Golf club head with adjustable center of gravity

• US 10,173,110 B1
• Filed: 01/30/2018
• Issued: 01/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: Foster, Philip G., Myers, Matthew, Kim, Wee Joung, Sutton, Steven C., Tang, Larry, Holt, Denver
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Alvin
• Application Number:
  US15/884,210
• Time in Patent Office: 343 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0495 moving on impact, slidable, spring or otherwise elastically biased
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/06 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/04 Movable ballast means A63B15/005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/52 with slits

Abstract

A golf club head comprising multiple means of adjusting the location of the center of gravity, and the bias, is disclosed herein. In a preferred embodiment, the golf club head comprises a non-metal medallion comprising a channel that is affixed to one of the crown and the sole, a slidable weight sized to fit within the channel, and a cover that attaches to the medallion and locks the slidable weight within the channel at a location selected by a user. The cover preferably includes at least one cutout so that the slidable weight is at least partially visible to the user when it is locked within the channel. The cover also includes additional cutouts that receive protrusions extending from the medallion to more securely attach the cover to the medallion.

Claims

1. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a metal body comprising a sole, a face, a hosel, a heel side, a toe side, and a rear side opposite the face;

a composite crown adhesively bonded to the body;

a cover; and

a first slidable weight,

wherein the sole comprises a Y-shaped channel,

wherein the first slidable weight is disposed within and reversibly fixed to at least one of a plurality of points within the Y-shaped channel, and

wherein the cover is affixed to the sole to trap the first slidable weight within the Y-shaped channel.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the first slidable weight comprises first and second materials.

3. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the first material is a tungsten material.

4. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the second material is selected from the group consisting of aluminum, plastic, and composite.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the first slidable weight is adjustable in a direction perpendicular to the face.

6. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising a second slidable weight, wherein the second slidable weight is disposed within and reversibly fixed to at least one of a plurality of points within the Y-shaped channel.

7. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the cover is composed of a non-metallic material.

8. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the cover comprises a cutout approximately the same shape as the Y-shaped channel.

9. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the golf club head is a driver-type golf club head.

10. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the sole comprises at least one weight port.

11. The golf club head of claim 10, further comprising a weight screw sized to fit within the weight port.

12. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the first slidable weight comprises a mechanical fastener.

13. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the body is cast from a titanium material.

14. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a metal body comprising a sole, a face, a hosel, a heel side, a toe side, and a rear side opposite the face;

a composite crown adhesively bonded to the body; and

a first slidable weight,

wherein the sole comprises a Y-shaped channel,

wherein the first slidable weight is disposed within and reversibly fixed to at least one of a plurality of points within the Y-shaped channel, and

wherein the Y-shaped channel comprises a curved cross-sectional shape with an internal width that is greater than an external opening width.