Metal fusion bonding – Process – With supplementary mechanical joining
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-16
2001-06-19
Ryan, Patrick (Department: 1725)
Metal fusion bonding
Process
With supplementary mechanical joining
C228S138000, C228S175000, C273S348100, C473S324000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06247636
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a golf club head and more particularly to such a head having a hollow configuration and its method of manufacture from three pieces constituting the face place, the sole plate and top crown plate.
2. Description of the Related Art
The formation of driver golf club heads in a hollow configuration is well known in the art. In many instances, the crown, sole and face plates of the club are formed separately and these separate pieces welded together to form the head. Such prior art clubs are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,378,295 issued Jan. 3, 1995 to Yamashita et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,438,931 issued Mar. 24, 1984 to Motomiya, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,362,055 issued Nov. 8, 1994 to Rennie. The present invention is an improvement over such prior art devices and methods of manufacture in providing a simplified method of fabricating a hollow golf club head from forged titanium parts having improved characteristics which can be economically mass-produced.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The device and method of the present invention is an improvement over the prior art in that it provides a simpler more economical fabrication which is conducive to mass production. Further, in the preferred embodiment, the face plate is made of a forged titanium alloy having a dish-in configuration which makes for a more solid and spring-back effect at impact with the ball.
The head is formed from two forged titanium pieces which are welded together to form a hollow configuration. One of these pieces consists of the neck, the hitting face, the toe and the heel portion and has a curved outer periphery edge. This piece is forged, preferably from titanium, in a unitary body having the desired weight distribution. The other of these pieces forms the top crown and sole plate of the head and is forged in one piece in the form of an open shell having a bridging hinge interconnecting the top crown and the sole plate. These two pieces are rotated together on the joining hinge with their peripheral edges abutting against each other and spot welded together to form a unitary piece. The face plate is then seam welded to the edges of the piece forming the top crown and sole plate to form an integral unit.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved method for fabricating a golf club head.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved golf club head which lends itself to simpler and more economical fabrication.
Other objects of the invention will become apparent in view of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
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patent: 5378295 (1995-01-01), Yamashita et al.
patent: 5518240 (1996-05-01), Igarashi
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patent: 6074310 (2000-06-01), Ota
patent: 2115294A (1983-09-01), None
Edmondson L.
Ryan Patrick
Sokolski Edward A.
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