IP Library Granted Patent US 8,932,150
Granted Patent B2
US 8,932,150 · App. 13/960,677 · Granted Jan 13, 2015

Golf club head

Inventors: Marni D. Ines (San Marcos, CA); Bret H. Wahl (Escondido, CA)
Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
A63B53/047B23P15/00A63B2053/0416A63B2053/045A63B2053/0458
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,932,150
App. No.
13/960,677
Granted
Jan 13, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

An iron-type golf club head is disclosed having a first piece including a portion of an iron-type face. A second piece including a heel portion, a sole portion, a toe portion, a top-line portion, a hinge region, and a front opening for receiving the first piece is also disclosed. A first contact surface of the first piece is connected with a second contact surface of the second piece at a contact interface. A continuous weld extends along the contact interface attaching the first and second pieces together at the contact interface. The continuous weld includes a fusion zone occurring substantially on the iron-type face outside the hinge region of the club head.

Claims (34)

1. An iron-type golf club head comprising:

a front striking surface;

a rear face surface located behind at least a portion of the front striking surface in a cavity region;

a first piece including at least a portion of the front striking surface;

a second piece including a sole portion, a heel portion , a toe portion, a top-line portion, and at least a portion of a hinge region, wherein the cavity region is surrounded by the heel portion, the sole portion , the toe portion, and the top-line portion;

a contact surface of the first piece being connected with a contact surface of the second piece, the contact between the first piece and the second piece defining a contact interface;

a continuous weld extending along the contact interface attaching the first piece and the second piece together at the contact interface, the continuous weld including a fusion zone creating a weld bead in the cavity region; and

a third piece attached to the rear face surface and substantially covering the weld bead.

2. The club head of claim 1 , wherein the continuous weld includes a weld centerline axis that is offset from a boundary line between the front striking surface and the hinge portion by a distance of at least 1 mm.

3. An iron-type golf club head comprising:

a first piece including at least a portion of an iron-type face;

a second piece including a heel portion, a sole portion, a toe portion, a top-line portion, a hinge region, and a cavity region, wherein the cavity region is surrounded by the heel portion, the sole portion, the toe portion, and the top-line portion;

a first contact surface of the first piece being connected with a second contact surface of the second piece at a contact interface;

a weld extending along the contact interface attaching the first and second pieces together at the contact interlace, wherein a portion of a rear weld bead is exposed in the cavity region and a front weld bead is removed from a front surface of the iron-type face.

4. The iron-type golf club head of claim 3 , wherein the rear weld bead is substantially covered by a third piece.

5. The iron-type golf club head of claim 4 , wherein the third piece is a badge.

6. The iron-type golf club head of claim 3 , wherein a front weld bead is removed from a front surface of the iron-type face.

7. The iron-type golf club head of claim 3 , wherein a weld centerline axis is offset from a rear wall portion by a distance of at least 1 mm.

8. The iron-type golf club head of claim 3 , wherein a total face area is between 2,700 mm 2 -5,000 mm 2 .

9. The iron-type golf club head of claim 3 , wherein a thin face area is 450 mm 2 -2,020 mm 2 .

10. The iron-type golf club head of claim 3 , wherein a thin face thickness is about 1.5-2.5 mm.

11. The iron-type golf club head of claim 3 , wherein a thin face thickness is in a range of less than 2.0 mm.

12. The iron-type golf club head of claim 3 , wherein a thin face area percentage is about 13-70%.

13. The iron-type golf club head of claim 3 , wherein an inverted cone region of the first piece is about 230 mm 2 to about 2,000 mm 2 .

14. The iron-type golf club head of claim 3 , wherein a first piece surface area is about 300 mm 2 to about 4,000 mm 2 .

15. The iron-type golf club head of claim 3 , wherein a coefficient of restitution of the golf club head is at least 0.8.

16. The iron-type golf club head of claim 3 , wherein the first piece is forged of a steel selected from the group consisting of maraging steels, maraging stainless steels, and PH stainless steels.

17. The iron-type golf club head of claim 16 , wherein first piece is one of C455 and 17-4 stainless steel.

18. The iron-type golf club head of claim 3 , wherein the fusion zone is substantially located in a relatively low impact stress region of the iron-type face.

19. An iron-type golf club head comprising;

a first piece striking plate;

a second piece including a hosel, a sole portion, a toe portion, a heel portion, a top line portion, a hinge region, and a cavity region, wherein the cavity region is surrounded by the heel portion, the sole portion, the toe portion, and the top-line portion;

a first contact surface of the first piece striking plate being connected with a second contact surface of the second piece at a contact interface;

a weld extending along the contact interface attaching the first and second pieces together at the contact interface, wherein a portion of a rear weld is exposed in the cavity region and a front weld bead is removed from a front surface of the iron-type face.

Assignments (13)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Feb 8, 2022
From: KOOKMIN BANK
To: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
Reel/Frame 058983/0516 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Feb 8, 2022
From: KOOKMIN BANK
To: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
Reel/Frame 058978/0211 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Feb 7, 2022
From: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 058962/0415 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Feb 7, 2022
From: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 058963/0671 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Aug 24, 2021
From: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
To: KOOKMIN BANK, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 057293/0207 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Aug 24, 2021
From: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
To: KOOKMIN BANK, AS SECURITY AGENT
Reel/Frame 057300/0058 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 4, 2021
From: KPS CAPITAL FINANCE MANAGEMENT, LLC
To: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
Reel/Frame 057085/0262 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 4, 2021
From: ADIDAS NORTH AMERICA, INC.
To: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
Reel/Frame 057453/0167 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 4, 2021
From: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
Reel/Frame 057085/0314 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 13, 2017
From: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
To: KPS CAPITAL FINANCE MANAGEMENT, LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 044207/0745 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 13, 2017
From: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
To: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 044206/0712 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 13, 2017
From: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
To: ADIDAS NORTH AMERICA, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 044206/0765 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 24, 2013
From: INES, MARNI D.; WAHL, BRET H.
To: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
Reel/Frame 031264/0828 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 13741286 · Jan 14, 2013
Division 12763014 · Apr 19, 2010
Provisional Application 61214487 · Apr 23, 2009
Related Publication 20130324302A1 · Dec 5, 2013