Golf club head

Abstract

A golf club head is provided having a club body having a front portion, a rear portion, a toe portion, and a heel portion. The club head also having a central portion connected with the front portion. A frame is connected with the central portion configured to provide a lightweight crown portion being located above an offset plane.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A golf club head, comprising:
 a front portion, a rear portion, a sole portion, a toe portion, and a heel portion;   a first piece made of a first material having a first material density, the first piece is separately formed and defines at least a portion of the front portion and defines at least a forward portion of the toe portion and the heel portion;   a second piece made of a second material having a second material density, different than the first material and first material density, wherein the second piece is separately formed and attached to the first piece, and defines at least a portion of the rear portion;   a face insert, made of a face insert material having a face insert density, attached to the first piece and having a face insert width and a face insert center, wherein a projection of the face insert center downward along a face portion plane intersects a horizontal ground plane to define a ground center location and a ground center Y-axis;   a sole plate, made of a sole plate material having a sole plate density, attached to the second piece at the sole portion of the golf club head;   a weight made of a weight material having a weight material density greater than the first material density, the second material density, and the sole plate density, wherein the weight is attached to the rear portion of the golf club head and rearward of the sole plate; and   a center of gravity (CG) having a CG x-axis, a CG z-axis, and a CG y-axis, and located a CGy distance behind the ground center location in the direction of the ground center Y-axis; and   wherein:
 the weight is located rearward of the CG x-axis and at least a portion of the weight is located below the CG y-axis; 
 the first material density is greater than the second material density and the sole plate density; 
 the CGy distance is at least 30 mm; 
 a moment of inertia of the golf club head about the CG x-axis (Ixx) is at least 2,989 g·cm 2 ; 
 a moment of inertia of the golf club head about the CG z-axis (Izz) is between 400 kg·mm 2  and 1,400 kg·mm 2 ; and 
 the second piece extends from a toe side of the CG y-axis to a heel side of the CG y-axis. 
   
     
     
         2 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the weight is threadably and removably attached to the golf club head and the weight forms an exterior portion of the golf club head. 
     
     
         3 . The golf club head of  claim 2 , wherein the second material is an aluminum alloy, and the sole plate is comprised of a fiber-reinforced polymer material. 
     
     
         4 . The golf club head of  claim 3 , wherein:
 wherein the first piece has a first piece mass, the second piece has a second piece mass, and the first piece mass is at least three times the second piece mass.   
     
     
         5 . The golf club head of  claim 2 , wherein the second material is a fiber reinforced polymer material. 
     
     
         6 . The golf club head of  claim 5 , wherein the CGy distance is at least 36.2 mm and the Ixx value is at least 3,072 g·cm 2 . 
     
     
         7 . The golf club head of  claim 6 , wherein the CG z-axis passes through the sole plate, and the sole plate extends from a toe side of the CG y-axis to a heel side of the CG y-axis, and the sole plate material is a carbon fiber reinforced polymer material. 
     
     
         8 . The golf club head of  claim 7 , wherein a moment of inertia of the golf club head about the CG y-axis (Iyy) is at least 2,804 g·cm 2 . 
     
     
         9 . The golf club head of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the front portion of the golf club head comprises a recessed portion; and   the face insert is received by the recessed portion,   wherein a rear surface of the face insert is at least partially supported by the recessed portion and at least a portion of the face insert is made of a polymer material and the face insert is adhesively bonded to the front portion.   
     
     
         10 . The golf club head of  claim 7 , wherein the CGy distance is 40-45 mm. 
     
     
         11 . The golf club head of  claim 7 , wherein the Ixx value is at least 3,500 g·cm 2 . 
     
     
         12 . The golf club head of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the second piece is formed of a thermoplastic material, and the sole plate is formed of a thermoset material.   
     
     
         13 . The golf club head of  claim 7 , wherein:
 wherein the first piece has a first piece mass, the second piece has a second piece mass, and the first piece mass is at least three times the second piece mass.   
     
