Composite articles and methods for making the same
First Claim
1. A method for making a club head of a golf club, the method comprising:
- forming a lay-up of multiple pre-preg plies, each pre-preg ply comprising at least one layer of reinforcing fibers impregnated with a resin, the lay-up comprising a central portion and a sacrificial portion surrounding the central portion;
at least partially curing the lay-up in a mold so as to form an at least partially cured lay-up having a bulge and roll;
removing the at least partially cured lay-up from the mold;
after removing the at least partially cured lay-up from the mold, removing the sacrificial portion from the central portion of the at least partially cured lay-up to form a composite face plate having specified dimensions and shape;
providing a club head body; and
mounting the composite face plate to the club head body to form a club head.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present disclosure pertains to composite articles, and in particular a composite face plate for a golf club-head, and methods for making the same. In certain embodiments, a composite face plate for a club-head comprises a lay-up of multiple, composite prepreg plies. The face plate can be made by first forming an oversized lay-up of multiple prepreg plies having a central portion and a sacrificial portion surrounding the central portion. The lay-up is at least partially cured in a mold under elevated pressure and heat. The lay-up is then removed from the mold and the sacrificial portion is removed from the central portion to form a composite part that is substantially free of defects.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for making a club head of a golf club, the method comprising:
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forming a lay-up of multiple pre-preg plies, each pre-preg ply comprising at least one layer of reinforcing fibers impregnated with a resin, the lay-up comprising a central portion and a sacrificial portion surrounding the central portion; at least partially curing the lay-up in a mold so as to form an at least partially cured lay-up having a bulge and roll; removing the at least partially cured lay-up from the mold; after removing the at least partially cured lay-up from the mold, removing the sacrificial portion from the central portion of the at least partially cured lay-up to form a composite face plate having specified dimensions and shape; providing a club head body; and mounting the composite face plate to the club head body to form a club head. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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5. A method for making a club head for a golf club;
- the method comprising;
Forming a lay-up of multiple pre-preg plies, each pre-preg ply comprising at least one layer of reinforcing fiber impregnated with a resin, the lay-up comprising a central portion and a sacrificial portion surrounding the central portion; At least partially curing the lay-up;
removing the sacrificial portion from the central portion of the at least partially cured lay-up to form a composite face plate having specified dimensions and shape;wherein at least some of the plies comprise elongated pre-preg strips that are narrower in width than the width of the central portion, each strip having opposite end portions that extend into the sacrificial portion, and the act of removing the sacrificial portion is effective to separate the end portions of the strips from the remaining portions of the strips forming the composite face plate; providing a club head body; and mounting the composite face plate to the club head body to form a club head.
- the method comprising;
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17. A method of making a club head, the method comprising:
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forming a lay-up of multiple pre-preg plies, each pre-preg ply comprising at least one layer of reinforcing fibers impregnated with a resin, the lay-up comprising a central portion and a sacrificial portion surrounding the central portion; at least partially curing the lay-up in a mold, the mold forming at least one curved surface on the central portion of the lay-up; removing the at least partially cured lay-up from the mold; after removing the at least partially cured lay-up from the mold, removing the sacrificial portion from the central portion of the at least partially cured lay-up to form a composite face plate; providing a club head body; mounting the composite face plate to the club head body to form a club head. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification