Golf club weight attachment mechanisms and related methods
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A golf club head comprising:
- a head body selected from the group of golf club heads comprising a fairway-wood-type head, a driver-type head, and a hybrid-type head, comprising;
an interior cavity, anda body opening coupled to the interior cavity;
a shell portion configured to couple to the body opening;
a bracket coupled to the shell portion; and
a weight member coupled to the bracket;
wherein;
the weight member is;
denser and harder than the head body;
denser and harder than the bracket; and
denser and harder than the shell portion;
the bracket and the weight member are configured to be fully contained within the interior cavity;
the bracket comprises a malleable lip configured to clamp the weight member in place at the shell portion;
the bracket and the shell portion comprise a single piece of the same material;
a weld bead couples the shell portion to the body opening throughout a total thickness of a perimeter of the shell portion;
the shell portion comprises at least a portion of a sole of the golf club head, and is located closer to a front portion of the golf club head than a rear portion of the golf club head;
the weight member comprises;
a weight thickness of;
less than approximately 6.4 mm if the golf club head comprises the fairway-wood-type head;
less than approximately 5.5 mm if the golf club head comprises the driver-type head;
orless than approximately 8.5 mm if the golf club head comprises the hybrid-type head;
a weight volume of;
less than approximately 15 cc if the golf club head comprises the fairway-wood-type head;
less than approximately 12 cc if the golf club head comprises the driver-type head;
orless than approximately 20 cc if the golf club head comprises the hybrid-type head;
a specific gravity of approximately 18 to approximately 20; and
at least one of;
a tungsten material;
a nickel material;
a cadmium material;
a copper material;
ora metal-infused plastic material;
the shell portion comprises at least one of;
a steel material;
ora titanium material; and
the weight member adjusts a center of gravity of the golf club head;
at least 0.38 mm towards the sole if the golf club head comprises the fairway-wood-type head;
at least 0.25 mm towards the sole if the golf club head comprises the driver-type head;
orat least 0.4 mm towards the sole if the golf club head comprises the hybrid-type head.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of golf club weight attachment mechanisms are described herein. In some embodiments, a golf club head comprises a head body with an interior cavity, a shell portion, and a bracket with a weight member coupled to the bracket. In one embodiment, the bracket and the weight member can be configured to be fully contained within the interior cavity. Other examples and related methods are also described herein.
49 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A golf club head comprising:
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a head body selected from the group of golf club heads comprising a fairway-wood-type head, a driver-type head, and a hybrid-type head, comprising; an interior cavity, and a body opening coupled to the interior cavity; a shell portion configured to couple to the body opening; a bracket coupled to the shell portion; and a weight member coupled to the bracket; wherein; the weight member is; denser and harder than the head body; denser and harder than the bracket; and denser and harder than the shell portion; the bracket and the weight member are configured to be fully contained within the interior cavity; the bracket comprises a malleable lip configured to clamp the weight member in place at the shell portion; the bracket and the shell portion comprise a single piece of the same material; a weld bead couples the shell portion to the body opening throughout a total thickness of a perimeter of the shell portion; the shell portion comprises at least a portion of a sole of the golf club head, and is located closer to a front portion of the golf club head than a rear portion of the golf club head; the weight member comprises; a weight thickness of; less than approximately 6.4 mm if the golf club head comprises the fairway-wood-type head; less than approximately 5.5 mm if the golf club head comprises the driver-type head;
orless than approximately 8.5 mm if the golf club head comprises the hybrid-type head; a weight volume of; less than approximately 15 cc if the golf club head comprises the fairway-wood-type head; less than approximately 12 cc if the golf club head comprises the driver-type head;
orless than approximately 20 cc if the golf club head comprises the hybrid-type head; a specific gravity of approximately 18 to approximately 20; and at least one of; a tungsten material; a nickel material; a cadmium material; a copper material;
ora metal-infused plastic material; the shell portion comprises at least one of; a steel material;
ora titanium material; and the weight member adjusts a center of gravity of the golf club head; at least 0.38 mm towards the sole if the golf club head comprises the fairway-wood-type head; at least 0.25 mm towards the sole if the golf club head comprises the driver-type head;
orat least 0.4 mm towards the sole if the golf club head comprises the hybrid-type head. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A golf club head comprising:
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a head body comprising; an interior cavity, and a body opening coupled to the interior cavity; a shell portion configured to couple to the body opening; a bracket coupled to the shell portion; and a weight member coupled to the bracket, the weight member comprising; a shell end facing the shell portion; an interior end opposite the shell end and facing the interior cavity, and a weight sidewall between the shell end and the interior end; wherein; the weight member is; denser and harder than the bracket; and denser and harder than the shell portion; the bracket and the weight member are configured to be fully contained within the interior cavity; the bracket comprises a malleable lip configured to plastically deform to clamp the weight member in place at the shell portion; when the weight member fully is located in the bracket, the malleable lip of the bracket is configured to fold over at least a portion of a weight perimeter of the interior end of the weight member; the interior end comprises an interior end surface and further comprising a chamfer transition at the weight perimeter between the weight sidewall and the interior end surface; and the malleable lip of the bracket is configured to substantially conform to a shape complementary to the chamfer transition. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for making a golf club head, the method comprising:
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providing a head body of the golf club head; providing a weight member; providing a shell portion configured to couple with a body opening of the head body; coupling the weight member to the shell portion; and coupling the shell portion to the body opening; wherein; providing the shell portion comprises; providing an interior side of the shell portion configured to face an interior cavity of the head body; and providing a bracket coupled to the interior side of the shell portion, the bracket comprising a malleable lip; providing the weight member comprises; providing the weight member with a density greater than a density of the bracket and greater than a density of the shell portion; providing a chamfer transition along a weight perimeter at an interior end of the weight member; and providing the weight member with a hardness greater than a hardness of the bracket and greater than a hardness of the shell portion; coupling the weight member to the shell portion comprises; inserting the weight member into the bracket; and clamping the weight member to the bracket, wherein clamping the weight member to the bracket comprises; plastically deforming the malleable lip over at least an inner portion of the weight member; and compressing the malleable lip to fold against at least a portion of the weight perimeter at the interior end of the weight member, compressing the malleable lip comprises compressing the malleable lip to conform to a shape substantially complementary to the chamfer transition,
the inner portion of the weight member configured to face towards the interior cavity of the head body when the shell portion is coupled to the body opening of the head body; andcoupling the shell portion to the body opening comprises; fully containing the weight member and the bracket within the interior cavity of the head body. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification