Golf club head

• US 5,078,397 A
• Filed: 12/21/1990
• Issued: 01/07/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daiwa Seiko Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Daiwa Resort Company Limited (Daiwa House Industry Company Limited)
• Inventors: Aizawa, Yuichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Coven, Edward M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US07/631,203
• Time in Patent Office: 382 Days
• Field of Search: 273/167 R, 273/167 H, 273/167 J, 273/173, 273/77 A, 273/77 R, 273/78, 273/DIG. 7, 273/DIG. 23, 273/167 A, 273/167 F, 273/167 G, 273/169-175
• US Class Current: 473/342
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/02 with reinforcing fibres, e.g. carbon, polyamide fibres
• 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 53/042 the face insert consisting of a material different from that of the head
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0458 with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/26 Non-fibrous reinforcements only B29C35/0272, B29C61/0625, B29C70/887 take precedence; combined with fibres B29C70/023
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/84 by moulding material on preformed parts to be joined joining plastic parts by moulding B29C65/70
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/0845 Woven fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/5227 Clubs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 273/07 Glass fiber
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 273/23 High modulus filaments

Abstract

The present invention relates to a golf club head and a method of making the same. The golf club head has a reinforced fiber member integrally formed with metal or resin which forms a metal or resin layer positioned in a front face. In the method for making the golf club head of the present invention, the reinforced fiber member is disposed on the front face side of the insert core, then under the state that the reinforced fiber member is pressed to be fixed against the insert core by a mold, the molten metal or resin is flown into the space formed between the reinforced fiber member and the insert core, thereby integrally forming the reinforced fiber member with the above metal or resin.

Claims

1. A golf club head;

the golf club head comprising;

a.) a core defining a sole and a toe of the golf club head and having bosses formed on a front surface thereof;

b.) a front face formed of fiber-reinforced metal and a back face formed from a material layer selected from the group consisting of metal and resin, the front face being at least partly in direct over-laying contact with the core to thereby prevent backward movement of the front face when the golf club head strikes a golf ball;

c.) a reinforced fiber member which overlays the front face and is formed in direct contact with the material of the front face, the reinforced fiber member being supported by the bosses of the core and terminating spacially within the extent of the toe and sole; and

d.) filling material selected from the group consisting of resin and metal and having been formed in place from a molten state for filling spaces defined between the core and front face around the bosses, and between the core and the back face;

whereby to provide a golf club head, the front face of which is supported by the core for superior strength and reliability.

2. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the metal of the material layer is selected from the group consisting of aluminum, magnesium, titanium, and copper.

3. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the resin of the material layer is selected from the group consisting of polycarbonate resin, ABS resin, epoxy resin, and polyester resin.

4. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the reinforced fiber member is selected from the group consisting of SiC fiber, carbon fiber, boron fiber, silicone carbide fiber, alumina fiber, silica fiber, glass fiber, aramide fiber, and stainless steel fiber.

5. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the reinforced fiber member is made by laminating a plurality of long-fiber plain weave fabrics of SiC, disposing glass cloth on top and bottom surfaces thereof to make a sheet, and cutting the sheet into certain form.

6. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the reinforced fiber member has a bottom layer formed of a porous plate.

7. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the core is formed to define spaces extending longitudinally above the sole defined thereby, the core forming, also, a hosel from which the sole continues, the core further being provided with a weight-setting block formed integrally therewith and supporting pieces of the core.

8. A golf club head according to claim 7, wherein the weight-setting block of the core is formed to have the bosses of the core for supporting the reinforced fiber member in an intermediate portion thereof, and the core has upper and lower grooved portions supporting corresponding upper and lower peripheral portions of the reinforced fiber member, there being spaces surrounding the bosses of the core for receiving flow of said filling material in a molten state.

9. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the bosses defined by the core for supporting the reinforced fiber member are defined in an intermediate portion of the core, and the core has upper and lower grooved portions supporting corresponding upper and lower peripheral portions of the reinforced fiber member, there being spaces surrounding the bosses of the core for receiving flow of said filling material in a molten state.

10. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the core defines a through-hole for receiving a boss of the mold inserted through the rear of the core for supporting the reinforced fiber member in an intermediate portion thereof, the core having upper and lower grooved portions supporting corresponding upper and lower peripheral portions of the reinforced fiber member, there being spaces surrounding the boss of the mold for receiving flow of said filling material in a molten state.

11. A golf club head according to claim 10, wherein the through-hole includes the center of gravity of the head.