GOLF CLUB HEAD WITH CENTER OF GRAVITY ADJUSTABILITY

• US 20150246271A1
• Filed: 05/15/2015
• Published: 09/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Inventors: Seluga, James A., Holt, Denver
• Granted Patent: US 9,352,199 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• 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 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/06 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/002 Resonance frequency related characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/42 Devices for measuring, verifying, correcting or customising the inherent characteristics of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like, e.g. measuring the maximum torque a batting shaft can withstand

Abstract

The present invention comprises a golf club head comprising a body having a crown, a sole, a front wall and a hosel, wherein the body defines a hollow interior. The golf club head further comprises a center of gravity adjustment assembly wherein the center of gravity adjustment assembly is positioned within the hollow interior of the body, and allows the center of gravity of the golf club head to be adjusted by at least 0.050 inch, preferably along a vertical axis.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a face;

a crown;

a sole;

a hollow tube;

a cap screw; and

a cartridge comprising a first material having a first specific gravity and a second material having a second specific gravity that is at least three times the value of the first specific gravity,

wherein the tube is disposed within a hollow interior of the golf club head and extends from the crown to the sole,

wherein the cartridge is sized to fit within the tube,

wherein the tube is accessible via an opening in one of the crown and the sole,

wherein the cartridge is compressed between the crown and the sole,

wherein the cap screw places a compression load on the cartridge that exceeds 50 lbs,

wherein the tube is in tension between the crown and the sole, and

wherein changing the orientation of the carrier within the tube changes the location of the golf club head'"'"'s center of gravity along a vertical Z axis.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein changing the orientation of the carrier within the tube changes the location of the golf club head'"'"'s center of gravity by at least 0.050 inch.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the first material is selected from the group consisting of a glass filled epoxy, a glass filled polyester, and a glass-filled nylon, and wherein the second material is tungsten.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the cap screw comprises external threads, wherein the opening comprises internal threads, and wherein the cap screw is sized to fit within the opening such that the external threads engage with the internal threads.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the cap screw comprises a plurality of cutouts.

6. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the cartridge comprises a first end and a second end, and wherein each of the first and second ends has a shape selected from the group consisting of conically tapered, rounded tapered, and circular.

7. The golf club head of claim 5, wherein the second material is disposed at the first end, such that the first end is heavier than the second end.

8. The golf club head of claim 6, wherein the first material has a first specific gravity, and wherein the second material has a second specific gravity that is at least three times the value of the first specific gravity,

9. The golf club head of claim 5, wherein the first end comprises a first color, wherein the second end comprises a second color, and wherein the first color is different from the second color.

10. The golf club head of claim 5, wherein the cap screw comprises a plurality of cutouts, and wherein a portion of the first end or the second end of the cartridge is visible through the cutouts.

11. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the crown comprises an edge support structure sized to receive an end of the hollow tube.

12. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the face has a frequency of 3000 to 4010 Hz.

13. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the sole has a frequency of 2500 to 3100 Hz.

14. The golf club head of claim 5, further comprising a first cartridge cap comprising a first color and a second cartridge cap comprising a second color, wherein the first cartridge cap is affixed to the first end of the cartridge, wherein the second cartridge cap is affixed to the second end of the cartridge, and wherein the first color is different from the second color.

15. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein the cap screw comprises a plurality of cutouts, and wherein a portion of the first cartridge cap or the second cartridge cap is visible through the cutouts.

16. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the golf club exhibits one distinguished sound peak that has a frequency of at least 3000 Hz and an amplitude that is at least 8 decibels greater than any other sound peak.

17. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the tube is disposed closer to the face than to the rear portion.

18. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the golf club head is a driver-type golf club head.

19. The golf club head of claim 18, wherein the face and the sole are composed of a metal material, and wherein the crown is composed of a composite material.

20. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein a distance between a center of gravity of the cartridge and a geometric centroid of the cartridge is defined as ½

D, wherein a weight of the cartridge is defined as M_T, wherein the combined weight of the body and the cartridge is defined as M, and wherein D≧

0.065(1+M/M_T).