Patent Publication Number: US-2010130306-A1

Title: Golf Club Heads with Multiple Materials and Methods to Manufacture Golf Club Heads with Multiple Materials

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates generally to golf equipment, and more particularly, to golf club heads with multiple materials and methods to manufacture golf club heads with multiple materials. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Various materials (e.g., steel-based materials, titanium-based materials, tungsten-based materials, etc.) may be used to manufacture golf club heads. By using multiple materials to manufacture golf club heads, the position of the center of gravity and/or the moment of inertia of the golf club heads may be optimized to improve the performance of the golf club heads. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective diagram representation of an example golf club head according to an embodiment of the methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture described herein. 
         FIG. 2  depicts a front view of the example golf club head of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  depicts a back view of the example golf club head of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  depicts a top end view of the example golf club head of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  depicts a sole end view of the example golf club head of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  depicts a toe end view of the example golf club head of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 7  depicts a heel view of the example golf club head of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 8  depicts an example body portion associated with the example golf club head of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 9  depicts example weight portions associated with the example golf club head of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 10  depicts another example golf club head. 
         FIG. 11  depicts an example face portion associated with the example golf club head of  FIG. 10 . 
         FIG. 12  depicts example weight portions associated with the golf club head of  FIG. 10 . 
         FIG. 13  depicts one manner in which the example golf club heads described herein may be manufactured. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
     In general, grooves of golf club heads with multiple materials and methods to manufacture golf club heads multiple materials are described herein. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard. 
     In the example of  FIGS. 1-9 , a golf club head  100  may a body portion  110 , and one or more weight portions  120 , generally shown as  122 ,  124 , and  126 . The body portion  110  may also include a toe end  130 , a heel end  132 , a front end  134 , a back end  136 , a face portion  140 , a top rail portion  142 , a sole portion  144 , a hosel portion  150 , and one or more grooves  160 , a perimeter weighting portion  170 , and a notch  180 . 
     In general, the golf club head  100  may be used to impact a golf ball (not shown) via the face portion  140 . The face portion  140  (e.g., a strike face) may be an integral portion of the body portion  110 . Alternatively, the face portion  140  may be a separate piece from or an insert for the body portion  110  (e.g.,  FIGS. 10 and 11 ). As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , for example, the golf club head  100  may be associated with a loft angle  600 . In particular, the face portion  140  may define a loft plane  610 . A shaft  620  inserted into the hosel portion  150  may define a shaft plane  630 , which may be associated with an axis of the shaft  620 . The loft angle  600  of the golf club head  100  may vary based on the type of club (e.g., a long iron, a middle iron, a short iron, a wedge, etc.). In one example, the loft angle  600  may be between five degrees and seventy-five degrees. In another example, the loft angle  600  may be greater than or equal to ten degrees. 
     The body portion  110  and the hosel portion  150  may be made of a single piece of metal material (e.g., casting of a steel-based material), two or more different metal materials (e.g., different alloys), or two or more different materials (e.g., metal and non-metal materials such as a steel-based material and a composite material, respectively). The hosel portion  150  may receive an end of a shaft (e.g., one shown as  620  in  FIG. 6 ). In the front end  134  of the golf club head  100 , the groove(s)  160  may be located on the face portion  140  and extend between the toe end  130  and heel end  132 . The perimeter weighting portion  170  may be defined by the top rail portion  142  and/or the sole portion  144  of the body portion  110 . The notch  180  may be located at or proximate to heel end  132 . In particular, the notch  180  may be used to adjust loft and lie of the golf club head  100 . 
     Further, the body portion  110  may include a first cavity  190  and a second cavity  195 . Both first cavity  190  and the second cavity  195  may located in the back end  136  of the golf club head  100 . In particular, the face portion  140  and the perimeter weighting portion  170  may define the first cavity  190 . The second cavity  195  may be located within the first cavity  190 . For example, the second cavity  195  may be proximate to or form a boundary of the first cavity  190  (e.g., proximate the sole portion  144 ). Alternatively, the second cavity  195  may be completely separate from any boundary of the first cavity  190 . Further, a weight adjustment portion (not shown) may be disposed in the second cavity  195 . 
     The golf club head  100  may include various dissimilar materials such that the body portion  110  and the weight portion(s)  120  may be coupled to each other by a brazing process or other suitable process. The body portion  110  may be made of a steel-based material, a titanium-based material, an aluminum-based material (e.g., a high-strength aluminum alloy or a composite aluminum alloy coated with a high-strength alloy), any combination thereof, and/or other suitable types of material. In one example, the body portion  110  may be made partially or entirely of a titanium-based material. In another example, the body portion  110  may be made partially or entirely of metal materials with high-strength-to-weight ratios. The weight portion(s)  120  may be made of a tungsten-based material or other suitable types of material. In one example, the weight portion(s)  120  may be made partially or entirely of a tungsten-based material. In another example, the weight portion(s)  120  may be made of a material having a specific gravity of at least 15. As described in detail below the weight portion(s)  120  may be located at or proximate to various portions of the body portion  110 . 
