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US 8,663,027 B2Granted
Golf club face plates with internal cell lattices and related methods
AssigneeKarsten Manufacturing Corporation
InventorsEric J. Morales, Erik Henrikson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Embodiments of golf club face plates with internal cell lattices are presented herein. Other examples and related methods are also disclosed herein.
Claims24
A method for providing a face plate for a golf club head, the method comprising:
- providing an inner skin of the face plate;
- providing an outer skin of the face plate;
- providing a midsection of the face plate;
- and
- bounding the midsection between the inner skin and the outer skin;
- wherein:
- providing the midsection comprises:
- providing a plurality of midsection layers comprising a first midsection layer and a second midsection layer;
- forming a first lattice pattern through the first midsection layer;
- and
- forming a second lattice pattern through the second midsection layer;
- providing the inner skin, the outer skin, and the midsection comprises:
- providing each of the midsection, the inner skin, or the outer skin as separate distinct pieces;
- bounding the midsection comprises:
- diffusion bonding the inner skin, the midsection, and the outer skin together, including the first and second midsection layers, into a single integral piece of material that is substantially seamless between the inner skin and the midsection and between the midsection and the outer skin;
- wherein after the diffusion bonding:
- a midsection central area of the midsection comprises a cell lattice;
- the cell lattice comprises a plurality of walls defining a plurality of cells in a hexagonal pattern;
- the plurality of walls and the plurality of cells of the cell lattice are defined at least in part by the first and second lattice patterns;
- the cell lattice is fully bounded between the inner and outer skins of the face plate;
- and
- a midsection perimeter area of the midsection bounds the midsection central area and is devoid of the cell lattice;
- forming the first lattice pattern through the first midsection layer comprises forming a first cutout through the first midsection layer, the first cutout configured to define a first volume portion of a first cell of the cell lattice;
- forming the second lattice pattern through the second midsection layer comprises forming a second cutout through the second midsection layer, the second cutout configured to define a second volume portion of the first cell;
- bounding the midsection comprises:
- aligning the second midsection layer over the first midsection layer such that the first and second cutouts are centered about a first cell axis of the first cell;
- bounding the midsection comprises
- forming the plurality of cells in an isogrid pattern;
- diffusion bonding the inner skin, the midsection, and the outer skin together comprises intermeshing interfaces between the inner skin, the midsection, and the outer skin together via a high-pressure and high-heat process;
- providing the inner skin, the outer skin, and the midsection comprises;
- providing the midsection, the inner skin, and the outer skin to each comprise a titanium alloy with an alpha-type crystal structure;
- and
- diffusion bonding the inner skin, the midsection, and the outer skin together comprises
- transforming the alpha-type crystal structure of the midsection, the inner skin, and the outer skin to a beta-type crystal structure intermeshing the midsection, the inner skin, and the outer skin together;
- the alpha-type crystal structure comprising a hexagonal crystal phase;
- and
- the beta-type crystal structure comprises a body-centered cubic crystal phase.
34 more elements
A method for providing a face plate for a golf club head, the method comprising:
- providing an inner skin of the face plate;
- providing an outer skin of the face plate;
- providing a midsection of the face plate;
- and
- coupling the midsection between the inner skin and the outer skin such that:
- an inner midsection end of the midsection is coupled to the inner skin of the face plate;
- and
- an outer midsection end of the midsection is coupled to the outer skin of the face plate;
- wherein:
- providing the midsection comprises:
- providing a cell lattice in the midsection, the cell lattice comprising a plurality of walls defining a plurality of cells;
- prior to coupling the midsection between the inner skin and the outer skin:
- the inner skin comprises a first crystal structure of an alpha-type structure;
- the outer skin comprises a second crystal structure of the alpha-type structure;
- and
- the midsection comprises a midsection crystal structure of the alpha-type structure;
- and
- coupling the midsection between the inner skin and the outer skin comprises:
- transforming the first crystal structure, the second crystal structure, and the midsection crystal structure to a beta-type structure such that:
- the midsection crystal structure is intermeshed with the first crystal structure;
- and
- the midsection crystal structure is intermeshed with the second crystal structure.
