U.S. patent application number 13/726693 was filed with the patent office on 2013-07-04 for alloy of a golf club.
This patent application is currently assigned to Fusheng Precision Co., Ltd.. The applicant listed for this patent is Fusheng Precision Co., Ltd. Invention is credited to Chan-Tung Chen, Wen-Ching TSAI.
Application Number | 20130167978 13/726693 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 48675833 |
Filed Date | 2013-07-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130167978 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chen; Chan-Tung ; et
al. |
July 4, 2013 |
Alloy of a Golf Club
Abstract
An alloy of a golf club comprises 0.25 wt % to 1.0 wt % Si, 0.25
wt % to 1.5 wt % Mn, 2.0 wt % to 3.5 wt % Cu, 6.0 wt % to 8.0 wt %
Ni, 15.5 wt % to 18.0 wt % Cr, balance iron and inevitable
impurities, wherein the alloy of a golf club has austenite
structures, ferrite structures, and martensite structures
simultaneously.
Inventors: |
Chen; Chan-Tung; (Taipei
City, TW) ; TSAI; Wen-Ching; (Taipei City,
TW) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Fusheng Precision Co., Ltd; |
Taipei City |
|
TW |
|
|
Assignee: |
Fusheng Precision Co., Ltd.
Taipei City
TW
|
Family ID: |
48675833 |
Appl. No.: |
13/726693 |
Filed: |
December 26, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
148/327 ;
148/325 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 60/54 20151001;
A63B 60/00 20151001; A63B 2209/00 20130101; C22C 38/02 20130101;
C22C 38/04 20130101; C22C 38/42 20130101; A63B 53/00 20130101; A63B
53/047 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
148/327 ;
148/325 |
International
Class: |
A63B 53/00 20060101
A63B053/00; C22C 38/02 20060101 C22C038/02; C22C 38/04 20060101
C22C038/04; C22C 38/42 20060101 C22C038/42 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 30, 2011 |
TW |
100149795 |
Claims
1. An alloy of a golf club comprising: 0.25 wt % to 1.0 wt % Si;
0.25 wt % to 1.5 wt % Mn; 2.0 wt % to 3.5 wt % Cu; 6.0 wt % to 8.0
wt % Ni; 15.5 wt % to 18.0 wt % Cr; and balance iron and inevitable
impurities, wherein the alloy of a golf club has austenite
structures, ferrite structures, and martensite structures.
2. The alloy of a golf club as claimed in claim 1, wherein Ni is in
a range of 6.5 wt % to 8.0 wt %.
3. The alloy of a golf club as claimed in claim 1, wherein Si is in
a range of 0.5 wt % to 1.0 wt %.
4. The alloy of a golf club as claimed in claim 1, wherein Mn is in
a range of 0.5 wt % to 1.5 wt %.
5. The alloy of a golf club as claimed in claim 1, wherein Cu is in
a range of 2.5 wt % to 3.5 wt %.
6. The alloy of a golf club as claimed in claim 1, wherein Cr is in
a range of 16.0 wt % to 17.5 wt %.
7. The alloy of a golf club as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
alloy of a golf club further comprises carbon being less than 0.08
wt %.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention generally relates to an alloy of a
golf club and, more particularly, to an alloy of a golf club that
is apt to provide preferable shock-absorbing effect.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Generally, an integral forming hosel portion of a golf club
requires easy justifying a dipangle thereof, in accordance with
different requirements of various users. Accordingly, conventional
golf club is primary made of soft iron having lower hardness, such
as materials like low-carbon steel and low-alloy steel, so as to
facilitate dipangle-justifying of the hosel portion of a golf club
requires. However, the soft iron has disadvantages of
easily-oxidized and corrosion-irresistibility.
[0005] For improving said disadvantages, a stainless steel of
SUS17-4PH is used to manufacture golf clubs, as described in Taiwan
Patent No. 438610 and 460306, for the sake of achieving lower
hardness and better corrosion-resistibility.
