GOLF CLUB HEAD WITH ADJUSTABLE CENTER OF GRAVITY

• US 20160279491A1
• Filed: 06/10/2016
• Published: 09/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Inventors: Myers, Matthew, Kim, Wee Joung
• Granted Patent: US 9,713,752 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 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/06 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/52 with slits

Abstract

A golf club head comprising a channel and an expandable weight that can be removably fixed at any point within the channel is disclosed herein. The weight comprises at least an upper portion, a lower portion, and a bolt, and preferably is formed of a metal material co-molded with a polymeric material such as rubber. The channel has an opening with a width that is less than the width of both an inner part of the channel and the weight, such that the weight cannot fall out of the channel during use. The channel may also have an end that opens into a port, which can be filled with a plug or weight screw to prevent the weight from falling out of the channel, and also can be removed so that the weight can be removed and replaced with another expandable weight.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a body comprising a channel and a port;

a slidable weight; and

a plug sized to fit within the port,

wherein the slidable weight is disposed within and movable to any point within the channel,

wherein the channel comprises an open, first terminal end and a closed, second terminal end,

wherein the port is disposed at the first terminal end such that the channel opens up into the port, and

wherein inserting the plug into the weight port closes the first terminal end of the channel and traps the slidable weight within the channel.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the port and the first terminal end are disposed proximate a heel portion of the body.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the slidable weight is co-molded with a polymeric material.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the port is a weight port and wherein the plug is a weight screw.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the channel comprises an innermost surface and an outer opening, wherein the outer opening comprises a first width, wherein the innermost surface comprises a second width, wherein the slidable weight comprises a third width, and wherein the first width is less than the second width and less than the third width.

6. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the body comprises a face, a crown, and a sole.

7. The golf club head of claim 6, wherein the channel and the weight port are each disposed in one of the crown or the sole.

8. The golf club head of claim 6, wherein the body further comprises a ribbon, and wherein the channel and the weight port are each disposed within the ribbon.

9. The golf club head of claim 6, wherein the body is composed of a metal material and comprises the face and the sole, wherein the crown is composed of a composite material, and wherein at least one side of the channel is provided by the composite crown.

10. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein the metal material is titanium.

11. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the channel is tube shaped.

12. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the golf club head is selected from the group consisting of a driver head, a fairway wood head, and a hybrid head.

13. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the slidable weight comprises an upper portion, a lower portion, and a bolt, and a first width, and wherein tightening the bolt pushes the upper portion and lower portion away from one another in a direction perpendicular to a floor of the channel, presses the upper portion against at least one side of the channel, and reversibly fixes the slidable weight in place within the channel.

14. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein at least one of the upper portion and the lower portion is composed of stainless steel co-molded with a polymeric material.

15. The golf club head of claim 14, wherein the polymeric material is rubber.