Golf club heads comprising thermoplastic composite material

Abstract

To provide an alternative design for a golf club head having a structural mass comprising metal to provide a means to maximize discretionary weight to maximize the club head's moment of inertia (MOI) and lower / rear center of gravity (CG).SOLUTION: A front body 12 includes: a striking face 30 defining a ball striking surface 32; a hosel 38; and a frame 34 at least partially surrounding the striking face and extending rearward from a periphery of the striking face away from the ball striking surface. The striking face and the frame are formed from a thermoplastic composite material including a thermoplastic polymer having a plurality of discontinuous fibers embedded therein. Each of the plurality of discontinuous fibers has a length of less than about 40 mm, and between the center 28 of the striking face and the hosel, greater than about 50% of the plurality of discontinuous fibers are aligned within about 30° of parallel to a horizontal axis extending from the center of the striking face to the hosel.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application Nos. 62 / 619,631, filed January 19, 2018, 62 / 644,319, filed March 16, 2018, 62 / 702,996, filed July 25, 2018, 62 / 703,305, filed July 25, 2018, 62 / 718,857, filed August 14, 2018, 62 / 770,000, filed November 20, 2018, and 62 / 781,509, filed December 18, 2018. The disclosures of each of the above-referenced applications are incorporated by reference in their entirety.

[0002] SUMMARY The present disclosure relates to golf club heads having one or more components comprising a thermoplastic composite material. [Background technology]

[0003] An ideal club design would minimize the amount of structural mass (without sacrificing resiliency) while providing additional discretionary mass that can be strategically positioned to customize club performance. Generally, the total overall club head mass is the sum of structural mass and discretionary mass. Structural mass generally refers to the mass of material required to provide the club head with the structural resiliency required to withstand repeated impacts. Structural mass is highly design dependent and has little design control over a particular mass distribution. Conversely, discretionary mass is any additional mass (beyond the minimum structural requirements) that may be added to a club head design for the sole purpose of customizing the club's performance and / or forgiveness. Current golf club heads include metal materials in at least a portion of the club head's structural mass (e.g., at least a portion of the striking face and / or rear body). There is a need in the art for alternative designs of golf club heads with structural mass that includes metal to provide a means to maximize discretionary weight and maximize the club head's moment of inertia (MOI) and lower / rear center of gravity (CG).

[0004] While the background discussion provided herein seeks to clarify certain club-related terminology, it is intended to be illustrative and not limiting. Custom within the industry, rules and naming conventions established by golf organizations such as the United States Golf Association (USGA) or the R&A may augment the description of this terminology without departing from the scope of this application. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0005] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a golf club head.

[0006] [Diagram 2] 2 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of the front portion of the golf club head of FIG. 1 taken along line 2-2.

[0007] [Diagram 3] 1 is a schematic perspective view of the front and top of a golf club head.

[0008] [Figure 4] 1 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of a polymer wall having a plurality of discontinuous fibers embedded within the polymer.

[0009] [Diagram 5] 1 is a schematic perspective view of a molded front body of a golf club head including a sprue and a mold gate leading to the front body.

[0010] [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is an inverted view of the front body of FIG. 5.

[0011] [Figure 7] 2 is a schematic perspective view of a rear portion of a molded front body of a golf club head. FIG.

[0012] [Figure 8] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the mold flow for making the front body of FIG. 5 taken at an intermediate fill point.

[0013] [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of the mold flow of FIG. 8 taken near the completion of the part's construction.

[0014] [Figure 10] 1 is a schematic perspective view of a rear portion of a molded front body of a golf club head having a reinforcing mesh embedded in the striking face thereof;

[0015] [Figure 11] 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the first embodiment of the golf club head of FIG. 10 taken along line 11-11.

[0016] [Figure 12] 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the golf club head of FIG. 10 taken along line 11-11.

[0017] [Figure 13]11 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a third embodiment of the golf club head of FIG. 10 taken along line 11-11. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] The present disclosure generally relates to embodiments of golf club heads having one or more thermoplastic composite materials incorporated into the club head face and / or body to form the structural aspects of the club head. In so doing, the designs result in a reduction in the structural mass of the head when compared to an all-metal club head of similar size, shape and appearance. These designs then provide additional discretionary mass available to the club head designer to be strategically placed around the head to, for example, increase the club head's moment of inertia and / or change the relative location of the club head's center of gravity.

[0019] Because thermoplastic polymers are significantly less strong than most of the metals used in golf clubs, special attention must be paid to the design, material selection and reinforcement in the polymer parts to avoid unexpected failure, while still maintaining the dynamic response, sound and feel expected by golfers.

[0020] In the embodiments described below, it is further understood that the filled polymer can have anisotropic structural qualities that depend on the typical or average orientation of the embedded discontinuous fibers. More specifically, the filled polymer component generally has greater strength for loads aligned with the longitudinal axis of the embedded fibers and relatively less strength for loads applied transversely. Because fiber orientation within the filled polymer is highly dependent on mold flow during initial part formation, the embodiments described below utilize mold and part designs that help orient the embedded fibers along the most likely force / stress paths to propagate.

[0021] "A," "an," "the," "at least one," and "one or more" are used interchangeably to indicate the presence of at least one of an item, and a plurality of such items may be present unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. All numerical values ​​of parameters (e.g., amounts or conditions) in this specification, including the appended claims, should be understood to be modified in all cases by the term "about," regardless of whether "about" is actually preceding the numerical value. "About" indicates that the numerical values ​​described allow for some imprecision (approximately to the precise value, approximately or reasonably close to the value, i.e., approximately). If the imprecision indicated by "about" is not otherwise understood in the art from its ordinary meaning, then "about" as used herein at least indicates the variation that may result from the ordinary measurement and use of such parameters. In addition, the disclosure of a range includes every value within the entire range and further divided values. Each value within a range and the endpoints of the range are all disclosed herein as separate embodiments. The terms "comprises," "comprising," "including," and "having" are inclusive and thus specify the presence of stated items but do not exclude the presence of other items. As used herein, the term "or" includes any combination of one or more of the listed items. Where terms such as "first," "second," "third," etc. are used to distinguish various items from one another, these designations are merely for convenience and do not limit the items.

[0022] As used herein, the terms "loft" or "loft angle" of a golf club refer to the angle formed between the club face and shaft as measured by any suitable loft and lie machine.

