Golf club head with accessible interior

• US 9,421,438 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2014
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cobra Golf Company (Puma SE)
• Original Assignee: Cobra Golf Company (Puma SE)
• Inventors: Beno, Tim A., Clausen, Karl A., Curtis, Andrew, Day, Cameron J., Kroloff, Caleb, Roberts, Douglas E., Sanchez, Richard Romo, Soracco, Peter L., Yagley, Michael S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US14/258,694
• Publication Number:
  US 20140228142A1
• Time in Patent Office: 854 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473287-292
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0694 Visual indication, e.g. Indicia
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/08 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/10 with adhesive type surfaces, i.e. hook and loop-type fastener
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/18 Inclination, slope or curvature
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/64 Frequency, e.g. of vibration oscillation
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/54 Transponders, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/023 adjustable angular orientation
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• 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 53/047 iron-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 60/002 Resonance frequency related characteristics
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/52 : with slits
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 : with means for damping vibrations

Abstract

The invention provides a golf club head that includes a weight adjustment system inside of the club head. Preferably, when the club is played, no part of the adjustment system is directly accessible or exposed to an exterior of the club. The club head may include a panel that opens or is removable, or the club head may be disassembled to provide access to the internal weight adjustment system. A weight adjustment system generally includes at least one mechanism by which a mass distribution of the golf club head can be changed.

Claims

1. A hollow, wood-type golf club head comprising:

a sole, a crown, a face, and a hosel, wherein the sole has an aperture of at least 3 cm²;

an opening mechanism configured to be removed from and re-attached to the aperture, the opening mechanism comprising

an annular wall with an external threading configured to engage internal threading of the aperture to releasably attach the opening mechanism to the aperture, and

a viewing portion surrounded by the annular wall, the viewing portion comprising a translucent or transparent material through which an interior cavity of the club head is viewable when the opening mechanism is attached to the aperture; and

a mass adjustment mechanism in the interior cavity, the mass adjustment mechanism comprising

a mounting track disposed on an inner surface of the club head, and

weight member mounted on, and repositionable to any arbitrary position along, the mounting track, wherein the mass adjustment mechanism is accessible by a golfer for adjusting a mass distribution of the club head when the opening mechanism is removed from the aperture.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the mounting track is disposed on the inner surface of the sole, extending substantially in a heel-toe direction.

3. A hollow, wood-type golf club head comprising:

a sole, a crown, a face, and a hosel, wherein the sole has an of at least 3 cm²;

an opening mechanism configured to be removed from and re-attached to the aperture, the opening mechanism comprising

an annular wall having an external threading configured to releasably attach the opening mechanism to internal threading of the aperture, and

a viewing portion surrounded by the annular wall, the viewing portion comprising a translucent or transparent material through which an interior cavity of the club head is viewable when the opening mechanism is attached to the aperture; and

a mass adjustment mechanism in the interior cavity, the mass adjustment mechanism comprising at least one repositionable weight member having a surface configured to mount to an internal surface of the club head via a peg-and-hole press-fit system, wherein the mass adjustment mechanism is accessible by a golfer for adjusting a mass distribution of the club head when the opening mechanism is removed from the aperture.

4. A hollow, wood-type golf club head comprising:

a sole, a crown, a face, and a hosel, wherein the sole has an aperture of at least 3 cm²;

an opening mechanism configured to be removed from and re-attached to the aperture, the opening mechanism comprising;

an annular wall having an external threading configured to releasably attach the opening mechanism to internal threading of the aperture, and

a viewing portion surrounded by the annular wall, the viewing portion comprising a translucent or transparent material through which an interior cavity of the club head is viewable when the opening mechanism is attached to the aperture; and

a mass adjustment mechanism in the interior cavity, the mass adjustment mechanism comprising at least one weight mount point for receipt of a weight member, wherein the weight member is configured for threaded attachment to a threaded socket of the at least one weight mount point, wherein the mass adjustment mechanism is accessible by a golfer for adjusting a mass distribution of the club head when the opening mechanism is removed from the aperture.

5. A hollow, wood-type golf club head comprising:

a sole, a crown, a face, and a hosel, wherein the sole has an aperture of at least 3 cm²;

an opening mechanism configured to be removed from and re-attached to the aperture, the opening mechanism comprising

an annular wall having an external threading configured to releasably attach the opening mechanism to internal threading of the aperture, and

a viewing portion surrounded by the annular wall, the viewing portion comprising a translucent or transparent material through which an interior cavity of the club head is viewable when the opening mechanism is attached to the aperture; and

a mass adjustment mechanism in the interior cavity, the mass adjustment mechanism comprising at least one weight mount point for receipt of a weight member, wherein the at least one weight mount point comprises a slot and the weight member has a tab configured for insertion into the slot, wherein rotating the tab inside of the slot fastens the weight member to the at least one mount point, wherein the mass adjustment mechanism is accessible by a golfer for adjusting a mass distribution of the club head when the opening mechanism is removed from the aperture.