Golf club heads with apertures and methods to manufacture golf club heads

• US 10,195,498 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2017
• Issued: 02/05/2019
• 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., Schweigert, Bradley D., Jertson, Marty R., Shaw, Tyler A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Alvin
• Application Number:
  US15/490,161
• Publication Number:
  US 20170225048A1
• Time in Patent Office: 658 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/023 Long, oriented fibres, e.g. wound filaments, woven fabrics, mats
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• 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 53/08 with special arrangements for obtaining a variable impact
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/52 with slits
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4998 Combined manufacture including applying or shaping of fluent material

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 portion, a back portion generally opposite to the face portion, a heel portion extending between the face portion and the back portion, and a toe portion opposite to the heel portion and extending between the face portion and the back portion;

a crown portion extending between the face portion, the back portion, the heel portion and the toe portion, the crown portion comprising a plurality of apertures formed entirely through the crown portion; and

a protective cover configured to engage the crown portion to cover the plurality of apertures;

wherein each aperture has a largest dimension being less than or equal to 0.093 inch; and

wherein the number of the plurality of apertures is in a range of between 576 and 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, wherein all of the apertures have generally the same largest dimension.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein at least two of the apertures have different largest dimensions.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the largest dimension of each adjacent aperture progressively increases in a direction generally from the face portion towards the back portion.

6. A method of manufacturing a golf club head comprising:

forming a face portion, a back portion generally opposite to the face portion, a heel portion extending between the face portion and the back portion, and a toe portion opposite to the heel portion and extending between the face portion and the back portion; and

forming a crown portion extending between the face portion, the back portion, the heel portion and the toe portion; and

forming a plurality of apertures entirely through the crown portion; and

forming a protective cover configured to engage the crown portion to cover the plurality of apertures;

wherein forming the plurality of apertures comprises forming each aperture having a largest dimension being less than or equal to 0.093 inch; and

wherein forming the plurality of apertures comprises forming between 576 and 1500 apertures.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein forming the plurality of apertures comprises forming all of the apertures to have generally the same largest dimension.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein forming the plurality of apertures comprises forming at least two of the apertures to have different largest dimensions.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the plurality of apertures is formed by chemical etching.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the plurality of apertures and the crown portion are formed together.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein forming the plurality of apertures comprises forming each adjacent aperture such that the largest dimension progressively increases in a direction generally from the face portion towards the back portion.

12. A golf club head comprising:

a face portion, a back portion generally opposite to the face portion, a heel portion extending between the face portion and the back portion, and a toe portion opposite to the heel portion and extending between the face portion and the back portion;

a crown portion extending between the face portion, the back portion, the heel portion and the toe portion, the crown portion comprising a plurality of apertures;

wherein the plurality of apertures further comprises;

a plurality of first apertures comprising a first largest dimension and extending in a first row between the heel portion and the toe portion;

a plurality of second apertures comprising a second largest dimension and extending in a second row between the heel portion and the toe portion; and

a plurality of third apertures comprising a third largest dimension and extending in a third row between the heel portion and the toe portion;

wherein;

the first row is nearest to the face portion;

the second row is between the first row and the back portion;

the third row is between the second row and the back portion;

the first largest dimension is less than the second largest dimension; and

the second largest dimension is less than the third largest dimension; and

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

13. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein the plurality of apertures defines at least one repeating pattern of apertures.

14. The golf club head of claim 12, further comprising a recessed portion defined in the crown portion, wherein the plurality of apertures is defined within the recessed portion.

15. The golf club head of claim 12, further comprising a protective cover configured to engage the crown to cover the plurality of apertures.

16. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein the largest dimension of each adjacent aperture progressively increases in a direction generally from the face portion towards the back portion.

17. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein at least one of the plurality of apertures has a largest dimension being less than or equal to 0.093 inch.