METAL WOOD CLUB

• US 20170165535A1
• Filed: 03/30/2016
• Published: 06/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Breier, Joshua G., Murphy, Stephen S., Sanchez, Richard, Luttrell, Stephanie, Frame, Nick, Galvan, Darryl C., Bennett, Thomas Orrin, Zimmerman, Gery M., Sugimae, Ryuichi
• Granted Patent: US 9,744,413 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 2209/02 with reinforcing fibres, e.g. carbon, polyamide fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type

Abstract

A golf club head including a body having a face, a sole, a crown, and a skirt joining the face, sole and crown, the body having a center of gravity, wherein the body includes an open end and a terminal end, the terminal end opposite the open end, a weighted insert having a heavy end and a lighter end, the lighter end opposite the heavy end, wherein the cavity is configured to receive the weighted insert through the open end, wherein the cavity includes a head locking member, wherein the weighted insert includes an insert locking member, wherein the head locking member includes a shelf and the insert locking member includes a flange, the flange configured to abut the shelf when the insert locking member is in a locked position; and a spring located between the insert locking member and the terminal end of the cavity.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a body having a face, a sole, a crown, and a skirt joining said face, sole and crown, said body having a center of gravity;

said body having a coordinate system with an x-axis located horizontal to the club face, a y-axis located vertical to the club face, and a z-axis located through the club face,

wherein said body comprises a cavity;

wherein said cavity comprises an open end and a terminal end, said terminal end opposite said open end;

a weighted insert, said weighted insert comprising a heavy end and a lighter end, said lighter end opposite said heavy end;

wherein said weighted insert comprises a longitudinal insert axis along a center of said weighted insert and passing through said heavy end and said lighter end;

wherein said cavity comprises a longitudinal cavity axis along a center of said cavity and passing through said open end and said terminal end;

wherein said cavity is configured to receive said weighted insert through said open end in both a first configuration and a second configuration;

wherein said first configuration comprises said heavy end of said weighted insert adjacent said terminal end of said cavity;

wherein said second configuration comprises said lighter end of said weighted insert adjacent said terminal end of said cavity;

wherein said cavity comprises a head locking member;

wherein said weighted insert comprises an insert locking member;

wherein said insert locking member comprises an insert locking feature configured to engage a head locking feature of said head locking member as said insert locking member is rotated relative to said head locking member;

wherein said insert locking member is configured to translate along said longitudinal cavity axis as said insert locking member is rotated about said longitudinal cavity axis;

wherein said head locking member comprises a shelf and said insert locking member comprises a flange, said flange configured to abut said shelf when said insert locking member is in a locked position; and

a spring located between said insert locking member and said terminal end of said cavity.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said insert locking member comprises a cap configured to removably attach to both the heavy end and the lighter end of the weighted insert.

3. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein said insert locking member comprises a bore and wherein said spring is located within said bore of said insert locking member.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising a low friction member located between said insert locking member and said weighted insert.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said head locking member is located at an open end of said cavity.

6. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said insert locking feature comprises male threads and wherein said head locking feature comprises female threads.

7. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said spring comprises an elastomer.

8. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said flange of said insert locking member is configured to transmit at least a portion of a longitudinal load created by said insert locking feature engaging said head locking feature to said shelf of said head locking member.

9. A golf club head comprising:

a body having a face, a sole, a crown, and a skirt joining said face, sole and crown, said body having a center of gravity;

said body having a coordinate system with an x-axis located horizontal to the club face, a y-axis located vertical to the club face, and a z-axis located through the club face,

wherein said body comprises a cavity;

wherein said cavity comprises an open end and a terminal end, said terminal end opposite said open end;

a weighted insert, said weighted insert comprising a heavy end and a lighter end, said lighter end opposite said heavy end;

wherein said weighted insert comprises a longitudinal insert axis along a center of said weighted insert and passing through said heavy end and said lighter end;

wherein said cavity comprises a longitudinal cavity axis along a center of said cavity and passing through said open end and said terminal end;

wherein said cavity is configured to receive said weighted insert through said open end in both a first configuration and a second configuration;

wherein said first configuration comprises said heavy end of said weighted insert adjacent said terminal end of said cavity;

wherein said second configuration comprises said lighter end of said weighted insert adjacent said terminal end of said cavity;

wherein said cavity comprises a head locking member;

wherein said weighted insert comprises an insert locking member;

wherein said insert locking member comprises an insert locking feature configured to engage a head locking feature of said head locking member as said insert locking member is rotated relative to said head locking member;

wherein said insert locking member is configured to translate along said longitudinal cavity axis as said insert locking member is rotated about said longitudinal cavity axis;

wherein said head locking member comprises a shelf and said insert locking member comprises a flange, said flange configured to abut said shelf when said insert locking member is in a locked position; and

a spring located between said insert locking member and said terminal end of said cavity;

wherein said spring is located between said heavy end and said lighter end of said weighted insert.

10. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein said insert locking member comprises a cap configured to removably attach to both the heavy end and the lighter end of the weighted insert.

11. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein said spring comprises a portion of said weighted insert, said portion comprising a spiral cut, allowing said weighted insert to vary in length when compressed.

12. The golf club head of claim 9, further comprising a low friction member located between said insert locking member and said weighted insert.

13. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein said head locking member is located at an open end of said cavity.

14. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein said insert locking feature comprises male threads and wherein said head locking feature comprises female threads.

16. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein said flange of said insert locking member is configured to transmit at least a portion of a longitudinal load created by said insert locking feature engaging said head locking feature to said shelf of said head locking member.

17. A golf club head comprising:

a body having a face, a sole, a crown, and a skirt joining said face, sole and crown, said body having a center of gravity;

said body having a coordinate system with an x-axis located horizontal to the club face, a y-axis located vertical to the club face, and a z-axis located through the club face,

wherein said body comprises a cavity;

wherein said cavity comprises an open end and a terminal end, said terminal end opposite said open end;

a weighted insert, said weighted insert comprising a heavy end and a lighter end, said lighter end opposite said heavy end;

wherein said weighted insert comprises a longitudinal insert axis along a center of said weighted insert and passing through said heavy end and said lighter end;

wherein said cavity comprises a longitudinal cavity axis along a center of said cavity and passing through said open end and said terminal end;

wherein said cavity is configured to receive said weighted insert through said open end in both a first configuration and a second configuration;

wherein said first configuration comprises said heavy end of said weighted insert adjacent said terminal end of said cavity;

wherein said second configuration comprises said lighter end of said weighted insert adjacent said terminal end of said cavity;

wherein said cavity comprises a head locking member;

wherein said weighted insert comprises an insert locking member;

wherein said insert locking member comprises an insert locking feature configured to engage a head locking feature of said head locking member as said insert locking member is rotated relative to said head locking member;

wherein said insert locking member is configured to translate along said longitudinal cavity axis as said insert locking member is rotated about said longitudinal cavity axis;

wherein said head locking member comprises a shelf and said insert locking member comprises a flange, said flange configured to abut said shelf when said insert locking member is in a locked position;

a spring located between said insert locking member and said terminal end of said cavity; and

a circumferential insert located within said cavity.

18. The golf club head of claim 17, wherein said cavity comprises a circumferential groove configured to receive said circumferential insert.

19. The golf club head of claim 17, wherein said circumferential insert comprises a plastic partial ring configured to reduce in diameter when compressed.

20. The golf club head of claim 17, further comprising a low friction member located between said insert locking member and said weighted insert.