Golf club face plates with internal cell lattices and related methods
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for providing a face plate for a golf club head, the method comprising:
- providing an inner skin of the face plate;
providing an outer skin of the face plate;
providing a midsection of the face plate; and
bounding the midsection between the inner skin and the outer skin;
wherein;
providing the midsection comprises;
providing a plurality of midsection layers comprising a first midsection layer and a second midsection layer;
forming a first lattice pattern through the first midsection layer; and
forming a second lattice pattern through the second midsection layer;
providing the inner skin, the outer skin, and the midsection comprises;
providing each of the midsection, the inner skin, or the outer skin as separate distinct pieces;
bounding the midsection comprises;
diffusion bonding the inner skin, the midsection, and the outer skin together, including the first and second midsection layers, into a single integral piece of material that is substantially seamless between the inner skin and the midsection and between the midsection and the outer skin;
wherein after the diffusion bonding;
a midsection central area of the midsection comprises a cell lattice;
the cell lattice comprises a plurality of walls defining a plurality of cells in a hexagonal pattern;
the plurality of walls and the plurality of cells of the cell lattice are defined at least in part by the first and second lattice patterns;
the cell lattice is fully bounded between the inner and outer skins of the face plate; and
a midsection perimeter area of the midsection bounds the midsection central area and is devoid of the cell lattice;
forming the first lattice pattern through the first midsection layer comprises forming a first cutout through the first midsection layer, the first cutout configured to define a first volume portion of a first cell of the cell lattice;
forming the second lattice pattern through the second midsection layer comprises forming a second cutout through the second midsection layer, the second cutout configured to define a second volume portion of the first cell;
bounding the midsection comprises;
aligning the second midsection layer over the first midsection layer such that the first and second cutouts are centered about a first cell axis of the first cell;
bounding the midsection comprisesforming the plurality of cells in an isogrid pattern;
diffusion bonding the inner skin, the midsection, and the outer skin together comprises intermeshing interfaces between the inner skin, the midsection, and the outer skin together via a high-pressure and high-heat process;
providing the inner skin, the outer skin, and the midsection comprises;
providing the midsection, the inner skin, and the outer skin to each comprise a titanium alloy with an alpha-type crystal structure;
anddiffusion bonding the inner skin, the midsection, and the outer skin together comprisestransforming the alpha-type crystal structure of the midsection, the inner skin, and the outer skin to a beta-type crystal structure intermeshing the midsection, the inner skin, and the outer skin together;
the alpha-type crystal structure comprising a hexagonal crystal phase; and
the beta-type crystal structure comprises a body-centered cubic crystal phase.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of golf club face plates with internal cell lattices are presented herein. Other examples and related methods are also disclosed herein.
-
Citations
24 Claims
-
1. A method for providing a face plate for a golf club head, the method comprising:
-
providing an inner skin of the face plate; providing an outer skin of the face plate; providing a midsection of the face plate; and bounding the midsection between the inner skin and the outer skin; wherein; providing the midsection comprises; providing a plurality of midsection layers comprising a first midsection layer and a second midsection layer; forming a first lattice pattern through the first midsection layer; and forming a second lattice pattern through the second midsection layer; providing the inner skin, the outer skin, and the midsection comprises; providing each of the midsection, the inner skin, or the outer skin as separate distinct pieces; bounding the midsection comprises; diffusion bonding the inner skin, the midsection, and the outer skin together, including the first and second midsection layers, into a single integral piece of material that is substantially seamless between the inner skin and the midsection and between the midsection and the outer skin; wherein after the diffusion bonding; a midsection central area of the midsection comprises a cell lattice; the cell lattice comprises a plurality of walls defining a plurality of cells in a hexagonal pattern; the plurality of walls and the plurality of cells of the cell lattice are defined at least in part by the first and second lattice patterns; the cell lattice is fully bounded between the inner and outer skins of the face plate; and a midsection perimeter area of the midsection bounds the midsection central area and is devoid of the cell lattice; forming the first lattice pattern through the first midsection layer comprises forming a first cutout through the first midsection layer, the first cutout configured to define a first volume portion of a first cell of the cell lattice; forming the second lattice pattern through the second midsection layer comprises forming a second cutout through the second midsection layer, the second cutout configured to define a second volume portion of the first cell; bounding the midsection comprises; aligning the second midsection layer over the first midsection layer such that the first and second cutouts are centered about a first cell axis of the first cell; bounding the midsection comprises forming the plurality of cells in an isogrid pattern; diffusion bonding the inner skin, the midsection, and the outer skin together comprises intermeshing interfaces between the inner skin, the midsection, and the outer skin together via a high-pressure and high-heat process; providing the inner skin, the outer skin, and the midsection comprises; providing the midsection, the inner skin, and the outer skin to each comprise a titanium alloy with an alpha-type crystal structure; and diffusion bonding the inner skin, the midsection, and the outer skin together comprises transforming the alpha-type crystal structure of the midsection, the inner skin, and the outer skin to a beta-type crystal structure intermeshing the midsection, the inner skin, and the outer skin together; the alpha-type crystal structure comprising a hexagonal crystal phase; and the beta-type crystal structure comprises a body-centered cubic crystal phase.
