Embedded In Head Patents (Class 473/335)
  • Patent number: 8226499
    Abstract: A hollow golf club head with a concave portion is disclosed and claimed. The club head includes a metallic portion and a light weight portion, which may be formed of plastic, composite, or the like. The concave portion allows the club designer to make a club head having very thin portions while still maintaining the requisite structural integrity. Convex bulges may optionally be provided to house weight inserts to enhance the playing characteristics of the golf club.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Cobra Golf Incorporated
    Inventor: Peter L. Soracco
  • Patent number: 8221260
    Abstract: Wood-type golf club heads include: (a) a club head body including heel, toe, crown, sole, and weighted rear portions; and (b) a variable thickness ball striking face. The club head body parts and weighted portion(s) may be arranged such that the club head has a moment of inertia about a vertical axis passing through the club head center of gravity of at least 5000 g-cm2. Such club heads may include: (a) a cup face member including a ball striking face portion and a return portion; (b) sole and crown portions engaged with the return portion; (c) a rear body member engaged with the crown and/or sole portions; (d) a weight member at the club head rear; and/or (e) a hosel member engaged with the cup face member, the crown portion, and/or the sole portion. Methods of making such club heads also are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: John T. Stites, Gary G. Tavares, Robert Boyd, Hiroshi Kawaguchi, Daisuke Tsukada
  • Patent number: 8221258
    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: January 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Matthew T. Cackett, D. Clayton Evans, Alan Hocknell
  • Patent number: 8216087
    Abstract: A hollow golf club head with a concave portion is disclosed and claimed. The club head includes a metallic portion and a light-weight portion, which may be formed of plastic, composite, or the like. The concave portion allows the club designer to make a club head having very thin portions while still maintaining the requisite structural integrity. Convex bulges may optionally be provided to house weight inserts to enhance the playing characteristics of the golf club. The metallic portion of the club head may take on the appearance of a frame, into which several light-weight inserts are positioned. These light-weight inserts may be positioned in the crown, skirt, and sole of the club head. The club head may be formed by co-molding, eliminating the need for welding or adhesives, freeing mass to be used in more beneficial ways. The club head may be large to increase playability and forgiveness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Cobra Gold Incorporated
    Inventors: Joshua G. Breier, Peter L. Soracco, Scott A. Rice, Gregory Haralson, Charles E. Golden, Thomas C. Morris
  • Patent number: 8216088
    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 extends from a shaft-attachment structure. The ball-striking face member is located on a front surface of the body. 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: July 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip J. Hatton, Andrew G. V. Oldknow
  • Publication number: 20120165115
    Abstract: A golf club head 1 comprising a hollow head body 1b and a gravity center adjuster 14 fixed to the head body 1b and comprising a first weight member 15 and a second weight member 16 having a lower specific gravity than the first weight member 15, wherein the first and second weight members are provided in the head body 1b so that the locations thereof are exchangeable with each other, and a depth GL of the center of gravity which is a distance from the head's center of gravity G to a sweet spot SS of a face 2 can be changed by location exchange between the first and second weight members 15 and 16 without substantially changing a distance GK of the center of gravity which is the shortest distance from an axial center line of a shaft-inserting hole 7a to the head's center of gravity G.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Inventor: Kiyofumi MATSUNAGA
  • Publication number: 20120149491
    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. Some embodiments of the club head form a club head for a fairway wood that has a high moment of inertia, a low center-of-gravity and a thin crown.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Inventors: Todd P. Beach, Joseph Henry Hoffman, Scott Taylor, Sang S. Yi
  • Patent number: 8197357
    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: February 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Bradley C. Rice, William C. Watson, Patrick Dawson, Irina Ivanova
  • Patent number: 8192303
    Abstract: A golf club head of this invention includes a head body, a weight member attached to the head body, and a fixing unit to fix the weight member at any one of a plurality of attachment positions of the head body. The plurality of attachment positions are located on a straight line included in a plane. The plane includes the center-of-gravity position of the head body without the weight member attached thereto and is perpendicular to the toe-and-heel direction of the head body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Wataru Ban
  • Patent number: 8192302
