GOLF CLUB HEAD AND REMOVABLE WEIGHT

• US 20100323815A1
• Filed: 08/09/2010
• Published: 12/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Murphy, Stephen S., Zimmerman, Gery M., Bennett, Thomas Orrin, Bezilla, Stephanie
• Granted Patent: US 8,540,589 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/335
• 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 53/04 Heads
• 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

Abstract

A golf club head and a removable weight that is received in a receptacle of the golf club head. The weight includes a cap and a slug. The cap is removably coupled to the receptacle and includes a recess that receives a portion of the slug so that the cap and slug are able to rotate relative to each other. The slug includes an anti-rotation feature that prevents relative rotation between the slug and the receptacle and a lead-in portion.

Claims

1. A removable weight for a golf club head including a receptacle, comprising:

a cap including a base, and a sidewall that extends from the base to define a recess, wherein the side wall includes an outer surface that is removably coupled to the receptacle; and

a slug including a retention portion and an extension portion,

wherein at least a portion of the retention portion is disposed in the recess, and

wherein the extension portion includes a tapered portion having a first taper angle and a lead-in portion extending from the tapered portion away from the retention portion and having a second taper angle that is less than the first taper angle.

2. The weight of claim 1, further comprising a retainer disposed between the cap and the slug, wherein the retainer is configured to prevent the retention portion of the slug from disengaging the recess of the cap when the cap is uncoupled from the receptacle, and wherein the cap and the slug rotate relative to each other.

3. The weight of claim 2, wherein the retainer is a spring clip configured as a semi-circular annular member constructed to be elastically deformed radially.

4. The weight of claim 1, wherein the extension portion of the slug defines a bore.

5. The weight of claim 3, wherein the slug includes a weight insert disposed in the bore, wherein the slug is constructed of a first material and the weight insert is constructed of a second material that is different than the first material.

6. The weight of claim 1, wherein the tapered portion has a first length along a longitudinal axis of the weight and the lead-in portion has a second length that is greater than the first length.

7. The weight of claim 1, wherein the second taper angle is about 0°

.

8. A golf club head, comprising:

a body including a receptacle, wherein the receptacle includes a cap portion and a seat portion and wherein the cap portion is disposed proximate an outer surface of the body and the seat portion is spaced from the outer surface of the body; and

a weight comprising a cap and a slug,

wherein the cap includes a base and a sidewall that extends from the base to define a recess, and the cap is removably coupled to the cap portion of the receptacle,

wherein the slug includes a retention portion and an extension portion, wherein at least a portion of the retention portion is disposed in the recess, and

wherein the extension portion includes a tapered portion having a first taper angle and a lead-in portion extending from the tapered portion away from the retention portion and having a second taper angle that is less than the first taper angle.

9. The golf club head of claim 8, further comprising a retainer disposed between the cap and the slug, wherein the retainer is configured to prevent the retention portion of the slug from disengaging the recess of the cap when the cap is uncoupled from the receptacle, and wherein the cap and the slug rotate relative to each other.

10. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein the retainer is a spring clip configured as a semi-circular annular member constructed to be elastically deformed radially.

11. The golf club head of claim 8, wherein a length between a distal end of the cap and the distal end of the slug is greater than a length between a proximal end of the cap portion of the receptacle and a proximal end of the seat portion.

12. The golf club head of claim 8, wherein a maximum radial dimension of the lead-in portion is greater than the minimum radial dimension of a proximal opening of the seat portion.

13. The golf club head of claim 8, wherein the second taper angle is about 0°

.

14. A golf club head, comprising:

a body including a receptacle, wherein the receptacle includes a cap portion and a seat portion that is a flange that defines a non-circular opening; and

a weight comprising a cap, a slug and a retainer, wherein the cap includes a base and a sidewall that extends from the base to define a recess, and the cap is coupled to the cap portion of the receptacle,

wherein the slug includes a retention portion and an extension portion,

wherein at least a portion of the retention portion is disposed in the recess,

wherein the extension portion has a non-circular cross-sectional shape and includes a tapered portion having a first taper angle and a lead-in portion extending from the tapered portion away from the retention portion and having a second taper angle that is less than the first taper angle, and

wherein the retainer is disposed between the cap and the slug and is configured to prevent the retention portion of the slug from disengaging the recess of the cap when the cap is uncoupled from the receptacle.

15. The golf club head of claim 14, wherein the retainer is a spring clip configured as a semi-circular annular member constructed to be elastically deformed radially.

16. The golf club head of claim 14, wherein a length between a distal end of the cap and the distal end of the slug is greater than a length between a proximal end of the cap portion of the receptacle and a proximal end of the seat portion.

17. The golf club head of claim 14, wherein a maximum radial dimension of the lead-in portion is greater than the minimum radial dimension of a proximal opening of the seat portion.

18. The golf club head of claim 14, wherein the second taper angle is about 0°

.