U.S. patent application number 12/046823 was filed with the patent office on 2009-07-16 for titanium-aluminium-tin alloy applied to golf club head.
This patent application is currently assigned to ADVANCED INTERNATIONAL MULTITECH CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Cheng-Tao LEE, Liang-Ho TSAI.
Application Number | 20090180918 12/046823 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40850790 |
Filed Date | 2009-07-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090180918 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
TSAI; Liang-Ho ; et
al. |
July 16, 2009 |
TITANIUM-ALUMINIUM-TIN ALLOY APPLIED TO GOLF CLUB HEAD
Abstract
A titanium-aluminum-tin alloy applied to a golf club head
includes 89 wt % to 95 wt % titanium (Ti), 3.5 wt % to 6.5 wt %
aluminum (Al), and 1.5 wt % to 3.5 wt % tin (Sn), and minor
elements such as niobium (Nb), vanadium (V), molybdenum (Mo),
zirconium (Zr), chromium (Cr), iron (Fe), silicon (Si), oxygen (O),
and nitrogen (N) may be selectively added into the
titanium-aluminum-tin alloy, so as to form a material with a high
elongation from 11% to 15% and a tensile strength from 700 Mpa to
950 Mpa, which can be applied to a main body and a hitting surface
of a golf club head, thereby achieving a golf club head product
with good hitting sense, desirable damping capability, expected
golf-controlling capability and a customized feature of an
adjustable angle at a club portion, together with the internal
structural designs of the main body, weighting structure, and rib
design.
Inventors: |
TSAI; Liang-Ho; (Kaohsiung,
TW) ; LEE; Cheng-Tao; (Kaohsiung, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MORRIS MANNING MARTIN LLP
3343 PEACHTREE ROAD, NE, 1600 ATLANTA FINANCIAL CENTER
ATLANTA
GA
30326
US
|
Assignee: |
ADVANCED INTERNATIONAL MULTITECH
CO., LTD.
Kaohsiung City
TW
|
Family ID: |
40850790 |
Appl. No.: |
12/046823 |
Filed: |
March 12, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
420/419 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 2209/00 20130101;
C22C 14/00 20130101; A63B 53/04 20130101; A63B 60/00 20151001 |
Class at
Publication: |
420/419 |
International
Class: |
C22C 14/00 20060101
C22C014/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 16, 2008 |
TW |
097101709 |
Claims
1. A titanium-aluminum-tin alloy applied to a golf club head,
comprising: 89 wt % to 95 wt % titanium (Ti), 3.5 wt % to 6.5 wt %
aluminum (Al), and 1.5 wt % to 3.5 wt % tin (Sn).
2. The titanium-aluminum-tin alloy applied to a golf club head as
claimed in claim 1, wherein a density of the titanium-aluminum-tin
alloy falls within a range of 4.25 g/cm.sup.3 to 4.45
g/cm.sup.3.
3. The titanium-aluminum-tin alloy applied to a golf club head as
claimed in claim 1, wherein the titanium-aluminum-tin alloy is
formed by casting, forging, or mechanically processing a titanium
alloy with an elongation from 11% to 15% and a tensile strength
from 700 Mpa to 950 Mpa.
4. The titanium-aluminum-tin alloy applied to a golf club head as
claimed in claim 1, wherein the titanium-aluminum-tin alloy further
comprises a modifying element selected from a group consisting of
niobium (Nb), vanadium (V), molybdenum (Mo), zirconium (Zr),
chromium (Cr), iron (Fe), silicon (Si), oxygen (O), and nitrogen
(N).
5. The titanium-aluminum-tin alloy applied to a golf club head as
claimed in claim 4, wherein the modifying element comprises lower
than 2% of Nb.
6. The titanium-aluminum-tin alloy applied to a golf club head as
claimed in claim 4, wherein the modifying element comprises lower
than 2% of V.
7. The titanium-aluminum-tin alloy applied to a golf club head as
claimed in claim 4, wherein the modifying element comprises lower
than 2% of Mo.
8. The titanium-aluminum-tin alloy applied to a golf club head as
claimed in claim 4, wherein the modifying element comprises lower
than 2% of Zr.
9. The titanium-aluminum-tin alloy applied to a golf club head as
claimed in claim 4, wherein the modifying element comprises lower
than 1% of Fe.
