Golf club head with center of gravity adjustability

• US 10,065,086 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2017
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: Seluga, James A., Holt, Denver
• Primary Examiner(s): Blau, Stephen
• Application Number:
  US15/724,373
• Publication Number:
  US 20180021643A1
• Time in Patent Office: 335 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/02 with reinforcing fibres, e.g. carbon, polyamide fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/06 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/002 Resonance frequency related characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence
• 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

The present invention comprises a golf club head comprising a body having a crown, a sole, a front wall and a hosel, wherein the body defines a hollow interior. The golf club head further comprises a center of gravity adjustment assembly wherein the center of gravity adjustment assembly is positioned within the hollow interior of the body, and allows the center of gravity of the golf club head to be adjusted by at least 0.050 inch, preferably along a vertical axis.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a body comprising a face, a crown, a sole, and a rearmost portion;

a hollow tube;

a cap screw comprising a plurality of cutouts allowing the cap screw to be completely seen through; and

a cartridge sized to fit within the tube, the cartridge comprising at least two different materials, a first end, and a second end,

wherein the tube is disposed within a hollow interior of the golf club head and extends from the crown to the sole,

wherein the tube is located closer to the face than to the rearmost portion,

wherein the tube is in tension between the crown and the sole,

wherein the tube is accessible via an opening in one of the crown and the sole,

wherein the cap screw retains the cartridge within the tube when the cap screw is affixed to the sole, and

wherein changing the orientation of the cartridge within the tube changes the location of the golf club head'"'"'s center of gravity by at least 0.050 inch.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the first end comprises a first material having a first specific gravity, and wherein the second end comprises a second material having a second specific gravity that is at least three times the value of the first specific gravity.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the cap screw places a compression load on the cartridge that exceeds 50 lbs.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the crown comprises an edge support structure sized to receive an end of the hollow tube.

5. The golf club head of claim 4, wherein the edge support structure comprises two ribs.

6. The golf club head of claim 5, wherein each of the two ribs has a width of approximately 0.090 inch, a length of 0.407 inch, and a height of 0.236 inch.

7. The golf club head of claim 4, wherein the edge support structure is integrally molded with the crown from a composite material.

8. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the tube has a weight of less than 5 grams.

9. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the cap screw comprises external threads, wherein the opening comprises internal threads, and wherein the cap screw is sized to fit within the opening such that the external threads engage with the internal threads.

10. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising a first cartridge cap and a second cartridge cap, wherein the first cartridge cap is affixed to the first end of the cartridge, wherein the second cartridge cap is affixed to the second end of the cartridge, and wherein a portion of the first cartridge cap or the second cartridge cap is visible through the cutouts.

11. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the first end comprises a first color, wherein the second end comprises a second color that is different from the first color, and wherein a portion of the first end or the second end of the cartridge is visible through the cutouts.

12. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein at least one of the first end and second end is tapered.

13. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the cutouts are filled with a translucent material selected from the group consisting of glass and plastic.

14. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising a sole plate, wherein the sole plate is affixed to the sole and encircles the cap screw.

15. The golf club head of claim 14, wherein the sole plate comprises an uneven exterior surface.

16. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the golf club head comprises at least one weight port sized to receive a removable weight.

17. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the golf club head exhibits one distinguished sound peak that has a frequency of at least 3000 Hz and an amplitude that is at least 8 decibels greater than any other sound peak.

18. The golf club head of claim 17, wherein the face has a frequency of 3000 to 4010 Hz.

19. The golf club head of claim 17, wherein the sole has a frequency of 2500 to 3100 Hz.

20. The golf club head of claim 17, wherein the golf club head is a driver-type golf club head, wherein the face and the sole are composed of a metal material, and wherein the crown is composed of a composite material.