Not Applicable
The present invention relates to a golf club head. More specifically, the present invention relates to a slidable weight for a golf club head that can be adjusted along one or more channels in the golf club head.
The ability to adjust center of gravity location and weight in a golf club head is useful for controlling performance of the golf club. The prior art includes several different solutions for adjustable weighting, but these solutions do not optimize weight adjustment, especially along tracks or channels that follow the curvature of the golf club head or intersect with other channels. For example, several golf club manufacturers employ slidable weights that clamp a pair of rails in a channel when the weights are fixed in place, but these designs are more complex and costly than they need to be, and the presence of multiple rails increases the overall weight of the golf club head and reduces the amount of discretionary mass available to the manufacturer during the design process. Therefore, there is a need for a weighting mechanism that allows for simple and flexible center of gravity (CG) and moment of inertia (MOI) adjustability along channels that intersect with one another and follow a golf club head's curvature.
The present invention allows consumers to easily move and fix a weight at any location within intersecting channels disposed in the golf club head in such a way to maximize aesthetic appearances while preserving the function of the movable weight. The objective of this invention is to provide an adjustable weighting feature for lateral center of gravity control which is placed to maximize effectiveness and may be entirely concealed from view at address. Additional goals include minimizing the fixed component of the structure dedicated to the weighting system and also minimizing any potential effect on impact sound.
The slidable weight of the present invention fits within one or more contoured or rounded channels and can be clamped to any location along the channels. The slidable weight is added to a channel at a single location, and, when engaged with a channel, the slidable weight has multiple points of contact at each location on the channel despite the changing contour and channel geometry. The slidable weight also includes a keyed, anti-rotation structure that prevents the parts of the slidable weight from rotating with respect to one another when the slidable weight is fixed within a channel
One aspect of the present invention is a golf club head comprising a body comprising a first channel, and a weight assembly comprising at least one mechanical fastener comprising a head portion and a threaded extension portion, a top portion comprising a first upper surface, a first lower surface, a first keyed feature, and a first through-bore sized to receive the head portion of the at least one mechanical fastener, and a base portion comprising a second upper surface, a second lower surface, a second keyed feature, a second, threaded through-bore extending from the second upper surface to the second lower surface and sized to receive the threaded extension portion of the at least one mechanical fastener, and a clamping portion extending from the lower surface, wherein the first channel comprises a first floor, at least one first shoulder portion, and a first rail, wherein the clamping portion is sized to receive at least an upper portion of the first rail, wherein, when the clamping portion is engaged with the first rail, tightening the mechanical fastener pulls the top portion towards the base portion and causes the first lower surface of the top portion to press against the at least one first shoulder portion and the clamping portion to reversibly grip the upper portion of the first rail, and wherein the first keyed feature engages the second keyed feature to limit rotation of the top portion with respect to the base portion.
In some embodiments, the first keyed feature may extend from the first lower surface and the second keyed feature may extend into the second upper surface. In a further embodiment, the first keyed feature may comprise at least one triangular tooth and the second keyed feature may comprise at least one triangular depression sized to receive the at least one triangular tooth. In other embodiments, the first lower surface may comprise at least one convex protrusion, and the first rail may comprise a chamfered end region. In another embodiment, the clamping portion may comprise a plurality of tapered projections, each pair of adjacent tapered projections may form a slot between them, and each slot may be sized to receive an upper portion of the first rail. In a further embodiment, the plurality of tapered projections may comprise four tapered projections, which may be evenly spaced around the second through-bore.
In another embodiment, the body may further comprise a second channel comprising at least one second shoulder portion, a second floor, and a second rail extending from the second floor in a direction normal to the second floor, the clamping portion may be sized to receive at least an upper portion of the second rail, and when the clamping portion is engaged with the second rail, tightening the mechanical fastener may pull the top portion towards the base portion and cause the first lower surface of the top portion to press against the at least one second shoulder portion and the clamping portion to reversibly grip the upper portion of the second rail. In a further embodiment, the second channel may extend in a direction approximately perpendicular to at least a portion of the first channel, the second channel may intersect the first channel to form a junction, the first rail may comprise a first chamfered end region, the second rail may comprise a second chamfered end region, and each of the first and second chamfered end regions may be disposed within the junction.
