A GOLF CLUB HEAD HAVING A BRIDGE MEMBER AND A WEIGHT POSITIONING SYSTEM

• US 20050137024A1
• Filed: 12/23/2003
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Stites, John Thomas, Tavares, Gary Gene
• Granted Patent: US 7,201,669 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/291
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-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 is disclosed that includes a weight integral to a bridge member extending across a cavity back golf club head. The weight modifies a position of a center of gravity of the golf club head. The weight is independently movable in multiple directions to further vary the center of gravity of a golf club head.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a heel;

a toe;

a body extending between the toe and the heel, the body comprising;

a striking face, the striking face having a contact area for engaging a golf ball;

a rear cavity, the rear cavity opposite the striking face;

a bridge member extending across the rear cavity, the bridge member having a front surface and a back surface; and

a weight, the weight attached to the bridge member to vary a position of a center of gravity of the golf club head with respect to the striking face.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the weight is movable of different locations on the bridge member.

3. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the different locations on the bridge member are fixed.

4. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the weight comprises a weight chip.

5. The golf club head of claim 4, wherein the weight chip is attached to the bridge member with a setscrew.

6. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the weight comprises an elliptical shape.

7. The golf club head of claim 6, wherein the elliptical shape weight is rotated and fixed in different positions to further vary the position of a center of gravity of the golf club head with respect to the face.

8. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the weight is interchangeable with one of a plurality of alternate weights.

9. The golf club head of claim 8, wherein at least one of the alternate weights has a different mass than the weight.

10. The golf club head of claim 8, wherein at least one of the alliterate weights has a different shape than the weight.

11. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the bridge member further comprises a rail formed in the bridge member.

12. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the weight is shaped to engage and slide along the rail to vary the position of the center of gravity of the golf club head with respect to the striking face.

13. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein the weight further includes a locking mechanism to secure the weight to the rail at a fixed location along the rail.

14. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a set screw.

15. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein the weight has an elliptical shape.

16. The golf club head of claim 15, wherein the elliptical shaped weight is rotated and fixed in different positions to further vary the position of a center of gravity of the golf club head with respect to the face.

17. The golf club head of claim 15, wherein the elliptical shaped weight is interchangeable with one of a plurality of alternate weights.

18. The golf club head of claim 15, wherein at least one of the alternate weights has a different mass than the weight.

19. The golf club head of claim 15, wherein at least one of the alternate weights has a different shape than the weight.

20. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the bridge member connects the heel and the toe.

21. A golf club head comprising:

a heel;

a toe;

a striking face that provides a contact area for engaging a golf ball;

a rear cavity opposite the striking face;

a bridge member extending across the rear cavity; and

a weight positioning assembly integral to the bridge member, the weight positioning assembly including;

a rail, and

a weight movably connected to the rail, the weight being movable along the rail to vary a position of a center of gravity of the golf club head in a first direction with respect to the striking face, the weight being rotatable to further vary the position of the center of gravity of the golf club head in a second direction with respect to the striking face.

22. The golf club head of claim 21, wherein the weight comprises an elliptical shape.

23. The golf club head of claim 22, wherein the elliptical shaped weight is attached to the bridge member with a setscrew.

24. The golf club head of claim 22, wherein the elliptical weight is interchangeable with one of a plurality of alternate weights.

25. The golf club head of claim 24, wherein at least one of the alternate weights has a different mass than the elliptical weight.

26. The golf club head of claim 24, wherein at least one of the alternate weights has a different shape than the elliptical weight.

27. The golf club head of claim 21, wherein the bridge member connects the toe and the heel.

28. A golf club having a shaft and a head positioned on an end of the shaft, the head comprising:

a striking face that provides a contact area for engaging a golf ball;

a rear cavity opposite the striking face;

a bridge member extending across the rear cavity; and

a weight positioning system integral to the bridge member, the weight positioning system comprising a weight, the weight being movable in three dimensions with respect to the striking face to vary a position of a center of gravity of the golf club head with respect to the striking face.

29. The golf club of claim 28, wherein the weight has an elliptical shape.

30. The golf club of claim 28, wherein the elliptical shaped weight is interchangeable with one of a plurality of alternate weights.

