Golf Clubs and Methods of Manufacture

• US 20090029800A1
• Filed: 07/25/2007
• Published: 01/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Inventors: Chen, Xiaojian, Jones, David D.
• Application Number:
  US11/828,228
• Publication Number:
  US 20090029800A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/346
• 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 53/04 Heads
• 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 53/0441 with visual indicators for aligning the golf club
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49986 Subsequent to metal working
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49993 Filling of opening

Abstract

Embodiments of golf clubs and methods of manufacture are generally described herein. In one embodiment, a golf club head is provided comprising a golf club head housing including a hollow portion having a cavity. A material can be inserted into the cavity to dampen a frequency response of walls of the hollow portion. The golf club head further comprises sight cues to assist a golfer to align the golf club head with a golf ball. Various other embodiments may be described herein and claimed.

Claims

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

providing a golf club head housing comprising;

a hollow portion having a cavity; and

a front end having an opening coupled to the cavity;

providing a face plate module comprising;

a strike face plate; and

an insert coupled to the strike face plate and sized to fit within the cavity; and

positioning the face plate module into the cavity and the opening.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

positioning the face plate module further comprises;

positioning the insert into the cavity to change an impact sound created when a golf ball strikes the face plate; and

positioning the strike face plate into the opening.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein:

providing the golf club head housing further comprises;

providing the hollow portion to comprise a first material having a first density; and

providing the face plate module further comprises;

providing the insert to comprise a second material having a second density lower than the first density.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing a golf ball alignment feature; and

coupling the golf ball alignment feature to the hollow portion such that the golf ball alignment feature is (a) located adjacent to a top portion of the strike face plate and (b) substantially perpendicular to the strike face plate in the opening.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein:

providing the golf club head housing further comprises;

providing the hollow portion to further comprise sidewalls defining at least a portion of the cavity;

positioning the face plate module further comprises;

positioning the insert into the cavity such that the insert contacts the sidewalls; and

positioning the strike face plate into the opening.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein:

providing the golf club head housing further comprises;

providing the golf club head housing to be a putter head housing.

7. The method head of claim 1 wherein:

providing the golf club head housing further comprises;

providing the cavity to be narrower than the opening.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

providing the golf club head housing further comprises;

providing the housing to have at least a first aperture; and

the method further comprises;

injecting a first material through the first aperture into the cavity.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

applying a coating into the cavity before positioning the face plate module into the opening.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the free plate is removable to facilitate inserting an additional material to further adjust a predetermined frequency response during contact of the golf club head with a golf ball.

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

providing a golf club head body comprising a chamber; and

coating one or more walls of the chamber with a material while leaving an interior portion of the chamber hollow.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

closing the chamber after coating the one or more walls of the chamber by coupling a face plate to a front portion of the golf club head body.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

providing an insert into the cavity before closing the chamber.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein:

the insert comprises a polymer material.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein:

the insert comprises a preform polymer material.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein:

providing the golf club head body further comprises;

providing a recess on a top portion of the golf club head body.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

providing a golf alignment feature in the recess.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein:

providing the golf alignment feature further comprises providing contrasting colors to facilitate viewing an indicia.

19. The method of claim 10 wherein:

coating one or more walls of the chamber further comprises applying one or more additional coatings to the one or more walls of the chamber to attain a predetermined frequency response during contact of the golf club head with a golf ball.

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

providing a body comprising a compartment with a first aperture;

providing a lid comprising;

an outer portion; and

an inner portion; and

coupling the lid to the first aperture such that the outer portion of the lid forms an outer portion of the body, and the inner portion of the lid extends into the compartment.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising:

positioning a material between the inner and outer portions of the lid;

wherein;

coupling the lid to the first aperture further comprises;

inserting the material into the compartment while coupling the lid to the first aperture.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein:

inserting the material into the compartment further comprises;

inserting the material into the compartment so that the material contacts at least one inner surface of the compartment.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein:

inserting the material into the compartment further comprises;

compressing the material while inserting the material into the compartment.

24. The method of claim 20 wherein:

providing the body further comprises;

providing the body to comprise a first surface and a second surface;

wherein;

the first surface comprises the first aperture; and

the second surface comprises a second aperture;

providing the lid further comprises;

providing the inner portion to comprise a third aperture; and

coupling the lid to the first aperture further comprises;

aligning the third aperture to the second aperture while coupling the lid to the first aperture.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising:

inserting a material into the compartment through the second aperture and through the third aperture.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein:

the material comprises a polymer.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein:

the material comprises a liquid.

28. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

providing a golf alignment feature on the outer portion.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein:

the golf alignment feature is further positioned in a recess on the outer portion.

30. A method of manufacturing a golf club comprising:

providing a body comprising a compartment with a first aperture;

providing a lid comprising;

an outer portion; and

an inner portion;

coupling the lid to the first aperture such that the outer portion of the lid forms an outer portion of the body, and the inner portion of the lid extends into the compartment;

providing a shaft; and

coupling the shaft to the body.

31. The method of claim 30 further comprising:

applying a coating to the compartment before coupling the lid to the first aperture.

32. The method of claim 30 further comprising:

providing a lid with a second aperture to access the compartment.

33. The method of claim 32 further comprising:

providing a first material through the second aperture into the compartment.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein:

the first material comprises a foam or a liquid.

35. The method of claim 30 further comprising:

coupling a first material to the inner portion, wherein the first material is sized to contact sidewalls of the compartment.

36. The method of claim 33 wherein:

the first material comprises a polymer.

37. The method of claim 30 further comprising:

providing a first material in the compartment before coupling the lid to the first aperture.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein:

the first material comprises a polymer, a foam, or a liquid.

39. A golf club head comprising:

a body comprising a compartment with an outer surface having a first aperture; and

a lid coupled to the first aperture and comprising;

an outer portion forming a portion of the outer surface of the body; and

an inner portion extending into the compartment.

40. The golf club head of claim 39 wherein:

the golf club head comprises a putter head.

41. The golf club head of claim 39 further comprising:

a coating on sidewalls of the compartment.

42. The golf club head of claim 39 further comprising:

a first material between the first and second portions of the lid and contacting sidewalls of the compartment.

43. The golf club head of claim 39 further comprising:

a golf ball alignment feature coupled to the body.

44. The golf club head of claim 39 wherein:

the body further comprises sidewalls defining at least a portion of the compartment; and

the inner portion contacts at least a portion of the sidewalls.