Iron type golf clubs and golf club heads having weight containing and/or vibration damping insert members

• US 8,337,325 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2007
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ATI Technologies ULC (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.), Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Boyd, Robert, Green, Charles Jack III, Slaughter, Byron C
• Primary Examiner(s): HUNTER, ALVIN A
• Application Number:
  US11/846,362
• Publication Number:
  US 20090062032A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,946 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350
• US Class Current: 473/332
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/005 Club sets
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• 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

Abstract

Iron golf clubs heads and clubs include: (a) a ball striking face; (b) an opposite rear surface; (c) a sole portion extending rearward from the ball striking face and defining a cavity having an open upper portion; (d) an insert element mounted in the cavity, wherein the insert element includes at least one weight port; and (e) a weight member mounted in the port. The insert element may substantially fill the cavity to dampen vibrations and/or noise when a ball is struck. Additionally, the insert element may allow the weight(s) to be selectively placed to enable customization and tuning of the overall weight of the club head (e.g., for swing weighting purposes, for ball flight control purposes, etc.). Methods of making such club heads and clubs also are described.

Claims

1. An iron golf club head, comprising:

a ball striking face including a front ball striking surface and a single rear surface directly opposite and substantially parallel to the ball striking surface, wherein the rear surface comprises an area contiguous with a perimeter of the golf club head;

a sole portion extending rearward from the ball striking face and forming a bottom of the club head, and extending upward from the bottom of the club head to form a lowermost portion of a perimeter weight member and a portion of the rear of the club head, the sole portion and at least a portion of the rear surface defining a cavity that has an open upper portion;

an insert element mounted in the cavity, wherein the insert element includes a side surface, wherein at least a portion of the side surface lies immediately adjacent to and contacts the rear surface, an upper surface exposed at the open upper portion of the cavity and an opposite lower surface, wherein the lower surface includes at least a first weight port therein; and

a first weight member mounted in the first weight port,

wherein the insert element includes a first polymer member in which the first weight port is formed and a second polymer member from which the upper surface formed,

wherein the first polymer member is softer than the second polymer member, wherein the second polymer member includes a continuous cover layer which completely covers an upper surface of the first polymer member and prevents exposure of the first polymer member,

wherein the side surface has at least a first portion formed by a first side surface of the first polymer member and a second portion formed by a second side surface of the second polymer member, such that the first and second side surfaces combine contiguously to form the side surface of the insert element, and wherein at least a portion of the first side surface and at least a portion of the second side surface lies immediately adjacent to or contacts the rear surface

wherein the first polymer member of the insert member is L-shaped and defines a tail portion which is positioned in an upper half of the insert element and below the second polymer member of the insert member, wherein the tail portion extends rearwardly away from the side surface of the insert member that lies immediately adjacent to and contacts the rear surface of the ball striking face,

wherein a recess is defined in a top of the lowermost portion of the perimeter weight member, rearward of the cavity,

wherein the tail portion is configured to extend over the perimeter weight member and fill the recess defined in the top of the lowermost portion of the perimeter weight member.

2. An iron golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the lower surface includes a second weight port, and wherein one of the first weight port or the second weight port is located at a toe end of the insert element and the other weight port is located at a heel end of the insert element.

3. An iron golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the lower surface includes a second weight port, and wherein the golf club head further includes a second weight member mounted in the second weight port.

4. An iron golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the insert element substantially fills the cavity, and wherein at least a portion of a side surface of the first polymer member lies immediately adjacent to or contacts the rear surface.

5. An iron golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the first polymer member has a hardness of 70 Shore A or less and the second polymer member has a hardness of 85 Shore A or greater.

6. An iron golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the cavity has an overall length dimension in a heel-to-toe direction of the club head that is at least twice its overall width dimension in a face-to-rear direction.

7. An iron golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the first weight port is located at a toe end of the insert element.

8. An iron golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the first weight port is located at a heel end of the insert element.

9. An iron golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the second polymer member includes at least one wedge portion at an upper surface of the second polymer member, wherein a height of the wedge portion increases as the wedge portion extends towards the rear surface directly opposite to the ball striking surface.

