Golf club face plates with internal cell lattices and related methods

• US 9,409,065 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2014
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Inventors: Morales, Eric J., Henrikson, Erik
• Primary Examiner(s): Simms, Jr., John E
• Application Number:
  US14/157,345
• Publication Number:
  US 20140135144A1
• Time in Patent Office: 936 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/042 the face insert consisting of a material different from that of the head
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0425 the face insert comprising two or more different materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0429 the face insert comprising two or more layers of material
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0454 Strengthening ribs on the rear surface of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0458 with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0462 characterised by tapering thickness of the impact face plate
• 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 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 20/02 by means of a press ; Diffusion bonding B23K20/001, B23K20/04 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 20/021 Isostatic pressure welding
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 20/023 Thermo-compression bonding
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 20/233 without ferrous layer
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/14 Titanium or alloys thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 : Assembling or joining

Abstract

Embodiments of golf club face plates with internal cell lattices are presented herein. Other examples and related methods are also disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a face plate having;

an inner skin;

an outer skin; and

a midsection between the inner skin and outer skin;

an inner midsection end of the midsection is coupled to the inner skin of the face plate;

an outer midsection end of the midsection is coupled to the outer skin of the face plate; and

the midsection comprises a cell lattice with a plurality of walls defining a plurality of cells bounded between the inner skin and the outer skin;

the cell lattice comprises a cell junction where two or more of the plurality of walls couple together; and

the cell junction comprises a first junction channel extending from the inner midsection end to the outer midsection end.

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

a first wall of the plurality of walls comprises a transverse passageway between adjacent cells of the plurality of cells.

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

the inner skin comprises an inner crystal structure;

the outer skin comprises an outer crystal structure;

the midsection comprises a midsection crystal structure; and

the inner crystal structure and the midsection crystal structure are intermeshed together into a beta-type structure; and

the outer crystal structure and the midsection crystal structure are intermeshed together into a beta-type structure.

4. 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 inner skin, the outer skin, and the midsection comprises;

providing the midsection, the inner skin, or the outer skin as separate distinct pieces;

providing the midsection comprises;

providing a first midsection layer with a first lattice pattern having at least a first passageway extended from a front surface of the first midsection layer to a rear surface of the first midsection layer;

and

bounding the midsection comprises;

diffusion bonding the inner skin, the midsection, and the outer skin together such that;

a midsection central area of the midsection comprises a cell lattice defined at least in part by the first lattice pattern and comprising a first cell defined by the first passageway and bounded between the inner and outer skins of the face plate.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein:

providing the inner skin, the outer skin, and the midsection comprises;

providing the midsection, the inner skin, or the outer skin with an alpha-type crystal structure having a hexagonal crystal phase;

and

bounding the midsection comprises;

diffusion bonding the inner skin, the midsection, and the outer skin together such that the alpha-type crystal structure is transformed to a beta-type crystal structure having a body-centered cubic crystal phase intermeshing the midsection, the inner skin, and the outer skin.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein:

providing the midsection comprises;

providing a second midsection layer with a second lattice pattern having at least a second passageway extended from a front surface of the second midsection layer to a rear surface of the second midsection layer;

bounding the midsection comprises;

aligning the first and second midsection layers such that the first and second passageways are centered about a first cell axis of the first cell; and

diffusion bonding the first and second midsection layers together such that;

the first passageway defines a first volume portion of the first cell; and

the second passageway defines a second volume portion of the first cell.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein:

providing the inner skin comprises;

providing a plurality of inner skin layers stacked together;

providing the outer skin comprises;

providing a plurality of outer skin layers stacked together;

providing the midsection comprises;

providing a plurality of midsection layers, including the first and second midsection layers, stacked together;

and

diffusion bonding the inner skin, the midsection, and the outer skin together comprises;

diffusion bonding the plurality of inner skin layers, the plurality of outer skin layers, and the plurality of midsection layers together.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein:

providing the midsection comprises;

providing a quantity of the plurality of midsection layers to be greater than;

a quantity of the plurality of inner skin layers; and

a quantity of the plurality of outer skin layers.

