Golf club head with peripheral weighting

• US 6,988,960 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2005
• Issued: 01/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Inventors: Lowe, David, Mahaffey, Steven J., Greene, Thomas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Legesse, Nini F.
• Application Number:
  US11/069,284
• Publication Number:
  US 20050148406A1
• Time in Patent Office: 330 Days
• Field of Search: 473333-349, 473/256, 473324-327
• US Class Current: 473/345
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/01 Special aerodynamic features, e.g. airfoil shapes, wings or air passages
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence

Abstract

A golf club head with low peripheral and rearward weighting includes C-shaped and annular weights connected with at least one of the rear and bottom surfaces, respectively, of the head. The weighting within the peripheral weights is adjustable between the heel, rear, and toe portions of the head to customize the weight distribution of the head in accordance with a golfer'"'"'s swing. The added weight and its orientation increases the moment of inertia of the head and reduces the rotation thereof.

Claims

1. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a metal body having a heel end and a toe end and comprising an upper surface, a lower surface, a front ball striking face, and a curved rear surface extending rearward of the front ball striking face between the upper and lower surfaces, the curved rear surface having a concave slot formed therein, the slot extending along substantially the entire length of the curved rear surface and having a recess formed therein, a distance between a toe end of the recess and a toe end of the slot being greater than a distance between a heel end of the recess and a heel end of the slot; and

a peripheral weight secured in the recess of the curved rear surface of the body, the peripheral weight having an arcuate configuration and including a housing having at least one chamber, and at least one weight member received in the at least one chamber.

2. The golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the Peripheral weight is removably secured in the recess of the curved rear surface of the body.

3. The golf club head as defined in claim 2, wherein the peripheral weight is secured in the recess of the curved rear surface of the body with at least one fastener.

4. The golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the housing of the peripheral weight is composed of a synthetic plastic material.

5. The golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one chamber is formed in an inner concave surface of the housing.

6. The golf club head as defined in claim 5, wherein the housing of the peripheral weight has three chambers.

7. The golf club head as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one weight member is molded in the at least one chamber in the housing.

8. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a metal body having a heel end and a toe end and comprising an upper surface, a lower surface, a front ball striking face, and a curved rear surface extending rearward of the front ball striking face between the upper and lower surfaces, the curved rear surface having a concave slot formed therein, the slot extending along substantially the entire length of the curved rear surface and having a recess formed therein, a distance between a toe end of the recess and a toe end of the slot being greater than a distance between the heel end of the recess and a heel end of the slot; and

a peripheral weight secured in the recess of the curved rear surface of the body, the peripheral weight including a housing having a chamber and a weight member received in the chamber.

9. The golf club head as defined in claim 8, wherein the peripheral weight is removably secured in the recess of the curved rear surface of the body.

10. The golf club head as defined in claim 8, wherein the housing of the peripheral weight is composed of a synthetic plastic material.

11. The golf club head as defined in claim 10, wherein the weight member is molded in the chamber in the housing.

12. The golf club head as defined in claim 8, wherein the housing of the peripheral weight has a plurality of chambers and at least one weight member.

13. The golf club head as defined in claim 12, wherein the plurality of chambers are fanned in an inner concave surface of the housing.