Golf club head with molded polymeric body

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018369660-A1
Application number	US-201816122620-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 5, 2018
Priority date	May 28, 2015
Publication date	Dec 27, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A golf club head includes a forward section and a body section to define a closed internal volume. The forward section has a strike face, a frame that surrounds the strike face, and a flange extending from the frame. The body section is formed from a molded polymeric material, and includes a forward edge that defines a receiving portion adapted to receive the flange and a weight receiving feature spaced apart from the forward edge. The body section further includes a reinforcing structure protruding into the internal volume and extending between the weight receiving feature and the forward edge. The reinforcing structure is operative to transfer impact loads between the weight receiving feature and the metallic forward section.

First claim

1 ) A golf club head comprising:
a forward section joined to a body section via a tongue-in-grove joint or a lap joint to define an internal volume therebetween; the body section including: a lower portion that defines a sole portion and further includes a body seam and a body flange; an upper portion that defines a crown portion and further includes a receiving portion; a second receiving portion that is positioned proximal to the forward section and extends a portion of the body section; a support flange that extends from the internal volume between a lower portion of the body section and an upper portion of the body section; the forward section including: a strike face that is adapted for impact of a golf ball; a frame member that extends rearwardly from the strike face and a flange further extending rearwardly from the frame member; wherein: the body seam extends around a perimeter of the lower portion and the body flange is disposed along a portion of the body seam; the receiving portion of the upper portion is adapted to engage the body flange of the lower portion to become affixed; the flange of the frame member is adapted to engage the second receiving portion of the body section; the support flange of the body section increases stiffness of the clubhead.

2 ) The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the forward section is a metallic material.

3 ) The golf club head of claim 2 , wherein the body section is a polymeric material.

4 ) The golf club head of claim 3 , wherein the polymeric material of the body section has a lighter density than the metallic material of the forward section.

5 ) The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the flange can be pitched inwardly up to 10 degrees.

6 ) The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the flange is strictly orthogonal to a reference plane.

7 ) The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein a weight receiving feature is adapted to receive a removable weight member.

8 ) The golf club head of claim 7 , wherein one or more removable weight members are in the weight receiving feature.

9 ) The golf club head of claim 8 , wherein a second support flange is positioned in the upper portion of the body section.

10 ) The golf club head of claim 7 , wherein the support flange is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the weight receiving feature to counter act loads and moment caused by the mass of the weight member.

11 ) The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the forward section has an indented compression channel.

12 ) A golf club head comprising:
a forward section joined to a body section via a tongue-in-groove joint or lap joint to define an internal volume therebetween; the body section including: a forward edge that abuts the forward section and defines a receiving portion; a support flange that extends from the internal volume between a lower portion of the body section and an upper portion of the body section, wherein the support flange increases one or more modal frequencies; a forward section including: a strike face; a frame extending rearward from the strike face and forming an outer surface of the clubhead; a flange extending rearward from the frame and affixed to the receiving portion of the body section to form the tongue-in-groove joint or lap joint.

13 ) The golf club of claim 12 , wherein the flange extends from the fame in a uniform direction that is orthogonal to a common reference plane.

14 ) The golf club of claim 12 , wherein the body section is a polymeric material.

15 ) The golf club of claim 14 , wherein the forward section is a metallic material.

16 ) The golf club of claim 12 , wherein the forward section has a channel.

17 ) The golf club of claim 12 , wherein the body section includes: an upper portion defining a portion of the crown; a lower portion defining a portion of the sole; wherein the upper portion and lower portion are affixed together at a peripheral body seam.

18 ) The golf club of claim 12 , wherein the body section further includes a weight receiving feature.

19 ) The golf club of claim 18 , wherein the weight receiving feature is adapted to receive a removable weight member.

20 ) The golf club of claim 15 , wherein the density of the polymeric material is lighter than the density of the metallic material.

Assignees

• Karsten Mfg Corp

Inventors

• Boggs Joshua
• Larson Eric
• Harper Kevin

Classifications

• A63B53/0466 Primary

  wood-type · CPC title

• A63B2053/0491

  with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable · CPC title

• A63B60/52

  with slits · CPC title

• A63B2053/045

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• A63B2053/0408

  Human Necessities · mapped topic