10. An iron golf club, comprising:

a golf club head including;

(a) a ball striking face including a front ball striking surface and a single rear surface directly opposite and substantially parallel to the ball striking surface, wherein the rear surface comprises an area contiguous with a perimeter of the golf club head;

(b) a sole portion extending rearward from the ball striking face and forming a bottom of the club head, and extending upward from the bottom of the club head to form a lowermost portion of a perimeter weight member and a portion of the rear of the club head, the sole portion and at least a portion of the rear surface defining a cavity that has an open upper portion, (c) an insert element mounted in the cavity, wherein the insert element includes a side surface, wherein at least a portion of the side surface lies immediately adjacent to and contacts the rear surface, an upper surface exposed at the open upper portion of the cavity and an opposite lower surface, wherein the lower surface includes at least a first weight port, and (d) a first weight member mounted in the first weight port; and

a shaft member engaged with the golf club head,

wherein the insert element includes a first polymer member in which the first weight port is formed and a second polymer member from which the upper surface formed,

wherein the first polymer member is softer than the second polymer member, wherein the second polymer member includes a continuous cover layer which completely covers an upper surface of the first polymer member and prevents exposure of the first polymer•

member,

wherein the side surface has at least a first portion formed by a first side surface of the first polymer member and a second portion formed by a second side surface of the second polymer member, such that the first and second side surfaces combine contiguously to form the side surface of the insert element, and wherein at least a portion of the first side surface and at least a portion of the second side surface lies immediately adjacent to or contacts the rear surface,

wherein the first polymer member of the insert member is L-shaped and defines a tail portion which is positioned in an upper half of the insert element and below the second polymer member of the insert member, wherein the tail portion extends rearwardly away from the side surface of the insert member that lies immediately adjacent to and contacts the rear surface of the ball striking face,

wherein a recess is defined in a top of the lowermost portion of the perimeter weight member, rearward of the cavity,

wherein the tail portion is configured to extend over the perimeter weight member and fill the recess defined in the top of the lowermost portion of the perimeter weight member.

11. An iron golf club according to claim 10, wherein the lower surface includes a second weight port, and wherein one of the first weight port or the second weight port is located at a toe end of the insert element and the other weight port is located at a heel end of the insert element.

12. An iron golf club according to claim 10, wherein the lower surface includes a second weight port, and wherein the golf club head further includes a second weight member mounted in the second weight port.

13. An iron golf club according to claim 10, wherein the first polymer member has a hardness of 70 Shore A or less and the second polymer member has a hardness of 85 Shore A or greater.

14. An iron golf club according to claim 10, wherein the cavity has an overall length dimension in a heel-to-toe direction of the club head that is at least twice its overall width dimension in a face-to-rear direction.

15. An iron golf club according to claim 10, wherein the first weight port is located at a toe end of the insert element.

16. An iron golf club according to claim 10, wherein the first weight port is located at a heel end of the insert element.

17. An iron golf club according to claim 10, further comprising:

a grip member engaged with the shaft member.

18. An iron golf club according to claim 10, wherein the second polymer member includes at least one wedge portion at an upper surface of the second polymer member, wherein a height of the wedge portion increases as the wedge portion extends towards the rear surface directly opposite to the ball striking surface.

19. A method for producing an iron golf club head, comprising:

providing a club head body including a ball striking face including a front ball striking surface and a single rear surface directly opposite and substantially parallel to the ball striking surface, wherein the rear surface comprises an area contiguous with a perimeter of the golf club head, and a sole portion extending rearward from the ball striking face and forming a bottom of the club head, and extending upward from the bottom of the club head to form a lowermost portion of a perimeter weight member and a portion of the rear of the club head, wherein the sole portion and at least a portion of the rear surface define a cavity that has an open upper portion;

providing an insert element that includes a side surface, wherein at least a portion of the side surface lies immediately adjacent to and contacts the rear surface, an upper surface and an opposite lower surface, wherein the lower surface includes at least a first weight port therein;

inserting a first weight member in the first weight port; and

inserting the insert element into the cavity such that the upper surface of the insert element is exposed at the open upper portion of the cavity,

wherein the insert element includes a first polymer member in which the first weight port is formed and a second polymer member from which the upper surface formed,

wherein the first polymer member is softer than the second polymer member,

wherein the second polymer member includes a continuous cover layer which completely covers an upper surface of the first polymer member and prevents exposure of the first polymer member,