[0023] Terms such as "first," "second," "third," "fourth," etc., in the specification and claims, if any, are used to distinguish between similar elements and are not necessarily intended to describe a particular sequential or chronological order. Terms so used should be understood to be interchangeable in appropriate circumstances such that the embodiments described herein are capable of operating in other orders than those illustrated or otherwise described herein, for example. Furthermore, the terms "include" and "have," and any conjugations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, system, article, device, or apparatus that includes a list of elements is not necessarily limited to those elements, but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, system, article, device, or apparatus.

[0024] Terms such as "left," "right," "front," "back," "up," "down," "above," "below," and the like, if any, in this specification and claims are used for the purpose of generally referring to and describing a golf club held at address on level ground at a given loft and lie angle, but not necessarily to describe a permanent relative position. Terms so used should be understood to be interchangeable in appropriate circumstances such that embodiments of the apparatus, methods, and / or articles of manufacture described herein are operable, for example, in orientations other than those illustrated or otherwise described herein.

[0025] The terms "couple," "coupled," "coupled," and the like should be understood broadly to mean connecting two or more elements mechanically or otherwise. The connection (mechanical or otherwise) may be for any length of time, e.g., permanently, semi-permanently, or only momentarily.

[0026] Other features and aspects will become apparent from consideration of the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. Before describing any embodiment of the present disclosure in detail, it should be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details or configuration and arrangement of parts set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The present disclosure is capable of supporting other embodiments and can be practiced or carried out in various ways. It should be understood that the description of a particular embodiment is not intended to limit the disclosure to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. It should also be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

[0027] General club head structure Referring to the drawings, in which like reference numbers are used to identify similar or identical components in various views, FIGS. 1-2 generally illustrate an embodiment of a golf club head 10 including a front body portion 12 ("front body 12") and a rear body portion 14 ("rear body 14"). The front body 12 and rear body 14 are joined to define a substantially enclosed / hollow interior volume 16, as shown, for example, in FIG. 2. As is conventional with wood-style heads, the golf club head 10 includes a crown 20 and a sole 22, and may be generally divided into a heel portion 24, a toe portion 26, and a central portion 28 located between the heel portion 24 and the toe portion 26.

[0028] The front body 12 generally includes a striking face 30 having a ball striking surface 32 forwardly therefrom that is intended to strike a golf ball during a conventional swing. In some embodiments, the front body 12 may further include a frame 34 surrounding a perimeter 36 of the striking face 30 and extending rearwardly from the perimeter 36 to provide the front body 12 with a cup-shaped appearance, and may further include a hosel 38 for receiving a golf club shaft or shaft adapter.

[0029] In a completed, playable club head 10, the front body 12 and rear body 14 are integrally connected at a joint 40, for example, via one or more adhesive, bonding, mechanical attachment, welding or fusion operations. In one particular configuration, for example, shown in FIG. 2, the joint 40 may be a lap joint that maintains an outer surface 42 of the frame 34 in substantially uninterrupted alignment with an outer surface 44 of the rear body 14. The lap joint may include a bonded interface 46 and a mechanical interface 48.

[0030] The bonded interface 46 may be formed when a bonding surface 50 (front bonding surface 50) of the front body 12 abuts and is secured against a mating bonding surface 52 (rear bonding surface 52) of the rear body 14. In the illustrated embodiment, the front bonding surface 50 surrounds and is radially outward of the rear bonding surface 52, with both surfaces 50, 52 being flush with one another and extending in a generally front / rear direction. The front bonding surface 50 may be coupled to the rear bonding surface 52 by any of the means listed above, but in certain embodiments, the two surfaces may each include and / or be formed from a common thermoplastic polymer that may facilitate bonding or welding of materials to the adjacent surfaces. Structurally, the interface between the front bonding surface 50 and the rear bonding surface 52 is generally parallel to the insertion / removal direction of the front body 12 into the rear body 14, so that the bond / interlock between the surfaces more effectively prevents the front body 12 from slipping out via a shear engagement of the interface. Specifically, shear bonds tend to distribute stress more effectively across the bond surfaces rather than the uneven stresses introduced by cantilever supports, for example.

[0031] A mechanical interface may be formed when the rearmost surface 54 of the front body 12 (i.e., the rear end of the frame 34) contacts a mating surface 56 of the rear body 14 that conforms to an outer wall 58 or exterior structure of the rear body 14. This conformity allows impact loads to be transferred directly from the frame 34 to the rear body 14 and transition surface 58 via direct material-to-material contact and does not rely on the strength of a bond or intermediate adhesive.

[0032] In some embodiments, the rear body 14 may further include one or more metal weight structures to help position the club head center of gravity low and back. In the embodiments provided in FIGS. 1-2, the rear body 14 includes a weight structure 60 integral with and enclosed within the rear body 14 at the sole and back end of the club head 10. In these embodiments, the weight structure 60 may be molded together with the sole 22 and / or the rear body 14. Additionally, in these embodiments, the weight structure 60 may include a cavity capable of receiving a separately formed weight (not shown) that is later attached to the weight structure. In other embodiments not shown, the rear body 14 may include a cavity or void capable of removably receiving a separately formed weight that is later attached to the cavity.

[0033] In some embodiments, the weight structure 60 and / or weights may have a mass between 50 grams and 80 grams. Additionally, the weight structure 60 and / or weights may comprise a metallic material, including, but not limited to, steel, tungsten, aluminum, titanium, bronze, brass, copper, gold, platinum, lead, silver, or zinc. Additionally, in these embodiments, the weight structure 60 and / or weights may have a specific gravity between 2.5 and 18.

[0034] 1, in some embodiments, the front body 12 may further include a hosel bushing 62 that can operably receive a portion of a golf shaft or shaft adapter. In one embodiment, the hosel bushing 62 may be formed from a metallic material, such as aluminum. Further, the hosel bushing may be disposed within the hosel 38 and front body 12, for example, by being affixed in place or overmolded, such as through an insert molding process. In some embodiments, the hosel bushing 62 or other metallic components of the club head may include an anodized outer layer or other galvanic corrosion barrier to prevent galvanic corrosion.