[0006] Tables 1 and 2 show mechanical properties of SUS17-4PH with
and without heat-treatment respectively, wherein a heat-treatment
"A" is carried out by heating at 1040.degree. C. for 60 minutes and
then cooling with nitrogen to 580.degree. C. for 90 minutes; a
heat-treatment "B" is carried out by heating at 1040.degree. C. for
60 minutes and then cooling with nitrogen to 538.degree. C. for 240
minutes; a heat-treatment "C" is carried out by heating at
1040.degree. C. for 60 minutes and then cooling with nitrogen to
482.degree. C. for 240 minutes; and a heat-treatment "D" is carried
out by heating at 1040.degree. C. for 60 minutes and then cooling
with nitrogen to 482.degree. C. for 240 minutes.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Mechanical Properties of SUS17-4PH with
Heat-Treatment Tensile Yield Strength Strength Elongation.sup.a
Hardness Materials (Ksi) (Ksi) (%) (HRC) SUS17-4PH 164 148 17 36
.sup.aThose data are obtained on samples in 2 inches length.
TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Mechanical Properties of SUS17-4PH without
Heat-Treatment Tensile Yield Hard- Strength Strength
Elongation.sup.a ness Heat- Materials (Ksi) (Ksi) (%) (HRC)
treatment SUS17-4PH 145~160 145~155 7~14 32~37 A (casting) 160~170
150~165 6~13 33~39 B 180~195 160~180 5~11 38~44 C SUS17-4PH 185~210
170~190 5~17 40~46 D (planking) .sup.aThose data are obtained on
samples in 2 inches length.
[0007] In view of Tables 1 and 2, the SUS17-4PH shows poor
malleability due to less than 4.0 wt % of nickel therein. However,
the SUS17-4PH has higher yield strength. In such, a golf club made
from the SUS17-4PH may be difficult to justify a dipangle thereof,
since the SUS17-4PH has poor malleability and higher yield
strength.
[0008] A Taiwan Patent Application No. 100101186, entitled "a golf
club and a manufacturing method thereof," discloses a conventional
alloy of a golf club, also named as ST-22, being consisted of 2.5
wt % to 4.0 wt % Cu, 5.0 wt % to 6.0 wt % Ni, 15 wt % to 18 wt %
Cr, balance iron and inevitable impurities, wherein said alloy has
a Cu/Ni ratio of 0.4 to 0.8 and has austenite structures, ferrite
structures, and martensite structures simultaneously.
[0009] Through a justified Cu/Ni ratio, a hardness, tensile
strength and yield strength of the conventional alloy of a golf
club are all decreased. With such, golf club made of said
conventional alloy will have higher corrosion-resistibility and
malleability, so as to be easy to justify a dipangle thereof.
However, said alloy is necessary to be further improved when it is
applied to a golf club for special strike proposes, bunkering for
example, in order to achieve preferably shock-absorbing effect and
mechanical properties.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] It is therefore the primary objective of this invention to
provide an alloy of a golf club, with a higher percent of nickel in
said alloy of a golf club to promote shack-absorbing effect
thereof.
[0011] The invention discloses an alloy of a golf club comprising
0.25 wt % to 1.0 wt % Si; 0.25 wt % to 1.5 wt % Mn; 2.0 wt % to 3.5
wt % Cu; 6.0 wt % to 8.0 wt % Ni; 15.5 wt % to 18.0 wt % Cr; and
balance iron and inevitable impurities, wherein the alloy of a golf
club has tissues in austenite phase, ferrite phase, and martensite
phase.
[0012] In a preferred form shown, Ni is in a range of 6.5 wt % to
8.0 wt %.
[0013] In the preferred form shown, Si is in a range of 0.5 wt % to
1.0 wt %.
[0014] In the preferred form shown, Mn is in a range of 0.5 wt % to
1.5 wt %.
[0015] In the preferred form shown, Cu is in a range of 2.5 wt % to
3.5 wt %.
[0016] In the preferred form shown, Cr is in a range of 16.0 wt %
to 17.5 wt %.
[0017] In the preferred form shown, the alloy of a golf club
further comprises less than 0.08 wt % of C.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a golf club in a
preferable embodiment of the present invention.
[0019] FIG. 2 shows a microstructure schematic diagram (50.times.)
of a golf club to the present invention.
[0020] FIG. 3 shows a microstructure schematic diagram (200.times.)
of a golf club to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0021] The invention discloses an alloy of a golf club which is
adapted to be used in manufacturing each designed elements of a
golf club. In a preferable embodiment of the present invention, it
is demonstrated but not limits to use the alloy of a golf club to
manufacturing into a golf club.
[0022] With reference to FIG. 1, a golf club 1 of the present
embodiment comprises a body 11, a hosel portion 12, and a striking
plate 13. The hosel portion 12 connects at a side of the body 11,
being adapted to receive a rod (not shown in figures). The body 11
and the hosel portion 12 can be manufactured in an integral forming
manner. The striking plate 13 is set at a surface of the body 11,
and which is adapted to strike at a golf ball.
