Customizable center-of-gravity golf club head

• US 7,004,852 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2002
• Issued: 02/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dogleg Right Corporation
• Original Assignee: Dogleg Right Corporation
• Inventors: Billings, David P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US10/043,421
• Publication Number:
  US 20030130059A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,510 Days
• Field of Search: 473/324, 473/332, 473/333, 473/334, 473/335, 473/336, 473/337, 473/338, 473/339, 473/340, 473/341, 473/349, 473/350, 473/256, 473/345, 473/346
• US Class Current: 473/332
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0475 with one or more enclosed cavities
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/06 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations

Abstract

A golf club head that allows a user to customize the location of the center of gravity. The golf club head comprises a club head having a hollow cavity with a weighting port. The weighting port allows a user to place weighting material inside the hollow cavity, customizing the location of the center of gravity, the swing weight, the total weight, and the balance of the golf club.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a relatively thin shell comprising a plurality of walls that collectively form a hollow body with a substantially empty or voided cavity;

said club head having an opening defined therein;

a plurality of weights readily user-repositionably secured to said shell of said club head at readily user-accessible spaced-apart locations along the walls of the shell to adjust the center of gravity of the golf club head; and

a user-accessible threadably attachable member threadably attached to the opening, said threadably attachable member having a weight user-repositionably secured thereon;

at least one of said weights being securable in a location that is substantially non-co-linear with the others of said weights to permit adjustment of the center of gravity of the golf club head in at least two axes,

at least one of said weights being user-repositionably disposable near the rear of the club head, left of the center-line of the head,

at least one of said weights being user-repositionably disposable near the rear of the club head, right of the center-line of the head,

at least one of said weights being user-repositionably disposable near the front of said club head,

each of said weights being interchangeably repositionable by the user at each of said locations.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising a vibration-dampening material interposed between the threadably attachable member and the opening formed though the housing.

3. A golf club head having an adjustable center of gravity, comprising:

a relatively thin shell comprising a plurality of walls that collectively form a hollow body with a substantially empty or voided cavity;

an opening into said cavity;

a removable cover for selectively covering and uncovering the opening;

a plurality of weights readily user-repositionably secured to said shell of said club head at readily user-accessible spaced-apart locations along the walls of the shell to adjust the center of gravity of the golf club; and

a vibration-dampener interposed between the weighting port cover and the body to reduce vibration of the cover;

at least one of said weights being securable in a location that is substantially non-co-linear with the others of said weights to permit adjustment of the center of gravity of the golf club head in at least two axes,

at least one of said weights being user-repositionably disposable near the rear of the club head, left of the center-line of the head,

at least one of said weights being user-repositionably disposable near the rear of the club head, right of the center-line of the head,

at least one of said weights being user-repositionably disposable near the front of said club head,

each of said weights being interchangeably repositionable by the user at each of said locations.

4. A golf club head having an adjustable center of gravity, comprising:

a relatively thin shell comprising a plurality of walls that collectively form a hollow body with a substantially empty or voided cavity;

an opening into said cavity;

a removable cover for selectively covering and uncovering the opening;

a plurality of weights readily user-repositionably secured to said shell of said club head at readily user-accessible spaced-apart locations along the walls of the shell to adjust the center of gravity of the golf club; and

a vibration dampener secured to the closure of the opening;

at least one of said weights being securable in a location that is substantially non-co-linear with the others of said weights to permit adjustment of the center of gravity of the golf club head in at least two axes,

at least one of said weights being user-repositionably disposable near the rear of the club head, left of the center-line of the head,

at least one of said weights being user-repositionably disposable near the rear of the club head, right of the center-line of the head,

at least one of said weights being user-repositionably disposable near the front of said club head,

each of said weights being interchangeably repositionable by the user at each of said locations.

5. A golf club head with an adjustable center of gravity, comprising:

a relatively thin shell comprising a plurality of walls that collectively form a hollow body with a substantially empty or voided cavity;

an opening;

a plurality of weights readily user-repositionably secured to said shell of said club head at readily user-accessible spaced-apart locations along the walls of the shell to adjust the center of gravity of the golf club head;

at least one of said weights being securable in a location that is substantially non-co-linear with the others of said weights to permit adjustment of the center of gravity of the golf club head in at least two axes,

at least one of said weights being user-repositionably disposable near the rear of the club head, left of the center-line of the head,

at least one of said weights being user-repositionably disposable near the rear of the club head, right of the center-line of the head,

at least one of said weights being user-repositionably disposable near the front of said club head,

each of said weights being interchangeably repositionable by the user at each of said locations;

a closure for covering the opening into the cavity following placement of said weights within the cavity; and

a dampener for reducing vibration of the closure when the closure covers the opening.

6. The golf club head of claim 5, wherein the dampener comprises vibration dampening material compressed between at least a portion of the housing and the closure.

7. The golf club head of claim 5, wherein the dampener is in contact with the closure.