Multi-material iron golf club head

Abstract

Described herein is a tour iron having a golf club head with a faceplate, a body, and an insert. A sole, top rail, rear, and the faceplate enclose a cavity within the body. The cavity can house the insert. The insert can comprise a low-density material, allowing weight to be concentrated around the peripheral edge of the golf club head. The rear of the golf club head has an inflection seam running from the heel to the toe. The golf club head has an upper portion, above the inflection seam and a lower portion below the inflection seam. The lower portion can have a depth greater that the upper portion depth. The faceplate, body, and insert can be formed of different materials having different densities. The golf club head has a comparatively high moment of inertia and a low center of gravity. Other embodiments and methods are described herein.

1 . A golf club head comprising:
 a body formed of a metallic material, the body comprising:
 a front defining a front opening; 
 a sole resting on a ground plane; 
 a rear, comprising an upper portion and a lower portion joined by an inflection seam; 
 a toe region; 
 a heel region; and 
 a top rail; 
 wherein the sole, the rear, and the top rail enclose a cavity connected to the front opening; 
   a strikeface; and   an insert formed of a polymeric material is harbored within the cavity and the front opening, wherein:
 the insert forms at least a portion of the strikeface; 
 the insert includes an insert upper portion disposed in the upper portion and having an insert upper portion depth measured perpendicular to the strikeface; 
 the insert includes an insert lower portion having an insert lower portion depth measured perpendicular to the strikeface, wherein the insert lower portion depth is greater than the insert upper portion depth. 
   
     
     
         2 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein both the insert upper portion and the insert lower portion form at least the portion of the strikeface. 
     
     
         3 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the upper portion of the rear comprises an opening wall defining a rear opening connected to the cavity, and wherein the insert further harbors within the rear opening. 
     
     
         4 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the body further comprises one or more securing features, disposed inside the cavity and extending from one or more of the rear, the sole, the toe region, and the heel region. 
     
     
         5 . The golf club head of  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the securing features extends from the rear to the sole within the cavity. 
     
     
         6 . The golf club head of  claim 4 , wherein:
 at least one of the securing features comprises a first end and a second end; and   both the first end and the second end are attached to the sole within the cavity.   
     
     
         7 . The golf club head of  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the securing features forms a through-hole that is filled by the insert; the insert being geometrically locked to the at least one securing feature. 
     
     
         8 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein a density of the metallic material is between 7.70 and 8.10 g/cc. 
     
     
         9 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein a density of the polymeric material is between 0.8 g/cc and 1.4 g/cc. 
     
     
         10 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the metallic material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: a steel-based material, a steel alloy. 
     
     
         11 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric material comprises a polymeric resin and a reinforcing fiber. 
     
     
         12 . The golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein the polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of: a glass-filled elastomer, a stainless steel-filled elastomer, a tungsten-filled elastomer, a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), a Kevlar® (aramid) fiber-reinforced polymer, and a carbon-fiber reinforced polymer. 
     
     
         13 . The golf club head of  claim 3 , wherein the body includes a body upper portion and a body lower portion, and wherein a mass of the body upper portion is between 1 gram and 70 grams less than a mass of a golf club head lacking the rear opening and the insert. 
     
     
         14 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the body further comprises an undercut in the top rail;   the undercut forms part of the cavity; and   the insert fills the undercut, causing the insert to mechanically lock into the cavity.   
     
     
         15 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the body further comprises an undercut in the sole;   the undercut forms part of the cavity; and   the insert fills the undercut, causing the insert to mechanically lock into the cavity.   
     
     
         16 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a total mass; and   a toe weight comprising a toe weight mass between 5% and 45% of the total mass of the golf club head;   wherein:   the body further comprises a toe cavity receiving the toe weight.   
     
     
         17 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a blade length, measured in a heel-to-toe direction from an edge of the strikeface in the heel region to an outermost point in the toe region; wherein the blade length is less than 2.8 inches.   
     
     
         18 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein: wherein the insert comprises an injection molded insert.