Golf club head with interior weight adjustable in multiple directions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11806595-B2
Application number	US-202117405737-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 18, 2021
Priority date	Sep 16, 2014
Publication date	Nov 7, 2023
Grant date	Nov 7, 2023

Abstract

A golf club head includes a striking face, and a body coupled to the striking face. The body includes a crown, a sole disposed in generally opposed relation to the crown, and a back extending away from the striking face. The striking face and body collectively define a hollow interior chamber. A weight is disposed entirely within the interior chamber. An adjustment mechanism is coupled to the body and the weight to enable external adjustment of the weight along three axes.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. Performing a golf club fitting operation for a user via a fitting club including a fitting club head, the fitting operation comprising the steps of:
a.) establishing a first center of gravity (CG) location of the fitting club;
b.) monitoring one or more swings of the fitting club by the user to determine a preferred CG location for the user comprising a second CG location;
c.) externally adjusting the first CG location via an internally-disposed adjustable weight of the fitting club, the weight being adjustable in a sole-to-crown direction, a face-to-back direction, and a heel-to-toe direction entirely within a hollow interior chamber of the fitting club, and in spaced relation to an interior wall of the fitting club defining the interior chamber, to approximate the second CG location, using an adjustment mechanism within the fitting club head comprising an arm connected to the adjustable weight, the arm being adjustably disposed within a sleeve connected to a pivot to enable the adjustable weight to be adjusted axially along an axis of the sleeve and pivotally via the pivot;
d.) monitoring one or more additional swings of the fitting club by the user to determine if at least one of the additional swings establishes that the second CG location comprises the preferred CG location for the user; and
e.) if at least one of the additional swings establishes that the second CG location comprises the preferred CG location for the user in step (d):
i. communicating the second CG location to a golf club manufacturer, and
ii. fabricating a golf club including a customized golf club head having a CG location approximating the second CG location.

2. The fitting operation of claim 1 wherein step (e)(ii) comprises securing a weight within the customized golf club head in a predefined position corresponding to the second CG location.

3. The fitting operation of claim 2 wherein step (e)(ii) comprises securing the weight within an interior chamber defined by the customized golf club head.

4. The fitting operation of claim 3 wherein step (e)(ii) comprises permanently securing the weight to an interior wall of the customized golf club head which at least partially defines the interior chamber.

5. The fitting operation of claim 3 wherein step (e)(ii) comprises providing the weight to be of predetermined mass which is previously determined via at least one of steps (c) and (d).

6. The fitting operation of claim 1 wherein step (c) comprises adjusting the adjustable weight into the second CG location using a sensor positioned within the adjustable weight.

7. The fitting operation of claim 1 wherein step (a) comprises monitoring one or more swings of the fitting club by the user.

8. The fitting operation claim 1 wherein step (c) comprises adjusting the adjustable weight into the second CG location using an adjustment mechanism wherein the sleeve is connected to a ball and socket joint.

9. Performing a golf club fitting operation for a user via a fitting club including a fitting club head, the fitting operation comprising the steps of:
a.) establishing a first center of gravity (CG) location of the fitting club;
b.) monitoring one or more swings of the fitting club by the user to determine a preferred CG location for the user comprising a second CG location;
c.) externally adjusting the first CG location via an internally-disposed adjustable weight of the fitting club, the weight being adjustable in a sole-to-crown direction, a face-to-back direction, and a heel-to-toe direction entirely within a hollow interior chamber of the fitting club, and in spaced relation to an interior wall of the fitting club defining the interior chamber, to approximate the second CG location using an adjustment mechanism within the fitting club head comprising an arm connected to the adjustable weight, the arm being adjustably disposed within a sleeve connected to a pivot to enable the adjustable weight to be adjusted axially along an axis of the sleeve and pivotally via the pivot;
d.) monitoring one or more additional swings of the fitting club by the user to determine if at least one of the additional swings establishes that the second CG location comprises the preferred CG location for the user; and
e.) if at least one of the additional swings establishes that the second CG location comprises the preferred CG location for the user in step (d), communicating the second CG location to a golf club manufacturer.

10. The fitting operation of claim 9 wherein step (c) comprises adjusting the adjustable weight into the second CG location using a sensor positioned within the adjustable weight.

11. The fitting operation of claim 9 wherein step (a) comprises monitoring one or more swings of the fitting club by the user.

12. The fitting operation claim 9 wherein step (c) comprises adjusting the adjustable weight into the second CG location using an adjustment mechanism wherein the sleeve is connected to a ball and socket joint.

13. Performing a golf club fitting operation for a user via a fitting club including a fitting club head, the fitting operation comprising the steps of:
a.) establishing a first center of gravity (CG) location of the fitting club;
b.) monitoring one or more swings of the fitting club by the user to determine a preferred CG location for the user comprising a second CG location;
c.) externally adjusting the first CG location via an internally-disposed adjustable weight of the fitting club, the weight being adjustable in a sole-to-crown direction, a face-to-back direction, and a heel-to-toe direction entirely within a hollow interior chamber of the fitting club, and in spaced relation to an interior wall of the fitting club defining the interior chamber, to approximate the second CG location, using an adjustment mechanism within the fitting club head comprising an arm connected to the adjustable weight, the arm being adjustably disposed within a sleeve connected to a pivot to enable the adjustable weight to be adjusted axially along an axis of the sleeve and pivotally via the pivot;
d.) monitoring one or more additional swings of the fitting club by the user to determine if at least one of the additional swings establishes that the second CG location comprises the preferred CG location for the user; and
e.) if at least one of the additional swings establishes that the second CG location comprises the preferred CG location for the user in step (d), fabricating a golf club including a customized golf club head having a CG location approximating the second CG location.

14. The fitting operation of claim 13 wherein step (c) comprises adjusting the adjustable weight into the second CG location using a sensor positioned within the adjustable weight.

15. The fitting operation of claim 13 wherein step (a) comprises monitoring one or more swings of the fitting club by the user.

16. The fitting operation claim 13 wherein step (c) comprises adjusting the adjustable weight into the second CG location using an adjustment mechanism wherein the sleeve is connected to a ball and socket joint.

Assignees

• Sumitomo Rubber Ind

Inventors

• Kline Michael J
• Rae John
• Ripp Pat

Classifications

• A63B60/04 Primary

  Movable ballast means {(A63B15/005 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• A63B53/0466

  wood-type · CPC title

• A63B53/06

  adjustable · CPC title

• A63B53/08

  with special arrangements for obtaining a variable impact · CPC title

• A63B2053/0491

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