Club Heads With Contoured Back Faces And Methods Of Manufacturing The Same

• US 20100093461A1
• Filed: 10/13/2008
• Published: 04/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Inventors: Petersen, David L., Noble, Randall B., Cole, Eric V.
• Granted Patent: US 7,914,394 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/331
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0458 with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/52 with slits
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49995 Shaping one-piece blank by removing material

Abstract

Embodiments of club heads with contoured back faces and methods of manufacturing the same are described herein. Other embodiments and related methods are also disclosed herein

Claims

1. A club head comprising:

a strike portion with a back face;

wherein;

the back face comprises a first cavity-set with one or more first-cavities; and

at least a first cavity of the one or more first cavities comprises a parabolic inner surface.

2. The club head of claim 1, wherein:

the first cavity is devoid of parallel sidewalls.

3. The club head of claim 1, wherein:

the strike portion further comprises a face opposite the back face; and

the face comprises a first groove-set with one or more grooves.

4. The club head of claim 3, wherein:

a subset of the one or more first-cavities is aligned substantially parallel relative to a groove of the first groove-set.

5. The club head of claim 3, wherein:

the one or more first-cavities are offset to lie in-between the one or more grooves.

6. The club head of claim 1, wherein:

a symmetry axis of at least the first cavity is substantially perpendicular to the back face.

7. The club head of claim 1, wherein:

a symmetry axis of at least the first cavity is substantially parallel to an axis of impact of the club head.

8. The club head of claim 1, wherein:

a symmetry axis of at least the first cavity is slanted relative to a loft plane of the club head.

9. The club head of claim 1, wherein:

the back face further comprises a plurality of ribs between the one or more first-cavities; and

the plurality of ribs are at least one of;

substantially perpendicular to the back face;

substantially parallel to an axis of impact;

or

slanted relative to a loft plane of the club head.

10. The club head of claim 1, wherein:

the first cavity further comprises a diameter configured to continuously vary from the back face towards the face of the strike portion.

11. The club head of claim 1, wherein:

an angle between a symmetry axis of the first cavity and a loft plane of the club head is between approximately 90 and 150 degrees.

12. The club head of claim 1, wherein:

the back face further comprises a second cavity-set with one or more second-cavities; and

the one or more second-cavities are at least one of;

deeper than the first-cavities;

more concentrated than the first-cavities;

or

larger than the first-cavities.

13. The club head of claim 12, wherein:

the first cavity-set is closer to a center of the strike portion than the second cavity-set.

14. The club head of claim 1, wherein:

the one or more first-cavities are arranged in a substantially arcuate pattern at the back face of the strike portion.

15. The club head of claim 1, wherein:

the parabolic inner surface comprises multiple parabolic sections.

16. A method of manufacturing a club head, the method comprising:

providing a strike portion with a front face and a back face; and

forming a plurality of parabolic cavities into the back face.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein:

providing the strike portion comprises;

forming a plurality of furrows at the front face of the strike portion.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein:

forming the plurality of parabolic cavities comprises;

arranging the plurality of parabolic cavities to interleave between the plurality of furrows.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein:

forming the plurality of parabolic cavities comprises at least one of;

a casting process;

a drilling process;

or

a forging process.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein:

forming the plurality of parabolic cavities comprises;

aligning one or more symmetry axes of the plurality of parabolic cavities to be slanted relative to a loft plane of the club head.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

providing a sole coupled to the strike portion;

wherein forming the plurality of parabolic cavities comprises;

aligning one or more symmetry axes of the parabolic cavities to forego intersecting with a topside plane of the sole.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein:

forming the plurality of parabolic cavities comprises;

forming the plurality of parabolic cavities with decreasing depths towards a center of the strike portion.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein:

forming the plurality of parabolic cavities comprises;

forming the plurality of parabolic cavities in decreasing concentration toward a center of the strike portion.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein:

forming the plurality of parabolic cavities comprises;

forming the plurality of parabolic cavities with decreasing sizes toward a center of the strike portion.

25. The method of claim 16, wherein:

forming the plurality of parabolic cavities comprises;

arranging the plurality of parabolic cavities in a substantially concentric arcuate pattern along the back face of the strike portion.

26. The method of claim 16, wherein:

forming the plurality of parabolic cavities comprises;

arranging the plurality of parabolic cavities substantially parallel to the plurality of furrows.

27. The method claim 16, wherein:

forming the plurality of parabolic cavities occurs simultaneously with providing the strike portion.

29. A club comprising:

a club head comprising a strike portion;

a shaft coupled to the club head;

a first groove-set with one or more grooves in a front face of the strike portion;

a first cavity-set with one or more first-cavities in a back face of the strike portion;

wherein;

at least some of the one or more first-cavities are interleaved in-between the one or more grooves; and

a symmetry axis of a first cavity of the one or more first cavities is at least one of;

perpendicular to the front face;

substantially collinear with an axis of impact of the club head;

or

slanted relative to a loft plane of the club head.

30. The club of claim 29, wherein:

at least the first cavity comprises a parabolic shape devoid of parallel sidewalls.

31. The club of claim 29, wherein:

the back face further comprises a second cavity-set with one or more second-cavities;

the one or more second-cavities are at least one of;

deeper than the first-cavities;

more dense than the first-cavities;

or

larger than the first-cavities; and

the first cavity-set is closer to a center of the strike portion than the second cavity-set.