Golf Club Head With Adjustable Center of Gravity

• US 20170173422A1
• Filed: 03/01/2017
• Published: 06/22/2017
• 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, Foster, Philip G., Sutton, Steven C., Tang, Larry, Holt, Denver
• Granted Patent: US 9,878,223 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 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/06 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/04 Movable ballast means A63B15/005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/52 with slits

Abstract

A golf club head comprising multiple means of adjusting the location of the center of gravity, and the bias, is disclosed herein. In a preferred embodiment, the golf club head comprises a non-metal medallion comprising a channel that is affixed to one of the crown and the sole, a slidable weight sized to fit within the channel, and a cover that attaches to the medallion and locks the slidable weight within the channel at a location selected by a user. The cover preferably includes at least one cutout so that the slidable weight is at least partially visible to the user when it is locked within the channel. The cover also includes additional cutouts that receive protrusions extending from the medallion to more securely attach the cover to the medallion.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a body comprising a crown, a sole, a hosel, a heel side, a toe side, a face, a rear side opposite the face, and at least one deep pocket extending from the crown to the sole;

a cartridge comprising an outer surface, an inner surface, and an internal track extending along at least a portion of the inner surface; and

a first slidable weight,

wherein the at least one deep pocket comprises an opening,

wherein the cartridge is sized to fit through the opening and within the at least one deep pocket, and

wherein the first slidable weight is disposed within and reversibly fixed to at least one of a plurality of points within the internal track.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the cartridge is symmetrical around a horizontal x-axis extending in a face-to-rear side direction.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the inner surface comprises a closed loop, and wherein the internal track extends along the entire closed loop.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the cartridge comprises an upper portion composed of a first material having a first density and a lower portion composed of a second material having a second density, and wherein the first density is greater than the second density.

5. The golf club head of claim 4, wherein the first material is tungsten.

6. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the opening is disposed in the sole.

7. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the golf club head is a wood-type golf club head, wherein the face and the sole are composed of a metal material, and wherein the crown is composed of a non-metal material.

8. The golf club head of claim 7, wherein the metal material is a titanium alloy, and wherein the non-metal material is a composite.

9. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the cartridge is reversibly fixed within the at least one deep pocket with a mechanical fastener.

10. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the opening extends in a face-to-rear side direction.

11. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising a second slidable weight and a channel extending from the heel side to the toe side along the rear side of the body, and wherein the second slidable weight is disposed within the channel.

12. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the channel is disposed in the sole.

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

14. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein the sole comprises a composite material.

15. A driver-type golf club head comprising:

a metal body comprising a sole, a hosel, a heel side, a toe side, a face, a rear side opposite the face, and a deep pocket extending into the sole, the deep pocket comprising an opening extending in a face-to-rear side direction;

a composite crown;

a cartridge comprising an outer surface, an inner surface, and an internal track extending along at least a portion of the inner surface; and

a first slidable weight,

wherein the cartridge is sized to fit through the opening and within the deep pocket,

wherein the cartridge comprises at least one high density material and at least one low-density material,

wherein the inner surface comprises a closed loop,

wherein the internal track extends along the entire closed loop, and

wherein the first slidable weight is disposed within and reversibly fixed to at least one of a plurality of points within the internal track.

16. The driver-type golf club head of claim 15, wherein the cartridge is symmetrical around a horizontal x-axis extending in a face-to-rear side direction, and wherein the at least one high density material comprises a tungsten material.

17. The driver-type golf club head of claim 15, further comprising a sole channel, wherein the sole channel encircles the deep pocket.