Golf club heads with sole weights and related methods

• US 9,987,525 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2016
• Issued: 06/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Inventors: Stokke, Ryan M., Nicolette, Michael R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Alvin
• Application Number:
  US15/226,860
• Publication Number:
  US 20160339307A1
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0412 Volume
• 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 60/00 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

Some embodiments include a golf club head with a tapered sole weight. Other embodiments for related club heads and methods are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a body comprising;

a sole comprising an exterior sole surface; and

a sole weight port comprising;

a port top comprising an interior port top surface and an exterior port top surface, the interior port top surface having a taper of plus or minus approximately 1-89 degrees with respect to the exterior port top surface.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising a sole weight located in a weight-receiving cavity of the sole weight port.

3. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the sole weight is conformal with the weight-receiving cavity.

4. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the sole weight has a different density than the sole weight port.

5. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the sole weight remains exposed to an exterior of the golf club head.

6. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein the sole weight comprises a first portion having a first density and a second portion having a second density different from the first density, and the first and second portions are tapered such that a first thickness of the first portion at a first area of the sole weight is greater than a second thickness of the first portion at a second area of the sole weight, the second area of the sole weight being different than the first area of the sole weight.

7. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the exterior port top surface has a taper of plus or minus approximately 1-30 degrees with respect to a horizontal plane when the golf club head is at an address position.

8. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the port top includes a threaded screw-receiving portion.

9. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

the body has a volume of no more than 350 cubic centimeters; and

the body comprises a face having a loft angle of approximately 17-31 degrees relative to a vertical plane perpendicular to a horizontal plane when the golf club head is at an address position.

10. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein:

the sole weight port further comprises;

one or more port side walls; and

a weight-receiving cavity opening to the exterior sole surface and bounded by the exterior port top surface and the one or more port side walls.

11. The golf club head of claim 10, wherein the body comprises a rear end, and a side of the one or more port side walls of the sole weight port extends to the rear end.

12. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the body comprises a front end and a rear end, and the sole weight port is located closer to the rear end than the front end.

13. A golf club sole weight comprising:

a first portion having a first density; and

a second portion having a second density different than the first density,

wherein;

the first and second portions are tapered such that a first thickness of the first portion at a first area of the golf club sole weight is greater than a second thickness of the first portion at a second area of the golf club sole weight; and

the second area of the golf club sole weight is different than the first area of the golf club sole weight.

14. The golf club sole weight of claim 13, wherein the first portion extends only partially across the golf club sole weight.

15. The golf club sole weight of claim 13, wherein the first portion extends from a first side of the golf club sole weight to a screw hole of the golf club sole weight.

16. The golf club sole weight of claim 13, wherein a width of the golf club sole weight is greater than a maximum thickness of the golf club sole weight.

17. The golf club sole weight of claim 13, wherein the golf club sole weight has a uniform thickness.

18. The golf club sole weight of claim 13 further comprising a screw hole.

19. The golf club sole weight of claim 13 further comprising:

gearing teeth for non-rotatable positioning of the golf club sole weight in a weight-receiving cavity of a golf club head in two or more orientations,

wherein;

the golf club sole weight has a cylindrical shape.

20. The golf club sole weight of claim 13, wherein the golf club sole weight has a regular polygon cross section for non-rotatable positioning of the golf club sole weight in a weight-receiving cavity of a golf club head in two or more orientations.