Embedded In Head Patents (Class 473/335)
  • Publication number: 20130165255
    Abstract: A golf club head is presented comprising a sole including a weight member secured to a weight mount. The weight member is preferably constructed so that it has a low profile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2011
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Inventors: Stephanie Bezilla, Gery M. Zimmerman, Darryl C. Galvan
  • Patent number: 8449408
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an iron-type golf club that may be included in a set. In particular, the inventive golf club includes an adjustable hosel coupling and a mechanism for altering the sole configuration. The golf club may be included in a set having a progressive sole configuration that provides desired bounce for each club within the set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Cobra Golf Incorporated
    Inventors: Karl A. Clausen, Douglas E. Roberts
  • Patent number: 8449405
    Abstract: An apparatus can comprise a body with a receptacle, and a multi-density weight. The multi-density weight can comprise a first weight component with a first density, an inner portion and a periphery around the inner portion, and a second weight component with a second density and secured to the inner portion of the first weight component. The body, and the first and second weight components can comprise materials different from each other. The receptacle can have a receptacle base and a receptacle wall. The second weight component can comprise a material having a weld-averse trait with respect to the body. The surface of the body can be proximate to at least one of a hosel region, an upper toe region, a lower toe region, a heel region, a backside region, an upper-half region, or a lower-half region of the body. Other embodiments and related methods are also disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Marty R. Jertson, John A. Solheim
  • Publication number: 20130130828
    Abstract: Wood-type golf club heads (e.g., drivers, fairway woods, wood-type hybrid clubs, or the like) include: (a) a ball striking face; (b) a club head body engaged or integrally formed with the ball striking face, wherein the club head body includes a crown portion, the crown portion including a fixed portion proximal to the ball striking face, and a removable weight portion, which is configured to be coupled with the fixed portion on a side of the crown potion away from the ball striking face. The club head body may further include an interior portion with a frame member defined therein. The crown weight may further include a weight member attached to the frame member, the weight member including at least one receptacle defined therein. The removable weight portion may further include at least one weight insert supported within the weight member in the at least one receptacle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2013
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicant: NIKE, INC.
    Inventor: NIKE Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130130829
    Abstract: A golf club head is provided with a body that has an address position with a zero degree bounce portion on the sole and a center sole position with a multi-relief surface of the sole having a negative bounce portion. The negative bounce portion may comprise a negative 0.5 to a negative 4.0 degree surface. In one embodiment, the multi-relief surface may comprise the negative bounce portion and a cutaway portion extending to the back of the sole, which may have a depth of about 0.05 to 0.5 inch from a regular sole surface. In another embodiment, the golf club head includes a weight system to adjust the center of gravity. In one embodiment, the weight system is a tube having a weight at one end that may be inserted into the golf club head to move the center of gravity at least forward and backward within 6 mm and up and down within 6 mm. Preferably, the tube is angled downward toward the face by at least 3 degrees.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2013
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicant: ACUSHNET COMPANY
    Inventor: Acushnet Company
  • Publication number: 20130130827
    Abstract: A cavity back golf club and golf club head having one or more support brackets is disclosed. Each support bracket includes a first portion engaged with the rear surface of the striking face, a second portion engaged with the perimeter weighting member, and a third portion that is curved. The one or more of the support brackets are engaged with a rear surface of a striking face and a perimeter weight member of the golf club head. The one or more support brackets are at least partially located in a rear cavity of the golf club head. The support brackets provide structural integrity to a thin striking face on the golf club head. Additionally, a discretionary weight is engaged with the at least one of the support brackets at the toe portion of the golf club head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2013
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicant: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: NIKE, Inc.
