Movable weights for a golf club head

• US 7,744,484 B1
• Filed: 09/19/2006
• Issued: 06/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Inventors: Chao, Bing-Ling
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti; Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US11/524,031
• Time in Patent Office: 1,379 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473287-292, 473/409, D21/789
• US Class Current: 473/324
• 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

Embodiments of movable weights, such as weight plugs and other types of movable weights, for a golf club head are disclosed herein. One embodiment for a weight plug, for example, includes a mass element with a first end that has a threaded portion and a second end. The weight plug also has a weight cap with a seal retention portion that is configured to engage a seal. The cap is also configured to engage the threaded portion of the mass element. A seal is positioned between the first end of the mass element and the seal retention portion of the cap.

Claims

1. A movable weight plug configured for insertion into a recess formed in a golf club head comprising:

a mass element having a first end with a threaded portion and a second end extendable into and through the recess;

a seal positionable within the recess adjacent the first end of the mass element; and

a cap having a seal retention portion configured to engage the seal, the cap further being configured to engage the threaded portion of the mass element to removably secure the mass element, seal and cap to the golf club head, wherein the cap has an outer end, an inner end, and a surface that tapers in a direction from the outer end to the inner end.

2. The movable weight plug of claim 1, wherein the cap and mass element are shaped to cause the seal to deform in a radially outward direction when the cap is moved closer to the mass element.

3. The movable weight plug of claim 2, wherein deformation of the seal assists in retaining the weight plug in the recess formed in the golf club head.

4. The movable weight plug of claim 2, wherein the deforming seal applies a radially outward directed pressure on a recess formed in the golf club thereby retaining the movable weight plug in the recess.

5. The movable weight plug of claim 4, wherein the seal is deformable into a groove formed in an inner wall of the recess.

6. The movable weight plug of claim 1, wherein the tapering surface applies a radially outward directed pressure on the seal when the cap is moved closer to the mass element.

7. The movable weight plug of claim 6, wherein the tapering surface of the cap has a first end having a first diameter and a second end having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter.

8. The movable weight plug of claim 7, wherein the seal has an inner diameter smaller than the first diameter of the tapered section when the seal is in an undeformed state.

9. The movable weight plug of claim 1, wherein the seal retention portion includes an upper lip having a diameter approximately equal to a recess diameter of the golf club head, the upper lip configured to restrict deformation of the seal in the axial direction as the cap engages the mass element.

10. The movable weight plug of claim 1, wherein the second end of the mass element is sized to extend into a recess formed in the golf club head and the first end comprises a lip configured to engage a portion of the recess to restrict the first end from passing through the recess such that the first end rests at least partially within the recess.

11. The movable weight plug of claim 1, wherein the mass element includes at least one retention tab configured to engage a corresponding retention hole formed in the recess of the golf club, the at least one retention tab restricting rotation of the weight plug while secured in the recess.

12. The movable weight plug of claim 1, wherein the cap includes an outer major surface that is substantially flush with an outer surface of the golf club head when the weight plug is secured in a recess formed in the golf club head.

13. The movable weight plug of claim 1, wherein the cap includes an outer major surface having a socket configured for engagement with a tool for securing the weight plug in the golf club head.

14. The movable weight plug of claim 1, wherein the cap can be tightened against the mass element such that the seal provides resistance to water entering the golf club head.

15. A method of securing a movable weight plug in a recess formed in a golf club head comprising:

inserting a mass element having a first end with a threaded portion and a second end into the recess such that the second end extends through the recess and the first end rests at least partially within the recess;

positioning a seal within the recess such that the seal rests on the first end of the mass element;

threadably engaging the mass element with a weight cap configured to engage the threaded portion of the mass element such that an seal retention portion formed in the weight cap urges the seal radially outward to frictionally engage an adjacent surface of the recess, wherein the recess includes a mass element receiving ledge and the mass element includes a support rim extending circumferentially around the first end of the mass element, and wherein inserting the mass element comprises resting the support rim on the mass element receiving ledge.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein threadably engaging the mass element with the weight cap causes the seal to deform in the radially outward direction.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the surface of the recess includes a groove, and wherein threadably engaging comprises urging the seal radially outward to frictionally engage the groove in the adjacent surface of the recess.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein threadably engaging comprises tightening the weight cap against the mass element such that an outer surface of the weight cap is substantially flush with an outer surface of the golf club head.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the weight cap includes an outer major surface having a socket configured for engagement with a tool for securing the weight plug in the recess of the golf club head, wherein threadably engaging comprising tightening the weight cap against the mass element by engaging the socket with the tool.