GOLF CLUB HEAD OR OTHER BALL STRIKING DEVICE HAVING MULTI-PIECE CONSTRUCTION

• US 20100125000A1
• Filed: 11/17/2008
• Published: 05/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Lee, David S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,993,216 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/282
• 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 2209/02 with reinforcing fibres, e.g. carbon, polyamide fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/023 Long, oriented fibres, e.g. wound filaments, woven fabrics, mats
• 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 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/06 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49947 by applying separate fastener

Abstract

A ball striking device has a head that includes a metal face configured for striking a ball, a rearwardly extending metal band, a top piece, and a bottom piece. The metal band has a first end extending from one side of the face, a second end extending from the opposite side of the face, and a rear portion extending between the first and second ends and defining at least a portion of the rear periphery of the head. The top piece and the bottom piece are non-metallic or substantially non-metallic. The top piece is connected to the top side of the metal band and forms at least a portion of a top side of the head, and the bottom piece is connected to the bottom side of the metal band and forms at least a portion of a bottom side of the head. The top piece and the bottom piece are separated by the metal band.

Claims

1. A ball striking device comprising:

a head comprising;

a metal face configured for striking a ball;

a metal band having a first end extending from a first side of the face, a second end extending from a second, opposed side of the face, and a rear portion extending between the first and second ends;

a substantially non-metallic top piece connected to a top side of the metal band and forming at least a portion of a top side of the head; and

a substantially non-metallic bottom piece connected to a bottom side of the metal band and forming at least a portion of a bottom side of the head,

wherein the top piece and the bottom piece are separated by the metal band.

2. The ball striking device of claim 1, wherein the face and the band are made from the same metallic material.

3. The ball striking device of claim 1, wherein the top piece and the bottom piece are made from carbon fiber-polymer composite materials.

4. The ball striking device of claim 1, wherein the face is a cup face member that includes a ball striking face and a return portion extending rearward from a periphery of the ball striking face, and wherein the top piece is connected to the return portion.

5. The ball striking device of claim 1, wherein the face and the band are formed separately and are connected by an integral joining technique, and the top piece and the bottom piece are connected to the band by an adhesive.

6. The ball striking device of claim 1, wherein the head further comprises a metal arm extending across the bottom side of the head from the face to a rear, central location of the band.

7. The ball striking device of claim 6, wherein the bottom piece is connected to a portion of the bottom side of the band and a first side of the arm, and wherein the head further comprises another bottom piece connected to another portion of the bottom side of the band and a second, opposed side of the arm, wherein the two bottom pieces are separate from one another.

8. The ball striking device of claim 6, wherein the metal arm and the metal band are formed together as a single, unitary piece.

9. The ball striking device of claim 1, wherein the face is formed as a cup-face structure including a face member and at least one wall extending rearwardly from a periphery of the face member, and the metal band is formed separately from the cup-face structure and is connected to the cup-face structure by the at least one wall.

10. The ball striking device of claim 1, wherein the head further comprises at least one weight member connected to the metal band.

11. The ball striking device of claim 1, further comprising a shaft connected to the head.

12. A ball striking device comprising:

a head comprising;

a metal front piece comprising a face configured for striking a ball;

a metal back piece extending from the front piece, the back piece defining a first opening on a top side thereof and a second opening on a bottom side thereof;

a substantially non-metallic top piece connected to the back piece and positioned to at least partially cover the first opening; and

a substantially non-metallic bottom piece connected to the back piece and positioned to at least partially cover the second opening, wherein the back piece separates the bottom piece from top piece.

13. The ball striking device of claim 12, wherein the front piece and the back piece are made from the same metallic material.

14. The ball striking device of claim 12, wherein the top piece and the bottom piece are made from carbon fiber-polymer composite materials.

15. The ball striking device of claim 12, wherein the metal front piece is a cup face member that includes the face and a return portion extending rearward from a periphery of the ball striking face, and wherein the top piece is connected to the return portion.

16. The ball striking device of claim 12, wherein the front piece and the back piece are formed separately and are connected by an integral joining technique, and the top piece and the bottom piece are connected to the back piece by an adhesive.

17. The ball striking device of claim 12, wherein the back piece further defines a third opening on the bottom side thereof, wherein the head further comprises another bottom piece connected to the back piece and positioned to at least partially cover the third opening, and wherein the two bottom pieces do not contact one another.

18. The ball striking device of claim 12, wherein the front piece has a cup-face structure and comprises the face and at least one wall extending rearwardly from a periphery of the face, and the back piece is formed separately from the front piece and is connected to the front piece by the at least one wall.

19. The ball striking device of claim 12, wherein the head further comprises at least one weight member connected to the back piece.

20. The ball striking device of claim 12, further comprising a shaft connected to the head.

21. A method of forming a ball striking device comprising:

forming a metal front piece comprising a face configured for striking a ball;

forming a metal back piece;

connecting the front piece to the back piece such that the back piece defines a first opening on a top side thereof and a second opening on a bottom side thereof;

forming a substantially non-metallic top piece and a substantially non-metallic bottom piece;

connecting the top piece to the back piece, wherein the top piece is positioned to at least partially cover the first opening; and

connecting the bottom piece to the back piece, wherein the bottom piece is positioned to at least partially cover the second opening, wherein the back piece separates the bottom piece from the top piece.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising connecting a shaft to at least one of the front piece and the back piece.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the front piece and the back piece are made from the same metallic material.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the top piece and the bottom piece are made from carbon fiber-polymer composite materials.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the front piece and the back piece are molded separately and are connected by an integral joining technique, and the top piece and the bottom piece are connected to the back piece by an adhesive.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein back piece further defines a third opening on the bottom side thereof, and the method further comprises:

forming a second substantially non-metallic bottom piece; and

connecting to the second bottom piece to the back piece, wherein the second bottom piece is positioned to at least partially cover the third opening.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the front piece has a cup-like structure and comprises the face and at least one wall extending rearwardly from a periphery of the face, and wherein the back piece is formed separately from the front piece and is connected to the front piece by the at least one wall.

