Golf club head with vertical center of gravity adjustment

• US 8,262,507 B1
• Filed: 07/12/2010
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Inventors: Willett, Kraig Alan, Beach, Todd P., Harbert, Christopher John, Zimmerman, Gery Mel
• Primary Examiner(s): HUNTER, ALVIN A
• Application Number:
  US12/834,549
• Time in Patent Office: 792 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350
• US Class Current: 473/335
• 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 a first weight port and a second weight port formed in the body;

at least a first weight having a first weight mass between about 1 gram and about 18 grams and configured to be retained at least partially within the first weight port formed in the body; and

at least a second weight having a second weight mass between about 1 gram and about 18 grams and configured to be retained at least partially within the second weight port formed in the body;

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, 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 has a head origin z-axis coordinate between about 5 mm and about 15 mm and a head origin x-axis coordinate between about 0 mm and about 20 mm, and the second weight has a head origin z-axis coordinate between about −

30 mm and about −

10 mm and a head origin x-axis coordinate between about 0 mm and about 20 mm, and a volume of the golf club head is between about 180 cm³ and about 600 cm³; and

wherein a difference between the first weight mass and the second weight mass multiplied by a distance between the first weight and the second weight is between about 950 g-mm and about 14,250 g-mm.

2. 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, wherein a positive x-axis extends toward a club heel, a positive y-axis extends toward the cavity, and a positive z-axis extends away from the ground with the head ideally positioned;

at least a first weight port and a second weight port formed in the body; and

at least a first weight having a first weight mass configured to be retained at least partially within the first weight port and at least a second weight having a second weight mass configured to be retained at least partially within the second weight port, wherein the first weight when retained within the first weight port has a head origin z-axis coordinate between about 5 mm and about 15 mm and a head origin x-axis coordinate between about 0 mm and about 20 mm, and the second weight when retained in the second weight port has a head original z-axis coordinate between about −

30 mm and about −

10 mm and a head origin x-axis coordinate between about 0 mm and about 20 mm; and

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

wherein a difference between the first weight mass and the second weight mass multiplied by a distance between the first weight and the second weight is between about 950 g-mm and about 14,250 g-mm.

3. The wood type-type golf club head according to claim 2, further comprising third and fourth weight ports and third and fourth weights configured to be retained within the third and fourth weight ports, wherein the first and second weight ports are situated so as to substantially establish the head origin z-coordinate of the head center of gravity.

4. 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 a first weight port formed in an upper rear portion of the body;

at least a first weight having a first weight mass configured to be retained at least partially within the first weight port;

second and third weight ports situated in the club head body, wherein the second weight port is situated at a toe portion of the club head and the third weight port is situated at a heel portion of the club head;

second and third weights having second and third weight masses, respectively, configured to be at least partially retained in the second and third weight ports, respectively; and

wherein a difference between the first weight mass and the second weight mass multiplied by a distance between the first weight and the second weight is between about 950 g-mm and about 14,250 g-mm.

5. The wood type golf club head according to claim 4, wherein a mass of each of the first, second, and third weights is between about 1 g and 18 g.