    Abstract: A golf club head and a removable weight that is received in a receptacle of the golf club head. The weight includes a cap and a slug. The cap is removably coupled to the receptacle and includes a recess that receives a portion of the slug so that the cap and slug are able to rotate relative to each other. The slug includes an anti-rotation feature that prevents relative rotation between the slug and the receptacle and a curved abutment surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Scott A. Knutson, Stephanie Bezilla, Thomas Orrin Bennett, Stephen S. Murphy
  • Publication number: 20120135820
    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: February 1, 2012
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANY
    Inventors: William C. WATSON, Martin PERALTA, Patrick DAWSON, Irina IVANOVA, Bradley C. RICE
  • Publication number: 20120129625
    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: February 1, 2012
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Applicant: CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANY
    Inventors: BRADLEY C. RICE, WILLIAM C. WATSON, PATRICK DAWSON, IRINA IVANOVA
  • Patent number: 8182363
    Abstract: A golf club head and a removable weight that is received in a receptacle of the golf club head. The weight includes a cap and a slug. The cap is removably coupled to the receptacle and includes a recess that slidably receives a portion of the slug so that the cap and slug are able to rotate relative to each other. The slug includes an anti-rotation feature that prevents relative rotation between the slug and the receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Stephanie Bezilla, Thomas Orrin Bennett, Stephen S. Murphy, Scott A. Knutson, Denise T. Herman, Gery M. Zimmerman
  • Patent number: 8182364
    Abstract: Embodiments of golf clubs with one or more cavities described herein. Related examples and methods are also disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Eric V. Cole, Randall B. Noble, Eric J. Morales
  • Patent number: 8177657
    Abstract: The present invention is directed at a quick release connection system to facilitate customization of golf clubs. It can be used to interchange shafts, removable weights, or soleplates quickly and easily. Teeth are disposed on the inside of a frame so that a shaft may be inserted with minimal resistance, but cannot be removed without specific steps which may require the use of a simple tool. Strengthening and interlock devices are provided to ensure performance quality akin to tradition al golf clubs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Cobra Golf Incorporated
    Inventors: Karl A. Clausen, Peter L. Soracco
  • Patent number: 8177662
    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: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Dogleg Right Corporation
    Inventor: David P. Billings
  • Publication number: 20120071259
    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: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2011
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Applicant: COBRA GOLF INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Karl A. Clausen, Douglas E. Roberts
  • Publication number: 20120064991
    Abstract: A titanium bodied driver that utilizes a lightweight receiving back cap, which is designed to be non-removable from the club head but can be loosened to allow its interior to be accessed to reposition one or more movable weights into alternative receiving locations, is disclosed herein. The back cap may also be designed to be completely removable from the driver body to gain access to the one or more weights that can be re-positioned in alternative receiving areas within the back cap's interior.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2011
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicant: CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANY
    Inventor: D. CLAYTON EVANS
  • Patent number: 8133135
    Abstract: Wood-type golf club heads include: (a) a club head body including heel, toe, crown, sole, and weighted rear portions; and (b) a variable thickness ball striking face. The club head body parts and weighted portion(s) may be arranged such that the club head has a moment of inertia about a vertical axis passing through the club head center of gravity of at least 5000 g-cm2. Such club heads may include: (a) a cup face member including a ball striking face portion and a return portion; (b) sole and crown portions engaged with the return portion; (c) a rear body member engaged with the crown and/or sole portions; (d) a weight member at the club head rear; and/or (e) a hosel member engaged with the cup face member, the crown portion, and/or the sole portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: John Thomas Stites, Gary G. Tavares, Robert Boyd, Hiroshi Kawaguchi, Daisuke Tsukada
  • Patent number: 8133129
    Abstract: An iron type golf club head includes a club head having a first body component defining a striking face, and a second body component releasably secured to the first body component with a fastener. The second body component defines at least a perimeter portion of a rear face of the club head body and may define substantially an entire rear face of the club head body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Boyd, Andrew G. V. Oldknow, Chia-Chyi Cheng