[0023] The alloy of a golf club in the preferable embodiment of the
present invention can be used to manufacture into the body 11 and
the hosel portion 12 through a step of melting, a step of adjusting
particular ratios and a step of casting a club.
[0024] In the step of melting, master alloy and other materials
including chromite, silicoferrite, ferromanganese, cooper and
nickel are sequentially added into a furnace at a high temperature,
with those materials being melted and mixed with each other
therein. Precisely, said materials including silicon (Si),
manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), and iron
(Fe) are melted by the furnace at a high temperature (a
high-frequency furnace for example) and further mixed with each
other to provide an alloy material having carbon (C), silicon,
manganese, cooper, nickel, chromium and iron at a particular ratio
and phase and being capable of being used as a matrix of the body
11 and the hosel portion 12. In the present embodiment, the master
alloy further comprises 0.04 wt % carbon, 0.80 wt % silicon, 1.00
wt % manganese, 2.75 wt % cooper, 6.88 wt % nickel, 17.2 wt %
chromium, and 0.03 wt % phosphorous, and 0.01 wt % sulfur, beside
iron. Certainly, various materials from different sources can be
used to achieve said composition of iron alloy in said ratio by
various needs.
[0025] Additionally, the master alloy and other materials including
chromite, silicoferrite, ferromanganese, cooper and nickel are
preferably added into the furnace at a high temperature in a
particular sequence for melting, so that obtained melted alloy will
further comprise other ingredients, such as silicon and manganese,
with the obtained melted alloy having proper property. Also,
melting those materials in the particular sequence can avoid
precipitation presented during the melting and prevent from poor
qualities of obtained body 11 and hosel portion 12 in the following
step. Furthermore, said materials are preferable in a granular
shape and being added into the furnace at a high temperature slowly
by repeatedly adding a small amount of said materials. Thus,
incompletely melting said materials caused by adding a large amount
of materials at once cohering in a mass is significantly avoided.
Further, dangerous holes and bubbles presenting in the furnace at a
high temperature due to the mass will be also avoided.
[0026] In the step of adjusting particular ratios, ratios of said
materials are adjusted to 0.25 wt % to 1.0 wt % Si, 0.25 wt % to
1.5 wt % Mn, 2.0 wt % to 3.5 wt % Cu, 6.0 wt % to 8.0 wt % Ni, 15.5
wt % to 18.0 wt % Cr, balance iron and inevitable impurities, with
the inevitable impurities having less than 0.08 wt % of carbon.
With such, those materials can be both in austenite structures,
ferrite structures, and martensite structures simultaneously.
Specifically, said materials are sequentially added into the
furnace at a high temperature to obtain the melted alloy, and then,
weight ratios of a sample collected from the melted alloy are
measured and adjusted, ensuring said materials comprising 0.25 wt %
to 1.0 wt % Si, 0.25 wt % to 1.5 wt % Mn, 2.0 wt % to 3.5 wt % Cu,
6.0 wt % to 8.0 wt % Ni, 15.5 wt % to 18.0 wt % Cr, balance iron
(in a range of 65-75%) and inevitable impurities. Wherein, nickel
is more preferably in a range of 6.5 wt % to 7.5 wt %, silicon is
more preferable in a range of 0.5 wt % to 1.0 wt %, manganese is
more preferable in a range of 0.5 wt % to 1.5 wt %, cooper is more
preferable in a range of 2.5 wt % to 3.5 wt %, and chromium is more
preferable in a range of 16.5 wt % to 17.5 wt % in the melted
alloy. Through adjusting the melted alloy to particular
composition, the melted alloy can form both austenite structures,
ferrite structures and martensite structures simultaneously after
cooling and solidifying. Further, through increasing a weight ratio
of nickel in the melted alloy decreases a percentage of martensite
structures but increases percentages of austenite and ferrite
structures in the melted alloy, so that it is capable of providing
preferable shock-absorbing effect.
