BRANDED WEIGHTING SYSTEM

• US 20160038795A1
• Filed: 08/08/2014
• Published: 02/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: Dunlop Sports Co. Ltd. (Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Kline, Michael J., Salvucci, Denise L.
• Granted Patent: US 11,452,921 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 2071/0694 Visual indication, e.g. Indicia
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/005 with adhesive type surfaces, e.g. hook-and-loop type fastener
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type

Abstract

A golf club may include a rear surface having first branding indicia, and a predefined region defined at least in part by a partially raised surface, a fully raised surface, a partially sunken surface, a fully sunken surface, a stepped surface, a textured surface, and a partially raised/partially sunken surface. The first branding indicia may be inside the predefined region. The golf club may also include a weighted tape with a second branding indicia placed on the rear surface of the golf club, preferably with a portion of the weighted tape being inside the predefined region.

Claims

1. A golf club head weighting system, comprising:

a golf club head having a rear surface including at least one predefined region which is of a first prescribed size and shape, the golf club head including first branding indicia thereon within at least a portion of the predefined region of the rear surface; and

a weight including second branding indicia thereon, the weight being of a second prescribed size and shape substantially the same as the first prescribed size and shape of the predefined region, with the weight being applied to the rear surface so as to at least partially reside within the predefined region and at least partially obscure the first branding indicia.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the weight is sized and configured to correspond to a desired swing weight of the golf club head following application of the weight thereto.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the weight comprises a weighted layer having an adhesive layer applied thereto.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the weighted layer comprises one of lead, tin, bismuth, steel, ceramic, stone, pewter, tungsten-nickel alloy and mixtures or alloys thereof.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the weighted layer comprises an appliqué

having the adhesive layer disposed thereon.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first branding indicia has a first appearance, and the second branding indicia has a second appearance substantially identical to the first appearance.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the weight is sized and shaped, and applied to the golf club head, to substantially cover the first branding indicia.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the weight is sized and shaped, and applied to the golf club head, to substantially cover the predefined region.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the weight is sized and shaped, and applied to the golf club head, to cover at least a portion of the first branding indicia.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the predefined region is defined at least in part by indicia selected from the group comprising lines, line segments, arcs, arc segments, dashes, dots, corner segments, and combinations thereof.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the predefined region is defined at least in part by a surface selected from the group comprising a partially raised surface, a fully raised surface, a partially recessed surface, a fully recessed surface, a stepped surface, a textured surface, and a partially raised/partially recessed surface, and combinations thereof.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the second predetermined size and shape of the weight is adapted to be capable of application to the golf club head in only one orientation in order for the first predetermined size and shape and the second predetermined size and shape to be arranged in a complimentary fashion relative to one another.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one predefined region comprises a plurality of predefined regions, at least one of the predefined regions including the first branding indicia therein.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein each of the plurality of predefined regions is of substantially the same size and shape.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein a plurality of weights is applied to one or more of the plurality of predefined regions.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein each of the plurality of weights comprises second branding indicia substantially similar to the first branding indicia.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein one of the plurality of weights comprises a top most weight and the second branding indicia on the top most weight is substantially visible.

18. A golf club head weighting system, comprising:

a golf club having an exterior surface including a predefined region which is of a first predetermined size and shape; and

a plurality of weights configured to be applied, either alone, or sequentially, to the golf club in the predefined region, each weight of the plurality of weights having a second predetermined size and shape substantially the same as the first predetermined size and shape of the predefined region.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein at least two of the plurality of weights have respective ones of two different masses.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein each weight of the at least two of the plurality of weights comprise the same material.