Weight holder attachable to golf club

• US 6,443,851 B1
• Filed: 03/05/2001
• Issued: 09/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Swing Sock, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Swing Sock, Inc.
• Inventors: Liberatore, Raymond A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passanti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US09/799,913
• Publication Number:
  US 20020123387A1
• Time in Patent Office: 547 Days
• Field of Search: 473/256, 473/231, 473/238, 473/242, 473/437, 473/524, 473/553, 273/DIG.30, 150/160, 206/315.4
• US Class Current: 473/256
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/06 User-manipulated weights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/10 with adhesive type surfaces, i.e. hook and loop-type fastener
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3638 Normal golf clubs with directly attached weights
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 273/30 Hooked pile fabric fastener

Abstract

A weighting device for use on a golf club head as during swinging of the club, comprising in combination, a receptacle having an opening via which the club head is received into the receptacle, a retainer carried on the receptacle to be fastened in a position for retaining the receptacle in fitting relation to the club head, and weighting structure carried by the receptacle to add substantial weight to the club head weight, for use as in club head swinging.

Claims

1. A weighting device for use on a golf club head as during swinging of the club, the club head having a toe and an edge angled downwardly and toward the position of the head hosel, comprising in combination:

a) a receptacle having an opening via which the club head is to be received into the receptacle,

b) a retainer carried on the receptacle to be fastened in a position for retaining the receptacle in generally fitting relation to the club head when received,

c) and weighting structure carried by the receptacle to add substantial weight to the club head, for use as in club swinging,

d) said receptacle having a front portion, a bottom portion, a toe portion, a heel portion, a back portion, a top portion, and an outer side portion extending between said top and bottom portions, and said weighting structure located proximate at least one of said portions,

e) said retainer comprising a flap connected to the receptacle to fold and at least partly cover said opening, said fold extending and angled at least in part substantially parallel to a head edge as it approaches the hosel when received,

f) said flap having a free end portion releasably connected to said receptable side portion.

2. The combination of claim 1 including hook and pile fastening materials for fastening said retainer in said position.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein one of said hook and pile materials is on said flap and the other of said hook and pile materials is on said receptacle outer side portion and sized to have greater area than the area of said one material on the flap, providing flap position adjustability.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said flap extends at least part way about the receptacle.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said flap covers substantially all of said opening extending from said hosel and directionally toward said receptacle toe portion, in said fastened position.

6. The combination of claim 1 wherein said receptacle has at least two of the following:

i) a wall portion to extend adjacent the front face of the club head

ii) a wall portion to extend adjacent the rear side of the club head

iii) a wall portion to extend adjacent the bottom surface of the club head

iv) a wall portion to extend adjacent the toe of the club head

v) a wall portion to extend adjacent the heel of the club head

vi) a wall portion to extend adjacent the top edge of the club head;

and said weighting structure is located at or proximate at least one of said wall portions.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said weighting structure is located at or proximate one of the following:

vii) at least one of said wall portions,

viii) at least two of said wall portions

ix) at least three of said wall portions

x) at least four of said wall portions.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein said weighting structure includes separate local metallic portions.

9. The combination of claim 1 wherein said weighting structure includes metallic material.

10. The combination of claim 9 wherein said material is concealed by said receptacle.

11. The combination of claim 9 wherein said material is held in a pocket or pockets provided by the receptacle.

12. The combination of claim 9 including a club head received in the receptacle, and wherein said material is received in pockets at opposite sides of the club head.

13. The combination of claim 9 wherein said material is received in a pocket provided by the receptacle, the pocket sized to enable adjustment of the position of the material, relative to the pocket.

14. The combination of claim 9 wherein the material is received in a pocket or pockets provided by the receptacle, to enable selective use of the pocket or pockets of the material.

15. The combination of claim 1 including a scuff protector at a periphery or peripheries of the receptacles to protect said periphery or peripheries against scuffing in the event of contact with a surface as during swinging of the club.

16. The combination of claim 15 wherein said scuff protector extends at one of the following:

x₁) a lowermost extent of the receptacle

x₂) a toe portion of the receptacle

x₃) a lower heel portion of the receptacle.

17. The combination of claim 1 including a striker at a front side of the receptacle, for striking impact with a ball, during swinging of the club.

18. The combination of claim 17 wherein said striker comprises a plate.

19. The combination of claim 1 wherein said weighting structure is sized and snugly positioned and retained proximate at least one of the following portions of a club head received in the receptacle:

i) front side portion

ii) rear side portion

iii) toe portion

iv) heel portion

v) top portion

vi) bottom portion.