Golf club head weight reinforcement

• US 7,713,142 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2008
• Issued: 05/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Inventors: Saliba, Allan C., Beach, Todd P., Hoffman, Joseph Henry, Willett, Kraig Alan, Lorentzen, John F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti; Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US12/011,257
• Publication Number:
  US 20080261717A1
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473290-292
• US Class Current: 473/334
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0412 Volume
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0458 with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate
• 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 wood-type golf club head is described that includes a body including one or more walls defining an interior cavity and multiple weight ports formed in the body. At least one weight is configured to be retained at least partially within at least one of the weight ports. One or more fins or ribs are secured to each of the weight ports and to another structural member of the golf club head.

Claims

1. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a body comprising one or more walls defining an interior cavity and an exterior surface;

at least one weight port formed in the body, the at least one weight port opening to the exterior surface and configured to receive a weight; and

at least one rib in the interior cavity of the body, the at least one rib secured to the at least one weight port and to at least one of the one or more walls, wherein the at least one weight port comprises a weight port having a cantilevered portion.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the body comprises a face plate positioned at a forward portion of the golf club head, a sole positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head, a crown positioned at a top portion of the golf club head, and a skirt positioned around a periphery of the golf club head between the sole and the crown.

3. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the at least one weight port comprises at least one weight port positioned in a rear portion of the golf club head distal from the face plate.

4. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein a horizontal axis of the at least one rib forms a non-zero angle relative to a horizontal axis along the face plate.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein a first mode of vibration of the head is greater than about 3400 Hz.

6. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a body comprising one or more walls defining an interior cavity and an exterior surface;

at least one weight port formed in the body, the at least one weight port comprising a cantilevered portion and opening to the exterior surface and configured to receive a weight; and

at least one rib in the interior cavity of the body, the at least one rib secured to the at least one weight port and to at least one of the one or more walls, wherein a horizontal axis of the at least one rib forms a non-zero angle relative to a horizontal axis along the face plate, and the non-zero angle is about forty-five degrees.

7. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a body comprising one or more walls defining an interior cavity and an exterior surface;

at least one weight port formed in the body, the at least one weight port opening to the exterior surface and configured to receive a weight; and

at least one rib in the interior cavity of the body, the at least one rib secured to the at least one weight port and to at least one of the one or more walls, wherein a horizontal axis of the at least one rib forms a non-zero angle relative to a horizontal axis alone the face plate, and a height axis along the rib perpendicular to the horizontal axis along the rib is substantially parallel to a height axis along the face plate that is perpendicular to the horizontal axis along the face plate.

8. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a body comprising one or more walls defining an interior cavity and an exterior surface;

at least one weight port formed in the body, the at least one weight port opening to the exterior surface and configured to receive a weight;

at least one rib in the interior cavity of the body, the at least one rib secured to the at least one weight port and to at least one of the one or more walls;

wherein the body comprises a face plate positioned at a forward portion of the golf club head, a sole positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head, a crown positioned at a top portion of the golf club head, and a skirt positioned around a periphery of the golf club head between the sole and the crown; and

a first weight port proximate a toe portion of the golf club head, and a second weight port proximate a heel portion of the golf club head; and

a first rib secured to the first weight port and a second rib secured to the second weight port.

9. The golf club head of claim 8, further comprising a third rib extending between the first and second weight ports.

10. The golf club head of claim 8, wherein the first rib extends at least about 5 mm above the intersection between the first weight port and the first rib, and the second rib extends at least about 5 mm above the intersection between the second weight port and the second rib.

11. A golf club head comprising:

a body comprising one or more walls defining an interior cavity;

a plurality of weight ports each comprising a cantilevered portion at least partially within the cavity, wherein each cantilevered portion comprises a base mounted to at least one of the one or more walls, and the cantilevered portion extends a cantilevered length from the base; and

one or more ribs each secured to the cantilevered portion of one of the weight ports and to another structural member of the golf club head, wherein at least one of the one or more ribs is secured to each of the weight ports.

12. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the one or more ribs comprise a first rib that is secured to the cantilevered portion of a first weight port of the plurality of weight ports in a region extending to a point on the cantilevered portion of the first weight port that is at least about twenty percent of the cantilevered length from the base of the cantilevered portion of the first weight port.

13. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein the point is at least about eighty percent of the cantilevered length from the base.

14. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein the first rib extends along the cantilevered portion of the first weighted assembly from the base to the point.

15. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the weight ports comprise first and second weight ports, and the one or more ribs comprise a rib extending from the first weight port to the second weight port.

16. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the one or more walls comprise a face plate positioned at a forward portion of the golf club head, a sole positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head, a crown positioned at a top portion of the golf club head, and a skirt positioned around a periphery of the golf club head between the sole and the crown.

17. A golf club head comprising:

a body comprising one or more walls defining an interior cavity and an exterior surface;

a plurality of cantilevered features in the interior cavity, wherein the plurality of cantilevered features each comprise a base mounted to at least one of the one or more walls of the interior cavity and a cantilevered portion extending a length from the base, the cantilevered portion protruding into the interior cavity to receive a weight and terminating inside the interior cavity; and

one or more ribs secured to each cantilevered feature and to at least one wall of the interior cavity.

18. The golf club head of claim 17, wherein at least one of the plurality of cantilevered features comprises a weight port.

19. The golf club head of claim 18, wherein the weight port opens to the external surface of the body and is configured to receive a weight.

20. The golf club head of claim 17, wherein the one or more ribs comprise a first rib secured to the base of the cantilevered feature and extending about eighty percent of the cantilevered length along the cantilevered portion of the cantilevered feature.

21. The golf club head of claim 17, wherein the cantilevered features comprise first and second cantilevered features, and the one or more ribs comprise a rib extending from the first cantilevered feature to the second cantilevered feature.

22. The golf club head of claim 17, further comprising a plurality of ribs coupled to the cantilevered feature and configured in a substantially symmetrical configuration around an axis formed by the cantilevered feature.