Composite golf club head

• US 5,342,812 A
• Filed: 10/09/1992
• Issued: 08/30/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lanxide Technology Company, LP
• Original Assignee: Lanxide Technology Company, LP
• Inventors: Niskanen, Paul W., Antolin, Stanislav, Mortenson, Mark G., White, Danny R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Group, Karl
• Assistant Examiner(s): GALLO, CHRISTOPHER
• Application Number:
  US07/959,203
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: 501/127, 273/173, 273/167 J
• US Class Current: 501/127
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/023 Long, oriented fibres, e.g. wound filaments, woven fabrics, mats
• 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 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/80 Fibres, filaments, whiskers, platelets, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 32/00 Non-ferrous alloys containing at least 5% by weight but less than 50% by weight of oxides, carbides, borides, nitrides, silicides or other metal compounds, e.g. oxynitrides, sulfides, whether added as such or formed in situ

Abstract

The present invention relates to golf clubs and particularly the invention relates to improved golf club heads which utilize composite materials in at least a portion therein. Potentially acceptable composite materials includes: metal matrix composite and/or ceramic matrix composite materials. The use of metal matrix or ceramic matrix composite materials in golf club heads result in improved clubs.

Claims

1. A method for forming a macrocomposite golf club head comprising the steps of:

providing a first mass of substantial nonreactive filler material in the shape of a golf club head, said first mass having a receiving surface for receiving a golf club insert;

infiltrating substantially completely said first mass of filler material with an oxidation reaction product of a parent metal and at least one oxidant to form a ceramic matrix composite golf club head having a receiving surface for a golf club insert;

providing a second mass of substantially nonreactive filler material in the shape of a golf club insert;

spontaneously infiltrating with molten matrix metal said second mass of filler material to form a metal matrix composite golf club insert; and

placing said metal matrix composite insert into contact with said receiving surface of said ceramic matrix composite golf club head and, utilizing a fastening said, fastening together said metal matrix composite insert and said ceramic matrix composite golf club head to produce a macrocomposite golf club head.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said fastening means comprises at least one of screwing, bolting, riveting, resin bonding, soldering, welding, and gluing.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said parent metal and said matrix metal comprise metal which are substantially the same.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said parent metal and said matrix metal comprise aluminum.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one oxidant comprises at least one of a vapor-phase oxidant, a liquid oxidant, or a solid oxidant.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said metal matrix composite insert has at least one graded property.

2. A method of forming a macrocomposite golf club head comprising the steps of:

providing a first mass of substantially nonreactive filler material in the shape of a golf club head, said first mass having a receiving surface for receiving a golf club insert;

spontaneously infiltrating substantially completely said first mass of filler material with molten matrix metal to form a metal matrix composite golf club head having a receiving surface for a golf club insert;

providing a second mass of substantially nonreactive filler material in the shape of a golf club insert;

infiltrating substantially completely said second mass of filler material with an oxidation reaction product of a parent metal and at least one oxidant to form a ceramic matrix composite golf club insert; and

placing said ceramic matrix composite insert into contact with said receiving surface of said metal matrix composite golf club head and, utilizing a fastening means, fastening together said ceramic matrix composite insert and said metal matrix composite golf club head to produce a macrocomposite golf club head.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said fastening means comprises at least one of screwing, bolting, riveting, resin bonding, soldering, welding, and gluing.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein said parent metal and said matrix metal comprise metal which are substantially the same.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said parent metal and said matrix metal comprise aluminum.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein said at least one oxidant comprises at least one or a vapor-phase oxidant, a liquid oxidant, or a solid oxidant.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein said ceramic matrix composite insert has at least one graded property.