Modular hosel, weight-adjustable golf club head assembly

• US 8,382,604 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2009
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dogleg Right Corporation
• Original Assignee: Dogleg Right Corporation
• Inventors: Billings, David P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US12/437,905
• Publication Number:
  US 20090247319A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,390 Days
• Field of Search: 473287-292, 473324-350, 473244-248, 473/251, 473/252, D21736-746
• US Class Current: 473/244
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0441 with visual indicators for aligning the golf club
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0445 Details of grooves or the like on the impact surface
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/065 for putters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence

Abstract

A golf putter head with a front portion comprising traditional shape and appearance, with an integral face insert extending through the head to an alignment and weighting portion extending beyond the main body of the putter, adding improved alignment, increased MOI and adjustable weighting and adjustable balance and optimizable Center of Percussion. The putter head comprises a central face insert portion extending through the body and above the traditional weight flange, with mass relieved portions below the top of the alignment piece in order to receive one or more optional weights, and the upper side of the rearwardly extending portion being engraved or marked with various alignment indicia, and the whole through-head insert face portion and rearwardly extending portion being affixed to the base portion of the head at least in part with threaded fasteners.

Claims

1. A golf club head assembly, comprising, in combination:

a first discrete, user-interchangeable weight portion;

a second discrete, user-interchangeable weight portion having a different weight profile as compared to the first user-interchangeable weight portion;

a body adapted to receive and retain accessibly and detachably one of;

the first user-interchangeable weight portion, and the second user-interchangeable weight portion; and

a modular hosel having one of different shaft alignment configurations coupled to the body to form one of differing lie angles;

the first user-interchangeable weight portion when received and retained accessibly and detachably in the body presenting a first center of gravity relative to the body to which it is received and retained accessibly and detachably;

the second user-interchangeable weight portion when received and retained accessibly and detachably in the body presenting a second center of gravity relative to the body to which it is received and retained accessibly and detachably, the second center of gravity different from the first center of gravity;

where the differing lie angle of the modular hosel and a weight configuration provided by the received and retained user-interchangeable weight portion alters a balance of the body and location of a center of percussion.

2. The golf club head assembly as described in claim 1 wherein a center of gravity of the body has a first location when the first user-interchangeable weight portion is received and retained accessibly and detachably in association with the body, and a second location when the second user-interchangeable weight portion is received and retained accessibly and detachably in association with the body.

3. The golf club head assembly as described in claim 1 wherein the first user-interchangeable weight portion is formed of a material having a density that differs from a density of a material of the second user-interchangeable weight portion.

4. The golf club head assembly as described in claim 1 wherein the body is associated with a putter type club head.

5. The golf club head assembly as described in claim 1 wherein the body is associated with an iron type club head.

6. The golf club head assembly as described in claim 1 wherein the body is associated with a wood type club head.

7. The golf club head assembly as described in claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second discrete, interchangeable weight portions includes at least one user-adjustable attached weight, the user-adjustable weight and its attachment hidden from the user upon address.

8. The golf club head assembly as described in claim 1 wherein each of the first and second user-interchangeable weight portions includes an alignment marking, and the alignment marking of the first user-interchangeable weight portion differs from the alignment marking of the second user-interchangeable weight portion.

9. The golf club head assembly as described in claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second user-interchangeable weight portions includes discrete user-adjustable weights located in an underside of the weight portion.

10. The golf club head assembly as described in claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second user-interchangeable weight portions is received in a cavity in a rear portion of the body distinct from a ball-striking face portion.

11. The golf club head assembly as described in claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second user-interchangeable weight portions is received in a cavity in an underside of the body distinct from a ball-striking face portion.

12. The golf club assembly as described in claim 1 wherein the first user-interchangeable weight portion has a characteristic that differs from the characteristic of the second user-interchangeable weight portion, the characteristic being one of:

shape, length, size, and alignment marking.