Golf Club Heads With One or More Indented Inserts and Methods to Manufacture Golf Club Heads

• US 20080171612A1
• Filed: 12/19/2007
• Published: 07/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Inventors: Serrano, Anthony D., Morales, Eric J.
• Application Number:
  US11/960,532
• Publication Number:
  US 20080171612A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/329
• 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 53/0412 Volume
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• 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 with one or more indented inserts 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 body having a heel end, a toe end, a front end, a back end, a face portion, a bottom wall portion, and a top wall portion, the body having at least one opening positioned at or proximate to at least one of the bottom wall portion or the top wall portion; and

an insert to enclose the at least one opening, the insert having at least one indentation.

2. A golf club head as defined in claim 1 further comprising a side wall portion, wherein the at least one opening is positioned at or proximate to the side wall portion.

3. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one indentation comprises an indentation associated with at least one of a U-shaped contour or a V-shaped contour.

4. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one indentation comprises a first wall extending between the front and back ends, a second wall extending between the front and back ends, and a third wall extending between the top and bottom wall portions in a convex manner relative to the indentation.

5. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the insert comprises a first end and a second end, the insert tapers from the first end to the second end.

6. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the insert comprises an insert extending and tapering from the front end to the back end of the body.

7. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the insert comprises at least one of an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) material, a thermoplastic material, or a composite material.

8. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the golf club head is associated with a volume ranging from 450 cubic centimeters to 470 cubic centimeters.

9. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the golf club head comprises at least one of a driver-type club head, a fairway-wood type club head, or a hybrid-type club head.

10. A golf club comprising:

a shaft having a first end and a second end;

a grip coupled to the shaft at the first end;

a club head coupled to the shaft at the second end, the club head comprising a body having a heel end, a toe end, a front end, a back end, a face portion, a bottom wall portion, and a top wall portion, the body having at least one opening; and

an insert coupled to the body at the at least one opening, the insert having an indentation.

11. A golf club as defined in claim 10 further comprising a side wall portion, wherein the at least one opening is positioned at or proximate to the side wall portion.

12. A golf club as defined in claim 10, wherein the at least one indentation comprises an indentation associated with at least one of a U-shaped contour or a V-shaped contour.

13. A golf club as defined in claim 10, wherein the insert comprises a first end and a second end, and wherein the insert tapers from the first end to the second end.

14. A golf club as defined in claim 10, wherein the insert comprises an insert tapering from the front end to the back end of the body.

15. A golf club as defined in claim 10, wherein the insert comprises at least one of an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) material, a thermoplastic material, or a composite material.

16. A golf club as defined in claim 10, wherein the golf club comprises at least one of a driver-type club, a fairway-wood type club, or a hybrid-type club.

17. A method comprising:

providing a body having a heel end, a toe end, a front end, a back end, a face portion, a bottom wall portion, and a top wall portion, the body having at least one opening positioned at or proximate to at least one of the bottom wall portion or the top wall portion; and

enclosing the at least one opening with an insert, the insert having at least one indentation.

18. A method as defined in claim 17, wherein enclosing the at least one opening with the insert comprises enclosing an opening positioned at or proximate to a side wall portion.

19. A method as defined in claim 17, wherein enclosing the at least one opening with the insert comprises enclosing the at least one opening with an insert having an indentation associated with at least one of a U-shaped contour or a V-shaped contour.

20. A method as defined in claim 17, wherein enclosing the at least one opening with the insert comprises enclosing the at least one opening with an insert tapering from a first end to a second end.

21. A method as defined in claim 17, wherein enclosing the at least one opening with the insert comprises enclosing the at least one opening with an insert tapering from the front end to the back end of the body.

22. A method as defined in claim 17, wherein enclosing the at least one opening with the insert comprises enclosing the at least one opening with an insert comprising at least one of an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) material, a thermoplastic material, or a composite material.

23. An apparatus comprising:

a hollow body of a metal material having a plurality of openings, a heel end, a toe end, a skirt, a sole, a crown, and a surface to impact a golf ball, at least one of the skirt, the sole, or the crown having an opening associated with the plurality of openings; and

an insert coupled to the hollow body at a support portion associated with the opening, the insert having an indentation.

24. An apparatus as defined by claim 23, wherein the indentation comprises an indentation associated with at least one of a U-shaped contour or a V-shaped contour.

25. An apparatus as defined by claim 23, wherein the indentation comprises and indentation having a first wall extending between the front and back ends, a second wall extending between the front and back ends, and a third wall extending between the top and bottom wall portions in a convex manner relative to the indentation.

26. An apparatus as defined by claim 23, wherein the indentation comprises an indentation configured to hold at least one cubic centimeter of water.

27. An apparatus as defined by claim 23, wherein the insert comprises a first end and a second end, the insert tapers from the first end to the second end.

28. An apparatus as defined by claim 23, wherein the insert comprises at least one of an insert enclosing an opening located on the skirt and tapering from the heel end to the back end, or an insert enclosing an opening located on the skirt and tapering from the toe end to the back end.

29. An apparatus as defined by claim 23, wherein insert comprises at least one of an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) material, a thermoplastic material, or a composite material.