  • Patent number: 8444506
    Abstract: A golf club head having a face component, a crown, and a composite sole with one or more weight ports for receiving one or more weight inserts is disclosed herein. At least part of each of the weight ports is integrally formed in the composite sole, and each of the weight ports include a weight receiving region for receiving a weight and a screw receiving region for receiving a screw that secures the weight in the weight port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: William C. Watson, Martin Peralta, Patrick Dawson, Irina Ivanova, Bradley C. Rice
  • Patent number: 8444505
    Abstract: A golf club head comprises a body, a track formed in or attached to the body and having a length and a weight and weight retainer. The weight is continuously repositionable such that it can be positioned at any selected point along the track between its ends. The weight has a major dimension, and the weight retainer comprises a fastening member having a diameter not greater than about one half of the major dimension of the weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd P. Beach, Joseph H. Hoffman
  • Publication number: 20130109501
    Abstract: A golf club head has a body defining a ball striking face. The body further has a first leg extending away from the ball striking face and a second leg extending away from the ball striking face wherein a void is defined between the first leg and the second leg. The body further defines a cover that extends over the void. The golf club head may further have support structures and adjustable weight members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Applicant: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: John T. Stites, Robert Boyd, Eric A. Larson, Kenneth W. Brown, Sherry L. Jones
  • Patent number: 8430766
    Abstract: A golf club may include a front surface, a rear surface having a recess, and an insert at least partially disposed in the recess. The insert may comprise a durometer hardness of less than about 95 Shore A and a cavity having a reinforcement member disposed therein. Preferably, the durometer hardness of the reinforcement member is also less than about 95 Shore A. The insert may further comprise an anterior perimetric boundary having a first length and a posterior perimetric boundary having a second length. The ratio of the first length to the second length may be less than 1 and greater than 0.5. In one example, the insert may have a triangular front profile and a triangular side profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: SRI Sports Limited
    Inventors: Andrew P. Chick, Christopher R. Cooper, Sharon J. Park, Kevin R. Tassistro
  • Publication number: 20130102410
    Abstract: A golf club head has a body defining a ball striking face. The body further has a first leg extending away from the ball striking face and a second leg extending away from the ball striking face wherein a void is defined between the first leg and the second leg. The body further defines a cover that extends over the void. The golf club head may further have support structures and adjustable weight members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Applicant: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: John T. Stites, Robert Boyd, Eric A. Larson, Kenneth W. Brown, Sherry L. Jones
  • Patent number: 8425346
    Abstract: A golf club head having a center of gravity located at a point close to the face and the sole is disclosed herein. In particular, the golf club head comprises a hollow body including a weight lip and face component, and the weight lip extends from the sole inside the body into the face component. The golf club head is preferably a wood-type or hybrid-type golf club head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventor: Joel B. Erickson
  • Patent number: 8425348
    Abstract: A golf club with a golf club head having one or more adjustable weights is presented. The club head may include a club head body having a recessed formed therein. In some arrangements, the recess may be formed in a sole portion of the club head body. The golf club head further includes an adjustable weight that may be rotated from a first position to a second position to adjust the weight characteristics, and thus the performance characteristics of the golf club. In some arrangements, the adjustable weight and/or any hardware, fasteners, etc. associated with the adjustable weight may be constantly connected to the golf club head such that adjustment of the weight does not include removal of the weight and/or any hardware, fasteners, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Boyd, John T. Stites, Gary G. Tavares
  • Patent number: 8414422
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a golf club head with external weights that allows for weight modification after the manufacturing process. The golf club head comprises a face component and an aft-body. A plurality of recessed cavities are located on the aft-body. A weight component is disposed within the recessed cavities. A timesert is located at the bottom center of each of the recessed cavities. The timesert is comolded to the aft-body. The weight component is fastened to the timesert by use of a bolt. The recessed cavities are preferably circular in shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Martin Peralta, Alan Hocknell
