Method for combining wax patterns for making a golf club head and combined wax pattern thereof
A method for combining wax patterns for making a golf club head includes the steps of: prefabricating a first wax pattern and a second wax pattern to constitute a combined wax pattern, and at least one of connection surfaces of the first and second wax patterns providing a cutout portion to form an injection notch on a boundary line of the combined wax pattern; and inserting the first wax pattern and the second wax pattern into a mold assembly, and injecting liquid wax into the injection notch to form a wax-connection portion between the first wax pattern and the second wax pattern. Accordingly, the wax-connection portion is integrally connected between the first wax pattern and the second wax pattern to constitute the combined wax pattern.
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for combining wax patterns for making a golf club head, and a combined wax pattern thereof having a wax-connection portion. Particularly, the present invention relates to the method for combining two pieces of the wax patterns to form a “hybrid” one-piece wax pattern for making the golf club head. More particularly, the present invention relates to the manufacturing method for injecting liquid wax into an injection notch formed between the wax patterns for making the golf club head.
2. Description of the Related Art
Taiwanese Patent Publication No. 514,574 discloses a conventional manufacturing method for making a golf club head. Typically, the manufacturing method includes the following steps:
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- 1. In two-piece wax-pattern forming operation, separately prefabricating two pieces of first and second wax patterns in a first mold assembly and a second mold assembly, and opening the first and second mold assemblies for drawing out the first and second wax patterns;
- 2. In wax-pattern adhering operation, adhering the first and second wax patterns by means of adhesive to form a “hybrid” one-piece design of a combined wax pattern;
- 3. In ceramic-shell forming operation, dipping the combined wax pattern in slurry to produce a ceramic shell, and melting the wax in the ceramic shell by heating and pouring out the melting wax from the ceramic shell such that a mold cavity having a pouring gate for making the golf club head is correspondingly formed in the ceramic shell; and
- 4. In club-head forming operation, filling a melting metal into the ceramic shell, and cooling and breaking the ceramic shell for drawing out a one-piece design of a casting of the golf club head when hardened.
The above-mentioned manufacturing method for the golf club head requires adhering connection surfaces of the first and second wax patterns in the wax-pattern adhering operation. Such practice can, however, cause occurring an unwanted partition line on an outer surface of the combined wax pattern due to a boundary line existing between the first and second wax patterns. Disadvantageously, controlling the wax-pattern adhering operation cannot completely alleviate occurring such an unwanted partition line of the combined wax pattern. Accordingly, the partition line of the combined wax pattern needs mending by a manual process of deburring or filling liquid wax into cracks after the wax-pattern adhering operation. This additional manual process may sophisticate the manufacturing steps and reduce the manufacturing efficiency of the golf club head.
Several deficiencies will exist on products of the golf club head if the partition line of the combined wax pattern is not completely mended. In the casting operation, there is a good possibility of occurring cracks on an outer surface of the casting of the golf club head along the partition line of the combined wax pattern even though it is perfectly eliminated in the manual process. However, this results in deterioration of the quality of the products. Hence, there is a need for improving the boundary line of the combined wax pattern.
The present invention intends to provide a method for combining two pieces of wax patterns to form a combined wax pattern, wherein at least one of connection surfaces of the wax patterns provides a cutout portion to form an injection notch on a boundary line of the combined wax pattern. In molding, the combined wax pattern is received a mold assembly and liquid wax is injected into the injection notch of the combined wax pattern to integrally form a wax-connection portion of the combined wax pattern. Accordingly, an unwanted partition line of the combined wax pattern generated in the conventional method is perfectly eliminated in such a way as to mitigate and overcome the above problem.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe primary objective of this invention is to provide a method for combining wax patterns to form a hybrid one-piece design of a combined wax pattern for making a golf club head. At least one of connection surfaces of the wax patterns provides a cutout portion to form an injection notch on a boundary line of the combined wax pattern. Accordingly, an unwanted partition line of the combined wax pattern can be eliminated in a molding process.
The secondary objective of this invention is to provide the combined wax pattern of the golf club head having a wax-connection portion. The wax-connection portion is formed on the boundary line between the wax patterns in the molding process. Accordingly, an outer surface located on the boundary line of the combined wax pattern is improved.
The method for combing the wax patterns for making the golf club head in accordance with the present invention includes the steps of:
prefabricating a first wax pattern and a second wax pattern capable of constituting a combined wax pattern, and at least one of connection surfaces of the first and second wax patterns providing a cutout portion to form an injection notch on a boundary line of the combined wax pattern; and
inserting the first wax pattern and the second wax pattern into a mold assembly, and injecting liquid wax into the injection notch provided on the boundary line of the combined wax pattern to form a wax-connection portion between the first wax pattern and the second wax pattern.