[0035] Polymer Face Construction FIG. 3 shows a schematic of an embodiment of the front body 12 comprising a molded fiber-filled thermoplastic composite. Such a composite material includes both a thermoplastic resin and a plurality of dispersed discontinuous fibers (i.e., "chop fibers"). The discontinuous / chop fibers may include, for example, short carbon or glass fibers that are embedded in the resin prior to molding the front body 12. Possible material configurations are described below, but in one configuration the polymeric material may be a "long fiber thermoplastic" with discontinuous fibers embedded in the thermoplastic resin, each having a design fiber length of about 3 mm to about 12 mm. In another configuration the polymeric material may be a "short fiber thermoplastic" with discontinuous fibers similarly embedded in the thermoplastic resin, each having a design fiber length of about 0.01 mm to about 3 mm. In either case, it should be noted that these lengths are premixed lengths and may be broken during the molding process, with some fibers actually being shorter than the ranges described in the final part. In some constructions, the discontinuous short fibers may be characterized by an aspect ratio (e.g., fiber length / diameter) of greater than about 10, or more preferably greater than about 50 and less than about 1500. Regardless of the particular type of discontinuous short fiber used, in certain constructions the material may have a fiber length of about 0.01 mm to about 12 mm and a resin content of about 40% to about 90% by weight, or more preferably about 55% to about 70% by weight.

[0036] One suitable thermoplastic resin can include thermoplastic polyamide (e.g., PA6 or PA66), which may be filled with short carbon fibers (i.e., carbon-filled polyamide). Other resins can include certain polyimides, polyamide-imides, polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polycarbonate, engineering polyurethanes, and / or other similar materials.

[0037] While the use of polymer composite materials within the club head 10 can result in an overall (structural) weight reduction, their use in high stress areas of the club head 10 is complicated by their relatively lower strength than typical metals and their highly anisotropic nature. This anisotropic nature is manifested by the tensile strength of the composite material being significantly greater when measured along the average longitudinal fiber direction than when measured perpendicular to this average fiber direction. These differences become more pronounced as the embedded fibers become more uniformly oriented. Depending on the design and materials selected, a particular composite material can only be strong enough to withstand repeated ball strikes if the embedded fibers are properly oriented.

[0038] One attribute of injection molded fiber-filled polymers is that the fiber orientation tends to follow the flow of the polymer / flow front in the mold being created. FIG. 4 shows a schematic of a number of short fibers 70 embedded in a polymer resin 72, such as in the wall of a hosel 38. As shown, each fiber 70 may have a length 76 of about 0.01 mm to about 12 mm (note that the fibers shown are not necessarily shown to scale, either in size or density). During a molding process, such as injection molding, the embedded fibers 70 tend to match the direction of the flowing polymer. Some fibers (i.e., particularly short fiber reinforced thermoplastics) and resins tend to align more closely to the mold wall or edge of the part. These layers are called shear layers 78 or skin layers. Conversely, within the central core layer 80, the fibers 70 can sometimes be more random and / or perpendicular to the flowing polymer. In these embodiments, the thickness 82 of the core layer 80 can be varied by various molding parameters including molding speed (i.e., slower molding speeds can result in thinner core layer 80) and mold design. In the present design, it is desirable to minimize any random core layer 80 thickness 82 to allow for better control of fiber orientation.

[0039] Since the striking face 30, frame 34 and hosel 38 are generally the most highly stressed parts of the club head 10, special attention must be paid to the design when attempting to use a filled polymer composite material in the front body 12. A poorly oriented fiber content can result in a striking face 30 that lacks sufficient structure to withstand repeated impact forces. During impact, stresses tend to spread radially outward from the impact location while propagating toward the rear of the club head 10. Additionally, bending moments are applied about the shaft, which induce material stresses along / parallel to the hosel axis 90 between the impact location and the hosel 38. Thus, an ideal design would preferably have the embedded fibers follow generally in these same directions, i.e., parallel to the hosel axis 90 in the hosel 38, at least across the center of the face 30 (represented by the horizontal face axis 92), and generally outward from the face center with the fibers pointing generally rearward (i.e., parallel to the front-to-rear axis 94) in the frame 34.

[0040] Perfect alignment cannot be guaranteed because the discontinuous fibers are mixed in the flowable polymer before forming the part. However, that being said, the design of the front body 12 and the manner of injection molding (e.g., fill rate, gating / venting, and temperature) can control the embedded fibers to align with these axes as much as possible. For example, within the hosel, it is preferred that more than about 50% of the fibers are aligned within 30° of the hosel axis 90. Between the center of the face and the hosel 38, it is preferred that more than about 50% of the fibers are aligned within 30° of the horizontal face axis 92, and within the frame 34, it is preferred that more than about 50% of the fibers are aligned within 30° of the front-to-rear axis 94. In another embodiment, greater than about 60% of the fibers in the hosel 38 are aligned within 25° of the hosel axis 90, greater than about 60% of the fibers between the center of the face and the hosel 38 are aligned within 25° of the horizontal face axis 92, and greater than about 60% of the fibers in the frame 34 are aligned within 25° of the front-to-back axis 94. In yet another embodiment, greater than about 70% of the fibers in the hosel 38 are aligned within 20° of the hosel axis 90, greater than about 70% of the fibers between the center of the face and the hosel 38 are aligned within 20° of the horizontal face axis 92, and greater than about 70% of the fibers in the frame 34 are aligned within 20° of the front-to-back axis 94.

[0041] 5-6 generally illustrate a front body design that achieves the fiber alignment discussed above. The flow and fiber alignment is shown generally in FIG. 5 and more clearly seen in FIGS. 8-9 via mold flow simulation output. As shown throughout these figures, the flowable polymer passes directly from the sprue 100 and connected gate 102 into the toe portion 26 of the front body 12, for example as shown in FIG. 5. From there, the polymer can flow across the face 30 and then upward through the hosel 38. By flowing across the face 30 and upward through the hosel 38, any weld lines are forced up to the heel side of the hosel 38, which is generally the least stressed area of ​​the hosel 38. If the body 12 were to attempt to gate the hosel 38, there would likely be a weld line in or near the face 30 or on the toe side of the hosel 38, which would create relatively more stress on the toe side than the heel side. Because weld lines have a lower ultimate strength than normal polymers, it is important to ensure that weld lines do not form in areas where higher stresses typically occur.

