Golf club and method of manufacture

• US 5,244,211 A
• Filed: 04/07/1992
• Issued: 09/14/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RAM Golf Corporation
• Original Assignee: RAM Golf Corporation
• Inventors: Lukasiewicz, Robert F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Millin, V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PASSANITI, SEBASTIANO
• Application Number:
  US07/864,582
• Time in Patent Office: 525 Days
• Field of Search: 273/167-175, 273/DIG. 8, 273/78, 273/77 R, 264/45.4, 264/45.6
• US Class Current: 473/305
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• 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 44/18 Filling preformed cavities B29C44/1204 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 67/246 Moulding high reactive monomers or prepolymers, e.g. by reaction injection moulding [RIM], liquid injection moulding [LIM] casting monomers B29C39/006, mixing construction B29B7/74
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2075/00 Use of PU, i.e. polyureas or polyurethanes or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 273/08 Urethane

Abstract

A golf club comprising an elongated shaft with a lower end for attachment of the club head. The club head comprises a hosel portion for connection of the head to the shaft end, and a main body portion which comprises an enclosed outer wall and a hollow interior chamber. The club further involves the presence of molded material which fills the hollow chamber of the head, this molded material comprising a flexible synthetic plastic foam which bonds to the inner wall surfaces. The manufacturing method involves the filling of the chamber with the foam whereby the foam forms within the chamber. This method may involve the mixing of an aromatic isocyanate with a polyether polyol prior to introduction of the mixture into the chamber. The mixture, which forms a flexible polyurethane foam with the desired bonding characteristics, may be introduced through an axial bore defined by the hosel which opens into the interior of the chamber. The method is preferably applied to the manufacture of metal club heads.

Claims

1. A golf club comprising an elongated shaft having a lower end, a head for the club, said club head comprising a hosel portion for connection of the head to said lower end, and a main body portion comprising an enclosed outer wall and an inner wall defining a hollow interior chamber, and molded material filling said chamber, said molded material comprising a flexible synthetic plastic foam adhering to said inner wall, said foam comprising flexible polyurethane foam formed from a mixture of 25 to 40 parts of an aromatic isocyanate and 60 to 75 parts of a polyether polyol.

2. A golf club according to claim 1 wherein one part of the isocyanate is mixed a with about two parts of the polyol.

9. A golf club according to any of claims 1 or 2 wherein said head is formed of metal.

3. A method for producing a golf club of the type comprising an elongated shaft having a lower end, and a head for the club, aid club head comprising a hosel portion for connecting the club to said lower end of the shaft, and a main body portion comprising an enclosed outer wall and an inner wall defining a hollow interior chamber, said method comprising the steps of filling said chamber with a flexible synthetic plastic foam, said foam adhering to said inner wall, producing said foam by forming a mixture of ingredients comprising from 25 to 40 parts of an aromatic isocyanate and from 60 to 75 parts of a polyether polyol, and introducing the mixture into said chamber whereby said flexible foam forms within the chamber.

4. A method in accordance with claim 3 wherein one part of the isocyanate is mixed with about two parts of the polyol.

5. A method in accordance with claim 3 including the step of heating said ingredients prior to introduction of the mixture into the chamber.

6. A method in accordance with claim 5 including the steps of introducing the mixture, maintaining an opening to the exterior of the chamber to permit venting of air as the foam forms, and closing said opening after the foam fills said chamber.

7. A method according to claim 6 wherein said hosel defines an axial bore, an opening defined by the hosel providing communication between said chamber and said bore, and wherein said mixture is introduced through said bore and enters said chamber through said opening.

8. A method according to claim 7 wherein the foam fills said bore in the process of foam formation, and including the step of removing the foam which formed in the bore prior to connection of the head to the shaft.

10. A method according to any of claims 3 or 4 wherein said head is formed of metal.