  • Patent number: 8414423
    Abstract: A golf club includes a golf club head having a body, a ball-striking face member and one or more mass members. The body is configured to releasably accommodate a first mass member in a first region on its back surface and a second mass member in a second region on its back surface. At least one of the first and second mass members may be releasably attached to the back surface. The ball-striking face member may have an average density that is less than the average density of the body. The mass members may have an average density that is more than the average density of the ball-striking face member and/or of the body. The mass distribution of the club head may be customized via the selection and attachment of a particular mass member. The golf club head may be an iron-type golf club head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip J. Hatton, Andrew G. V. Oldknow
  • Patent number: 8414420
    Abstract: A golf club head having a center of gravity located at a point close to the face and the sole is disclosed herein. In particular, the golf club head comprises a hollow body including a weight lip and face component, and the weight lip extends from the sole inside the body into the face component. The golf club head is preferably a wood-type or hybrid-type golf club head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventor: Joel B. Erickson
  • Patent number: 8409031
    Abstract: Golf clubs, club heads, and club weighting systems may include: (a) a club head body member; and (b) one or more weight members removably and/or movably engaged with the club head body member so as to move between a first position and a second position to change an overall exterior shape of the club head. This shape change may result in changes to the overall center of gravity, weighting, and/or moment of inertia characteristics of the club head. Alternatively or additionally, the weight member(s) may be removed from the club head body member, reoriented, and/or replaced with a different weight member, e.g., to change the overall exterior shape, center of gravity, weighting, and/or moment of inertia characteristics of the club head. Methods of making and using these clubs, club heads, and weighting systems also are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: John T. Stites, Robert Boyd, David N. Franklin
  • Patent number: 8388465
    Abstract: A golf club head is presented comprising a sole including a weight member secured to the sole via a non-threaded attachment assembly. Further, the weight member has a large surface area relative to its thickness, resulting in a chip-like or wafer-like weight member. This design allows the mass of the weight member to be spread substantially along the surface of the sole as opposed to in the interior of the club head. The golf club head may comprise more than one weight member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Noah De La Cruz, Charles E. Golden, Peter L. Soracco
  • Publication number: 20130053172
    Abstract: A weight member for removable attachment to a weight port of a golf club head is provided. The weight member comprises a head that has a tool mating port for operatively receiving a portion of a fastening tool. The weight member further comprises a shaft that is associated with the head such that the shaft terminates at an end surface. The shaft has a threaded external surface and a non-threaded internal bore that extends from the end surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2011
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: SRI SPORTS LIMITED
    Inventors: Dan S. NIVANH, Nathaniel J. RADCLIFFE, Jimmy H. KUAN
  • Patent number: 8376878
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an iron-type golf club head with one or more passages travelling through a portion of the body. The passages may be accessible in the toe, heel, rear, or sole, or any combination thereof. The passages may be substantially vertical, substantially horizontal or a combination thereof. Weight inserts may be placed in one or more of the passages. In addition, one or more weight inserts may be coupled to the rear of the club head. The weight inserts may have varying densities. The present invention may also include a removable face insert. A plurality of weight inserts may be attached to the rear surface of the face insert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Thomas O. Bennett, Doug Roberts
  • Publication number: 20130005498
    Abstract: A golf club comprises a shaft, a club head, and a connection assembly that allows the shaft to be easily disconnected from the club head. In particular embodiments, a sleeve including a top portion, a middle portion connected to the top portion is described. The middle portion includes a thin wall thickness. A bottom portion is connected to the middle portion including a plurality of engaging surfaces. A central longitudinal axis and an offset angle offset from the central longitudinal axis is described. The offset angle allows a maximum loft change of about 0.5 degrees to about 4.0 degrees. The total weight of the sleeve is less than 9 g.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Inventors: Todd P. Beach, Nathan Sargent, Kraig Alan Willett, Joseph Henry Hoffman
  • Publication number: 20130005501
