Iron-type golf club head with body wall apertures

Abstract

An iron-type golf club head includes a body having a wall extending about an opening, a faceplate coupled to the body across the opening, and a fill material. The wall defines a first set of apertures and a second aperture, and includes an outer peripheral surface, a sole and a rear wall portion extending from the heel to the toe. The wall and the faceplate define a rearward-facing back cavity. The sole, the rear wall portion and the faceplate define a lower cavity that is continuous with the back cavity. The first set of apertures and the second aperture extend through the wall from the peripheral outer surface to, and are continuous with, the lower cavity. The first set of apertures and the second aperture extend about first and second planes, respectively. The fill material substantially fills the lower cavity and the first set of apertures and the second aperture.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An iron-type golf club head comprising:
 a body having a wall extending about an opening, the wall having an outer peripheral surface, a sole, a toe, a heel, a topline and a rear wall portion extending from the heel to the toe;   a faceplate coupled to the body across the opening, the wall and the faceplate defining a rearward-facing back cavity, the sole, the rear wall portion and the faceplate defining a lower cavity that is continuous with the back cavity;   a first set of apertures extending through the wall from the peripheral outer surface to the lower cavity and being continuous with the lower cavity, the first set of apertures extending about a first plane;   a second aperture extending through the wall from the peripheral outer surface to the lower cavity and being continuous with the lower cavity, the second aperture extending about a second plane, each of the first set of apertures and the second aperture being continuous with the lower cavity, the fill material substantially filling the first set of apertures and the second aperture, the first and second planes being substantially parallel to each other; and   a fill material substantially filling the lower cavity and the first set of apertures and the second aperture.   
     
     
         2 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first set of apertures and the second aperture are continuous with the lower cavity, and wherein the fill material substantially fills the first set of apertures and the second aperture. 
     
     
         3 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , further including a badge positioned within the back cavity rearward of the faceplate. 
     
     
         4 . The golf club head of  claim 3 , wherein the badge is positioned above the fill material. 
     
     
         5 . The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the fill material is a metal-infused urethane. 
     
     
         6 . The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the fill material is selected from the group consisting of a urethane, a metal-infused urethane, other polymeric materials, other thermoplastic materials and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the wall has a first hardness value, wherein the fill material has a second hardness value, and wherein the second hardness value is less than the first hardness value. 
     
     
         8 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second planes are substantially parallel to a lower edge of the faceplate. 
     
     
         9 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the first set of apertures and the second aperture are elongate slots, wherein the first set of apertures are arranged in an end-to-end manner about the first plane, and wherein the first set of apertures are two apertures with a first portion of the wall separating the two apertures of the first set of apertures. wherein the second aperture overlies the first portion when viewing the sole of the club head from a rearmost surface of the body toward the face plate of the club head. 
     
     
         10 . The golf club head of  claim 9 , wherein the second aperture overlies the first portion, and at least a portion of each of the two apertures of the second set of apertures, when viewing the sole of the club head from a rearmost surface of the body toward the face plate of the club head. 
     
     
         11 . The golf club head of  claim 1  wherein the width of the first set of apertures is within the range of 0.060 to 0.120 inch, and wherein the width of the second aperture is within the range of 0.060 to 0.120 inch. 
     
     
         12 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the length of each of the first set of apertures and the second aperture is within the range of 0.3 inch to 1.5 inches. 
     
     
         13 . The golf club head of  claim 1  wherein the length of one of the two apertures of the first set of apertures is within the range of 0.7 inch to 1.4 inches, and wherein the length of the other of the two apertures of the first set of apertures is within the range of 0.3 to 1.0 inch. 
     
     
         14 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the length of the second aperture is within the range 0.9 inch to 1.5 inches. 
     
     
         15 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the first set of apertures is two apertures arranged end to end along the first plane, and wherein the distance separating the two apertures of the first set of aperture is within the range of 0.100 and 0.400 inch.