[0042] To encourage the polymer to fill the hosel 38 from the bottom up, it may be desirable to fill the face from a location near the toe 26, i.e., at or preferably above the horizontal centerline 104 of the face 30 (i.e., between the crown 20 and a line drawn through the centerline of the face 106 and parallel to the ground when the club is held at address). This may encourage the flow 108 and corresponding fiber alignment to follow a generally downward slope from above the horizontal centerline 104 of the toe 26 toward the center 106 of the face between the toe and the center 106. Thereafter, at the center 106, the flow 110 and corresponding fiber alignment may be generally parallel to the horizontal centerline 104 at or immediately around the center 106 of the face. Finally, the flow 112 arcs upward, filling the hosel 38 primarily from the bottom toward the waist. The general directional references shown at 108, 110, and 112 are intended to indicate that generally, greater than about 50% of the fibers in the polymer are aligned within about 30° of the indicated direction, or more preferably, greater than about 60% of the fibers are aligned within about 25° of the indicated direction, or even more preferably, greater than about 70% of the fibers are aligned within about 20° of the indicated direction.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 5, in one embodiment, the gate 102 may be a fan gate located in the rear half of the frame 34 just below the crown 20. To encourage directional flow 108, 110 across the face 30 while still encouraging a slight downward arc of 108, flow leaders 114 may protrude from the rear surface 116 of the striking face 30, for example, as shown in FIGS. 6-7. As shown, the flow leaders 114 are embossed channels that extend from the edge of the face 30 at or near the gate and propagate away from the gate toward the central region of the face 30 to direct the flow of material. This acts as a relatively least resistance path for material to flow, so that the primary flow direction may be ensured. In some embodiments, the flow leaders 114 may be elevated above the surrounding surface 116 by a height of about 0.5 mm to about 1.5 mm, or about 0.7 mm to about 1.0 mm. Additionally, the flow leader 114 may have a lateral width, measured perpendicular to the height and perpendicular to a line from the beginning of the flow leader at the toe 26 to the face center 106, of from about 5 mm to about 15 mm, or from about 7 mm to about 12 mm.

[0044] As further illustrated in Figures 6-7, in one embodiment, the flow leaders 114 may lead to a thickened central region 118 of the face 30. This thickened central portion 118 is primarily used to reinforce the central region of the face upon impact so that the face is more likely to move as a single unit while avoiding localized deformation. From a molding standpoint, this thickened region 118 can act as a well or manifold of sorts to feed polymer radially outward to fill the frame from front to back (or at least drive the polymer through the thin region toward the rear edge 120 of the frame). The convergence of flow from the thick region 118 to the surrounding thin regions also aids in the alignment of the embedded fibers.

[0045] As mentioned above, Figures 8-9 show two molding simulation outputs showing the front body 12 at different stages of filling / molding. As shown, the main flow path begins at the upper toe portion 26, is directed downward (108) through flow leaders 114 into the thickened central region 118, then across the face (110) and generally returns upward (112) as the hosel 38 fills from the bottom to the top. As the main flow descends and across the face 30, polymer can also be seen to be directed backwards (122) from this main flow path into the frame 34, consistent with the convergence of flow from the flow leaders and thickened central region into the relatively thin surrounding and frame regions.

[0046] In many embodiments, the face thickness may vary such that the minimum face thickness ranges from 0.114 inches to 0.179 inches and the maximum face thickness ranges from 0.160 inches to 0.301 inches. The minimum face thickness may be 0.110 inches, 0.114 inches, 0.115 inches, 0.120 inches, 0.125 inches, 0.130 inches, 0.135 inches, 0.140 inches, 0.145 inches, 0.150 inches, 0.155 inches, 0.160 inches, 0.165 inches, 0.170 inches, 0.175 inches, 0.179 inches, or 0.180 inches. The maximum face thickness may be 0.160 inches, 0.165 inches, 0.170 inches, 0.175 inches, 0.180 inches, 0.185 inches, 0.190 inches, 0.195 inches, 0.200 inches, 0.205 inches, 0.210 inches, 0.215 inches, 0.220 inches, 0.225 inches, 0.230 inches, 0.235 inches, 0.240 inches, 0.245 inches, 0.250 inches, 0.255 inches, 0.260 inches, 0.265 inches, 0.270 inches, 0.275 inches, 0.280 inches, 0.285 inches, 0.290 inches, 0.300 inches, 0.301 inches, 0.305 inches, or 0.310 inches.

[0047] 10 illustrates generally an embodiment of a thermoplastic composite body 200 including an embedded reinforcing element 202 that extends across at least a portion of the striking face 30. In one configuration, the illustrated embodiment may be formed via an insert injection molding process, where the reinforcing element 202 is placed in the mold before the flowable polymer is injected.

[0048] The reinforcing elements 202 may include a plurality of continuous fibers, wires, or other elongated elements that extend across a substantial portion of the face (i.e., greater than about 25 mm, or greater than about 30 mm, or greater than 35 mm, or greater than about 40 mm). In some embodiments, these elements 202 may include a first plurality of elements 204 that extend generally parallel to one another at a first spacing arrangement. Additionally, in some embodiments, the reinforcing elements 202 may include a second plurality of elements 206 that extend generally parallel to one another at a second spacing arrangement, where the first plurality of elements 204 and the second plurality of elements 206 are not parallel. As shown in FIG. 10, in some configurations, the first plurality of elements 204 and the second plurality of elements 206 may form an orthogonal mesh or grid. In some embodiments, the grid may be integral such that the first plurality of elements 204 and the second plurality of elements 206 are integral to one another. In other embodiments, they may be woven in an alternating pattern.

[0049] To ensure that the reinforcing elements 202 are properly embedded within the composite material and that they do not simply create a weak internal boundary plane, a minimum spacing between adjacent elements may be required. For example, as generally shown in the cross-sectional view provided in FIG. 11, each element may have an approximate diameter 208, and adjacent elements may be spaced apart by a separation distance 210. In one configuration, the minimum spacing is such that the separation distance 210 is equal to or greater than the average diameter 208 of adjacent elements. In other embodiments, the separation distance 210 may be greater than two times the average diameter 208 of adjacent elements, or greater than three times the average diameter 208 of adjacent elements, or four times the average diameter 208 of adjacent elements. In fact, the greater the spacing, the more completely the elements 202 are embedded within the molded polymer. In one example, the average diameter may be between about 0.05 mm and about 1.5 mm, or between about 0.1 mm and about 1.0 mm.

