US 8,007,370 · Granted 2011-08-30
How Metal Injection Molding Changed Golf Club Manufacturing
Cobra Golf figured out how to make golf putters using a manufacturing trick called metal injection molding, but using way less metal powder than anyone else. This makes the clubs cheaper to produce while keeping the same quality, giving Cobra a cost advantage in a competitive market.
The plain-English version
What it protects
The claim covers the specific method of forming a golf club head—particularly a putter—using metal injection molding with a reduced volume of powdered metal compared to traditional approaches. What's protected here is the manufacturing process itself: how you combine the metal powder, mold it into shape, and remove binders to create a finished club head more efficiently than competing methods.
Why it matters
In golf equipment manufacturing, reducing production costs without sacrificing quality is a huge competitive advantage. By patenting a more efficient metal injection molding process, Cobra locked down a method that lets them make putters cheaper than rivals—meaning they can either undercut competitors on price or pocket bigger margins. This kind of process patent protects not just the design of the club, but how it gets made.
Real-world use
When a golfer buys a Cobra putter at a golf shop, they're holding a club head manufactured using this cost-saving technique, which helped Cobra offer competitive pricing on premium putters.
Original USPTO abstract
The present invention relates to a method for forming golf club head using metal injection molding and the resulting golf club head. The method of the invention allows for a lower volume of powdered metal than current metal injection molding processes thereby decreasing overall production cost.
Patent details
- Publication number
- US 8,007,370
- Filing date
- 2009-03-10
- Grant date
- 2011-08-30
- Assignee
- Cobra Golf, Inc.
- Inventor(s)
- HIRSCH ROBERT D., SORACCO PETER L.
- CPC class
- A63B53/04
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