In some embodiments, the clamping portion may have a first width, an open space may be disposed within the junction between the first chamfered end region and the second chamfered end region, and the open space may have a second width that is greater than the first width. In a further embodiment, a plug sized to fit within the open space and prevent the first weight from disengaging from either of the first and second rails may be included with the golf club head. In any of the embodiments, the first rail may comprise a first rail segment and a second rail segment, the first rail segment may be spaced from the second rail segment to form an open space, the clamping portion may have a first width, and the open space may have a second width that is greater than the first width. In another embodiment, the first rail may have a cross-sectional shape selected from the group consisting of T-shaped, V-shaped, and Y-shaped.
Another aspect of the present invention is a weight assembly comprising at least one mechanical fastener comprising a head portion and a threaded extension portion, a top portion comprising a first keyed feature and an unthreaded through-bore sized to receive the head portion of the at least one mechanical fastener, and a base portion comprising a clamping portion, a second keyed feature, and a threaded through-bore sized to receive the threaded extension portion of the at least one mechanical fastener, wherein the first keyed feature engages the second keyed feature to prevent rotation of the top portion with respect to the base portion, wherein the clamping portion comprises a plurality of projections spaced from one another to form at least one slot, and wherein the slot has a cross-sectional shape selected from the group consisting of T-shaped, V-shaped, and Y-shaped.
In some embodiments, the top portion may comprise a lower surface, the base portion may comprise an upper surface, the first keyed feature may extend from the lower surface, and the second keyed feature may extend into the upper surface. In a further embodiment, the first keyed feature may comprise at least one triangular tooth, and the second keyed feature may comprise at least one triangular depression sized to receive the at least one triangular tooth. In a further embodiment, the at least one triangular tooth may comprise first and second triangular teeth spaced at opposite sides of the top portion, and the at least one triangular depression may comprise first and second triangular depressions spaced at opposite sides of the base portion. In other embodiments, the top portion may be composed of a first material, the base portion may be composed of a second material, and first material may have a different density than the second material. In a further embodiment, the first material may have a higher density than the second material.
Having briefly described the present invention, the above and further objects, features and advantages thereof will be recognized by those skilled in the pertinent art from the following detailed description of the invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The design approaches described herein are based on a construction used in a driver head characterized by a composite crown adhesively bonded to a cast titanium body. This particular construction approach permits the crown configuration to be adapted to the inventive weighting scheme with minimal impact on weight and function. However, the weighting embodiments disclosed herein can be used with other constructions, including all titanium, all composite, and a composite body with metal face cup. The embodiments may also work in conjunction with at least one adjustable weight port on the sole, crown, and/or other part of the driver head. Shifting weight along the channel described herein gives a user control of the golf club head's center of gravity location and other mass properties.
A first embodiment of the present invention is shown in
As shown in
The sole 40 includes a second elongated channel 70, which is linear, extends approximately normal to the face 22 in a front-to-back direction, and intersects the first elongated channel 50 at a junction 90 located at an approximate midpoint 56 of the first elongated channel 50. The second channel 70 also includes a pair of shoulders 72, 74, a floor 75, and a rail 80 extending upwards from, and approximately normal to, the floor 75. As shown in the Figures, the rail 80 in the second channel 70 is spaced from the rail segments 62 in the first channel 50 to maintain the open space 65.
As shown in
The weight assembly 100 of the present invention, which may have any shape but preferably is approximately circular as shown in the Figures, includes a top portion 110, a base portion 130, and a mechanical fastener 150 connecting the top portion 110 to the base portion 130. When tightened, the mechanical fastener 150, which has a head portion 152 and a threaded extension portion 154 extending from the head portion 152, pulls the base portion 130 towards the top portion 110 to create a clamping force. The circular shape of the weight assembly 100 allows it to move smoothly within straight, rounded, and contoured channels 50, 70 without requiring a specific orientation therein.
As shown in
The base portion 130 has a width W3 that is less than W1 and includes an upper surface 131, a lower surface 132, a threaded through-bore 133 sized to receive the threaded extension portion 154 of the mechanical fastener 150, and a clamping portion 134 extending from the lower surface 132. The clamping portion 134 comprises four tapered projections 134a, 134b, 134c, 134d that are evenly spaced around the threaded through-bore 133 and that form a pair of tapering slots 135a, 135b having the same general cross-sectional shape and geometry as that of the rails 60, 80, e.g., Y-shaped, V-shaped, or T-shaped.