[0050] The continuous reinforcing elements 202 may be formed from any high strength material including carbon fiber, fiberglass, aramid fiber, etc. However, in some embodiments, the reinforcing elements 202 may be formed from a metal where each reinforcing element is a wire or a plurality of bundled wires. In one configuration, the metal may be a metal traditionally used to form golf club faces, such as, for example, a stainless steel or steel alloy (e.g., C300, C350, Ni-Co-Cr-steel alloy, 565 steel, AISI type 304 or AISI type 630 stainless steel), a titanium alloy (e.g., Ti-6-4, Ti-3-8-6-4-4, Ti-10-2-3, Ti15-3-3-3, Ti15-5-3, Ti185, Ti6-6-2, Ti-7s, Ti-92, or Ti-8-1-1 titanium alloy), or other similar materials.

[0051] In one configuration, for example as shown in FIG. 11, the reinforcing elements 202 may be generally aligned and parallel to the ball striking surface 32. Such an embodiment may help reinforce the polymer and polymer integrity upon impact. However, in another configuration, for example as shown in FIG. 12, the reinforcing elements 202 may be generally aligned and parallel to the rear surface 212 of the face 30. Such an embodiment may provide greater resilience to bending and face deflection, thereby reducing the characteristic time of the face (measured according to USGA guidelines). In yet a third configuration, for example as shown in FIG. 13, the first plurality of reinforcing elements 214 may be parallel to the ball striking surface 32 and the second plurality of reinforcing elements 216 may be parallel to the rear surface 212. Such an embodiment may provide a combination of the benefits described with respect to FIGS. 11 and 12.

[0052] thermoplastic composite material As discussed above, the molded front body 12 may be formed from a thermoplastic composite material including a thermoplastic polymer matrix material and a filler. Exemplary thermoplastic polymer matrix materials include polycarbonate (PC), polyester (PBT), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polyamide (PA) (e.g., polyamide 6 (PA6), polyamide 6-6 (PA66), polyamide-12 (PA12), polyamide-612 (PA612), polyamide 11 (PA11)), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), polyphthalamide (PPA), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polyethylene (PE), polyphenylene ether / oxide (PPE), polyoxymethylene (POM), polypropylene (PP), styrene acrylonitrile (SAN), polymethylpentene (PMP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF ... (PET), acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA), polyetherimide (PEI), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polyether ketone (PEK), polyetherimide (PEI), polyethersulfone (PES), polyphenylene oxide (PPO), polystyrene (PS), polysulfone (PSU), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), liquid crystal polymer (LCP), thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), or a mixture of the above thermoplastic materials, such as a mixture of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and polycarbonate (PC), or a mixture of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and polyamide (PA).

[0053] For example, in some embodiments, a thermoplastic composite material may include a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) as a thermoplastic polymer matrix material. TPU has a chemical structure consisting of a linear segmented block copolymer with hard and soft segments. In some embodiments, the hard segments include aromatic or aliphatic structures and the soft segments include polyether or polyester chains. In other embodiments, a thermoplastic polymer matrix material including a TPU can have hard and soft segments with different chemical structures.

[0054] As a further example, in some embodiments, the thermoplastic composite material can include polyamine 6-6 (PA66) or polyamide 6 (PA6) as the thermoplastic polymer matrix material. Figure 10 shows the chemical structure of polyamide 6-6 (PA6-6). PA66 is a type of polyamide made of two monomers, including hexamethylenediamine and adipic acid, each of which contains six carbon atoms. Figure 11 shows the chemical structure of polyamide 6 (PA6), a semi-crystalline polyamide.

[0055] Fillers in thermoplastic composites can include fibers, beads, or other structures that include various materials (described below) that are mixed with a thermoplastic polymer. Fillers can provide structural reinforcement, weighting, weight reduction, or various other properties to the thermoplastic composite. In many embodiments, the fillers can include carbon or glass. However, in other embodiments, the fillers can include other suitable materials. For example, the fillers, which consist of one or more laminae, can include aramid fibers (e.g., Nomex, Vectran, Kevlar, Twaron), bamboo fibers, natural fibers (e.g., cotton, hemp, flax), metal fibers (e.g., titanium, aluminum), glass beads, tungsten beads, or ceramic fibers (e.g., titanium dioxide, granite, silicon carbide).

[0056] The fillers or fibers may be short (length or diameter less than about 0.5 mm), long (length or diameter ranging from about 0.5 mm to about 40 mm, or more preferably from about 5 mm to about 12 mm), or continuous (length greater than about 40 mm). In many embodiments, the front body 12 and the rear body 14 include short fibers and / or long fibers. In other embodiments, the front body 12 and the rear body 14 may include continuous fibers instead of or in addition to the short and long fibers.

[0057] In many embodiments, the thermoplastic composite can include 30-40% by volume of filler, while in other embodiments the thermoplastic composite can include up to 55%, up to 60%, up to 65%, or up to 70% by volume of filler.

[0058] In many embodiments, the thermoplastic composite has a specific gravity of about 1.0 to 2.0, which is significantly less than the specific gravity of metallic materials used in golf (e.g., titanium has a specific gravity of about 4.5, and aluminum has a specific gravity of about 3.5). Additionally, in many embodiments, the thermoplastic composite includes a strength-to-weight ratio, or specific strength, of greater than 1,000,000 PSI / (lb / in3), and a strength-to-elastic modulus ratio, or specific flexibility, of greater than 0.009. The specific gravity, specific strength, and specific flexibility of the thermoplastic composite allow for significant weight reduction in the club head 10 while maintaining durability.

[0059] Method for forming a golf club head having a thermoplastic composite material - Patents.com In the illustrated embodiment of Figures 1-3, the club head includes (1) a front body 12 having a striking face 30, a frame 34 surrounding and extending rearwardly from the striking face 30 and the return portion, and (2) a rear body 14 including a crown portion 20 and a sole portion 22. In these or other embodiments, the front body 12 and rear body 14 may be formed separately and then joined to form the club head 10. A method of forming the club head 10 includes the steps of (1) forming the front body 12, (2) forming the crown portion 20 and the sole portion 22, (3) connecting the crown portion 20 and the sole portion 22 to form the rear body 14, and (4) connecting the front body 12 and the rear body 14 via a joint 40 to form the club head 10, where the crown portion 20 and the sole portion 22 and / or the front body 12 and the rear body 14 are connected by a fusion bond, as described in further detail below. In this or other embodiments, fusion bonding can include, but is not limited to, thermal welding (e.g., hot jig welding, hot air welding, extrusion welding, infrared welding, laser welding), friction welding (e.g., spin welding, vibration welding, ultrasonic welding, stir welding), and electromagnetic welding (e.g., induction welding, radio frequency welding, microwave welding, resistance welding).

