Golf club head having movable weights

• US 9,919,190 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2015
• Issued: 03/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Inventors: Beach, Todd P., Vincent, Benoit, Wright, Ian C., Willett, Kraig Alan, Zimmerman, Gery Mel, Hoffman, Joseph Henry
• Primary Examiner(s): HUNTER, ALVIN A
• Application Number:
  US14/843,605
• Publication Number:
  US 20150375070A1
• Time in Patent Office: 930 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350
• 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 53/0412 Volume
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0458 with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• 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 60/42 Devices for measuring, verifying, correcting or customising the inherent characteristics of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like, e.g. measuring the maximum torque a batting shaft can withstand

Abstract

A golf club head comprises a body and at least one self-extracting pressed weight assembly. The body comprises a face plate positioned at a forward portion of the golf club head, a sole positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head, a crown positioned at a top portion of the golf club head and a skirt positioned around a periphery of the golf club head between the sole and the crown. The body defines an interior cavity. The weight assembly comprises at least three components and is configured for a press fit engagement with the golf club head. The assembly has a drive portion and a threaded portion.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

one or more recesses for receiving at least one removable weight, the club head defining a threaded opening in a wall of the one or more recesses;

the at least one removable weight configured to substantially conform to the one or more recesses of the club head, the at least one removable weight ranges from about 1 gram to about 25 grams, wherein the at least one removable weight comprises;

a head defining a socket for receiving an engagement end of a tool; and

a threaded body extending from the head and configured to cooperatively engage the threaded opening of the club head;

wherein the one or more recesses have a combined volume between 0.3 cm³ and 15 cm³; and

wherein the golf club head has a CG (center of gravity) with a head origin x-axis coordinate between about −

4 mm and about 4 mm.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the one or more recesses comprises at least two recesses.

3. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the at least one removable weight comprises at least two removable weights, wherein the at least two removable weights are interchangeable.

4. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the golf club head has a moment of inertia about the head CG (center of gravity) x-axis between about 70 kg·

mm² and about 140 kg·

mm².

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the golf club head has a moment of inertia about the head CG (center of gravity) z-axis between about 200 kg·

mm² and about 350 kg·

mm².

6. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the golf club head has a volume between about 110 cm³ and about 210 cm³, and a loft between about 13 degrees and about 30 degrees.

7. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the at least one removable weight comprises a weight assembly comprising at least three components.

8. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the at least one removable weight comprises a screw, a mass element, and a retainer element.

9. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the golf club head has a CG (center of gravity) with a head origin y-axis coordinate between about 20 mm and about 30 mm.

10. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the club head includes a face having a thickness that varies.

11. The golf club head of claim 10, wherein the thickness of a portion of the face is greater than about 3.0 mm.

12. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the thickness of a portion of the face is less than about 2.3 mm.

13. The golf club head of claim 10, wherein a ratio of a minimum face thickness to a maximum face thickness is less than about 0.40.

14. The golf club head of claim 10, wherein the golf club head has a CG (center of gravity) with a head origin z-axis coordinate less than about 0 mm, and the golf club head has a coefficient of restitution greater than about 0.8.

15. The golf club head of claim 14, wherein the head origin z-axis coordinate is less than about −

2 mm.

16. The golf club head of claim 14, wherein at least a portion of the club head includes a non-metallic composite material having a composite portion areal weight of less than about 0.35 g/cm².

17. The golf club head of claim 16, wherein the non-metallic composite portion of the club head includes at least a portion of a crown.

18. The golf club head of claim 17, wherein the non-metallic composite portion of the club head includes at least a portion of a sole.

19. The golf club head of claim 17, wherein a portion of the club head has a thickness less than about 0.8 mm.

20. The golf club head of claim 17, wherein the one or more recesses includes at least two recesses, and the at least one removable weight includes at least a first weight and a second weight, wherein each of the first weight and the second weight interchangeably cooperates with each of the at least two recesses, and wherein the first weight is between about 1 gram and about 3 grams, and the second weight is at least about 6 grams.

21. The golf club head of claim 20, wherein the first weight is about 2 grams and the second weight is between about 6 gram and about 18 grams.

