Golf club head with grooves and method of manufacture

• US 7,927,230 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2008
• Issued: 04/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Inventors: Solheim, John A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti; Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US12/263,241
• Publication Number:
  US 20100113179A1
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473287-292
• US Class Current: 473/329
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0445 Details of grooves or the like on the impact surface
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 11/00 Connecting or disconnecting metal parts or objects by metal-working techniques not otherwise provided for connecting sheet metal or metal tubes, rods or profiles B21D39/00; riveting B21J; soldering, unsoldering, welding B23K; hand tools for connecting wire or strip B25B25/00; connecting metal parts by adhesives F16B11/00
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 11/025 by using heat or cold
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 17/04 characterised by the nature of the material involved or the kind of product independently of its shape
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49865 by temperature differential [e.g., shrink fit]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49885 with coating before or during assembling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4997 At least one part nonmetallic
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49989 Followed by cutting or removing material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49995 Shaping one-piece blank by removing material

Abstract

Embodiments of golf clubs with grooves and methods of manufacture thereof are described herein. In some embodiments, a golf club head can include: (a) a body having a strike face with channels; and (b) at least one insert located within at least one of the channels. The at least one of the channels can have a single groove, and the at least one insert can form at least a portion of the single groove. Other embodiments and related methods are also disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a body having a strike face with channels; and

at least one insert located within at least one of the channels,

wherein;

the at least one of the channels comprises a single groove; and

the at least one insert forms at least a portion of the single groove;

a radius of each exterior edge of the single groove is partially formed by the at least one insert and is also partially formed by the strike face;

the strike face comprises a first material; and

the at least one insert comprises a second material different from the first material.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

at least a portion of the at least one of the channels forms a different portion of the single groove.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one insert comprises at least two inserts;

each of the at least two inserts forms different portions of the single groove; and

the at least the portion of the single groove comprises the different portions of the single groove.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

the second material is softer than the first material.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one of the channels comprises a first cross section;

the single groove comprises a second cross section;

the first cross section comprises a first cross-sectional area;

the second cross section comprises a second cross-sectional area; and

the second cross-sectional area is non-proportional to the first cross-sectional area.

6. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one of the channels comprises a first cross section;

the single groove comprises a second cross section;

the first cross section comprises a first cross-sectional area;

the second cross section comprises a second cross-sectional area; and

the second cross-sectional area is substantially proportional to the first cross-sectional area.

7. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one of the channels is asymmetrical about a first axis;

the single groove is symmetrical about the first axis; and

the first axis is substantially perpendicular to a width of the at least one of the channels.

8. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one of the channels is symmetrical about a first axis;

the single groove is symmetrical about the first axis; and

the first axis is substantially perpendicular to a width of the at least one channel.

9. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one of the channels comprises a first cross section;

the at least one insert comprises a second cross section;

the single groove comprises a third cross section;

the first cross section comprises a first cross-sectional area;

the second cross section comprises a second cross-sectional area;

the third cross section comprises a third cross-sectional area; and

the first cross-sectional area is approximately equal to a sum of the second and third cross-sectional areas.

10. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one of the channels comprises a first cross section;

the at least one insert comprises a second cross section;

the single groove comprises a third cross section;

the first cross section comprises a first cross-sectional area;

the second cross section comprises a second cross-sectional area;

the third cross section comprises a third cross-sectional area; and

the first cross-sectional area is greater than a sum of the second and third cross-sectional areas.

11. The golf club head of claim 10, further comprising:

an adhesive in the at least one of the channels;

wherein;

the first cross-sectional area is approximately equal to a sum of the second cross-sectional area, the third cross-sectional area, and a fourth cross-sectional area;

the fourth cross-sectional area is a portion of the first cross-sectional area; and

the adhesive is located within at least a portion of the fourth cross-sectional area.

12. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one of the channels and the at least one insert are coupled together by a friction fit.

13. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

the insert is not located above a top surface of the strike face; and

the insert is not substantially planar to the strike face.

14. A golf club comprising:

a golf club head having a strike face with channels;

a first preform located within a first one of the channels and substantially planar with the strike face;

a second preform located within a second one of the channels and substantially planar with the strike face; and

a shaft coupled to the golf club head,

wherein;

each of the first and second ones of the channels comprises a single groove;

the first preform forms a first part of the single groove in the first one of the channels;

the second preform forms a first part of the single groove in the second one of the channels;

a first edge of the strike face is located adjacent to the first one of the channels;

a second edge of the strike face is located adjacent to the second one of the channels;

the first edge of the strike face forms a second part of the single groove in the first one of the channels;

a radius of each exterior edge of the single groove of the first one of the channels is partially formed by the strike face and is also partially formed by the first preform;

the second edge of the strike face forms a second part of the single groove in the second one of the channels;

a radius of each exterior edge of the single groove of the second one of the channels is partially formed by the strike face and is also partially formed by the second preform;

the strike face comprises a first material; and

the first and second preforms comprise a second material different from the first material.