     The golf club head  100  may be associated with a total volume (v T ) and a total mass (m T ). In particular, the body portion  110  may be associated with a first volume (v 1 ) and a first mass (m 1 ), and the weight portion(s)  120  may be associated with a second volume (v 2 ) and a second mass (m 2 ). The total volume (v T ) may include the first volume (v 1 ) and the second volume (v 2 ) (e.g., v T =v 1 +v 2 ). The total mass (m T ) may include the first mass (m 1 ) and the second mass (m 2 ) (e.g., m T =m 1 +m 2 ). The methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard. 
     Referring to  FIG. 8 , for example, the body portion  110  may include the hosel portion  150 , and one or more weight recess portions  820 , generally shown as a heel end recess  824  and a toe end recess  826 . The heel end recess  824  may be at or proximate to the heel end  132  of the body portion  110 . The toe end recess  826  may be at or proximate to the toe end  130  of the body portion  110 . In one example, the heel end recess  824  and/or the toe end recess  826  may be located at or proximate to the back end  136  of the body portion  110 . In another example, the heel end recess  824  and/or the toe end recess  826  may be located at or proximate to the front end  132  of the body portion  110 . Alternatively, the heel end recess  824  may be located at or proximate to a middle of the heel end  132  of the body portion  110  and/or the toe end recess  826  may be located at or proximate to a middle of the toe end of the body portion  110 . 
     Turning to  FIG. 9 , for example, the weight portion(s)  120  may a hosel weight portion  122 , and one or more recess weight portions, generally shown as a heel end weight portion  124  and a toe end weight portion  126 . In one example, the hosel weight portion  122  may be a cylindrical-shaped weight portion (e.g., a sleeve-like portion) configured to circumscribe the hosel portion  150  of the body portion  110  ( FIG. 8 ). In another example, the hosel weight portion  122  may be coupled to a portion of the hosel portion  150  (e.g., a semi-circular shaped weight portion). In yet another example, the hosel weight portion  122  may be inserted into a recess of the hosel  810 . Alternatively, the hosel weight portion  122  may be inserted into a bore of a golf club head (not shown). 
     The heel end weight portion  124  may be coupled to the body portion  110  at or within the heel end recess  824  whereas the toe end weight portion  126  may be coupled to the body portion  110  at or within the toe end recess  826 . Based on the location of the heel end recess  824  and the toe end recess  826 , the heel end weight portion  124  and the toe end weight portion  126  may be visible from various perspectives of the golf club head  100 . In one example, the heel end weight portion  124  and the toe end weight portion  126  may be visible from the back end  136  of the golf club head  100  if the heel end recess  824  and the toe end recess  826 , respectively, are located at or proximate to the back end  136  ( FIG. 3 ). In another example, the heel end weight portion  124  and the toe end weight portion  126  may be visible from the front end  133  of the golf club head  100  if the heel end recess  824  and the toe end recess  826 , respectively, are located at or proximate to the front end  134 . In yet another example, the heel end weight portion  124  and the toe end weight portion  126  may be visible from the sole  144  of the golf club head  100  if the heel end recess  824  and the toe end recess  826  are located at or proximate to a middle of the sole  144  on the heel end  132  and the toe end  130 , respectively. Alternatively, the heel end weight portion  824  and/or the toe end weight portion  826  may not be visible at all. 
     As noted above, the body portion  110  and the weight portion(s)  120  may be dissimilar materials. In one example, the body portion  110  may be a titanium-based material whereas the weight portion(s)  120  may be a tungsten-based material. The body portion  110  may be associated with the first volume (v 1 ) and the first mass (m 1 ) whereas the weight portion(s)  120  may be associated with the second volume (v 2 ) and the second mass (m 2 ). For example, the second volume v 2  (e.g., the total volume of the weight portion(s)  120 ) may include the volume of the hosel weight portion  122 , the volume of the heel end weight portion  124 , and the volume of the toe end weight portion  126 . The second mass m 2  may include the mass of the hosel weight portion  122 , the mass of the heel end weight portion  124 , and the mass of the toe end weight portion  126 . 
     While the first volume v 1  may be greater than the second volume v 2  (v 1 &gt;v 2 ), the first mass m 1  may be less than or equal to the second mass m 2  (m 1 ≦m 2 ). In one example, the second volume v 2  may be less than or equal to 25% of the total volume v T  (e.g., the volume of the club head  100 ) whereas the second mass m 2  may be greater than or equal to 50% of the total mass m T  (e.g., the mass of the club head  100 ). In another example, the first volume v 1  and the second volume v 2  may be associated with a ratio of 3:1 whereas the first mass m 1  and the second mass m 2  may be associated with a ratio of 1:1 (e.g., the first mass m 1  and the second mass m 2  may be substantially equal to each other). 