[0027] As described above, through the preferable embodiment of the
present invention, the particular materials (including iron) in the
particular ratios are used to manufacture into the alloy comprising
austenite, ferrite and martensite structures simultaneously, with
manufactured alloy providing advantages and functions of the
austenite, ferrite and martensite structures (for example,
corrosion-resistibility and lower hardness of the ferrite
structures, rust-resistibility and impact-resistibility of the
austenite structures, and highly wear resistibility of the
martensite structures). Also, in comparison with the conventional
alloy, ST-22, the manufactured alloy of the present embodiment
comprises a lower percentage of the martensite structures and a
higher percentage of the austenite and ferrite structures,
resulting in decreased hardness, promoted malleability, and
promoted shock-absorbing effect in further. Accordingly, the alloy
of a golf club of the preferable embodiment in the present
invention not only provides preferable mechanical properties
including lower hardness and higher malleability, but also achieves
promoted shock-absorbing effect such like striking on a soft
iron.
[0028] In the step of casting a club, the alloy is applied to
precisely casting, forming the body 11 and the hosel portion 12 in
predictable shapes. More specifically, after adjusting said
materials in the melted alloy to the particular ratios, air and
residues are removed before drawing out the melted alloy. Next, the
melted alloy is directly poured into a mold, in order to
manufacture into the body 11 and the hosel portion 12 (and/or
striking plate 13). Thus, such manufactured golf club can directly
undergoes various processes including shocking, pouring, trimming,
grind, dip-justifying, and polishing without previously
heat-treatment, so as to obtain finished products of wedge with an
iron rod or a wood rod. Also, since the manufactured golf club is
made of a matrix comprising mixed structures of austenite, ferrite
and martensite, it has multi-properties including lower hardness,
higher rust-resistibility, higher malleability, and higher
shock-absorbing effect.
[0029] In summary, through said processes, the alloy of a golf club
of the preferable embodiment in the present invention can be
obtained and which comprises 0.25 wt % to 1.0 wt % Si, 0.25 wt % to
1.5 wt % Mn, 2.0 wt % to 3.5 wt % Cu, 6.0 wt % to 8.0 wt % Ni, 15.5
wt % to 18.0 wt % Cr, balance iron and inevitable impurities. The
alloy of a golf club comprises austenite structures, ferrite
structures, and martensite structures simultaneously, so that it
has lower hardness, higher rust-resistibility, higher malleability,
and higher shock-absorbing effect. In this way, a golf club made of
said alloy will be easy to justify a dipangle thereof, being more
preferable to be used as a golf club for special strike proposes,
bunkering for example.
[0030] In Tables 3 and 4, compositions of the alloy of a golf club
and the conventional alloy, ST-22, and mechanical properties
thereof are listed respectively. Referring to data shown in Tables
3 and 4, it is noted that with increased weight ratio of nickel of
the alloy of a golf club of the preferable embodiment in the
present invention, the hardness decreases but malleability
increases. Thus, said alloy of the preferable embodiment in the
present invention will have preferable shock-absorbing effect, such
like striking on a soft iron in practical use, in comparison with
the alloy, ST-22. Accordingly, said alloy is preferably applied to
manufacture a golf club for special strike proposes, bunkering for
example, so as to improve striking effect of the golf club.
TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Compositions of the Alloy of a Golf Club and
ST-22 Specifications C (wt %) Si (wt %) Mn (wt %) Cu (wt %) Ni (wt
%) Cr (wt %) Fe (wt %) ST-22 0.08 0.25~1.0 0.25~1.5 2.5~4 5.0~6.0
15.0~18.0 Bal. Said alloy of a 0.08 0.25~1.0 0.25~1.5 2.0~3.5
6.0~8.0 15.5~18.0 Bal. golf club
TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 Mechanical Properties of the Alloy of a Golf
Club and the ST-22 Tensile Strength Yield Strength Elongation
Hardness Alloys (ksi) (ksi) (%) (HRB) ST-22 149 77 14-20 102-108
Said alloy of 128 44 20-30 85-95 a golf club
[0031] With reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, microstructure schematic
diagrams in 50.times. and 200.times. are provided respectively,
with cast alloy of a golf club being corroded by a corrdent
comprising 10 g K.sub.3Fe(CN).sub.6, 10 g potassium hydroxide (KOH)
in 100 ml water and then analyzed under a microscope. As shown in
FIGS. 2 and 3, the alloy of a golf club of the preferable
embodiment in the present invention is a Fe--Cr--Ni alloy
comprising austenite structures, ferrite structures, and martensite
structures simultaneously. Therefore, said alloy will obtain
advantages and function both provided from austenite structures,
ferrite structures, and martensite structures, such as preferable
hardness and malleability.
[0032] Although the invention has been described in detail with
reference to its presently preferable embodiments, it will be
understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that various
modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and the
scope of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims.
* * * * *