BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for combining wax patterns for making a golf club head, and a combined wax pattern thereof having a wax-connection portion. Particularly, the present invention relates to the method for combining two pieces of the wax patterns to form a “hybrid” one-piece wax pattern for making the golf club head. More particularly, the present invention relates to the manufacturing method for injecting liquid wax into an injection notch formed between the wax patterns for making the golf club head.
2. Description of the Related Art
Taiwanese Patent Publication No. 514,574 discloses a conventional manufacturing method for making a golf club head. Typically, the manufacturing method includes the following steps:
- 1. In two-piece wax-pattern forming operation, separately prefabricating two pieces of first and second wax patterns in a first mold assembly and a second mold assembly, and opening the first and second mold assemblies for drawing out the first and second wax patterns;
- 2. In wax-pattern adhering operation, adhering the first and second wax patterns by means of adhesive to form a “hybrid” one-piece design of a combined wax pattern;
- 3. In ceramic-shell forming operation, dipping the combined wax pattern in slurry to produce a ceramic shell, and melting the wax in the ceramic shell by heating and pouring out the melting wax from the ceramic shell such that a mold cavity having a pouring gate for making the golf club head is correspondingly formed in the ceramic shell; and
- 4. In club-head forming operation, filling a melting metal into the ceramic shell, and cooling and breaking the ceramic shell for drawing out a one-piece design of a casting of the golf club head when hardened.
The above-mentioned manufacturing method for the golf club head requires adhering connection surfaces of the first and second wax patterns in the wax-pattern adhering operation. Such practice can, however, cause occurring an unwanted partition line on an outer surface of the combined wax pattern due to a boundary line existing between the first and second wax patterns. Disadvantageously, controlling the wax-pattern adhering operation cannot completely alleviate occurring such an unwanted partition line of the combined wax pattern. Accordingly, the partition line of the combined wax pattern needs mending by a manual process of deburring or filling liquid wax into cracks after the wax-pattern adhering operation. This additional manual process may sophisticate the manufacturing steps and reduce the manufacturing efficiency of the golf club head.
Several deficiencies will exist on products of the golf club head if the partition line of the combined wax pattern is not completely mended. In the casting operation, there is a good possibility of occurring cracks on an outer surface of the casting of the golf club head along the partition line of the combined wax pattern even though it is perfectly eliminated in the manual process. However, this results in deterioration of the quality of the products. Hence, there is a need for improving the boundary line of the combined wax pattern.
The present invention intends to provide a method for combining two pieces of wax patterns to form a combined wax pattern, wherein at least one of connection surfaces of the wax patterns provides a cutout portion to form an injection notch on a boundary line of the combined wax pattern. In molding, the combined wax pattern is received a mold assembly and liquid wax is injected into the injection notch of the combined wax pattern to integrally form a wax-connection portion of the combined wax pattern. Accordingly, an unwanted partition line of the combined wax pattern generated in the conventional method is perfectly eliminated in such a way as to mitigate and overcome the above problem.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary objective of this invention is to provide a method for combining wax patterns to form a hybrid one-piece design of a combined wax pattern for making a golf club head. At least one of connection surfaces of the wax patterns provides a cutout portion to form an injection notch on a boundary line of the combined wax pattern. Accordingly, an unwanted partition line of the combined wax pattern can be eliminated in a molding process.
The secondary objective of this invention is to provide the combined wax pattern of the golf club head having a wax-connection portion. The wax-connection portion is formed on the boundary line between the wax patterns in the molding process. Accordingly, an outer surface located on the boundary line of the combined wax pattern is improved.
The method for combing the wax patterns for making the golf club head in accordance with the present invention includes the steps of:
prefabricating a first wax pattern and a second wax pattern capable of constituting a combined wax pattern, and at least one of connection surfaces of the first and second wax patterns providing a cutout portion to form an injection notch on a boundary line of the combined wax pattern; and
inserting the first wax pattern and the second wax pattern into a mold assembly, and injecting liquid wax into the injection notch provided on the boundary line of the combined wax pattern to form a wax-connection portion between the first wax pattern and the second wax pattern.
The combined wax pattern for making the golf club head in accordance with the present invention includes a first wax pattern, a second wax pattern and a wax-connection portion. The first wax pattern has a first connection surface while the second wax pattern has a second connection surface. The first connection surface of the first wax pattern has a cutout portion to form an injection notch on a boundary line between the first wax pattern and the second wax pattern when assembled. In molding, the wax-connection portion is formed on the boundary line between the first wax pattern and the second wax pattern to form the combined wax pattern.
In a separate aspect of the present invention is that the cutout portion of the first wax pattern has an inclined surface to form the injection notch.
