Golf club with movable weight

• US 9,914,028 B1
• Filed: 09/06/2016
• Issued: 03/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Cleghorn, Richard L., Galvan, Darryl C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno, Benjamin
• Application Number:
  US15/257,692
• Publication Number:
  US 20180065005A1
• Time in Patent Office: 553 Days
• Field of Search: 473334-339, 473344, 473345
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• 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 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/06 adjustable
• 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

A golf club head including an elongate weight receptacle, the weight receptacle including: a first locking rail extending from the exterior surface of the body, the first locking rail running along a first side of the weight receptacle; a second locking rail extending from an exterior surface of the body, the second locking rail running along a second side of the weight receptacle, the first locking rail spaced from the second locking rail; a weight member located in the weight receptacle; wherein the weight member is configured to slide along the weight receptacle when the weight member is in an unlocked position and the weight member is configured to lock in place in the weight receptacle when the weight member is in a locked position; wherein the weight member at least partially resides between the first locking rail and the second locking rail.

Claims

1. A golf club head, comprising:

a body having a face, a sole, a crown, and a skirt joining said face, sole and crown;

a hollow golf club interior within said body;

said body having an exterior surface opposite said hollow golf club interior;

said body having a coordinate system with an x-axis located horizontal to the club face, a y-axis located vertical to the club face, and a z-axis located through the club face;

said body having a center of gravity;

wherein said body comprises an elongate weight receptacle, said weight receptacle comprising;

a first locking rail extending from said exterior surface of said body, said first locking rail running along a first side of said weight receptacle;

a second locking rail extending from an exterior surface of said body, said second locking rail running along a second side of said weight receptacle, said first locking rail spaced from said second locking rail;

wherein said first locking rail comprises a first rail angle, said first rail angle measured between a first rail locking surface and said exterior surface of said body, said second locking rail comprises a second rail angle, said second rail angle measured between a second rail locking surface and said exterior of said body, wherein said first rail angle and said second rail angle are between 85 degrees and 15 degrees;

a weight member located in said weight receptacle;

wherein said weight member is configured to slide along said weight receptacle when said weight member is in an unlocked position and said weight member is configured to lock in place in said weight receptacle when said weight member is in a locked position;

wherein said weight member at least partially resides between said first locking rail and said second locking rail;

wherein said weight member has a width, and wherein said width of said weight member is greater when said weight member is in an unlocked position than when said weight member is in a locked position;

wherein said weight member comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein said first portion is slideably affixed to said second portion such that said first portion slides towards said second portion when said weight member is locked in place;

wherein said weight member comprises a third portion; and

wherein said width of said weight member decreases as said third portion is rotated in a first direction;

wherein said weight member forces said first locking rail towards said second locking rail when said weight member is locked in place;

wherein said first portion comprises a first engagement member, wherein said second portion comprises a second engagement member, wherein said first engagement member engages said first locking surface of said first locking rail and said second engagement member engages said second locking surface of said second locking rail when said weight member is in a locked position;

wherein said weight receptacle is located on said sole.

2. A golf club head, comprising:

a body having a face, a sole, a crown, and a skirt joining said face, sole and crown;

a hollow golf club interior within said body;

said body having an exterior surface opposite said hollow golf club interior;

said body having a coordinate system with an x-axis located horizontal to the club face, a y-axis located vertical to the club face, and a z-axis located through the club face;

said body having a center of gravity;

wherein said body comprises an elongate weight receptacle, said weight receptacle comprising;

a first locking rail extending from said exterior surface of said body, said first locking rail running along a first side of said weight receptacle;

a second locking rail extending from said exterior surface of said body, said second locking rail running along a second side of said weight receptacle, said first locking rail spaced from said second locking rail;

a weight member located in said weight receptacle;

wherein said weight member is configured to slide along said weight receptacle when said weight member is in an unlocked position and said weight member is configured to lock in place in said weight receptacle when said weight member is in a locked position;

wherein said weight member at least partially resides between said first locking rail and said second locking rail;

wherein said weight member has a width, and wherein said width of said weight member is greater when said weight member is in an unlocked position than when said weight member is in a locked position.

3. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein said weight member comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein said first portion is slideably affixed to said second portion such that said first portion slides towards said second portion when said weight member is locked in place.

4. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein said weight member comprises a third portion;

and wherein said width of said weight member decreases as said third portion is rotated in a first direction.

5. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein said first portion comprises a first engagement member, wherein said second portion comprises a second engagement member, wherein said first engagement member engages said first locking rail and said second engagement member engages said second locking rail when said weight member is in a locked position.

6. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein said first portion comprises a first engagement member, wherein said second portion comprises a second engagement member, wherein said first engagement member engages said first locking surface of said first locking rail and said second engagement member engages said second locking surface of said second locking rail when said weight member is in a locked position.

7. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein said weight member forces said first locking rail towards said second locking rail when said weight member is locked in place.

8. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein said weight receptacle is located on said sole.

9. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein said first locking rail comprises a first rail angle, said first rail angle measured between a first rail locking surface and said exterior surface of said body, said second locking rail comprises a second rail angle, said second rail angle measured between a second rail locking surface and said exterior of said body, wherein said first rail angle and said second rail angle are between 85 degrees and 15 degrees.

10. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein said first rail angle and said second rail angle are between 75 degrees and 25 degrees.

11. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein said first rail angle and said second rail angle are between 65 degrees and 35 degrees.

12. A golf club head, comprising:

a body having a face, a sole, a crown, and a skirt joining said face, sole and crown;

a hollow golf club interior within said body;

said body having an exterior surface opposite said hollow golf club interior;

said body having a coordinate system with an x-axis located horizontal to the club face, a y-axis located vertical to the club face, and a z-axis located through the club face;

said body having a center of gravity;

wherein said body comprises an elongate weight receptacle, said weight receptacle comprising;

a locking rail extending from said exterior surface of said body, said locking rail running along a first side of said weight receptacle;

a weight member slideably affixed to said locking rail;

wherein said weight member is configured to slide along said weight receptacle when said weight member is in an unlocked position and said weight member is configured to lock in place in said weight receptacle when said weight member is in a locked position;

wherein said weight member at least partially resides on each side of said locking rail;

wherein said weight member has a width, and wherein said width of said weight member is greater when said weight member is in an unlocked position than when said weight member is in a locked position.

13. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein said weight member comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein said first portion is slideably affixed to said second portion such that said first portion slides towards said second portion when said weight member is locked in place.

14. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein said weight member comprises a third portion;

and wherein said width of said weight member decreases as said third portion is rotated in a first direction.

15. The golf club head of claim 14, wherein rotation of said third portion in a first direction forces said first portion and said second portion to squeeze said locking rail.

16. The golf club head of claim 14, wherein said third portion comprises female threads configured to engage said second portion, wherein said third portion comprises a tapered surface configured to engage said first portion, wherein rotation of said third portion in a first direction forces said third portion towards said golf club head and said first portion, said tapered surface forcing said first portion towards said locking rail.

17. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein said weight receptacle is located on said sole.

18. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein said locking rail comprises a locking rail angle, said locking rail angle measured between a rail locking surface and said exterior surface of said body, wherein said locking rail angle is between 85 degrees and 15 degrees.

19. The golf club head of claim 18, wherein said locking rail angle is between 75 degrees and 25 degrees.

20. The golf club head of claim 18, wherein said locking rail angle is 65 degrees and 35 degrees.