Customizable golf club head

• US 8,758,165 B1
• Filed: 02/28/2012
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Inventors: Abbott, Craig E., Brookshire, Catherine, Goudarzi, Tim, Manwaring, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US13/407,424
• Time in Patent Office: 847 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473287-292
• US Class Current: 473/334
• 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 sole comprising at least one weight port;

a ribbon comprising at least one elongate recess;

at least one weight port ring;

at least one weight screw; and

at least one elongate insert;

wherein the at least one weight port ring fits within the at least one weight port,

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

wherein the weight port ring is disposed between the sides of the weight port and the weight screw,

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

wherein the at least one elongate insert fits within the at least one elongate recess.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the at least one weight port ring and the at least one elongate insert are composed of a lightweight material.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the at least one weight port ring is retained within the at least one weight port with an adhesive material, and wherein the at least one elongate insert is retained within the at least one elongate recess with an adhesive material.

4. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein the adhesive material is semi-permanent.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the at least one weight port ring is removably received within the at least one weight port, and wherein the at least one elongate insert is removably received within the at least one elongate recess.

6. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the elongate recess is disposed in an aft region of the ribbon.

7. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the sole comprises two weight ports and one elongate recess.

8. A driver-type golf club head comprising:

a face;

a crown;

a sole comprising at least one weight port, the at least one weight port comprising a shallow recess and a threaded bore;

a ribbon connecting the crown to the sole, the ribbon comprising an aft region having an elongate recess;

at least one weight screw comprising a head and a threaded extension, the head sized to fit within the shallow recess, and the threaded extension sized to fit within the threaded bore;

at least one weight port ring sized to fit within the weight port recess; and

an elongate insert sized to fit within the elongate recess;

wherein the at least one weight port ring and the elongate insert are composed of a lightweight material,

wherein the at least one weight port ring is removably affixed within the weight port recess with a semi-permanent adhesive material,

wherein the elongate insert is removably affixed within the elongate recess with a semi-permanent 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.

9. The driver-type golf club head of claim 8, 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 a bottom surface of the at least one weight port, and wherein the cylindrical wall rests against a side surface of the at least one weight port.

10. The driver-type golf club head of claim 9, wherein the adhesive material is disposed on an external surface of the cylindrical wall and a lower surface of the shelf portion.

11. The driver-type golf club head of claim 8, wherein the at least one weight port ring and the elongate insert are each composed of a polymeric material, and wherein the at least one weight screw is composed of at least one metal material.