US 5,706,566 AGranted

High output method for fabricating metal wood golf club heads

OwnerLawrence Y. Igarashiinventor

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Abstract

A method of fabricating a metal wood club head. The head is fabricated in two half-sections, each formed by a casting technique. Increased production throughput is achieved by the use of forming dies to maintain the shape of the two half-sections after removal from the casting molds, before the head half-section elements have fully hardened to a solid state. The two half-sections are subsequently joined by welding together facing edges of the respective half-sections along a parting line. The parting line extends through the highest point in the head crown, generally parallel to the face region and behind the hose. The placement of the parting line permits the use of simple one-piece mold cores, since there are no negative angles within the half-section elements to prevent such a core from being removed. The method is low cost, and provides a high strength club head, with the weld joint located away from club stress points.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A method for fabricating a hollow golf club head, comprising a sequence of the following steps:

(i) casting in casting mold apparatus from a molten material first and second separate club head sections, said first section defining a first portion of said hollow club head including a club face region, hosel region, a front portion of a sole region and a front portion of a head crown region, said second section defining a rear portion of said hollow club head including a rear portion of said head crown region, a rear portion of said club head and a rear portion of said sole region, said club head being defined by said first and second club head sections;
(ii) removing said first and second separate club head sections from said casting apparatus before said molten material has fully set in a nondeformable solid state;
(iii) placing said first and second club head sections on respective first and second forming dies, said forming dies having forming surfaces which match corresponding surfaces of said casting apparatus, thereby maintaining said first and second club head sections in a shape and size determined by said casting apparatus surfaces;
(iv) causing said material to set in a solid state;
(v) removing said first and second club head sections from said first and second forming dies;
and
(vi) joining said first and second club head sections together along a seam formed by adjacent edges of said head sections.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/406,071Filed 17 Mar 1995 · continuation in part
Priority: 7 Jun 1994
Granted: 13 Jan 1998
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

A63B 53/04
Golf clubs: heads
A63B 53/0466
Heads: wood-type
Y10T 29/49893
Assembling or joining: peripheral joining of opposed mirror image parts to form a hollow body
Y10T 29/49988
Combined manufacture including applying or shaping of fluent material: metal casting

Family

Serial255,263Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 7 Jun 1994
US 5,518,240 AParent of this continuation-in-part
US 5,706,566 AThis patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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