Customizable golf club head

• US 8,257,196 B1
• Filed: 04/19/2012
• Issued: 09/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: Abbott, Craig E., Brookshire, Catherine, Goudarzi, Tim, Manwaring, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US13/451,347
• Time in Patent Office: 138 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473287-292, 473/256
• US Class Current: 473/335
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/02 with reinforcing fibres, e.g. carbon, polyamide fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/10 with adhesive type surfaces, i.e. hook and loop-type fastener
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence

Abstract

A golf club having features that permit easy customization by consumers is disclosed herein. The golf club includes at least one weight port, a ribbon, at least one removable weight port ring, and at least one removable ribbon insert.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a face component;

a crown;

a sole comprising at least one weight port;

at least one weight port ring comprising a lightweight material; and

at least one weight screw comprising a metal material,

wherein the at least one weight port comprises a threaded bore, a side wall, and a base,

wherein the at least one weight port ring is affixed within the at least one weight port with an adhesive material,

wherein the at least one weight screw is received within the at least one weight port,

wherein at least part of the weight port ring is disposed between the weight port and the weight screw, and

wherein the at least one weight port ring does not make contact with the weight screw when the weight port ring and the weight screw are disposed within the weight port.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the at least one weight port ring is composed of a non-metal material.

3. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the at least one weight port ring is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of rubber, plastic, and composite.

4. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein the at least one weight port ring is composed of plastic.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the at least one weight port ring comprises an exterior wall and a shelf, wherein the exterior wall rests against the side wall of the weight port, and wherein the shelf rests against the base of the weight port.

6. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the weight screw comprises a head sized to fit within the weight port and a threaded extension sized to removably engage the threaded bore.

7. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the golf club head is a driver-type head having a volume of 300 to 500 cubic centimeters.

8. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the adhesive material is semi-permanent, and wherein the at least one weight port ring is removably received within the at least one weight port.

9. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the sole comprises two weight ports.

10. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the sole and face component are composed of a metal material, and wherein the crown is composed of a composite material.

11. The golf club head of claim 10, wherein the metal material is titanium alloy.

12. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the sole is composed of a composite material.

13. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein the at least one weight port is integrally formed in the sole.

14. A driver-type golf club head comprising:

a body portion cast from a titanium alloy, the body portion comprising a face component and a sole;

a composite crown;

at least one weight screw comprising a head and a threaded extension; and

at least one weight port ring composed of a polymeric material,

wherein the sole comprises at least one, integrally formed weight port,

wherein the at least one weight port comprises a shallow recess having a base and a side wall, and a threaded bore,

wherein the screw head is sized to fit within the shallow recess, and wherein the threaded extension of the screw is sized to removably engage the threaded bore,

wherein the at least one weight port ring is sized to fit within the weight port recess,

wherein the at least one weight port ring is affixed within the weight port recess with an adhesive material,

wherein the at least one weight port ring is disposed between at least one wall of the shallow recess and the head of the weight screw, and

wherein the at least one weight screw does not make contact with any portion of the at least one weight port ring.

15. The driver-type golf club head of claim 14, wherein the at least one weight port ring comprises a cylindrical wall and a shelf portion disposed perpendicular to the cylindrical wall, wherein the shelf portion rests against the base of the at least one weight port, and wherein the cylindrical wall rests against the side wall of the at least one weight port.

16. The driver-type golf club head of claim 15, wherein the adhesive material is disposed on an external surface of the cylindrical wall and a lower surface of the shelf portion.

17. The driver-type golf club head of claim 14, wherein the at least one weight port ring is composed of a plastic material.

18. The driver-type golf club head of claim 14, wherein the adhesive is semi-permanent and wherein the at least one weight port ring is removably affixed within the at least one weight port.

19. The driver-type golf club head of claim 14, wherein the sole comprises two, integrally formed weight ports, wherein the at least one weight screw comprises two weight screws, and wherein the at least one weight port ring comprises two weight port rings.