  • Publication number: 20120034992
    Abstract: Golf club heads (e.g., drivers, fairway woods, wood-type hybrid clubs, or the like) according to at least some example aspects of this invention include: (a) a heel; (b) a toe; (c) a crown; (d) a sole; (e) a striking face; (f) a cavity, wherein the cavity is at least partially open; (g) a rear face opposite the striking face, the rear face defining an opening to the cavity; and (h) a rear body member configured to be inserted into the opening. The rear body member may be releasably engaged with the opening to the cavity, rear face, and/or other portion of the club head body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Boyd, John T. Stites, Gary Tavares
  • Patent number: 8105175
    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: March 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Joshua G. Breier, Karl A. Clausen, Douglas E. Roberts, Peter L. Soracco
  • Patent number: 8088023
    Abstract: An iron golf club head includes: a block that is made by a magnesium alloy; and a metal head main body, wherein the block is embedded into the metal head main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Makoto Kubota
  • Publication number: 20110312437
    Abstract: A wood-type golf club head comprises a body having one or more ribs extending across the internal surface of the sole. The plurality of ribs can include two or more ribs, such as three or four ribs, that converge at a convergence location, such as above a recessed pocket in the sole configured to receive an adjustable sole piece. At least one rib can extend along an internal surface of the recessed pocket and along an internal surface of a surrounding sole region. The ribs can extend from the convergence location to a toe weight port, to a heel weight port, to a rear portion of the body and/or toward the face. At least one rib can extend from a hosel, such as to the toe weight port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2011
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Inventors: Nathan T. Sargent, Todd P. Beach, Kraig A. Willett, Christopher J. Harbert
  • Publication number: 20110294597
    Abstract: This invention provides a golf club head that is made with simple structure and can be changed of its total shape and mounting position of a golf club shaft by partly replacing its parts. Therefore it is superior in flexibility of choosing its shape, and in versatility. Since the golf club head can commonize many parts, inventory control will be easy, and is superior in mass productivity. Further, beginner and amateur players can easily customize the center of gravity position depending on their preference. Therefore, they can use the golf club head for a long term. Further, it is superior in maintenance characteristics, the handling characteristics, and the resource saving characteristics. It contributes to not only the golf population but also, resources-saving and environmental protection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2011
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: ANEEGING GOLF LTD.
    Inventor: Seiichiro TERAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20110287857
    Abstract: A golf club head comprises a body and at least one self-extracting pressed weight assembly. The body comprises a face plate positioned at a forward portion of the golf club head, a sole positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head, a crown positioned at a top portion of the golf club head and a skirt positioned around a periphery of the golf club head between the sole and the crown. The body defines an interior cavity. The weight assembly comprises at least three components and is configured for a press fit engagement with the golf club head. The assembly has a drive portion and a threaded portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Inventors: Todd P. Beach, Thomas Olsavsky, Benoit Vincent, Ian Wright, Kraig Alan Willett, Gery Mel Zimmerman, Joseph Henry Hoffman
  • Patent number: 8047930
    Abstract: A hitting face of a golf club head having improved flexural stiffness properties. In one embodiment, the hitting face is made from multiple materials. The main portion of the hitting face is a plate-like face made from a first material having a first density. A dense insert made from a second material having a second density that is greater than the first density is attached directly or indirectly to the plate-like face at or near the geometric center thereof. The dense insert increases the flexural stiffness of in a central zone of the hitting face so that a golf club head that has a larger zone of substantially uniform high initial ball speed. In another embodiment, the hitting face includes an insert that includes main plate and at least one wing extending therefrom. The insert is welded to the golf club head so that the main plate does not deflect separately from the remainder of the hitting face. The geometry of the insert controls the stiffness in the axial directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Scott A. Rice, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Publication number: 20110230278
