High performance nano-structured metalwood golf club heads and iron heads and components thereof

Abstract

A metalwood coated at least partially with a nanostructure material offer improved performance over existing golf club heads made from a combination of steel and titanium alloys or composite club heads made in part or wholly from fiber-reinforced plastics (FRPs) and metallic sub-components. The components of the metalwood may be coated with variable thicknesses of electro-deposited nanostructure metals and alloys.

1 . A golf club head comprising:
 a head structure including a crown, a skirt, a body, a sole plate, a face and a hosel; and   a nanostructure material coated on at least a portion of said head structure.   
   
   
       2 . A golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein at least the portion of said head structure is comprised of a thermoplastic or thermoset polymer having an amorphous or semi-crystalline microstructure, and being one of externally and internally coated with the nanostructured material, wherein any face, body, skirt, sole plate, and hosel, not comprised of a polymer, are comprised of any combination of titanium, steel, aluminum, copper, nickel or magnesium alloys. 
   
   
       3 . A golf club head of  claim 2 , wherein the portion is fully encapsulated with the nanostructured material. 
   
   
       4 . A golf head of  claim 2 , wherein a yield strength of said portion is at least about 600 MPa. 
   
   
       5 . A golf club head of  claim 2 , wherein modulus of resilience of said portion is at least about 0.15 MPa. 
   
   
       6 . A golf club head of  claim 2 , wherein an elastic limit of said portion is at least about 0.75 percent. 
   
   
       7 . A golf club head of  claim 2 , wherein a hardness of said portion is at least about 300 Vickers. 
   
   
       8 . A golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the nano-structural material comprises a metal or a metal alloy matrix within which an additive is dispersed. 
   
   
       9 . A golf club head of  claim 8 , wherein the metal or metal alloy is selected from the group of Al, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hf, In, Mg, Mo, Nb, Ni, Sn, Ta, Ti, V, W, Zn and Zr; nitrides, oxides, carbides and borides formed of these metals, and alloys formed of these metals. 
   
   
       10 . A golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the nano-structure material comprises at least about 2.5 percent by volume of the golf club head. 
   
   
       11 . A golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein at least two of the crown, skirt, body, sole plate, face and hosel includes the coated nanostructure material. 
   
   
       12 . A golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein a joint between the crown and face is one of a trap joint and lap joint, and where a joint between the sole plate and the face is one of a trap joint and lap joint. 
   
   
       13 . A golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein a joint between the body and face is one of a trap joint and lap joint, and where a joint between the sole plate and the face is one of a trap joint and lap joint. 
   
   
       14 . A golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein at least the portion of said head structure coated with said nanostructured material includes an activation layer. 
   
   
       15 . A golf club comprising:
 a shaft; and   a head including a head structure and a nanostructure material coated on at least a portion of said head structure, said portion including an activation layer.   
   
   
       16 . A golf club of  claim 15 , wherein the head structure is internally coated with the nanostructured material. 
   
   
       17 . A golf club of  claim 15 , wherein the head structure is externally coated with the nanstructured material. 
   
   
       18 . A golf club of  claim 15 , wherein the head structure is completely encapsulated by the nanostructured material. 
   
   
       19 . A method of manufacturing a golf club head comprising:
 forming a head structure; and   coating said head structure, at least in part, with a nanostructure material.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising processing the head structure to obtain a predetermined thickness of the nanostructured material. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising activating at least a portion of the head structure prior to coating with the nanostructure material. 
   
   
       22 . A golf club head having:
 a multi-material face insert comprising a sandwich construction wherein one component of said sandwich construction includes a nanostructured material, the nanostructured meterial being deposited on an activated substrate.   
   
   
       23 . A golf club head of  claim 22 , wherein the substrate includes an activation layer, the activation layer being an electroless nickel with or without phosphorus. 
   
   
       24 . A golf club head of  claim 22 , wherein the substrate includes an activation layer, the activation layer being an electroplated material. 
   
   
       25 . A golf club head of  claim 22 , wherein the substrate includes an activation layer, the activation layer being a silver spray. 
   
   
       26 . A golf club head of  claim 22 , wherein the substrate is a metallic material and includes an activation layer. 
   
   
       27 . A golf club head of  claim 22 , wherein the substrate is a non-metallic material and includes an activation layer. 
   
   
       28 . A golf club head of  claim 22 , wherein the substrate is a composite and includes an activation layer and a reinforcing phase.