Golf club head with adjustable center of gravity

• US 9,289,660 B1
• Filed: 02/06/2014
• Issued: 03/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: Myers, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Alvin
• Application Number:
  US14/174,068
• Time in Patent Office: 775 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 53/0433 with special sole 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 60/52 with slits

Abstract

A golf club head comprising a means for adjusting the location of the center of gravity, and the bias of the golf club head, is disclosed herein. In particular, the golf dub head of the present invention comprises a channel that includes a track. A slidable weight is movable along the track and is reversibly affixed to various locations along the track with a mechanical fastener. The track has a narrow end by which the slidable weight is threaded onto the track, and the narrow end is covered with a stopper to prevent the weight from disengaging from the track, and thus the channel.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a body comprising a face and a sole;

a crown;

a track;

a mechanical fastener; and

a first weight comprising a lower recess,

wherein the sole comprises a channel having at least two walls and a floor,

wherein the track is at least partially disposed within the charnel,

wherein the weight receives an upper portion of the track within the lower recess, and

wherein the weight is reversibly affixed to the track with the mechanical fastener.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the channel comprises a floor and a track opening, wherein the track comprises a lower edge sized to fit within the track opening, and wherein the track is permanently affixed to the body within the channel.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the body is integrally cast from a metal material, wherein the track is composed of a metal material, and wherein the crown is composed of a composite material.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the weight comprises an upper recess, a threaded bore that connects the upper recess with the lower recess, and two hooked lower edges, wherein the mechanical fastener comprises a threaded extension sized to fit within the threaded bore, and wherein the track comprises a T-shaped cross section.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the body comprises a plurality of internal ribs, and wherein each of the plurality of internal ribs is affixed to the floor of the channel.

6. The golf dub head of claim 1, further comprising a stopper sized to fit within the channel and over the track, and wherein the stopper prevents the weight from detaching from the track.

7. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the track comprises a protective cover.

8. The golf club head of claim 6, wherein the stopper is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of plastic, composite, and rubber.

9. The golf club head of claim 6, wherein the stopper is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, titanium alloy, aluminum alloy, and tungsten alloy.

10. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the track comprises a first end having a first width and a second end having a second width, and wherein the first width is smaller than the second width.

11. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising a second weight, wherein the second weight comprises a lower recess sized to receive an upper portion of the track.

12. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the track is welded to the body.

13. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising an adjustable hosel assembly.

14. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the golf club head is selected from the group consisting of a driver-type head, a fairway wood-type head, an iron-type head, a hybrid-type head, and a putter-type head.

15. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a metal body comprising a face, a hosel, a heel side, a toe side, and a sole;

a composite crown;

a metal track comprising a lower edge, a first end having a first width, a second end having a second width, and an upper portion having an upper surface,

a screw comprising a head and a threaded extension;

a weight comprising an upper recess, a lower recess sized to receive the upper portion of the track, and a threaded bore connecting the upper recess with the lower recess; and

a stopper,

wherein the sole comprises a channel having at least two walls, a floor, and a track opening,

wherein the channel extends from the heel side to the toe side,

wherein the lower edge of the track is disposed within the track opening,

wherein the weight is reversibly fixed to the track with the screw, and

wherein the stopper prevents the weight from disengaging from the track.

16. The wood type golf club head of claim 15, wherein the track is welded to the body.

17. The wood-type golf club head of claim 15, wherein the track comprises a protective cover.

18. The wood-type golf club head of claim 15, wherein the body comprises a plurality of ribs, and wherein each of the ribs is affixed to an interior surface of the channel floor.

19. The wood-type golf club head of claim 15, wherein the track is composed of anodized aluminum.