GOLF CLUB FABRICATED FROM BULK METALLIC GLASSES WITH HIGH TOUGHNESS AND HIGH STIFFNESS
First Claim
1. A golf club, wherein at least a portion of the golf club is formed from a metallic glass having a Young'"'"'s modulus greater than 120 GPa, and a notch toughness, defined as the stress intensity factor at crack initiation when measured on a 3 mm diameter rod containing a notch with length ranging from 1 to 2 mm and root radius ranging from 0.1 to 0.15 mm, of at least 50 MPa-m1/2, and wherein the metallic glass is capable of being formed into an object having a lateral dimension of at least 1 mm.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Golf clubs formed from bulk-solidifying amorphous metals (i.e., metallic glasses) having high elastic modulus and fracture toughness, and to methods of forming the same are provided. Among other components, the golf club materials disclosed enable fabrication of flexural membranes or shells used in golf club heads (drivers, fairways, hybrids, irons, wedges and putters) exhibiting enhanced flexural or bending compliance together with the ability to deform plastically and avoid brittle fracture or catastrophic failure when overloaded under bending loads. Further, the high strength of the material and its density, comparable to that of steel, enables the redistribution of mass in the golf club while maintaining a desired overall target mass.
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Citations
20 Claims
- 1. A golf club, wherein at least a portion of the golf club is formed from a metallic glass having a Young'"'"'s modulus greater than 120 GPa, and a notch toughness, defined as the stress intensity factor at crack initiation when measured on a 3 mm diameter rod containing a notch with length ranging from 1 to 2 mm and root radius ranging from 0.1 to 0.15 mm, of at least 50 MPa-m1/2, and wherein the metallic glass is capable of being formed into an object having a lateral dimension of at least 1 mm.
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15. A method of forming at least one portion of a golf club from a metallic glass, the method comprising:
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selecting and melting an alloy capable of forming a metallic glass having a Young'"'"'s modulus greater than 120 GPa, and a notch toughness, defined as the stress intensity factor at crack initiation when measured on a 3 mm diameter rod containing a notch with length ranging from 1 to 2 mm and root radius ranging from 0.1 to 0.15 mm, of at least 50 MPa-m1/2, and wherein the metallic glass is capable of being formed an bulk object having a lateral dimension of at least 1 mm, forming the alloy melt to fabricate at least one portion of the golf club; and quenching the formed alloy melt at a cooling rate sufficiently rapid to prevent crystallization of the alloy to form at least one portion of a golf club from the metallic glass. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification