Golf club heads with cavities and inserts

• US 10,343,035 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2015
• Issued: 07/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Inventors: Chen, Xiaojian, Jertson, Martin R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pierce, William M
• Application Number:
  US14/693,733
• Publication Number:
  US 20160144248A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,539 Days
• Field of Search: 473349, 473350
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0475 with one or more enclosed cavities
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/52 with slits
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations

Abstract

Embodiments of golf club heads with cavities and methods to manufacture golf club heads with cavities are generally described herein. Some embodiments include a golf club head comprising a body. The body comprises a strikeface, a backside of the strikeface, a heel region, a toe region opposite the heel region, a sole, and a rear portion opposite the strikeface. In many embodiments, the body further comprises a first cavity at the backside of the strikeface and located between the strikeface and the rear portion, and a second cavity at the rear portion. In some embodiments, the first cavity and the second cavity are directly coupled to each other to form a single, aggregate cavity. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a body comprising;

a strikeface;

a backside of the strikeface;

a heel region;

a toe region opposite the heel region;

a sole;

a rear portion opposite the strikeface;

a first cavity at the backside of the strikeface and located between the strikeface and the rear portion; and

a second cavity at the rear portion;

wherein;

the first cavity comprises a first cavity height measured perpendicular to the ground when the golf club head is at an address position from a lowest point of the first cavity to a top of the rear portion; and

;

wherein the first cavity height is between 0.25 inch and 0.59 inch;

wherein the second cavity comprises a second cavity height

and

a first insert, or in the alternative, a second insert;

wherein the first insert is positioned within the first cavity or alternatively, the second insert is positioned in the second cavity;

if the first insert is positioned within the first cavity, the first insert encloses a void within the second cavity and does not fully fill the second cavity;

if the second insert is positioned within the second cavity, the second insert encloses a void within the first cavity and does not fully fill the first cavity; and

the rear portion comprises a middle wall located directly between and at least partially separating the first cavity from the second cavity;

wherein the middle wall comprises a middle wall height;

wherein the middle wall height is less than the first cavity height;

wherein the middle wall height is greater than 0.060 inch.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

the first cavity and the second cavity are coupled together at a top of the rear portion.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising:

a metal cover over the first cavity and the second cavity.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

at least a portion of the first cavity is located between the strikeface and the second cavity.

13. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

the first cavity comprises a first cavity length measured from the heel region to the toe region; and

the first cavity length is approximately 1.5 inches (38.1 mm) to approximately 2.7 inches (68.58 mm).

14. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

the second cavity comprises a back wall at the rear portion of the golf club head;

the back wall comprises the second cavity height measured perpendicular to the ground when the golf club head is at an address position from a lowest point of the second cavity to the top of the rear portion; and

the second cavity height is approximately 0.28 inch (7.11 mm) to approximately 0.56 inch (14.22 mm).

15. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

the second cavity comprises a second cavity length measured from the heel region to the toe region; and

the second cavity length is approximately 1.4 inches (35.56 mm) to approximately 2.6 inches (66.04 mm).

22. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

a rear side of the middle wall comprises a front wall of the second cavity that is closer to the strikeface than any other wall of the second cavity.

5. A golf club comprising:

a shaft;

a grip coupled to the shaft; and

a golf club head coupled to the shaft and comprising;

a body comprising;

a strikeface;

a backside of the strikeface;

a heel region;

a toe region opposite the heel region;

a sole;

a rear portion opposite the strikeface;

a first cavity at the backside of the strikeface and located between the strikeface and the rear portion; and

a second cavity at the rear portion; and

wherein;

the first cavity comprises a first cavity height measured perpendicular to the ground when the golf club head is at an address position from a lowest point of the first cavity to a top of the rear portion; and

;

wherein the first cavity height is between 0.25 inch and 0.59 inch;

wherein the second cavity comprises a second cavity height

and

a first insert, or in the alternative, a second insert;

wherein the first insert is positioned within the first cavity or alternatively, the second insert is positioned in the second cavity;

if the first insert is positioned within the first cavity, the first insert encloses a void within the second cavity and does not fully fill the second cavity;

if the second insert is positioned within the second cavity, the second insert encloses a void within the first cavity and does not fully fill the first cavity; and

the rear portion comprises a middle wall located directly between and at least partially separating the first cavity from the second cavity;

wherein the middle wall comprises a middle wall height;

wherein the middle wall height is less than the first cavity height;

wherein the middle wall height is greater than 0.060 inch.

