Golf club having removable weight

• US 9,700,767 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2015
• Issued: 07/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Bennett, Thomas O., Zimmerman, Gery M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US14/932,061
• Publication Number:
  US 20160074717A1
• Time in Patent Office: 615 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473287-292
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• 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, including a hosel, a ball striking face, a sole extending aftward from a lower edge of the striking face, a crown extending aftward from an upper edge of the striking face, a skirt extending between the sole and the crown, a weight mount disposed on at least one of the sole, the crown and the skirt, a first weight member and a second weight member, each configured to be coupled to the weight mount, a single fastener configured to engage the first weight member and the second weight member, coupling both the first weight member and the second weight member to the weight mount simultaneously.

Claims

1. A golf club head, comprising:

a hosel;

a ball striking face;

a sole extending aftward from a lower edge of said striking face;

a crown extending aftward from an upper edge of said striking face;

a skirt extending between said sole and said crown;

a weight mount disposed on at least one of the sole, the crown and the skirt;

wherein said weight mount comprises a first end and a second end;

where said weight mount comprises a first undercut located at said first end, a second undercut located at said second end, and a support surface located between said first end and said second end;

a first weight member and a second weight member, said first weight member and said second weight member each including an abutment surface, wherein at least a portion of said abutment surface of said first weight member is received in said first undercut, wherein at least a portion of said abutment surface of said second weight member is received in said second undercut;

a fastener configured to force said first weight member towards said first undercut and said second weight member towards said second undercut;

wherein said first undercut, said second undercut, and said fastener are configured to limit said first weight member and said second weight member from moving relative to said weight mount.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said first and second weight members each

comprise a tapered portion, said tapered portion of said first weight member opposite said abutment surface of said first weight member and said tapered portion of said second weight member opposite said abutment surface of said second weight member.

3. The golf club head of claim 2, further comprising a retainer, wherein said support surface

comprises a threaded bore configured to engage said fastener, wherein said retainer comprises a fastener bore configured to receive a portion of said fastener, wherein said retainer comprises a first tapered engagement portion configured to engage said tapered portion of said first weight member and a second tapered engagement portion configured to engage said tapered portion of said second weight member, wherein said retainer is configured to force said first weight member towards said first undercut and said second weight member towards said second undercut, and wherein said first undercut is configured to force said first weight member towards said support surface and said second undercut is configured to force said second weight member towards said support surface.

4. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein said fastener is rotatably coupled to said retainer wherein said fastener is configured to translate along with said retainer but rotate relative to said retainer.

5. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein said first undercut comprises a bevel, said second undercut comprises a bevel, said abutment surface of said first weight member is angled and abuts at least a portion of said first undercut, and said second abutment surface of said second weight member is angled and abuts at least a portion of said second undercut.

6. The golf club head of claim 5, wherein said fastener is arranged substantially perpendicular to said support surface, said fastener is configured to force said retainer towards said support surface, and wherein said first weight member and said second weight member move in directions substantially perpendicular to the translation of said fastener.

7. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said first weight member comprises a mass different than the mass of said second weight member and wherein said first weight member and said second weight member are interchangeable, providing an adjustment of the location of a center of gravity of said golf club head.

8. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said first end of said weight mount is located closer to said striking face of said golf club head and said second end of said weight mount is located aftward of said first end of said weight mount.

9. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said golf club head comprises a toe and a heel, wherein said first end of said weight mount is located closer to said toe of said golf club head and wherein said second end of said weight mount is located closer to said heel of said golf club head.

10. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said first and second weight members each have a generally polygonal perimeter shape.

11. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein said fastener comprises a cam rotatably coupled to said golf club head, said cam located between said first weight member and said second weight member, wherein said first and second weight member each comprise a cam engagement portion, said cam engagement portion of said first weight member opposite said abutment surface of said first weight member and said cam engagement portion of said second weight member opposite said abutment surface of said second weight member, wherein said cam is configured to rotate between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein said cam is configured to contact said cam engagement portion of said first weight member and said cam engagement portion of said second weight member, forcing said first weight member and said second member towards said first undercut and said second undercut when said cam is rotated from an unlocked position to a locked position, wherein said first undercut, said second undercut, and said cam are configured to limit said first weight member and said second weight member from moving relative to said weight mount when said cam is in said locked position, and wherein said first weight member and said second weight member are removable when said cam is in an unlocked position.

12. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein said cam comprises a dynamic portion, said dynamic portion extending further outward towards said first and second weight members when in said locked position than when said cam is in said unlocked position.

13. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein said support surface comprises a cam bore, wherein said cam comprises a body portion connected to said dynamic portion, wherein a portion of said body of said cam passes through said cam bore, and wherein said cam comprises a cam retaining member configured to prevent said cam from becoming disconnected from said golf club head.

14. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein at least one of said cam engaging portions of said first and second weight members comprises a locking feature configured to lock said cam in said locked position, and wherein said locking feature comprises a recess configured to receive said dynamic portion of said cam when said cam is in said locked position.

15. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein said first undercut comprises a bevel, said second undercut comprises a bevel, said abutment surface of said first weight member is angled and abuts at least a portion of said first undercut, and said second abutment surface of said second weight member is angled and abuts at least a portion of said second undercut.

16. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein said first weight member comprises a mass different than the mass of said second weight member and wherein said first weight member and said second weight member are interchangeable, providing an adjustment of the location of a center of gravity of said golf club head, by rotating said cam to said unlocked position.

17. A golf club head, comprising:

a hosel;

a ball striking face;

a sole extending aftward from a lower edge of said striking face;

a crown extending aftward from an upper edge of said striking face;

a skirt extending between said sole and said crown;

a weight mount disposed on at least one of said sole, said crown and said skirt;

a first weight member and a second weight member, each configured to be coupled to said weight mount;

a single fastener configured to engage said first weight member and said second weight member, coupling both said first weight member and said second weight member to said weight mount simultaneously;

wherein said weight mount comprises a threaded bore, said single fastener is configured to engage said threaded bore, and said single fastener is configured to translate as said fastener rotates inside said threaded bore;

wherein said weight mount comprises a first undercut and a second undercut, wherein said first weight member and said second weight member each include an abutment surface, wherein at least a portion of said abutment surface of said first weight member is received in said first undercut, wherein at least a portion of said abutment surface of said second weight member is received in said second undercut, wherein said first undercut, said second undercut, and said fastener are configured to prevent said first weight member and said second weight member from moving relative to said weight mount when said fastener is tightened down in said threaded bore, wherein said first weight member slides in a direction different than that of said second weight member as said fastener is tightened down in said threaded bore.