[0060] As discussed above, the front body 12 can be formed, for example, using an injection molding process. In such a process, a flowable thermoplastic polymer is injected into a cavity of a mold, the cavity being the recess of the part to be molded. Prior to injecting the flowable polymer, a plurality of discontinuous fibers are mixed into the polymer so that they are generally uniformly distributed. The flowable polymer is then injected into the mold, where it fills the cavity and solidifies.

[0061] For example, in one embodiment shown in Figures 10-13, the reinforcing element 202 may be initially formed or otherwise provided in a substantially final form. This may be done by first providing a generally uniform, planar mesh or grid and then compression molding or forging the mesh / grid into the desired final shape. Once the mesh is in its final shape, it may be inserted into a mold prior to the injection of the flowable polymer. During the injection process, the flowable polymer surrounds the formed mesh and fills the void spaces.

[0062] In some embodiments, the rear body 14 may be formed from one or more thermoplastic composite materials to facilitate fusion bonding with the front body 12 (i.e., via joint 40 described above). In one configuration, the rear body 14 may be constructed from injection and compression molded thermoplastic composites, such as those described in U.S. Patent No. 9,925,432, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. The incorporation of an otherwise miscible thermoplastic polymer common to both the rear body 14 and the front body 12 may make fusion bonding feasible and more robust.

[0063] Advantages of Club Heads Containing Thermoplastic Composites Thermoplastic composite materials allow for heating and modification (by the thermoplastic matrix material), so that the entire hollow body club head can be molded in pieces and then fused together without the need for an intermediate adhesive. This is in contrast to many current club heads that generally have structural metal frames and composite panel inserts (which contain a thermosetting matrix that cannot be modified when heated).

[0064] Additionally, thermoplastic composite materials reduce the structural mass of the club head beyond what is possible with conventional metal and composite material forming techniques used in golf club heads. The structural weight reduction achieved by this design can be used to either reduce the overall weight of the club head 10 (which can increase club head speed and / or distance) or to increase the amount of discretionary mass available for placement in the club head (i.e., for a given head weight). In a preferred embodiment, the additional discretionary mass is incorporated into the final club head design via one or more metal weights 60 coupled to the sole 22 and / or the rearmost portion of the club head 10.

[0065] Thermoplastic composite materials provide the structural integrity necessary to withstand impact forces while providing the weight savings discussed above. In many embodiments, fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites can include strength to weight and strength to modulus ratios (as discussed above) that are greater than those achievable with metallic materials.

[0066] Example 1: Face containing TPU thermoplastic composite

[0067] According to one embodiment, the golf club head has a striking face 30 comprising a thermoplastic composite material. The thermoplastic composite material includes TPU as a thermoplastic polymer matrix material and is loaded with 40% long carbon fibers. The striking face 30 has a thickness of 0.265 inches and provides an average coefficient of restitution (COR) of 0.821 to 0.826. In comparison, a similar striking face including a titanium alloy had a coefficient of restitution of about 0.828. Thus, the coefficient of restitution of the exemplary striking face 30 including TPU loaded with 40% long carbon fibers and having a thickness of 0.265 inches maintained a similar coefficient of restitution (within 0.85%) compared to a similar striking face including a titanium alloy. Additionally, the exemplary striking face 30 maintained durability during testing. The results described herein were obtained by testing COR plates according to USGA methods.

[0068] Example 2: Face containing TPU thermoplastic composite

[0069] According to another embodiment, the golf club head has a striking face 30 including a thermoplastic composite material. The thermoplastic composite material includes TPU as a thermoplastic polymer matrix material and is filled with 50% long carbon fibers. The striking face 30 has a thickness of 0.265 inches and provides an average coefficient of restitution (COR) of 0.815. In comparison, a similar striking face including a titanium alloy had a coefficient of restitution of about 0.828. Thus, the coefficient of restitution of the exemplary striking face 30 including TPU filled with 50% long carbon fibers and having a thickness of 0.265 inches maintained a similar coefficient of restitution (within 1.6%) compared to a similar striking face including a titanium alloy. Additionally, the exemplary striking face 30 maintained durability during testing. The results described herein were obtained by testing COR plates according to USGA methods.

[0070] Example 3: Face containing PA6 thermoplastic composite

[0071] According to one embodiment, the golf club head has a striking face 30 comprising a thermoplastic composite material. The thermoplastic composite material comprises TPU as a thermoplastic polymer matrix material and is loaded with 50% long carbon fibers. The striking face 30 has a thickness of 0.275 inches, resulting in an average coefficient of restitution (COR) of 0.814. In comparison, a similar striking face comprising a titanium alloy had a coefficient of restitution of about 0.828. Thus, the coefficient of restitution of the exemplary striking face 30 comprising TPU loaded with 50% long carbon fibers and having a thickness of 0.275 inches maintained a similar coefficient of restitution (within 1.7%) compared to a similar striking face comprising a titanium alloy. Additionally, the exemplary striking face 30 maintained durability during testing. The results described herein were obtained by testing COR plates according to USGA methods.

[0072] Example 4: Face containing PA6 thermoplastic composite

[0073] According to one embodiment, the golf club head has a striking face 30 including a thermoplastic composite material. The thermoplastic composite material includes TPU as a thermoplastic polymer matrix material and is filled with 40% long carbon fibers. The striking face 30 has a thickness of 0.266 inches, resulting in an average coefficient of restitution (COR) of 0.808. In comparison, a similar striking face including a titanium alloy had a coefficient of restitution of about 0.828. Thus, the coefficient of restitution of the exemplary striking face 30 including TPU filled with 40% long carbon fibers and having a thickness of 0.266 inches maintained a similar coefficient of restitution (within 2.4%) compared to a similar striking face including a titanium alloy. Additionally, the exemplary striking face 30 maintained durability during testing. The results described herein were obtained by testing COR plates according to USGA methods.

