Metal wood club

• US 9,999,813 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2016
• Issued: 06/19/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Cleghorn, Richard L., Frame, Nick, Bennett, Thomas Orrin
• Primary Examiner(s): BLAU, STEPHEN LUTHER
• Application Number:
  US15/339,692
• Publication Number:
  US 20170165538A1
• Time in Patent Office: 596 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0495 moving on impact, slidable, spring or otherwise elastically biased
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/02 with reinforcing fibres, e.g. carbon, polyamide fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• 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 body having a face, a sole, a crown, and a skirt joining the face, sole and crown, the body having a center of gravity, wherein the body includes an open end and a terminal end, the terminal end opposite the open end, a weighted insert having a heavy end and a lighter end, the lighter end opposite the heavy end, wherein the cavity is configured to receive the weighted insert through the open end, wherein the cavity is configured to receive the weighted insert through the open end in both a first configuration and a second configuration, and wherein said weighted insert comprises a slideable flange.

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, said body having a center of gravity;

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,

wherein said body comprises a cavity;

wherein said cavity comprises an open end and a terminal end, said terminal end opposite said open end;

a weighted insert, said weighted insert comprising a heavy end and a lighter end, said lighter end opposite said heavy end;

wherein said cavity is configured to receive said weighted insert through said open end in both a first configuration and a second configuration;

wherein said first configuration comprises said heavy end of said weighted insert adjacent said terminal end of said cavity;

wherein said second configuration comprises said lighter end of said weighted insert adjacent said terminal end of said cavity;

wherein said weighted insert comprises a first insert locking feature at said heavy end;

wherein said weighted insert comprises a second insert locking feature at said lighter end;

wherein said terminal end of said cavity comprises a head locking feature configured to engage said first insert locking feature and said second insert locking feature;

wherein said first insert locking feature and said second insert locking feature comprise male threads and wherein said head locking feature comprises female threads;

wherein said open end comprises a shelf;

wherein said weighted insert comprises a flange configured to abut said shelf;

wherein said flange is slideable between said heavy end and said lighter end of said weighted insert;

wherein insert locking feature engages said head locking feature via rotation of said weighted insert and locks said weighted insert in said cavity;

wherein rotation of said weighted insert loads said weighted insert in tension;

wherein said weighted insert comprises;

a heavy member located at said heavy end of said weighted insert;

a tube member affixed to said heavy member;

a lightweight member affixed to said tube member, opposite said heavy member;

and a tension rod affixed to said heavy member and said lightweight member;

wherein said weighted insert comprises a longitudinal insert axis along a center of said weighted insert and passing through said heavy end and said lighter end;

wherein said cavity comprises a longitudinal cavity axis along a center of said cavity and passing through said open end and said terminal end; and

wherein said weighted insert is configured to translate along said longitudinal cavity axis as said weighted insert is rotated about said longitudinal cavity axis.

2. A golf club head comprising:

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

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,

wherein said body comprises a cavity;

wherein said cavity comprises an open end and a terminal end, said terminal end opposite said open end;

a weighted insert, said weighted insert comprising a heavy end and a lighter end, said lighter end opposite said heavy end;

wherein said cavity is configured to receive said weighted insert through said open end in both a first configuration and a second configuration;

wherein said first configuration comprises said heavy end of said weighted insert adjacent said terminal end of said cavity;

wherein said second configuration comprises said lighter end of said weighted insert adjacent said terminal end of said cavity;

wherein said weighted insert comprises a first insert locking feature at said heavy end;

wherein said weighted insert comprises a second insert locking feature at said lighter end;

wherein said terminal end of said cavity comprises a head locking feature configured to engage said first insert locking feature and said second insert locking feature;

wherein said open end comprises a shelf;

wherein said weighted insert comprises a flange configured to abut said shelf; and

wherein said flange is slideable between said heavy end and said lighter end of said weighted insert.

3. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein said first insert locking feature and said second insert locking feature engage said head locking feature via rotation of said weighted insert and locks said weighted insert in said cavity.

4. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein rotation of said weighted insert loads said weighted insert in tension.

5. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein said weighted insert comprises a heavy member located at said heavy end of said weighted insert, a tube member affixed to said heavy member;

and a lightweight member affixed to said tube member, opposite said heavy member.

6. The golf club head of claim 5, wherein said weighted insert further comprises a tension rod affixed to said heavy member and said lightweight member.

7. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein said weighted insert comprises a longitudinal insert axis along a center of said weighted insert and passing through said heavy end and said lighter end, wherein said cavity comprises a longitudinal cavity axis along a center of said cavity and passing through said open end and said terminal end, and wherein said weighted insert is configured to translate along said longitudinal cavity axis as said weighted insert is rotated about said longitudinal cavity axis.

8. The golf club head of claim 2, wherein said first insert locking feature and said second insert locking feature comprise male threads and wherein said head locking feature comprises female threads.

9. A golf club head comprising:

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

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,

wherein said body comprises a cavity;

wherein said cavity comprises an open end and a terminal end, said terminal end opposite said open end;

a weighted insert, said weighted insert comprising a heavy end and a lighter end, said lighter end opposite said heavy end;

wherein said cavity is configured to receive said weighted insert through said open end in both a first configuration and a second configuration;

wherein said first configuration comprises said heavy end of said weighted insert adjacent said terminal end of said cavity;

wherein said second configuration comprises said lighter end of said weighted insert adjacent said terminal end of said cavity;

wherein rotation of said weighted insert loads said weighted insert in tension;

wherein said weighted insert comprises a first insert locking feature at said heavy end and wherein said weighted insert comprises a second insert locking feature at said lighter end;

wherein said terminal end of said cavity comprises a head locking feature configured to engage said first insert locking feature and said second insert locking feature; and

wherein said first insert locking feature and said second insert locking feature engage said head locking feature via rotation of said weighted insert and locks said weighted insert in said cavity.

10. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein said first insert locking feature and said second insert locking feature comprise male threads and wherein said head locking feature comprises female threads.

11. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein said open end comprises a shelf.

12. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein said weighted insert comprises a flange configured to abut said shelf.

13. The golf club head of claim 12, wherein said flange is slideable between said heavy end and said lighter end of said weighted insert.

14. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein said weighted insert comprises a heavy member located at said heavy end of said weighted insert, a tube member affixed to said heavy member;

and a lightweight member affixed to said tube member, opposite said heavy member.

15. The golf club head of claim 14, wherein said weighted insert further comprises a tension rod affixed to said heavy member and said lightweight member.

16. The golf club head of claim 15, wherein said tension rod is mechanically affixed to said heavy member and said lightweight member.

17. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein said weighted insert comprises a longitudinal insert axis along a center of said weighted insert and passing through said heavy end and said lighter end, wherein said cavity comprises a longitudinal cavity axis along a center of said cavity and passing through said open end and said terminal end, and wherein said weighted insert is configured to translate along said longitudinal cavity axis as said weighted insert is rotated about said longitudinal cavity axis.