Golf club heads and methods to manufacture golf club heads

• US 9,796,131 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2016
• Issued: 10/24/2017
• 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): Tucker, Philip
• Assistant Examiner(s): BLADES, JOHN A
• Application Number:
  US15/043,113
• Publication Number:
  US 20160158608A1
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• Field of Search: 156242, 473332
• 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 53/0445 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 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: B29C 65/02 by heating, with or without pressure
• 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. The golf club head may include an interior cavity. Other examples and embodiments may be described and claimed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a golf club head having a body portion having a face portion with a front surface and a back surface, a toe portion, a heel portion, a top portion, a sole portion, a back portion, and an interior cavity extending between the top portion, the sole portion, and the back surface of the face portion;

forming a plurality of ports on the back portion of the body portion with at least two ports of the plurality of ports being separated by less than or equal to a port diameter of any port of the plurality of ports and at least one port of the plurality of ports being connected to the interior cavity;

bonding a bonding portion to the back surface of the face portion at a first temperature;

injection molding a non-foaming elastic polymer material in the interior cavity from the at least one port being connected to the interior cavity after bonding the bonding portion to the back surface of the face portion, the elastic polymer material filling the interior cavity;

bonding the elastic polymer material to the bonding portion at a second temperature greater than the first temperature,

wherein the bonding portion attaches the elastic polymer material to the back surface of the face portion, and

wherein the elastic polymer material supports the face portion when the front surface of the face portion strikes a golf ball.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein bonding the bonding portion comprises:

bonding a bonding agent to the back surface of the face portion at the first temperature; and

heating the bonding agent to the first temperature,

wherein the first temperature is within an initial cure state temperature range of the bonding agent.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the bonding the bonding portion comprises:

bonding a bonding agent to the back surface of the face portion at the first temperature; and

heating the bonding agent to the second temperature,

wherein the second temperature is within a final cure state temperature range of the bonding agent.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising filling the interior cavity of the golf club head with the elastic polymer material, and bonding the elastic polymer material to the bonding portion after filling the interior cavity of the golf club head with the elastic polymer material.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein injection molding the elastic polymer material comprises injection molding at least one of a thermoplastic elastomer material or a thermoplastic polyurethane material in the interior cavity after bonding the bonding portion to the back surface of the face portion.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising uniformly coating or substantially uniformly coating the back surface of the face portion with the bonding portion before bonding the bonding portion to the back surface of the face portion.

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

8. A method comprising:

forming a plurality of weight portions, at least two weight portions of the plurality of weight portions having different heights;

forming a golf club head having a body portion having a toe portion, a heel portion, a top portion, a sole portion, a back portion, a front portion having a face portion with a front surface and a back surface, an interior cavity extending between the top portion, the sole portion, and the back surface of the face portion;

forming a plurality of ports on the back portion of the body portion, each port of the plurality of ports configured to receive a weight portion of the plurality of weight portions, at least one port of the plurality of ports having a dimension of less than or equal to about 0.25 inch and being connected to the interior cavity;

applying a bonding portion on the back surface of the face portion from the at least one port;

heating the bonding portion to a first temperature within an initial cure temperature range of the bonding portion to bond the bonding portion to the back surface of the face portion;

injecting an elastic polymer material in the interior cavity from the at least one port; and

heating the bonding portion and the elastic polymer material to a second temperature within a final cure temperature range of the bonding portion to bond the elastic polymer material to the bonding portion,

wherein the bonding portion attaches the elastic polymer material to the back surface of the face portion, and

wherein the elastic polymer material supports the face portion when the front surface of the face portion strikes a golf ball.

9. A method as defined in claim 8, further comprising removing air from the interior cavity while injecting the elastic polymer material in the interior cavity.

10. A method as defined in claim 8, further comprising heating the elastic polymer material to a temperature less than the second temperature before injecting the elastic polymer material in the interior cavity.

11. A method as defined in claim 8, further comprising heating the golf club head to a temperature less than the second temperature before injecting the elastic polymer material in the interior cavity.

12. A method as defined in claim 8, wherein injecting the elastic polymer material in the interior cavity comprises filling the interior cavity of the golf club head with the elastic polymer material.

13. A method as defined in claim 8, wherein injecting the elastic polymer material comprises injecting at least one of a thermoplastic elastomer material or a thermoplastic polyurethane material in the interior cavity.

14. A method as defined in claim 8, wherein providing a bonding portion on the back surface of the face portion comprises uniformly coating or substantially uniformly coating the back surface of the face portion.

15. A method as defined in claim 8, wherein providing a golf club head comprises providing a golf club head having a face portion comprising a substantially uniform thickness from at or proximate to the top portion to at or proximate to the sole portion.

16. A method comprising:

forming a golf club head having a body portion having a toe portion, a heel portion, a top portion, a sole portion, a back portion, a front portion having a face portion with a front surface and a back surface, and an interior cavity extending between the top portion, the sole portion and the back surface of the face portion;

forming a plurality of ports on the back portion of the body portion extending along an arc being closer to the sole portion than the top portion and extending between the toe portion and the heel portion, at least one port of the plurality of ports being connected to the interior cavity;

applying a bonding portion to the back surface of the face portion from the at least one port;

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

injection molding an elastic polymer material in the interior cavity from the at least one port after bonding the bonding portion to the back surface of the face portion; and

bonding the elastic polymer material to the bonding portion.

17. A method as defined in claim 16, wherein bonding the bonding portion to the back surface of the face portion comprises:

heating at least one of the bonding portion or the golf club head to activate the bonding portion; and

cooling at least one of the bonding portion or the golf club head.

18. A method as defined in claim 16, wherein injection molding the elastic polymer material in the interior cavity comprises:

heating the golf club head;

heating an elastic polymer material; and

injecting the elastic polymer material in the interior cavity.

19. A method as defined in claim 16, wherein injection molding the elastic polymer material in the interior cavity comprises:

heating the golf club head;

heating the elastic polymer material;

injecting the elastic polymer material in the interior cavity; and

removing air in the interior cavity while injecting the elastic polymer material in the interior cavity.

20. A method as defined in claim 16, wherein bonding the elastic polymer material to the bonding portion comprises:

heating the golf club head to reactivate the bonding portion; and

cooling the golf club head.