Metal wood club

• US 9,421,432 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2014
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Galvan, Darryl C., Cleghorn, Richard L., Bennett, Thomas Orrin, Myrhum, Mark C., Bezilla, Stephanie, Perez, Eddie G., Sanchez, Richard, Scott, Kenneth C., Murphy, Stephen S.
• Primary Examiner(s): BLAU, STEPHEN LUTHER
• Application Number:
  US14/479,153
• Publication Number:
  US 20150051012A1
• Time in Patent Office: 718 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/08 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0412 Volume
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 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 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence

Abstract

A golf club head is provided a weight system to adjust the center of gravity. In one embodiment, the weight system is a tube having a weight at one end that may be inserted into the golf club head to move the center of gravity at least forward and backward within 6 mm and up and down within 6 mm. Preferably, the tube is angled downward toward the face by at least 3 degrees. In another embodiment, the weight system may adjust the center of gravity of the golf club head along the x and z axis simultaneously using a weighted insert.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a body having a face, a sole, a crown, and a skirt joining the face, sole and crown, the body having a center of gravity;

the body having a coordinate system with an x-axis located horizontal to the club face, a y-axis located vertical to the club face, and a z-axis located through the club face, and

a weight system for the club head, wherein the center of gravity is adjustable along both the z-axis and the x-axis;

wherein the weight system further comprises;

a cavity and a weighted insert, wherein the weighted insert further comprises;

a heavy end at a first terminal end of the weighted insert,

a lighter end at a second terminal end of the weighted insert,

a central portion, placed between the heavy end and the lighter end of the weighted insert; and

a tube at least partially covering the weighted insert;

wherein the weighted insert further comprises a cap;

wherein the cap is removably attached to the weighted insert;

wherein the cap is adapted to be attachable to both the heavy end and the light end of the weighted insert; and

wherein the cap attaches to the weighted insert via a snap fit.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the tube has an opening lengthwise along the entire length of the tube.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the tube is threadably attached to the cavity of the golf club head.

4. A golf club head comprising:

a body having a face, a sole, a crown, and a skirt joining the face, sole and crown, the body having a center of gravity;

the body having a coordinate system with an x-axis located horizontal to the club face, a y-axis located vertical to the club face, and a z-axis located through the club face, and

a weight system for the club head, wherein the center of gravity is adjustable along both the z-axis and the x-axis;

wherein the weight system further comprises;

a cavity and a weighted insert, wherein the weighted insert further comprises;

a heavy end at a first terminal end of the weighted insert,

a lighter end at a second terminal end of the weighted insert,

a central portion, placed between the heavy end and the lighter end of the weighted insert; and

a cap adapted to be placed at both the heavy end and the lighter end of the weighted insert; and

wherein the cap attaches to the weighted insert via a snap fit.

5. The golf club head of claim 4, wherein the cavity is offset from the x-axis at an angle θ

of between about 0 and 90 degrees.

6. The golf club head of claim 5, wherein the cavity is offset from the x-axis at an angle θ

of between about 3 and 45 degrees.

7. The golf club head of claim 6, wherein the cavity is offset from the x-axis at an angle θ

of between about 5 to 35 degrees.

8. The golf club head of claim 5, wherein the golf club head has an Angle to Volume Ratio of between about 0.02 degree/cc to about 0.25 degrees/cc;

the Angle to Volume Ratio is defined as the angle θ

of the offset of the cavity from the x-axis divided by the volume of the golf club head.

9. The golf club head of claim 8, wherein the golf club head has an Angle to Volume Ratio of between about 0.05 degrees/cc to about 0.255 degrees/cc.

10. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein the golf club head has an Angle to Volume Ratio of between about 0.10 degrees/cc to about 0.20 degrees/cc.