GOLF CLUB HEADS AND METHODS TO MANUFACTURE GOLF CLUB HEADS

• US 20160158606A1
• Filed: 02/12/2016
• Published: 06/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Parsons Xtreme Golf, Llc
• Original Assignee: Parsons Xtreme Golf, Llc
• Inventors: Parsons, Robert R., Nicolette, Michael R., Schweigert, Bradley D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,468,821 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0445 Details of grooves or the like on the impact surface
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0475 with one or more enclosed cavities
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations

Abstract

Embodiments of golf club heads and methods to manufacture golf club heads are generally described herein. In one example, a golf club head may include a body portion with a toe portion, a heel portion, a top portion, a sole portion, a back portion, and a front portion. The golf club head may include an interior cavity. The interior cavity may be filled with an elastic polymer material. Other examples and embodiments may be described and claimed.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a plurality of weight portions being associated with a total weight portion mass;

a hollow body portion having a face portion, a toe portion, a top portion, a sole portion, a back portion, and an interior cavity extending between the top and sole portions;

a plurality of exterior weight ports along a periphery of the back portion, the plurality of weight ports including a first set of exterior weight ports with at least one weight port located above a horizontal midplane of the golf club head, and a second set of exterior weight ports with at least one weight port located below the horizontal midplane of the golf club head, each weight port of the plurality of weight ports configured to receive a weight portion of the plurality of weight portions,

wherein a width of the interior cavity below the horizontal midplane is greater than or equal to 20% of a width of the body portion below the horizontal midplane, and

wherein more than 50% of the total weight portion mass is located below the horizontal midplane of the golf club head.

2. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the width of the interior cavity below the horizontal midplane is less than or equal to 80% of a width of the body below the horizontal midplane.

3. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of exterior weight ports is associated with a port diameter, wherein any two adjacent exterior weight ports of the first set of exterior weight ports are separated by less than the port diameter, and wherein any two adjacent weight ports of the second set of exterior weight ports are separated by less than the port diameter.

4. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the interior cavity is partially or entirely filled with an elastic polymer material.

5. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the first set of exterior weight ports comprises at least two exterior weight ports.

6. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the second set of exterior weight ports comprises a plurality of weight ports below the horizontal midplane and extending proximate to a periphery of the body portion between the toe portion and the heel portion.

7. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the face portion comprises a thickness of less than 1.5 millimeters (0.06 inch).

8. An iron-type golf club head comprising:

a hollow body portion having a face portion, a toe portion, a top portion, a sole portion, a back portion, and an interior cavity extending between the top and sole portions;

an elastic polymer material injection molded in the interior cavity through an opening on the back portion to structurally support the face portion during impact with a golf ball,

a first set of weight portions coupled to the hollow body portion at a location above a horizontal midplane of the golf club head, the first set of weight portions being associated with a first total mass; and

a second set of weight portions coupled the hollow body portion at a location below a horizontal midplane of the golf club head, the second set of weight portions being associated with a second total mass greater than the total first mass;

wherein at least 50% of the elastic polymer material in the interior cavity is below the horizontal midplane of the golf club head.

9. An iron-type golf club head as defined in claim 8, comprising a bonding portion configured to couple the elastic polymer material to the face portion.

10. An iron-type golf club head as defined in claim 8, wherein the interior cavity comprises a cavity having at least 50% filled with a thermoplastic elastomer material.

11. An iron-type golf club head as defined in claim 8, wherein the interior cavity is configured to separate the face portion and the first and second sets of weight portions.

12. An iron-type golf club head as defined in claim 813, wherein the face portion comprises a thickness of less than or equal to 1.5 millimeters (0.06 inch).

13. An iron-type golf club head comprising:

a hollow body portion having a face portion, a toe portion, a top portion, a sole portion, a back portion, and an interior cavity extending between the top and sole portions, the back portion comprising;

an upper back wall portion above a horizontal midplane of the body portion, a width of the body portion above the horizontal midplane being defined by a distance between the upper back wall portion and the face portion,

a lower back wall portion below the horizontal midplane, a width of the body portion below the horizontal midplane being defined by a distance between the lower back wall portion and the face portion, and

a ledge portion extending between the upper back wall portion and the lower back wall portion in a direction from the face portion to the back portion,

a first set of weight portions coupled to the hollow body portion above the horizontal midplane of the body portion, the first set of weight portions being associated with a first total mass; and

a second set of weight portions coupled to the hollow body portion below the horizontal midplane of the body portion, the second set of weight portions being associated with a second total mass greater than the first total mass,

wherein the interior cavity is between the first set of weight portions and the face portion above the horizontal midplane and between the second set of weight portions and the face portion below the horizontal midplane,

wherein a width of the ledge portion is greater than a width of the body portion above the horizontal midplane by at least a factor of 1.0.

14. An iron-type golf club head as defined in claim 13, wherein a width of the ledge portion is greater than the width of the body portion above the horizontal midplane by a factor of greater than 1.0 and less than 3.0.

15. An iron-type golf club head as defined in claim 13, wherein each weight portion of the first set of weight portions is associated with a first mass and each weight portion of the second set of weight portions is associated with a second mass, and wherein the first mass is relatively less than the second mass.

16. An iron-type golf club head as defined in claim 13, wherein the interior cavity comprises a cavity having at least 50% filled with a thermoplastic elastomer material.

17. An iron-type golf club head as defined in claim 13, wherein the interior cavity comprises a cavity having at least 50% filled with a thermoplastic elastomer material, and a bonding portion configured to couple the thermoplastic elastomer material to the face portion.

18. An iron-type golf club head as defined in claim 13, wherein the interior cavity is filled with a thermoplastic elastomer material, and wherein at least 50% of the thermoplastic elastomer material in the interior cavity is below the horizontal midplane of the body portion.

19. An iron-type golf club head as defined in claim 13, wherein the face portion comprises a thickness of less than 1.5 millimeters (0.06 inch).

20. An iron-type golf club head as defined in claim 13, wherein the first set of weight portions comprises at least two weight portions extending proximate to the top portion and the periphery of the body portion, and wherein the second set of weight portions comprises a plurality of weight portions extending proximate to the sole portion and a periphery of the body portion between the toe portion and the heel portion.