Mid-density materials for golf applications

• US 9,327,172 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2012
• Issued: 05/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Deshmukh, Uday V., Hettinger, Ronald K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Simms, Jr., John E
• Application Number:
  US13/679,338
• Publication Number:
  US 20140141904A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,264 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence

Abstract

The golf club head has a body comprising a crown portion, a sole portion, a toe portion, heel portion, hosel portion, rear portion, and a front portion including a striking face. At least one or more portions of the body of the golf club head is made out of at least one or more mid-density materials. The at least one mid-density material or composite of mid-density materials have a density within a range from about 4.5 g/cm³ to 7.9 g/cm³. The mid-density material or composite of mid-density materials provide sufficient stiffness at a reduced weight to optimize the center of gravity and moment of inertia of the golf club head. Also, by using mid-density materials, discretionary weight of the golf club head is increased which can be used to position higher density weights at selective portions of the golf club head.

Claims

1. A golf article of manufacture, comprising:

a golf club head, the golf club head having a body, at least one or more portions of the body made out of a composite of mid-density materials; and

the composite of mid-density materials having a density within a range from 4.5 g/cm³ to 7.9 g/cm³,

whereby the composite of mid-density materials provides sufficient stiffness at a reduced weight to optimize the center of gravity and moment of inertia of the golf club head, wherein the mid-density materials are co-forged using titanium and steel.

2. The golf article of claim 1, wherein the golf club head includes a body comprising:

a crown portion, a sole portion, a toe portion, a heel portion, a hosel portion, a rear portion, and a front portion including a striking face.

3. The golf article of claim 1, wherein the densities of the one or more mid-density materials range from 5 g/cm³ to 7.9 g/cm³.

4. The golf article of claim 1, wherein the densities of the one or more mid-density materials range from 5.5 g/cm³ to 7.5 g/cm³.

6. The golf article of claim 1, wherein co-forged steel and titanium is combined with a third element or composition.

7. The golf article of claim 6, wherein the third element is selected from a group consisting of nickel, copper, metallic metals, and ceramic powder compacts.

8. The golf article of claim 1, wherein the steel is in the form of a steel structure and the titanium is in the form of one or more titanium rods which are collected within the steel structure and then co-forged.

9. The golf article of claim 1, wherein the titanium is in the form of a titanium structure and the steel is in the form of one or more steel rods which are collected within the titanium structure and then co-forged.

10. The golf article of claim 1, wherein the mid-density materials have one or more elements selected from the group consisting of:

Zr, and Hf.

5. The golf article of claim a, wherein the densities of the one or more mid-density materials range from 6 g/cm³ to 7 g/cm³.

11. A golf article of manufacture, comprising:

a golf club head, the golf club head having a body, at least one or more portions of the body made out of a composite of mid-density materials; and

the composite of mid-density materials having a density within a range from 4.5 g/cm³ to 7.9 g/cm³, whereby the composite of mid-density materials provides sufficient stiffness at a reduced weight to optimize the center of gravity and moment of inertia of the golf club head, wherein the mid-density materials have an alloy selected from the group consisting of, Zr—

Nb, Zr—

Mo, Zr—

Hf, Zr—

Ta, Zr—

W, and Zr—

Re.

12. The golf article of claim 11, wherein the golf club head includes a body comprising:

a crown portion, a sole portion, a toe portion, a heel portion, a hosel portion, a rear portion, and a front portion including a striking face.

13. A golf article of manufacture, comprising:

a golf club head, the golf club head having a body, at least one or more portions of the body made out of a composite of mid-density materials; and

the composite of mid-density materials having a density within a range from 4.5 g/cm³ to 7.9 g/cm³, whereby the composite of mid-density materials provides sufficient stiffness at a reduced weight to optimize the center of gravity and moment of inertia of the golf club head, wherein the mid-density materials are Fe—

Al alloys having reduced gain size.

14. The golf article of claim 13, wherein the Fe—

Al alloys having reduced grain size include one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Ti and Zr.

15. The golf article of claim 13, wherein the golf club head includes a body comprising:

a crown portion, a sole portion, a toe portion, a heel portion, a hosel portion, a rear portion, and a front portion including a striking face.