Co-forged golf club head and method of manufacture

Abstract

A co-forged iron type golf club is disclosed. More specifically, the present invention discloses a co-forged iron type golf club with the body portion made out of a first material and at least one weight adjustment portion monolithically encased within the body portion of the co-forged iron type golf club head without the need for secondary attachment or machining operations. The present invention also includes a combination internal cavities and weight adjustment portions that improve the inertial and performance attributes of the iron type golf club head.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A golf club head comprising:
 a body portion;   a cavity defined within said body portion;   a striking face insert adapted to cover said cavity; and   a rod extending from within said cavity toward said striking face insert,   wherein said striking face insert includes a hole located proximate to said rod,   wherein said rod has a rod diameter,   wherein said hole has a hole diameter,   wherein said rod diameter is greater than said hole diameter, and   wherein said striking face insert is welded through said hole to said rod to define a rosette weld.   
     
     
         2 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said rod diameter is between about 10% and about 100% greater than said hole diameter. 
     
     
         3 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said striking face insert has a variable thickness measured perpendicular to a face plane of said striking face insert. 
     
     
         4 . The golf club head of  claim 3 , wherein said striking face insert has a first face thickness measured perpendicular to said face plane between about 1.0 mm and about 3.0 mm,
 wherein said striking face insert has a second face thickness measured perpendicular to said face plane between about 1.5 mm and about 5.0 mm, and   wherein said first face thickness is not equal to said second face thickness.   
     
     
         5 . The golf club head of  claim 4 , wherein said first face thickness is between about 1.25 mm and about 2.5 mm, and
 wherein said second face thickness is between about 2.25 mm and about 3.5 mm.   
     
     
         6 . The golf club head of  claim 5 , wherein said first face thickness is about 2.0 mm, and
 wherein said second face thickness is about 3.0 mm.   
     
     
         7 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said cavity is located in a blade portion of said body portion. 
     
     
         8 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein said striking face insert is welded to said body portion around a perimeter of said striking face insert. 
     
     
         9 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one weight adjustment portion proximate a toe of said body portion. 
     
     
         10 . The golf club head of  claim 9 , wherein said body portion is made of a first material and said at least one weight adjustment portion is made of a second material, and
 wherein a density of said second material is greater than a density of said first material.   
     
     
         11 . A golf club head comprising:
 a body portion;   a first cavity, having a first cavity thickness measured perpendicular to a face plane of a striking face insert, defined within a blade portion of said body portion; and   a second cavity, having a second cavity thickness measured perpendicular to said face plane, defined within a muscle portion of said body portion,   wherein said striking face insert further comprises:
 a first portion, having a first face thickness measured perpendicular to said face plane, engaged with said first cavity; and 
 a second portion, having a second face thickness measured perpendicular to said face plane, engaged with said second cavity, 
   wherein said body portion further comprises a rod extending from within said first cavity toward said striking face insert,   wherein said striking face insert includes a hole located proximate to said rod,   wherein said rod has a rod diameter,   wherein said hole has a hole diameter,   wherein said rod diameter is greater than said hole diameter, and   wherein said striking face insert is welded through said hole to said rod to define a rosette weld.   
     
     
         12 . The golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein a ratio of said first face thickness to said first cavity thickness is between about 0.2 and about 4.0, and
 wherein a ratio of said second face thickness to said second cavity thickness is between about 0.1 and about 0.8.   
     
     
         13 . The golf club head of  claim 12 , wherein said ratio of said first face thickness to said first cavity thickness is between about 0.7 and about 2.0, and
 wherein said ratio of said second face thickness to said second cavity thickness is between about 0.15 and about 0.5.   
     
     
         14 . The golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein said second face thickness is greater than said first face thickness. 
     
     
         15 . The golf club head of  claim 14 , wherein said first face thickness is between about 1.0 mm and about 3.0 mm, and
 wherein said second face thickness is between about 1.5 mm and about 5.0 mm.   
     
     
         16 . The golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein said first cavity thickness is between about 0.5 mm and about 2.5 mm, and
 wherein said second cavity thickness is between about 2.0 mm and about 14.0 mm.   
     
     
         17 . The golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein said body portion further comprises a rib at least partially separating said first cavity and said second cavity,
 wherein said striking face insert further comprises a transition portion, having a variable thickness measured perpendicular to said face plane, separating said first portion and said second portion, and   wherein said rib engages said transition portion.   
     
     
         18 . The golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein said striking face insert is welded to said body portion around a perimeter of said striking face insert. 
     
     
         19 . The golf club head of  claim 11 , further comprising at least one weight adjustment portion proximate a toe of said body portion. 
     
     
         20 . The golf club head of  claim 19 , wherein said body portion is made of a first material and said at least one weight adjustment portion is made of a second material, and
 wherein a density of said second material is greater than a density of said first material.