Golf club heads and methods to manufacture golf club heads

• US 10,478,684 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2018
• Issued: 11/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Parsons Xtreme Golf, Llc
• Original Assignee: Parsons Xtreme Golf, Llc
• Inventors: Parsons, Robert R., Nicolette, Michael R., Schweigert, Bradley D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US16/039,496
• Publication Number:
  US 20180318673A1
• Time in Patent Office: 488 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473287-292
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0479 Wedge-type clubs, details thereof
• 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 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0445 Details of grooves or the like on the impact surface
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0475 with one or more enclosed cavities
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/002 Resonance frequency related characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations

Abstract

Embodiments of golf club heads and methods to manufacture golf club heads are generally described herein. In one example, a golf club head may include a body portion having a toe portion, a heel portion, a top portion, a sole portion, a front portion, a back portion, a hosel portion, a first interior cavity, and a hosel transition portion between the first interior cavity and the hosel portion. The golf club head may include a second interior cavity extending into the hosel transition portion and connected to the first interior cavity. The body portion may include a port connected to the first interior cavity. The first interior cavity may be filled with a polymer material from the port. The golf club head may include a mass portion located at or below a horizontal midplane of the body portion. Other examples and embodiments may be described and claimed.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a hollow body portion having a toe portion with a toe portion edge, a heel portion with a heel portion edge and a hosel portion, a top portion with a top portion edge, a sole portion with a sole portion edge, a front portion, and a back portion with a back wall portion;

a face portion coupled to the body portion enclosing the front portion to create a first interior cavity;

a hosel transition portion between the first interior cavity and the hosel portion;

a second interior cavity extending into the hosel transition portion and connected to the first interior cavity, the second interior cavity extending from a location at or proximate to the top edge portion of the top portion to a location at or proximate to the sole edge portion of the sole portion, and the second interior cavity extending from the face portion toward the hosel portion;

a channel on the back wall portion, the channel including at least one groove extending from the toe portion edge toward the heel portion edge, the channel defining an indented portion of the back wall portion;

a first set of ports including at least one port above the channel, a distance between the at least one port of the first set of ports and the toe portion edge being substantially less than a distance between the at least one port of the first set of ports and the hosel portion; and

a second set of ports including at least one port below the channel, a distance between the at least one port of the second set of ports and the toe portion edge being substantially less than a distance between the at least one port of the second set of ports and the hosel portion,

wherein at least one port of the first set of ports or the second set of ports is connected to the first interior cavity to provide a connected port,

wherein the first interior cavity and the second interior cavity are at least partially filled with a polymer material from the connected port,

wherein a width of the at least one groove decreases from the toe portion edge toward the heel portion edge, and

wherein a distance between the at least one groove and a horizontal midplane of the body portion increases from the toe portion edge toward the heel portion edge.

2. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein a height of the second interior cavity extending between the top portion edge and the sole portion edge is substantially greater than a depth of the second interior cavity extending between the face portion and the hosel portion.

3. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein a height of the second interior cavity extending between the top portion edge and the sole portion edge is substantially greater than a width of the second interior cavity extending between the face portion and the back wall portion.

4. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one groove is between the second set of ports and the horizontal midplane.

5. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the second interior cavity comprises a bottom portion facing the toe portion and including a first curved portion extending from a location at or proximate to the top portion edge toward the sole portion edge and the hosel portion, a second curved portion extending from a location at or proximate to the sole portion edge toward the top portion edge and the hosel portion, and a third portion extending between the first curved portion and the second curved portion, the third portion having a different curvature than the first curved portion and the second curved portion.

6. A golf club head as defined in claim 1 further comprising a first set of mass portions including at least one mass portion and a second set of mass portions including at least one mass portion, wherein the at least one mass portion of the second set of mass portions has a greater height than the at least one mass portion of the first set of mass portions, wherein the at least one port of the first set of ports is configured to receive the at least one mass portion of the first set of mass portions, wherein the at least one port of the second set of ports is configured to receive the at least one mass portion of the second set of mass portions, and wherein the first set of mass portions and the second set of mass portions are made from a material having a greater density than a material of the body portion.

7. A golf club head as defined in claim 1 further comprising a first set of mass portions above the channel and a second set of mass portions below the at least one groove, wherein the second set of mass portion includes a substantially greater number of mass portions than the first set of mass portions.