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a golf club head is presented having a sole with three recessed cavities for attachment to a hosel-bending tool. In another embodiment, a golf club head is presented having a sole that includes one predetermined contact area proximal to the toe edge of the sole. In another embodiment, a golf club head is presented having a sole in which pads of material are incorporated that may be milled to vary the relief of the sole and to modify mass characteristics of the club head. Yet another embodiment presents a golf club head having a body with a cavity to receive a cartridge that has a constant density and weight.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2011
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Inventors: Thomas Orrin Bennett, Christopher D. Harvell, Stephen S. Murphy, Eddie G. Perez, Michael Scott Burnett
  • Patent number: 8020606
    Abstract: A method of making a wax mold for a golf club head includes the steps of: a) positioning a male die in a cavity of a female die; b) injecting and filling dissolvable wax into a gap between an outer surface of the male die and an inner surface of the female die; c) cooling and solidifying the dissolvable wax in the gap to obtain a wax shell; d) removing the wax shell from the male die and the female die, the wax shell being provided with a hole extending through inner and outer surfaces of the wax shell; and e) inserting a wax plug into the hole to form the wax mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: O-TA Precision Industry Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Hsiao-Wen Chao, Lung-Sheng Sun, Yung-Yueh Liu
  • Patent number: 8016694
    Abstract: A golf club head of the wood-type, including: a body defining an interior cavity and including a ball-striking face, a sole, a crown, and a ribbon extending rearwardly from the face; an elongated groove that extends along a portion of the ribbon; a weight slidably disposed in the elongated grove; and a fastener affixed to the weight capable of selectively fixing a location of the weight. Other aspects, features, and embodiments are also claimed and described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Mizuno USA
    Inventors: David Llewellyn, Tetsuya Kanayama, Masao Nagai
  • Patent number: 7967699
    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: July 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventor: Peter L. Soracco
  • Publication number: 20110151995
    Abstract: A customizable golf club head is disclosed herein. The customizable golf club head includes a body comprising a crown and a sole and a removable skid plate attached to the sole, wherein the removable skid plate affects the face angle of the golf club head at address. The face angle of the golf club can be further altered by removing the first skid plate and replacing it with a second skid plate having a structure that, when the second skid plate is affixed to the golf club head, causes the golf club head to have a different face angle at address.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2011
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANY
    Inventor: D. CLAYTON EVANS
  • Publication number: 20110152001
    Abstract: A golf club head comprises: a hollow structure having an insertion-opening in the outer surface of the golf club head; a quick-release lid of the insertion-opening; a tubular part disposed in a hollow of the hollow structure and having a bottomed hole with which the insertion-opening communicates; and a gravity point adjuster. The gravity point adjuster comprises: a heavy-weight member having a specific gravity and a length L2; a light-weight member having a specific gravity less than that of the heavy-weight member and a length L1 more than the length L2; and an elastic member having a specific gravity less than that of the heavy-weight member, and an elastic modulus lower than those of the heavy-weight member and light-weight member. The heavy-weight member, light-weight member and elastic member are inserted in the bottomed hole by the use of the insertion-opening so that their relative positions relative to the bottomed hole can be changed easily by the golfer himself or herself.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Inventor: Tomoya HIRANO
  • Patent number: 7963861
    Abstract: One embodiment of a golf club head having movable weights includes a body with a face plate positioned at a forward portion of the golf club head, a sole positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head, a crown positioned at a top portion of the golf club head and a skirt positioned around a periphery of the golf club head between the sole and the crown. Two or more weight ports are formed in the body and at least two weights are configured to be retained at least partially within the weight ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd P. Beach, Thomas Olsavsky, Benoit Vincent, Ian Wright, Kraig Alan Willett, Gery Mel Zimmerman, Joseph Henry Hoffman
  • Publication number: 20110143858
    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: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2010
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Applicant: CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANY
    Inventors: MARTIN PERALTA, ALAN HOCKNELL
  • Publication number: 20110136586
    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 portion 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: February 15, 2011
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary G. Tavares, Robert Boyd, William F. Rauchholz, John T. Stites
