Golf club head with center of gravity adjustability

• US 9,814,954 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2016
• Issued: 11/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Inventors: Westrum, Joshua D., Seluga, James A., Dawson, Patrick, Griffin, Sean P.
• Primary Examiner(s): BLAU, STEPHEN LUTHER
• Application Number:
  US15/157,106
• Publication Number:
  US 20160256753A1
• Time in Patent Office: 546 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/32 Golf
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/093 Height
• 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 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/06 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/002 Resonance frequency related characteristics
• 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 comprising an adjustable weighting feature including a tube extending from the crown to the sole of the golf club head is disclosed herein. More specifically, a golf club head formed from three pieces, namely a first piece comprising a face, a crown portion, a sole portion, and a hosel, a second piece comprising a rear end, a crown portion, and a sole portion, and a tube, wherein these pieces are welded to one another, is disclosed herein. Each of these pieces may be separately cast, forged, or formed from a metal material such as stainless steel, titanium alloy, and aluminum alloy.

Claims

1. A wood-type golf club head comprising:

a metal face cup comprising a face, a first crown portion, a first sole portion, and a hosel;

a body piece affixed to the face cup to form a hollow interior, the body piece comprising a second crown portion, a second sole portion, and a rear portion; and

a bar comprising a crown-to-sole length, a front-to-back width, and a heel-to-toe thickness,

wherein the length is greater than the width and width is greater than the thickness,

wherein the width extends in a direction approximately perpendicular to the face,

wherein the bar extends vertically from the first crown portion to the first sole portion and is disposed directly behind the face without touching the face,

wherein the bar improves ball speed of the golf club head upon impact with a golf ball by distributing stresses from a ball strike across the golf club head,

wherein the face comprises an amplitude upon impact with a golf ball of 3000 to 4000 Hz, and

wherein the sole comprises an amplitude upon impact with a golf ball that is less than the amplitude of the face.

2. The wood-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the first crown portion comprises a first alignment feature, wherein the first sole portion comprises a second alignment feature, wherein the bar comprises an upper end and a lower end, wherein the upper end is retained within the first alignment feature, and

wherein the lower end is retained within the second alignment feature.

3. The wood-type golf club head of claim 1, wherein the highest amplitude of the golf club head upon impact with a golf ball is in the face.

4. The wood-type golf club head of claim 1 wherein each of the face cup and body piece is composed of a metal material, and wherein the face cup is welded to the body piece.

5. The wood-type golf club head of claim 4 wherein the metal material is selected from the group consisting of stainless steel and titanium alloy.