In a further separate aspect of the present invention is that the cutout portion of the first wax pattern has a curved surface to form the injection notch.
In a yet further separate aspect of the present invention is that the second connection surface of the second wax pattern has a cutout portion aligned with that of the first connection surface of the first wax pattern to form the injection notch.
In a yet further separate aspect of the present invention is that the first connection surface of the first wax pattern has a plurality of first cutout portions while the second connection surface of the second wax pattern has a plurality of second cutout portions. When the first connection surface of the first wax pattern is connected with the second connection surface of the second wax pattern, the first cutout portions and the second cutout portions are alternatively staggered to form a series of injection notches.
In a yet further separate aspect of the present invention is that the injection notch formed by the first cutout portion of the first connection surface communicates with the adjacent injection notch formed by the second cutout portion of the second connection surface when the first wax pattern and the second wax pattern are assembled.
Further scope of the applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:
FIG. 1 is a flow chart of a method for combining wax patterns for making a golf club head in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view in a first step of the method for combing the wax patterns in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged, exploded cross-sectional view of the wax patterns in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged, exploded cross-sectional view of the wax patterns in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention depicted in FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view in a second step of the method for combining the wax patterns being received in a mold assembly for making the golf club head in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a combined wax pattern for making the golf club head in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view, similar to FIG. 2, in a first step of the method for combing the wax patterns in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 8 is a top plan view of a combined wax pattern for making the golf club head in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 9 is a partially enlarged top view, in FIG. 8, of the combined wax pattern for making the golf club head in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view in a first step of the method for combing the wax patterns in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a combined wax pattern for making the golf club head in accordance with the third embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2, 5 and 6, a method for combining two wax patterns for making a golf club head in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention includes the steps of:
- 1. Prefabricating a first wax pattern 11 in a first mold (not shown) and a second wax pattern 12 in a second mold (not shown), the first wax pattern 11 and the second wax pattern 12 capable of constituting a combined wax pattern 1, and a first connection surface 111 of the first wax pattern 11 providing a first cutout portion 112 while a second connection surface 121 of the second wax pattern 12 providing a second cutout portion 122 to form an injection notch 13 on a boundary line of the combined wax pattern 1; and
- 2. Inserting the combined wax pattern 1 of the first wax pattern 11 and the second wax pattern 12 into a mold assembly 2, and injecting liquid wax into the injection notch 13 on the boundary line of the combined wax pattern 1 to form a wax-connection portion 131 between the first cutout portion 112 of the first wax pattern 11 and the second cutout portion 122 of the second wax pattern 12.
Referring now to FIGS. 1 through 4, in the first step of the method for combining the wax patterns in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention the first wax pattern 11 and the second wax pattern 12 are prefabricated. The constructions of the first wax pattern 11 and the second wax pattern 12 shall be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2 through 4. In the first embodiment, the first wax pattern 11 has an ordinary configuration of a club head body member. Correspondingly, the second wax pattern 12 has an ordinary configuration of a rear-assembling member adapted to connect to the club head body member in the intended manner. The first wax pattern 11 provides the first connection surface 111 at its rear side while the second wax pattern 12 provides the second connection surface 121 at its front side. The first connection surface 111 of the first wax pattern 11 has the first cutout portion 112 continuously formed along its outer circumference. Similarly, the second connection surface 121 of the second wax pattern 12 has the second cutout portion 122 continuously formed along its outer circumference. When assembled, the first connection surface 111 of the first wax pattern 11 abuts against the second connection surface 121 of the second wax pattern 12 such that the first cutout portion 112 and the second cutout portion 122 commonly constitute the injection notch 13 on the boundary line of the combined wax pattern 1. In an alternative embodiment, one of the first cutout portion 112 and the second cutout portion 122, or both are discontinuously extended along its outer circumference.
Referring again to FIGS. 3 and 4, the first cutout portion 112 of the first wax pattern 11 has an inclined surface inclining a predetermined angle to the first connection surface 111 so as to aid a flow of liquid wax to pass through the injection notch 13. Similarly, the second cutout portion 122 of the second wax pattern 12 has an inclined surface inclining a predetermined angle to the second connection surface 121. In an alternative embodiment, the first cutout portion 112 of the first wax pattern 11 has a curved surface while the second cutout portion 122 of the second wax pattern 12 has a curved surface, as shown in FIG. 4. The curved surfaces of the first wax pattern 11 and the second wax pattern 12 may enhance a flow of liquid wax to pass through the injection notch 13 in injecting operation.
In another embodiment, the configurations of the first wax pattern 11 and the second wax pattern 12 can be selected from a group consisting of a club head body, a hosel, a striking plate, a rear-assembling member or plate, a crown plate, a sidewall plate and a sole plate.