28. The method of claim 21, further comprising connecting at least one weight member to the back piece.

29. A golf club head comprising:

a metal face configured for striking a ball;

a metal band having a first end extending from a first side of the face, a second end extending from a second, opposed side of the face, and a rear portion extending between the first and second ends;

a non-metallic top piece connected to a top side of the metal band and forming at least a portion of a top side of the head; and

a non-metallic bottom piece connected to a bottom side of the metal band and forming at least a portion of a bottom side of the head,

wherein the top piece and the bottom piece are separated by the metal band.

30. The golf club head of claim 29, wherein the top piece and the bottom piece are made from carbon fiber-polymer composite materials.

31. The golf club head of claim 29, wherein the face and the band are formed separately and are connected by an integral joining technique, and the top piece and the bottom piece are connected to the band by an adhesive.

32. The golf club head of claim 29, wherein the head further comprises a metal arm extending across the bottom side of the head from the face to a rear, central location of the band.

33. The golf club head of claim 32, wherein the bottom piece is connected to a portion of the bottom side of the band and a first side of the arm, and wherein the head further comprises another bottom piece connected to another portion of the bottom side of the band and a second, opposed side of the arm, wherein the two bottom pieces are separate from one another.

34. The golf club head of claim 32, wherein the metal arm and the metal band are formed together as a single, unitary piece.

35. The golf club head of claim 29, wherein the face is formed as a cup-face structure including a face member and at least one wall extending rearwardly from a periphery of the face member, and the metal band is formed separately from the cup-face structure and is connected to the cup-face structure by the at least one wall.

36. A golf club comprising:

a golf club head according to claim 29; and

a shaft connected to the golf club head.

37. A golf club head comprising:

a metal front piece comprising a face configured for striking a ball;

a metal back piece extending from the front piece, the back piece defining a first opening on a top side thereof and a second opening on a bottom side thereof;

a non-metallic top piece connected to the back piece and positioned to at least partially cover the first opening; and

a non-metallic bottom piece connected to the back piece and positioned to at least partially cover the second opening, wherein the bottom piece does not contact the top piece.

38. The golf club head of claim 37, wherein the top piece and the bottom piece are made from carbon fiber-polymer composite materials.

39. The golf club head of claim 37, wherein the front piece and the back piece are formed separately and are connected by an integral joining technique, and the top piece and the bottom piece are connected to the back piece by an adhesive.

40. The golf club head of claim 37, wherein the back piece further defines a third opening on the bottom side thereof, wherein the head further comprises another bottom piece connected to the back piece and positioned to at least partially cover the third opening, and wherein the two bottom pieces do not contact one another.

41. The golf club head of claim 37, wherein the front piece has a cup-face structure and comprises the face and at least one wall extending rearwardly from a periphery of the face, and the back piece is formed separately from the front piece and is connected to the front piece by the at least one wall.

42. A golf club comprising:

a golf club head according to claim 37; and

a shaft connected to the golf club head.

43. A ball striking device comprising:

a structural frame formed of a first material, the frame comprising;

a face configured for striking a ball; and

a band connected to the face and extending around a rear periphery of the frame, wherein the band and the face cooperate to define a first opening on a top side of the band and a second opening on the bottom side of the band, the first opening being separate from the second opening;

a first non-structural piece formed of a second material and positioned to cover the first opening; and

a second non-structural piece formed of the second material and positioned to cover the second opening.

44. A method for forming a ball striking device comprising:

forming, from a first material, a frame comprising a face and a band connected to the face and extending around a rear periphery of the frame, wherein the band and the face cooperate to define an internal cavity, a first opening on a top side of the frame, and a second opening on the bottom side of the frame, the first opening being separate from the second opening;

placing a first prepreg and a second prepreg inside the cavity, the first and second prepregs being formed from a second material different from the first material;

applying pressure to inner sides of the first and second prepregs to force the first prepreg to cover the first opening of the frame and to force the second prepreg to cover the second opening of the frame; and

curing the first prepreg and the second prepreg to form a first composite piece positioned to cover the first opening and a second composite piece positioned to cover the second opening.

45. The method of claim 44, further comprising:

contacting an outer surface of the first prepreg with a tool, wherein the pressure on the inner side of the first prepreg forces the first prepreg against the tool to form an outer contour on the first prepreg.

46. The method of claim 45, further comprising:

contacting an outer surface of the second prepreg with a second tool, wherein the pressure on the inner side of the second prepreg forces the second prepreg against the second tool to form an outer contour on the second prepreg.

47. The method of claim 45, wherein the tool contacts the outer surface of the first prepreg during curing of the first prepreg.

48. The method of claim 44, wherein the pressure is applied to the inner sides of the first and second prepregs by an inflatable bladder positioned within the cavity.