[0074] Example 5: Face containing PA6 thermoplastic composite

[0075] According to one embodiment, the golf club head has a striking face 30 including a thermoplastic composite material. The thermoplastic composite material includes TPU as a thermoplastic polymer matrix material and is loaded with 50% long carbon fibers. The striking face 30 has a thickness of 0.272 inches, resulting in an average coefficient of restitution (COR) of 0.802. In comparison, a similar striking face including a titanium alloy had a coefficient of restitution of about 0.828. Thus, the coefficient of restitution of the exemplary striking face 30 including TPU loaded with 50% long carbon fibers and having a thickness of 0.272 inches maintained a similar coefficient of restitution (within 3.1%) compared to a similar striking face including a titanium alloy. Additionally, the exemplary striking face 30 maintained durability during testing. The results described herein were obtained by testing COR plates according to USGA methods.

[0076] The substitution of one or more claimed elements constitutes a rearrangement, not a repair. Moreover, benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have been described above with respect to specific embodiments. However, the benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any element or elements that may give rise to or make more apparent any benefits, advantages, or solutions should not be construed as a critical, necessary, or essential feature or element of any or all of the claims.

[0077] Because the rules of golf may change from time to time (e.g., new rules may be adopted or old rules may be eliminated or modified by golf's standards organizations and / or governing bodies, e.g., the United States Golf Association (USGA), the Royal and American Golf Association (R&A), etc.), golf equipment to which the apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein relate may or may not conform to the rules of golf at any particular time. Accordingly, golf equipment to which the apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein relate may be advertised, marketed, and / or sold as conforming or non-conforming golf equipment. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this respect.

[0078] Although the above embodiments may be described in the context of a driver-type golf club, the apparatus, methods and articles of manufacture described herein may also be applied to other types of golf clubs, such as fairway wood-type golf clubs, hybrid-type golf clubs, iron-type golf clubs, wedge-type golf clubs, or putter-type golf clubs, or may also be applied to other types of sports equipment, such as hockey sticks, tennis racquets, fishing rods, ski poles, etc.

[0079] Furthermore, embodiments and limitations disclosed herein are not available to the public under the doctrine of public domain if the embodiment and / or limitation (1) is not explicitly claimed in the claims and (2) is a potential equivalent of an explicit element and / or limitation of the claims under the doctrine of equivalents.

[0080] Various features and advantages of the present disclosure are described in the following sections.

[0081] Item 1: A golf club head comprising: a striking face defining a ball striking surface; a hosel; and a front body including a frame at least partially surrounding the striking face and extending rearwardly from a periphery of the striking face away from the ball striking surface; and a rear body coupled to the front body to define a hollow cavity therebetween, wherein the striking face and the frame are formed from a thermoplastic composite including a thermoplastic polymer having a plurality of discontinuous fibers embedded therein, each of the plurality of discontinuous fibers having a length of less than about 40 mm, and between a center of the striking face and the hosel, more than about 50% of the plurality of discontinuous fibers are aligned within about 30° of parallel to a horizontal axis extending from the center of the striking face to the hosel.

[0082] Item 2: The golf club head of item 1, wherein the front body includes a rear edge that abuts the rear body when the rear body is connected to the front body, and within the frame, greater than about 50% of the plurality of discontinuous fibers are aligned within about 30° of parallel to an axis extending perpendicular to the horizontal axis from the ball striking surface to the rear edge.

[0083] Item 3: The golf club head of item 2, wherein an axis extending from the ball striking surface to the rear edge is perpendicular to the rear edge.

[0084] Item 4: A golf club head according to any one of items 1 to 3, wherein the front body includes a toe portion on the opposite side of the striking face from the hosel, a frame defining a crown and a portion of the sole, a horizontal axis extending between the crown and the sole through the center of the striking face, and a rear surface on the opposite side of the striking face from the ball striking surface, the striking face including a flow leader protruding from the rear surface away from the ball striking surface and extending from the toe portion between the crown and the horizontal axis toward the center of the striking face.

[0085] Item 5: The golf club head of item 4, further comprising a thickened central region projecting from the rear face surface away from the ball striking surface and centered about the center of the striking face.

[0086] Item 6: The golf club head according to any one of items 1 to 5, wherein the thermoplastic composite material is polyamide and each of the plurality of discontinuous fibers is a carbon fiber.

[0087] Item 7: The golf club head of any one of items 1 to 6, further comprising a plurality of continuous reinforcing elements embedded within the thermoplastic polymer of the striking face.

[0088] Item 8: The golf club head of item 7, wherein the plurality of continuous reinforcing elements includes orthogonal meshes.

[0089] Item 9: The golf club head according to any one of items 7 to 8, wherein the plurality of reinforcing elements includes metal wires.

[0090] Item 10: A golf club head according to any one of items 7 to 9, wherein each of the plurality of reinforcing elements has a diameter, and at least a first subset of the plurality of reinforcing elements are arranged in a parallel arrangement, and adjacent reinforcing elements of the first subset of the plurality of reinforcing elements are spaced apart from each other by a minimum distance, the minimum distance being at least twice the average diameter of the first subset of the reinforcing elements.

[0091] Item 11: A polymeric front body for a golf club head, comprising: a striking face defining a ball striking surface, having a geometric center and defining a horizontal axis extending through the geometric center; a frame at least partially surrounding the striking face and extending rearwardly from the periphery of the striking face away from the ball striking surface, defining a crown portion and a sole portion; a hosel, the horizontal axis extending between the geometric center and the hosel and between at least a portion of the crown and the sole; and a fan gate extending from the frame between the horizontal axis and the crown.

[0092] Item 12: The polymeric front body of item 11, wherein the striking face further defines a rear surface opposite the ball striking surface, the front body further comprising a flow leader protruding from the rear surface away from the ball striking surface and extending from a portion of the striking face nearest the fan gate toward a center of the striking face.

[0093] Item 13: The polymeric front body of item 12, further comprising a thickened central region projecting from the rear face surface away from the ball striking surface and centered about a geometric center of the striking face.

