Variable thickness golf club head and method of manufacturing the same

Abstract

A portion of a golf club head comprising an external surface, an internal surface opposite said external surface, said internal surface adjacent an interior of said golf club head, wherein said external surface and said internal surface combine to create a plurality of thin regions and a plurality of thick regions, wherein said internal surface is created via a stamped forging process and wherein said external surface is created via a machining process, wherein said stamped forging process comprises placing said crown between a top punch and a bottom cavity, said top punch having a plurality of protrusions and said bottom cavity having a plurality of depressions, and compressing said top punch towards said bottom cavity to alter a shape of said crown, and wherein said machining process comprises machining off excess material from said external surface of said crown.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A crown of a golf club head comprising:
 an external surface;   an internal surface opposite said external surface, said internal surface adjacent an interior of said golf club head;   wherein said external surface and said internal surface combine to create a plurality of thin regions and a plurality of thick regions;   wherein said internal surface is created via a stamped forging process; and   wherein said external surface is created via a machining process.   
     
     
         2 . The crown of a golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said stamped forging process comprises placing said crown between a top punch and a bottom cavity, said top punch having a plurality of protrusions and said bottom cavity having a plurality of depressions, and compressing said top punch towards said bottom cavity to alter a shape of said crown. 
     
     
         3 . The crown of a golf club head of  claim 2 , wherein said stamped forging process further comprises positioning said external surface of said crown adjacent said top punch and said internal surface of said crown adjacent said bottom cavity. 
     
     
         4 . The crown of a golf club head of  claim 3 , wherein said machining process comprises machining off excess material from said external surface of said crown. 
     
     
         5 . The crown of a golf club head of  claim 4 , wherein said machining process comprises forming a flat surface on said external surface of said crown, and wherein a formation of said crown further comprises positioning said crown between a convex die and a concave die subsequent to said stamped forging process and forcing said convex die towards said concave die to alter the shape of said crown. 
     
     
         6 . The crown of a golf club head of  claim 5 , wherein said thick regions comprise ribs extending into said interior of said golf club head and along at least a portion of said internal surface of said crown. 
     
     
         7 . The crown of a golf club head of  claim 6 , wherein said plurality of thin regions of said crown comprise a thickness between 0.3 mm and 0.4 mm. 
     
     
         8 . The crown of a golf club head of  claim 7 , wherein said plurality of thick regions of said crown comprise a thickness between 0.4 mm and 0.6 mm. 
     
     
         9 . The crown of a golf club head of  claim 8 , wherein a plurality of said ribs extend in a first direction and a second plurality of said ribs extend in a second direction, wherein said first direction is angled at least 30 degrees from said second direction. 
     
     
         10 . A method of forming a crown of a golf club head, comprising:
 placing said crown between a top punch and a bottom cavity, said top punch having a plurality of protrusions and said bottom cavity having a plurality of depressions;   wherein an external surface of said crown is adjacent said top punch and an internal surface of said crown is adjacent said bottom cavity;   compressing said top punch towards said bottom cavity to alter a shape of said crown; and   machining off excess material from said external side of said crown.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said compressing and said machining produces a plurality of thin regions and a plurality of thick regions in said crown. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein machining off excess material from said external side of said crown forms a flat surface, and said method further comprises positioning said crown between a convex die and a concave die subsequent to said compressing and said machining, and forcing said convex die towards said concave die to alter the shape of said crown. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said thick regions comprise ribs extending into said interior of said golf club head and along at least a portion of said internal surface of said crown. 
     
     
         14 . The crown of a golf club head of  claim 13 , wherein said plurality of thin regions of said crown comprise a thickness between 0.3 mm and 0.4 mm. 
     
     
         15 . The crown of a golf club head of  claim 14 , wherein said plurality of thick regions of said crown comprise a thickness between 0.4 mm and 0.6 mm. 
     
     
         16 . A method of forming a portion of a golf club head, comprising:
 placing said portion of a golf club head between a top punch and a bottom cavity, said top punch having at least one protrusion sand said bottom cavity having at least one depression;   wherein an external surface of said portion is adjacent said top punch and an internal surface of said portion is adjacent said bottom cavity;   compressing said top punch towards said bottom cavity to alter a shape of said portion; and   machining off excess material from said external surface of said portion;   wherein said compressing and said machining produces at least one thin region and at least one thick region in said portion.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said golf club head comprises a crown, sole, and striking face, and wherein said portion comprises at least one of said sole, said crown, and said striking face. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein machining off excess material from said external surface of said portion forms a flat surface, and said method further comprises positioning said portion between a convex die and a concave die subsequent to said compressing and said machining, and forcing said convex die towards said concave die to alter the shape of said portion. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein each thin region comprises a thickness between 0.3 mm and 0.4 mm. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein each thick region comprises a thickness between 0.4 mm and 0.6 mm.