Golf Clubs and Golf Club Heads

• US 20100263787A1
• Filed: 07/02/2010
• Published: 10/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation, Mitsubishi Rayon Company Limited (Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Rayon Company Limited (Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corporation), Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: KAWAGUCHI, Hiroshi, KELLY, Michael F., KODAMA, Hitoshi, TAKANO, Tsuneo
• Granted Patent: US 8,110,060 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/221
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• 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 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1043 Subsequent to assembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49947 by applying separate fastener

Abstract

A golf club head enables the initial velocity of a ball to be increased and enables the carry to be lengthened. In some example structures, the golf club includes a face plate formed from metal and club head body (e.g., a crown and sole) formed from fiber reinforced plastic. A weighted body is provided inside the rearmost portion of the golf club head and a low rigidity portion whose width becomes gradually narrower as it approaches the rearmost portion is provided in the crown extending from the vicinity of the face plate to the rearmost portion.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

attaching a sole preform to a face plate using an adhesive;

attaching a crown preform to the face plate and the sole preform using an adhesive;

attaching a weighted member preform to at least one of the crown preform or the sole preform; and

forming the crown preform, the sole preform, and the face plate into a golf club head structure, wherein the crown preform is formed so as to include a low rigidity portion extending from a vicinity of the face plate toward a rearmost portion of the golf club head, and wherein the low rigidity portion has a width that becomes gradually narrower as it extends toward the rearmost portion.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the forming includes at least one of pressure molding the crown preform, the sole preform, and the face plate together and heating the crown preform, the sole preform, and the weighted member preform.

3. A method according to claim 2, further comprising positioning a pressure bag between the sole preform and the crown preform.

4. A method according to claim 3, further comprising inserting the crown preform, the sole preform, the weighted member preform and the face plate into a mold, wherein the pressure molding includes inflating the pressure bag to press the sole preform and the crown preform against the mold.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising forming the sole preform by laminating a plurality of pre-pegs, including a first layer of fiber reinforced plastic having the fibers aligned in a first direction and a second layer of fiber reinforced plastic having the fibers aligned in a second direction that is different from the first direction.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the first direction is substantially orthogonal to the second direction.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the first direction is at an angle of approximately 0°

with respect to a hitting surface of the face plate and the second direction is at an angle of approximately 90°

with respect to the hitting surface

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising forming the crown preform by laminating a plurality of pre-pegs, including a first layer of fiber reinforced plastic having the fibers aligned in a first direction and a second layer of fiber reinforced plastic having the fibers aligned in a second direction that is different from the first direction.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the first direction is at an angle of approximately +45°

with respect to a hitting surface of the face plate and the second direction is at an angle of approximately −

45°

with respect to the hitting surface.

10. A method according to claim 1, further comprising attaching a bottom surface of the sole preform to a top surface of a sole plate.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the sole plate is comprised of metal.

12. A method, comprising:

attaching a club head body preform to a face plate using an adhesive;

attaching a deformation wave reflecting member preform to at least a portion of the club head body preform;

forming a golf club head structure from the club head body preform and the face plate, wherein the club head body is shaped during the forming so as to include a deformation wave transmitting system for transmitting at least a portion of the energy contained in a deformation wave generated when a ball is struck by the golf club head away from and toward the face plate.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the deformation wave transmitting system extends from a vicinity of the face plate toward a rearmost portion of the golf club head, and wherein the deformation wave transmitting system has a width that becomes gradually narrower as it extends toward the rearmost portion.

14. A method according to claim 12, wherein the forming includes at least one of pressure molding the club head body and the face plate together and heating the club head body and the deformation wave reflecting preform.

15. A method according to claim 14, further comprising positioning a pressure bag within the club head body preform.

16. A method according to claim 15, further comprising inserting the club head body preform into a mold, wherein the pressure molding includes inflating the pressure bag to press the club head body preform against the mold.

17. A method according to claim 12, further comprising forming the club head body preform by laminating a plurality of pre-pegs, including a first layer of fiber reinforced plastic having the fibers aligned in a first direction and a second layer of fiber reinforced plastic having the fibers aligned in a second direction that is different from the first direction.

18. A method according to claim 12, further comprising attaching a bottom surface of the club head body preform to a top surface of a sole plate.

19. A method, comprising:

attaching a sole preform to a face plate using an adhesive;

attaching a crown preform to the face plate and the sole preform using an adhesive;

attaching a weighted member preform to at least one of the crown preform or the sole preform; and

forming the crown preform, the sole preform, and the face plate into a golf club head structure, wherein the crown preform is formed so as to include portions of different rigidities.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the portions of different rigidities include high rigidity portions and a low rigidity portion extending from a vicinity of the face plate toward a rearmost portion of the golf club head and between the high rigidity portions.