Golf club and golf club head structures

• US 9,440,126 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2012
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Inventors: Boyd, Robert, Kawaguchi, Hiroshi, Oldknow, Andrew G. V., Thomas, James S.
• Primary Examiner(s): BLAU, STEPHEN LUTHER
• Application Number:
  US13/592,606
• Publication Number:
  US 20130090185A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,482 Days
• Field of Search: 473334-339, 473345-346
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/06 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/10 Non-metallic shafts
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/04 Movable ballast means A63B15/005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/52 with slits

Abstract

Golf clubs and golf club heads having a weight member that is configurable in multiple positions to alter the performance characteristics of the golf club head are presented. In some examples, the weight member may be arranged in a sole of the golf club head and may include ends having different weighting characteristics. For instance, one end may be heavier or denser than another end of the weight member. The difference in weight characteristics may be due to different materials used to form the different ends, different construction of the ends, and the like. The position of the weight member may be adjusted to alter the performance characteristics of the golf club head. For instance, the weight member may be removed and rotated to position a heavier end where a lighter end was previously positioned.

Claims

1. A golf club head, comprising:

a golf club head body having a front, a rear, a top, a sole, a toe, a heel, and a channel extending across the sole from the heel to the toe generally adjacent to a ball striking face;

an adjustable weighted member extending in a front to rear direction along the sole of the golf club head body, the adjustable weighted member having a first end having a first weight, a second end having a second weight different from the first weight, and an elongated central portion located between the first end and the second end formed of the same material as the second end,

a recess formed in the sole configured to receive the adjustable weighted member;

wherein the recess includes substantially vertical perimeter walls, a mating connection portion having a shape corresponding to a shape located in the elongated central portion of the adjustable weighted member;

wherein the mating connection portion in the recess includes a plurality of planar angled surfaces and has a length measured in a front-to-rear direction and a width measured in a heel-to-toe direction;

wherein the length is greater than the width; and

wherein the adjustable weighted member is removable from the golf club head to adjust a position of the first end and the second end.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the second weight is lighter than the first weight.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the first end is formed of a first material and the second end is formed of a second material different from the first material.

4. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein the second material is lighter than the first material.

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the first end has a first construction and the second end has a second construction different from the first construction.

6. The golf club head of claim 5, wherein the second end has a hollow constructions.

7. The golf club head of claim 5, wherein the first end is thicker than the second end.

8. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the first end has a different appearance than the second end to provide a visual indication between the first weight and the second weight.

9. The golf club head of claim 1, further including a shaft coupled to the golf club head to form a golf club.

10. The golf club head of claim 1 wherein the first end of the adjustable weighted member imparts at least one characteristic to the golf ball head different from the second end.

11. The golf club head of claim 10 wherein the at least one characteristic is selected from the group consisting of ball trajectory, ball speed, loft, distance, and spin.

12. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the adjustable weighted member is removably attached to the golf club head body by a fastener.

13. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the adjustable weight member forms a part of a surface of the sole.

14. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the adjustable weight member is positioned below a surface of the sole.

15. The golf club head of claim 1, where the plurality of angled surfaces comprise at least two surfaces wherein each surface has a different angle when measured from a bottom surface of the recess.

16. A golf club head, comprising:

a golf club head body having a front, a rear, a top, a sole, a toe, a heel, and a channel extending across the sole from the heel to the toe generally adjacent to a ball striking face;

a recess formed in the sole of the club head body extending in a front to rear direction having a major longitudinal axis extending in a front to rear direction of the golf club head body and a minor lateral axis extending in a heel to toe direction of the golf club head body;

an adjustable weighted member configured to be received in the recess, the adjustable weighted member having a first end having a first weight, a second end having a second weight different from the first weight, and an elongated central portion located between the first end and the second end, wherein the adjustable weighted member is removable from the golf club head to adjust a position of the first end and the second end; and

wherein the recess includes a mating connection portion having a raised truncated pyramid shaped portion corresponding to a shape positioned in the elongated central portion of the adjustable weighted member.