-
-
2. A method for providing a face plate for a golf club head, the method comprising:
-
providing an inner skin of the face plate; providing an outer skin of the face plate; providing a midsection of the face plate; and coupling the midsection between the inner skin and the outer skin such that; an inner midsection end of the midsection is coupled to the inner skin of the face plate; and an outer midsection end of the midsection is coupled to the outer skin of the face plate; wherein; providing the midsection comprises; providing a cell lattice in the midsection, the cell lattice comprising a plurality of walls defining a plurality of cells; prior to coupling the midsection between the inner skin and the outer skin; the inner skin comprises a first crystal structure of an alpha-type structure; the outer skin comprises a second crystal structure of the alpha-type structure; and the midsection comprises a midsection crystal structure of the alpha-type structure; and coupling the midsection between the inner skin and the outer skin comprises; transforming the first crystal structure, the second crystal structure, and the midsection crystal structure to a beta-type structure such that; the midsection crystal structure is intermeshed with the first crystal structure; and the midsection crystal structure is intermeshed with the second crystal structure. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. A method for providing a face plate for a golf club head, the method comprising:
-
providing an inner skin of the face plate; providing an outer skin of the face plate; providing a midsection of the face plate; and coupling the midsection between the inner skin and the outer skin such that; an inner midsection end of the midsection is coupled to the inner skin of the face plate; and an outer midsection end of the midsection is coupled to the outer skin of the face plate; wherein; providing the midsection comprises; providing a cell lattice in the midsection, the cell lattice comprising a plurality of walls defining a plurality of cells; coupling the midsection comprises; merging the inner skin, the midsection, and the outer skin together into a single integral piece of material without adhesives or fasteners; merging the inner skin, the midsection, and the outer skin together via diffusion bonding using a high-pressure and high-heat process; and a metallic material of the midsection comprises a titanium alloy comprising at least approximately 8% aluminum.
-
-
22. A method for providing a face plate for a golf club head, the method comprising:
-
providing an inner skin of the face plate; providing an outer skin of the face plate; providing a midsection of the face plate; and coupling the midsection between the inner skin and the outer skin such that; an inner midsection end of the midsection is coupled to the inner skin of the face plate; and an outer midsection end of the midsection is coupled to the outer skin of the face plate; wherein; providing the midsection comprises; providing a cell lattice in the midsection, the cell lattice comprising a plurality of walls defining a plurality of cells; and providing the cell lattice comprises; providing a plurality of cell junctions where two or more of the plurality of walls couple together; and forming a first junction channel into a first cell junction of the plurality of cell junctions, the first junction channel extending from the inner midsection end to the outer midsection end.
-
-
23. A method for providing a face plate for a golf club head, the method comprising:
-
providing an inner skin of the face plate; providing an outer skin of the face plate; providing a midsection of the face plate; and coupling the midsection between the inner skin and the outer skin such that; an inner midsection end of the midsection is coupled to the inner skin of the face plate; and an outer midsection end of the midsection is coupled to the outer skin of the face plate; wherein; providing the midsection comprises; providing a cell lattice in the midsection, the cell lattice comprising a plurality of walls defining a plurality of cells; and providing the cell lattice comprises; forming a first wall of the plurality of walls to comprise a transverse passageway between adjacent cells of the plurality of cells.
-
-
24. A face plate for a golf club head, the face plate comprising:
-
a face plate central area a face plate perimeter area between the face plate central area and a perimeter of the face plate; an inner skin; an outer skin; and a midsection comprising; an inner midsection end coupled to the inner skin; an outer midsection end coupled to the outer skin; and a cell lattice comprising a plurality of walls defining a plurality of cells between the inner midsection end and the outer midsection end; wherein; the inner skin comprises a first crystal structure; the outer skin comprises a second crystal structure; the midsection comprises a plurality of midsection layers having a midsection crystal structure; the inner skin, the outer skin, and the midsection, along with the plurality of midsection layers, comprise a single piece of material; the midsection comprises a metallic material; the inner skin and the outer skin comprise the metallic material; the cell lattice is located in the face plate central area without extending into the face plate perimeter area and the cell lattice comprises a hexagonal pattern defined by the plurality of walls; the metallic material comprises a titanium alloy comprising at least approximately 8% aluminum; the first, second, and midsection crystal structures comprise a beta-type structure having a body-centered cubic crystal phase; and the cell lattice comprises an isogrid pattern defined by the plurality of walls and the plurality of cells.
-
Specification