10. The titanium-aluminum-tin alloy applied to a golf club head as
claimed in claim 4, wherein the modifying element comprises lower
than 1% of Si.
11. The titanium-aluminum-tin alloy applied to a golf club head as
claimed in claim 4, wherein the modifying element comprises lower
than 0.3% of O.
12. The titanium-aluminum-tin alloy applied to a golf club head as
claimed in claim 4, wherein the modifying element comprises lower
than 0.05% of N.
13. A titanium-aluminum-tin alloy applied to a golf club head,
comprising: 89 wt % to 95 wt % titanium (Ti), 3.5 wt % to 6.5 wt %
aluminum (Al), 1.5 wt % to 3.5 wt % tin (Sn), .ltoreq.2 wt %
niobium (Nb), .ltoreq.2 wt % vanadium (V), .ltoreq.2 wt %
molybdenum (Mo), .ltoreq.2 wt % zirconium (Zr), .ltoreq.2 wt %
chromium (Cr), .ltoreq.1 wt % iron (Fe), .ltoreq.1 wt % silicon
(Si), .ltoreq.0.3 wt % oxygen (O), and .ltoreq.0.05 wt % nitrogen
(N).
Description
[0001] This application claims the benefit of Taiwan Patent
Application No. 097101709, filed on Jan. 16, 2008, which is hereby
incorporated by reference for all purposes as if fully set forth
herein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to an .alpha. titanium alloy
material applied to a golf club head, and more particularly to an
alloy material for a golf club head with a high extensibility by
formulating titanium (Ti), aluminum (Al), and tin (Sn) at different
weight ratios and adding minor elements, such as niobium (Nb),
vanadium (V), molybdenum (Mo), zirconium (Zr), chromium (Cr), iron
(Fe), silicon (Si), oxygen (O), and/or nitrogen (N).
[0004] 2. Related Art
[0005] Recently, the alloy technique developed to be applied to a
golf club head is mainly titanium alloy material, for example, in
US 2006/0045789, a conventional titanium alloy 6Al-4V-Ti (i.e., the
weight ratios of aluminum and vanadium are indicated, and the
remaining is titanium) is disclosed, which includes 5.5 wt % to
6.75 wt % Al, 3.5 wt % to 4.5 wt % V, and .ltoreq.0.3 wt % Fe, and
.ltoreq.0.2 wt % O. As compared with the club head in earlier stage
fabricated by stainless steel, the golf club head made of the
6Al-4V--Ti titanium alloy has higher elastic deformation force, the
same strength, and lower density, and thus, under a precondition of
without increasing the weight of the golf club head, the volume of
the golf club head is increased, such that the area for the better
hitting point is relatively enlarged, thereby improving the success
ratio when hitting the golf ball. In addition, due to the elastic
deformation force higher than that of the stainless steel, it can
provide larger elastic deformation capability when hitting the
ball, can generate larger elastic deformation-elongation rate, and
can relatively reduce spherical compression deformation resulted
when the golf ball hits the hitting plate, thereby reducing the
hitting stress absorbed by damping, preventing the energy loss of
the hitting stress, and further increasing the hitting
distance.
[0006] However, till now, under the large-size volume and
diversified customized requirements for the golf club head, it is
necessary to develop a material with a low density and a high
elongation, but still maintaining the original mechanical strength,
thereby improving the design margin.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] In view of the above requirements, the present invention is
directed to a titanium-aluminum-tin alloy with high plasticity and
high extensibility, for adjusting an elastic deformation capability
of the golf club head. The present invention is further directed to
a titanium-aluminum-tin alloy with high extensibility, in which
trace amount of modifying elements may be added to finely modify
the titanium-aluminum-tin alloy.
[0008] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention
provides a titanium-aluminum-tin alloy, which includes 89 wt % to
95 wt % titanium (Ti), 3.5 wt % to 6.5 wt % aluminum (Al), and 1.5
wt % to 3.5 wt % tin (Sn).
[0009] The titanium-aluminum-tin alloy of the present invention has
a density falling within a range of 4.25 g/cm.sup.3 to 4.45
g/cm.sup.3.
[0010] The titanium-aluminum-tin alloy of the present invention is
formed by casting, forging, or mechanically processing a titanium
alloy with an elongation from 11% to 15% and a tensile strength
from 700 Mpa to 950 Mpa.