    Abstract: A golf club with a new innovative construction to attach a high density weight to an external surface of the sole of a golf club head is disclosed herein. More specifically, the present invention relates to utilizing a thickened sole portion having a specific surface area to thickness ratio to provide adequate support for a high density weight having a significant amount of mass. The new innovative method of attachment also incorporates a unique mechanical lock to properly secure the high density weight to the club head, as materials used for high density weighting may not be easily weldable to the titanium material currently used for metalwood type golf club head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Inventors: Gentry Ferguson, Takeshi Casey Funaki, Keisuke Yamane
  • Publication number: 20120329571
    Abstract: A golf club head includes a wood type golf club head body having a ball striking face portion, a rear end portion opposite the ball striking face portion, a crown or top portion, a sole or bottom portion, a toe end portion, and a heel end portion. Further, the golf club head includes a moveable weight member, which may be contained internally within the golf club head body so that the moveable weight member is not exposed. Also, the club head may include a track system contained internally within the golf club head body so that the track system is not exposed. The track system includes a track which extends around the interior of one or more walls that comprise the golf club head body and the moveable weight member moves around the interior of the golf club head by sliding in the track.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: NIKE, Inc
    Inventor: John T. Stites
  • Patent number: 8328661
    Abstract: A golf club head having a center of gravity located at a point close to the face and the sole is disclosed herein. In particular, the golf club head comprises a hollow body including a weight lip and face component, and the weight lip extends from the sole inside the body into the face component. The golf club head is preferably a wood-type or hybrid-type golf club head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventor: Joel B. Erickson
  • Patent number: 8317635
    Abstract: A set of iron-type golf clubs includes long, mid- and short irons with channel back configurations and a mass control insert. The mass of the insert is systematically varied through the set such that the mass distribution properties of the set may be systematically varied while retaining a continuous look and feel through the set. The mass of the insert is varied by altering the volume or the density of the insert through the set. Additional design parameters for the set may also be systematically varied through the set, such as groove type and depth, loft angle, cavity volume, hitting face roughness, and sole width. In one embodiment, the mass control insert comprises a dense insert and a lightweight cover. The density of the dense insert can be easily varied to change the mass distribution properties of the club head. One application of the mass control insert is to provide customization of the club head at the point of sale or distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Peter J. Gilbert, Bruce R. Pettibone, Michael Scott Burnett, Christopher R. Kays, Tomas Diaz
  • Publication number: 20120289361
    Abstract: A golf club head includes a body defining an interior cavity. The body includes a sole positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head, a crown positioned at a top portion, and a skirt positioned around a periphery between the sole and crown. The body has a forward portion and a rearward portion. The club head includes a face positioned at the forward portion of the body. The face defines a striking surface having an ideal impact location at a golf club head origin. Embodiments include club heads for a fairway wood that at least one of a high moment of inertia, a low center-of-gravity, a thin crown and a high coefficient of restitution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2012
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Inventors: Todd P. Beach, Matthew David Johnson, Nathan T. Sargent, Kraig Alan Willett, Michelle Penney, Marc Kronenberg, Matthew Greensmith, Joseph Henry Hoffman
  • Publication number: 20120289360
    Abstract: The invention provides a golf club head with a truss member that attenuates unwanted vibration while allowing for precise control of mass distribution. In certain aspects, the invention provides a club head with a perimeter body including a top line and a sole portion coupled to a face and a hosel. The club head further includes at least one truss member extending between and coupling two portions of the perimeter body, for example, from the top line to the sole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2012
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: COBRA GOLF INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Joshua G. Breier, Ryan L. Roach, Denise T. Herman
  • Patent number: 8308583