  • Publication number: 20110124433
    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: November 23, 2009
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Applicant: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Boyd, Andrew G.V. Oldknow, Adam D. Liber
  • Patent number: 7938741
    Abstract: A customizable golf club head is disclosed herein. The customizable golf club head includes a face component having a face and a flange, a crown-plate attached to the flange, a sole-plate attached to the flange, a skid-plate attached to the sole-plate, a swing-weight member, and a plurality of removable weight members with each of the plurality of weight members positioned within a pocket of the plurality of pockets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventor: D. Clayton Evans
  • Patent number: 7938740
    Abstract: A hollow golf club head with a concave portion is disclosed and claimed. The club head includes a metallic portion and a light-weight portion, which may be formed of plastic, composite, or the like. The concave portion allows the club designer to make a club head having very thin portions while still maintaining the requisite structural integrity. Convex bulges may optionally be provided to house weight inserts to enhance the playing characteristics of the golf club. The metallic portion of the club head may take on the appearance of a frame, into which several light-weight inserts are positioned. These light-weight inserts may be positioned in the crown, skirt, and sole of the club head. The club head may be formed by co-molding, eliminating the need for welding or adhesives, freeing mass to be used in more beneficial ways. The club head may be large to increase playability and forgiveness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Cobra Golf, Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua G. Breier, Gregory Haralson, Scott A. Rice, Allan Saliba
  • Publication number: 20110092306
    Abstract: Golf putters comprising features that assist in locating a directly overhead view of the putter heads include sight aligning marks, sight aligning notch, rods and plates are disclosed. Putter heads with interchangeable mirror, weight and sighting attachments designed for quick release and replacement are described with interconnected attachment mounting faces. The combination of threaded aperture, apertures in the attachments and screws requiring the use of tools releasably interconnect the mirror attachment, sighting attachment or weight attachment to the putter head. Openings or contours are described that assist the golfer in estimating the distance between the golfer and a hole or cup on the green. Methods of customizing, calibrating or indicating in golf putters to individual golfers are also disclosed, including the use of weights to alter the weight distribution of in the putter head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2009
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Inventors: Michael Lee, Mark Kenworthy
  • Patent number: 7927229
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a golf club head comprises a body comprising a first material, a front end, a rear end, a bottom wall portion, a top wall portion, and a first aperture into the first material and located in a wall surface of the bottom wall portion. The golf club head also comprises a first insert comprising a second material different than the first material and located in the first aperture. The golf club head comprises a club head mass; the first insert comprises an insert mass, the club head mass comprises the insert mass; the insert mass comprises more than half of the club head mass; the first insert comprises less than half of a volume of materials of the golf club head; and the materials of the golf club head comprise the first material and the second material. Other examples and related methods are described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Marty R. Jertson, Eric J. Morales, Bradley D. Schweigert, Anthony D. Serrano
  • Publication number: 20110070970
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a customizable golf club head with a chamber for adjustable weight component(s). The invention consists of a golf club head with at least one weight chamber; and at least one weight component that is capable of flexible compression whose outer dimensions are slightly greater than the inner dimensions of said weight chamber, can be compressed to embed in the club head weight chamber, and can be taken out to be changed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2009
    Publication date: March 24, 2011
    Inventor: WU WAN
  • Publication number: 20110045921
    Abstract: A customizable golf club head is disclosed herein. The customizable golf club head includes a face component having a face and a flange, a crown-plate attached to the flange, a sole-plate attached to the flange, a skid-plate attached to the sole-plate, a swing-weight member, and a plurality of removable weight members with each of the plurality of weight members positioned within a pocket of the plurality of pockets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2010
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Applicant: CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANY
    Inventor: D. CLAYTON EVANS
  • Patent number: 7892109
