Joint construction method and article constructed by said method

• US 6,280,349 B1
• Filed: 05/21/1999
• Issued: 08/28/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Donald R. Cook
• Original Assignee: Donald R. Cook
• Inventors: Cook, Donald R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US09/316,376
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• Field of Search: 473/324, 473/345, 473/346, 473/409, 473/449, 473/342, 473/350, 473/349, 294/47
• US Class Current: 473/345
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• 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

Abstract

A joinder method and article constructed according to the method in which two separate parts are fixedly joined into a unitary one-piece structure by an interference fit between precision mounting surfaces formed on the first and second parts along a mating joint. The dimensions of the first mounting surface are formed oversized with respect to the complementary dimensions of the second mounting surface. The first part is significantly cooled to cause sufficient contraction allowing the first mounting surface to be inserted within the second mounting surface. When warmed, the first part expands to its normal dimensional shape driving the first mounting surface into an interference fit with the second mounting surface. The first and second parts can be formed of dissimilar materials which, in the specific case of a golf club head, uses a heavier and harder material for the second part and a lightweight material for the top part. Optional surface irregularities on the second mounting surface forcibly engage the first mounting surface when the first part expands to its normal dimensional shape. Additional joint strength obtained by preventing oxidation of the mounting surfaces which enables diffusion bonding of the two parts along the mating joint. Temporary mounting tabs are formed about the periphery of each of the first and second parts during formation of the first and second parts for locating the parts in a fixture during formation of the precision mounting surfaces on the parts.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

first and second separate parts having mating first and second mounting surfaces, respectively, to be joined together into a unitary one-piece golf club head;

the first and second mounting surfaces of the first and second parts, respectively, having opposing surface portions, respectively, which lie in a plane of expansion of the first part with respect to the second part;

opposing surface portions of the first mounting surface of the first part having a normal dimension larger than the corresponding dimension of opposing surface portions of the mounting surface of the second part;

the opposing surface portions of one of the first and second parts defining an outward protecting step, and the opposing surface portions of the other of the first and second parts defining a recessed step complementary to the outward projecting step, the outward projecting step and the recessed step spaced inward of a periphery of the first and second parts; and

an interference fit joining the first part to the second part by mating of the first and second mounting surfaces by expansion of the first part to the normal dimensional shape after contraction of the first part during cooling.

2. The golf club head of claim 1 wherein the first and second portions comprise a top portion and a bottom portion of a hollow golf club head having an interior cavity formed therebetween.

3. The golf club head of claim 1 wherein the second mounting surface of the second part has surface irregularities projecting outward therefrom.

4. The golf club head of claim 1 wherein the first and second parts are formed of dissimilar materials.

5. The golf club head of claim 1 wherein the material forming the second part has a higher weight than the weight of the material forming the first part.

6. The golf club head of claim 1 wherein the material forming the second part is harder than the material forming the first part.

7. The golf club head of claim 6 wherein the second mounting surface of the second part has surface irregularities projecting outward therefrom embedable in the first mounting surface of the first part as the first part expands.