Golf club heads and methods to manufacture golf club heads

• US 9,346,203 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2015
• Issued: 05/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Parsons Xtreme Golf, Llc
• Original Assignee: Parsons Xtreme Golf, Llc
• Inventors: Parsons, Robert R., Nicolette, Michael R., Schweigert, Bradley D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US14/627,774
• Publication Number:
  US 20150231806A1
• Time in Patent Office: 459 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473287-292, 473/256
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0479 Wedge-type clubs, details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0445 Details of grooves or the like on the impact surface
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0454 Strengthening ribs on the rear surface of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0475 with one or more enclosed cavities
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14467 Joining articles or parts of a single article B29C45/14377, B29C45/14385, B29C45/14581, B29C45/14614 and B29C45/006 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2075/00 Use of PU, i.e. polyureas or polyurethanes or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/5227 Clubs

Abstract

Embodiments of golf club heads and methods to manufacture golf club heads are generally described herein. In one example, a method may include forming a golf club head having a body portion with a toe portion, a heel portion, a top portion, a sole portion, a back portion, and a front portion with a lace portion. The method may form an interior cavity. Other examples and embodiments may be described and claimed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

forming a plurality of weight portions made of a first material;

forming a body portion of a golf club head made of a second material, the body portion having a toe portion, a top portion, a sole portion, a back portion, a front portion, an interior cavity extending between the top and sole portions and between the front and back portions, and an exterior port connected to the interior cavity;

forming a plurality of exterior weight ports on the back portion of the body portion, each of the exterior weight ports being associated with a port diameter and configured to receive at least one weight portion of the plurality of weight portions, the plurality of exterior weight ports having;

a first set of exterior weight ports formed along the periphery of the back portion at or proximate to at least one of the top portion or the toe portion, and

a second set of exterior weight ports formed along the periphery of the back portion at or proximate to at least one of the sole portion or the toe portion,

wherein any two adjacent exterior weight ports of the first set of exterior weight ports are separated by less than the port diameter, and any two adjacent exterior weight ports of the second set of exterior weight ports are separated by less than the port diameter; and

injecting an elastic polymer material into the interior cavity from the exterior port.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein injecting the elastic polymer material into the interior cavity comprises filling at least 50% of the interior cavity with the elastic polymer material.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein injecting the elastic polymer material into the interior cavity comprises injecting at least one of a thermoplastic elastomer material or a thermoplastic polyurethane material into the interior cavity from the exterior port.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein forming the body portion comprises forming a body portion having a face portion with a thickness of less than or equal to 0.075 inch.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein forming the body portion comprises forming a body portion having a face portion with a thickness of less than or equal to 0.030 inch.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein forming the body portion comprises forming a body portion having a body height and an interior cavity with a cavity height of at least 50% of the body height.

7. A method as defined in claim 1 further comprising coupling a weight portion into the exterior port.

8. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein forming the body portion comprises forming a body portion having a face portion with a loft angle between five degrees and seventy-five degrees.

9. A method comprising:

forming two or more weight portions;

forming a hollow body portion of a golf club head, the body portion having a toe portion, a top portion, a sole portion, a back portion, a front portion, and an interior cavity extending between the top and sole portions and between the front and back portions;

forming a plurality of exterior ports on the back portion, at least one exterior port of the plurality of exterior ports being connected to the interior cavity, each of the exterior ports being associated with a port diameter and configured to receive at least one weight portion of the plurality of weight portions, the plurality of exterior ports having;

a first set of exterior ports formed along the periphery of the back portion at or proximate to at least one of the top portion or the toe portion, and

a second set of exterior ports formed along the periphery of the back portion at or proximate to at least one of the sole portion or the toe portion,

wherein any two adjacent exterior ports of the first set of exterior ports are separated by less than the port diameter, and any two adjacent exterior ports of the second set of exterior ports are separated by less than the port diameter; and

injecting an elastic polymer material into the interior cavity from the at least one exterior port.

10. A method as defined in claim 9 further comprising coupling at least one weight portion of the plurality of weight portions into an exterior port of the plurality of exterior ports.

11. A method as defined in claim 9, wherein injecting the elastic polymer material into the interior cavity comprises filling at least 50% of the interior cavity with the elastic polymer material.

12. A method as defined in claim 9, wherein injecting the elastic polymer material into the interior cavity comprises injecting at least one of a thermoplastic elastomer material or a thermoplastic polyurethane material into the interior cavity from the at least one exterior port.

13. A method as defined in claim 9, wherein forming the body portion comprises forming a body portion having a face portion with a thickness of less than or equal to 0.075 inch.

14. A method as defined in claim 9, wherein forming the body portion comprises forming a body portion having a body height and an interior cavity with a cavity height of at least 50% of the body height.

15. A method comprising:

forming a hollow body portion of a golf club head, the hollow body portion having a toe portion, a top portion, a sole portion, a back portion, and a front portion having a face portion;

a first set of weight portions coupled to the hollow body portion at or proximate to a top-and-toe transition region between the top portion and the toe portion, the first set of weight portions being associated with a first total mass;

a second set of weight portions coupled to the hollow body portion at or proximate to a sole-and-toe transition region between the sole portion and the toe portion, the second set of weight portions being associated with a second total mass and located below a horizontal midplane of the golf club head, wherein the first total mass is less than the second total mass; and

forming an interior cavity comprising an elastic polymer material between the front portion and the back portion, the elastic polymer material being configured to at least partially absorb impact on the face portion.

16. A method as defined in claim 15, wherein forming the interior cavity comprises injecting the elastic polymer material into the interior cavity from an exterior port of the body portion.

17. A method as defined in claim 15, wherein forming the interior cavity comprises injecting at least 50% of the interior cavity with the elastic polymer material.

18. A method as defined in claim 15, wherein forming the interior cavity comprises injecting at least one of a thermoplastic elastomer material or a thermoplastic polyurethane material into the interior cavity.

19. A method as defined in claim 15, wherein forming the body portion comprises forming a body portion having a face portion with a thickness of less than or equal to 0.075 inch.

20. A method as defined in claim 15, wherein forming the interior cavity comprises forming an interior cavity with a cavity height of at least 50% of a body height of the body portion.