Golf club with improved weight distribution

• US 9,211,456 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Issued: 12/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Barksdale, Dustin A., Knutson, Scott A., Johnson, Gregory D., McCarthy, Andrew L., Margoles, Ryan, Bone, Donald S.
• Primary Examiner(s): BLAU, STEPHEN LUTHER
• Application Number:
  US14/214,025
• Publication Number:
  US 20150258397A1
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0056 for statistical or strategic analysis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0068 Comparison to target or threshold, previous performance or not real time comparison to other individuals
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0608 Eccentric weights put into orbital motion by nutating movement of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/075 with variable weights , e.g. weight systems with weight selecting means for bar-bells or dumb-bells
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/08 anchored at one end
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/24 Angular displacement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/34 Angular speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0003 Analysing the course of a movement or motion sequences during an exercise or trainings sequence, e.g. swing for golf or tennis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0006 Computerised comparison for qualitative assessment of motion sequences or the course of a movement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/14 Handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 57/00 Golfing accessories
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/16 Caps; Ferrules
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/22 Adjustable handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/24 Weighted handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/42 Devices for measuring, verifying, correcting or customising the inherent characteristics of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like, e.g. measuring the maximum torque a batting shaft can withstand

Abstract

Systems, devices, and methods relating to optimizing a weight distribution of a golf club for a golfer'"'"'s swing, comprising monitoring one or more dynamic behavioral characteristics of said golfer'"'"'s swing, and altering said weight distribution of said golf club to optimize said golfer'"'"'s swing by evaluating said one or more dynamic behavioral characteristics of said golfer'"'"'s swing, selecting a weight member from a set of interchangeable weight members, and installing said weight member into said golf club.

Claims

1. A method of optimizing a weight distribution of a golf club for a golfer'"'"'s swing, comprising:

monitoring one or more dynamic behavioral characteristics of said golfer'"'"'s swing;

measuring a dispersion distance for at least one golf ball struck towards a target by said golfer using said golfer'"'"'s swing;

wherein a target line comprises a line extending between said golf ball at address and said target;

wherein said dispersion distance is defined as a distance from said target line, measured perpendicularly from said target line to a point at which said golf ball comes to rest after being struck by said golfer using said golfer'"'"'s swing; and

altering said weight distribution of said golf club to minimize said dispersion distance;

wherein monitoring one or more dynamic behavioral characteristics comprises monitoring a rotation angle of said golfer'"'"'s swing through a measurement portion of said golfer'"'"'s swing, wherein said target line is parallel to a ground plane, wherein a rotation reference plane is oriented parallel to said target line and perpendicular to said ground plane, and wherein said rotation angle is defined as the relative angle between a grip portion of a golf club being swung by said golfer and said rotation reference plane, said rotation angle measured about an axis perpendicular to said ground plane.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring one or more dynamic behavioral characteristics comprises monitoring a grip-ball offset through a measurement portion of said golfer'"'"'s swing, wherein said golf club being swung by said golfer comprises a club reference point, said club reference point defined as a point approximately 5.25 inches from a proximal end of said golf club along a centerline of said golf club, wherein said grip-ball offset is defined as a distance measured along an axis parallel to said target line from said club reference point to the center of said golf ball.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising calculating a rotation offset ratio of said golfer'"'"'s swing, wherein said rotation offset ratio is defined as the slope of a straight line fit to a plot of rotation angle vs. grip-ball offset over said measurement portion of said golfer'"'"'s swing.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said measurement portion of said golfer'"'"'s swing begins at a downswing grip horizontal position and ends at an impact position, wherein said downswing grip horizontal position is defined as the instant during a downswing portion of said golfer'"'"'s swing wherein said grip portion of said golf club is parallel to said ground plane, and wherein said impact position is defined as the instant during said golfer'"'"'s swing wherein said golf club being swung by said golfer strikes said golf ball.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein altering said weight distribution of said golf club comprises comparing said rotation offset ratio of said golfer'"'"'s swing to said dispersion distance resulting from said golfer'"'"'s swing striking said golf ball and installing a weight member into said golf club.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein altering said weight distribution of said golf club further comprises selecting a weight member from a set of interchangeable weight members, said set of interchangeable weight members comprising a proximal weight member and a distal weight member, said proximal weight member distinct and separate from said distal weight member.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said proximal weight member comprises a heavy weighted portion, wherein said heavy weighted portion of said proximal weight member is located proximally from said club reference point when installed in said golf club, wherein said distal weight member comprises a heavy weighted portion, wherein said heavy weighted portion of said distal weight member is located distally from said club reference point when installed in said golf club.

8. A method of optimizing a weight distribution of a golf club for a golfer'"'"'s swing, comprising:

monitoring one or more dynamic behavioral characteristics of said golfer'"'"'s swing;

measuring a dispersion distance for at least one golf ball struck towards a target by said golfer using said golfer'"'"'s swing;

wherein a target line comprises a line extending between said golf ball at address and said target;

wherein said dispersion distance is defined as a distance from said target line, measured perpendicularly from said target line to a point at which said golf ball comes to rest after being struck by said golfer using said golfer'"'"'s swing; and

altering said weight distribution of said golf club to minimize said dispersion distance;

wherein said golf club comprises a weight receiving grip at a proximal end of a shaft, wherein altering said weight distribution of said golf club comprises expanding a proximal portion of said weight receiving grip with a grip expansion tool and installing a weight member in said weight receiving grip.

9. A method of optimizing a weight distribution of a golf club for a golfer'"'"'s swing, comprising:

monitoring one or more dynamic behavioral characteristics of said golfer'"'"'s swing;

altering said weight distribution of said golf club to optimize said golfer'"'"'s swing;

wherein altering said weight distribution of said golf club comprises evaluating said one or more dynamic behavioral characteristics of said golfer'"'"'s swing, selecting a weight member from a set of interchangeable weight members, and installing said weight member into said golf club;

wherein said club comprises a weight receiving grip at a proximal end of a shaft, wherein altering said weight distribution of said golf club comprises expanding a proximal portion of said weight receiving grip with a grip expansion tool and installing said weight member in said weight receiving grip.