Golf club having movable weight and cover

• US 10,576,337 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2018
• Issued: 03/03/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Soracco, Peter L., Yi, Sang
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Alvin A
• Application Number:
  US16/233,722
• Publication Number:
  US 20190192928A1
• Time in Patent Office: 432 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 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0655 Tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• 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
• 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 is presented comprising a sole including a weight member that is slidable in an elongate weight mount including a rail with or without a cover. The weight member is preferably constructed so that it is assembled in the weight mount and is locked by configuring the weight member to pinch the rail. The cover member can cover the weight, the weight mount, or even just an opening on the sole of the golf club head.

Claims

1. A golf club head, comprising:

a hosel;

a ball striking face;

a sole extending aftward from a lower edge of the face;

a crown extending aftward from an upper edge of the face;

a skirt extending between the sole and the crown;

a weight mount disposed on at least one of the sole, the crown and the skirt, the weight mount including parallel side walls and an elongate rail, wherein the side walls extend from an outer surface of the golf club head and toward an interior of the golf club head and form a recessed channel, wherein the rail protrudes into the interior of the recessed channel, defines lateral undercuts, and extends longitudinally through the recessed channel;

a weight member that includes a first weight component, a second weight component, and an actuator; and

a weight cover, substantially covering said weight member,

wherein each of the first and second weight components defines an outer end and an inner end, and the first and second weight components combine to define a slot and a bore that intersects the slot, wherein the bore extends through the outer ends of the first and second weight components, wherein the inner ends of the first and second weight components are disposed in the lateral undercuts of the rail,

wherein the actuator includes a threaded fastener and a threaded nut,

wherein the threaded nut is disposed in the slot, and the threaded fastener is disposed in the bore and is threaded into a threaded bore included in the threaded nut;

the threaded fastener includes a tapered surface that abuts a tapered surface on each of the first and second weight components, wherein the tapered surfaces are angled so that the surfaces are tapered toward the center of the weight member as the tapered surfaces extend deeper into the weight mount so that the first and second weight components are forced laterally outward as the threaded fastener is advanced into the threaded nut,

wherein a portion of the side walls of the weight mount is cylindrical and a portion of the outer surface of the weight member is cylindrical,

wherein the weight member has an unlocked configuration and a locked configuration, wherein in the unlocked configuration the threaded fastener is in a first position and in the locked configuration the threaded fastener is in a second position threaded further into the threaded nut than in the first position and the tapered surface of the threaded fastener forcibly abuts the tapered surfaces of the first and second weight components so that the inner ends of the first and second weight components forcibly pinch the rail, and

wherein the weight cover is formed of a polymeric material.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the polymeric material is elastomer.

3. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the weight cover substantially conceals the weight member.

4. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein the weight cover further comprises a slit, the slit provides access to the weight member through the weight cover.

5. The golf club head of claim 4, wherein the slit non-plastically deforms when it bends away to provide access to the weight member.

6. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the golf club head further comprises at least one port cover,

the port cover substantially conceals an opening on the sole.

7. The golf club head of claim 6, wherein the opening on the sole is placed underneath the hosel.

8. The golf club head of claim 7, wherein the at least one port cover further comprises a slit, the slit provides access to a threaded mechanism underneath the hosel.

9. The golf club head of claim 8, wherein the slit non-plastically deforms when it bends away to provide access to the weight member.

10. The golf club head of claim 9, the port cover is formed of a polymeric material.

11. The golf club head of claim 10, wherein the polymeric material is elastomer.

12. The golf club head of claim 10, wherein the polymeric material is elastomer.

13. A golf club head, comprising:

a hosel;

a ball striking face;

a sole extending aftward from a lower edge of the face;

a crown extending aftward from an upper edge of the face;

a skirt extending between the sole and the crown;

a weight mount disposed on at least one of the sole, the crown and the skirt, the weight mount including parallel side walls and an elongate rail, wherein the side walls extend from an outer surface of the golf club head and toward an interior of the golf club head and form a recessed channel, wherein the rail protrudes into the interior of the recessed channel, defines lateral undercuts, and extends longitudinally through the recessed channel;

a weight member that includes a first weight component, a second weight component, and an actuator; and

a port cover, substantially covering an opening in the sole,

wherein each of the first and second weight components defines an outer end and an inner end, and the first and second weight components combine to define a slot and a bore that intersects the slot, wherein the bore extends through the outer ends of the first and second weight components, wherein the inner ends of the first and second weight components are disposed in the lateral undercuts of the rail,

wherein the actuator includes a threaded fastener and a threaded nut,

wherein the threaded nut is disposed in the slot, and the threaded fastener is disposed in the bore and is threaded into a threaded bore included in the threaded nut;

the threaded fastener includes a tapered surface that abuts a tapered surface on each of the first and second weight components, wherein the tapered surfaces are angled so that the surfaces are tapered toward the center of the weight member as the tapered surfaces extend deeper into the weight mount so that the first and second weight components are forced laterally outward as the threaded fastener is advanced into the threaded nut,

wherein a portion of the side walls of the weight mount is cylindrical and a portion of the outer surface of the weight member is cylindrical,

wherein the weight member has an unlocked configuration and a locked configuration, wherein in the unlocked configuration the threaded fastener is in a first position and in the locked configuration the threaded fastener is in a second position threaded further into the threaded nut than in the first position and the tapered surface of the threaded fastener forcibly abuts the tapered surfaces of the first and second weight components so that the inner ends of the first and second weight components forcibly pinch the rail, and

wherein the port cover is formed of a polymeric material.

14. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein the opening on the sole is placed underneath the hosel.

15. The golf club head of claim 14, wherein the at least one port cover further comprises a slit, the slit provides access to a threaded mechanism underneath the hosel.

16. The golf club head of claim 15, wherein the slit non-plastically deforms when it bends away to provide access to the weight member.

17. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein the port cover is formed of a polymeric material.