Stainless steel base material for producing golf club heads and method of manufacture

Abstract

This invention relates to a stainless steel substrate for manufacturing golf club heads and a method thereof. The main feature is the provision of a stainless steel substrate, which is forged or hammered and then subjected to heat treatment at different temperatures and specific aging treatments, making it suitable for manufacturing hard or soft golf club heads. The stainless steel substrate comprises 0.245–0.265 wt% carbon (C), 0.65–0.85 wt% silicon (Si), 0.45–0.65 wt% manganese (Mn), 16.4–16.8 wt% chromium (Cr), 0.1–0.5 wt% molybdenum (Mo), 0.1–0.5 wt% copper (Cu), and a balanced amount of iron (Fe); where wt% refers to weight percentage. Using this stainless steel substrate, the mechanical properties of the manufactured golf club heads can be improved.

Claims

1. A stainless steel substrate for manufacturing golf club heads, comprising: 0.245–0.265 wt% carbon (C), 0.65–0.85 wt% silicon (Si), 0.45–0.65 wt% manganese (Mn), 16.4–16.8 wt% chromium (Cr), 0.1–0.5 wt% molybdenum (Mo), 0.1–0.5 wt% copper (Cu), and an equilibrium amount of iron (Fe); where wt% refers to weight percentage.

2. The stainless steel substrate for making golf club heads as described in claim 1, further comprising 0.040 to 0.060 wt% nitrogen (N).

3. The stainless steel substrate for making golf club heads as described in claim 1 or 2, the stainless steel substrate comprising a tensile strength of 208.5 to 221.1 ksi, a yield strength of 150.7 to 187.0 ksi, a Young's coefficient of 180.7 to 244.5 Gpa, or an elongation of 9.5 to 11.5%.

4. The stainless steel substrate for making a golf club head as described in claim 3, wherein the stainless steel substrate further comprises a hardness (HRB) of 111.1 to 115.

6.

5. The stainless steel substrate for making a golf club head as described in claim 1 or 2, the stainless steel substrate comprising a tensile strength of 108.7 to 140.7 ksi, a yield strength of 68.6 to 117.5 ksi, a Young's coefficient of 156.0 to 171.0 Gpa, or an elongation of 14.0 to 20.8%.

6. The stainless steel substrate for making a golf club head as described in claim 5, wherein the stainless steel substrate further comprises a hardness (HRB) of 97.8 to 105.

1.

7. A method for manufacturing a stainless steel substrate for making a golf club head, performed on the stainless steel substrate as described in claim 1, the method comprising the following steps: forging or hammering the stainless steel substrate at a forging temperature, the forging temperature being 850°C to 1150°C; performing a solution treatment on the stainless steel substrate at a solution temperature for a first time interval, the solution temperature being 1000°C to 1050°C; performing an aging treatment on the stainless steel substrate at a heat treatment temperature for a second time interval, the heat treatment temperature being 200°C to 865°C; and cooling the stainless steel substrate to a room temperature.

8. A method for manufacturing a stainless steel substrate for making a golf club head as described in claim 7, wherein the forging temperature includes 850°C to 950°C.

9. A method for manufacturing a stainless steel substrate for making a golf club head as described in claim 7, wherein the solution treatment temperature includes 1040°C.

10. A method for manufacturing a stainless steel substrate for making a golf club head as described in any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the first time interval includes 80 to 100 minutes.

11. The method for manufacturing a stainless steel substrate for making a golf club head as described in claim 7, wherein the heat treatment temperature includes a low-temperature heat treatment temperature or a high-temperature heat treatment temperature.

12. The method for manufacturing a stainless steel substrate for making a golf club head as described in claim 11, wherein, at the low-temperature heat treatment temperature, the stainless steel substrate has a tensile strength of 208.5 to 221.1 ksi, a yield strength of 150.7 to 187.0 ksi, a Young's coefficient of 180.7 to 244.5 Gpa, an elongation of 9.5 to 11.5%, or a hardness (HRB) of 111.1 to 115.

6.

13. The method for manufacturing a stainless steel substrate for making a golf club head as described in claim 11, wherein the stainless steel substrate, at the high-temperature heat treatment temperature, has a tensile strength of 108.7 to 140.7 ksi, a yield strength of 68.6 to 117.5 ksi, a Young's coefficient of 156.0 to 171.0 Gpa, an elongation of 14.0 to 20.8%, or a hardness (HRB) of 97.8 to 105.

1.

14. The method for manufacturing a stainless steel substrate for making a golf club head as described in any one of claims 7 to 9, 11, wherein the second time interval includes 100 to 140 minutes.

Images