Patent ID: 12220776

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring toFIGS.2and3, a method3for manufacturing a club head4of a first preferred embodiment of this invention is disclosed. The club head4includes a hosel44extending toward one direction, a head face43extending toward another direction for hitting a golf ball (not shown), and a bending portion45formed between the hosel44and the head face43. The club head4in this preferred embodiment is an iron type club head. The method3includes a preparing step31, a bending and pressing step32, a punching step33, and a trimming step34. The preparing step31is performed by preparing a metal blank a. The metal blank a has a cylindrical neck segment a1, a cylindrical head segment a2opposite to the neck segment a1, and an engagement segment a3connected between the neck segment a1and the head segment a2. A maximum outer diameter d2of the head segment a2is larger than a maximum outer diameter d1of the neck segment a1. The engagement segment a3is tapered from the head segment a2toward the neck segment a1so that the engagement segment a3is in the form of a frustum. One end a2′ of the head segment a2opposite to the engagement segment a3has an arched shape as shown inFIG.6or a flattened shape as shown inFIG.3whereby the method3is conducted in a quick manner according to different processing requirements. Here takes an example that the one end a2′ of the head segment a2has a flattened shape.

The bending and pressing step32is performed by subjecting the metal blank a to a stamping operation by using a stamping device321. The stamping device321is shown in a simplified drawing in this preferred embodiment. The stamping device321has a stamping die321aand a stamping unit321bmovably disposed relative to the stamping die321a. The stamping die321ahas a first cavity b2enclosed by a first wall b1, a second cavity b4enclosed by a second wall b3, and a receiving opening b5formed in the first cavity b2. The first cavity b2has a first contour drawing a hitting appearance. The second cavity b4has a second contour drawing a transition appearance. The receiving opening b5is adapted to receive a surplus material of the metal blank a. In the stamping operation, the metal blank a is positioned in the stamping die321ato allow the head segment a2to be situated in the first cavity b2and adjacent to the first wall b1of the first cavity b2and to allow the engagement segment a3to be situated in the second cavity b4. The stamping unit321bis then adapted to press the head segment a2and the engagement segment a3concurrently so that the head segment a2and the engagement segment a3extend according to the shape of the stamping die321a. Namely, the pressing action of the stamping unit321bbends a junction of the engagement segment a3and the head segment a2to form a first surface41connected to the neck segment a1and a second surface42connected to the first surface41and extended by a length. An included angle α is defined by a junction of the first surface41and the second surface42whereby the first surface41and the second surface42are connected together to provide a bending contour corresponding to the transition appearance, which thereby serves as the bending portion45of the club head4. The head segment a2is also pressed by the stamping unit321bwhereby the head segment a2extends and fills the first cavity b2to form a face region43′ joined to the second surface42. The face region43′ has a head-shaped contour corresponding to the hitting appearance. Owing to the pressing action of the stamping unit321b, the surplus material of the metal blank a is remained and accumulated at the receiving opening b5whereby a waste unit c protruding from the face region43′ is formed after the metal blank a is separated from the stamping die321a.

Referring toFIG.4, the punching step33is performed by subjecting the metal blank a to a punching operation by using a punching device331. The punching device331has a punching die331aand a punching unit331bmovably disposed relative to the punching die331a. In this preferred embodiment, the punching die331aincludes two die units331a′ opposite to each other. A punching space331cis defined when the two die units331a′ are engaged with each other to assume a close state. The punching unit331bhas an inserted end331b′ capable of being inserted into the punching space331c. An outer diameter d4of the inserted end331b′ of the punching unit331bis smaller than an inner diameter d3of the punching space331c. In the punching operation, the die units331a′ are engaged together to assume a close state after the neck segment a1is positioned between the die units331a′ whereby the neck segment a1is situated in the punching space331cand an outer periphery of the neck segment a1is clamped by the die units331a′. After that, the inserted end331b′ of the punching unit331bis moved and inserted into the punching space331cto exert punching forces on a portion of the neck segment a1and force the neck segment a1to extend so that the neck segment a1is extended to form a peripheral wall44band a trough44aenclosed by the peripheral wall44b, which thereby serves as the hosel44of the club head4. Meanwhile, the maximum outer diameter d1of the neck segment a1is restricted by the punching space331cenclosed by the die units331a′ to thereby prevent an improper change in the maximum outer diameter d1of the neck segment a1.

