Golf club head

• US 7,594,865 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2006
• Issued: 09/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Inventors: Ines, Marni D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter; Alvin A
• Application Number:
  US11/614,526
• Publication Number:
  US 20080153623A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,013 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350
• US Class Current: 473/334
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0441 with visual indicators for aligning the golf club
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/50 with through-holes A63B60/18 takes precedence; for stringing purposes A63B49/00

Abstract

A golf club head has a main body and at least two side members such as wings. The wings can be configured to be removably coupled to side portions of the main body. The wings can be reconfigured with respect to the main body. For example: the positions of wings relative to the main body can be swapped; the wings can be rotated (e.g., flipped over); and/or one or more wings can be replaced with other wings. The wings can be of varying sizes, shapes, and constructions, including generally symmetrical and generally asymmetrical shapes, and can possess generally homogenous or generally non-homogenous densities. Varying configurations of the main body and wings can allow for a golf club head having varying properties, e.g., shape, size, appearance, weight, and center of gravity.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a body comprising a top surface, a bottom surface generally opposed to the top surface, opposing first and second lateral surfaces, and a front surface;

a first side extension section configured to be removably coupled to the body to position the first side extension section adjacent to and substantially projecting outwardly relative to the first lateral surfaces of the body;

a second side extension section configured to be removably coupled to the body to position the second side extension section adjacent to and substantially projecting outwardly relative to the second lateral surface of the body; and

the first and second extension sections being removable from the body independently of one another, wherein the first side extension section comprises a first body engaging surface configured to conform to the first lateral surface and wherein the second side extension section comprises a second body engaging surface configured to conform to the second lateral surface and the first body engaging surface is configured to conform to the first lateral surface when the first side extension section is in a first orientation and wherein the first body engaging surface is configured to conform and attach to the second lateral surface when the first side extension section is in a second orientation, wherein the second body engaging surface is configured to conform to the second lateral surface when the second side extension section is in a first orientation and wherein the second body engaging surface is configured to conform and attach to the first lateral surface when the second side extension section is in a second orientation, the first side extension section being removably mountable to the body with the first body engaging surface engaging the first lateral surface when the first side extension section is in the first orientation, the first side extension section being removably mountable to the body with the first body engaging surface engaging the second lateral surface when the first side extension section is in the second orientation, the second side extension section being removably mountable to the body with the second body engaging surface engaging the second lateral surface when the second side extension section is in the first orientation, and the second side extension section being removably mountable to the body with the second body engaging surface engaging the first lateral surface when the second side extension is in the second orientation, whereby the first and second side extension sections are interchangeably mountable to the first and second lateral surfaces, wherein each of the first and second side extension sections are asymmetric in a front to back direction.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising at least one detachable fastener for coupling the first side extension section to the body and at least one detachable fastener for coupling the second side extension section to the body.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the first side extension section is elongated in the direction of the first lateral surface and the second side extension section is elongated in the direction of the second lateral surface.

4. The golf club head of claim 3 wherein each of the first and second side extension sections are wedge shaped.

5. The golf club head of claim 3 wherein each of the first and second side extension sections comprise a first end portion and a second end portion, the second end portion being wider than the first end portion.

6. The golf club head of claim 1 wherein the first side extension section is flipped over to shift the first side extension section from the first orientation to the second orientation and wherein the second side extension section is flipped over to shift the second side extension section from the first orientation to the second orientation.

7. The golf club head of claim 1 wherein the first and second lateral surfaces and first and second body engaging surfaces comprise respective interfitting mating features that mate with one another when the respective first and second side extensions are removably mounted to the body.

8. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the first and second lateral surfaces of the body are each at least partially curved, and wherein the first and second body engaging surfaces are correspondingly at least partially curved.

9. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the first and second lateral surfaces of the body are each at least partially flat, and wherein the first and second body engaging surfaces are correspondingly at least partially flat.

10. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the golf club head is a golf putter head.

11. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the front surface comprises a golf ball striking surface.

12. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the first side extension section can be coupled in a first orientation relative to the body and in a second orientation relative to the body, and wherein the second side extension section can be coupled in a first orientation relative to the body and in a second orientation relative to the body.

13. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein the golf club head has a first center of gravity when the first or second side extension section is coupled in the first orientation, and wherein the golf club head has a second center of gravity when the first or second side extension section is coupled in the second orientation.

14. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein the golf club head has a first shape when the first or second side extension section is coupled in the first orientation, and wherein the golf club head has a second shape when the first or second side extension section is coupled in the second orientation.

15. A golf club head comprising:

a body comprising a top surface, a bottom surface generally parallel to the top surface, opposing first and second lateral surfaces, and a front surface;

a first elongated wing section configured to be removably coupled adjacent to the first lateral surface of the body in at least first and second configurations relative to the body; and

a second elongated wing section configured to be removably coupled adjacent to the second lateral surface of the body in at least third and fourth configurations relative to the body, wherein the body and the first and second wing sections can be configured to provide a plurality of club head shapes and at least one of the first and second elongated wing sections has a non-uniform density.

16. The golf club head of claim 15, wherein the body and the first and second elongated wing sections have a combined mass, and wherein the body has a mass of about 10% to about 30% of the combined mass.

17. The golf club head of claim 15, wherein the golf club head has a first center of gravity when the first elongated wing section is in the first configuration, and wherein the golf club head has a second center of gravity when the first wing section is in the second configuration.

18. The golf club head of claim 15, wherein the body and the first and second wing sections comprise a club head top surface, wherein the body comprises about 50% of the top surface, and wherein the first and second elongated wing sections collectively comprise about 50% of the top surface.

19. The golf club head of claim 15, wherein the body and the first and second wing sections comprise a club head top surface, wherein the body comprises about 25-75% of the top surface, and wherein the first and second elongated wing sections collectively comprise the remaining about 25-75% of the top surface.

20. The golf club head of claim 15, wherein at least one of the first and second elongated wing sections is configured to be removably coupled adjacent the first or second lateral surface of the body using a slot-and-flange connection.

21. The golf club of claim 15, wherein the first elongated wing section has a first mass and the second elongated wing section has a second mass, the first mass being different from the second mass.

22. A golf club head comprising:

a body comprising a top, a sole, a toe portion, a heel portion and a front ball striking surface portion, the heel portion comprising a first attachment interface and the toe portion comprising a second attachment interface;

a first asymmetric attachment adapted for detachable coupling to the first attachment interface in a first orientation when the first attachment is in a fully engaged first orientation relative to the first attachment interface, the first attachment also being adapted for detachable coupling to the first attachment interface in a second orientation when the first attachment is in a fully engaged second orientation relative to the first attachment interface; and

a second asymmetric attachment adjusted for detachable coupling to the second attachment interface in a first orientation when the second attachment is in a fully engaged first orientation relative to the second attachment interface, the second attachment also being adapted for detachable coupling to the second attachment interface in a second orientation when the second attachment is in a fully engaged second orientation relative to the second attachment interface, wherein the body and the first and second asymmetric attachments have a combined mass, and wherein the body has a mass of about 10% to about 30% of the combined mass, wherein each of the first and second asymmetric attachments are asymmetric in a front to back direction.

23. The golf club head of claim 22, further comprising a shaft.