[0011] The present invention further provides a
titanium-aluminum-tin alloy, which includes: 89 wt % to 95 wt % Ti,
3.5 wt % to 6.5 wt % Al, 1.5 wt % to 3.5 wt % Sn, .ltoreq.2 wt %
niobium (Nb), .ltoreq.2 wt % vanadium (V), .ltoreq.2 wt %
molybdenum (Mo), .ltoreq.2 wt % zirconium (Zr), .ltoreq.2 wt %
chromium (Cr), .ltoreq.1 wt % iron (Fe), .ltoreq.1 wt % silicon
(Si), .ltoreq.0.3 wt % oxygen (O), and .ltoreq.0.05 wt % nitrogen
(N).
[0012] The titanium-aluminum-tin alloy of the present invention has
a density falling within a range of 4.25 g/cm.sup.3 to 4.45
g/cm.sup.3.
[0013] In the titanium-aluminum-tin alloy of the present invention,
the content of Ti and Al is higher than that of 6Al-4V--Ti in the
conventional art, and the increasing of the content of Al has a
significant effect on improving the normal temperature and high
temperature strength, reducing the specific gravity, and increasing
the elastic modulus of the alloy. Nb, V, Mo, Zr, Cr, and Fe are
.beta. stable elements, and as compared with 6Al-4V--Ti, the adding
amount of V is greatly reduced, thereby reducing the manufacturing
cost of the titanium-aluminum-tin alloy. Furthermore, the
titanium-aluminum-tin alloy of the present invention has desirable
hot molding capability, so it can be easily manufactured through
mass production in factory, and the density thereof is lower than
the alloy of the same kind, which is helpful for following the
large-size trend of the golf club head, thereby improving the
design margin.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] The present invention will become more fully understood from
the detailed description given herein below for illustration only,
which thus is not limitative of the present invention, and
wherein:
[0015] FIG. 1 is a phase diagram of a titanium-aluminum-tin alloy
applied to a golf club head at a magnification of 50.times.
according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0016] FIG. 2 is a phase diagram of the titanium-aluminum-tin alloy
applied to a golf club head at a magnification of 100.times.
according to an embodiment of the present invention; and
[0017] FIG. 3 is a phase diagram of the titanium-aluminum-tin alloy
applied to a golf club head at a magnification of 200.times.
according to an embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0018] The present invention is illustrated below through preferred
embodiments with reference to the drawings.
[0019] Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, according to a first
embodiment of the present invention, the titanium-aluminum-tin
alloy includes: 89 wt % to 95 wt % Ti, 3.5 wt % to 6.5 wt % Al, and
1.5 wt % to 3.5 wt % Sn, and has a density falling within a range
of 4.25 g/cm.sup.3 to 4.45 g/cm.sup.3. In addition, the
titanium-aluminum-tin alloy is formed by casting, forging, or
mechanically processing a titanium alloy with an elongation from
11% to 15% and a tensile strength from 700 Mpa to 950 Mpa.
[0020] In the present invention, the properties of the
titanium-aluminum-tin alloy may be modified by adding trace amount
of modifying elements, which may be, for example, selected from a
group consisting of Nb, V, Zr, Cr, Mo, Fe, Si, O, and N elements.
For example, the strength of the alloy may be enhanced by adding
trace amount of Nb, without reducing the elongation property. The
flowability and assistant degas effect during casting may be
improved by relatively reducing the adding amount of V, without
affecting the original mechanical property of the alloy. The
uniformly-distributed carbide may be precipitated from the alloy by
adding trace amount of Mo, so as to improve the heat resistance, to
reduce the hot-crack phenomenon for welding of the alloy, to
increase the hardening capability and high-temperature strength of
the alloy. The strength of the material may be improved and it is
not easily deformed when the heat processing is performed on the
molded alloy by adding trace amount of Zr, and it may be further
formed with high strength and high ductility by adding Mo. The
antirust and corrosion resistance of the alloy may be improved by
adding suitable amount of Cr, so as to improve the service life of
the golf club head. The material may have a desirable plasticity by
adding trace amount of Fe, which is helpful for being processed.
