Golf club heads and methods to manufacture golf club heads

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9796131-B2
Application number	US-201615043113-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 12, 2016
Priority date	Aug 25, 2014
Publication date	Oct 24, 2017
Grant date	Oct 24, 2017

Abstract

Embodiments of golf club heads and methods to manufacture golf club heads are generally described herein. In one example, a golf club head may include a body portion with a toe portion, a heel portion, a top portion, a sole portion, a back portion, and a front portion. The golf club head may include an interior cavity. Other examples and embodiments may be described and claimed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
providing a golf club head having a body portion having a face portion with a front surface and a back surface, a toe portion, a heel portion, a top portion, a sole portion, a back portion, and an interior cavity extending between the top portion, the sole portion, and the back surface of the face portion;
forming a plurality of ports on the back portion of the body portion with at least two ports of the plurality of ports being separated by less than or equal to a port diameter of any port of the plurality of ports and at least one port of the plurality of ports being connected to the interior cavity;
bonding a bonding portion to the back surface of the face portion at a first temperature;
injection molding a non-foaming elastic polymer material in the interior cavity from the at least one port being connected to the interior cavity after bonding the bonding portion to the back surface of the face portion, the elastic polymer material filling the interior cavity;
bonding the elastic polymer material to the bonding portion at a second temperature greater than the first temperature,
wherein the bonding portion attaches the elastic polymer material to the back surface of the face portion, and
wherein the elastic polymer material supports the face portion when the front surface of the face portion strikes a golf ball.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein bonding the bonding portion comprises:
bonding a bonding agent to the back surface of the face portion at the first temperature; and
heating the bonding agent to the first temperature,
wherein the first temperature is within an initial cure state temperature range of the bonding agent.

3. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the bonding the bonding portion comprises:
bonding a bonding agent to the back surface of the face portion at the first temperature; and
heating the bonding agent to the second temperature,
wherein the second temperature is within a final cure state temperature range of the bonding agent.

4. A method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising filling the interior cavity of the golf club head with the elastic polymer material, and bonding the elastic polymer material to the bonding portion after filling the interior cavity of the golf club head with the elastic polymer material.

5. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein injection molding the elastic polymer material comprises injection molding at least one of a thermoplastic elastomer material or a thermoplastic polyurethane material in the interior cavity after bonding the bonding portion to the back surface of the face portion.

6. A method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising uniformly coating or substantially uniformly coating the back surface of the face portion with the bonding portion before bonding the bonding portion to the back surface of the face portion.

7. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein providing a golf club head comprises providing a golf club head having a face portion comprising a substantially uniform thickness from at or proximate to the top portion to at or proximate to the sole portion.

8. A method comprising:
forming a plurality of weight portions, at least two weight portions of the plurality of weight portions having different heights;
forming a golf club head having a body portion having a toe portion, a heel portion, a top portion, a sole portion, a back portion, a front portion having a face portion with a front surface and a back surface, an interior cavity extending between the top portion, the sole portion, and the back surface of the face portion;
forming a plurality of ports on the back portion of the body portion, each port of the plurality of ports configured to receive a weight portion of the plurality of weight portions, at least one port of the plurality of ports having a dimension of less than or equal to about 0.25 inch and being connected to the interior cavity;
applying a bonding portion on the back surface of the face portion from the at least one port;
heating the bonding portion to a first temperature within an initial cure temperature range of the bonding portion to bond the bonding portion to the back surface of the face portion;
injecting an elastic polymer material in the interior cavity from the at least one port; and
heating the bonding portion and the elastic polymer material to a second temperature within a final cure temperature range of the bonding portion to bond the elastic polymer material to the bonding portion,
wherein the bonding portion attaches the elastic polymer material to the back surface of the face portion, and
wherein the elastic polymer material supports the face portion when the front surface of the face portion strikes a golf ball.

9. A method as defined in claim 8 , further comprising removing air from the interior cavity while injecting the elastic polymer material in the interior cavity.

10. A method as defined in claim 8 , further comprising heating the elastic polymer material to a temperature less than the second temperature before injecting the elastic polymer material in the interior cavity.

11. A method as defined in claim 8 , further comprising heating the golf club head to a temperature less than the second temperature before injecting the elastic polymer material in the interior cavity.

12. A method as defined in claim 8 , wherein injecting the elastic polymer material in the interior cavity comprises filling the interior cavity of the golf club head with the elastic polymer material.

13. A method as defined in claim 8 , wherein injecting the elastic polymer material comprises injecting at least one of a thermoplastic elastomer material or a thermoplastic polyurethane material in the interior cavity.

14. A method as defined in claim 8 , wherein providing a bonding portion on the back surface of the face portion comprises uniformly coating or substantially uniformly coating the back surface of the face portion.

15. A method as defined in claim 8 , wherein providing a golf club head comprises providing a golf club head having a face portion comprising a substantially uniform thickness from at or proximate to the top portion to at or proximate to the sole portion.

16. A method comprising:
forming a golf club head having a body portion having a toe portion, a heel portion, a top portion, a sole portion, a back portion, a front portion having a face portion with a front surface and a back surface, and an interior cavity extending between the top portion, the sole portion and the back surface of the face portion;
forming a plurality of ports on the back portion of the body portion extending along an arc being closer to the sole portion than the top portion and extending between the toe portion and the heel portion, at least one port of the plurality of ports being connected to the interior cavity;
applying a bonding portion to the back surface of the face portion from the at least one port;
bonding the bonding portion to the back surface of the face portion;
injection molding an elastic polymer material in the interior cavity from the at least one port after bonding the bonding portion to the back surface of the face portion; and
bonding the elastic polymer material to the bonding portion.

17. A method as defined in claim 16 , wherein bonding the bonding portion to the back surface of the face portion comprises:
heating at least one of the bonding portion or the golf club head to activate the bonding portion; and
cooling at least one of the bonding portion or the golf club head.

Assignees

• Parsons Xtreme Golf Llc

Inventors

• Parsons Robert R
• Nicolette Michael R
• Schweigert Bradley D

Classifications

• B29C65/02 Primary

  by heating, with or without pressure · CPC title

• A63B60/02

  Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass (A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence) · CPC title

• A63B2053/0491

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

• A63B53/0466

  wood-type · CPC title

• A63B60/54

  with means for damping vibrations · CPC title