31. The golf club of claim 30, wherein at least one of the alternate weights has a different mass than the weight.

32. The golf club of claim 30, wherein at least one of the alternate weights has a different shape than the weight.

33. A set of iron golf clubs, the set of iron golf clubs comprising:

a plurality of increasing numbered iron golf clubs, the plurality of increasing numbered iron clubs each having a shaft and a golf club head, the golf club head positioned on an end of the shaft, the golf club head of each iron golf club comprising;

a striking face that provides a contact area for engaging a golf ball;

a rear cavity opposite the striking face;

a bridge member extending across the rear cavity; and

a weight, the weight attached to the bridge member to vary a position of a center of gravity of the golf club head with respect to the striking face.

34. The set of iron golf clubs of claim 33, wherein the weight is nonverbal to different locations on the bridge member to vary the position of the center of gravity of the golf club head with respect to the striking face.

35. The set of iron golf clubs of claim 34, wherein the different locations on the bridge member are fixed.

36. The set of iron golf clubs of claim 35, wherein the weight comprises a weight chip.

37. The set of iron golf clubs of claim 36, wherein the weight chin is attached to the bridge member with a setscrew.

38. The set of iron golf clubs of claim 34, wherein the weight comprises an elliptical shape.

39. The set of iron golf clubs of claim 38, wherein the elliptical shaped weight is rotated and fixed in different positions to further vary the position of a center of gravity of the golf club head with respect to the face.

40. The set of iron golf clubs of claim 34, wherein the weight is interchangeable with one of a plurality of alternate weights.

41. The set of iron golf clubs of claim 40, wherein at least one of the alternate weights has a different mass than the weight.

42. The set of iron golf clubs of claim 40, wherein at least one of the alternate weights has a different shape than the weight.

43. The set of iron golf clubs of claim 33, wherein the bridge member further comprises a rail formed in the bridge member, the rail extending from the front surface of the bridge member through to the back surface of the bridge member.

44. The set of iron golf clubs of claim 43, wherein the weight is shaped to engage and slide along the rail to vary the position of the center of gravity of the golf club head with respect to the striking face.

45. The set of iron golf clubs of claim 44, wherein the weight is further includes a locking mechanism to secure the weight to the rail at a fixed location along the rail.

46. The set of iron golf clubs of claim 45, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a set screw.

47. The set of iron golf clubs of claim 44, wherein the weight comprises an elliptical shape.

48. The set of iron golf clubs of claim 47, wherein the elliptical shaped weight is rotated and fixed in different positions to further vary the position of a center of gravity of the golf club head with respect to the face.

49. The set of iron golf clubs of claim 47, wherein the elliptical shaped weight is interchangeable with one of a plurality of alternate weights.

50. The set of iron golf clubs of claim 49, wherein at least one of the alternate weights has a different mass than the weight.

51. The set of iron golf clubs of claim 49, wherein at least one of the alternate weights has a different shape than the weight.

52. The set of iron golf clubs of claim 33, wherein the set of iron golf clubs is selected from the group consisting of a two iron, a three iron, a four iron, a five iron, a six iron, a seven iron, an eight iron, a nine iron, and a pitching wedge.

53. The set of iron golf clubs of claim 33, wherein the set of iron golf clubs is selected from the group consisting of a two iron, a three iron, a four iron, a five iron, a six iron, a seven iron, an eight iron, a nine iron, and a pitching wedge.

54. A golf club head comprising:

a striking face that provides a contact area for engaging a golf ball;

a rear cavity, the rear cavity opposite the striking face;

a bridge member extending across the rear cavity, and

a plurality of weights, the weights attached to the bridge member to vary a position of a center of gravity of the golf club head with respect to the striking face.

55. A golf club head comprising:

a striking face that provides a contact area for engaging a golf ball;

a rear cavity opposite the striking face;

a bridge member extending across the rear cavity; and

a weight positioning assembly integral to the bridge member, the weight position assembly including;

a rail, and

a plurality of weights, the plurality of weights movably connected to the rail, the weights being movable along the rail to vary a position of a center of gravity of the golf club head in a first direction with respect to the striking face, the weights being rotatable to further vary the position of the center of gravity of the golf club head in a second direction with respect to the striking face.