The flowability of the melted metal is improved by adding trace
amount of Si. The modifying elements selected to be added into the
present invention include .ltoreq.2 wt % Nb, .ltoreq.2 wt % V,
.ltoreq.2 wt % Mo, .ltoreq.2 wt % Zr, .ltoreq.2 wt % Cr, .ltoreq.1
wt % Fe, .ltoreq.1 wt % Si, .ltoreq.0.3 wt % O, and .ltoreq.0.05 wt
% N.
[0021] The characteristics of the titanium-aluminum-tin alloy in a
preferred embodiment of the present invention are compared with
that of the conventional titanium alloy 6Al-4V--Ti as shown in
Table 1 below:
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Tensile Strength 0.2% Yield Elongation
Hardness Material (Mpa) Strength (MPa) (%) (HRC) Conventional
830-900 760-830 3-5 30-35 6Al--4V--Ti 5Al--2.5Sn--Ti in the 775-765
715-730 11-15 26-27 Embodiment of the Present Invention
[0022] As compared with the conventional 6Al-4V--Ti alloy, the
titanium-aluminum-tin alloy of the present invention can reduce the
alloy density and increase the ductility by reducing the content of
V, thereby obtaining excellent elongation plasticity, and
maintaining the low density.
[0023] A comparison table of the element composition of the
titanium-aluminum-tin alloy in the embodiment of the present
invention with that of the conventional titanium alloy is as shown
in Table 2 below:
TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 5Al--2.5Sn--Ti in the Element Conventional
Embodiment of the (wt %) 6Al--4V--Ti Present Invention Al 5.5-6.75
5.28-5.87 Sn <0.001 1.61-1.75 V 3.5-4.5 <0.001 C 0.1.dwnarw.
0.007-0.010 N 0.05.dwnarw. 0.009-0.0109 O 0.2.dwnarw. 0.06-0.119 Fe
0.3.dwnarw. 0.0986-0.14 Si 0.1.dwnarw. 0.0114-0.03
[0024] The alloy material of the embodiment takes the
titanium-aluminum-tin alloy as the main alloy, which is formed by
casting, forging, or mechanically processing a titanium alloy with
an elongation from 11% to 15% (over 8%) and a tensile strength from
700 Mpa to 950 Mpa (above 650 Mpa).
[0025] The titanium-aluminum-tin alloy of the present invention has
higher strength and higher elongation capability, which is suitable
for forming the main body and hitting surface of the golf club
head. Definitely, other materials with desirable rigidness may also
be used for forming the hitting surface. The material composition
may be titanium alloy 6Al-4V--Ti and .beta. titanium alloy etc.,
and the alloy may be formed through casting, forging, or mechanical
processing. In the present invention, the material of the main body
with high elongation capability combined with the hitting plate
with high strength can be used for achieving the golf club head
product with good hitting sense (desirable damping capability),
expected golf-controlling capability and a customized feature of an
adjustable angle at a club portion, together with the internal
structural designs of the main body, weighting structure, and rib
design. A comparison table of the processing performance of the
8Al--Ti of the present invention with that of the conventional
6Al-4V--Ti is as shown in Table 3.
TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 5Al--2.5Sn--Ti in the Processing
Conventional Embodiment of the Performance 6Al--4V--Ti Present
Invention Cool adjust Material is relatively Material is relatively
soft and angle brittle, and cracks occur flexible, and no cracks
occur on on the club portion when the club portion when the angle
the angle is adjusted to is adjusted to 3.5 degrees. 1.5 degrees.
Average 1.5 g 1.35 g Processing Amount for Each Club Head Average
12 g 10.63 g Grinding Amount for Each Club Head
[0026] In addition, in the present invention, the main body of the
golf club head is made of 5Al-2.5Sn--Ti in the embodiment, and
meanwhile, the titanium alloy with a high strength, SP700, is
welded thereon as the hitting surface. Through a cannon shot test
with a cannon shot dedicated golf ball (at a specification of 90)
for 3000 times at a speed of 55.8 m/s, the hitting plate and the
main body of the club head are not broken or have any cracks
through eye observation and crack detection test.
[0027] To sum up, the titanium-aluminum-tin alloy provided in the
present invention has the features of industrial utilization,
novelty, and inventiveness, so as to meet the requirements of an
invention patent. The present invention is not restricted to the
particular details described in the preferred embodiments. Indeed,
those skilled in the art having the benefit of this disclosure will
appreciate that many other variations from the foregoing
description and drawings may be made within the scope of the
present invention.
* * * * *