Method of manufacturing composite wood golf club head with metal face

• US 6,982,053 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2002
• Issued: 01/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Archer C.C. Chen
• Original Assignee: Archer C.C. Chen
• Inventors: Chen, Archer C. C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Edmund H.
• Application Number:
  US10/268,947
• Publication Number:
  US 20040031560A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,180 Days
• Field of Search: 264/245, 264/241, 264/320, 264/238, 264/275, 264/138
• US Class Current: 264/138
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/02 with reinforcing fibres, e.g. carbon, polyamide fibres
• 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 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0462 characterised by tapering thickness 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: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2043/3615 Forming elements, e.g. mandrels or rams or stampers or pistons or plungers or punching devices
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2043/3665 cores or inserts, e.g. pins, mandrels, sliders
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/02 of articles of definite length, i.e. discrete articles B29C35/0227 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/361 with pressing members independently movable of the parts for opening or closing the mould, e.g. movable pistons transfer moulding B29C45/02; injection-compression moulding B29C45/561
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/42 for undercut articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/46 using matched moulds, e.g. for deforming sheet moulding compounds [SMC] or prepregs
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/86 Incorporated in coherent impregnated reinforcing layers, e.g. by winding
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/06 containing reinforcements, fillers or inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/5227 Clubs

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a composite golf club head with a metal face includes the following steps. 1. Arrange two die and a mold plunger. 2. Combine the dies to form a mold cavity, which bottom is installed with a metal bottom board. 3. Put a bulk molding compound (B.M.C.) into the mold cavity. 4. Move the mold plunger into the mold cavity to compress the B.M.C. 5. Solidify the compressed bulk molding compound, and then separate the dies and the mold plunger to get a composite main body of the golf club head. The main body thus obtained has a main casing with a top opening. 6. Mount a composite top casing to the main casing to cover the top opening. Mount a metal front casing to a front side of the main casing to form the face.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a composite wood golf club head with a metal face, comprising the steps of:

(a) arranging a first die, a second die and a mold plunger;

wherein said first die and said second die can be driven to combine and to separate;

wherein said first die has a first cavity having a recessed portion and a slot portion extending inwardly from a topside thereof to the recessed portion;

wherein said second die has a second cavity having a recessed portion and a slot portion extending from a topside thereof to the recessed portion of the second die, and the recessed portions and the slot portions of the first and second cavities are combined with each other when said first die and said second die are combined;

wherein said mold plunger is located above the dies and can be driven to move downwards and upwards, said mold plunger has a mold portion at the bottom thereof and a plunger portion at the top thereof;

(b) combining said first die and said second die such that a mold cavity is defined by the first and second cavities;

wherein said mold cavity has a convex wall at a side wall thereof substantially corresponding in shape to the face of the golf club head to be made, and an annular flange around said convex wall;

wherein the bottom side of the mold cavity is mounted with a metal bottom board;

(c) putting a bulk molding compound (B.M.C.) into the mold cavity;

(d) moving said mold plunger into said mold cavity through said slot portions to compress the B.M.C until the slot portions are sealed by the plunger portion of said mold plunger such that a mold space, including a platelike portion left between the convex wall and the mold portion of the mold plunger, is defined in between the recessed portions of said first and second cavities and the mold portion of said mold plunger for being filled with said bulk molding compound, wherein the B.M.C covers said bottom board;

(e) solidifying said compressed bulk molding compound, and then separating said first die, said second die and said mold plunger to get a composite main body of the golf club head, wherein said main body has a main casing, which has a front wall corresponding in shape to the platelike portion of the mold space, an annular recess corresponding in shape to said annular flange and a top opening at a top side thereof, and said bottom board is embedded in a bottom of said main casing and exposes its exterior surface outside; and

(f) fixing a front casing and a top casing to said main casing, wherein said top casing is fixed to said main casing to cover said top opening and said front casing is made of metal having a board portion and an annular wall extending backwards from the periphery of the board portion and provided with an engaging portion at the distal end thereof for engagement with said annular recess of said main casing to fix said front casing to said main casing.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein arrange a metal annular frame with a shape corresponding to said annular flange of said mold cavity and having an annular slot thereon for engagement with said annular flange to detachably install said annular frame on said convex wall of said mold cavity before the step (c), and said annular frame is embedded in the peripheral of the front side of said main casing in the step (e) and said annular frame engages said annular slot with said engaging portion of said front casing in the step (f).

3. The method as defined in claim 2, wherein one of said dies is provided at the recessed portion thereof with a core socket for detachable engagement with a core, wherein said core has said convex wall and said annular flange at exterior side thereof, and said annular frame is engaged with said core at the exterior side thereof.

4. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein one of said dies is provided at the recessed portion thereof with a core socket for detachable engagement with a core, wherein said core has said convex wall and said annular flange at exterior side thereof.

5. The method as defined in claim 4, further comprising removing said front wall of said main casing to form a front opening before fixing said front casing to said main casing in the step (f).

6. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said front casing has an annular recess at the back side of the periphery of the board portion.

7. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the thickness of said board portion of said front casing is thicker at the center region thereof and is thinner at the peripheral region thereof.

8. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein a weight device is mounted to said bottom board in the step (b) and said weight device is embedded on the bottom side wall of said main casing and closes to the rear side of the main casing.

9. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said top casing is made of composite material.

10. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein said main body has a neck integrally formed on the main casing.