Referring again to FIGS. 3 and 4, one of the first cutout portion 112 and the second cutout portion 122 preferably has a depth, identified as “a”, ranging between 15% and 75% of a width, identified as “b”, of one of the first wax pattern 11 and the second wax pattern 12. Once initially assembled, the first cutout portion 112 and the second cutout portion 122 can still constitute the injection notch 13 even if the first connection surface 111 and the second connection surface 121 are not in perfect alignment with each other. Preferably, the injection notch 13 continuously extends along the entire boundary line of the combined wax pattern 1.
In an alternative embodiment, only one of the first connection surface 111 of the first wax pattern 11 and the second connection surface 121 of the second wax pattern 12 provides the cutout portion to form the injection notch 13. In this alternative embodiment, the injection notch 13 is constructed from a space formed between the first cutout portion 112 of the first wax pattern 11 and the second connection surface 121 of the second wax pattern 12; or formed between the first connection surface 111 of the first wax pattern 11 and the second cutout portion 122 of the second wax pattern 12.
Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 6, in the second step of the method for combining the wax patterns in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention the first wax pattern 11 and the second wax pattern 12 are inserted into inner cavities of the mold assembly 2 in place. The first wax pattern 11 and the second wax pattern 12 can be assembled to constitute the combined wax pattern 1 if liquid wax is completely injected into the injection notch 13. The inner cavities of the mold assembly 2 have the same configurations with those of the first wax pattern 11 and the second wax pattern 12. In the first embodiment, the outer surfaces of the first wax pattern 11 and the second wax pattern 12 confront with the inner surfaces of the inner cavities of the mold assembly 2, but the injection notch 13 of the combined wax pattern 1 remains on the inner surfaces of the inner cavities of the mold assembly 2. In injecting operation, an adequate amount of liquid wax is injected into the injection notch 13 of the combined wax pattern 1 until filling it up. In this manner, heat dissipated from the liquid wax “c” can melt the wax portions of the first cutout portion 112 of the first wax pattern 11 and the second cutout portion 122 of the second wax pattern 12. Once cooled and hardened, the hardened liquid wax becomes a wax-connection portion 131 of the combined wax pattern 1, and integrally connects between the first cutout portion 112 of the first wax pattern 11 and the second cutout portion 122 of the second wax pattern 12. Consequently, the first connection surface 111 of the first wax pattern 11 and the second connection surface 121 of the second wax pattern 12 are in perfect connection with each other. Accordingly, no clearance or crack will exist on the boundary line of the combined wax pattern 1.
Construction of the combined wax pattern 1 in accordance with the present invention shall be described in detail with reference to FIG. 6. In the first embodiment, the combined wax pattern 1 providing with a configuration of an iron-type club head is exemplified. It will be understood that the configuration of the combined wax pattern 1 can be selected from a wood-type club head, a utility-type club head or a putter-type club head. The combined wax pattern 1 includes the first wax pattern 11, the second wax pattern 12, an injection notch 13 and the wax-connection portion 131 connected between the first connection surface 111 and the second connection surface 121. The first cutout portion 112 of the first wax pattern 11 and the second cutout portion 122 of the second wax pattern 12 can commonly define the injection notch 13 on a boundary line between the first wax pattern 11 and the second wax pattern 12 when assembled. In addition, the wax-connection portion 131 is formed in the injection notch 13 to connect between the first wax pattern 11 and the second wax pattern 12. Consequently, this permits the combined wax pattern 1 to form an undercut portion 10 for the iron-type club head.
Turning now to FIGS. 7 and 8, in the first step of the method for combining the wax patterns in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention the first wax pattern 11 and the second wax pattern 12 are prefabricated. In comparison with the first embodiment, the first connection surface 111 of the first wax pattern 11 of the second embodiment has a plurality of first cutout portions 112′ arranged along its outer circumference. Similarly, the second connection surface 121 of the second wax pattern 12 has a plurality of second cutout portion 122′ arranged along its outer circumference. When the first connection surface 111 of the first wax pattern 11 is connected with the second connection surface 121 of the second wax pattern 12, the first cutout portions 112′ and the second cutout portions 122′ are alternatively staggered to form a series of injection notches 13′ for injecting operation.
