Golf club heads and methods to manufacture golf club heads

• US 9,533,201 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2016
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2014
• 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:
  US15/043,106
• Publication Number:
  US 20160158607A1
• Time in Patent Office: 326 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473287-292
• 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 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• 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 53/0445 Details of grooves or the like on the impact surface
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0475 with one or more enclosed cavities
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2045/14967 Injecting through an opening of the insert
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14311 using means for bonding the coating to the articles B29C45/14795 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2075/00 Use of PU, i.e. polyureas or polyurethanes or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2705/02 Aluminium
• 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 golf club head may include a body portion with a toe portion, a heel portion, a top portion, a sole portion, a back portion, and a front portion having a face portion. The golf club head may include an interior cavity. The interior cavity is at least partially filled with an elastic polymer material. A bonding portion bonds the elastic polymer material to the face portion. Other examples and embodiments may be described and claimed.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a body portion having a toe portion, a heel portion, a top portion, a sole portion, a back portion with a plurality of weight portions, and a front portion having a face portion with a thickness extending between a front surface and a back surface, the thickness being less than or equal to 1.5 millimeters (0.06 inch);

an interior cavity extending between the top and sole portions and between the face and back portions;

a bonding portion bonded to the back surface of the face portion; and

an elastic polymer material injection molded in the interior cavity to structurally support the face portion during impact with a golf ball,

wherein the elastic polymer material is bonded to the bonding portion;

wherein a greater number of weight portions of the plurality of weight portions are located on the back portion below a horizontal midplane of the body portion than above the horizontal midplane.

2. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the bonding portion comprises a bonding agent having a first cure state within a first temperature range and a second cure state within a second temperature range different from the first temperature range, wherein the bonding portion is bonded to the back surface of the face portion in the first cure state of the bonding agent, and wherein the elastic polymer material is bonded to the bonding portion in the second cure state of the bonding agent.

3. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the back portion comprises a plurality of exterior ports, and wherein each exterior port of the plurality of exterior ports is configured to receive a weight portion of the plurality of weight portions.

4. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the bonding portion is bonded to the back surface of the face portion before the elastic polymer material is bonded to the bonding portion.

5. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the elastic polymer material comprises at least one of a thermoplastic elastomer material or a thermoplastic polyurethane material.

6. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the bonding portion comprises a uniform coating or a substantially uniform coating of a bonding agent on the back surface of the face portion.

7. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the face portion comprises a substantially uniform thickness from at or proximate to the top portion to at or proximate to the sole portion.

8. A golf club head comprising:

a body portion having a toe portion, a heel portion, a top portion, a sole portion, a back portion with a plurality of weight portions, and a front portion having a face portion with a front surface and a back surface;

an interior cavity extending between the top and sole portions and between the face and back portions;

a bonding portion bonded to the back surface of the face portion;

an elastic polymer material injection molded in the interior cavity to structurally support the face portion during impact with a golf ball;

wherein the bonding portion is bonded to the face portion before injection molding the elastic polymer material in the interior cavity;

wherein the elastic polymer material is bonded to the bonding portion after being injection molded in the interior cavity, and

wherein a greater number of weight portions of the plurality of weight portions are located on the back portion below a horizontal midplane of the body portion than above the horizontal midplane.

9. A golf club head as defined in claim 8, wherein the bonding portion is bonded to the face portion at a first temperature, and wherein the elastic polymer material is bonded to the bonding portion at a second temperature higher than the first temperature.

10. A golf club head as defined in claim 8, wherein the bonding portion comprises a bonding agent, wherein the bonding portion is bonded to the face portion at a temperature within an initial cure state temperature range of the bonding agent, and wherein the elastic polymer material is bonded to the bonding portion at a temperature within a final cure state temperature range of the bonding agent.

11. A golf club head as defined in claim 8, wherein the back portion comprises a plurality of exterior ports, and wherein each exterior port of the plurality of exterior ports is configured to receive a weight portion of the plurality of weight portions.

12. A golf club head as defined in claim 8, wherein the elastic polymer material comprises at least one of a thermoplastic elastomer material or a thermoplastic polyurethane material.

13. A golf club head as defined in claim 8, wherein the face portion comprises a thickness extending between the front and back surfaces of less than or equal to 1.5millimeters (0.06 inch).

14. A golf club head as defined in claim 8, wherein the face portion comprises a substantially uniform thickness from at or proximate to the top portion to at or proximate to the sole portion, and wherein the substantially uniform thickness extends less than or equal to 1.5 millimeters (0.06 inch) between the front and back surfaces.

15. A golf club head as defined in claim 8, wherein the bonding portion comprises a uniform coating or a substantially uniform coating of a bonding agent on the back surface of the face portion.

16. A golf club head comprising:

a body portion having a toe portion, a heel portion, a top portion, a sole portion, a back portion with a plurality of weight portions, and a front portion having a face portion with a front surface and a back surface, a thickness of the face portion extending between the front and back surfaces being less than or equal to 1.5 millimeters (0.06 inch);

an interior cavity extending between the top and sole portions and between the face and back portions;

a bonding portion having an initial cure state and a final cure state with a different bonding configuration than the initial cure state, the bonding portion configured to bond to the back surface of the face portion at the initial cure state; and

an elastic polymer material injection molded in the interior cavity to structurally support the face portion during impact with a golf ball, the bonding portion configured to bond to the elastic polymer material at the final cure state,

wherein a greater number of weight portions of the plurality of weight portions are closer to the toe portion than the heel portion.

17. A golf club head as defined in claim 16, wherein the initial cure state of the bonding portion is activated at a first temperature within an initial cure state temperature range of the bonding portion, wherein the final cure state of the bonding portion is activated at a second temperature within a final cure state temperature range of the bonding portion, and wherein the second temperature is greater than the first temperature.

18. A golf club head as defined in claim 16, wherein the elastic polymer material comprises at least one of a thermoplastic elastomer material or a thermoplastic polyurethane material.

19. A golf club head as defined in claim 16, wherein a greater number of weight portions of the plurality of weight portions are located on the back portion below a horizontal midplane of the body portion than above the horizontal midplane.

20. A golf club head as defined in claim 16, wherein the face portion comprises a substantially uniform thickness from at or proximate to the top portion to at or proximate to the sole portion.