Golf club head having movable weights

• US 10,058,749 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2017
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Inventors: Beach, Todd P., Vincent, Benoit, Wright, Ian C., Willett, Kraig Alan, Zimmerman, Gery Mel, Hoffman, Joseph Henry
• Primary Examiner(s): HUNTER, ALVIN A
• Application Number:
  US15/433,751
• Publication Number:
  US 20170157475A1
• Time in Patent Office: 559 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0412 Volume
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0458 with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/06 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/42 Devices for measuring, verifying, correcting or customising the inherent characteristics of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like, e.g. measuring the maximum torque a batting shaft can withstand

Abstract

A golf club head comprises a body and at least one self-extracting pressed weight assembly. The body comprises a face plate positioned at a forward portion of the golf club head, a sole positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head, a crown positioned at a top portion of the golf club head and a skirt positioned around a periphery of the golf club head between the sole and the crown. The body defines an interior cavity. The weight assembly comprises at least three components and is configured for a press fit engagement with the golf club head. The assembly has a drive portion and a threaded portion.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a body comprising a face positioned at a forward portion of the golf club head and having a loft between about 6 degrees and about 16 degrees, a sole positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head, and a crown positioned at a top portion of the golf club head;

at least two recesses in the body for receiving and retaining at least a portion of at least two interchangeable weights including a first weight, having a first mass, and a second weight, having a second mass;

wherein the at least two recesses have a combined volume between about 0.3 cm³ and about 15 cm³;

wherein the first mass and the second mass range from about 1 gram to about 25 grams, and the second mass is at least three times the first mass;

wherein the golf club head has a coefficient of restitution greater than about 0.8 and less than 1.0;

wherein the face has a face thickness that varies, and a golf club head center of gravity has a CG head origin z-axis coordinate less than about 0 mm, a CG head origin y-axis coordinate is less than about 40 mm, and a CG head origin x-axis coordinate is greater than about −

10 mm and less than about 10 mm; and

wherein the golf club head has a volume between about 250 cm³ and about 500 cm³, and a moment of inertia about a head center of gravity z-axis generally perpendicular to ground between about 250 kg·

mm² and about 600 kg·

mm².

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the body is formed of a non-metallic composite material having a composite portion areal weight of less than about 0.35 g/cm², and a golf club head center of gravity has a CG head origin z-axis coordinate less than about 0 mm.

3. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the non-metallic composite portion of the body includes at least a portion of the crown, and more than about 50% of the crown surface area is formed of the non-metallic composite material.

4. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the non-metallic composite portion of the club head includes at least a portion of a sole and has a composite sole portion areal weight of less than about 0.35 g/cm².

5. The golf club head of claim 4, wherein more than about 50% of the sole surface area is formed of the non-metallic composite material.

6. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the thickness of a portion of the face is greater than about 3.0 mm.

7. The golf club head of claim 6, wherein the thickness of a portion of the face is less than about 2.3 mm.

8. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein at least one of the weights has a y-axis coordinate greater than about 50 mm, and a golf club head center of gravity has a CG head origin z-axis coordinate less than about 0 mm.

9. The golf club head of claim 8, wherein at least one of the weights has a y-axis coordinate greater than about 20 mm and less than about 50 mm.

10. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the golf club head has a moment of inertia about a head center of gravity x-axis generally parallel to the origin x-axis between about 140 kg·

mm² and about 400 kg·

mm².

11. The golf club head of claim 10, wherein the moment of inertia about the head center of gravity z-axis generally perpendicular to ground between about 360 kg·

mm² and about 500 kg·

mm².

12. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the first mass is between about 1 gram and about 3 grams, and the second mass is between about 6 gram and about 18 grams.

13. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the at least two recesses for receiving the at least two interchangeable weights includes at least three recesses for receiving at least three interchangeable weights including a third weight having a third mass, wherein the recesses have a volume between about 0.3 cm³ and about 15 cm³, the interchangeable weights range from about 1 grams to about 18 grams, and the second mass is at least three times the third mass.

14. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein at least one of the weights has a head origin x-axis coordinate between about −

10 mm and about 10 mm, and at least one of the weights has a head origin x-axis coordinate between about 10 mm and about 50 mm.

