Golf club head and manufacturing method therefor

Abstract

A golf club head includes a body on which a striking plate is mounted, a hosel to which a shaft is mounted, and a heel formed between the striking plate and the hosel. The heel includes at least one opening, providing the heel with a uniformly thin wall thickness. The mold cavity of the mold for the golf club head may include only one inlet through which molten iron is poured into the mold cavity, providing a molding flow in a single direction and improving solidification of the iron. The casting quality of the golf club head is thus improved. The present invention also provides a method for manufacturing the golf club head.

1 . A golf club head comprising: 
 a body, a striking plate being adapted to be mounted to the body;    a hosel, a shaft being adapted to be engaged with the hosel; and    a heel formed between the striking plate and the hosel, the heel including at least one opening for improving casting quality of the golf club head.    
   
   
       2 . The golf club head as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said at least one opening extends from a front side of the heel through a rear side of the heel.  
   
   
       3 . The golf club head as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said at least one opening extends from a top side of the heel through a bottom side of the heel.  
   
   
       4 . The golf club head as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the golf club head is cast by means of pouring molten water into a mold cavity of a mold, the mold including a single inlet for forming a molding flow in a single direction.  
   
   
       5 . The golf club head as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the inlet faces a toe of the mold cavity.  
   
   
       6 . The golf club head as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the inlet faces a sole of the mold cavity.  
   
   
       7 . The golf club head as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the mold cavity of the mold includes a mold hole for forming the opening in the golf club head.  
   
   
       8 . The golf club head as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the mold cavity and the mold hole of the mold are formed by means of a wax-releasing process.  
   
   
       9 . The golf club head as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the wax-releasing process uses a sand core for forming the mold hole of the mold.  
   
   
       10 . The golf club head as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said at least one opening provides the heel with a uniform wall thickness.  
   
   
       11 . A method for manufacturing a golf club head, comprising: 
 producing a plurality of wax patterns each having a predetermined golf club head shape, each said wax pattern including a wax hole;    attaching the wax patterns to a feeder and immersing the feeder and the wax patterns into zirconium slurry and stucco, forming a pattern assembly including a plurality of molds each having a mold cavity, an inlet, and a mold hole;    releasing wax in the mold cavity of the respective mold;    pouring molten iron via a common inlet of the pattern assembly and the inlet of the respective mold into the mold cavity of the respective mold, thereby forming a plurality of golf club heads each including a heel that has an opening in a position corresponding to the wax hole mold hole of the respective mold.    
   
   
       12 . The method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the inlet of the respective mold faces a toe of the mold cavity of the respective mold.  
   
   
       13 . The method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the inlet of the respective mold faces a sole of the mold cavity of the respective mold.  
   
   
       14 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , further including a step of engaging at least one sand core in the respective wax pattern, said at least one sand core having a shape the same as that of said at least one opening of the respective golf club head.  
   
   
       15 . The method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein said at least one opening of the heel extends from a front side of the heel through a rear side of the heel.  
   
   
       16 . The method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein said at least one opening of the heel extends from a top side of the heel through a bottom side of the heel.  
   
   
       17 . The method as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein said at least one opening tapers upwardly.