Golf club heads and methods to manufacture golf club heads

• US 9,610,481 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2016
• Issued: 04/04/2017
• 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., Schweigert, Bradley D., Nicolette, Michael R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US15/188,718
• Publication Number:
  US 20160296804A1
• Time in Patent Office: 287 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473287-292
• 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 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0412 Volume
• 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 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0475 with one or more enclosed cavities
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations

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 rear portion, and a front portion having a face portion with a face portion thickness extending between a front surface and a back surface. The body portion may be associated with a body portion volume. The golf club head may also include an interior cavity. The interior cavity may include an elastic polymer material. 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 rear portion with a plurality of weight portions, a front portion having a face portion with a face portion thickness extending between a front surface and a back surface, and an interior cavity, the body portion being associated with a body portion volume;

an elastic polymer material in the interior cavity, the elastic polymer material being associated with an elastic polymer material volume,

wherein the elastic polymer material volume is related to the body portion volume by the equation 0.2≦

V_e/V_b≦

0.5, where V_e is the elastic polymer material volume in units of in³, and V_b is the body portion volume in units of in³, and

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

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

3. A golf club head as defined in claim 1 further comprising a bonding agent having a first cure state associated with a first temperature range and a second cure state associated with a second temperature range different from the first temperature range, wherein the bonding agent is in contact with the back surface of the face portion and bonded to the back surface of the face portion at the first cure state, and wherein the elastic polymer material is in contact with the bonding agent and is bonded to the bonding agent at the second cure state.

4. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the face portion thickness is between about 0.02 inch (0.508 mm) and about 0.09 inch (2.286 mm).

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 interior cavity is associated with an interior cavity volume, and wherein the interior cavity volume is related to the body portion volume by equation 0.2≦

V_c/V_b≦

0.5, where V_c is the interior cavity volume in units of in³, and V_b is the body portion volume in units of in³.

7. A golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the interior cavity comprises a cavity height extending between the top and sole portions, the cavity height being at least 50% of a body height of the body portion.

8. A golf club head comprising:

a body portion having a toe portion, a heel portion, a top portion, a sole portion, a rear portion with a plurality of weight portions, a front portion having a face portion with a face portion thickness extending between a front surface and a back surface, and an interior cavity;

an elastic polymer material in the interior cavity, the elastic polymer material being associated with an elastic polymer material volume;

wherein the face portion thickness is related to the elastic polymer material volume by the equation 0.01≦

T_f/V_e≦

0.2, where T_f is the face portion thickness in units of inches, and V_e is the elastic polymer material volume in units of in³, and

wherein a greater number of weight portions of the plurality of weight portions are located on the rear 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 face portion thickness is between about 0.02 inch (0.508 mm) and about 0.09 inch (2.286 mm).

10. A golf club head as defined in claim 8 further comprising a bonding portion bonded to the back surface of the face portion, wherein the elastic polymer material is bonded to the bonding portion.

11. A golf club head as defined in claim 8 further comprising a bonding agent having a first cure state associated with a first temperature range and a second cure state associated with a second temperature range different from the first temperature range, wherein the bonding agent is in contact with the back surface of the face portion and bonded to the back surface of the face portion at the first cure state, and wherein the elastic polymer material is in contact with the bonding agent and is bonded to the bonding agent at the second cure state.

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 interior cavity is associated with an interior cavity volume, and wherein the face portion thickness is related to the interior cavity volume by the equation 0.01≦

T_f/V_c≦

0.2, where T_f is the face portion thickness in units of inches, and V_c is interior cavity volume in units of in³.

14. A golf club head as defined in claim 8, wherein the interior cavity comprises a cavity height extending between the top and sole portions, the cavity height being at least 50% of a body height of the body portion.

15. A golf club head comprising:

a body portion having a toe portion, a heel portion, a top portion, a sole portion, a rear portion with a plurality of weight portions, a front portion having a face portion with a face portion thickness extending between a front surface and a back surface, and an interior cavity;

an elastic polymer material in the interior cavity,

wherein an elastic polymer material volume associated with the elastic polymer material, a body portion volume associated with the body portion, and the face portion thickness are related by the equation V_e=a*V_b b+c*T_f, where V_e is the elastic polymer material volume in units of in³, V_b is the body portion volume in units of in³, T_f is the face portion thickness in units of inches, a≅

0.48, b≅

−

0.38, and 0≦

c≦

10, and

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

16. A golf club head as defined in claim 15, wherein the face portion thickness is between about 0.02 inch (0.508 mm) and about 0.09 inch (2.286 mm).

17. A golf club head as defined in claim 15 further comprising a bonding portion bonded to the back surface of the face portion, wherein the elastic polymer material is bonded to the bonding portion.

18. A golf club head as defined in claim 15 further comprising a bonding agent having a first cure state associated with a first temperature range and a second cure state associated with a second temperature range different from the first temperature range, wherein the bonding agent is in contact with the back surface of the face portion and bonded to the back surface of the face portion at the first cure state, and wherein the elastic polymer material is in contact with the bonding agent and is bonded to the bonding agent at the second cure state.

19. A golf club head as defined in claim 15, wherein the interior cavity is associated with an interior cavity volume, and wherein the interior cavity volume, the body portion volume, and the face portion thickness are related by the equation V_c=a*V_b b+c*T_f, where V_c is the interior cavity volume in units of in³, V_b is the body portion volume in units of in³, T_f is the face portion thickness in units of inches, a≅

0.48, b≅

−

0.38, and 0≦

c≦

10.

20. A golf club head as defined in claim 15, wherein the interior cavity comprises a cavity height extending between the top and sole portions, the cavity height being at least 50% of a body height of the body portion.