Golf club head or other ball striking device having multi-piece construction and method for manufacturing

• US 10,369,436 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2018
• Issued: 08/06/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Inventors: Lee, David S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US16/179,757
• Publication Number:
  US 20190070469A1
• Time in Patent Office: 277 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473287-292
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/02 with reinforcing fibres, e.g. carbon, polyamide fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/023 Long, oriented fibres, e.g. wound filaments, woven fabrics, mats
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/06 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49947 by applying separate fastener

Abstract

A ball striking device has a head that includes a metal face configured for striking a ball, a rearwardly extending metal band, a top piece, and a bottom piece. The metal band has a first end extending from one side of the face, a second end extending from the opposite side of the face, and a rear portion extending between the first and second ends and defining at least a portion of the rear periphery of the head. The top piece and the bottom piece are non-metallic or substantially non-metallic. The top piece is connected to the top side of the metal band and forms at least a portion of a top side of the head, and the bottom piece is connected to the bottom side of the metal band and forms at least a portion of a bottom side of the head. The top piece and the bottom piece are separated by the metal band.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a face member having a ball striking face configured for striking a ball;

a continuous metal band having a first end extending from a first side of the face member, a second end extending from a second, opposite side of the face member, and a rear portion extending between the first and second ends,

wherein the golf club head further comprises a metal arm extending across a middle of the bottom side of the golf club head from the ball striking face to a rear, central location of the metal band,

wherein a first bottom opening is at least partially defined by the metal band and the metal arm,

wherein a second bottom opening is at least partially defined by the metal band and the metal arm,

the metal band at least partially defining a first opening on a bottom side of the metal band,

wherein the metal band includes a first ridge extending around the first bottom opening located on an interior surface of the metal band;

wherein the metal band includes a second ridge extending around the second bottom opening located on an interior surface of the metal band;

a first substantially non-metallic bottom piece connected to the metal band and the metal arm forming at least a portion of a bottom side of the golf club head,

a second substantially non-metallic bottom piece connected to the metal band and the metal arm forming at least a portion of a bottom side of the golf club head,

wherein the first substantially non-metallic bottom piece is positioned to cover the first bottom opening,

wherein the second substantially non-metallic bottom piece is positioned to cover the second bottom opening,

such that a portion of the first bottom piece and the second bottom piece engage the interior surface of the metal band around the first bottom opening and the second bottom opening to secure the first and second bottom pieces in place, and

further engage the first and second ridges extending around the first and second bottom openings to secure the first and second bottom pieces in place,

wherein the golf club head further comprises at least one hole formed in the metallic band,

wherein at least one threaded screw base is fixedly attached on an interior surface of the golf club head, such that a threaded hole in the at least one threaded screw base is aligned with the at least one hole formed in the metallic band, and

wherein the golf club head further comprises at least one threaded weight,

wherein the at least one threaded screw base and the at least one hole formed in the metallic band are configured to receive the at least one threaded weight,

wherein the at least one threaded weight is threadedly attached to the golf club head by threading the at least one threaded weight into the at least one threaded screw base through the at least one hole formed in the metallic band.

2. The golf club head of claim 1,

wherein the metal band at least partially defines a top opening on a top side of the metal band,

wherein the metal band includes a third ridge extending around a portion of the top opening located on the interior surface of the metal band;

and

the golf club head further comprises a substantially non-metallic top piece connected to the top side of the metal band and forming at least a portion of a top side of the golf club head,

wherein the top piece is positioned to cover the top opening and is larger than the top opening,

such that a portion of the top piece engages the interior surface of the metal band around the top opening to secure the top piece in place

and

further engages the third ridge extending around the second top opening to secure the top piece in place.

3. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the top piece and the first and second bottom pieces are separated by the metal band.

4. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the top piece and the first and second bottom pieces are made from carbon fiber-polymer composite materials.

5. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein the first and second bottom pieces are connected to the metal band by an adhesive.

6. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the ball striking face and the metal band are made from a titanium alloy.

7. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the face member and the metal band are formed separately and are connected by an integral joining technique.

8. The golf club head of claim 1,

wherein the face member is a cup face member that includes a ball striking face and a return portion extending rearward from a periphery of the ball striking face,

wherein the metal band is connected to the return portion and extends rearwardly from the return portion.

9. The golf club head of claim 8,

wherein walls of the return portion comprise a return wall length,

wherein the return wall length comprises a range of 0.25 inch to 2.0 inches.

10. The golf club head of claim 1,

wherein the metal band comprises a metal band width,

wherein the metal band width varies as a metal band location is a greater distance from the face member,

wherein the metal band width is greater as the metal band location is a greater distance from the face member as measured along a perimeter distance around the metal band,

wherein the perimeter distance is measured from either the first side of the face member, or the second, opposite side of the face member towards the rear, central location of the metal band.

