Golf club heads with apertures and filler materials

• US 10,124,224 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2016
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Inventors: Solheim, John A., Morales, Eric J., Henrikson, Erik M., Cole, Eric V., Wood, Paul D., Jertson, Martin R., Stokke, Ryan M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Alvin
• Application Number:
  US15/148,814
• Publication Number:
  US 20160250534A1
• Time in Patent Office: 921 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/50 with through-holes A63B60/18 takes precedence; for stringing purposes A63B49/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/52 with slits

Abstract

Embodiments of golf club heads with apertures and methods to manufacture golf club heads are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a face, a heel, a toe, a top edge, and a sole;

a back defined opposite the face;

a crown extending between the top edge of the face to the back and between the heel to the toe, the crown comprising;

a first region having a center portion being concave relative to the face;

a second region between the first region and the back; and

a plurality of apertures in the second region, a largest dimension of at least one aperture being less than or equal to 0.25 inch, wherein all of the apertures have generally the same largest dimension;

a hollow region defined at least in part by one or more of the face, the back, the crown, the sole, the heel, and the toe, wherein at least a portion of the hollow region includes a filler material; and

wherein the number of the plurality of apertures is in a range of between 60 to 1500 apertures.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the plurality of apertures defines at least one repeating pattern of apertures.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising a recess defined in the second region, wherein the plurality of apertures is defined within the recess.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising a protective cover configured to engage the crown to cover the plurality of apertures.

5. A golf club head comprising:

a face, a heel, a toe, a top edge, and a sole;

a back defined opposite the face;

a crown extending between the top edge of the face to the back and between the heel to the toe, the crown comprising;

a first region having a center portion being concave relative to the face;

a second region between the first region and the back;

a plurality of apertures in the second region, a largest dimension of at least one aperture being less than or equal to 0.25 inch, wherein all of the apertures have generally the same largest dimension; and

at least one reinforcing rib extending between the face and the back, wherein a smallest width of the reinforcing rib is greater than the largest dimension;

a hollow region defined at least in part by one or more of the face, the back, the crown, the sole, the heel, and the toe, wherein at least a portion of the hollow region includes a filler material; and

wherein the crown further comprises a recess defined in the second region, wherein the plurality of apertures is defined within the recess.

6. The golf club head of claim 5, wherein the plurality of apertures defines at least one repeating pattern of apertures.

7. The golf club head of claim 5, wherein the plurality of apertures are formed by chemical etching.

8. The golf club head of claim 5, further comprising a protective cover configured to engage the crown to cover the plurality of apertures.

9. The golf club head of claim 5, wherein the number of the plurality of apertures is in a range of between 60 to 1500 apertures.

10. A method for manufacturing a golf club comprising:

forming a club head comprising a face, a heel, a toe, a sole, a top edge, a back defined opposite the face, a crown extending between the top edge of the face to the back and between the heel to the toe, and a hollow region defined at least in part by one or more of the back, the crown, the sole, the heel, and the toe, wherein at least a portion of the hollow region includes a filler material;

forming a plurality of apertures in the crown, a largest dimension of at least one aperture being less than or equal to 0.25 inch, the crown defining a first region having a center portion being concave relative to the face, and a second region between the first region and the back, wherein the apertures are formed in the second region by stamping the crown.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising forming a recess in the second region prior to forming the plurality of apertures in the second region.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising forming at least one reinforcing rib in the second region.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising forming at least one reinforcing rib in the second region, the reinforcing rib defined by portions of the second region being without apertures.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising attaching a cover on the second region.