Golf club information system and methods

• US 7,628,707 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2004
• Issued: 12/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Inventors: Olsavsky, Thomas, Beach, Todd P., Wright, Ian, Vincent, Benoit
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti; Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US11/025,469
• Publication Number:
  US 20050181884A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,806 Days
• Field of Search: 473219-256, 473/407, 473324-350, 473/131, 235/1.B, 235/78.R, 235/78.G, 235/88.R, 235/88.G, 116222-223, 116/309, 116/316, 116/318, 33/1.SB, 33/1.SD, 434/198, 434/404, 434/172, 434/174, 434/252, 404/95
• US Class Current: 473/131
• 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 53/0412 Volume
• 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

One embodiment of a golf club information system for representing a plurality of golf club head configurations includes a first member having thereon a graphic depicting a golf club head with openings and a second member movably coupled to the first member having marks thereon corresponding to a golf club head configuration associated with a predicted golf ball flight path. The first and second members are movable relative to each other to display some of the marks on the second member within the openings in the first member. The displayed marks convey golf club head configuration information.

Claims

1. An information system for selecting from among a plurality of configurations of a golf club head, comprising:

a first member having thereon a graphic depicting a golf club head, the first member forming at least one opening positioned on the graphic; and

a second member having at least one mark thereon corresponding to at least one of a plurality of configurations of the golf club head associated with at least one of a corresponding plurality of predicted golf ball flight paths, the second member being movably coupled to the first member;

wherein the at least one mark is positioned on the second member relative to the at least one opening according to a relationship between the predicted golf ball flight paths and the plurality of configurations of the golf club head, and wherein the first and second members are movable relative to each other for displaying the at least one mark on the second member within the at least one opening in the first member according to a selected golf ball flight path.

2. The information system of claim 1, wherein the second member is rotatably coupled to the first member, and the first and second members are rotatable relative to each other.

3. The information system of claim 1, wherein the openings in the first member are first openings, the information system further comprising a third member having at least one second opening corresponding to the predicted golf ball flight path, the third member being positioned between the first member and the second member, wherein at least one of the marks is displayed when the first and second openings are rotated into mutual alignment.

4. The information system of claim 3, wherein the third member includes swingweight indicia thereon corresponding to the at least one golf club head configuration, the swingweight indicia being displayable through the second member.

5. An information system providing information for selecting a golf club configuration from a plurality of possible golf club configurations to achieve a desired golf ball motion path for a golf ball struck by the golf club having the selected golf club configuration, comprising:

a first set of indicia on a first surface representing a plurality of predicted golf ball motion paths; and

an associated second set of indicia on a second surface providing a plurality of instructions to configure the golf club configuration according to each respective one of the plurality of predicted golf ball motion paths as indicated by the first set of indicia, wherein the first and second sets of indicia are positioned relative to each other and the first and the second surfaces according to a relationship between the predicted golf ball motion paths and the golf club configuration, and the first and the second surfaces are correspondingly configured such that at least one indicium of the first set corresponding to a selected one of the plurality of golf ball motion paths is presented in combination with at least one indicium of the second set for providing instructions to configure the golf club configuration to achieve a desired golf ball motion path corresponding to the selected one of the golf ball motion paths;

wherein the first surface is a surface of a first member and the second surface is a surface of a second member distinct from the first member; and

wherein the first member comprises a graphic depicting a golf club head and includes openings located at predetermined positions, and wherein the second set of indicia comprises multiple groupings of marks, wherein each grouping of marks corresponds to instructions to configure the golf club head according to a selected one of the predicted golf ball motion paths, and wherein one of the multiple groupings of marks is viewable through the openings upon proper rotational alignment of the first and second members.

6. The information system of claim 5, wherein the first set of indicia representing the predicted golf ball motion paths are presented in a graphical format illustrating the flight characteristics of the predicted golf ball motion paths relative to each other.

7. The information system of claim 5, wherein the second set of indicia includes instructions for redistributing a mass of a golf club head.

8. The information system of claim 7, wherein the instructions include specification of at least one of a plurality of movable weights.

9. The information system of claim 7, wherein the instructions include specification of a location for at least one of a plurality of movable weights.

