Golf club head with vertical center of gravity adjustment

• US 7,771,291 B1
• Filed: 10/12/2007
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Talyor Made Golf Company, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Inventors: Beach, Todd P., Willett, Kraig Alan, Zimmerman, Gery Mel, Harbert, Christopher John
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter; Alvin A
• Application Number:
  US11/871,933
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350
• US Class Current: 473/337
• 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 53/0437 with special crown 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 53/06 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like

Abstract

Golf club heads include at least one weight port situated to retain weights and positioned above an approximate club face geometric center with the club in a standard address position. One, two, or more weight ports can be located above the club face center in a club crown or other portion of a club body. Club head vertical center of gravity can be selected to compensate dynamic loft associated with locating the club head center of gravity well behind the club face. Three-dimensional adjustment of club head center of gravity is possible.

Claims

1. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a body comprising 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, wherein the body defines an interior cavity;

at least first, second, third, and fourth weight ports formed in the body; and

at least a first weight configured to be retained at least partially within the first weight port, at least a second weight configured to be retained at least partially within the second weight port, at least a third weight configured to be retained at least partially within the third weight port, and at least a fourth weight configured to be retained at least partially within the fourth weight port;

wherein the head has a golf club head origin positioned on the face plate at an approximate geometric center of the face plate, the head origin including an x-axis tangential to the face plate and generally parallel to the ground when the head is ideally positioned, a y-axis generally perpendicular to the x-axis and generally parallel to the ground when the head is ideally positioned, and a z-axis generally perpendicular to the x-axis and to the y-axis and generally perpendicular to the ground when the head is ideally positioned, wherein a positive x-axis extends toward a club head heel, a positive y-axis extends toward the cavity, and a positive z-axis extends away from the ground with the head ideally positioned, and

wherein the first weight is positionable proximate a front toe portion of the golf club head, the second weight is positionable proximate a front heel portion of the golf club head, the third weight is positionable proximate a high rear portion of the golf club head, and the fourth weight is positionable proximate a low rear portion of the golf club head.

2. The wood-type golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the third weight has a head origin z-axis coordinate between about −

10 mm and about 20 mm.

3. The wood-type golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the third weight has a head origin z-axis coordinate between about 5 mm and 15 mm.

4. The wood-type golf club head according to claim 1, wherein a golf club head center of gravity has a head origin z-axis coordinate between about −

6 mm and about 1 mm.

5. The wood-type golf club head according to claim 4, wherein the golf club head center of gravity has a head origin z-axis coordinate between about −

5 mm and about 1 mm.

6. The wood-type golf club head according to claim 4, wherein the golf club head center of gravity has a head origin y-axis coordinate greater than about 15 mm.

7. The wood-type golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the first weight has a head origin x-axis coordinate greater than about −

40 mm and less than about −

20 mm, the second weight has a head origin x-axis coordinate greater than about 20 mm and less than about 40 mm, the third weight has a head origin x-axis coordinate greater than about 0 mm and less than about 20 mm, and the fourth weight has a head origin x-axis coordinate greater than about 0 mm and less than about 20 mm.

8. The wood-type golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the first weight has a head origin y-axis coordinate greater than about 5 mm and less than about 25 mm, the second weight has a head origin y-axis coordinate greater than about 5 mm and less than about 25 mm, the third weight has a head origin y-axis coordinate greater than about 80 mm and less than about 130 mm, and the fourth weight has a head origin y-axis coordinate greater than about 80 mm and less than about 130 mm.

9. The wood-type golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the first weight has a head origin z-axis coordinate greater than about −

20 mm and less than about −

10 mm, the second weight has a head origin z-axis coordinate greater than about −

20 mm and less than about −

10 mm, the third weight has a head origin z-axis coordinate greater than about 0 mm and less than about 20 mm, and the fourth weight has a head origin z-axis coordinate greater than about −

30 mm and less than about −

10 mm.

10. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a body comprising 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, wherein the body defines an interior cavity, wherein a volume of the golf club head is between about 180 cm³ and about 600 cm³;

at least first, second, third, and fourth weight ports formed in the body; and

at least a first weight having a mass between about 1 g and about 100 g and configured to be retained at least partially within the first weight port, at least a second weight having a mass between about 1 g and about 100 g and configured to be retained at least partially within the second weight port, at least a third weight having a mass between about 1 g and about 100 g and configured to be retained at least partially within the third weight port, and at least a fourth weight having a mass between about 1 g and about 100 g and configured to be retained at least partially within the fourth weight port;

wherein the head has a golf club head origin positioned on the face plate at an approximate geometric center of the face plate, the head origin including an x-axis tangential to the face plate and generally parallel to the ground when the head is ideally positioned, a y-axis generally perpendicular to the x-axis and generally parallel to the ground when the head is ideally positioned, and a z-axis generally perpendicular to the x-axis and to the y-axis and generally perpendicular to the ground when the head is ideally positioned, wherein a positive x-axis extends toward a club head heel, a positive y-axis extends toward the cavity, and a positive z-axis extends away from the ground with the head ideally positioned, and

wherein, as installed, the first weight has a head origin z-axis coordinate greater than about −

20 mm and less than about −

10 mm, the second weight has a head origin z-axis coordinate greater than about −

20 mm and less than about −

10 mm, the third weight has a head origin z-axis coordinate greater than about 5 mm and less than about 15 mm, and the fourth weight has a head origin z-axis coordinate greater than about −

30 nun and less than about −

10 mm.

11. The wood-type golf club head according to claim 10, wherein the first weight has a head origin x-axis coordinate greater than about −

40 mm and less than about −

20 mm, the second weight has a head origin x-axis coordinate greater than about 20 mm and less than about 40 mm, the third weight has a head origin x-axis coordinate greater than about 0 mm and less than about 20 mm, and the fourth weight has a head origin x-axis coordinate greater than about 0 mm and less than about 20 mm.

12. The wood-type golf club head according to claim 11, wherein the first weight has a head origin y-axis coordinate greater than about 5 mm and less than about 25 mm, the second weight has a head origin y-axis coordinate greater than about 5 mm and less than about 25 mm, the third weight has a head origin y-axis coordinate greater than about 80 mm and less than about 130 mm, and the fourth weight has a head origin y-axis coordinate greater than about 80 mm and less than about 130 mm.

13. The wood-type golf club head according to claim 10, wherein a golf club head center of gravity has a head origin z-axis coordinate between about −

6 mm and about 1 mm.

14. The wood-type golf club head according to claim 13, wherein the golf club head center of gravity has a head origin y-axis coordinate greater than about 15 mm.

15. A wood-type golf club head, comprising:

a body comprising 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, wherein the body defines an interior cavity,

wherein the head has a golf club head origin positioned on the face plate at an approximate geometric center of the face plate, the head origin including an x-axis tangential to the face plate and generally parallel to the ground when the head is ideally positioned, a y-axis generally perpendicular to the x-axis and generally parallel to the ground when the head is ideally positioned, and a z-axis generally perpendicular to the x-axis and to the y-axis and generally perpendicular to the ground when the head is ideally positioned;

at least a first weight port;

at least a first weight configured to be retained at least partially within the first weight port, wherein a center of gravity of the head is situated at a predetermined head origin y-coordinate that provides a dynamic loft, and a head origin z-coordinate that at least partially compensates the dynamic loft; and

at least second, third, and fourth weight ports and second, third, and fourth weights configured to be retained within the second, third, and fourth weight ports, wherein the first weight port is situated so as to have a head origin z-coordinate that is above the approximate geometric center of the face plate with the club positioned at address.