Golf club head and process for its fabrication

• US 4,988,104 A
• Filed: 09/01/1989
• Issued: 01/29/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kunimori Kagaku Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Kunimori Kagaku Company Limited
• Inventors: Shiotani, Tadahiko, Watanabe, I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coven, Edward M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US07/401,972
• Time in Patent Office: 515 Days
• Field of Search: 273/167-175, 273/80.2-80.9, 273/80 R, 273/77 R, 264/263, 264/46.4, 264/46.7, 264/259, 264/279
• US Class Current: 473/305
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• 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 53/0458 with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/126 using centering means forming part of the insert
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/70 Completely encapsulating inserts B29C70/86 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/5227 Clubs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 273/07 Glass fiber
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 273/23 High modulus filaments

Abstract

A golf club head includes a frame having a plurality of hollow axial members extending from the front side to the rear side, and a hosel part is integrally formed with the frame. A foam resin core is deposited around the frame. A face plate is disposed at the front side of the frame. A synthetic resin covering is applied over the frame and over the core by installing the assembly of the frame and core in a mold and pouring in the synthetic resin material at a low pressure so as not to deform or shift the frame or the core and the synthetic resin fills the gaps among the frame, the core and the face plate.

Claims

1. A club head for a golf club, comprising:

a body having a face side for striking a golf ball and an opposite back side;

a synthetic resin frame having a front side toward the face side of the club head and a rear side toward the back side of the club head;

a hollow axial member defined in the frame and extending from the front side toward the rear side of the frame;

a hosel part on the frame for receiving a golf club shaft;

a foam material core covering the exterior of the hollow axial member; and

a synthetic resin coating around the outer periphery of the core, and defining an enclosure around the frame and the core.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the core is comprised of foam material of low specific weight, and the synthetic resin coating has a specific weight higher than that of the core.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the foam core is comprised of a synthetic resin material.

4. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein the foam core is comprised of a plurality of pieces applied over the frame.

5. The golf club head of claim 4, wherein the club head body has a top and a bottom, one core piece is disposed above the axial member toward the top of the body and another core piece is disposed below the axial member toward the bottom of the body.

6. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein there is more than one hollow axial member.

7. The golf club head of claim 6, wherein the hollow axial members are comprised of a synthetic resin material.

8. The golf club head of claim 6, wherein each of the hollow axial members is attached to another hollow axial member, and the hollow axial members extend in a common direction.

9. The golf club head of claim 8, wherein the club head body has a top and a bottom, and the axial members are arrayed next to each other across the golf club head and are located above the bottom and below the top of the golf club head body.

10. The golf club head of claim 8, further comprising a face plate at the front of the frame and affixed to the core.

11. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein the club head has a heel and an opposite toe and the hollow axial members are arrayed side by side and extend generally in the direction from the heel to the toe of the club head.