[0094] Item 14: The polymeric front body of any one of items 11 to 13, wherein the striking face and the frame comprise a thermoplastic composite material including a thermoplastic polymer having a plurality of discontinuous fibers embedded therein, each of the plurality of discontinuous fibers having a length of less than about 40 mm.

[0095] Item 15: The polymeric body of item 14, wherein between the center of the striking face and the hosel, greater than about 50% of the plurality of discontinuous fibers are aligned within about 30° of parallel to the horizontal axis.

[0096] Item 16: The polymeric front body of item 14 or 15, wherein the frame defines a rear edge opposite the striking surface, and within the frame, greater than about 50% of the plurality of discontinuous fibers are aligned within about 30° of parallel to an axis extending perpendicular to the horizontal axis from the ball striking surface to the rear edge.

[0097] Item 17: The polymeric front body of item 16, wherein an axis extending from the ball striking surface to the rear edge is perpendicular to the rear edge.

[0098] Item 18: The polymeric body of any one of items 11 to 17, further comprising a plurality of reinforcing elements embedded within the striking surface.

[0099] Item 19: The polymeric body of item 18, wherein the plurality of reinforcing elements comprises orthogonal meshes.

[0100] Item 20: The polymeric body of item 18 or 19, wherein each of the plurality of reinforcing elements has a diameter, and at least a first subset of the plurality of reinforcing elements are arranged in a parallel arrangement, and adjacent reinforcing elements of the first subset of the plurality of reinforcing elements are spaced apart from each other by a minimum distance, the minimum distance being at least twice the average diameter of the first subset of reinforcing elements.

[0101] Item 21: The polymeric body of any one of items 18 to 20, wherein the plurality of reinforcing elements comprises metal wires.

Claims

1. A golf club head, a front body including a striking face defining a ball striking surface, a hosel, and a frame at least partially surrounding the striking face and extending rearwardly from a periphery of the striking face away from the ball striking surface; a rear body coupled to the front body and defining a hollow cavity between the rear body and the front body; Equipped with the striking face and the frame are formed from a thermoplastic composite material including a thermoplastic polymer having a plurality of discontinuous fibers embedded therein; each of the plurality of discontinuous fibers has a length of less than about 40 mm; Between the center of the striking face and the hosel, greater than about 50% of the plurality of discontinuous fibers are aligned within about 30° of parallel to a horizontal axis extending from the center of the striking face to the hosel.

2. the front body includes a rear edge that abuts the rear body when the rear body is connected to the front body; 2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein within the frame, greater than about 50% of the plurality of discontinuous fibers are aligned within about 30 degrees of parallel to an axis extending perpendicular to the horizontal axis from the ball striking surface to the rear edge.

3. The golf club head of claim 2 , wherein the axis extending from the ball striking surface to the rear edge is perpendicular to the rear edge.

4. The front body includes: a toe portion on the striking face opposite the hosel; the frame defining a portion of a crown and a sole; the horizontal axis extending between the crown and the sole through the center of the striking face; a rear surface of the striking face opposite the ball striking surface; Equipped with 2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the striking face includes a flow leader projecting from the rear surface away from the ball striking surface and extending from the toe portion between the crown and the horizontal axis toward the center of the striking face.

5. The golf club head of claim 4 , further comprising a thickened central region projecting from the rear face surface away from the ball striking surface and centered about the center of the striking face.

6. 2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic composite is a polyamide and each of the plurality of discontinuous fibers is a carbon fiber.

7. The golf club head of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of continuous reinforcing elements embedded within the thermoplastic polymer of the striking face.

8. The golf club head of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of continuous reinforcing elements comprises an orthogonal mesh.

9. The golf club head of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of reinforcing elements comprises metal wires.

10. each of the plurality of reinforcing elements having a diameter, and at least a first subset of the plurality of reinforcing elements arranged in a parallel arrangement; adjacent reinforcing elements of the first subset of the plurality of reinforcing elements are spaced apart from each other by a minimum distance; The golf club head of claim 7 , wherein the minimum distance is at least twice the average diameter of the first subset of reinforcing elements.

11. 1. A polymer front body of a golf club head, comprising: a striking face defining a ball striking surface, the striking face having a geometric center and defining a horizontal axis extending through the geometric center; a frame at least partially surrounding the striking face and extending rearwardly from a periphery of the striking face away from the ball striking surface and defining a crown portion and a sole portion; a hosel, the horizontal axis extending between the geometric center and the hosel and between the crown and at least a portion of the sole; a fan gate extending from said frame between said horizontal axis and said crown; A polymer front body comprising:

12. The striking face further defines a rear surface opposite the ball striking surface, and the front body includes: The polymeric front body of claim 11 , further comprising a flow leader projecting from the rear surface away from the ball striking surface and extending from a portion of the striking face nearest the fan gate toward the center of the striking face.

13. The polymeric front body of claim 12 , further comprising a thickened central region projecting from the rear face surface away from the ball striking surface and centered about the geometric center of the striking face.

14. 12. The polymeric front body of claim 11, wherein the striking face and frame comprise a thermoplastic composite including a thermoplastic polymer having a plurality of discontinuous fibers embedded therein, each of the plurality of discontinuous fibers having a length of less than about 40 mm.

15. 15. The polymeric front body of claim 14, wherein between the center of the striking face and the hosel, greater than about 50% of the plurality of discontinuous fibers are aligned within about 30 degrees of parallel to the horizontal axis.

16. the frame defines a rear edge opposite the striking face; 15. The polymeric front body of claim 14, wherein within the frame, greater than about 50% of the plurality of discontinuous fibers are aligned within about 30 degrees of parallel to an axis extending perpendicular to the horizontal axis from the ball striking surface to the rear edge.

17. The polymeric front body of claim 16 , wherein the axis extending from the ball striking surface to the rear edge is perpendicular to the rear edge.

18. The polymeric body of claim 11 , further comprising a plurality of reinforcing elements embedded within the striking face.

19. The polymeric body of claim 18 , wherein the plurality of reinforcing elements comprises orthogonal meshes.

20. each of the plurality of reinforcing elements having a diameter, and at least a first subset of the plurality of reinforcing elements arranged in a parallel arrangement; adjacent reinforcing elements of the first subset of the plurality of reinforcing elements are spaced apart from each other by a minimum distance; 20. The polymeric body of claim 18, wherein the minimum distance is at least twice the average diameter of the first subset of reinforcing elements.

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