     By coupling the weight portion(s)  120  to the body portion  110 , the moment of inertia (MOI) and the location of the center of gravity (CG) of the golf club head  100  may be optimized. In particular, the location of the CG may be lowered towards the sole  144  and further back towards the back end  136  by the weight portion(s)  120 . Further, the MOI may be higher as measured about a vertical axis through the CG. As a result, the club head  100  may provide a relatively higher launch angle and/or a relatively lower spin rate trajectory than a golf club head without the weight portion(s)  120 . The methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard. 
     As described in the above examples, the golf club head  100  may include a body portion made of a titanium-based material (e.g., the body portion  110 ), and one or more weight portion(s) made of a tungsten-based material (e.g., the weight portion(s)  120 ). Alternatively, the golf club head  100  may include a body portion made of a steel-based material, a face portion made of a titanium-based material, and one or more weight portion(s) made of a tungsten-based material. In the example of  FIGS. 10-12 , a golf club head  1000  may a body portion  1010 , and one or more weight portions  1020 , generally shown  1022  and  1026  (e.g.,  FIG. 12 ). In one example, the body portion  1010  may be made of a steel-based material by a casting process, and the weight portion(s)  1020  may be made of a tungsten-based material. In contrast to the golf club head  100  as described above (e.g.,  FIGS. 1-9 ), the golf club head  1000  may include a face portion  1100  (e.g.,  FIG. 11 ) that may be a separate piece from or an insert for the body portion  1010 . For example, the face portion  1100  may be a separate piece made of a titanium-based material by a casting process. The body portion  1010  and the face portion  1100  may be coupled to each other by a brazing process. The methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard. 
     In the example of  FIG. 13 , a process  1300  to manufacture the golf club head  100  may begin with forming the body portion  110  (block  1310 ). The body portion  110  may be formed by various casting processes (e.g., an investment casting process). In one example, the body portion  110  may be a cast titanium-based body portion. The process  1300  may form the weight portion(s)  120  (block  1320 ). The weight portion(s)  120  may be tungsten-based weight portion(s). 
     The process  1300  may couple the weight portion(s)  120  to the body portion  110  (block  1330 ). As noted above, the body portion  110  and the weight portion(s)  120  may be dissimilar materials. In one example, the body portion  110  may be a steel-based material whereas the weight portion(s)  120  may be a tungsten-based material. To couple two dissimilar materials together, a brazing process may be used to couple the body portion  110  and the weight portion(s)  120  together. Alternatively, mechanical lock(s) and epoxy may also be used couple the body portion  110  and the weight portion(s)  120  together. 
     While a particular order of actions is illustrated in  FIG. 13 , these actions may be performed in other temporal sequences. For example, two or more actions depicted in  FIG. 13  may be performed sequentially, concurrently, or simultaneously. Although, the process  1000  may be described above with respect to the golf club head  100 , the process  1300  may be applicable to other golf club heads. Further, while the above examples may be described with respect to golf club heads, the methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture described herein may be applicable to other sports equipment. 
     While the above examples may describe a particular number of weight portions, the methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture described herein may include more or less weight portions. In one example, the golf club head  100  may include the hosel weight portion  122  only. In another example, the golf club head  100  may include the toe end weight portion  124  only. In yet another example, the golf club head  100  may include the heel end weight portion  126  only. Alternatively, the golf club head  100  may include only two weight portions of the hosel weight portion  122 , the heel end weight portion  124 , and the toe end weight portion  126 . Further, although the above examples may describe particular shapes of weight portions, the methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture described herein may include weight portions of other suitable shapes. 
     Although the above examples may describe particular portions of the golf club head  100 , the methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture described herein may not include one or more portions of the golf club head  100 . In one example, the golf club head  100  may not include the perimeter weight portion  170 . In another example, the golf club head  100  may not include the notch  180 . In yet another example, the golf club head  100  may not include the first cavity  190  and/or the second cavity  195 . 
     While the figures may depict an iron-type club head (e.g., a 1-iron, a 2-iron, a 3-iron, a 4-iron, a 5-iron, a 6-iron, a 7-iron, an 8-iron, a 9-iron, etc.), the apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein may be applicable other types of club head such s a driver-type club head, a fairway wood-type club head, a hybrid-type club head, a wedge-type club head (e.g., a sand wedge, a pitching wedge, a lob wedge, an n-degree wedge (e.g., 44 degrees (°), 48°, 52°, 56°, 60°, etc.)), a putter-type club head, etc. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard. 
     Although certain example methods, apparatus, and/or articles of manufacture have been described herein, the scope of coverage of this disclosure is not limited thereto. On the contrary, this disclosure covers all methods, apparatus, and/or articles of manufacture fairly falling within the scope of the appended claims either literally or under the doctrine of equivalents.