8. A golf club head comprising:

a hollow body portion having a toe portion with a toe portion edge, a heel portion with a heel portion edge and a hosel portion, a top portion with a top portion edge, a sole portion with a sole portion edge, a front portion, and a back portion with a back wall portion;

a face portion coupled to the body portion enclosing the front portion to create a first interior cavity;

a hosel transition portion between the first interior cavity and the hosel portion;

a second interior cavity extending into the hosel transition portion and connected to the first interior cavity, the second interior cavity having a height extending between the top portion edge and the sole portion edge and a depth extending between the face portion and the hosel portion;

a channel on the back wall portion, the channel including at least one groove extending from the toe portion edge toward the heel portion edge, the channel defining an indented portion of the back wall portion;

a first set of ports including at least one port above the channel, a distance between the at least one port of the first set of ports and the toe portion edge being substantially less than a distance between the at least one port of the first set of ports and the hosel portion; and

a second set of ports including at least one port below the channel, a distance between the at least one port of the second set of ports and the toe portion edge being substantially less than a distance between the at least one port of the second set of ports and the hosel portion,

wherein at least one of the at least one port of the first set of ports or the at least one port of the second set of ports is connected to the first interior cavity to provide a connected port,

wherein the first interior cavity and the second interior cavity are at least partially filled with a polymer material from the connected port,

wherein a width of the at least one groove decreases from the toe portion edge toward the heel portion edge,

wherein the at least one groove is below a horizontal midplane of the body portion and above the second set of ports, and

wherein the height of the second interior cavity is substantially greater than the depth of the second interior cavity.

9. A golf club head as defined in claim 8, wherein the height of the second interior cavity is substantially greater than a width of the second interior cavity extending between the face portion and the back wall portion.

10. A golf club head as defined in claim 8, wherein a distance between the at least one groove and the horizontal midplane increases from the toe portion edge toward the heel portion edge.

11. A golf club head as defined in claim 8, wherein a distance between the at least one port of the second set of ports and the at least one groove is less than a distance between the at least one port of the first set of ports and the at least one groove.

12. A golf club head as defined in claim 8, wherein a width of the channel is greater than or equal to 30% and less than or equal to 50% of a distance between the top portion edge and the sole portion edge.

13. A golf club head as defined in claim 8 further comprising a first set of mass portions including at least one mass portion and a second set of mass portions including at least one mass portion, wherein the at least one mass portion of the second set of mass portions has a greater height than the at least one mass portion of the first set of mass portions, wherein the at least one port of the first set of ports is configured to receive the at least one mass portion of the first set of mass portions, wherein the at least one port of the second set of ports is configured to receive the at least one mass portion of the second set of mass portions, and wherein the first set of mass portions and the second set of mass portions are made from a material having a greater density than a material of the body portion.

14. A golf club head as defined in claim 8 further comprising a first set of mass portions above the channel and a second set of mass portions below the at least one groove, wherein the second set of mass portion includes a substantially greater number of mass portions than the first set of mass portions.

15. A golf club head comprising:

a hollow body portion comprising a material associated with a first density, the body portion having a toe portion with a toe portion edge, a heel portion with a heel portion edge and a hosel portion, a top portion with a top portion edge, a sole portion with a sole portion edge, a front portion, and a back portion with a back wall portion;

a face portion coupled to the body portion enclosing the front portion to create a first interior cavity;

a hosel transition portion between the first interior cavity and the hosel portion;

a second interior cavity extending into the hosel transition portion and connected to the first interior cavity, the second interior cavity extending from a location at or proximate to the top edge portion of the top portion to a location at or proximate to the sole edge portion of the sole portion, and the second interior cavity extending from the face portion toward the hosel portion;

a channel on the back wall portion, the channel including at least one groove extending from the toe portion edge toward the heel portion edge, the channel defining an indented portion of the back wall portion;

a first port above the channel; and

a second port below the channel,

wherein the first port or the second port is connected to the first interior cavity to provide a connected port,

wherein the first interior cavity and the second interior cavity are at least partially filled with a polymer material from the connected port,

wherein the at least one groove is below a horizontal midplane of the body portion,

wherein a portion of the channel is above the horizontal midplane,

wherein a distance between the at least one groove and the horizontal midplane increases from the toe portion edge toward the heel portion edge,

wherein a width of the channel is greater than or equal to 30% and less than or equal to 50% of a distance between the top portion edge and the sole portion edge, and

wherein a distance between the second port and the groove is less than a distance between the first port and the groove.

16. A golf club head as defined in claim 15, wherein the height of the second interior cavity is substantially greater than a width of the second interior cavity extending between the face portion and the back wall portion.

17. A golf club head as defined in claim 15, wherein a distance between the second port and the at least one groove is less than a distance between the first port and the at least one groove.

18. A golf club head as defined in claim 15 further comprising a first mass portion and a second mass portion, wherein the second mass portion has a greater height than the first mass portion, wherein the first port is configured to receive the first mass portion, wherein the second port is configured to receive the second mass portion, and wherein the first mass portion and the second mass portion are made from a material having a greater density than a material of the body portion.

19. A golf club head as defined in claim 15 further comprising a first mass portion above the channel and a second mass portion below the at least one groove, wherein the second mass portion has a greater mass than the first mass portion.

20. A golf club head as defined in claim 15, wherein the second interior cavity comprises a bottom portion facing the toe portion and including a first curved portion extending from a location at or proximate to the top portion edge toward the sole portion edge and the hosel portion, a second curved portion extending from a location at or proximate to the sole portion edge toward the top portion edge and the hosel portion, and a third portion extending between the first curved portion and the second curved portion, the third portion having a different curvature than the first curved portion and the second curved portion.