Metal golf club head and method of manufacture

• US 5,665,014 A
• Filed: 05/10/1994
• Issued: 09/09/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Design Metals, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Design Metals, Inc.
• Inventors: Sanford, Robert A., Logue, Morris D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US08/241,231
• Time in Patent Office: 1,218 Days
• Field of Search: 273/167 R, 273/167 A, 273/167 H, 273/169, 273/171, 273/172, 273/173, 273/77 R, 473/324, 473/345, 473/349
• US Class Current: 473/345
• 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 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2998/00 Supplementary information concerning processes or compositions relating to powder metallurgy
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/225 by injection molding
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 7/062 involving the connection or repairing of preformed parts

Abstract

The present invention relates to an improved two-piece metal golf club head, formed by the powder metal injection molding process. A golf club head made according to the present invention is strong, durable, highly reproducible in terms of weight and dimensional accuracy, and efficient to manufacture.

Claims

1. A two-piece golf club head comprising:

(a) a first metal portion which includes a hitting face that has a thickness which is greater than that of the remainder of the first metal portion, said first metal portion having a shape with no reentrant angles and having been formed by powder metal injection molding;

said first metal portion including a peripheral edge which defines a cavity;

(b) a second portion having an edge having a shape which complements the shape of and is adapted to mate with said first metal portion edge;

(c) said first metal portion and said second portion being permanently joined together at said edges to form a golf club head having an internal cavity.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said first metal portion comprises the hitting face and the shaft junction.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said second portion is a metal portion having a shape with no reentrant angles that has been formed by a powder metal injection molding process.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said first metal portion includes a mechanical first interlock element and said second portion includes a second mechanical interlock element, whereby said elements cooperate to lock said first metal portion to said second portion when said portions are joined.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said first metal portion and said second portion are joined by welding, brazing, or gluing.

6. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said first metal portion includes a guide which aligns the edge of said first metal portion with said second portion when said first metal portion and said second portion are joined together.

7. The golf club head of claim 6, wherein said second portion includes a guide, wherein said second portion guide cooperates with said first metal portion guide to align the respective edges when said first metal portion and said second portion are joined together.