Weight member for a golf club head

• US 10,456,641 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2018
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SRI Sports Limited (Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: SRI Sports Limited (Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Nivanh, Dan S., Radcliffe, Nathaniel J., Kuan, Jimmy H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Simms, Jr., John E
• Application Number:
  US16/038,500
• Publication Number:
  US 20180318679A1
• Time in Patent Office: 468 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• 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 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• 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 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49 Method of mechanical manufacture

Abstract

A weight member for removable attachment to a weight port of a golf club head is provided. The weight member comprises a head that has a tool mating port for operatively receiving a portion of a fastening tool. The weight member further comprises a shaft that is associated with the head such that the shaft terminates at an end surface. The shaft has a threaded external surface and a non-threaded internal bore that extends from the end surface.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

forming a first weight having a first finished mass and a second weight having a second finished mass that is different than the first finished mass, thereby defining a variation in finished mass, by;

(a) forming a first intermediate weight body having a first head, including a first head end, and a first shaft, including a first shaft end opposite the first head end, and a first shaft outer diameter the first shaft comprising a first shaft length;

(b) forming a second intermediate weight body having a second head, including a second head end, and a second shaft, including a second shaft end opposite the second head end, and a second shaft outer diameter that is substantially equal to the first shaft outer diameter;

(c) removing an amount of mass from the first intermediate body to form an internal bore extending inwardly through the first intermediate body from the first head end, resulting in a non-zero variation in mass between the first intermediate body and the second intermediate body at least partially contributing to the variation in finished mass, the internal bore comprising a bore depth that is greater than the first shaft length; and

(d) configuring the first and second intermediate weight bodies for interchangeable association within a weight port of a golf club head.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first weight further comprises a first shaft length and the second weight further comprises a second shaft length that is substantially equal to the first shaft length.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first weight further comprises a first head height and the second weight further comprises a second head height that is substantially equal to the first head height.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming an external threaded surface on at least one of the first shaft of the first intermediate weight body or the second shaft of the second intermediate weight body.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first finished mass and the second finished mass differ by at least 1 g.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first finished mass and the second finished mass differ by at least 3 g.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the internal bore is non-threaded.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first finished weight has a first overall length no less than 10 mm, and the second finished weight has a second overall length no less than 10 mm.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first finished weight and the second weight comprises more than one material.

10. A method comprising:

forming a first weight having a first finished mass and a second weight having a second finished mass that is different than the first finished mass, thereby defining a variation in finished mass, by;

(a) forming a first intermediate weight body having a first head, including a first head end, and a first shaft, including a first shaft end opposite the first head end, and a first shaft outer diameter, the first shaft comprising a first shaft length;

(b) forming a second intermediate weight body having a second head, including a second head end, and a second shaft, including a second shaft end opposite the second head end, and a second shaft outer diameter that is substantially equal to the first shaft outer diameter, the second shaft comprising a second shaft length;

(c) removing a first amount of mass from the first intermediate body to form a first internal bore extending inwardly through the first intermediate body from the first head end, the first internal bore comprising a first bore depth that is greater than the first shaft length;

(d) removing a second amount of mass from the second intermediate body to form a second internal bore extending inwardly through the second intermediate body from the second head end, the second amount of mass being different from the first amount of mass, thereby at least partially contributing to the variation in finished mass, the second internal bore comprising a second bore depth that is greater than the second shaft length; and

(e) configuring the first and second intermediate weight bodies for interchangeable association within a weight port of a golf club head.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the first internal bore comprises a first diameter; and

the second internal bore comprises a second diameter that is different from the first diameter of the first internal bore.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the first internal bore comprises a first bore depth; and

the second internal bore comprises a second bore depth, such that an absolute difference between the first bore depth and the second bore depth is no less than 0.5 mm.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the first weight further comprises a first shaft length and the second weight further comprises a second shaft length that is substantially equal to the first shaft length.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising forming an external threaded surface on at least one of the first shaft of the first intermediate weight body or the second shaft of the second intermediate weight body.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the first finished mass and the second finished mass differ by at least 3 g.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the internal bore is non-threaded.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of the first finished weight and the second weight comprises more than one material.