15. The golf club of claim 14, wherein:

the second material wears faster than the first material.

16. The golf club of claim 14, further comprising:

an adhesive coupling together the golf club head and the at least one insert,

wherein;

a gap is located between the first one of the channels and the first preform; and

the adhesive is located at least partially in the gap.

17. The golf club of claim 14, wherein:

the first one of the channels comprises a first cross section across a width of the first one of the channels;

the single groove of the first one of the channels comprises a second cross section across a width of the single groove of the first one of the channels;

the second one of the channels comprises the first cross section across a width of the second one of the channels;

the single groove of the second one of the channels comprises the second cross section across a width of the single groove of the second one of the channels;

the first cross section comprises a first cross-sectional area;

the second cross section comprises a second cross-sectional area; and

the second cross-sectional area is non-proportional to the first cross-sectional area.

18. The golf club of claim 14, wherein:

the first one of the channels comprises a first cross section across a width of the first one of the channels;

the single groove of the first one of the channels comprises a second cross section across a width of the single groove of the first one of the channels;

the second one of the channels comprises the first cross section across a width of the second one of the channels;

the single groove of the second one of the channels comprises the second cross section across a width of the single groove of the second one of the channels;

the first cross section comprises a first cross-sectional area;

the second cross section comprises a second cross-sectional area; and

the second cross-sectional area is substantially proportional to the first cross-sectional area.

19. A golf club comprising:

a golf club head having a strike face with a first channel and a second channel;

a first insert located within the first channel;

a second insert located within the second channel; and

a shaft coupled to the golf club head,

wherein;

the strike face further has at least two first rims adjacent to the first channel, a first groove at the first channel, at least two second rims adjacent to the second channel, and a second groove at the second channel;

a radius of each external edge of the first groove is formed in part by the at least two first rims of the strike face adjacent to the first channel and also formed in part by the first insert;

a radius of each external edge of the second groove is formed in part by the at least two second rims of the strike face adjacent to the second channel and also formed in part by the second insert;

the strike face comprises a first material;

the first insert comprises a second material different from the first material; and

the second insert comprises the second material.

20. The golf club of claim 19, wherein:

the second material is softer than the first material.

21. The golf club of claim 19, wherein:

the first channel comprises a first cross section;

the first groove comprises a second cross section;

the first cross section comprises a first cross-sectional area;

the second cross section comprises a second cross-sectional area; and

the second cross-sectional area is non-proportional to the first cross-sectional area.

22. The golf club of claim 19, wherein:

the first channel is asymmetrical about a first axis;

the first groove is symmetrical about the first axis; and

the first axis is substantially perpendicular to a width of the first channel.

23. The golf club of claim 19, wherein:

the first channel is symmetrical about a first axis;

the first groove is symmetrical about the first axis; and

the first axis is substantially perpendicular to a width of the first channel.

24. The golf club of claim 19, wherein:

the first channel comprises a first cross section;

the first insert comprises a second cross section;

the first groove comprises a third cross section;

the first cross section comprises a first cross-sectional area;

the second cross section comprises a second cross-sectional area;

the third cross section comprises a third cross-sectional area; and

the first cross-sectional area is approximately equal to a sum of the second and third cross-sectional areas.

25. The golf club of claim 19, further comprising:

an adhesive in the first channel;

wherein;

the first channel comprises a first cross section;

the first insert comprises a second cross section;

the first groove comprises a third cross section;

the first cross section comprises a first cross-sectional area;

the second cross section comprises a second cross-sectional area;

the third cross section comprises a third cross-sectional area;

the first cross-sectional area is approximately equal to a sum of the second cross-sectional area, the third cross-sectional area, and a fourth cross-sectional area; and

the adhesive is located within at least a portion of the fourth cross-sectional area.

26. The golf club of claim 19, wherein:

the first channel and the first insert are coupled together by at least a friction fit.

27. The golf club head of claim 19, wherein:

the first insert comprises at least two third inserts; and

each of the at least two third inserts forms different portions of the first groove.