In the second step of the method for combining the wax patterns in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention the first wax pattern 11 and the second wax pattern 12 are inserted into inner cavities of the mold assembly 2 in place, by referring back to FIG. 5. In the second embodiment, the first wax pattern 11 and the second wax pattern 12 can be assembled to constitute the combined wax pattern 1 if liquid wax is completely injected into the injection notches 13′, as best shown in FIG. 8. In injecting operation, an adequate amount of liquid wax is injected into the injection notches 13′ of the combined wax pattern 1, and heat dissipated from the liquid wax can melt the wax portions of the first cutout portion 112′ of the first wax pattern 11 and the second cutout portion 122′ of the second wax pattern 12, as best shown in FIG. 5. Once cooled and hardened, the hardened liquid wax becomes a wax-connection portion 131′ of the combined wax pattern 1 in each of the injection notches 13′, and integrally connects between the first cutout portion 112′ of the first wax pattern 11 and the second cutout portion 122′ of the second wax pattern 12.
Still referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, construction of the combined wax pattern 1 in accordance with the present invention shall be described in detail. In the second embodiment, the combined wax pattern 1 includes the first wax pattern 11, the second wax pattern 12, a series of the injection notches 13′ and the wax-connection portions 131′ formed therein. Preferably, there may be as many notches 13′ as desired. When the first wax pattern 11 and the second wax pattern 12 are assembled, the first cutout portion 112′ of the first wax pattern 11 and the second connection surface 121 of the second wax pattern 12 can commonly define the injection notches 13′ disposed along the boundary line between the first wax pattern 11 and the second wax pattern 12. Accordingly, the injection notches 13′ located on a side of the first wax pattern 11 are formed. Conversely, the first connection surface 121 of the first wax pattern 11 and the second cutout portion 122′ of the second wax pattern 12 can commonly define the other injection notches 13′ disposed along the boundary line between the first wax pattern 11 and the second wax pattern 12. Accordingly, the injection notches 13′ located on a side of the second wax pattern 12 are formed. In addition, the wax-connection portions 131′ are formed in the injection notches 13′ to connect between the first wax pattern 11 and the second wax pattern 12.
Turning now to FIG. 9, in an alternative embodiment, the injection notch 13′ formed by the first cutout portion 112′ of the first connection surface 111 communicates with the adjacent injection notch 13′ formed by the second cutout portion 122′ of the second connection surface 121 when the first wax pattern 11 and the second wax pattern 12 are assembled. Consequently, this permits a flow of liquid wax to successively flow among the injection notches 13′.
Turning now to FIGS. 10 and 11, in the first step of the method for combining the wax patterns in accordance with the third embodiment of the present invention the first wax pattern 11 and the second wax pattern 120 are prefabricated. In comparison with the first and second embodiments, the second wax pattern 120 of the third embodiment has an ordinary configuration of a rear-wall member adapted to connect to the club head body member of the first wax pattern 11. The first wax pattern 11 provides the first connection surface 111 at an inner rear surface of its sole portion while the second wax pattern 120 provides the second connection surface 121 at an outer surface of its bottom portion. In the third embodiment, the first connection surface 111 of the first wax pattern 11 has the first cutout portion 112 extending from its heel end to its toe end. Similarly, the second connection surface 121 of the second wax pattern 120 has the second cutout portion 122 extending from its heel end to its toe end of the rear wall 123. When assembled, the first connection surface 111 of the first wax pattern 11 abuts against the second connection surface 121 of the second wax pattern 12 such that the first cutout portion 112 and the second cutout portion 122 commonly constitute the rear-facing injection notch 13″ on the boundary line of the combined wax pattern 1.
In the second step of the method for combining the wax patterns in accordance with the third embodiment of the present invention the first wax pattern 11 and the second wax pattern 120 are inserted into inner cavities of the mold assembly (not shown). The first wax pattern 11 and the second wax pattern 120 can be assembled to constitute the combined wax pattern 1 if liquid wax is completely injected into the injection notch 13″. In injecting operation, an adequate amount of liquid wax is injected into the injection notch 13″ of the combined wax pattern 1. Once cooled and hardened, the hardened liquid wax becomes a wax-connection portion 131″ of the combined wax pattern 1, and integrally connects between the first cutout portion 112 of the first wax pattern 11 and the second cutout portion 122 of the second wax pattern 120.
As has been discussed above, the conventional method for combing the wax patterns causes occurring unwanted partition lines or cracks on an outer surface of the combined wax pattern due to a boundary line existing between the two wax patterns. Conversely, the method for combining the wax patterns in accordance with the present invention, as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, prefabricates the first wax pattern 10 and the second wax pattern 20 to provide the injection notch 13 of the combined wax pattern 1. Subsequently, liquid wax is injected into the injection notch 13 of the combined wax pattern 1 to form the wax-connection portion 131 which integrally connects between the first wax pattern 10 and the second wax pattern 20. Consequently, no clearance or crack will exist on the boundary line of the combined wax pattern 1
Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to its presently preferred embodiment, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims.
Patent Application
20070079946