10. The information system of claim 5, wherein the second set of indicia includes instructions for increasing or decreasing a mass of a golf club head.

11. The information system of claim 10, wherein the instructions include specification of at least one movable weight and at least one movable weight location.

12. The information system of claim 5, wherein the predicted golf ball motion path approximates the desired golf ball motion path.

13. The information system of claim 5, further comprising a selector operably associated with the first and second surfaces, the selector providing a visual guide to the user in selecting desired information from at least one of the first set of indicia and the second set of indicia.

14. The information system of claim 5, wherein the first set of indicia includes a plurality of golf club swingweights.

15. The information system of claim 14, wherein the second set of indicia includes instructions to configure the golf club configuration according to a selected one of the plurality of golf club swingweights indicated by the first set of indicia.

16. The information system of claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of predicted golf ball motion paths includes a trajectory component and a shot shape component.

17. The information system of claim 16, wherein the trajectory component includes a high trajectory motion path, a medium trajectory motion path, or a low trajectory motion path.

18. The information system of claim 5, wherein the predicted golf ball motion path includes a swingweight component.

19. The information system of claim 5, wherein the second surface is the same as the first surface.

20. The information system of claim 5, wherein proper rotational alignment is achieved by rotating the first member relative to the second member until the first openings are aligned with one of the multiple groupings of marks corresponding to a selected one of the plurality of predicted golf ball motion paths indicating the desired golf ball motion path.

21. The information system of claim 5, wherein the first and second members comprise circular members rotatable around a common axis.

22. The information system of claim 5, further comprising a third member positioned between the first and second members and rotatably coupled to the first and second members.

23. The information system of claim 22, wherein the openings in the first member are first openings, and wherein the third member comprises multiple groupings of second openings corresponding to respective predicted golf ball motion paths associated with one of a plurality of swingweights, wherein one of the multiple groupings of marks is viewable through one of the multiple groupings of second openings and the first openings upon proper rotational alignment of the first, second and third members.

24. The information system of claim 23, wherein each of the multiple groupings of second openings corresponds with a different one of the plurality of predicted golf ball motion paths.

25. The information system of claim 24, wherein the plurality of swingweights comprises a light swingweight, a standard swingweight or a heavy swingweight.

26. The information system of claim 25, wherein proper rotational alignment is achieved by rotating the first member relative to the third member until the first openings are aligned with one of the multiple groupings of second openings corresponding to one of the plurality of predicted golf ball motion paths, and rotating the second element relative to the first and third elements until a desired swingweight is reached.

27. The information system of claim 5, wherein the system includes an electronic device having a display, and wherein the display is the first surface and the second surface on which the first indicia and the second indicia appear.

28. The information system of claim 27, wherein the first set of indicia and the second set of indicia are viewable on the display in a side-by-side relation.

29. The information system of claim 28, wherein the display comprises a first screen for inputting a desired golf ball motion path.

30. The information system of claim 29, wherein the device comprises a processor programmed to calculate the selected one of the plurality of predicted golf ball motion paths, wherein the selected one of the plurality of predicted golf ball motion paths approximates the desired golf ball motion path.

31. The information system of claim 30, wherein the display comprises a second screen for displaying the second set of indicia.

32. The information system of claim 27, wherein the electronic device is a personal digital assistant (PDA), a wireless telephone, or a combination thereof.

33. An instruction wheel for calculating a proper golf club head configuration to achieve a desired motion path for a golf ball struck by the golf club, comprising:

a first member having a graphic of a golf club head, including first openings positioned at locations on the golf club head, the first member further comprising a lookup table representing a plurality of predicted golf ball motion paths including draw, fade and neutral type shot shapes and low, mid and high type trajectories; and

a second member having multiple groupings of marks, wherein each grouping of marks corresponds to one of a plurality of golf club head configurations correlated to one of the plurality of predicted golf ball motion paths, the second member being rotatably coupled to the first member;

wherein said grouping of marks corresponding to one of the plurality of golf club head configurations correlated to one of the plurality of predicted golf ball motion paths approximating the desired motion path is viewable through the first openings upon a proper rotational alignment of the first and second members.