22. The golf club head of claim 20, wherein at least one of the weights has a y-axis coordinate greater than about 50 mm.

23. The golf club head of claim 22, wherein at least one of the weights has a y-axis coordinate greater than about 20 mm and less than about 50 mm.

24. The golf club head of claim 22, wherein at least one of the weights has a y-axis coordinate greater less than about 20 mm.

25. The golf club head of claim 22, wherein the golf club head has a volume between about 250 cm³ and about 500 cm³, a loft between about 6 degrees and about 16 degrees, and a moment of inertia about a head center of gravity z-axis generally perpendicular to ground when the head is ideally positioned between about 250 kg·

mm² and about 600 kg·

mm².

26. The golf club head of claim 25, wherein the moment of inertia about a head center of gravity z-axis generally perpendicular to ground when the head is ideally positioned is between about 360 kg·

mm² and about 500 kg·

mm².

27. The golf club head of claim 25, wherein the golf club head has a moment of inertia about a head center of gravity x-axis generally parallel to the origin x-axis between about 140 kg·

mm² and about 400 kg·

mm².

28. The golf club head of claim 27, wherein the moment of inertia about a head center of gravity x-axis generally parallel to the origin x-axis is between about 220 kg·

mm² and about 360 kg·

mm².

29. The golf club head of claim 16, wherein the composite portion areal weight is less than about 0.25 g/cm².

30. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the one or more recesses comprise at least three recesses.

31. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the one or more recesses comprise at least four recesses.

32. A golf club head comprising:

one or more recesses for receiving at least one movable weight assembly;

the at least one movable weight assembly comprising at least three components including a screw, a mass element, and retainer element;

wherein the screw has a head defining a socket for receiving an engagement end of a tool;

wherein tightening the screw secures the at least one movable weight assembly to the club head;

wherein the one or more recesses have a combined volume between 0.3 cm³ and 15 cm³;

wherein the golf club head has a volume between about 110 cm³ and about 210 cm³, and a loft between about 13 degrees and about 30 degrees; and

wherein the golf club head has a CG (center of gravity) with a head origin x-axis coordinate between about −

4 mm and about 4 mm.

33. The golf club head of claim 32, wherein the golf club head comprises a body having a body mass and one or more ports having a total port mass, and wherein the sum of the body mass and the total port mass is between about 198 grams and about 222 grams.

34. The golf club head of claim 32, wherein the at least one movable weight assembly comprises a movable weight assembly having a mass that ranges from about 1 gram to about 25 grams.

35. The golf club head of claim 32, wherein the the at least one movable weight assembly comprises at least two movable weight assemblies, wherein the at least two movable weight assemblies are interchangeable.

36. The golf club head of claim 32, wherein the golf club head has a moment of inertia about the head CG x-axis between about 70 kg·

mm² and about 140 kg·

mm².

37. The golf club head of claim 32, wherein the golf club head has a moment of inertia about the head CG z-axis between about 200 kg·

mm² and about 350 kg·

mm².

38. The golf club head of claim 32, wherein the golf club head has a CG with a head origin y-axis coordinate between about 20 mm and about 30 mm.

39. A golf club head comprising:

at least two recesses for receiving at least two interchangeable weights;

the interchangeable weights configured to substantially conform to the recesses of the club head;

wherein the recesses have a volume between about 0.3 cm³ and about 15 cm³;

wherein the golf club head has a loft between about 13 degrees and about 30 degrees;

wherein the golf club head comprises a body having a body mass and one or more ports having a total port mass, and wherein the sum of the body mass and the total port mass is between about 198 grams and about 222 grams;

wherein the interchangeable weights range from about 1 gram to about 25 grams; and

wherein the golf club head has a CG (center of gravity) with a head origin x-axis coordinate between about −

4 mm and about 4 mm.

40. The golf club head of claim 39, wherein the golf club head has a moment of inertia about the head CG x-axis between about 70 kg·

mm² and about 140 kg·

mm², and a moment of inertia about the head CG z-axis between about 200 kg·

mm² and about 350 kg·

mm².