Weight holding device attachable to golf club head

• US 6,652,387 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2001
• Issued: 11/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Swing Sock, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Raymond A. Liberatore
• Inventors: Liberatore, Raymond A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US09/988,862
• Publication Number:
  US 20020123389A1
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• Field of Search: 473/256, 473/231, 473/238, 473/242, 473/437, 473/524, 473/553, 273/DIG.30, 150/16, 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. Various other forms of the receptacle and retainer are provided.

Claims

1. A weighting device for use on a golf club head as during swinging of the club, comprising in combination:

a) a receptacle having an opening via which the club head is 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,

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, and a top portion; and

said weighting structure located proximate at least one of said portions, and

e) said retainer being foldable to extend at least partly over said opening, and which then extends generally forwardly from proximate said heel portion toward said toe portion, thereby to bring a side of the retainer into position for releasable attachment to a surface carried by the receptacle.

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

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said retainer comprises a flap which when folded and releasably attached to the receptacle extends along a side of the receptacle.

4. The combination of claim 2 wherein said retainer comprises a lap which when folded and releasably attached to the receptacle extends along a side of the receptacle.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said retainer at least partly covers a lowermost extent of said opening in said fastened position.

6. The combination of claim 3 wherein said flap extends along a lower rear side of the receptacle in said fastened position.

7. The com bination 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.

8. The combination of claim 7 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.

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 8 wherein said weighting structure includes separate local metallic portions.

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

13. 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.

14. 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.

15. 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.

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

17. The combination of claim 16 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.

18. 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.

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

20. 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.

21. A weighting device for use on a golf club as during swinging of a club head, comprising in combination

a) a structure defining an associated space for receiving, removably carrying said structure,

b) said structure positionable in generally fitting relation to the club head,

c) weighting carried by said structure to add substantial weight to the club head, for providing enhanced momentum in the direction of head swinging, and for use as in club swinging,

d) and a retainer comprising a flap operatively connected to said structure to extend at least partly on a structure opening in position in which the flap, has forward extent releasably attachable to a surface carried by said structure, the club head receivable into said space via said opening.

22. The combination of claim 21 wherein said structure includes a flap connectible to a golf bag.

23. The combination of claim 22 including one of the following:

a) the flap anchored to said structure to be foldable for attachment to a loop on a golf bag,

b) a fastener associated with the flap to attach a fastener part on a golf bag.

24. The combination of claim 21 wherein the flap is folded over a rear portion of a golf club head zone to leave the club hosel exposed.

25. The combination of claim 21 including sealed or sealable enclosure or enclosures for at least one weight carried by said structure.

26. The combination of claim 25 including a multiple of said enclosures in side-by-side sequence, allowing the weight to have a relative close fitting movement when held adjacent a golf club head.

27. The combination of claim 21 wherein said structure includes a receptacle having a moisture-proof wall or walls.

28. The combination of claim 27 wherein said wall or walls substantially enclose a golf club head zone.

29. The combination of claim 21 wherein said structure includes a receptacle having an expansible toe portion to receive and fit golf club head toe portions of different size.

30. The combination of claim 21 wherein said flap has a length to wrap over and conform to golf club heads of different sizes.

31. The combination of claim 21 wherein said structure includes a golf club head receptacle to receive the head, and including reinforcement material on an upper part of said receptacle allowing an unreinforced portion of the receptacle to be flexible and conform to club head curvature.

32. The combination of claim 31 wherein said reinforcement material comprises binding.

33. The combination of claim 21 wherein said receptacle has a reinforced portion below a club hosel.

34. The combination of claim 21 wherein said structure includes two like halves that fold, upwardly at front and rear sides of the club head, said weight carried at an inner side of said flap.

35. The combination of claim 34 wherein said halves are joined at seamless location proximate the bottom of the club head, and are joined with reinforcement proximate the top of the club head.

36. The combination of claim 34 wherein said weighting includes multiple weights encapsulated in pockets at the inner sides of said halves.

37. The combination of claim 21 wherein said structure extends at opposite sides of a club head, and there being a first indicator color on said structure at one side of the head, and a second indicator color on said structure at the opposite side of the head.

38. The combination of claim 21 wherein said structure defines the wrap to wrap closely around a club head, and to be held by a retainer closed about the club head.

39. The combination of claim 38 wherein said retainer comprises hook and pile fastening material.

40. The combination of claim 21 wherein said structure includes a sheath that extends onto the club shaft, and said weighting is carried on said sheath.

41. The combination of claim 40 including a sheath lower portion that encompasses the club head, and a part of said weighting is on said sheath lower portion.

42. A weighting device for use on a golf club of the head as during swinging club head, comprising in combination:

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

b) a retainer carried on the receptacle to be fastened in a position for retaining the receptacle to the club head, during said swinging,

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, and a top portion; and

said weighting structure located proximate at least one of said portions, and

e) said retainer being foldable to extend at least partly over said opening, so that a portion of the retainer then extends generally forwardly from proximate said receptacle heel portion toward said toe portion, thereby to bring a size of said portion of the retainer into position for releasable attachment to a surface carried by the receptacle.

43. A weighting device for use on a golf club head as during swinging of the club comprising in combination:

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

b) a retainer carried on the receptacle to be fastened in a position for retaining the receptacle to the club head, during said swinging,

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 back portion, and a top portion; and

said weighting structure located proximate at least one of said portions, and

e) said retainer being manipulable to extend at least partly over said opening so that a portion of the retainer then extends generally forwardly toward said toe portion, thereby to bring a side of said portion of the retainer into position for releasably attachment to a surface carried by the receptacle.