19 more elements
A method for providing a face plate for a golf club head, the method comprising:
- providing an inner skin of the face plate;
- providing an outer skin of the face plate;
- providing a midsection of the face plate;
- and
- coupling the midsection between the inner skin and the outer skin such that:
- an inner midsection end of the midsection is coupled to the inner skin of the face plate;
- and
- an outer midsection end of the midsection is coupled to the outer skin of the face plate;
- wherein:
- providing the midsection comprises:
- providing a cell lattice in the midsection, the cell lattice comprising a plurality of walls defining a plurality of cells;
- coupling the midsection comprises:
- merging the inner skin, the midsection, and the outer skin together into a single integral piece of material without adhesives or fasteners;
- merging the inner skin, the midsection, and the outer skin together via diffusion bonding using a high-pressure and high-heat process;
- and
- a metallic material of the midsection comprises a titanium alloy comprising at least approximately 8% aluminum.
13 more elements
A method for providing a face plate for a golf club head, the method comprising:
- providing an inner skin of the face plate;
- providing an outer skin of the face plate;
- providing a midsection of the face plate;
- and
- coupling the midsection between the inner skin and the outer skin such that:
- an inner midsection end of the midsection is coupled to the inner skin of the face plate;
- and
- an outer midsection end of the midsection is coupled to the outer skin of the face plate;
- wherein:
- providing the midsection comprises:
- providing a cell lattice in the midsection, the cell lattice comprising a plurality of walls defining a plurality of cells;
- and
- providing the cell lattice comprises:
- providing a plurality of cell junctions where two or more of the plurality of walls couple together;
- and
- forming a first junction channel into a first cell junction of the plurality of cell junctions, the first junction channel extending from the inner midsection end to the outer midsection end.
13 more elements
A method for providing a face plate for a golf club head, the method comprising:
- providing an inner skin of the face plate;
- providing an outer skin of the face plate;
- providing a midsection of the face plate;
- and
- coupling the midsection between the inner skin and the outer skin such that:
- an inner midsection end of the midsection is coupled to the inner skin of the face plate;
- and
- an outer midsection end of the midsection is coupled to the outer skin of the face plate;
- wherein:
- providing the midsection comprises:
- providing a cell lattice in the midsection, the cell lattice comprising a plurality of walls defining a plurality of cells;
- and
- providing the cell lattice comprises:
- forming a first wall of the plurality of walls to comprise a transverse passageway between adjacent cells of the plurality of cells.
11 more elements
A face plate for a golf club head, the face plate comprising:
- a face plate central area
- a face plate perimeter area between the face plate central area and a perimeter of the face plate;
- an inner skin;
- an outer skin;
- and
- a midsection comprising:
- an inner midsection end coupled to the inner skin;
- an outer midsection end coupled to the outer skin;
- and
- a cell lattice comprising a plurality of walls defining a plurality of cells between the inner midsection end and the outer midsection end;
- wherein:
- the inner skin comprises a first crystal structure;
- the outer skin comprises a second crystal structure;
- the midsection comprises a plurality of midsection layers having a midsection crystal structure;
- the inner skin, the outer skin, and the midsection, along with the plurality of midsection layers, comprise a single piece of material;
- the midsection comprises a metallic material;
- the inner skin and the outer skin comprise the metallic material;
- the cell lattice is located in the face plate central area without extending into the face plate perimeter area and
- the cell lattice comprises a hexagonal pattern defined by the plurality of walls;
- the metallic material comprises a titanium alloy comprising at least approximately 8% aluminum;
- the first, second, and midsection crystal structures comprise a beta-type structure having a body-centered cubic crystal phase;
- and
- the cell lattice comprises an isogrid pattern defined by the plurality of walls and the plurality of cells.
20 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.