CG height adjustability by conformal weighting

• US 9,101,811 B1
• Filed: 01/23/2014
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: Goudarzi, Tim, Ehlers, Steven M., Myers, Matthew, Tang, Larry, Kim, Wee Joung, Foster, Philip G., Byrne, Wayne H.
• Primary Examiner(s): BLAU, STEPHEN LUTHER
• Application Number:
  US14/162,633
• Time in Patent Office: 565 Days
• 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 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0441 with visual indicators for aligning the golf club
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/52 with slits
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations

Abstract

A golf club head comprising a conformal weight sized to fit within a recess or channel disposed in a crown or sole is disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the crown or sole itself is a conformal weight, and is removably affixed to a base structure comprising a striking face and a skeletal support structure. In other embodiments, the golf club head comprises a conformal weight in the form of a sole cap that is removably affixed to the golf club head and covers small weight ports disposed in the sole.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a base structure comprising a striking face and a skeletal support structure extending away from the striking face;

a crown composed of a lightweight material; and

a sole composed of a lightweight material,

wherein at least one of the crown and the sole is removably affixed to the skeletal support structure,

wherein the skeletal support structure comprises a first shallow weight port disposed proximate the crown, and a second shallow weight port disposed proximate the sole, and at least one of the crown and the sole comprises a protrusion extending from an internal surface, wherein the protrusion at least partially fills one of the first and second shallow weight ports when the crown or sole is affixed to the base structure.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising at least one conformal weight, wherein the at least one conformal weight is secured within at least one of the first and second shallow weight ports by the protrusion.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising at least one conformal weight sized to fit within the at least one shallow weight port, wherein the at least one conformal weight is removably received by the at least one shallow weight port.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the lightweight material is a composite material, and wherein the base structure is composed of a metal alloy.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the crown and the sole is removably affixed to the skeletal support structure with a screw fastener.

6. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the at least one shallow weight port is integrally formed with the skeletal support structure.