    Abstract: A golf club head is disclosed. The golf club head includes a first body member and a second body member. The first body member includes a strike face and a top portion. The second body member is coupled to the first body member and extends away from the first body member in a direction opposite the strike face. At least a top portion of the second body member is camouflaged. A preferred method of camouflage is color differentiation, wherein the second body member is darker than the first body member. Specific color values and club head geometries are also disclosed and claimed. The club head may include a body member and a weight member such as a bar that extends rearward from the body member. A cover may be included to camouflage the weight member. A separate core member and high visibility sight lines may also be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Cobra Golf Incorporated
    Inventors: Thomas C. Morris, Peter L. Soracco
  • Patent number: 8308582
    Abstract: To provide a golf club head which is easy-to-hit and which restrains the reduction of flight distance at the time of off-center shot to the minimum without making a sacrifice of the flight distance at the time of sweet spot shot, and a method for manufacturing the golf club head, a golf club head (1) has a hollow structure including a face portion (2) and a body portion (6), the body portion (6) includes a ring-shaped body barrel portion (26) as a front portion, and a tail portion (27) as a rear portion, and the average thickness of the body barrel portion (26) is 0.1 to 0.6 mm, and the mass of the tail portion (27) including a weight portion (8) is 20 to 70 g. The relations kb/kf?3 and 2 kN/mm?1/(1/kb+1/kf)?5 kN/mm are satisfied where kf (kN/mm) is the rigidity of the face portion (2) and kb (kN/mm) is the rigidity of the body barrel portion (26).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: E & F Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshio Tanimoto
  • Patent number: 8303433
    Abstract: The present invention is directed toward a golf club head with an adjustable insert. The insert is moveable in a face to back direction, and may be locked into place by one or more locking mechanisms. The insert may be adjustable so that the overall distance from the face to the back approaches the distance from the heel to the toe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Cobra Golf Incorporated
    Inventors: Ryan L. Roach, Peter L. Soracco
  • Publication number: 20120277027
    Abstract: A golf club head having a face component, a crown, and a composite sole or a composite body patch with one or more weight ports for receiving one or more weight inserts is disclosed herein. At least part of each of the weight ports is integrally formed in the composite sole or composite body patch, and each of the weight ports include a weight receiving region for receiving a weight and a screw receiving region for receiving a screw that secures the weight in the weight port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANY
    Inventors: BRADLEY C. RICE, WILLIAM C. WATSON, PATRICK DAWSON, IRINA IVANOVA
  • Patent number: 8298096
    Abstract: Wood-type golf club heads include: (a) a ball striking face; (b) a club head body engaged or integrally formed with the ball striking face, wherein the club head body includes a sole portion, wherein the sole portion includes a slot or rail defined therein; and (c) a weight member at least partially located within the slot or rail. The weight member may be mounted at plural positions along the slot or rail (optionally at least partially within a weight cartridge member provided with the club head body). The weight member also may be movably engaged with the weight cartridge member, slot, rail, and/or other portion of the club head body. Golf clubs including these club heads and methods of making and using such golf clubs and golf club heads also are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: John T. Stites, Robert Boyd, Andrew G. Oldknow, Eric A. Larson
  • Patent number: 8292757
    Abstract: A golf club head is presented comprising a sole including a removable weight member secured to the sole via a non-threaded attachment assembly. Further, the removable weight member has a large surface area relative to its thickness, resulting in a chip-like or wafer-like weight member. This design allows the mass of the weight member to be spread substantially along the surface of the sole as opposed to in the interior of the club head. The golf club head may comprise more than one removable weight member. A weight member of the present invention may comprise one or more discrete areas of higher basis weight or higher density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventor: Peter L. Soracco
  • Publication number: 20120258821
    Abstract: A golf club includes a golf club head having a body, a ball-striking face member and one or more mass members. The body is configured to releasably accommodate a first mass member in a first region on its back surface and a second mass member in a second region on its back surface. At least one of the first and second mass members may be releasably attached to the back surface. The ball-striking face member may have an average density that is less than the average density of the body. The mass members may have an average density that is more than the average density of the ball-striking face member and/or of the body. The mass distribution of the club head may be customized via the selection and attachment of a particular mass member. The golf club head may be an iron-type golf club head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2012
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Applicant: NIKE, INC.
