Golf club heads and methods to manufacture golf club heads
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 having a front portion, a rear portion, a toe portion, a heel portion, a top portion, and a bottom portion. The golf club head may include a sealed cavity located behind a face portion. A polymer insert and a filler material may be contained within the sealed cavity. Other examples and embodiments may be described and claimed.
1. A driver-type golf club head comprising:
a body portion comprising a front portion, a rear portion, a toe portion, a heel portion, a top portion, an interior cavity, and a bottom portion:
a front opening in the front portion;
a front pocket portion joined to the front portion and closing the front opening and enclosing the interior cavity, the front pocket portion comprising an interior wall, a side wall, and a front pocket defined by the interior wall and the side wall;
a disk-shaped polymer insert positioned in the front pocket and comprising a front surface, a rear surface, and a side surface, the rear surface being in contact with the interior wall;
a face portion positioned in the front pocket and comprising a striking surface and a rear surface opposite the striking surface, the rear surface of the face portion being in contact with the front surface of the disk-shaped polymer insert, a rear surface area of the face portion being greater than a front surface area of the disk-shaped polymer insert, the face portion joined to the side wall of the front pocket portion, the face portion having a thickness greater than or equal to 0.075 inch and less than or equal to 0.125 inch;
a sealed cavity extending from the interior wall to the rear surface of the face portion and extending from the side wall to the side surface of the disk-shaped polymer insert; and
a filler material in the sealed cavity, the filler material extending from the interior wall to the rear surface of the face portion and extending from the side wall to the side surface of the disk-shaped polymer insert, the filler material surrounding a perimeter of the disk-shaped polymer insert,
wherein the interior cavity is located rearward of the interior wall, and
wherein a thickness of the interior wall is less than the thickness of the face portion.
2. A driver-type golf club head as defined in claim 1 , wherein the filler material in the sealed cavity comprises a liquid filler material.
3. A driver-type golf club head as defined in claim 1 , wherein the filler material in the sealed cavity comprises a gaseous filler material.
4. A driver-type golf club head as defined in claim 1 , wherein the filler material in the sealed cavity comprises a gaseous filler material at a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure.
5. A driver-type golf club head as defined in claim 1 , wherein the filler material in the sealed cavity comprises a solid filler material with gas bubbles trapped within the solid filler material.
6. A driver-type golf club head as defined in claim 1 , wherein the filler material in the sealed cavity is at a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure.
7. A driver-type golf club head as defined in claim 1 , wherein the filler material in the sealed cavity is at a pressure greater than or equal to 1.1 atm and less than or equal to 5 atm.
8. A driver-type golf club head comprising:
a body portion comprising a front portion, a rear portion, a toe portion, a heel portion, a top portion, an interior cavity, and a bottom portion;
a front opening in the front portion;
a front pocket portion joined to the front portion and closing the front opening and enclosing the interior cavity, the front pocket portion comprising an interior wall, a side wall, and a front pocket defined by the interior wall, the interior wall comprising a first material having a first density;
a face portion positioned in the front pocket and joined to the front pocket portion, the face portion comprising a striking surface and a rear surface opposite the striking surface, the face portion comprising a second material having a second density, the second density being greater than the first density;
a disk-shaped polymer insert positioned in the front pocket and comprising a front surface, a rear surface, and a side surface, the disk-shaped polymer insert extending from a rear surface of the face portion to the interior wall of the front pocket portion, the disk-shaped polymer insert having a third density, the third density being less than the first density and less than the second density;
a sealed cavity extending from the interior wall to the rear surface of the face portion and extending from the side wall to the side surface of the disk-shaped polymer insert; and
a filler material in the sealed cavity, the filler material extending from the interior wall to the rear surface of the face portion and extending from the side wall to the side surface of the disk-shaped polymer insert, the filler material surrounding a perimeter of the disk-shaped polymer insert,
wherein a rear surface area of the face portion is greater than a front surface area of the disk-shaped polymer insert,
wherein the interior cavity is located rearward of the interior wall, and
wherein a thickness of the interior wall is less than the thickness of the face portion.
9. A driver-type golf club head as defined in claim 8 , wherein the filler material in the sealed cavity comprises a liquid filler material.
10. A driver-type golf club head as defined in claim 8 , wherein the filler material in the sealed cavity comprises a gaseous filler material.
11. A driver-type golf club head as defined in claim 8 , wherein the filler material in the sealed cavity comprises a gaseous filler material at a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure.
12. A driver-type golf club head as defined in claim 8 , wherein the filler material in the sealed cavity comprises a solid filler material with gas bubbles trapped within the solid filler material.
13. A driver-type golf club head as defined in claim 8 , wherein the filler material in the sealed cavity is at a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure.
14. A driver-type golf club head comprising:
a body portion comprising a front portion, a rear portion, a toe portion, a heel portion, a top portion, an interior cavity, and a bottom portion;
a front pocket portion joined to the front portion and closing a front opening and enclosing the interior cavity, the front pocket portion comprising an interior wall, a side wall, and a front pocket defined by the interior wall and the side wall;
a disk-shaped polymer insert positioned in the front pocket and comprising a front surface, a rear surface, and a side surface, the rear surface being in contact with the interior wall;
a face portion positioned in the front pocket and comprising a striking surface and a rear surface opposite the striking surface, the rear surface of the face portion being in contact with the front surface of the disk-shaped polymer insert, a rear surface area of the face portion being greater than a front surface area of the disk-shaped polymer insert, the face portion joined to the front portion;
a sealed cavity extending from the interior wall to the rear surface of the face portion and extending from the side wall to the side surface of the disk-shaped polymer insert; and
a filler material in the sealed cavity, the filler material extending from the interior wall to the rear surface of the face portion and extending from the side wall to the side surface of the disk-shaped polymer insert, the filler material surrounding a perimeter of the disk-shaped polymer insert,
wherein the disk-shaped polymer insert is compressed between the interior wall and the face portion,
wherein the driver-type golf club head has a volume that is greater than or equal to 300 cubic centimeters,
wherein the interior cavity is located rearward of the interior wall, and
wherein a thickness of the interior wall is less than the thickness of the face portion.
15. A driver-type golf club head as defined in claim 14 , wherein the filler material in the sealed cavity comprises a liquid filler material.
16. A driver-type golf club head as defined in claim 14 , wherein the filler material in the sealed cavity comprises a gaseous filler material.
17. A driver-type golf club head as defined in claim 14 , wherein the filler material in the sealed cavity comprises a gaseous filler material at a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure.
18. A driver-type golf club head as defined in claim 14 , wherein the filler material in the sealed cavity comprises a solid filler material with gas bubbles trapped within the solid filler material.
19. A driver-type golf club head as defined in claim 14 , wherein the filler material in the sealed cavity is at a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure.
20. A driver-type golf club head as defined in claim 14 , wherein the filler material in the sealed cavity is at a pressure greater than or equal to 1.1 atm and less than or equal to 5 atm.