Golf clubs and golf club heads having interchangeable rear body members

• US 9,072,949 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2012
• Issued: 07/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Stites, John T., Boyd, Robert, Oldknow, Andrew G. V.
• Primary Examiner(s): HUNTER, ALVIN A
• Application Number:
  US13/484,886
• Publication Number:
  US 20130040755A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,132 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2209/023 Long, oriented fibres, e.g. wound filaments, woven fabrics, mats
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0412 Volume
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence

Abstract

Golf club heads (e.g., drivers, fairway woods, wood-type hybrid clubs, or the like) according to at least some example aspects of this invention include a striking face and a rear portion opposite the striking face, the rear portion defining an opening to an interior cavity. A rear body member configured to be inserted into the opening is engaged with the rear portion of the club head. The rear body member may include multiple rear body parts that may be removable and/or interchangeable to permit flexibility in controlling the weight distribution of the golf club head.

Claims

1. A golf club head, comprising:

a club head body formed from one or more parts, the club head body including a ball striking face and a rear portion opposite the striking face, wherein the club head body defines an opening to an interior cavity;

wherein the opening to the interior cavity includes a plurality of support beams;

a rear body member connected at the rear portion of the club head body and at least partially covering the opening to the interior cavity, the rear body member including;

a first rear body part connected to the club head body at the rear portion, the first rear body part having a first weight; and

a second rear body part connected to the club head body at the rear portion, the second rear body portion having a second weight different from the first weight.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the second weight is heavier than the first weight.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first rear body part and the second rear body part is formed of a composite material.

4. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein the composite material is a carbon composite material.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first rear body part and second rear body part is formed of a polymer.

6. The golf club head of claim 5, wherein the polymer includes a weighted powder to add additional weight to the polymer.

7. The golf club head of claim 6, wherein the weighted powder is a tungsten powder.

8. A golf club, comprising:

a golf club head of claim 1; and

a shaft engaged with the golf club head.

9. A golf club head, comprising:

a club head body formed from one or more parts, the club head body including a striking face and a rear portion opposite the striking face, wherein the club head body defines at least a first opening to an interior cavity;

a rear body member connected at the rear portion of the club head body and extending beyond a perimeter of the club head body, the rear body member including;

a first rear body part connected at the rear portion proximal a toe edge of the club head body;

a second rear body part connected at the rear portion proximal a heel edge of the club head body; and

a third rear body part connected to the rear portion of the club head body at a central region of the rear portion.

10. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein the first rear body part has a first weight and the second rear body part has a second weight.

11. The golf club head of claim 10, wherein the first weight and the second weight are the substantially equal.

12. The golf club head of claim 10, wherein the first weight and the second weight are different.

13. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein the second weight is greater than the first weight.

14. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein the third rear body part is positioned between the first rear body part and the second rear body part at the rear portion of the club head body.

15. A golf club, comprising:

a golf club head of claim 9; and

a shaft engaged with the golf club head.

16. A golf club, comprising:

a shaft;

a golf club head connected to a first end of the shaft, the golf club head including a club head body having a ball striking face and a rear portion opposite the ball striking face, the golf club head defining a first club head footprint;

a rear body member connected at the rear portion of the club head body, the rear body member and the golf club head body defining an overall club head footprint that is larger than the first club head footprint;

wherein the rear body member includes at least two rear body parts;

wherein the at least two rear body parts include a first rear body part and a second rear body part, each of the first and second rear body parts having different weight characteristics; and

wherein the rear body member further includes a third rear body portion having different weight characteristics from at least one of the first rear body portion and the second rear body portion.

17. The golf club of claim 16, wherein at least one of the first rear body part and the second rear body part is formed of a composite material.

18. The golf club of claim 17, wherein the composite material is a carbon fiber composite material.

19. The golf club of claim 16, wherein at least one of the first rear body part and the second rear body part is formed of a polymer material.

20. The golf club of claim 19, wherein the polymer material includes a weighted powder dispersed therein, wherein the weighted powder has a greater density than the polymer material.

21. The golf club of claim 20, wherein the weighted powder is a tungsten powder.

22. The golf club of claim 16, wherein the first rear body part has a greater weight than the second rear body part.

23. The golf club of claim 16, wherein the rear body member is formed of a composite material.

24. The golf club of claim 23, wherein the composite material is a carbon fiber composite material.

25. A golf club head, comprising:

a golf club head body including a ball striking face and a rear portion opposite the ball striking face, the golf club head body defining an interior cavity of the golf club head;

an opening formed in the rear portion of the golf club head body and providing access to the interior cavity, the opening including a plurality of support beams;

a first rear body part positioned within the opening and extending at least partially through the opening, the first rear body part being removably connected to the golf club head via at least one of the support beams; and

a second rear body part positioned within the opening and extending at least partially through the opening, the second rear body part being removably connected to the golf club head via at least one of the support beams.

26. The golf club head of claim 25, wherein the first and second rear body parts have different weight characteristics.

27. The golf club head of claim 25, wherein the first rear body portion and the second rear body portion are connected to different support beams.

28. A golf club head, comprising:

a golf club head body including a ball striking face and a rear portion opposite the ball striking face, the golf club head body defining an interior cavity of the golf club head;

an opening formed in the rear portion of the golf club head body and providing access to the interior cavity, the opening including a plurality of support beams;

a first rear body part positioned within the opening and extending at least partially through the opening, the first rear body part being arranged proximal a toe edge of the golf club head body and connected to the golf club head via at least one of the support beams;

a second rear body part positioned within the opening and extending at least partially through the opening, the second rear body part being arranged proximal a heel edge of the golf club head body and connected to the golf club head via at least one of the support beams; and

a third rear body part positioned within the opening and extending at least partially through the opening, the third rear body part being arranged between the first rear body portion and the second rear body portion and connected to the golf club head via at least one of the support beams.

29. The golf club head of claim 28, wherein the first rear body portion, the second rear body portion and the third rear body portion each have different weight characteristics.

30. A golf club head, comprising:

a club head body formed from one or more parts, the club head body including a ball striking face and a rear portion opposite the striking face;

a rear body member connected to the rear portion of the club head body and including;

a first rear body part connected to the club head body in the rear portion, the first rear body part having a first weight;

a second rear body part connected to the club head body in the rear portion, the second rear body part having a second weight different from the first weight; and

wherein the club head body includes a wall having a plurality of apertures to connect the first rear body part and the second rear body part to the club head body.

31. The golf club head of claim 30, wherein the second weight is heavier than the first weight.

32. The golf club head of claim 30, wherein at least one of the first rear body part and second rear body part is formed of a polymer.

33. The golf club head of claim 32, wherein the polymer includes a weighted powder during processing to add additional weight to the polymer.

34. The golf club head of claim 33, wherein the weighted powder is a tungsten powder.

35. A golf club, comprising:

a golf club head of claim 31; and

a shaft engaged with the golf club head.