    Inventors: Philip J. Hatton, Andrew G.V. Oldknow
  • Publication number: 20120244959
    Abstract: A golf club head designed to act under impact load as a bridge comprising a face; an inertial support system; a rear structure; and a force transfer system, under impact load the force transfer system, in cooperation with the inertial support system, elongating the rear structure and controlling the bending of the face, the pattern of bending of the face being a substantially bridge-like pattern of bending or a substantially modified bridge-like pattern of bending.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2011
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: DEWHURST SOLUTION LLC
    Inventors: Peter Dewhurst, Michael C. Apostal
  • Patent number: 8267807
    Abstract: An iron golf club head has a faceplate for hitting a golf ball, the faceplate having a back face; a viscoelastic body fixed onto the back face of the faceplate; and a backplate for sandwiching the viscoelastic body with the faceplate, the backplate having a flange that extends out of the periphery of the viscoelastic body and is fixed onto the back face of the faceplate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takaharu Takechi, Daisuke Horii
  • Patent number: 8262497
    Abstract: A golf club head is presented comprising a sole including a removable panel secured to the sole via a non-threaded attachment assembly. Further, the removable panel may have a large surface area relative to its thickness, resulting in a chip-like or wafer-like weight member. This design allows the mass of the removable panel to be spread substantially along the surface of the sole as opposed to in the interior of the club head. The golf club head may comprise more than one removable panel. A removable panel of the present invention may generally comprise one or more discrete areas of higher basis weight or higher density. Even further, the removable panel may generally be releasably attached via a quick disconnect mechanism that allows easy interchangeability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Joshua G. Breier, Karl A. Clausen, Douglas E. Roberts, Peter L. Soracco
  • Patent number: 8262506
    Abstract: A golf club head having a face component, a crown, and a composite sole with one or more weight ports for receiving one or more weight inserts is disclosed herein. At least part of each of the weight ports is integrally formed in the composite sole, and each of the weight ports include a weight receiving region for receiving a weight and a screw receiving region for receiving a screw that secures the weight in the weight port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: William C. Watson, Martin Peralta, Patrick Dawson, Irina Ivanova, Bradley C. Rice
  • Patent number: 8262507
    Abstract: Golf club heads include at least one weight port situated to retain weights and positioned above an approximate club face geometric center with the club in a standard address position. One, two, or more weight ports can be located above the club face center in a club crown or other portion of a club body. Club head vertical center of gravity can be selected to compensate dynamic loft associated with locating the club head center of gravity well behind the club face. Three-dimensional adjustment of club head center of gravity is possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Kraig Alan Willett, Todd P. Beach, Christopher John Harbert, Gery Mel Zimmerman
  • Patent number: 8262496
    Abstract: A wood-type golf club head with an adjustable keel zone member is disclosed herein. The golf club head includes a body and an adjustable keel zone member. The body has a front portion, a crown portion and a sole portion. The body also having a heel end, a toe end and an aft end. The sole portion has only a single keel point. The adjustable keel zone member is disposed within a keel zone of the sole and located preferentially with respect to the center of gravity. The keel zone member is capable of adjusting the face angle of the wood-type golf club head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Matthew T. Cackett, D. Clayton Evans, Alan Hocknell
  • Publication number: 20120225733
    Abstract: A metal golf club head that allows a user to customize the location of the center of gravity. The metal golf club head comprises a hollow body with a weighting port. The weighting port allows a user to place weighting material inside the hollow body, customizing the location of the center of gravity, the swing weight, the total weight, and the balance of the golf club.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2012
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Applicant: DOGLEG RIGHT CORPORATION
    Inventor: David P. Billings
  • Patent number: 8257196
    Abstract: A golf club having features that permit easy customization by consumers is disclosed herein. The golf club includes at least one weight port, a ribbon, at least one removable weight port ring, and at least one removable ribbon insert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Craig E. Abbott, Catherine Brookshire, Tim Goudarzi, Scott Manwaring
  • Patent number: 8257195