Referring toFIG.5, the trimming step34is performed by subjecting the metal blank a to a cutting operation by using a processing device341. The processing device341has a cutting unit341a. In this cutting operation, a surface of the face region43′ attained by the bending and pressing step32is trimmed with the cutting unit341ato flatten the surface of the face region43′ and remove the waste unit c from the face region43′ while flattening the surface of the face region43′. The face region43′ which is subjected to the cutting operation thereby serving as the head face43of the club head4for hitting the golf ball. The club head4is formed after the cutting operation.

Referring toFIGS.2to6, after the metal blank a is prepared in the preparing step31, the metal blank a is subjected to the stamping operation conducted by the stamping device321in the bending and pressing step32. The metal blank a is situated in the stamping die321aso that the engagement segment a3is positioned in the second cavity b4and the head segment a2is positioned in the first cavity b2. The head segment a2is adjacent to the first wall b1of the first cavity b2after the head segment a2is positioned properly. The neck segment a1is preferably situated outside the stamping die321aso that the neck segment a1will not be pressed by the stamping unit321b. After that, the head segment a2and the engagement segment a3are stamped by the stamping unit321bconcurrently whereby the junction of the engagement segment a3and the head segment a2is bended and turned into the first surface41connected to the neck segment a1and the second surface42connected to the first surface41and extended by a length. The included angle α is defined by the junction of the first surface41and the second surface42whereby the first surface41and the second surface42are joined to each other to provide the bending contour corresponding to the transition appearance, and thus the bending portion45of the club head4is achieved. Meanwhile, the head segment a2is also stamped by the stamping unit321bwhereby the first cavity b2is stuffed with the head segment a2to thereby form the face region43′ having the head-shaped contour corresponding to the hitting appearance. During the stamping operation, the surplus material of the metal blank a is introduced and accommodated at the receiving opening b5whereby the waste unit c is formed on the face region43′ after the metal blank a is removed from the stamping die321a. Thus, the face region43′ and the bending portion45are formed evenly and properly without being too thick or too thin because the surplus material is received within the receiving opening b5duly, thereby reducing the consumption of the metal blank a to attain a sufficient use of the metal blank a and reducing the defective products. Further, the waste unit c only occupies a small area on the face region43′.

After that, the metal blank a is subjected to the punching operation conducted by the punching device331in the punching step33. After the neck segment a1is situated between the die units331a′, the die units331a′ are engaged to each other to assume a close state and allow the neck segment a1to be positioned within the punching space331cand clamped by the die units331a′ of the punching die311a. The inserted end331b′ of the punching unit331bis then activated to exert punching forces on a portion of the neck segment a1. Because the outer diameter d4of the inserted end331b′ is smaller than the inner diameter d3of the punching space331c, the neck segment a1is forced to extend and form the peripheral wall44band the trough44aenclosed by the peripheral wall44b, and thus the hosel44of the club head4is achieved. Meanwhile, the maximum outer diameter d1of the neck segment a1is restricted by the punching space331cwhile the neck segment a1is punched by the inserted end331b′. Both the stamping operation of the stamping device321and the punching operation of the punching device331help increase the strength of the face region43′, the bending portion45, and the hosel44. Finally, the face region43′ is subjected to the cutting operation conducted by the processing device341in the trimming step34. The surface of the face region43′ is cut and flattened by the cutting unit341aof the processing device341, thereby separating the waste unit c from the face region43′ while cutting the surface of the face region43′. Thus, the head face43of the club head4for hitting the golf ball is achieved after the face region43′ passes through the cutting operation. The club head4is therefore achieved after the cutting operation is completed. Hence, the waste unit c only occupies a small area on the face region43′, and that reduces the costs and simplifies the operation for removing the waste unit c. The removal of the waste unit c will not leave an extensive mark. The head face43of the club head4remains flat and meets the standards. The method3facilitates a quick and simple operation for manufacturing the club head4, reduces the consumption of the metal blank a to attain a sufficient use, increases the strength of the club head4, reduces the defective products, and reduces the production costs.

