Method of manufacturing a face plate for a golf club head
First Claim
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1. A golf club head comprising:
- a face plate having a contoured rear surface, the contoured rear surface including a central thickened region having a first non-circular, elliptical outer edge surrounded by a transition region tapered from the central thickened region toward a thinner peripheral region, the transition region having a second non-circular, elliptical outer edge and a curved lateral surface extending from the first non-circular, elliptical outer edge to the second non-circular, elliptical outer edge,wherein the first non-circular, elliptical outer edge has a first aspect ratio, a first major axis and a first minor axis,wherein the second non-circular, elliptical outer edge has a second aspect ratio, a second major axis and a second minor axis, the second major axis being equal to the first major axis plus a predetermined distance and the second minor axis being equal to the first minor axis plus the predetermined distance,wherein the first aspect ratio is greater than the second aspect ratio, andwherein each point along the second non-circular, elliptical outer edge is displaced outward from the first non-circular, elliptical outer edge by an amount equal to half of the predetermined distance.
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Abstract
A golf club is manufactured by machining away a portion of the rear surface of a club face blank to form an elliptical central thickened region that tapers through a transition region to a thinner peripheral region. The elliptical central thickened region, transition region and the portion of the peripheral region surrounding the raised portion are formed in a single elliptical pass with a special cutting tool. The cutting tool, or “form cutter” has a conical lateral cutting surface, which forms the sloped transition region and the peripheral region surrounding it in a single operation.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A golf club head comprising:
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a face plate having a contoured rear surface, the contoured rear surface including a central thickened region having a first non-circular, elliptical outer edge surrounded by a transition region tapered from the central thickened region toward a thinner peripheral region, the transition region having a second non-circular, elliptical outer edge and a curved lateral surface extending from the first non-circular, elliptical outer edge to the second non-circular, elliptical outer edge, wherein the first non-circular, elliptical outer edge has a first aspect ratio, a first major axis and a first minor axis, wherein the second non-circular, elliptical outer edge has a second aspect ratio, a second major axis and a second minor axis, the second major axis being equal to the first major axis plus a predetermined distance and the second minor axis being equal to the first minor axis plus the predetermined distance, wherein the first aspect ratio is greater than the second aspect ratio, and wherein each point along the second non-circular, elliptical outer edge is displaced outward from the first non-circular, elliptical outer edge by an amount equal to half of the predetermined distance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A golf club head comprising:
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a face plate having a contoured surface, the contoured surface including a central region having a first elliptical outer edge surrounded by a transition region extended from the central region to a peripheral region, the transition region having a second elliptical outer edge and a thickness decreasing in a non-linear manner from the first elliptical outer edge to the second elliptical outer edge, wherein the first elliptical outer edge has a first aspect ratio, a first major axis and a first minor axis, wherein the second elliptical outer edge has a second aspect ratio, a second major axis and a second minor axis, the second major axis being equal to the first major axis plus a predefined distance and the second minor axis being equal to the first minor axis plus the predefined distance, and the second aspect ratio being less than the first aspect ratio. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A golf club head comprising:
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a shell having an opening; and a face plate attached to the opening to form a hollow body, the face plate having a frustum surface of revolution, the frustum surface of revolution including a first region having a first elliptical outer edge, a second region having a second elliptical outer edge, and a transition region between the first region to a second region, the transition region having a curved side extending from the first elliptical outer edge to the second elliptical outer edge, wherein the first elliptical outer edge has a first aspect ratio, a first major axis and a first minor axis, wherein the second elliptical outer edge has a second aspect ratio, a second major axis and a second minor axis, the second major axis being equal to the first major axis plus a predefined distance and the second minor axis being equal to the first minor axis plus the predefined distance, and the second aspect ratio being less than the first aspect ratio. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification