Metallic golf club head having a weight and method of manufacturing the same

• US 5,913,735 A
• Filed: 07/29/1998
• Issued: 06/22/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Royal Collection Inc.
• Original Assignee: Royal Collection Inc.
• Inventors: Kenmi, Yoshinari
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kien T.
• Application Number:
  US09/123,980
• Time in Patent Office: 328 Days
• Field of Search: 473/324, 473/334, 473/335, 473/338, 473/341, 473/345, 473/349, 473/350, 29/447, 29/DIG. 48
• US Class Current: 473/338
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0454 Strengthening ribs on the rear surface of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49865 by temperature differential [e.g., shrink fit]

Abstract

A golf club head includes a hollow head body having a bottom opening and a sole member welded to the hollow head body, both of which are made of titanium or titanium alloy. An upwardly-opened weight-fitting concave portion is formed on an inner surface of the sole member. A protrusion is formed on the inner surface of the concave portion. A weight made of a metallic material such as brass is formed. The weight is forcibly fitted into the concave portion and the protrusion of the concave portion is forcibly inserted in the bottom surface of the weight, whereby the weight is fixed in the concave portion. Then, the sole member with the weight is welded to the hollow head body.

Claims

1. A metallic golf club head, comprising:

a hollow head body having a bottom opening;

a sole member fitted in said bottom opening; and

a weight secured to said sole member,

wherein said sole member includes an upwardly-opened weight-fitting concave portion having an inner bottom with at least one protrusion,

wherein said weight is forcibly fitted in said concave portion and said at least one protrusion is forcibly inserted in a bottom of said weight, whereby said weight is firmly fixed in said concave portion, and

wherein said sole member is welded to said hollow head body.

2. The metallic golf club head as recited in claim 1, wherein said hollow head body and sole member are made of titanium, and wherein said weight is made of a metallic material lower in hardness and larger in specific gravity than titanium.

3. The metallic golf club head as recited in claim 2, wherein said weight is made of a copper alloy.

4. The metallic golf club head as recited in claim 3, wherein said copper alloy is brass.

5. The metallic golf club head as recited in claim 2, wherein said weight is made of lead.

6. The metallic golf club head as recited in claim 1, wherein said protrusion has a wall-like shape.

7. The metallic golf club head as recited in claim 1, wherein said sole member includes a plurality of tongue-shaped small pieces protruding sideways from a peripheral portion of said sole member for engaging said sole member with a peripheral portion of said bottom opening.

8. The metallic golf club head as recited in claim 1, wherein a peripheral portion of said sole member is welded to said hollow head body.

9. The metallic golf club head as recited in claim 1, wherein said weight is secured in said concave portion by a shrink fit.

10. A method of manufacturing a metallic golf club head, which includes a hollow head body having a bottom opening, a sole member fitted in said bottom opening and welded to said hollow head body, and a weight secured to said sole member, the method including the steps of:

preparing a sole member made of a metallic material including an upwardly-opened weight-fitting concave portion which has an inner bottom with at least one protrusion;

heating said sole member to expand said concave portion;

fitting said weight into said expanded concave portion of said sole member and forcibly inserting said protrusion into a bottom of said weight;

cooling said concave portion to shrink-fit the weight in said concave portion;

fitting said sole member with said weight into said bottom opening of said hollow head body; and

welding said sole member fitted in said bottom opening to said hollow head body.

11. The method of manufacturing a metallic golf club head as recited in claim 10, wherein said sole member includes a plurality of tongue-shaped small pieces protruding sideways from a peripheral portion of said sole member, and

wherein said hollow head body is placed upside down, and said sole member is fitted into said bottom opening with said tongue-shaped small pieces engaged with a peripheral portion of said bottom opening.