As shown in
Once the weight assembly 100 of the present invention is engaged with a rail 60, 80 and the mechanical fastener 150 has not yet been tightened, the weight assembly 100 can move freely within the selected channel 50, 70 and be clamped at any position on the chosen rail 60, 80 except for the open space 65 between the rail 60 segments 62, 64 and second rail 80. As shown in
In an alternative, preferred embodiment, shown in
If a golfer wishes to move the weight assembly 100 from one channel 50, 70 to another, she need only loosen the mechanical fastener 150 so that the top portion 110 and base portion 130 move away from another and release the clamping force on the rail 60, 80 and shoulders 52, 54, 72, 74, slide the weight assembly 100 into the open space 65, and then, without removing or indexing the weight assembly 100, slide it onto a different rail 60, 80 and re-tighten the mechanical fastener 150. The orientation of the tapering slots 135a, 135b permit this easy transition from one channel 50, 70 into another, perpendicular or intersecting channel 50, 70.
The open space 65 at the junction 90 may be filled with a plug (not shown) to further ensure that none of the weight assemblies 100 becomes disengaged from the elongated channels 50, 70. The plug may have clamping features that snap onto one or any of the rails 60, 80, and/or it may include a threaded bore that lines up with a threaded bore in the open space 65 to receive a bolt to secure it to the golf club head 10. The plug may also have any of the features of the stopper disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/174,068 or the weight screw or plug disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/163,946.
In any of the embodiments disclosed herein, the crown 30 may be affixed to the body 20 with an adhesive material. The crown 30 is formed from a light-weight material, preferably a non-metal material such as a composite, which may be selected from any of the composite materials disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,460,123 and 9,033,822, the disclosure of each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety herein.
The rail 60 and plug may be formed as disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/174,068, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety herein. Similarly, the elongated channels 50, 70 disclosed herein may have any of the configurations disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,696,491, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety herein, and the elongated channels 50, 70 disclosed herein may be disposed anywhere on the golf club head 10, including the sole 40, crown 30, face 22, and ribbon portions, if applicable. Though the embodiment disclosed herein is shown in a driver, the inventive adjustable weighting configuration may also be used with other type of golf clubs, including fairway woods, irons, wedges, hybrids, and putters.
In other embodiments, the golf club head 10 may have a multi-material composition such as any of those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,244,976, 6,332,847, 6,386,990, 6,406,378, 6,440,008, 6,471,604, 6,491,592, 6,527,650, 6,565,452, 6,575,845, 6,478,692, 6,582,323, 6,508,978, 6,592,466, 6,602,149, 6,607,452, 6,612,398, 6,663,504, 6,669,578, 6,739,982, 6,758,763, 6,860,824, 6,994,637, 7,025,692, 7,070,517, 7,112,148, 7,118,493, 7,121,957, 7,125,344, 7,128,661, 7,163,470, 7,226,366, 7,252,600, 7,258,631, 7,314,418, 7,320,646, 7,387,577, 7,396,296, 7,402,112, 7,407,448, 7,413,520, 7,431,667, 7,438,647, 7,455,598, 7,476,161, 7,491,134, 7,497,787, 7,549,935, 7,578,751, 7,717,807, 7,749,096, and 7,749,097, the disclosure of each of which is hereby incorporated in its entirety herein.
From the foregoing it is believed that those skilled in the pertinent art will recognize the meritorious advancement of this invention and will readily understand that while the present invention has been described in association with a preferred embodiment thereof, and other embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, numerous changes, modifications and substitutions of equivalents may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention which is intended to be unlimited by the foregoing except as may appear in the following appended claims. Therefore, the embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined in the following appended claims.
The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/664,235, filed on Jul. 31, 2017, and issued on Jul. 17, 2018, as U.S. patent Ser. No. 10/022,602, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/049,494, filed on Feb. 22, 2016, and issued on Aug. 8, 2017, as U.S. Pat. No. 9,724,577, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/012,493, filed on Feb. 1, 2016, and issued on Jun. 20, 2017, as U.S. Pat. No. 9,682,298, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/933,973, filed on Nov. 5, 2015, and issued on Apr. 18, 2017, as U.S. Pat. No. 9,623,294, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/163,946, filed on Jan. 24, 2014, and issued on Dec. 15, 2015, as U.S. Pat. No. 9,211,453, and is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/174,068, filed on Feb. 6, 2014, the disclosure of each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety herein.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 15664235 | Jul 2017 | US |
Child | 16035037 | US | |
Parent | 15049494 | Feb 2016 | US |
Child | 15664235 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 15012493 | Feb 2016 | US |
Child | 15049494 | US | |
Parent | 14933973 | Nov 2015 | US |
Child | 15012493 | US | |
Parent | 14163946 | Jan 2014 | US |
Child | 14933973 | US | |
Parent | 14174068 | Feb 2014 | US |
Child | 14163946 | US |