a high-strength metal such as steel or titanium, and may receive a narrow, cylindrical weight adjustment cartridge having a heavy end and a lightweight end and keyed locking features. 
         [0008]    Another aspect of the present invention is a golf club head comprising a body comprising a striking face, a sole, and a return section, the body defining a hollow interior, a plurality of hollow tubes, each of the plurality of hollow tubes extending from the return section to the sole, and at least one weight cartridge sized to fit within at least one of the plurality of hollow tubes, wherein the return section comprises a first plurality of apertures, wherein the sole comprises a second plurality of apertures, wherein each of the first plurality of apertures corresponds to a hollow tube of the plurality of hollow tubes, wherein each of the second plurality of apertures corresponds to a hollow tube of the plurality of hollow tubes, and wherein each of the plurality of hollow tubes is disposed within 11 millimeters of an interior surface of the striking face. In some embodiments, each of the first plurality of apertures and the second plurality of apertures may comprise a keyed structure, the at least one weight cartridge may comprise at least one keyed cover sized to fit within the keyed structure, and rotating the at least one weight cartridge within a hollow tube may reversibly lock the at least one weight cartridge within the hollow tube. 
         [0009]    In other embodiments, the plurality of hollow tubes may range from two to eight hollow tubes, or the sole may comprise a plurality of bosses, each of which may correspond to a hollow tube of the plurality of hollow tubes. In some embodiments, the at least one weight cartridge may comprise a heavy end, which may have a high-density weight, and a lightweight end. In some embodiments, each of the plurality of hollow tubes may have a length ranging from 30 millimeters to 60 millimeters, and each of the plurality of hollow tubes may be composed of a titanium alloy. The body may be composed of a titanium alloy, steel, or carbon composite, and the golf club head may further comprise a composite crown section. In any of the embodiments, the golf club head may have a volume ranging from 200 cubic centimeters to 475 cubic centimeters. 
         [0010]    In some embodiments, the at least one weight cartridge may comprise three weight cartridges, the plurality of hollow tubes may comprise three hollow tubes, and each of the three weight cartridges may be disposed in one of the hollow tubes. In other embodiments, the golf club head may further comprise a slidable weight, the sole may comprise a channel, and the slidable weight may be disposed within the channel. In a further embodiment, the channel may comprise at least one rail, and the slidable weight may be reversibly affixed to the at least one rail with a mechanical fastener. 
         [0011]    Yet another aspect of the present invention is a driver-type golf club head comprising a metal body comprising a striking face, a sole, and a return section, the body defining a hollow interior, a composite crown section, a plurality of hollow titanium tubes, each of the plurality of hollow titanium tubes extending from the return section to the sole, and at least one weight cartridge sized to fit within at least one of the plurality of hollow titanium tubes, wherein the return section comprises a first plurality of apertures, wherein the sole comprises a second plurality of apertures, wherein each of the first plurality of apertures corresponds to a hollow titanium tube of the plurality of hollow titanium tubes, wherein each of the second plurality of apertures corresponds to a hollow titanium tube of the plurality of hollow titanium tubes, wherein each of the first plurality of apertures and the second plurality of apertures comprises a keyed structure, wherein the at least one weight cartridge comprises a heavy end, a lightweight end, and at least one keyed cover sized to fit within the keyed structure, and wherein rotating the at least one weight cartridge within a hollow tube reversibly locks the at least one weight cartridge within the hollow tube. 
         [0012]    In some embodiments, the plurality of hollow titanium tubes may range from two to eight hollow titanium tubes, and the sole may comprise a plurality of bosses, each of which may correspond to a hollow titanium tube of the plurality of hollow titanium tubes. In other embodiments, each of the plurality of hollow titanium tubes may have a length ranging from 30 millimeters to 60 millimeters. In yet another embodiment, the striking face may comprise a variable thickness pattern. 
