Golf Clubs and Golf Club Heads with Adjustable Center of Gravity and Moment of Inertia Characteristics

• US 20090186717A1
• Filed: 01/17/2008
• Published: 07/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Franklin, David N., Boyd, Robert, Stites, John Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 7,988,568 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/291
• 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 2210/50 Size reducing arrangements for stowing or transport
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/42 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
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/50 with through-holes A63B60/18 takes precedence; for stringing purposes A63B49/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4984 Retaining clearance for motion between assembled parts

Abstract

Golf clubs, club heads, and club weighting systems may include: (a) a club head body member; and (b) one or more weight members movably engaged with the club head body member so as to move between a first position and a second position to change an overall exterior shape of the club head. This shape change may result in changes to the overall center of gravity, weighting, and/or moment of inertia characteristics of the club head. Alternatively or additionally, the weight member(s) may be removed from the club head body member, reoriented, and/or replaced with a different weight member, e.g., to change the overall exterior shape, center of gravity, weighting, and/or moment of inertia characteristics of the club head. Methods of making and using these clubs, club heads, and weighting systems also are described.

Claims

1. A golf club head, comprising:

a club head body member; and

a weight member engaged with the club head body member, wherein the weight member is movable between a first position and a second position to change an overall exterior shape of the club head.

2. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the weight member is rotatably engaged with the club head body member to move between the first position and the second position.

3. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the weight member is slidably engaged with the club head body member to move between the first position and the second position.

4. A golf club head according to claim 3, further comprising:

a rail extending between the club head body member and the weight member, wherein the weight member is slidably mounted on the rail.

5. A golf club head according to claim 3, wherein a portion of the weight member slidably extends into an interior of the club head body member.

6. A golf club head according to claim 1, further comprising:

a securing system to hold the weight member in place with respect to the club head body member.

8. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein at the first position, at least a first portion of the weight member is located within an interior of the club head body member.

9. A golf club head according to claim 8, wherein at the second position, at least some of the first portion of the weight member is located outside the club head body member.

10. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein at the first position, the weight member extends from the club head body member in a direction at least partially toward a front of the club head body member.

11. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein at the second position, the weight member extends from the club head body member in a direction at least partially away from a front of the club head body member.

12. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the club head body member forms at least a portion of an iron golf club head.

13. A golf club head according to claim 12, wherein the weight member includes a bridge member engaged with a rear portion of the iron golf club head.

14. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the club head body member forms at least a portion of a wood-type golf club head.

15. A golf club head according to claim 14, wherein the wood-type golf club head is a driver.

16. A golf club head according to claim 14, wherein the wood-type golf club head is a fairway wood.

17. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the club head body member includes a raised boss element and the weight member includes a receptacle defined therein for receiving the first raised boss element.

18. A golf club head according to claim 17, wherein the club head body member forms at least a portion of an iron golf club head, wherein the iron golf club head is perimeter weighted around a rear portion of the club head body member and the raised boss element extends from a portion of the perimeter weighted structure, and wherein the weight member includes a bridge member engaged with the raised boss element.

19. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the weight member is movably engaged with the club head body member so as to be movable in a front-to-rear direction with respect to the club head body member.

20. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the weight member is movably engaged with the club head body member so as to be movable in a heel-to-toe direction with respect to the club head body member.

21. A golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the weight member is movably engaged with the club head body member so as to be movable at an acute angle with respect to a front-to-rear direction of the club head body member.

22. A golf club head according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second weight member engaged with the club head body member, wherein the second weight member is movable between a third position and a fourth position to change the overall exterior shape of the club head.

7. (canceled)

23. A golf club, comprising:

a club head body member;

a weight member engaged with the club head body member, wherein the weight member is movable between a first position and a second position to change an overall exterior shape of the club head; and

a shaft member engaged with the club head body member.

24. A golf club according to claim 23, wherein the weight member is rotatably engaged with the club head body member to move between the first position and the second position.

25. A golf club according to claim 23, wherein the weight member is slidably engaged with the club head body member to move between the first position and the second position.

26. A golf club according to claim 25, further comprising:

a rail extending between the club head body member and the weight member, wherein the weight member is slidably mounted on the rail.

27. A golf club according to claim 25, wherein a portion of the weight member slidably extends into an interior of the club head body member.

33. A golf club according to claim 23, wherein the club head body member forms at least a portion of an iron golf club head.

34. A golf club according to claim 33, wherein the weight member includes a bridge member engaged with a rear portion of the iron golf club head.

35. A golf club according to claim 23, wherein the club head body member forms at least a portion of a wood-type golf club head.

41. A golf club according to claim 23, further comprising:

a second weight member engaged with the club head body member, wherein the second weight member is movable between a third position and a fourth position to change the overall exterior shape of the club head.

28-32. -32. (canceled)

36-40. -40. (canceled)

42. A golf club head weighting system, comprising:

a club head body member including a weight engaging system for releasably engaging a weight member;

a first weight member including a first club head engaging system for releasably engaging the club head body member, wherein the first weight member, when attached to the club head body member, provides at least a portion of a first overall exterior shape to the club head; and

a second weight member including a second club head engaging system for releasably engaging the club head body member, wherein the second weight member, when attached to the club head body member, provides at least a portion of a second overall exterior shape that differs from the first overall exterior shape to the club head.

43. A golf club head weighting system according to claim 42, wherein the weight engaging system slidably engages one of the first or the second weight members.

44. A golf club head weighting system according to claim 42, wherein the weight engaging system includes a rail extending from the club head body member.

45. A golf club head weighting system according to claim 44, wherein each of the first and second club head engaging systems includes a receptacle into which at least a portion of the rail may be received.

46. A golf club head weighting system according to claim 42, wherein each of the first and second club head engaging systems includes a rail extending from the respective weight member.

47. A golf club head weighting system according to claim 46, wherein the weight engaging system includes a receptacle into which at least a portion of the rail may be received.

48. A golf club head weighting system according to claim 42, wherein at least a portion of the first and second weight members is slidably insertable into an interior of the club head body member.

52. A golf club head weighting system according to claim 42, wherein the club head body member forms at least a portion of an iron golf club head.

53. A golf club head weighting system according to claim 52, wherein the first weight member forms a bridge member engageable with a rear portion of the iron golf club head.

54. A golf club head weighting system according to claim 42, wherein the club head body member forms at least a portion of a wood-type golf club head.

55. A golf club head weighting system according to claim 54, wherein the first and second weight members are separately engageable with a rear portion of the wood-type golf club head.

49-51. -51. (canceled)

56-57. -57. (canceled)

58. A method of forming a golf club head, comprising:

providing a club head body member; and

movably engaging a weight member with the club head body member, wherein the weight member is engaged with the club head body member so as to be movable between a first position and a second position to thereby change an overall exterior shape of the club head.

59-77. -77. (canceled)

78. A method of making a golf club, comprising:

providing a club head, wherein the club head includes a club head body member and a weight member engaged with the club head body member, wherein the weight member is movable between a first position and a second position to change an overall exterior shape of the club head; and

engaging a shaft member with the club head.

79-96. -96. (canceled)

97. A method of changing weighting or moment of inertia characteristics of a golf club head, comprising:

providing a club head body member including a weight engaging system; and

changing an overall exterior shape of the club head by moving or changing a weight member engaged with the weight engaging system.

98-115. -115. (canceled)