11. A golf club head comprising:

a face member having a ball striking face configured for striking a ball;

a continuous metal band having a first end extending from a first side of the face member, a second end extending from a second, opposite side of the face member,

and

a rear portion extending between the first and second ends,

a metal arm extending across the middle of a bottom side of the golf club head from the face member to a rear, central location of a metal band,

wherein the metal band and the return portion combine to define a first bottom opening and a second bottom opening on a bottom side of the metal band,

wherein the metal band includes a first ridge extending around the first bottom opening and a second ridge extending around the second bottom opening;

wherein the first and second ridges are located on an interior surface of the metal band and the metal arm,

and

wherein the first bottom opening and the second bottom opening are defined by at least a portion of the metal band and the metal arm;

and substantially non-metallic bottom pieces are connected to the metal band and form at least a portion of a bottom side of the golf club head,

wherein the bottom pieces are positioned to cover the first and the second bottom openings,

such that a portion of the first and second bottom pieces engages the inner interior surface of the metal band and the metal arm around the first and the second bottom openings to secure the first and second bottom pieces in place,

and

further engage the first and second ridges extending around the first and the second bottom openings to secure the first and second bottom pieces in place,

wherein the golf club head further comprises at least one hole formed in the metallic band,

wherein at least one threaded screw base is fixedly attached on an interior surface of the golf club head, such that a threaded hole in the at least one threaded screw base is aligned with the at least one hole formed in the metallic band, and

wherein the golf club head further comprises at least one threaded weight,

wherein the at least one threaded screw base and the at least one hole formed in the metallic band are configured to receive the at least one threaded weight,

wherein the at least one threaded weight is threadedly attached to the golf club head by threading the at least one threaded weight into the at least one threaded screw base through the at least one hole formed in the metallic band.

12. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the first and second bottom pieces are made from carbon fiber-polymer composite materials.

13. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the face member and the metal band are formed separately and are connected by an integral joining technique.

14. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the first and second bottom pieces are connected to the metal band by an adhesive.

15. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the metal arm and the metal band are formed together as a single, unitary piece.

16. The golf club head of claim 11,

wherein the face member is a cup face member that includes a ball striking face and a return portion extending rearward from a periphery of the ball striking face,

wherein the band is connected to the return portion and extends rearwardly from the return portion.

17. A golf club head comprising:

a ball striking face configured for striking a ball, wherein the ball striking face is formed by a cup face member that includes a ball striking face and a return portion extending rearward from a periphery of the ball striking face;

a continuous metal band having a first end extending from a first side of the return portion, a second end extending from a second, opposite side of the return portion, and a rear portion extending between the first and second ends,

wherein the metal band forms an outer periphery of the golf club head forming a heel, a toe and a rear of the golf club head;

a substantially non-metallic top piece connected to an interior surface of the metal band and an interior surface of the return portion,

wherein the top piece forms a portion of a top side of the golf club head;

wherein the portion of the top piece forming the top side of the golf club head extends from the return portion to the outer periphery of the golf club head around the heel, the toe, and the rear of the of the golf club head;

and

wherein the substantially non-metallic top piece does not extend below a bottom edge of the metal band,

wherein the metal band defines first and second openings on a bottom side of the golf club head,

wherein the metal band includes a first and second ridge extending around the first and second openings located on an interior surface of the metal band,

and

wherein the golf club head further comprises;

substantially non-metallic first and second bottom pieces connected to the metal band and forming at least a portion of a bottom side of the golf club head,

wherein the first and second bottom pieces cover the opening, such that a portion of the first and second bottom pieces engage the interior surface of the metal band around the first and second bottom openings to secure the first and second bottom pieces in place,

and

further engage the first and second ridges extending around the first and second bottom openings to secure the first and second bottom pieces in place,

wherein the golf club head further comprises at least one hole formed in the metallic band,

wherein at least one threaded screw base is fixedly attached on an interior surface of the golf club head, such that a threaded hole in the at least one threaded screw base is aligned with the at least one hole formed in the metallic band, and

wherein the golf club head further comprises at least one threaded weight,

wherein the at least one threaded screw base and the at least one hole formed in the metallic band are configured to receive the at least one threaded weight,

wherein the at least one threaded weight is threadedly attached to the golf club head by threading the at least one threaded weight into the at least one threaded screw base through the at least one hole formed in the metallic band.

18. The golf club head of claim 17, wherein the top piece is made from carbon fiber-polymer composite materials.

19. The golf club head of claim 18, wherein the top piece is connected to the metal band and the return portion by an adhesive.