         [0013]    Having briefly described the present invention, the above and further objects, features and advantages thereof will be recognized by those skilled in the pertinent art from the following detailed description of the invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of the golf club head of the present invention with a crown section removed to illustrate an interior. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a top perspective, exploded view of the golf club head shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a bottom elevational view of the golf club head shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the golf club head shown in  FIG. 3  along lines  4 - 4 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is a bottom elevational view of the golf club head shown in  FIG. 3  with the weight cartridges removed. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0019]    As shown in  FIGS. 1-5 , a preferred embodiment of the golf club head  10  of the present invention is generally designated. The golf club head  10  preferably includes a body  20  having a striking face  21 , a return section  22 , a heel end  23 , a toe end  24 , an aft end  25 , a hosel  26 , a bond flange  27 , an upper opening  28 , and a sole  60 . A crown  30  is placed over an upper opening  28  in the body  20  and is permanently bonded to the body  20  along the bond flange  27  so that the crown  30  is flush with the return section  22 . The body  20 , along with the crown  30 , preferably defines a hollow interior  40 . Within the hollow interior, multiple hollow tubes  50  extend from the sole  60  upward to the return section  22 . 
         [0020]    The plurality of tubes  50  preferably comprises two to eight tubes. Each of the plurality of tubes  50  preferably has a diameter ranging from 2 to 5 millimeters and a length ranging from 30 to 60 millimeters. Each of the plurality of tubes  50  is preferably positioned within 11 millimeters of an interior surface of the striking face  21 . The mass of each of the plurality of tubes  50  preferably ranges from 0.5 to 3 grams, more preferably from 1 to 2 grams, and most preferably each tube  50  has a mass of 1.5 grams. 
         [0021]    The return section  22  preferably comprises a plurality of apertures  42 , each of which preferably corresponds to a tube  50  of the plurality of tubes  50 . The sole  60  also comprises a plurality of apertures  44 , each leading to a boss  46  that extends into the hollow interior  40  of the body  20  and which preferably corresponds to a tube  50  of the plurality of tubes  50 . The tubes  50  are preferably affixed in the bosses  46  via bonding if the tubes  50  are made of carbon composite and via welding if the tubes  50  are made of a metal such as titanium or steel. 
         [0022]    Each of the hollow tubes  50  is sized to receive a narrow weight cartridge  70 , such as the one shown in  FIG. 4 . The weight cartridge  70  may have any of the features disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,834,294 and 9,067,110, the disclosure of each of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein, but at the very least the weight cartridge  70  preferably has a heavy end  72  comprising a high-density weight and a lightweight end  74 , each of which has a keyed, cam-shaped cover feature  76  with a tool-engaging structure  78 . Each of the apertures  42 ,  44  in the body has a keyed structure  43 ,  45  sized to receive the keyed, cam-shaped cover feature  76  and to allow it to lock when a golfer uses a tool (not shown) to engage the tool-engaging structure  78  and rotate the weight cartridge  70  within the tube  50 . The keyed, cam-shaped cover features  76  and the keyed structures  43 ,  45  may have any of the structures, and interact in any of the ways, described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/216,971 and Ser. No. 14/823,834, the disclosure of each of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein. 
         [0023]    In the preferred embodiment, a weight cartridge  70  is provided for each of the tubes  50  in the golf club head  10 , but in an alternative embodiment, only one weight cartridge  70 , which can fit in each of the plurality of tubes  50 , is provided, and the golf club head  10  includes covers (not shown) for the apertures  42 ,  44  leading to unfilled tubes  50  so that no debris gets into the tubes  50  when the golf club head  10  is in use. 
         [0024]    As shown in the Figures, the sole  60  comprises a channel  65  extending proximate the aft end  25  between the heel end  23  and the toe end  24  of the golf club head  10 . The channel  65  is sized to receive a slidable weight  68 . The channel  65  and slidable weight  68  may have any of the characteristics, dimensions, and functionality of the embodiments disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,696,491, 8,894,506, 9,084,921, and 9,211,453, the disclosure of each of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein, or in U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 14/174,068, 14/175,657, 14/216,971, 14/884,027, and Ser. No. 14/933,973, the disclosure of each of which is also incorporated by reference in its entirety herein. 