The combined wax pattern for making the golf club head in accordance with the present invention includes a first wax pattern, a second wax pattern and a wax-connection portion. The first wax pattern has a first connection surface while the second wax pattern has a second connection surface. The first connection surface of the first wax pattern has a cutout portion to form an injection notch on a boundary line between the first wax pattern and the second wax pattern when assembled. In molding, the wax-connection portion is formed on the boundary line between the first wax pattern and the second wax pattern to form the combined wax pattern.
In a separate aspect of the present invention is that the cutout portion of the first wax pattern has an inclined surface to form the injection notch.
In a further separate aspect of the present invention is that the cutout portion of the first wax pattern has a curved surface to form the injection notch.
In a yet further separate aspect of the present invention is that the second connection surface of the second wax pattern has a cutout portion aligned with that of the first connection surface of the first wax pattern to form the injection notch.
In a yet further separate aspect of the present invention is that the first connection surface of the first wax pattern has a plurality of first cutout portions while the second connection surface of the second wax pattern has a plurality of second cutout portions. When the first connection surface of the first wax pattern is connected with the second connection surface of the second wax pattern, the first cutout portions and the second cutout portions are alternatively staggered to form a series of injection notches.
In a yet further separate aspect of the present invention is that the injection notch formed by the first cutout portion of the first connection surface communicates with the adjacent injection notch formed by the second cutout portion of the second connection surface when the first wax pattern and the second wax pattern are assembled.
Further scope of the applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:
Referring now to
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- 1. Prefabricating a first wax pattern 11 in a first mold (not shown) and a second wax pattern 12 in a second mold (not shown), the first wax pattern 11 and the second wax pattern 12 capable of constituting a combined wax pattern 1, and a first connection surface 111 of the first wax pattern 11 providing a first cutout portion 112 while a second connection surface 121 of the second wax pattern 12 providing a second cutout portion 122 to form an injection notch 13 on a boundary line of the combined wax pattern 1; and
- 2. Inserting the combined wax pattern 1 of the first wax pattern 11 and the second wax pattern 12 into a mold assembly 2, and injecting liquid wax into the injection notch 13 on the boundary line of the combined wax pattern 1 to form a wax-connection portion 131 between the first cutout portion 112 of the first wax pattern 11 and the second cutout portion 122 of the second wax pattern 12.
Referring now to
Referring again to
In another embodiment, the configurations of the first wax pattern 11 and the second wax pattern 12 can be selected from a group consisting of a club head body, a hosel, a striking plate, a rear-assembling member or plate, a crown plate, a sidewall plate and a sole plate.
Referring again to
In an alternative embodiment, only one of the first connection surface 111 of the first wax pattern 11 and the second connection surface 121 of the second wax pattern 12 provides the cutout portion to form the injection notch 13. In this alternative embodiment, the injection notch 13 is constructed from a space formed between the first cutout portion 112 of the first wax pattern 11 and the second connection surface 121 of the second wax pattern 12; or formed between the first connection surface 111 of the first wax pattern 11 and the second cutout portion 122 of the second wax pattern 12.
Referring again to
Construction of the combined wax pattern 1 in accordance with the present invention shall be described in detail with reference to
Turning now to
In the second step of the method for combining the wax patterns in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention the first wax pattern 11 and the second wax pattern 12 are inserted into inner cavities of the mold assembly 2 in place, by referring back to
Still referring to
Turning now to
Turning now to
In the second step of the method for combining the wax patterns in accordance with the third embodiment of the present invention the first wax pattern 11 and the second wax pattern 120 are inserted into inner cavities of the mold assembly (not shown). The first wax pattern 11 and the second wax pattern 120 can be assembled to constitute the combined wax pattern 1 if liquid wax is completely injected into the injection notch 13″. In injecting operation, an adequate amount of liquid wax is injected into the injection notch 13″ of the combined wax pattern 1. Once cooled and hardened, the hardened liquid wax becomes a wax-connection portion 131″ of the combined wax pattern 1, and integrally connects between the first cutout portion 112 of the first wax pattern 11 and the second cutout portion 122 of the second wax pattern 120.
As has been discussed above, the conventional method for combing the wax patterns causes occurring unwanted partition lines or cracks on an outer surface of the combined wax pattern due to a boundary line existing between the two wax patterns. Conversely, the method for combining the wax patterns in accordance with the present invention, as best shown in
Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to its presently preferred embodiment, 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.
