Golf club head with adjustable center of gravity

• US 9,211,453 B1
• Filed: 01/24/2014
• Issued: 12/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: Foster, Philip G., Myers, Matthew, Kim, Wee Joung, Tang, Larry, Holt, Denver, Sutton, Steven C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Alvin
• Application Number:
  US14/163,946
• Time in Patent Office: 690 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 2053/0495 moving on impact, slidable, spring or otherwise elastically biased
• 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 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/06 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/04 Movable ballast means A63B15/005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/52 with slits

Abstract

A golf club head comprising multiple means of adjusting the location of the center of gravity, and the bias, is disclosed herein. In a preferred embodiment, the golf club head comprises a non-metal medallion comprising a channel that is affixed to one of the crown and the sole, a slidable weight sized to fit within the channel, and a cover that attaches to the medallion and locks the slidable weight within the channel at a location selected by a user. The cover preferably includes at least one cutout so that the slidable weight is at least partially visible to the user when it is locked within the channel. The cover also includes additional cutouts that receive protrusions extending from the medallion to more securely attach the cover to the medallion.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a body comprising a crown, a sole, a hosel, a heel side, a toe side, a face, and a rear side opposite the face;

a medallion comprising a first channel;

at least one slidable weight sized to fit within the first channel; and

a cover,

wherein the medallion is affixed to one of the crown and the sole,

wherein the medallion comprises a plurality of protrusions,

wherein the cover comprises a plurality of cutouts sized to receive the protrusions, and

wherein the cover is removably affixed to the medallion and fixes the at least one slidable weight within the first channel.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the first channel is Y-shaped.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the first channel is a closed loop.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising a second channel, wherein the second channel has a first part that extends parallel to the first channel and a second part that extends perpendicular to the first channel.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the first channel extends across the medallion in a direction perpendicular to the face.

6. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the first channel is V-shaped.

7. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the cover comprises an elongated cutout, and wherein the first channel is at least partially visible through the elongated cutout.

8. The golf club head of claim 7, wherein the elongated cutout has the same approximate shape as the first channel.

9. The golf club head of claim 8, wherein the elongated cutout is covered with a translucent material.

10. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the at least one slidable weight comprises a first slidable weight and a second slidable weight.

11. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein each of the medallion and the cover is composed of a non-metal material.

12. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the protrusions lock into the cutouts to removably secure the cover to the medallion.

13. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein each of the protrusions comprises a textured surface.

14. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the medallion is integrally formed with one of the crown and the sole from a non-metal material.

16. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the at least one slidable weight is composed of a high-density metal material.

15. A golf club head comprising:

a body comprising a crown, a sole, a hosel, a heel side, a toe side, a face, and a rear side opposite the face;

a medallion comprising a first channel;

at least one slidable weight sized to fit within the first channel; and

a cover,

wherein the medallion is affixed to one of the crown and the sole,

wherein the cover is removably affixed to the medallion and fixes the at least one slidable weight within the first channel,

wherein the at least one slidable weight comprises a polymer material, and

wherein the cover compresses the at least one slidable weight within the channel.

17. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a body comprising a crown, a sole, and a metal face component;

a non-metal medallion comprising a Y-shaped channel and a plurality of protrusions;

at least one weight sized to fit at any location within the channel; and

a non-metal cover comprising an elongated first cutout having approximately the same shape as the channel, and a plurality of secondary cutouts,

wherein the medallion is permanently affixed to the sole,

wherein the cover is removably affixed to the medallion by locking the protrusions into the cutouts, and

wherein, when the cover is affixed to the medallion, the at least one slidable weight is secured in place within the channel.

18. The wood-type golf club head of claim 17, wherein the first cutout is filled with a translucent material.

19. The wood-type golf club head of claim 18, wherein the translucent material is a plastic material.