Golf club head with a hitting face plate and a club neck which are integrally formed with each other and forming method therefor

• US 5,709,615 A
• Filed: 01/29/1997
• Issued: 01/20/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Long-Cherng Liang
• Original Assignee: Long-Cherng Liang
• Inventors: Liang, Long-Cherng
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US08/790,525
• Time in Patent Office: 356 Days
• Field of Search: 473/324, 473/329, 473/330, 473/332, 473/333, 473/334, 473/335, 473/336, 473/337, 473/344, 473/345, 473/346, 473/347, 473/349, 473/350, 29/422, 29/428, 29/464, 29/469, 29/527.1, 29/527.5, 228/141.1, 228/262.6
• US Class Current: 473/324
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/02 Joint structures between the head and the shaft
• 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 53/042 the face insert consisting of a material different from that of the head
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0454 Strengthening ribs on the rear surface 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: B22D 19/02 for making reinforced articles B22D19/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 25/02 by its peculiarity of shape; of works of art cylinders, pistons B22D15/02
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49988 Metal casting

Abstract

A golf club head includes a hitting face plate and a club neck which are integrally formed from copper. The hitting face plate has a rear face integrally formed with a plurality of insert posts projecting rearward therefrom. Each of the posts has an inner end integrally formed with the hitting face plate, and an enlarged outer end. A club head body is molded over the hitting face plate and the club neck, and is made of a metal which has a melting point lower than that of copper. The posts are embedded in the club head body. The golf club head is formed by a process which includes the steps of forming a copper blank piece which consists of the hitting face plate and the club neck, enlarging the outer ends of the posts, and molding the club head body over the copper blank piece.

Claims

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

(1) forming a copper blank piece which consists of a hitting face plate and a club neck that are integrally formed with each other, said hitting face plate having a rear face integrally formed with a plurality of insert posts projecting rearward therefrom, each of said posts having an inner end integrally formed with said hitting face plate, and an outer end;

(2) enlarging said outer ends of said posts; and

(3) molding a club head body over said copper blank piece so that said posts are embedded in said club body, said club body being made of a metal which has a melting point lower than that of copper.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said steps (2) and (3) are effected by the steps of:

placing said copper blank piece into a molding space between a male mold and a female mold,

inserting an upper punch downward into the molding space to contact said posts so as to press said copper blank piece against said male mold, thus enlarging said outer ends of said posts,

inserting a lower punch upward into the molding space,

pouring melt of the metal into said molding space so as to mold said club head body over said copper blank piece; and

removing said male mold, said female mold, said upper punch and said lower punch from said molding space.

3. A golf club head comprising:

a hitting face plate made of copper and having a rear face integrally formed with a plurality of insert posts projecting rearward therefrom, each of said posts having an inner end integrally formed with said hitting face plate, and an enlarged outer end;

a club neck integrally formed with said hitting face plate; and

a club head body molded over said hitting face plate and said club neck and being made of a metal which has a melting point lower than that of copper, said posts being embedded in said club head body.

4. A golf club head as claimed in claim 3, wherein said rear face of said hitting face plate is integrally formed with a plurality of positioning blocks along an outer periphery thereof so as to position said hitting face plate on said club head body when molding said club head body over said hitting face plate and said club neck.

5. A golf club head as claimed in claim 3, wherein said rear face of said hitting face plate is integrally formed with a plurality of spaced-apart reinforcing ribs, each of which extends over said rear face and interconnects an adjacent pair of said posts.

6. A golf club head as claimed in claim 3, wherein said club neck has a lower end surface which is exposed to and flush with an outer surface of said club head body which is located around said lower end surface of said club neck.