         [0025]    In a preferred embodiment, the striking face  21  has a varying thickness such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,448,960, for a Golf Club Head With Variable Face Thickness, which pertinent parts are hereby incorporated by reference. Other alternative embodiments of the thickness of the striking face  21  are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,398,666, for a Golf Club Striking Plate With Variable Thickness, U.S. Pat. No. 6,471,603, for a Contoured Golf Club Face and U.S. Pat. No. 6,368,234, for a Golf Club Striking Plate Having Elliptical Regions Of Thickness, all of which are owned by Callaway Golf Company and which pertinent parts are hereby incorporated by reference. Alternatively, the face section has a uniform thickness. 
         [0026]    The body  20  is preferably cast from molten metal in a method such as the well-known lost-wax casting method. The metal for casting is preferably titanium or a titanium alloy such as 6-4 titanium alloy, alpha-beta titanium alloy or beta titanium alloy for forging, and 6-4 titanium for casting. Alternatively, the body  20  is composed of 17-4 steel alloy. Additional methods for manufacturing the body  20  include forming the body  20  from a flat sheet of metal, super-plastic forming the body from a flat sheet of metal, machining the body  20  from a solid block of metal, electrochemical milling the body  20  from a forged pre-form, casting the body using centrifugal casting, casting the body  20  using levitation casting, and like manufacturing methods. Alternatively, the body  20  may be formed from a carbon composite material, including any of the materials disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,033,822, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein. 
         [0027]    The golf club head  10 , when designed as a driver, preferably has a volume from 200 cubic centimeters to 600 cubic centimeters, more preferably from 300 cubic centimeters to 500 cubic centimeters, and most preferably from 420 cubic centimeters to 470 cubic centimeters, with a most preferred volume of 460 cubic centimeters. The volume of the golf club head  10  will also vary between fairway woods (preferably ranging from 3-woods to eleven woods) with smaller volumes than drivers. 
         [0028]    The golf club head  10 , when designed as a driver, preferably has a mass no more than 215 grams, and most preferably a mass of 180 to 215 grams. When the golf club head  10  is designed as a fairway wood, the golf club head preferably has a mass of 135 grams to 200 grams, and preferably from 140 grams to 165 grams. 
         [0029]    A preferred embodiment of the golf club head  10  has a volume of 460 cubic centimeters with the Characteristic Time (CT) of the face close to, but not exceeding 257 microsecond (“μS”) limit set by the USGA. 
         [0030]    In other embodiments, the golf club head  10  may have a multi-material composition such as any of those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,244,976, 6,332,847, 6,386,990, 6,406,378, 6,440,008, 6,471,604, 6,491,592, 6,527,650, 6,565,452, 6,575,845, 6,478,692, 6,582,323, 6,508,978, 6,592,466, 6,602,149, 6,607,452, 6,612,398, 6,663,504, 6,669,578, 6,739,982, 6,758,763, 6,860,824, 6,994,637, 7,025,692, 7,070,517, 7,112,148, 7,118,493, 7,121,957, 7,125,344, 7,128,661, 7,163,470, 7,226,366, 7,252,600, 7,258,631, 7,314,418, 7,320,646, 7,387,577, 7,396,296, 7,402,112, 7,407,448, 7,413,520, 7,431,667, 7,438,647, 7,455,598, 7,476,161, 7,491,134, 7,497,787, 7,549,935, 7,578,751, 7,717,807, 7,749,096, and 7,749,097, the disclosure of each of which is hereby incorporated in its entirety herein. 
         [0031]    From the foregoing it is believed that those skilled in the pertinent art will recognize the meritorious advancement of this invention and will readily understand that while the present invention has been described in association with a preferred embodiment thereof, and other embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, numerous changes, modifications and substitutions of equivalents may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention which is intended to be unlimited by the foregoing except as may appear in the following appended claims. Therefore, the embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined in the following appended claims.