    Abstract: A golf club head having a center of gravity located at a point close to the face and the sole is disclosed herein. In particular, the golf club head comprises a hollow body including a weight lip and face component, and the weight lip extends from the sole inside the body into the face component. The golf club head is preferably a wood-type or hybrid-type golf club head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventor: Joel B. Erickson
  • Patent number: 8246487
    Abstract: An iron-type golf club head is disclosed herein. The iron-type golf club head has multiple movable mass members which allow for the center of gravity to be moved at least 0.170 inch in a feel to toe direction and 0.070 inch in a crown to sole direction. Each of the movable mass members is preferably composed of a material having a density ranging from 12 g/cm3 and 14 g/cm3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Matthew T. Cackett, William C. Watson, D. Clayton Evans, Alan Hocknell
  • Patent number: 8246488
    Abstract: A hybrid type golf club head is disclosed herein. The hybrid golf club head preferably has an exterior heel weight, an exterior toe weight, and interior sole weight and a stainless steel body. The hybrid golf club head preferably has a moment of inertia Ixx about a center of gravity ranging from 2100 to 2300 grams-centimeters squared.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Daniel M. Stevens, Philip G. Foster, Wayne H. Byrne, Joel B. Erickson
  • Publication number: 20120202616
    Abstract: A golf club head having a face component, a crown, and a composite sole with one or more weight ports for receiving one or more weight inserts is disclosed herein. At least part of each of the weight ports is integrally formed in the composite sole, and each of the weight ports include a weight receiving region for receiving a weight and a screw receiving region for receiving a screw that secures the weight in the weight port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2012
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANY
    Inventors: William C. Watson, Martin Peralta, Patrick Dawson, Irina Ivanova, Bradley C. Rice
  • Publication number: 20120202617
    Abstract: A golf club head having a face component, a crown, and a composite sole or a composite body patch with one or more weight ports for receiving one or more weight inserts is disclosed herein. At least part of each of the weight ports is integrally formed in the composite sole or composite body patch, and each of the weight ports include a weight receiving region for receiving a weight and a screw receiving region for receiving a screw that secures the weight in the weight port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2012
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANY
    Inventors: BRADLEY C. RICE, WILLIAM C. WATSON, PATRICK DAWSON, IRINA IVANOVA
  • Patent number: 8235843
    Abstract: A golf club head having a face component, a crown, and a composite sole or a composite body patch with one or more weight ports for receiving one or more weight inserts is disclosed herein. At least part of each of the weight ports is integrally formed in the composite sole or composite body patch, and each of the weight ports include a weight receiving region for receiving a weight and a screw receiving region for receiving a screw that secures the weight in the weight port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Bradley C. Rice, William C. Watson, Patrick Dawson, Irina Ivanova
  • Publication number: 20120196697
    Abstract: Wood-type golf club heads include: (a) a club head body member defining an interior chamber; (b) a weight system engaged with a rear perimeter portion of the club head body member; and (c) a connection system connecting the weight system with the club head body (e.g., with the rear of the ball striking face portion). The club heads further may include one or more damping members in the interior chamber to alter the sound and/or otherwise attenuate a vibrational response of the club head. The damping members may extend between the ball striking face and the weight system, and optionally may engage the connection system. The damping member(s) may constitute a foam material compressed within the interior chamber of the club head. Methods of making such golf club head structures also are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2012
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Lukasiewicz, JR., Robert Boyd
  • Publication number: 20120190479
    Abstract: A golf club head having a face component, a crown, and a composite sole or a composite body patch with one or more weight ports for receiving one or more weight inserts is disclosed herein. At least part of each of the weight ports is integrally formed in the composite sole or composite body patch, and each of the weight ports include a weight receiving region for receiving a weight and a screw receiving region for receiving a screw that secures the weight in the weight port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Applicant: CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANY
    Inventors: BRADLEY C. RICE, WILLIAM C, WATSON, PATRICK DAWSON, IRINA IVANOVA