Golf club head with molded cavity structure

• US 9,427,631 B1
• Filed: 08/17/2015
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Garrido, Randy, Larson, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): DENNIS, MICHAEL DAVID
• Application Number:
  US14/828,027
• Time in Patent Office: 379 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/02 with reinforcing fibres, e.g. carbon, polyamide fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/50 with through-holes A63B60/18 takes precedence; for stringing purposes A63B49/00

Abstract

A golf club head includes a crown, and a sole, and further includes a forward section that includes a strike face and a body section that is coupled with the forward section. The body section has an upper portion that defines a portion of the crown and a lower portion that that defines a portion of the sole. The upper portion is formed from a molded polymeric material and includes an internal wall extending into contact with the lower portion. The lower portion defines an opening extending through the sole, and the internal wall and the crown at least partially define a cavity that is in communication with the opening.

Claims

1. A golf club head having a strike face, a crown, and a sole, the golf club head comprising:

a forward section including the strike face;

a body section coupled with the forward section, the body section including an upper portion that defines a portion of the crown and a lower portion that that defines a portion of the sole;

wherein the upper portion is formed from a molded polymeric material and includes an internal wall extending into contact with the lower portion;

wherein the lower portion defines an opening extending through the sole; and

wherein the internal wall and the crown at least partially define a cavity that is in communication with the opening.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein internal wall is one or more internal walls, the opening is one or more openings, and the cavity is one or more cavities;

wherein the number of cavities is greater than or equal to the number of openings; and

wherein each of the one or more cavities is in communication with a respective one of the one or more openings.

3. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the cavity is two or more cavities.

4. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein the number of cavities is greater than the number of openings.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the internal wall is adhered to the lower portion.

6. The golf club head of claim 5, wherein the internal wall defines a receiving portion;

wherein the lower portion includes a flange extending from the sole; and

wherein the flange is adhered within the receiving portion of the internal wall.

7. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the lower portion is formed from a metallic material.

8. The golf club head of claim 7, wherein the forward section is formed from a metallic material;

and

wherein the lower portion is integrally formed with the forward section.

9. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the lower portion is formed from the polymeric material.

10. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the internal wall at least partially defines a closed cavity between the internal wall and the forward section.

11. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the molded polymeric material is a filled thermoplastic material having a plurality of embedded fibers.

12. A golf club head having a strike face, a crown, and a sole, the golf club head comprising:

a forward section including the strike face;

a body section coupled with the forward section, the body section including an upper portion that defines a portion of the crown and a lower portion that defines a portion of the sole;

wherein the upper portion is formed from a molded polymeric material and includes a plurality of internal walls extending toward the lower portion;

wherein the lower portion defines a plurality of openings extending through the sole;

wherein the plurality of internal walls and the crown at least partially define three or more cavities, wherein each of the three or more cavities is in communication with a respective one of the plurality of openings; and

wherein the number of cavities is greater than or equal to the number of openings.

13. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein there are at least two more of the cavities than the openings.

14. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein at least one of the plurality of internal walls is adhered to the lower portion.

15. The golf club head of claim 14, wherein the at least one of the plurality of internal walls defines a receiving portion;

wherein the lower portion includes a flange extending from the sole; and

wherein the flange is adhered within the receiving portion.

16. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein the lower portion is formed from a metallic material.

17. The golf club head of claim 16, wherein the forward section is formed from a metallic material;

and

wherein the lower portion is integrally formed with the forward section.

18. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein at least one of the plurality of internal walls defines a closed cavity between the at least one internal wall and the forward section.

19. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein the molded polymeric material is a thermoplastic material.

20. The golf club head of claim 19, wherein the thermoplastic material is a filled thermoplastic material having a plurality of embedded fibers.