Metal wood club

• US 10,369,427 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2017
• Issued: 08/06/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Sanchez, Richard, Sugimae, Ryuichi, Frame, Nick, Knutson, Scott A., Bennett, Thomas Orrin, Cleghorn, Richard L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Blau, Stephen L
• Application Number:
  US15/837,513
• Publication Number:
  US 20180099189A1
• Time in Patent Office: 603 Days
• 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 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 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence

Abstract

A golf club head comprising a body, wherein the body comprises a cavity, wherein the cavity comprises an open end and a terminal end, the terminal end opposite the open end, an elongate weighted insert configured to reside in the cavity, the weighted insert having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, wherein the cavity is configured to receive the weighted insert through the open end, a head locking feature located at the open end of the cavity, an insert locking member comprising an insert locking feature configured to engage the head locking feature and lock the weighted insert in the cavity, a second head locking feature located at the open end of the cavity, wherein the insert locking member comprises a second insert locking feature configured to engage the second head locking feature and lock the weighted insert in the cavity.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a body having a face, a sole, a crown, and a skirt joining said face, sole and crown, said body having a body center of gravity;

said body having a coordinate system with an x-axis located horizontal to the club face, a y-axis located vertical to the club face, and a z-axis located through the club face;

wherein said body comprises a cavity;

wherein said cavity comprises an open end and a terminal end, said terminal end opposite said open end;

an elongate weighted insert configured to reside in said cavity, said weighted insert having a first end and a second end opposite said first end;

wherein said weighted insert comprises a longitudinal insert axis extending along a center of said weighted insert and passing through said first end and said second end of said weighted insert;

wherein said cavity is configured to receive said weighted insert through said open end in both a first orientation where said first end is adjacent said terminal end of said cavity and a second orientation where said second end is adjacent said terminal end of said cavity;

a head locking feature located at said open end of said cavity;

an insert locking member comprising an insert locking feature configured to engage said head locking feature and lock said weighted insert in said cavity;

wherein said head locking feature comprises female threads and wherein said insert locking feature comprises male threads configured to engage said female threads;

a second head locking feature located at said open end of said cavity;

wherein said insert locking member comprises a second insert locking feature configured to engage said second head locking feature and lock said weighted insert in said cavity;

wherein said second head locking feature is located external to said head locking feature;

wherein said second insert locking feature comprises a friction member configured to reside between said insert locking member and said body when said insert locking member is installed in said body and provide a level of friction between said insert locking member and said body, preventing said insert locking member from inadvertently loosening relative to said body when said golf club head strikes a golf ball;

wherein said insert locking member comprises a channel configured to retain a portion of said friction member;

wherein said open end of said cavity comprises a bore configured to receive said friction member;

wherein said open end of said cavity comprises a taper located adjacent said bore;

wherein said friction member comprises a friction member outer diameter and wherein said bore of said open end of said cavity comprises a bore diameter, and wherein said friction member outer diameter is greater than said bore diameter when said insert locking member is not installed in said cavity;

wherein said taper is configured to deform said friction member as said insert locking member is installed in said cavity.

2. A golf club head comprising:

a body having a face, a sole, a crown, and a skirt joining said face, sole and crown, said body having a body center of gravity;

said body having a coordinate system with an x-axis located horizontal to the club face, a y-axis located vertical to the club face, and a z-axis located through the club face;

wherein said body comprises a cavity;

wherein said cavity comprises an open end and a terminal end, said terminal end opposite said open end;

an elongate weighted insert configured to reside in said cavity, said weighted insert having a first end and a second end opposite said first end;

wherein said weighted insert comprises a longitudinal insert axis extending along a center of said weighted insert and passing through said first end and said second end of said weighted insert;

wherein said cavity is configured to receive said weighted insert through said open end;

a head locking feature located at said open end of said cavity;

an insert locking member comprising an insert locking feature configured to engage said head locking feature and lock said weighted insert in said cavity;

a second head locking feature located at said open end of said cavity;

wherein said insert locking member comprises a second insert locking feature configured to engage said second head locking feature and lock said weighted insert in said cavity;

wherein said second insert locking feature comprises a friction member surrounding a portion of said insert locking member;

wherein said insert locking member comprises a channel configured to retain a portion of said friction member.

3. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein said friction member is formed from polyurethane.

4. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein said head locking feature comprises female threads and wherein said insert locking feature comprises male threads configured to engage said female threads.

5. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein said friction member is configured to reside between said insert locking member and said body when said insert locking member is installed in said body and provide a level of friction between said insert locking member and said body, preventing said insert locking member from inadvertently loosening relative to said body when said golf club head strikes a golf ball.

6. The golf club head of claim 5, wherein said open end of said cavity comprises a bore configured to receive said friction member and wherein said open end of said cavity comprises a taper located adjacent said bore.

7. The golf club head of claim 6, wherein said friction member comprises a friction member outer diameter and wherein said bore of said open end of said cavity comprises a bore diameter, and wherein said friction member outer diameter is greater than said bore diameter when said insert locking member is not installed in said body.

8. The golf club head of claim 7, wherein said taper is configured to deform said friction member as said insert locking member is installed in said golf club head.

9. A golf club head comprising:

a body having a face, a sole, a crown, and a skirt joining said face, sole and crown, said body having a body center of gravity;

said body having a coordinate system with an x-axis located horizontal to the club face, a y-axis located vertical to the club face, and a z-axis located through the club face;

wherein said body comprises a cavity;

wherein said cavity comprises an open end and a terminal end, said terminal end opposite said open end;

an elongate weighted insert configured to reside in said cavity, said weighted insert having a first end and a second end opposite said first end;

wherein said weighted insert comprises a longitudinal insert axis extending along a center of said weighted insert and passing through said first end and said second end of said weighted insert;

wherein said cavity is configured to receive said weighted insert through said open end in both a first orientation where said first end is adjacent said terminal end of said cavity and a second orientation where said second end is adjacent said terminal end of said cavity;

a head locking feature located at said open end of said cavity;

an insert locking member comprising an insert locking feature configured to engage said head locking feature and lock said weighted insert in said cavity;

a second head locking feature located at said open end of said cavity;

wherein said insert locking member comprises a second insert locking feature configured to engage said second head locking feature and lock said weighted insert in said cavity;

wherein said second insert locking feature comprises a friction member surrounding a portion of said insert locking member, wherein said friction member is formed from polyurethane;

wherein said friction member configured to reside between said insert locking member and said golf club head when said insert locking member is installed in said golf club head and provide a level of friction between said insert locking member and said golf club head, preventing said insert locking member from inadvertently loosening relative to said golf club head when said golf club head strikes a golf ball, wherein said open end of said cavity comprises a bore configured to receive said friction member and wherein said open end of said cavity comprises a taper located adjacent said bore.

10. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein said friction member comprises a friction member outer diameter and wherein said bore of said open end of said cavity comprises a bore diameter, and wherein said friction member outer diameter is greater than said bore diameter when said insert locking member is not installed in said golf club head, wherein said taper is configured to deform said friction member as said insert locking member is installed in said golf club head.

11. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein said head locking feature comprises female threads and wherein said insert locking feature comprises male threads configured to engage said female threads.