wherein the side surface has at least a first portion formed by a first side surface of the first polymer member and a second portion formed by a second side surface of the second polymer member, such that the first and second side surfaces combine contiguously to form the side surface of the insert element, and wherein at least a portion of the first side surface and at least a portion of the second side surface lies immediately adjacent to and contacts the rear surface,

wherein the first polymer member of the insert member is L-shaped and defines a tail portion which is positioned in an upper half of the insert element and below the second polymer member of the insert member, wherein the tail portion extends rearwardly away from the side surface of the insert member that lies immediately adjacent to and contacts the rear surface of the ball striking face,

wherein a recess is defined in a top of the lowermost portion of the perimeter weight member, rearward of the cavity,

wherein the tail portion is configured to extend over the perimeter weight member and fill the recess defined in the top of the lowermost portion of the perimeter weight member.

20. A method according to claim 19, further comprising:

removing the insert element from the cavity;

removing the first weight member from the first weight port;

inserting a second weight member into the first weight port; and

inserting the insert element with the second weight member into the cavity.

21. A method according to claim 19, further comprising:

removing the insert element from the cavity;

removing the first weight member from the first weight port;

inserting the first weight member into a second weight port defined in the lower surface of the insert element; and

inserting the insert element with the first weight member in the second weight port into the cavity.

22. A method according to claim 19, further comprising:

removing the insert element from the cavity;

removing the first weight member from the first weight port;

inserting a second weight member into a second weight port defined in the lower surface of the insert element; and

inserting the insert element with the second weight member in the second weight port into the cavity.

23. A method according to claim 19, further comprising:

inserting a second weight member into a second weight port defined in the lower surface of the insert element; and

inserting the insert element with the second weight member in the second weight port into the cavity.

24. A method according to claim 19, wherein the second polymer member includes at least one wedge portion at an upper surface of the second polymer member, wherein a height of the wedge portion increases as the wedge portion extends towards the rear surface directly opposite to the ball striking surface.

25. A method for producing an iron golf club, comprising:

providing a golf club head including;

(a) a ball striking face including a front ball striking surface and a single rear surface directly opposite and substantially parallel to the ball striking surface, (b) a sole portion extending rearward from the ball striking face and forming a bottom of the club head, and extending upward from the bottom of the club head to form a lowermost portion of a perimeter weight member and a portion of the rear of the club head, wherein the sole portion and at least a portion of the rear surface define a cavity that has an open upper portion, (c) an insert element provided in the cavity, wherein the insert element includes a side surface, wherein at least a portion of the side surface lies immediately adjacent to and contacts the rear surface, an upper surface and an opposite lower surface, wherein the lower surface includes at least a first weight port therein, and wherein the upper surface of the insert element is exposed at the open upper portion of the cavity, and (d) a first weight member included in the first weight port; and

engaging a shaft member with the golf club head,

wherein the insert element includes a first polymer member in which the first weight port is formed and a second polymer member from which the upper surface formed,

wherein the first polymer member is softer than the second polymer member,

wherein the second polymer member includes a continuous cover layer which completely covers an upper surface of the first polymer member and prevents exposure of the first polymer member,

wherein the side surface has at least a first portion formed by a first side surface of the first polymer member and a second portion formed by a second side surface of the second polymer member, such that the first and second side surfaces combine contiguously to form the side surface of the insert element, and wherein at least a portion of the first side surface and at least a portion of the second side surface lies immediately adjacent to and contacts the rear surface

wherein the first polymer member of the insert member is L-shaped and defines a tail portion which is positioned in an upper half of the insert element and below the second polymer member of the insert member, wherein the tail portion extends rearwardly away from the side surface of the insert member that lies immediately adjacent to and contacts the rear surface of the ball striking face,

wherein a recess is defined in a top of the lowermost portion of the perimeter weight member, rearward of the cavity,

wherein the tail portion is configured to extend over the perimeter weight member and fill the recess defined in the top of the lowermost portion of the perimeter weight member.

26. A method according to claim 25, wherein the second polymer member includes at least one wedge portion at an upper surface of the second polymer member, wherein a height of the wedge portion increases as the wedge portion extends towards the rear surface directly opposite to the ball striking surface.