Claims
1. A manufacturing method for combining wax patterns for making a golf club head, comprising the steps of:
- prefabricating a first wax pattern and a second wax pattern to constitute a combined wax pattern, and at least one of connection surfaces of the first and second wax patterns providing at least one cutout portion to form at least one injection notch on a boundary line of the combined wax pattern; and
- inserting the first wax pattern and the second wax pattern into a mold assembly, and injecting liquid wax into the injection notch to form a wax-connection portion between the first wax pattern and the second wax pattern.
2. The method for combining the wax patterns for making the golf club head. as defined in claim 1, wherein the cutout portion continuously or discontinuously extends along an outer circumference of the connection surface of the first wax pattern or the second wax pattern.
3. The method for combining the wax patterns for making the golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the connection surface of the first wax pattern has a plurality of first cutout portions arranged along its outer circumference while the connection surface of the second wax pattern has a plurality of second cutout portions arranged along its outer circumference.
4. The method for combining the wax patterns for making the golf club head as defined in claim 3, wherein the first cutout portions of the first wax pattern and the second cutout portions of the second wax pattern are alternatively staggered to form a series of the injection notches.
5. The method for combining the wax patterns for making the golf club head as defined in claim 4, wherein the injection notch formed by the first cutout portion communicates with the adjacent injection notch formed by the second cutout portion.
6. The method for combining the wax patterns for making the golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the connection surface of the first wax pattern has a first cutout portion arranged along its outer circumference while the connection surface of the second wax pattern has a second cutout portion arranged along its outer circumference; the first cutout portion and the second cutout portion commonly define the injection notch.
7. The method for the combining the wax patterns for making the golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the cutout portion of the wax pattern has an inclined surface or a curved surface.
8. The method for combining the wax patterns for making the golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein configurations of the first wax pattern and the second wax pattern are selected from a group consisting of a club head body, a hosel, a striking plate, a rear-assembling member or plate, a crown plate, a sidewall plate, a sole plate and a rear-wall member.
9. The method for combining the wax patterns for making the golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the cutout portion has a depth ranging between 15% and 75% of a width of one of the first wax pattern and the second wax pattern.
10. The method for the combining the wax patterns for making the golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the combined wax pattern forms an undercut portion for the golf club head.
11. A combined wax pattern for making a golf club head, comprising:
- a first wax pattern having a first connection surface, the first connection surface providing at least one cutout portion;
- a second wax pattern having a second connection surface corresponding to the first connection surface;
- an injection notch formed between the cutout portion of the first connection surface of the first wax pattern and the second connection surface of the second wax pattern when assembled; and
- a wax-connection portion formed in the injection notch, the wax-connection portion integrally connecting between the cutout portion of the first wax pattern and the second connection surface of the second wax pattern.
12. The combined wax pattern for making the golf club head as defined in claim 11, wherein the cutout portion continuously or discontinuously extends along an outer circumference of the connection surface of the first wax pattern.
13. The combined wax pattern for making the golf club head as defined in claim 11, wherein the first connection surface of the first wax pattern has a plurality of first cutout portions arranged along its outer circumference while the second connection surface of the second wax pattern has a plurality of second cutout portions arranged along its outer circumference.
14. The combined wax pattern for making the golf club head as defined in claim 13, wherein the first cutout portions of the first wax pattern and the second cutout portions of the second wax pattern are alternatively staggered to form a series of the injection notches.
15. The combined wax pattern for making the golf club head as defined in claim 14, wherein the injection notch formed by the first cutout portion communicates with the adjacent injection notch formed by the second cutout portion.
16. The combined wax pattern for making the golf club head as defined in claim 11, wherein the second connection surface of the second wax pattern has further a cutout portion arranged along its outer circumference; the cutout portions of the first wax pattern and the second wax pattern commonly define the injection notch.
17. The combined wax pattern for making the golf club head as defined in claim 11, wherein the cutout portion of the first wax pattern has an inclined surface or a curved surface.
18. The combined wax pattern for making the golf club head as defined in claim 11, wherein configurations of the first wax pattern and the second wax pattern are selected from a group consisting of a club head body, a hosel, a striking plate, a rear-assembling member or plate, a crown plate, a sidewall plate, a sole plate and a rear-wall member.
19. The combined wax pattern for making the golf club head as defined in claim 11, wherein the cutout portion has a depth ranging between 15% and 75% of a width of one of the first wax pattern and the second wax pattern.
20. The combined wax pattern for making the golf club head as defined in claim 11, wherein the combined wax pattern forms an undercut portion for the golf club head.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 12, 2005
Publication Date: Apr 12, 2007
Applicant:
Inventor: Chi-Ming Lin (Kaohsiung City)
Application Number: 11/247,198
International Classification: B22C 7/02 (20060101); B22C 9/04 (20060101);