15. A golf club head comprising:

at least one recess for receiving and retaining at least a portion of at least one removable weight;

the at least one removable weight configured to substantially conform to the at least one recess of the club head, the at least one removable weight ranges from about 1 gram to about 25 grams, wherein the removable weight comprises (a) a head for receiving an engagement end of a tool, and (b) a body extending from the head and configured to cooperatively engage the at least one recess;

wherein the at least one recess has a volume between about 0.3 cm³ and about 15 cm³;

wherein the at least one removable weight has a head origin x-axis coordinate between about −

10 mm and about 10 mm;

wherein the golf club head has a golf club head center of gravity with a CG head origin z-axis coordinate less than about 0 mm, a CG head origin y-axis coordinate less than about 50 mm, and a CG head origin x-axis coordinate greater than about −

10 mm and less than about 10 mm;

wherein the golf club head has a face with a face thickness that varies;

wherein the golf club head has a coefficient of restitution greater than about 0.8 and less than 1.0

wherein the at least one removable weight has a head origin y-axis coordinate greater than about 50 mm, and the CG head origin y-axis coordinate is less than about 40 mm, and the CG head origin x-axis coordinate is greater than about −

4 mm and less than about 8 mm; and

wherein the golf club head has a volume between about 250 cm³ and about 500 cm³, a moment of inertia about a head center of gravity z-axis generally perpendicular to ground between about 250 kg·

mm² and about 600 kg·

mm², and a moment of inertia about a head center of gravity x-axis generally parallel to the origin x-axis between about 140 kg·

mm² and about 400 kg·

mm².

16. The golf club head of claim 15, wherein at least a portion of the golf club head is formed of a non-metallic composite material having a composite portion areal weight of less than about 0.35 g/cm².

17. The golf club head of claim 16, wherein the non-metallic composite portion of the body includes at least a portion of a crown, and more than about 50% of the crown surface area is formed of the non-metallic composite material.

18. The golf club head of claim 17, wherein the non-metallic composite portion of the club head includes at least a portion of a sole and has a composite sole portion areal weight of less than about 0.35 g/cm².

19. The golf club head of claim 18, wherein more than about 50% of the sole surface area is formed of the non-metallic composite material.

20. The golf club head of claim 17, wherein the thickness of a portion of the face is greater than about 3.0 mm, and the CG head origin z-axis coordinate is less than about −

2 mm.

21. The golf club head of claim 17, wherein the thickness of a portion of the face is less than about 2.3 mm, and the CG head origin z-axis coordinate is less than about −

2 mm.

22. A golf club head comprising:

a body comprising a face positioned at a forward portion of the golf club head and having a loft between about 6 degrees and about 16 degrees, a sole positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head, and a crown positioned at a top portion of the golf club head;

at least three recesses in the body for receiving and retaining at least a portion of at least three interchangeable weights including a first weight having a first mass, a second weight having a second mass, and a third weight having a third mass;

wherein the at least three recesses have a have a combined volume between about 0.3 cm³ and about 15 cm³;

wherein the third mass is at least three times at least one of the first mass and the second mass; and

wherein the golf club head has a coefficient of restitution greater than about 0.8 and less than 1.0;

wherein the face has a face thickness that varies, and a golf club head center of gravity has a CG head origin z-axis coordinate less than about 0 mm, a CG head origin y-axis coordinate is less than about 40 mm, and a CG head origin x-axis coordinate is greater than about −

10 mm and less than about 10 mm;

wherein at least one of the three weights has a head origin x-axis coordinate between about −

10 mm and about 10 mm, and at least one of the three weights has a head origin x-axis coordinate between about 10 mm and about 50 mm;

wherein at least one of the three weights has a y-axis coordinate greater than about 50 mm, and at least one of the three weights has a y-axis coordinate greater than about 20 mm and less than about 50 mm;

wherein the golf club head has a volume between about 250 cm³ and about 500 cm³, a moment of inertia about a head center of gravity z-axis generally perpendicular to ground between about 250 kg·

mm² and about 600 kg·

mm², and a moment of inertia about a head center of gravity x-axis generally parallel to the origin x-axis between about 140 kg·

mm² and about 400 kg·

mm².

23. The golf club head of claim 22, wherein at least a portion of the body is formed of a non-metallic composite material having a composite portion areal weight of less than about 0.35 g/cm², and a golf club head center of gravity has a CG head origin z-axis coordinate less than about 0 mm.