     
         14 . A golf club head, comprising:
 a front portion, a rear portion, a toe portion, a sole portion, and a heel portion;   a first piece made of a first material having a first material density, the first piece is separately formed and defines at least a portion of the front portion and defines at least a forward portion of the toe portion and the heel portion;   a second piece made of a second material having a second material density, the second piece is separately formed, defines at least a portion of the rear portion, and is configured to receive an external weight;   a weight made of a third material having a third material density greater than both the first material density and the second material density, wherein the weight is threadably and removably attached to the second piece;   a sole plate, made of a non-metallic sole plate material having a sole plate density, attached to the second piece at the sole portion of the golf club head; and   a center of gravity (CG) having a CG x-axis, a CG z-axis, and a CG y-axis; and   wherein:
 the second piece is configured to receive the external weight at a position rearward of the sole plate; 
 the first material density is greater than the second material density and greater than a density of the sole plate; 
 a moment of inertia of the golf club head about a CG x-axis (I xx ) is between about 2,989 g·cm 2  and about 10,000 g·cm 2 ; 
 a moment of inertia of the golf club head about a CG y-axis (I yy ) is between about 1,000 g·cm 2  and about 10,000 g·cm 2 ; 
 a moment of inertia of the golf club head about the CG z-axis (Izz) is between 400 kg·mm 2  and 1,400 kg·mm 2 ; 
 the first material is a metal material; 
 the second material is a fiber-reinforced polymer material; 
 at least a portion of the weight is located below the CG y-axis and rearward of the CG x-axis; 
 the second piece extends from a toe side of the CG y-axis to a heel side of the CG y-axis, and the second piece extends forward of the CG z-axis and rearward of the CG z-axis; and 
 the CG z-axis passes through the sole plate, and the sole plate extends from a toe side of the CG y-axis to a heel side of the CG y-axis. 
   
     
     
         15 . The golf club head of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the second piece is formed of a thermoplastic material, and the sole plate is formed of a thermoset polymer material, the CGy distance is at least 36.2 mm, and a moment of inertia of the golf club head about the CG y-axis (Iyy) is at least 2,804 g·cm 2  and no more than 3,500 g·cm 2 .   
     
     
         16 . The golf club head of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the front portion of the golf club head comprises a recessed portion, and a face insert made of a polymer material is received by and adhesively bonded to the recessed portion; and   wherein a rear surface of the face insert is at least partially supported by the recessed portion.   
     
     
         17 . A golf club head, comprising:
 a front portion comprising a recessed portion, a rear portion, a sole portion, a toe portion, and a heel portion;   a face insert comprising a polymer material is received by and adhesively bonded to the recessed portion, and a rear surface of the face insert is at least partially supported by the recessed portion;   the face insert having a face insert width and a face insert center, wherein a projection of the face insert center downward along a face portion plane intersects a horizontal ground plane to define a ground center location and a ground center Y-axis;   a sole plate made of a fiber-reinforced polymer material and attached to the sole portion of the golf club head;   a weight attached to the rear portion of the golf club head and rearward of the sole plate; and   a center of gravity (CG) having a CG x-axis, a CG z-axis, and a CG y-axis, and located a CGy distance behind ground center location in the direction of the ground center Y-axis; and   wherein:
 the weight is located rearward of the CG x-axis and at least a portion of the weight is located below the CG y-axis; 
 the sole plate extends from a toe side of the CG y-axis to a heel side of the CG y-axis. 
 the CGy distance is at least 30 mm; 
 a moment of inertia of the golf club head about the CG x-axis (Ixx) is 2,989-3,800 g·cm 2 ; 
 a moment of inertia of the golf club head about the CG y-axis (Iyy) is no more than 3,500 g·cm 2 ; 
 a moment of inertia of the golf club head about the CG z-axis (Izz) is between 400 kg·mm 2  and 1,400 kg·mm 2 ; and 
 the CG z-axis passes through the sole plate, and the sole plate extends from a toe side of the CG y-axis to a heel side of the CG y-axis. 
   
     
     
         18 . The golf club head of  claim 17 , wherein the weight is threadably and removably attached to the golf club head and the weight forms an exterior portion of the golf club head. 
     
     
         19 . The golf club head of  claim 18 , wherein the weight is movable from a toe side of the CG y-axis to a heel side of the CG y-axis. 
     
     
         20 . The golf club head of  claim 18 , wherein the Ixx value is at least 3,072 g·cm 2  and the Iyy value is at least 2,804 g·cm 2 , and the CGy distance is at least 36.2 mm. 
     
     
         21 . The golf club head of  claim 20 , wherein:
 at least a portion of the golf club head forward of the CG z-axis and rearward of the CG z-axis is formed of a thermoplastic material, and the sole plate is formed of a thermoset polymer material.