Adjustable weight club head

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11291892-B2
Application number	US-202016952403-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 19, 2020
Priority date	May 25, 2016
Publication date	Apr 5, 2022
Grant date	Apr 5, 2022

Abstract

Embodiments of golf club heads having adjustable weighting systems with a plurality of discrete attachment locations capable of receiving one or more weights are described herein. The golf club heads described herein provide user adjustability of club head center of gravity to adjust ball flight while maintaining a high moment of inertia and low and back center of gravity position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A golf club head comprising:
a club head body having a toe end, a heel end located opposite the toe end, a crown, a sole located opposite the crown, a strike face, a perimeter positioned at a junction between the crown and the sole extending from near the heel end to near the toe end, and a recessed portion defined by the sole comprising a recessed surface having a plurality of distinct attachment locations; and
an adjustable weighting system positioned in the recessed portion, the adjustable weighting system including:
a plurality of protruding bodies defining a plurality discrete attachment locations; and
one or more weights, each having a weight center of gravity, wherein at least one weight is configured to be coupled to one of the plurality of discrete attachment locations, and at least one weight is configured to be moveable between the plurality of discrete attachment locations to shift a center of gravity of the club head; and

wherein:
at least one of the one or more weights are positioned such that the weight center of gravity of at least one weight is positioned within 0.50 inch of the perimeter of the club head when the weight is coupled to at least one of the discrete attachment locations;
a combined moment of inertia of the club head about the club head center of gravity, defined as the sum of a crown-to-sole moment of inertia and a heel-to-toe moment of inertia, is greater than 8,000 g·cm 2 .

2. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of protruding bodies are selected from the group consisting of: a plurality of tabs, a plurality of ribs, a plurality of pegs, a plurality of magnets, a plurality of programmable magnets, and a plurality of hooks; wherein the geometry of the protruding body is complimentary to the geometry of a weight attachment point.

3. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the protruding bodies are cylindrically shaped.

4. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of sole walls define and separate the plurality of distinct attachment locations of the recessed surface from each other.

5. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the one or more weights comprise a first weight greater than 20 grams, and the first weight is the heaviest of the one or more weights.

6. The golf club head of claim 5 , wherein the one or more weights further comprise a second weight between 10 grams and 20 grams.

7. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the one or more weights can have a shape selected from the group consisting of: circular, triangular, rectangular, polygonal, or trapezoidal.

8. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the combined moment of inertia about the club head center of gravity is between 8000 and 9500 g·cm 2 .

9. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the recessed portion defined by the sole, is arcuate in shape, and generally follows the contour of the perimeter of the club head.

10. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein a coupling mechanism used to attach the one or more weights to the protruding bodies is selected from the group consisting of: friction fits, snap fits, set screws positioned within threaded inner surfaces of the protruding bodies, or with other structures.

11. A golf club head comprising:
a club head body having a toe end, a heel end located opposite the toe end, a crown, a sole located opposite the crown, a strike face, a perimeter positioned at a junction between the crown and the sole extending from near the heel end to near the toe end, and a recess defined by the sole having a plurality of sole walls defining a plurality of interconnected portions of the recess; and
an adjustable weighting system positioned in the recess, the adjustable weighting system including:
a plurality of protruding bodies defining a plurality discrete attachment locations, wherein the plurality of discrete attachment locations are harbored in the plurality of interconnected portions of the recess; and
one or more weights, each having a weight center of gravity, wherein at least one weight is configured to be coupled to one of the plurality of discrete attachment locations, wherein the weight includes a cylindrical aperture, and at least one weight is configured to be moveable between the plurality of discrete attachment locations to shift a center of gravity of the club head; and

wherein:
at least one of the one or more weights are positioned such that the weight center of gravity of at least one weight is positioned within 0.50 inch of the perimeter of the club head when the weight is coupled to at least one of the discrete attachment locations;
a combined moment of inertia of the club head about the club head center of gravity, defined as the sum of a crown-to-sole moment of inertia and a heel-to-toe moment of inertia, is greater than 8,000 g·cm 2 .

12. The golf club head of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of discrete attachment locations are selected from the group consisting of: a plurality of tabs, a plurality of ribs, a plurality of pegs, a plurality of magnets, a plurality of programmable magnets, and a plurality of hooks.

13. The golf club head of claim 11 , wherein the one or more weights comprise a first weight greater than 20 grams, and the first weight is the heaviest of the one or more weights.

14. The golf club head of claim 13 , wherein the one or more weights further comprise a second weight between 10 grams and 20 grams.

15. The golf club head of claim 11 , wherein the recess comprises a maximum depth of 0.25 inch.

16. The golf club head of claim 11 , wherein the recess includes a first portion that extends from an intersection region towards a toe end, a second portion that extends from the intersection region towards a heel end, and a third portion that extends generally inwardly from the intersection region toward a center of the sole.

17. The golf club head of claim 16 , wherein the width of the first, second and third portions can increase, decrease and/or remain constant from the intersection region towards the toe end, heel end, and center of the sole.

18. The golf club head of claim 11 , wherein the one or more weights can be moved between the plurality of protruding bodies to shift the center of gravity in a toe to heel direction.

19. The golf club head of claim 11 , wherein the one or more weights can be moved between the plurality of protruding bodies to shift the center of gravity towards the strike face or towards a rear end of the club head.

20. The golf club head of claim 11 , wherein the adjustable weighting system maximizes perimeter weighting along with low and back weight positioning, thereby maximizing club head moment of inertia for forgiveness on off-center hits, and positioning the club head center of gravity low and back to increase launch angle and reduce backspin.

Assignees

• Karsten Mfg Corp

Inventors

• Jertson Martin R
• Stokke Ryan M
• Chen Xiaojian
• Bacon Cory S
• Pope Jeremy
• Lee Daniel K
• Higdon David A
• Morales Eric J

Classifications

• A63B53/06 Primary

  adjustable · CPC title

• A63B53/0408

  characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness · CPC title

• A63B2053/0491

  with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable · CPC title

• A63B53/0437

  with special crown configurations · CPC title

• A63B53/0433

  with special sole configurations · CPC title