Golf club heads and methods to manufacture golf club heads

• US 10,596,424 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2017
• Issued: 03/24/2020
• 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:
  US15/703,639
• Publication Number:
  US 20180001162A1
• Time in Patent Office: 923 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 53/0412 Volume
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• 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 60/02 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 with a toe portion, a heel portion, a top portion, a sole portion, a back portion, and a front face portion. The body portion may comprise stainless steel having a density between 7.0 and 8.3 grams per cubic centimeter and a tensile strength between 600 million and 800 million Newtons per square meter. The golf club head may include an interior cavity and a plurality of weight portions. The interior cavity may be filled with an elastic polymer material. Other examples and embodiments may be described and claimed.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a body portion having a toe portion, a heel portion, a top portion, a sole portion, a front portion having a face portion with a front surface and a back surface, and a back portion with a back wall portion, a maximum distance between the top portion and the sole portion being greater than a maximum distance between the face portion and the back wall portion, the face portion having a thickness between the front and back surfaces of less than or equal to 1.905 millimeters (0.075 inch);

a first weight portion having a first mass and a height, an outer surface of the first weight portion including a threaded portion at least partially extending along a height of the first weight portion;

a second weight portion having a second mass greater than the first mass, the second weight portion located at or below a horizontal midplane of the body portion;

an interior cavity extending between the top and sole portions;

at least one port on the body portion connected to the interior cavity, the at least one port configured to receive the first weight portion and surround the first weight portion along the height of the first weight portion, the at least one port having a first opening configured to receive the first weight portion and a second opening smaller than the first opening to prevent any portion of the first weight portion from entering the second opening, the second opening being between the first opening and the interior cavity to connect the first opening to the interior cavity, the at least one port having a first port wall between the first opening and the second opening and a second port wall between the second opening and the interior cavity;

an elastic polymer material injected in the interior cavity from the at least one port,

wherein the body portion comprises steel having a density of between 7.0 grams per cubic centimeter and 8.3 grams per cubic centimeter, and a tensile strength between 600 million Newtons per square meter (600 Megapascals) and 800 million Newtons per square meter (800 Megapascals),

wherein a distance between the first opening and the second opening is similar or substantially similar to the height of the first weight portion, and

wherein the first port wall is threaded to engage the threaded portion of the first weight portion to secure the first weight portion inside the at least one port between the first opening and the second opening.

2. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the body portion comprises steel having a yield strength between 500 Newtons per square meter (500 Megapascals) and 700 million Newtons per square meter (700 Megapascals).

3. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the body portion comprises steel having a hardness of between 10 Rockwell Hardness in the C scale (HRC) and 40 HRC.

4. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the body portion comprises steel having an elongation of between 5% and 40%.

5. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein a portion of the elastic polymer material separates the face portion and the first weight portion.

6. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the second weight portion is larger than the first weight portion.

7. A golf club head comprising:

a body portion having a toe portion, a heel portion, a top portion, a sole portion, a front portion having a face portion with a front surface and a back surface, and a back portion with a back wall portion, a maximum distance between the top portion and the sole portion being greater than a maximum distance between the face portion and the back wall portion, the face portion having a thickness between the front and back surfaces of less than or equal to 1.905 millimeters (0.075 inch);

an interior cavity extending between the top and sole portions;

at least one port connected to the interior cavity, the at least one port having a first opening with a first diameter and a second opening with a second diameter smaller than the first diameter to define a shoulder between the first opening and the second opening, the second opening being between the first opening and the interior cavity to connect the first opening to the interior cavity;

an elastic polymer material injected in the interior cavity from the at least one port; and

at least one weight portion having a first end and a second end, the at least one weight portion inserted into the first opening of the at least one port from the first end to close the at least one port,

wherein the shoulder of the at least one port engages the first end of the at least one weight portion to prevent any portion of the at least one weight portion from entering the second opening,

wherein the body portion comprises steel material having a density of between 7.0 grams per cubic centimeter and 8.3 grams per cubic centimeter, and a tensile strength between 600 million Newtons per square meter (600 Megapascals) and 800 million Newtons per square meter (800 Megapascals), and

wherein the elastic polymer material separates the face portion and the at least one weight portion.

8. A golf club head as defined in claim 7, wherein the body portion comprises steel having a yield strength between 500 million Newtons per square meter (500 Megapascals) and 700 million Newtons per square meter (700 Megapascals).

9. A golf club head as defined in claim 7, wherein the body portion comprises steel having a hardness of between 10 Rockwell Hardness in the C scale (HRC) and 40 HRC.

10. A golf club head as defined in claim 7, wherein the body portion comprises steel having an elongation of between 5% and 40%.

11. A golf club head as defined in claim 7 further comprising another weight portion being integral with the body portion.

12. A golf club head as defined in claim 7, wherein the at least one weight portion comprises a material having a greater density than the density of the steel material of the body portion.

13. A golf club head as defined in claim 7, wherein a distance between the at least one port and the heel portion is greater than a distance between the at least one port and the toe portion.

14. A golf club head comprising:

a body portion having an interior cavity, a toe portion, a heel portion, a top portion, a sole portion, a front portion having a face portion with a front surface and a back surface, a back portion with a back wall portion, a maximum distance between the top portion and the sole portion being greater than a maximum distance between the face portion and the back wall portion;

at least one port on the body portion connected to the interior cavity, the at least one port having a first opening and a second opening between the first opening and the interior cavity to connect the first opening to the interior cavity;

a polymer material in the interior cavity configured to partially or entirely fill the interior cavity by injection molding from the first opening of the at least one port, the polymer material configured to at least partially structurally support the face portion during impact of the face portion with a golf ball;

a weight portion having a height and inserted into the at least one port to close the first opening;

wherein the body portion comprises steel having a density of between 7.0 grams per cubic centimeter and 8.3 grams per cubic centimeter, and a tensile strength between 600 million Newtons per square meter (600 Megapascals) and 800 million Newtons per square meter (800 Megapascals),

wherein the face portion has a first thickness between the front and back surfaces of less than or equal to 1.905 millimeters (0.075 inch) and second thickness having a greater thickness than the first thickness,

wherein a portion of the at least one port between the first opening and the second opening surrounds the weight portion along the height of the weight portion, and

wherein the height of the at least one weight portion is less than or equal to a distance between the first opening and the second opening.

15. A golf club head as defined in claim 14, wherein the body portion comprises steel having a yield strength between 500 million Newtons per square meter (500 Megapascals) and 700 million Newtons per square meter (700 Megapascals).

16. A golf club head as defined in claim 14, wherein the body portion comprises steel having a hardness of between 10 Rockwell Hardness in the C scale (HRC) and 40 HRC.

17. A golf club head as defined in claim 14, wherein the body portion comprises steel having an elongation of between 5% and 40%.

18. A golf club head as defined in claim 14 further comprising at least another weight portion located at or below a horizontal midplane of the body portion.

19. A golf club head as defined in claim 14, wherein a distance between the weight portion and the heel portion is greater than a distance between the weight portion and the toe portion.

20. A golf club head as defined in claim 14 further comprising another weight portion having a greater density than the weight portion.