Golf club head having stress-reducing tubes
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A wood-type golf club head comprising:
- a cast metal body comprising a face section, a sole section, a return section, and an upper opening, the return section extending away from an upper edge of the face section and disposed between the face section and the upper opening;
a crown section disposed on the body to close the upper opening and define a hollow interior; and
a plurality of metal tubes positioned within the hollow interior, each of the plurality of metal tubes extending from the return section to the sole section and positioned rearward from an interior surface of the face section a distance ranging from 2 millimeters to 11 millimeters,wherein the return section comprises a first plurality of apertures,wherein the sole section comprises a second plurality of apertures,wherein each of the first plurality of apertures corresponds to a metal tube of the plurality of metal tubes,wherein each of the second plurality of apertures corresponds to a metal tube of the plurality of metal tubes,wherein at least one of the metal tubes of the plurality of metal tubes is mechanically attached to the body,wherein at least one of the plurality of metal tubes has a flared upper end structure and a flared lower end structure.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A golf club head comprising a body and a plurality of metal tubes is disclosed herein. The body comprises a face section, a sole section, and a return section, and also defines a hollow interior. Each of the plurality of metal tubes extends from the return section to the sole section to reduce stresses placed on the face during impact with a golf ball. The body and the metal tubes preferably are composed of a titanium alloy or stainless steel. After the metal tubes are inserted into apertures in the return section and the sole section of the body, each metal tube is mechanically attached to the body using a tool that causes the ends of each metal tube to flare outwards.
71 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A wood-type golf club head comprising:
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a cast metal body comprising a face section, a sole section, a return section, and an upper opening, the return section extending away from an upper edge of the face section and disposed between the face section and the upper opening; a crown section disposed on the body to close the upper opening and define a hollow interior; and a plurality of metal tubes positioned within the hollow interior, each of the plurality of metal tubes extending from the return section to the sole section and positioned rearward from an interior surface of the face section a distance ranging from 2 millimeters to 11 millimeters, wherein the return section comprises a first plurality of apertures, wherein the sole section comprises a second plurality of apertures, wherein each of the first plurality of apertures corresponds to a metal tube of the plurality of metal tubes, wherein each of the second plurality of apertures corresponds to a metal tube of the plurality of metal tubes, wherein at least one of the metal tubes of the plurality of metal tubes is mechanically attached to the body, wherein at least one of the plurality of metal tubes has a flared upper end structure and a flared lower end structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method comprising the steps of:
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casting from a metal material a golf club head body comprising a face section, a hollow interior, an upper opening, a return section comprising at least one upper aperture in communication with the hollow interior, and a sole section comprising at least one lower aperture in communication with the hollow interior, wherein the at least one upper aperture is vertically aligned with the at least one lower aperture; providing at least one metal tube sized to fit within the at least one upper aperture and the at least one lower aperture, wherein the at least one metal tube comprises a longitudinal axis, a first end, and a second end; inserting the at least one metal tube into the hollow interior via one of the at least one upper aperture and the at least one lower aperture so that the first end is disposed within the at least one upper aperture, the second end is disposed within the at least one lower aperture, and the metal tube is positioned rearward from an interior surface of the face section a distance ranging from 2 millimeters to 11 millimeters; providing a tool having a flared tip; inserting the flared tip into the first end of the at least one metal tube; pressing the tool towards the hollow interior of the golf club head body along the longitudinal axis so that the first end is forced to flare outwards; removing the flared tip from the first end of the at least one metal tube; providing a composite crown section; disposing the crown section over the upper opening of the golf club head body; and bonding the crown section to the golf club head body with an adhesive material, wherein the return section extends away from an upper edge of the face section and is disposed between the face section and the upper opening. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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Specification