Golf club head with adjustable center of gravity

• US 9,630,069 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2015
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: Foster, Philip G., Myers, Matthew, Kim, Wee Joung, Sutton, Steven C., Tang, Larry, Holt, Denver
• Primary Examiner(s): HUNTER, ALVIN A
• Application Number:
  US14/932,171
• Publication Number:
  US 20160051869A1
• Time in Patent Office: 538 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0495 moving on impact, slidable, spring or otherwise elastically biased
• 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 53/06 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/04 Movable ballast means A63B15/005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/52 with slits

Abstract

A golf club head comprising multiple means of adjusting the location of the center of gravity, and the bias, is disclosed herein. In a preferred embodiment, the golf club head comprises a non-metal medallion comprising a channel that is affixed to one of the crown and the sole, a slidable weight sized to fit within the channel, and a cover that attaches to the medallion and locks the slidable weight within the channel at a location selected by a user. The cover preferably includes at least one cutout so that the slidable weight is at least partially visible to the user when it is locked within the channel. The cover also includes additional cutouts that receive protrusions extending from the medallion to more securely attach the cover to the medallion.

Claims

1. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a body comprising a crown, a sole, a hosel, a heel side, a toe side, a face, and a rear side opposite the face; and

at least one expandable weight comprising a first portion composed of a first material having a first density and having a first upper region and a first hooked feature extending from the first upper region, a second portion composed of a second material having a second density and having a second upper region and a second hooked feature extending from the second upper region, and a fastener having a locked position and an unlocked position,

wherein the first density is greater than the second density,

wherein the fastener connects the first portion to the second portion,

wherein at least one of the crown and the sole comprises first and second grooves,

wherein the first groove is parallel to the second groove,

wherein the first hooked feature is at least partially disposed within the first groove and the second hooked feature is at least partially disposed within the second groove,

wherein the first hooked feature is pulled towards the second hooked feature when the fastener is in the locked position, and

wherein the at least one expandable weight is reversibly fixed to the body when the fastener is in the locked position.

2. The wood-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second grooves extends from the heel side to the toe side along the rear side of the body.

3. The wood-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second grooves is disposed in the sole.

4. The wood-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the first material is tungsten.

5. The wood-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the second material is selected from the group consisting of aluminum, plastic, and composite.

6. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a body comprising a crown, a sole, a hosel, a heel side, a toe side, a face, and a rear side opposite the face; and

at least one expandable weight comprising a first portion having a first upper region and a first hooked feature extending from the first upper region, a second portion having a second upper region and a second hooked feature extending from the second upper region, and a fastener having a locked position and an unlocked position,

wherein the fastener connects the first portion to the second portion,

wherein at least one of the crown and the sole comprises first and second grooves,

wherein the first groove is parallel to the second groove,

wherein the first hooked feature is at least partially disposed within the first groove and the second hooked feature is at least partially disposed within the second groove,

wherein the first hooked feature is pulled towards the second hooked feature when the fastener is in the locked position,

wherein the at least one expandable weight is reversibly fixed to the body when the fastener is in the locked position, and

wherein the first and second hooked features are disposed closer to one another when the fastener is in the locked position than when the fastener is in the unlocked position.

7. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a body comprising a crown, a sole, a hosel, a heel side, a toe side, a face, and a rear side opposite the face; and

at least one expandable weight comprising a first portion having a first upper region and a first hooked feature extending from the first upper region, a second portion having a second upper region and a second hooked feature extending from the second upper region, and a fastener having a locked position and an unlocked position,

wherein the fastener connects the first portion to the second portion,

wherein at least one of the crown and the sole comprises first and second grooves,

wherein the first groove is parallel to the second groove,

wherein the first hooked feature is at least partially disposed within the first groove and the second hooked feature is at least partially disposed within the second groove,

wherein the first hooked feature is pulled towards the second hooked feature when the fastener is in the locked position,

wherein the at least one expandable weight is reversibly fixed to the body when the fastener is in the locked position, and

wherein the first upper region at least partially overlaps the second upper region.