9. 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 surface of the midsection is coupled to the inner skin of the face plate; and

an outer midsection surface 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;

the inner skin comprises;

an inner crystal structure; and

a first material density;

the outer skin comprises;

an outer crystal structure; and

the first material density;

the midsection comprises;

a midsection crystal structure; and

the first material density;

coupling the midsection between the inner skin and the outer skin comprises;

diffusion bonding the inner skin, the midsection, and the outer skin together such that;

the midsection crystal structure is intermeshed with the inner crystal structure; and

the midsection crystal structure is intermeshed with the outer crystal structure.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein:

the plurality of cells comprise a first cell having a greatest cell width of the plurality of cells;

the greatest cell width is measured substantially parallel to the outer midsection surface; and

providing the midsection comprises;

forming the cell lattice in a midsection central area of the midsection; and

providing a midsection perimeter of the midsection bounding the midsection central area and devoid of the cell lattice,

the midsection perimeter comprising a midsection perimeter width, measured from an outer edge of the midsection to the midsection central area, of at least twice the greatest cell width.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein:

providing the cell lattice comprises forming one or more of the plurality of cells with at least one of a hexagon shape, a rhombus shape, a straight triangle shape, or a Reuleaux triangle shape.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein:

providing the cell lattice comprises;

providing cells of a first set of the plurality of cells with a first geometric shape; and

providing cells of a second set of the plurality of cells with a second geometric shape different than the first geometric shape; and

providing the first set of the plurality of cells interspersed with the second set of the plurality of cells.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein:

providing the cell lattice comprises forming one or more subcells within a first cell of the plurality of cells, the one or more subcells comprising a geometric shape type different than a geometric shape type of the first cell.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein:

providing the cell lattice comprises forming the plurality of cells in an isogrid pattern.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein:

providing the cell lattice comprises;

forming a first wall of the plurality of walls to comprise;

a wall width measured substantially parallel to the outer midsection surface; and

a wall thickness measured substantially perpendicular to the outer midsection surface, the wall thickness varying between the inner midsection surface and the outer midsection surface.

17. The method of claim 9, wherein:

providing the cell lattice comprises forming the plurality of cells in a pattern where a density of the plurality of cells decreases towards a target strike region of the face plate.

18. The method of claim 9, wherein:

providing the cell lattice comprises forming the plurality of cells in a pattern where a size of the plurality of cells decreases towards a target strike region of the face plate.

19. The method of claim 9, wherein:

providing the midsection comprises;

providing a plurality of midsection layers comprising;

a first midsection layer; and

a second midsection layer;

providing the cell lattice in the midsection comprises;

forming a first lattice pattern of the cell lattice through the first midsection layer; and

forming a second lattice pattern of the cell lattice through the second midsection layer;

forming the first lattice pattern through the first midsection layer comprises;

forming a first passageway through the first midsection layer, the first passageway defining a first volume portion of a first cell of the plurality of cells;

forming the second lattice pattern through the second midsection layer comprises;

forming a second passageway through the second midsection layer, the second passageway defining a second volume portion of the first cell;

and

coupling the midsection between the inner skin and the outer skin comprises;

merging the first midsection layer and the second midsection layer together integrally into a single piece of material.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein:

forming the second passageway comprises;

forming the second passageway to comprise a different dimension than the first passageway, the different dimension comprising at least one of;

a different radius, a different perimeter length, a different area, or a different volume.

21. The method of claim 9, wherein:

providing the midsection comprises;

providing a plurality of midsection layers comprising;

a first midsection layer; and

a second midsection layer;

providing the cell lattice in the midsection comprises;

forming a first lattice pattern of the cell lattice through the first midsection layer; and

forming a second lattice pattern of the cell lattice through the second midsection layer;

forming the first lattice pattern through the first midsection layer comprises;

forming a first passageway through the first midsection layer, the first passageway defining a first volume portion of a first cell of the plurality of cells;

forming the second lattice pattern through the second midsection layer comprises;

forming a second passageway through the second midsection layer, the second passageway defining a second volume portion of a second cell of the plurality of cells;

and

coupling the midsection between the inner skin and the outer skin comprises;

coupling the first and second midsection layers together such that;

the first cell is closer to the inner skin than the second cell;

the second cell is closer to the outer skin than the first cell; and

the first and second cells are offset relative to each other such that;

the second cell is at least partially capped by a solid portion of the first midsection layer; and

the first cell is at least partially capped by a solid portion of the second midsection layer.

10. 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 surface of the midsection is coupled to the inner skin of the face plate; and

an outer midsection surface 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; and

the inner skin, the outer skin, and the midsection consist of at least one of;

a titanium 8-1-1 material;

or

a titanium 6-4 material.