Golf clubs and methods to manufacture golf clubs

• US 9,844,710 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2017
• Issued: 12/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2016
• 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:
  US15/593,021
• Publication Number:
  US 20170333765A1
• Time in Patent Office: 222 Days
• Field of Search: 473305-350, 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 53/0408 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 53/10 Non-metallic shafts
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• 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

Abstract

Embodiments of golf clubs and methods to manufacture golf clubs are generally described herein. In one example, a golf club may include a golf club head having an interior cavity and a shaft attached to the golf club head. At least a portion of the shaft may be filled with an elastic polymer material, and the interior cavity may be at least partially filled with an elastic polymer material. Other examples and embodiments may be described and claimed.

Claims

1. A golf club comprising:

a body portion comprising;

a top portion,

a sole portion,

a back portion,

a front portion,

an interior cavity extending between the top portion and the sole portion, and

a width of the body portion below a horizontal midplane being greater than a width of the body portion above the horizontal midplane to define a ledge portion extending to the front portion and the back portion;

a plurality of ports located between the ledge portion and the sole portion; and

a shaft coupled to the body portion,

wherein at least a portion of the shaft is filled with a first polymer material, and

wherein at least 50% of the interior cavity is filled with a second polymer material.

2. A golf club as defined in claim 1, wherein the first polymer material and the second polymer material comprise the same material.

3. A golf club as defined in claim 1, wherein a width of the interior cavity below the horizontal midplane is less than or equal to 80% of the width of the body portion below the horizontal midplane.

4. A golf club as defined in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of ports is associated with a port diameter, and wherein any two adjacent ports are separated by less than or equal to the port diameter.

5. A golf club as defined in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of weight portions, wherein each port of the plurality of ports is configured to receive a weight portion of the plurality of weight portions.

6. A golf club as defined in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of at least one port of the plurality of ports is closer to the front portion than a portion of the interior cavity.

7. A golf club as defined in claim 1, wherein the front portion comprises a face portion with a thickness of less than or equal to 1.9 millimeters (0.075 inch).

8. An iron-type golf club comprising:

a body portion comprising;

a toe portion,

a top portion,

a sole portion,

a back portion,

a front portion,

an interior cavity extending between the top portion and the sole portion,

a first width below a horizontal midplane, and

a second width above the horizontal midplane, the second width being less than the first width;

a shaft coupled to the body portion, at least a portion of the shaft including a first polymer material;

a second polymer material injection molded in the interior cavity through an opening of the body portion;

a first set of weight portions having at least one weight portion coupled to the body portion at a location at or above the horizontal midplane, the first set of weight portions being associated with a first total mass; and

a second set of weight portions having at least one weight portion coupled to the body portion at a location below the horizontal midplane, the second set of weight portions being associated with a second total mass greater than the first total mass,

wherein at least 50% of the second polymer material in the interior cavity is below the horizontal midplane.

9. An iron-type golf club as defined in claim 8, wherein a width of the interior cavity below the horizontal midplane is less than or equal to 80% of the width of the body portion below the horizontal midplane.

10. An iron-type golf club as defined in claim 8, wherein the first polymer material and the second polymer material comprise the same material.

11. An iron-type golf club as defined in claim 8, wherein the interior cavity is configured to separate the front portion and the first and second sets of weight portions.

12. An iron-type golf club as defined in claim 8, wherein the front portion comprises a face portion with a thickness of less than or equal to 1.9 millimeters (0.075 inch).

13. An iron-type golf club comprising:

a body portion comprising;

a toe portion,

a top portion,

a sole portion,

a front portion,

an interior cavity extending between the top portion and the sole portion, and

a back portion comprising;

an upper back wall portion above a horizontal midplane,

a lower back wall portion below the horizontal midplane, and

a ledge portion extending between the upper back wall portion and the lower back wall portion, and between the front portion and the back portion;

a shaft coupled to the body portion and being at least partially filled with a polymer material; and

a plurality of weight portions located between the ledge portion and the sole portion,

wherein a width of the ledge portion is greater than or equal to a width of the body portion above the horizontal midplane.

14. An iron-type golf club as defined in claim 13, wherein the width of the ledge portion is greater than or equal to twice the width of the body portion above the horizontal midplane.

15. An iron-type golf club as defined in claim 13, wherein the interior cavity is at least 50% filled with a polymer material.

16. An iron-type golf club as defined in claim 13, wherein the front portion comprises a face portion with a thickness of less than 1.9 millimeters (0.075 inch).

17. An iron-type golf club as defined in claim 13, wherein a width of the interior cavity below the horizontal midplane is less than or equal to 80% of a width of the body portion below the horizontal midplane.

18. An iron-type golf club as defined in claim 13, wherein the interior cavity is at least partially filled with a polymer material from at least one port on the body portion.

19. An iron-type golf club as defined in claim 13, wherein the interior cavity is at least partially filled with a polymer material comprising a different material than the polymer material in the shaft.

20. An iron-type golf club as defined in claim 13, wherein the front portion comprises a face portion, and wherein the interior cavity is configured to separate the face portion and the plurality of weight portions.