Multi-piece golf club head

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12257484-B2
Application number	US-202318323935-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 25, 2023
Priority date	May 25, 2022
Publication date	Mar 25, 2025
Grant date	Mar 25, 2025

Abstract

A method of making a golf club head includes interposing bonding tape between a first piece and a second piece of the golf club head such that the first piece is temporarily adhered to the second piece via a tackiness of the bonding tape. The method additionally includes positioning the first piece, the second piece, and the bonding tape, interposed between the first piece and the second piece, in a vacuum bag, and reducing a pressure within the vacuum bag, relative to a pressure external to the vacuum bag, such that the vacuum bag collapses onto the first piece and the second piece and compresses the bonding tape between the first piece and the second piece. The method also includes heating the bonding tape, at least to a curing temperature of the bonding tape, when the pressure within the vacuum bag is reduced.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of manufacturing a golf club head, comprising:
forming a frame comprising a crown opening surrounded by a crown bonding ledge at least partially defining a bond area for bonding a composite crown insert to the frame, wherein the frame comprises:
a face positioned at a forward portion of the frame, a rear portion positioned opposite the face, a sole portion positioned at a bottom portion of the frame, a crown portion positioned at a top portion of the frame, the frame defining an interior cavity that is at least partially enclosed by the composite crown insert;
a hosel defining a hosel opening; and
at least one weight port formed in the rear portion of the frame, and configured to receive at least one weight configured to be retained at least partially within the at least one weight port;
wherein:
the face has a striking surface and a head origin defined as a position on the striking surface at approximately a geometric center of the striking surface, the head origin including a head origin x-axis, a head origin y-axis, and a head origin z-axis;
the head origin x-axis is tangential to the striking surface and generally parallel to a ground plane when the head is ideally positioned, and a positive x-axis extends from the head origin towards a heel of the frame and a negative x-axis extends from the head origin towards a toe of the frame;
the head origin y-axis extends generally perpendicular to the head origin x-axis and parallel to the ground plane when the head is ideally positioned, and a positive y-axis extends from the head origin towards a rear portion of the frame;
the head origin z-axis extends perpendicular to the head origin x-axis and perpendicular to the head origin y-axis and having a positive z-axis that extends from the head origin towards the top portion of the frame and a negative z-axis that extends from the head origin towards the bottom portion of the frame;
the hosel opening has:
an upper hosel opening positioned in the crown portion of the frame, the upper hosel opening configured to receive an adjustable loft system comprising a shaft sleeve mounted on a lower end portion of a club shaft having a club shaft axis, wherein the adjustable loft system is configured to allow a maximum loft change, and wherein the shaft sleeve comprises a lower end portion defining a threaded opening; and
a lower hosel opening positioned in the sole portion, wherein the lower hosel opening is in communication with the upper hosel opening, and is configured to receive a screw that is configured to be inserted through the lower hosel opening and tightened into the threaded opening of the shaft sleeve to releasably secure the shaft sleeve; and

the adjustable loft system and the at least one weight are configured to be adjustable by a single engagement end of a single tool;

retaining the at least one weight within the at least one weight port; and
adhesively bonding the composite crown insert to at least the crown bonding ledge of the frame to form at least a portion of a crown of a manufactured golf club head, the composite crown insert having an interior surface comprising a total interior surface area, and a crown insert bond area;
wherein:
the crown insert bond area is defined on a portion of the interior surface of the crown insert;
a percentage of the total interior surface area occupied by the bond area on the interior surface of the crown insert is no more than 35%;
after bonding the composite crown insert to at least the crown bonding ledge of the frame, at least 50 percent of the crown has an areal weight less than 0.35 g/cm 2 ;
the manufactured golf club head comprises at least the frame and the composite crown insert, and the manufactured golf club head has a golf club head body having a center of gravity, the center of gravity having:
a head origin x-axis coordinate no less than-10 mm and no more than 10 mm,
a head origin y-axis coordinate of at least 25 mm and no more than 50 mm, and
a head origin z-axis coordinate no less than-10 mm and no more than 2 mm;

the golf club head body has a moment of inertia (Ixx) about a center of gravity x-axis (CG x-axis), wherein the CG x-axis is parallel to the head origin x-axis and passes through the center of gravity of the golf club head body;
the golf club head body has a moment of inertia (Izz) about a center of gravity z-axis (CG z-axis), wherein the CG z-axis is parallel to the head origin z-axis and passes through the center of gravity of the golf club head body;
the Ixx is at least 250 kg·mm 2 and no more than 590 kg·mm 2 ;
the Izz is at least 400 kg·mm 2 and no more than 590 kg·mm 2 ;
a ratio of Ixx to Izz is at least 0.65;
the bond area has a variable width and the total interior surface area of the crown insert is at least 7000 mm 2 and the bond area of the crown insert is at least 2000 mm 2 ; and
the percentage of the total interior surface area occupied by the bond area on the interior surface of the crown insert is no less than 10%.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ratio of Ixx to Izz is at least 0.68.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of adhesively bonding the composite crown insert to at least the crown bonding ledge comprises using at least two or more segments of bonding tape, and at least one of the at least two or more segments of bonding tape comprises a variable tape width.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein at least one of the at least two or more segments of bonding tape comprises a thickness between 90 μm and 550 μm.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the at least two or more segments of bonding tape comprises at least a first segment of bonding tape that has a first width and a second segment of bonding tape that has a second width, wherein the first width and the second width are different.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein at least one of the at least two or more segments of bonding tape comprises an adhesive surface having a variable width.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein at least one of the at least two or more segments of bonding tape comprises a first outward surface that is positioned nearest an outer surface of the composite crown insert, wherein the first outward surface is inwardly offset from the outer surface of the composite crown insert by at least 1 mm.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein at least one of the at least two or more segments of bonding tape comprises a first outward surface that is positioned nearest an outer surface of the composite crown insert, wherein the first outward surface is inwardly offset from an outer surface of the crown bonding ledge by at least 1 mm and no more than 5 mm.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the at least two or more segments of bonding tape comprise a first material, and wherein adhesively bonding the composite crown insert to at least the crown bonding ledge of the frame comprises curing the first material using a first curing method.

10. The method of claim 6 , further comprising positioning a gap filler between an outer periphery of the composite crown insert and a sidewall of the frame, and at least partially in contact with the crown bonding ledge.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the gap filler is configured to prevent bleeding or squeeze out of at least one of the two or more segments of bonding tape.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
the at least two or more segments of bonding tape comprise a first material, and
the gap filler comprises a second material that is different from the first material.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein adhesively bonding the composite crown insert to at least the crown bonding ledge of the fr

Assignees

• Taylor Made Golf Co

Inventors

• Chou Charles
• Greaney Mark
• Kraus Stephen
• Cheng Bryan
• Cheng Kevin
• Greensmith Matthew
• Harbert Christopher
• Beach Todd
• Johnson Matthew D

Classifications

• A63B53/0412

  Volume · CPC title

• A63B2102/32

  Golf · CPC title

• A63B53/0454

  Strengthening ribs on the rear surface of the impact face plate · CPC title

• A63B53/0437

  with special crown configurations · CPC title

• A63B53/0433

  with special sole configurations · CPC title