Golf club head and method of assembling a golf club head

• US 6,440,009 B1
• Filed: 12/04/1996
• Issued: 08/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Inventors: Rigal, Jean-Pierre, Guibaud, Jean-Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): Pierce, William M.
• Application Number:
  US08/737,928
• Time in Patent Office: 2,092 Days
• Field of Search: 473/328, 473/334, 473/335, 473/336, 473/338, 473/345, 473/349, 473/350
• US Class Current: 473/334
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• 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

Abstract

A golf club head having a body that includes a striking wall, an upper wall, and an open cavity. A housing is positioned within the cavity and it is removably attached in such position to the body. The housing has an asymmetrical configuration and is located in the open cavity of the body in a predetermined selected position and is removably connected to the body in the predetermined position. At least one balancing weight is located with respect to the housing in a predetermined selected position, the weight being non-removably connected to the housing by adhesive or by being molded in place, for example. A plurality of identically shaped housings, with differently positioned weights, can be provided to enable one to select a desired one of the housings to be fitted to the body of the club head to appropriately modify the behavior of the thusly assembled club.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a body, said body including an upper wall and a striking wall, said body further having an open cavity spaced rearwardly of said striking wall; and

a housing having an asymmetrical configuration, said housing being located in said open cavity of said body in a predetermined selected position, said housing being removably affixed to said body in said predetermined position; and

at least one balancing weight located with respect to said housing in a predetermined selected position, said weight being non-removably connected to said housing in said predetermined selected position.

2. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein:

said body further comprises a lower wall, a rear wall, and a pair of opposite lateral walls; and

said open cavity is open in a lower rear portion of said lower wall, said lateral walls, and said rear wall.

3. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein:

said at least one balancing weight is connected to said housing with at least one layer of adhesive material to facilitate non-removability of said weight from said housing.

4. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein:

said at least one balancing weight is a metallic material affixed to said housing by having been directly cast in a cavity of said housing to facilitate non-removability of said weight from said housing.

5. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein:

said at least one balancing weight is embedded within a closed cavity of said housing to facilitate non-removability of said weight from said housing.

6. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein:

said housing comprises a cavity; and

said balancing weight only partially fills said cavity.

7. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein:

said housing comprises a plurality of cavities, each of said plurality of cavities being adapted to receive a said balancing weight; and

each of said at least one balancing weight is positioned in a respective one of said pluralities of cavities.

8. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein:

said housing comprises at least one cavity located at a predetermined selected position; and

said balancing weight integrally fills said cavity of said housing.

9. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein:

said housing comprises a plurality of cavities forming a series of weight-receiving cells; and

said at least one balancing weight comprises a plurality of weights, each of said plurality of weights being positioned within a respective one of said weight-receiving cells.

10. A golf club head according to claim 1, further comprising:

a seal extending along a peripheral edge of said open cavity and in contact with said housing and said body of said head.

11. A golf club head comprising:

a body, said body including an upper wall and a striking wall, said body further having an open cavity;

a housing having an asymmetrical configuration, said housing being located in said open cavity of said body in a predetermined selected position, said housing being removably connected to said body in said predetermined position; and

at least one balancing weight located with respect to said housing in a predetermined selected position, said weight being non-removably affixed to said housing in said predetermined selected position

said body further comprises a lower wall, a rear wall, and a pair of opposite lateral walls;

said open cavity is open in a lower rear portion of said lower wall, said lateral walls, and said rear wall;

said housing comprising an outer surface and a ridge projecting from said outer surface;

said lower wall comprising a surface having an opening connecting to said open cavity and an arch extending from a front portion of said lower wall to said rear wall; and

said ridge being in contact with said arch when said housing is located in said predetermined position.

12. A golf club head according to claim 11, wherein:

said at least one balancing weight is connected to said housing with at least one layer of adhesive material to facilitate non-removability of said weight from said housing.

13. A golf club head according to claim 11, wherein:

said at least one balancing weight is a metallic material affixed to said housing by having been directly cast in a cavity of said housing to facilitate non-removability of said weight from said housing.

14. A golf club head according to claim 11, wherein:

said at least one balancing weight is embedded within a closed cavity of said housing to facilitate non-removability of said weight from said housing.

15. A golf club head assembly comprising:

a body, said body including an upper wall and a striking wall, said body further having an open cavity spaced rearwardly of said striking wall; and

a plurality of housings, each of said housings being adapted to be removably located in said open cavity of said body in a predetermined selected position;

each of said plurality of housings having at least one balancing weight non-removably connected thereto and located in a respectively different predetermined selected position;

each of said plurality of housings having an identical asymmetrical shape, whereby said body of said head is adapted to be assembled with only one of said housings.

16. A golf club head assembly according to claim 15, wherein:

said at least one balancing weight of each of said housings is connected to said housing with at least one layer of adhesive material to facilitate non-removability of said weight from said housing.

17. A golf club head assembly according to claim 15, wherein:

said at least one balancing weight of each of said housings is a metallic material affixed to a respective housing by having been directly cast in a cavity of said housing to facilitate non-removability of said weight from said housing.

18. A golf club head assembly according to claim 15, wherein:

said at least one balancing weight is embedded within a closed cavity of said housing to facilitate non-removability of said weight from said housing.

19. A method of balancing a golf club head comprising:

providing an assembly comprising a body having a striking wall and a cavity spaced rearwardly of said striking wall;

providing at least two housings adapted to fit within said cavity of said body, each said housing comprising at least one balancing weight non-removably fixed in a predetermined position in said housing, said housings having an identical shape but a different predetermined position of said at least one balancing weight; and

selecting one housing of said assembly having a desired weighting configuration, resulting from said predetermined position of said balancing weight, and fitting said selected one housing within said cavity of said body.

20. A method of balancing a golf club head consisting of:

providing an assembly comprising a body having a striking wall and a cavity spaced rearwardly of said striking wall;

providing at least two housings adapted to fit within said cavity of said body, each said housing comprising at least one balancing weight non-removably fixed in a predetermined position in said housing, said housings having an identical shape but a different position of said at least one balancing weight; and

selecting one housing of said assembly having a desired weighting configuration, resulting from said predetermined position of said balancing weight, and fitting said selected one housing within said cavity of said body.