    Abstract: A hitting face of a golf club head having improved flexural stiffness properties. In one embodiment, the hitting face is made from multiple materials. The main portion of the hitting face is a plate-like face made from a first material having a first density. A dense insert made from a second material having a second density that is greater than the first density is attached directly or indirectly to the plate-like face at or near the geometric center thereof. The dense insert increases the flexural stiffness of in a central zone of the hitting face so that a golf club head that has a larger zone of substantially uniform high initial ball speed. In another embodiment, the hitting face includes an insert that includes main plate and at least one wing extending therefrom. The insert is welded to the golf club head so that the main plate does not deflect separately from the remainder of the hitting face. The geometry of the insert controls the stiffness in the axial directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Scott A. Rice, Nicholas M. Nardacci
  • Patent number: 7892110
    Abstract: A training apparatus for temporarily increasing the weight of a golf club head has a body member having a perimeter profile which may at least partially mimic that of the golf club head and has a substantially flat surface for positioning adjacent the striking face of the golf club head. When fixed to the head of a golf club, the training apparatus increases the weight of the club and redistributes the center of gravity closer to the club head, allowing the golfer to benefit more from warm-up swings prior to actual play. The training apparatus may be formed of metal and contains a cutout or cavity in which a magnetic material resides to enable temporary attachment to the club head. In various other embodiments, the body member of the training apparatus may be substantially formed from either all metal or all magnetic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Inventor: Frank John Bertolino, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20110039634
    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 portion 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: October 27, 2010
    Publication date: February 17, 2011
    Applicant: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary G. Tavares, Robert Boyd, William F. Rauchholz, John T. Stites
  • Patent number: 7883431
    Abstract: There is provided a golf club head capable of increasing carry on average even if being used by an amateur golfer who is prone to hit a ball with various hit points across the clubface. A golf club head 1 has a face part 2, a crown part 3, a sole part 4, a side part 5, and a hosel part 6, which are formed of titanium or a titanium alloy. The golf club head 1 is formed by integrating a head body 10 and a face plate 30 with each other by welding such as laser welding or plasma welding. A thick part 20 is provided only in the central portion in the toe-heel direction of the cross corner portion between the face part 2 and the sole part 4. The width in the toe-heel direction of the thick part 20 is 20 mm or narrower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Hideo Matsunaga, Makoto Kubota, Masaomi Hiruta
  • Publication number: 20110028237
    Abstract: A weight adjusting structure of a golf club head comprises a 360-degree rotatable rotary table installed in a body of a golf club head, wherein the rotary table is combined with an incomplete annular weight block at a peripheral portion on an arbitrary side thereof, so that the rotary table and the weight block form a rotary table assembly whose weight orientation can be adjusted. The weighted rotary table assembly installed in the body of the golf club head can be used to adjust a distribution of different weights around 360 degrees, whereby a preferred location of the club head's gravity center can be set according to a golfer's swing posture and a location of the club head's gravity center the golfer is used to.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Applicant: COBRA GOLF, INC.
    Inventors: Ming-Ching Liang, Tien-Ken Liang, Scott A. Rice, Thomas C. Morris, Peter L. Soracco
  • Patent number: 7878924
    Abstract: The present invention is directed at a quick release connection system to facilitate customization of golf clubs. It can be used to interchange shafts, removable weights, or soleplates quickly and easily. Teeth are disposed on the inside of a frame so that a shaft may be inserted with minimal resistance, but cannot be removed without specific steps which may require the use of a simple tool. Strengthening and interlock devices are provided to ensure performance quality akin to traditional golf clubs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Cobra Golf Inc.
    Inventors: Karl A. Clausen, Peter L. Soracco
  • Patent number: 7878919
    Abstract: A golf club head includes a face plate and a body member positioned rearwardly of the face plate and having at least two body components. Each of a plurality of apertures is formed in one of the face plate and the body components. At least one fastener extends through at least two of the apertures, the fasteners being configured to removably secure the face plate and the body components together upon being turned a portion of a revolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark J. Perry, Megan Sesslar Moore, Matthew S. Young, David M. Walters