Claims
- 1. A method for producing a face member for a golf club head, the method comprising:heating a cylindrical metal bar having a diameter of 1.8 centimeters and a length of 10 centimeters to a temperature ranging from 900° C. to 970° C. for a time period ranging from 10 minutes to 17 minutes; pressing the heated cylindrical metal bar into an L-shape metal bar; heating the L-shape metal bar to a temperature ranging from 900° C. to 970° C. for a time period ranging from 10 minutes to 17 minutes; pressing the L-shape metal bar into an intermediate shape face member; placing the intermediate shape face member into a tumbler for tumbling; coating the intermediate shape face member with a glazing compound; heating the coated intermediate shape face member ranging from 900° C. to 970° C. for a time period ranging from 10 minutes to 17 minutes; and immediately pressing the heated intermediate shape face member into a final face member configuration having a thickness in the range of 0.010 inch to 0.250 inch; and wherein the final face member comprises an upper lateral extension, a lower lateral extension, a heel wall a toe wall opposite the heel wall, and wherein the final face member extends laterally inward along its entire perimeter.
- 2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:heating the final face member configuration to a temperature ranging from 250° C. to 520° C. for up to 20 minutes; and pressing the heated final face member configuration in a press at a low pressure that is less than the pressure of any of the three previous pressings, the low pressure pressing ensuring proper bulge and roll of the final face member configuration.
- 3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the cylindrical metal bar is composed of titanium.
- 4. The method according to claim 3 wherein the cylindrical metal bar is beta titanium and the final face member configuration is composed of beta titanium and alpha titanium.
- 5. The method according to claim 1 wherein pressing the heated intermediate shape face member comprises pressing the heated intermediate shape into a final face member configuration with a variable thickness.
- 6. A golf club head manufactured by the method according to claim 5 wherein the final face member configuration has a striking plate with concentric regions of varying thickness with the thickest region in the center.
- 7. A golf club head manufactured by the method according to claim 5 wherein the final face member configuration has a striking plate comprising a central circular region having a base thickness, a first concentric region having a first thickness wherein the base thickness is greater than the first thickness, a second concentric region having a second thickness wherein the first thickness is greater than the second thickness, a third concentric region having a third thickness wherein the second thickness is greater than the third thickness, and a periphery region having a fourth thickness wherein the fourth thickness is less than the third thickness.
- 8. The method according to claim 5 wherein the final face member configuration comprisesa striking plate having an exterior surface, an interior surface and a perimeter, and a face extension extending laterally inward along the entire perimeter of the striking plate, the face extension having an upper portion, a lower portion opposite the upper portion, a heel wall substantially perpendicular to the plate portion, and a toe wall opposite the heel wall.
- 9. A method for producing a face member for a golf club head, the method comprising:heating a titanium cylindrical bar to a temperature between 900° C. and 975° C. for a time period ranging from 10 to 17 minutes, the titanium cylindrical bar having a diameter less than 2 centimeters and a length of 10 centimeters; pressing the heated titanium bar into an L-shape bar; heating the L-shape bar to a temperature between 900° C. and 975° C. for a time period ranging from 10 minutes to 17 minutes; pressing the heated L-shape bar into an intermediate shape face member; coating the intermediate shape face member with a glazing compound; heating the coated intermediate shape face member to a temperature between 900° C. and 975° C. for a time period ranging from 10 to 17 minutes; pressing the heated intermediate shape face member into a final face member configuration having an upper lateral extension, a lower lateral extension, a heel wall, and a toe wall; heating the final face member configuration to a temperature ranging between 250° C. and 520° C. for a period of between 15 to 20 minutes; pressing the heated final face member configuration in a press at a low pressure that is less than the pressure of any of the three pressings, the low pressure pressing ensuring proper bulge and roll of the final face member configuration; and drilling a hosel aperture through the upper lateral extension extending down through the lower lateral extension.
- 10. The method according to claim 9 wherein the final face member configuration has a thickness in the range of 0.010 inch to 0.250 inch.
- 11. A golf club head manufactured by the method according to claim 9 wherein the final face member configuration has concentric regions of varying thickness with the thickest region in the center.
- 12. A golf club head manufactured by the method according to claim 9 wherein the final face member configuration has a striking plate comprising a central circular region having a base thickness, a first concentric region having a first thickness wherein the base thickness is greater than the first thickness, a second concentric region having a second thickness wherein the first thickness is greater than the second thickness, a third concentric region having a third thickness wherein the second thickness is greater than the third thickness, and a periphery region having a fourth thickness wherein the fourth thickness is less than the third thickness.
- 13. A method for producing a face member for a golf club head, the method comprising:heating a cylindrical metal bar to a temperature between 900° C. and 975° C. for a time period ranging from 10 to 17 minutes; pressing the heated cylindrical metal bar into an L-shape metal bar; heating the L-shape metal bar to a temperature between 900° C. and 975° C. for a time period ranging from 10 to 17 minutes; pressing the L-shape metal bar into an intermediate shape face member; coating the intermediate shape face member to a temperature between 900° C. and 975° C. for a time period ranging from 10 to 17 minutes; and pressing the heated intermediate shape face member into a final striking plate configuration, the final face member configuration comprising a striking plate with an aspect ratio ranging from 1.0 to 1.7 having an exterior surface, an interior surface and a perimeter, and a face extension extending laterally inward along the entire perimeter of the striking plate, the face extension having an upper portion, a lower portion opposite the upper portion, a heel wall perpendicular to the striking plate, and a toe wall opposite the heel wall.
- 14. The method according to claim 13 wherein the cylindrical metal bar is composed of titanium, has a diameter less than 2 centimeters and a length of 10 centimeters.
- 15. A golf club head manufactured by the method according to claim 13 wherein the striking plate of the final face member configuration comprises a central circular region having a base thickness, a first concentric region having a first thickness wherein the base thickness is greater than the first thickness, a second concentric region having a second thickness wherein the first thickness is greater than the second thickness, a third concentric region having a third thickness wherein the second thickness is greater than the third thickness, and a periphery region having a fourth thickness wherein the fourth thickness is less than the third thickness.
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present application is a continuation-in-part application of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/431,982, filed on Nov. 1, 1999, for A Golf Club Head With A Face Composed Of A Forged Material.
US Referenced Citations (22)
Foreign Referenced Citations (4)
Number |
Date |
Country |
05116557 |
Apr 1993 |
JP |
07216213 |
Aug 1995 |
JP |
09235312 |
Jul 1997 |
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10028281 |
Feb 1998 |
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Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09/431982 |
Nov 1999 |
US |
Child |
09/548531 |
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US |