Referring toFIG.7shows a second preferred embodiment of the method3for manufacturing a club head4of this invention which still includes a preparing step31, a bending and pressing step32, a punching step33, and a trimming step34. The concatenation of correlated elements, operations and objectives of this preferred embodiment are the same as those of the first preferred embodiment. The second preferred embodiment is characterized in that the punching step33is executed after the preparing step31. The bending and pressing step32is executed after the punching step33. The trimming step34is executed after the bending and pressing step32. In other words, after the metal blank a is prepared in the preparing step31, the neck segment a1of the metal blank a is subjected to the punching operation conducted by the punching device331to form the peripheral wall44band the trough44awhereby the hosel44is attained as shown in theFIG.4. After that, the head segment a2and the engagement segment a3of the metal blank a are subjected to the stamping operation conducted by the stamping device321to form the bending portion45and the face region43′ accordingly as shown inFIG.3. Meanwhile, the surplus material of the metal blank a is accommodated at the receiving opening b5of the stamping die321ato form the waste unit c on the face region43′ after the metal blank a is separated from the stamping die321a. Finally, the face region43′ is subjected to the cutting operation conducted by the processing device341, thereby flattening the face region43′ and removing the waste unit c. Thus, the head face43is attained as shown inFIG.5. The club head4is formed after the cutting operation is finished. Although the executing sequence of the bending and pressing step32and the punching step33are changed, the method3still can achieve the effects of facilitating a quick and simple operation for manufacturing the club head4, reducing the consumption of the metal blank a to attain a sufficient use, increasing the strength of the club head4, reducing the defective products, and reducing the production costs.

To sum up, the method of this invention includes a preparing step, a bending and pressing step, a punching step, and a trimming step. The metal blank having the engagement segment extended between the head segment and the neck segment is prepared in the preparing step. In the bending and pressing step, the metal blank is situated in the stamping die of the stamping device to allow the head segment and the engagement segment to be positioned in the first cavity and the second cavity respectively. The head segment and the engagement segment are pressed concurrently by the stamping unit whereby the junction of the engagement segment and the head segment is bended to form the first surface and the second surface, with the included angle defined by the junction of the first surface and the second surface. Thus, the first surface and the second surface are joined together to provide the bending contour, which thereby serves as the bending portion of the club head. Meanwhile, the head segment is also pressed and extended in the first cavity to form the face region having the head-shaped contour. The surplus material of the metal blank is remained and introduced into the receiving opening of the stamping die to form the waste unit protruding from the face region after the metal blank is removed from the stamping die. In the punching step, after the neck segment is clamped by the punching die of the punching device, punching forces are exerted to a portion of the neck segment so that the neck segment is extended to form the peripheral wall and the trough, which thereby serves as the hosel of the club head. In the trimming step, the surface of the face region is trimmed by the cutting unit of the processing device so that the surface of the face region is flattened and the waste unit is removed, which thereby serves as the head face of the club head for hitting the golf ball. And, the club head is completed. Thus, the surplus material of the metal blank will not flow outside the stamping die. The waste unit formed by the surplus material only occupies a small area on the face region, and thus the removal of the waste unit will not leave an extensive mark. The costs for removing the waste unit is reduced. The method also is executed in a quick and simplified manner, reduces the consumption of the metal blank to achieve a sufficient use, increases the strength of the club head, reduces the production costs, and reduces the defective products.

While the embodiments of this invention are shown and described, it is understood that further variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of this invention.