Golf clubs with cavities, and related methods

• US 8,182,364 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2011
• Issued: 05/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Inventors: Cole, Eric V., Noble, Randall B., Morales, Eric J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Alvin
• Application Number:
  US13/071,309
• Publication Number:
  US 20110177878A1
• Time in Patent Office: 425 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350
• US Class Current: 473/335
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0454 Strengthening ribs on the rear surface of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0475 with one or more enclosed cavities
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49993 Filling of opening

Abstract

Embodiments of golf clubs with one or more cavities described herein.

Related examples and methods are also disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a strike face;

a back face opposite the strike face;

a heel region;

a toe region opposite the heel region;

a cavity at the back face; and

a filler material located in the cavity, the filler material comprising a density less than a density of the golf club head;

wherein;

the cavity extends from the heel region to the toe region and extends along a lower portion of the back face of the golf club head;

the back face comprises a back wall defining at least in part an interior of the cavity; and

the filler material comprises at least one of;

a first filler density that decreases along the cavity from the heel region towards the toe region;

or

a second filler density that decreases along the cavity from the toe region towards the heel region.

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

the interior of the cavity is substantially isolated by the back wall from a rear exterior of the golf club head when viewed from a rear of the golf club head.

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

the cavity is substantially symmetrical about a centerline of the golf club head.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising:

an arcuate rib at the back face, extending from the heel region to the toe region, extending away from the back face, and defining a portion of a secondary cavity;

wherein a volume of the cavity is separated by the back wall from a volume of the secondary cavity.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising:

an arcuate rib at the back face, extending from the heel region to the toe region, and extending away from the back face; and

a back weight located in a secondary cavity defined at least in part by the arcuate rib;

wherein;

the back weight comprises a density greater than a density of the golf club head.

6. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising

a perimeter weight extending away from the back face.

7. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein

a cross-sectional area of the interior of the cavity is substantially constant along a full length of the cavity.

8. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein

the filler material comprises:

a first material comprising at least one of;

a polymer material, a rubber material, a foam material, or a gel material; and

a metallic material embedded within the first material.

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

the filler material comprises the first filler density and the second filler density.

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

the first and second filler densities comprise similar density gradients.

11. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising:

a second cavity at the back face;

wherein a volume of the cavity is separated by the back wall from a volume of the second cavity.

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

the interior of the cavity is substantially tubular.

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

the filler material is insertable into the interior of the cavity via only at least one of;

an outer end of the toe region;

or

an outer end of the heel region;

and

the interior of the cavity is substantially smooth.

14. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein

the filler material comprises a vibration dampening material;

and

the vibration dampening material substantially fills the interior of the cavity.

15. A golf club comprising:

a golf club body; and

a vibration dampening material;

wherein;

the golf club body comprises;

a front face;

a back face opposite the front face;

a heel region;

a toe region opposite the heel region;

a cavity extending from the heel region to the toe region, the cavity comprising;

an interior;

a cavity toe end towards the toe region; and

a cavity heel end towards the heel region;

and

a back wall coupled with the back face and defining a portion of the cavity,

the back wall extending from the back face and substantially isolating the interior of the cavity such that the cavity is accessible at one or both of the cavity toe end or the cavity heel end;

and

the vibration dampening material is located within the cavity and comprises;

a first density being at least one of;

decreasingly dense along the cavity from the heel region towards the toe region;

or

increasingly dense along the cavity from the heel region towards the toe region;

and

a second density being at least one of;

decreasingly dense along the cavity from the toe region towards the heel region;

or

increasingly dense along the cavity from the toe region towards the heel region.

16. The golf club of claim 15, wherein:

the cavity extends substantially symmetrically along a lower portion of the back face of the golf club body;

the first density of the vibration dampening material extends along the heel region to a centerline defining a junction between the heel region and the toe region of the golf club body; and

the second density of the vibration dampening material extends along the toe region to the centerline.

17. The golf club of claim 15, wherein:

the vibration dampening material comprises;

a first material comprising at least one of a polymer material, a rubber material, a foam material, or a gel material; and

a second material embedded within the first material and comprising a plurality of metal bearings.

18. The golf club of claim 15, further comprising:

a perimeter weight extending from the back face in a direction away from the front face;

wherein;

the cavity toe end is at an end of the toe region of the golf club body, and

the cavity heel end is at an end of the heel region of the golf club body.

19. The golf club of claim 15, wherein:

the vibration dampening material comprises an overall density less than a density of the golf club body and substantially fills the interior of the cavity.

20. The golf club of claim 15, wherein

the vibration dampening material comprises a polymer-metal matrix.