6. The golf club of claim 5, wherein:

the first cavity and the second cavity are coupled together at a top of the rear portion.

7. The golf club of claim 5, further comprising:

a metal cover over the first cavity and the second cavity.

8. The golf club of claim 5, wherein:

at least a portion of the first cavity is located between the strikeface and the second cavity.

16. The golf club of claim 5, wherein:

the first cavity comprises a first cavity length measured from the heel region to the toe region; and

the first cavity length is approximately 1.5 inches (38.1 mm) to approximately 2.7 inches (68.58 mm).

17. The golf club of claim 5, wherein:

the second cavity comprises a back wall at the rear portion of the golf club head;

the back wall comprises the second cavity height measured perpendicular to the ground when the golf club head is at an address position from a lowest point of the second cavity to a top of the rear portion; and

the second cavity height is approximately 0.28 inch (7.11 mm) to approximately 0.56 inch (14.22 mm).

18. The golf club of claim 5, wherein:

the second cavity comprises a second cavity length measured from the heel region to the toe region; and

the second cavity length is approximately 1.4 inches (35.56 mm) to approximately 2.6 inches (66.04 mm).

23. The golf club of claim 5, wherein:

a rear side of the middle wall comprises a front wall of the second cavity that is closer to the strikeface than any other wall of the second cavity.

9. A method for manufacturing a golf club head, comprising:

forming a body from a first material having a first density,

the body having;

a strikeface;

a backside of the strikeface;

a heel region;

a toe region opposite the heel region;

a sole;

a rear portion opposite the strikeface;

a first cavity at the backside of the strikeface and located between the strikeface and the rear portion; and

a second cavity at the rear portion; and

wherein;

the first cavity comprises a first cavity height measured perpendicular to the ground when the golf club head is at an address position from a lowest point of the first cavity to a top of the rear portion; and

;

wherein the first cavity height is between 0.25 inch and 0.59 inch;

wherein the second cavity comprises a second cavity height

forming the body from the first material having the first density comprises forming the body at least in part by at least one of;

casting;

or forging;

providing a first insert, or in the alternative, a second insert;

wherein the first insert is positioned within the first cavity or alternatively, the second insert is positioned in the second cavity;

if the first insert is positioned within the first cavity, the first insert encloses a void within the second cavity and does not fully fill the second cavity;

if the second insert is positioned within the second cavity, the second insert encloses a void within the first cavity and does not fully fill the first cavity; and

the rear portion comprises a middle wall located directly between and at least partially separating the first cavity from the second cavity;

wherein the middle wall comprises a middle wall height;

wherein the middle wall height is less than the first cavity height;

wherein the middle wall height is greater than 0.060 inch.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein:

the first cavity and the second cavity are coupled together at a top of the rear portion.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing a metal cover over the first cavity and the second cavity.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein:

at least a portion of the first cavity is located between the strikeface and the second cavity.

19. The method of claim 9, wherein:

the first cavity comprises a first cavity length measured from the heel region to the toe region; and

the first cavity length is approximately 1.5 inches (38.1 mm) to approximately 2.7 inches (68.58 mm).

20. The method of claim 9, wherein:

the second cavity comprises a back wall at the rear portion of the golf club head;

the back wall comprises the second cavity height measured perpendicular to the ground when the golf club head is at an address position from a lowest point of the second cavity to a top of the rear portion; and

the second cavity height is approximately 0.28 inch inch (7.11 mm) to approximately 0.56 inch (14.22 mm).

21. The method of claim 9, wherein:

the second cavity comprises a second cavity length measured from the heel region to the toe region; and

the second cavity length is approximately 1.4 inches (35.56 mm) to approximately 2.6 inches (66.04 mm).

24. The method of claim 9, wherein:

a rear side of the middle wall comprises a front wall of the second cavity that is closer to the strikeface than any other wall of the second cavity.