Weighting system for a golf club head

• US 6,364,788 B1
• Filed: 08/04/2000
• Issued: 04/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Inventors: Galloway, J. Andrew, Evans, D. Clayton, Helmstetter, Richard C., Cleveland, Roger C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sewell, Paul T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VARMA, SNEH K
• Application Number:
  US09/633,010
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• Field of Search: 473/349, 473/350, 473/342, 473/343, 473/346, 473/549, 473/300, 473/324, 473/347, 473/345, 473/338, 473/344, 156/86, 156/187, 156/450, 156/293, 156/428, 427/285, 427/385.5, 293/45
• US Class Current: 473/324
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/02 Joint structures between the head and the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0412 Volume
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0462 characterised by tapering thickness of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49776 Pressure, force, or weight determining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49984 and casting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49988 Metal casting

Abstract

A golf club head has a weight compartment within a hollow interior, and a weight member that is injected into the weight compartment subsequent to formation of the body of the golf club head. The preferred weight member is bismuth. The golf club head has a body that has a volume between 140 cubic centimeters and 350 cubic centimeters. The body of the golf club head weighs between 140 grams and 215 grams.

Claims

1. A wood-type golf club head comprising;

a body having a crown, a sole, a striking plate, a heel end, a toe end and a hollow interior,

the sole having four facets;

a central facet, a heel facet, a toe facet and a rear facet,

the rear facet defining a recess covered by a medallion wherein the recess has a portal for injection of a weight member into a weight compartment;

the weight compartment disposed within the hollow interior and connected to the sole, the weight compartment having a body, a sealable top lid and a chamber, wherein the weight chamber is of a predetermined volume;

the weight member weighing between 3 grams and 70 grams, occupying between 50% and 80% of the volume of the weight chamber, and composed of a material having a density between 7 grams/cubic centimeter and 20 grams/cubic centimeter.

2. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the weight member is composed of bismuth.

3. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the body has a volume of 140 cubic centimeters to 350 cubic centimeters.

4. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the body weighs between 135 grams to 205 grams.

5. The golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the weighting material weighs between 3 grams to 15 grams.

6. A golf club head comprising:

a body having a crown, a sole, a ribbon, a striking plate, a heel end, a toe end and a hollow interior, the body composed of a titanium alloy material, weighing between 170 grams and 215 grams, and having a volume of 290 cubic centimeters to 350 cubic centimeters;

a weight compartment, disposed within the hollow interior and connected to the sole, the weight chamber defining a compartment of a predetermined volume and accessible through a portal in the sole; and

a weight member disposed within the weight compartment, the weight member weighing between 3 grams and 25 grams, occupying between 50% and 80% of the volume of the weight chamber, and composed of bismuth.

7. The golf club head according to claim 6 wherein the weighting material weighs between 3 grams to 15 grams.

8. The golf club head according to claim 6 wherein the weight compartment has a portal through the sole for flowable introduction of the weight member into the chamber.

9. The golf club head according to claim 6 wherein the weight compartment has a sealable top for solid introduction of the weight member into the chamber.

10. The golf club head according to claim 6 wherein the sole has four facets.

11. The golf club head according to claim 10 wherein one of the facets is a rear facet having a recess for placement of a medallion therein, and also having a portal for access to the weighting compartment.