Golf club head with composite weight port

• US 8,197,358 B1
• Filed: 02/01/2012
• Issued: 06/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Inventors: Watson, William C., Dawson, Patrick, Rice, Bradley C., Peralta, Martin, Ivanova, Irina
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US13/364,089
• Publication Number:
  US 20120135820A1
• Time in Patent Office: 132 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473287-292, 473/256
• US Class Current: 473/334
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/02 with reinforcing fibres, e.g. carbon, polyamide fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence

Abstract

A golf club head having a face component, a crown, and a composite sole with one or more weight ports for receiving one or more weight inserts is disclosed herein. At least part of each of the weight ports is integrally formed in the composite sole, and each of the weight ports include a weight receiving region for receiving a weight and a screw receiving region for receiving a screw that secures the weight in the weight port.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a metal face component comprising a striking surface, a face extension, and a hosel;

an aft body comprising a crown, a sole, interior and exterior surfaces, and at least one integrally formed weight port;

at least one metal screw-receiving component comprising a threaded bore; and

at least one removable weight sized to fit within and make direct contact with the at least one integrally formed weight port,

wherein the aft body is composed of a composite material,

wherein the golf club head has a volume of at least 300 and no more than 500 cubic centimeters,

wherein the weight port comprises a first diameter and an unthreaded bore having a second diameter,

wherein the first diameter is greater than the second diameter, and

wherein the screw-receiving component is affixed to the weight port with an adhesive such that the threaded bore aligns with the unthreaded bore.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the at least one integrally formed weight port is disposed in the sole.

3. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the sole comprises a heel section and a toe section, and wherein the at least one integrally formed weight port is disposed in the toe section.

4. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein the sole further comprises a second, integrally formed weight port, and wherein the second weight port is located in the heel section.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the screw-receiving component is affixed to the interior surface of the aft body.

6. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the screw-receiving component is affixed to the exterior surface of the aft body.

7. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the weight is affixed to the weight port with a metal screw.

8. The golf club head of claim 7, wherein the weight port has a conical shape and wherein the weight has a shape that fits within the weight port.

9. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the weight is composed of a metal material and has a weight of no less than 2 grams and no more than 20 grams.

10. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the weight is composed of both metal and non-metal materials.

11. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the crown and sole are integrally formed.

12. A driver-type golf club head comprising:

a metal face component comprising a striking face and a face extension;

a crown;

a composite sole comprising an interior surface, an exterior surface, and at least two, integrally formed weight ports;

at least two metal screw-receiving components, each of which comprises a threaded bore; and

at least one removable metal weight having a through bore and a central aperture,

wherein each of the integrally formed weight ports comprises a first diameter and an unthreaded bore comprising a second diameter,

wherein the first diameter is greater than the second diameter,

wherein each of the at least two metal screw-receiving components is affixed to one of the integrally formed weight ports such that the threaded bore aligns with the unthreaded bore,

wherein the at least one weight is affixed within one of the at least two weight ports with a metal screw such that the at least one weight makes direct contact with the weight port, and

wherein the driver-type golf club head has a volume of no less than 440 cubic centimeters and no more than 470 cubic centimeters.

13. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein the metal screw engages the threaded bore of the metal screw-receiving component to secure the weight in the weight port.

14. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein the face component and the crown are composed of a titanium alloy.

15. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein the crown is composed of composite material and is integrally formed with the sole.

16. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein the sole has at least three integrally formed weight ports and at least three weights.

17. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein the weight is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of an aluminum alloy, a titanium alloy, a stainless steel, and a tungsten alloy.

18. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein the metal screw-receiving component is affixed to the interior surface of the sole with an adhesive.

19. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein the weight is composed of at least one metal alloy and at least one plastic material.