Golf Club Heads and Methods to Manufacture the Same

• US 20100056298A1
• Filed: 08/29/2008
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Inventors: Serrano, Anthony D., Jertson, Marty R., Morales, Eric J., Schweigert, Bradley D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,927,229 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/345
• 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 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• 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

Abstract

Embodiments of golf club heads and methods to manufacture golf club heads are generally described herein. Other embodiments can be described and claimed.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a body comprising;

a first material;

a front end;

a bottom wall portion;

a top wail portion; and

at least one aperture located at at least one of the front end, the bottom wall portion, or the top wall portion; and

at least one insert comprising a second material and located in the at least one aperture, wherein;

the golf club head comprises a club head mass;

at least one of the at least one insert comprises an insert mass;

the club head mass comprises the insert mass;

the insert mass comprises more than half of the club head mass;

the at least one of the at least one insert comprises less than half of a volume of materials of the golf club head; and

the materials of the golf club head comprise the first material and the second material.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the at least one insert comprises less than thirty-eight percent of the volume of the materials of the golf club head.

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

the front end comprises a front face; and

the at least one of the at least one insert is located below at least one of the following;

half of a height of the front face;

the top wall portion;

forty percent of a highest point of the golf club head;

or

0.6 inches above the bottom wall portion.

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

a center of gravity at a center of gravity height,

wherein;

the front end comprises a front face; and

the center of gravity height is located below at least one of the following;

thirty-two percent of a height of the front face;

thirty percent of a highest point of the top wall portion;

or

twenty-three percent of a highest point of the golf club head.

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

a center of gravity,

wherein;

the front end comprises a front face;

a line drawn from the center of gravity towards and substantially perpendicular to the front face intersects the front face at an intersection point; and

the intersection point is located below at least one of the following;

fifty-nine percent of a height of the front face as measured along a loft plane of the front face;

or

fifty eight percent of a height of the front face as measured substantially perpendicularly from a lowest point of the bottom wall portion.

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

the at least one insert, comprises a single-piece insert having a first portion with a first thickness and a second portion with a second thickness; and

the first thickness is greater than the second thickness.

7. The golf club head of claim 1 wherein:

the golf club head comprises at least one of a metal wood-type golf club or a hybrid-type golf club

8. The golf club head of claim 1 further comprising:

a brazed joint comprising a third material and located between the body and the at least one insert,

wherein;

the first material comprises at least one of stainless steel, aluminum, tungsten, magnesium, or nickel alloy;

the second material comprises at least one of titanium, titanium alloy, or tungsten; and

the third metal material comprising at least one of copper or copper alloy.

9. A golf club comprising;

a golf club head comprising;

a hollow body comprising a sole, a crown, a strike lace, and at least one aperture located in the sole or the crown, or located at the strike face;

at least one Insert located in the at least one aperture; and

a brazed joint coupling together the hollow body and the at least one insert; and

a shaft coupled to the golf club head,

wherein;

the hollow body comprises a first metal;

the at least one insert comprises a second metal different from the first metal;

the brazed joint comprises a third metal different from the first and second metals;

the golf club head comprises a club head mass;

at least one of tire at least one insert comprises an insert mass;

the club head mass comprises the insert mass;

the insert mass comprises more than fifty percent of the club head mass;

the at least one of the at least one insert comprises less than fifty percent of a volume of materials of the golf club head;

the materials of the golf club head comprise the first metal, the second metal, and the third metal.

10. The golf club of claim 9, wherein:

the at least one insert comprises a single-piece insert having first portions and second portions located between the first portions;

the first, portions have a first thickness; and

the second portions have a second thickness less than the second thickness.

11. The golf club of claim 9, wherein:

the at least one of the at least one insert is located in the sole of the hollow body;

the at least one aperture comprises a second aperture;

the second aperture is located in the crown of the hollow body;

the at least one insert comprises a second insert;

the second insert is located in the second aperture;

the at least one of the at least one insert comprises a first insert density;

the second insert comprises a second insert density; and

the hollow body comprises a body density less than the first insert density and greater than the second insert density.

12. The golf club of claim 9, wherein the at least one of the at least one insert comprises less than thirty-eight percent of the volume of the materials of the golf club head.

13. The golf club of claim 9, wherein the at least one insert is located below fifty percent of a height of the strike face.

14. The golf ebb of claim 9 wherein the at least one insert is located below forty percent of a highest point of the golf club head.

15. The golf ebb of claim 9 wherein the at least one insert is located below 0.6 inches above a lowest point of the sole.

16. A method of manufacturing a golf club head comprising;

providing a body comprising;

a first material;

a front end;

a bottom wall portion;

a top wail portion; and

at least one aperture located at at least one of the front end, the bottom wail portion, or the top wall portion;

positioning at least one insert comprising a second material in the at least one aperture; and

securing the body and the at least one insert together,

wherein;

the golf club head comprises a club head mass;

at least one of the at least one insert comprises an insert mass;

the club head mass comprises the insert mass;

the insert mass comprises more than half of the club head mass;

the at least one of the at least one insert, comprises less than half of a volume of materials of the golf club head; and

the materials of the golf club head comprise the first material and the second material.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein securing the body and the at least one insert together comprises brazing the body and the at least one insert together.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein securing the body and the at least one insert together comprises using a third material comprising copper or copper alloy to braze the body and the at least one insert together.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein providing the body comprises providing the first material comprising at least one of stainless steel, aluminum, tungsten, magnesium, or nickel alloy.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein positioning the at least one insert comprises providing the second material comprising at least one of tungsten, titanium, or titanium alloy.