IP Library Granted Patent US 7,410,425
Granted Patent B2
US 7,410,425 · App. 11/647,774 · Granted Aug 12, 2008

Golf club head having removable weight

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,410,425
App. No.
11/647,774
Granted
Aug 12, 2008
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention provides a golf club head having adjustable weight, allowing the golfer to fine tune the club for his or her swing. The club head includes a body having a ball-striking face, a sole, a crown, and a side extending rearwardly from the face. The body defines an interior cavity and a recess on a selected wall of the body spaced apart from the striking face. A threaded opening is disposed in the recess. The club head further includes a weight assembly having fastener and a mass element configured to be press-fit into the recess the such that a first end is adjacent the bottom of the recess. The mass element also has an aperture configured to receive the fastener flush. The fastener removably attaches the weighting assembly to the selected wall of the club head. Pressure from the fastener attachment provides a press-fit of the mass element in the tapered recess of the selected wall.

Claims (50)

1. A golf club head comprising:

a head body having at least one recess formed therein, wherein the recess is at least partially delineated by a first recess wall and a recess bottom;

an opening formed in the recess bottom;

a mass element disposed in the recess;

a first aperture having a first diameter formed in the mass element;

a second aperture having a second diameter formed in the mass element;

a cavity formed in the mass element and extending between the first and second apertures, the cavity having a maximum diameter greater than the first and second diameters; and

a fastener having a fastener head and a fastener body, the fastener head having a third diameter greater than the first and second diameters and less than the cavity maximum diameter, wherein the fastener head is disposed in the cavity, the fastener body extends through the first aperture such that the fastener head is retained in the cavity, and the fastener body and the opening in the recess bottom are adapted to be removably engaged.

2. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the recess widens towards an outer surface of the head body, and wherein a portion of the mass element widens towards an outer surface of the head body.

3. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the second diameter is adapted to provide tool access to the fastener head.

4. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the opening in the recess bottom and the fastener body are threadably engaged.

5. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the opening in the recess bottom has a depth at least 1.5 times a diameter of the fastener body.

6. The golf club head of claim 1 , further comprising a boss formed in the recess bottom, wherein the opening in the recess bottom is formed in the boss.

7. The golf club head of claim 6 , wherein the boss extends towards an outer surface of the body.

8. The golf club head of claim 6 , wherein the boss extends away from an outer surface of the body.

9. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein a cross sectional shape of the mass element is triangular, hexagonal, oval, or rectangular.

10. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the mass element has a uniform density.

11. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the mass element has a non-uniform density.

12. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the at least one recess is disposed on a sole, top wall, side wall, heel portion, or toe portion of the head body.

13. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the recess and a portion of the mass element are coupled by means of a press fit.

14. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the cavity is adapted such that the fastener may be rotated with respect to the mass element.

15. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the mass element is comprised of a first material having a first density, the head body is comprised of a second material having a second density, and the first density is different from the second density.

16. The golf club head of claim 1 , further comprising a low friction element disposed between the fastener head and the retaining element.

17. A golf club head comprising:

a head body having at least one recess formed therein, wherein the recess is at least partially delineated by a first recess wall and a recess bottom;

an opening formed in the recess bottom;

a mass element disposed in the recess;

a first aperture having a first diameter formed in the mass element;

a second aperture having a second diameter formed in the mass element;

a cavity formed in the mass element and extending between the first and second apertures;

a fastener having a fastener head and a fastener body, the fastener head having a third diameter, wherein the fastener head is disposed in the cavity through the second aperture, the fastener body extends through the first aperture, the second diameter is greater than the first and third diameters, and the fastener body and the opening in the recess bottom are adapted to be removably engaged; and

a retaining element coupled to the mass element at the second aperture to retain the fastener head in the cavity.

18. The golf club head of claim 17 , wherein the mass element and the retaining element are threadably engaged.

19. The golf club head of claim 18 , wherein an outer diameter of the retaining element is threadably engaged with an inner diameter of the mass element.

20. The golf club head of claim 17 , wherein the retaining element includes a fourth aperture to provide tool access to the fastener head, the fourth aperture having a fourth diameter less than the third diameter.

21. The golf club head of claim 20 , wherein the retaining element includes a fifth aperture having a fifth diameter greater than the third diameter, wherein the fifth aperture is adapted to receive the fastener head when the retaining element is coupled to the mass element.

22. The golf club head of claim 17 , wherein a portion of the recess widens towards an outer surface of the head body, and wherein a portion of the mass element widens towards an outer surface of the body.

23. The golf club head of claim 17 , wherein the opening in the recess bottom and the fastener body are threadably engaged.

24. The golf club head of claim 17 , wherein the opening in the recess bottom has a depth at least 1.5 times a diameter of the fastener body.

25. The golf club head of claim 17 , further comprising a boss formed in the recess bottom, wherein the opening in the recess bottom is formed in the boss.

26. The golf club head of claim 25 , wherein the boss extends towards an outer surface of the body.

27. The golf club head of claim 25 , wherein the boss extends away from an outer surface of the body.

28. The golf club head of claim 17 , wherein a cross sectional shape of the mass element is triangular, hexagonal, oval, or rectangular.

29. The golf club head of claim 17 , wherein the mass element has a uniform density.

30. The golf club head of claim 17 , wherein the mass element has a non-uniform density.

31. The golf club head of claim 17 , wherein the at least one recess is disposed on a sole, top wall, side wall, heel portion, or toe portion of the body.

32. The golf club head of claim 17 , wherein the a portion of the recess and a portion of the mass element are coupled by means of a press fit.

33. The golf club head of claim 17 , wherein the mass element and the retaining element are adapted such that the fastener may be rotated with respect to the mass element.

34. The golf club head of claim 17 , wherein the mass element is comprised of a first material having a first density, the head body is comprised of a second material having a second density, and the first density is different from the second density.

35. The golf club head of claim 17 , further comprising a low friction element disposed between the fastener head and the retaining element.

Assignments (12)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Feb 8, 2022
From: KOOKMIN BANK
To: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
Reel/Frame 058983/0516 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Feb 8, 2022
From: KOOKMIN BANK
To: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
Reel/Frame 058978/0211 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Feb 7, 2022
From: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 058962/0415 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Feb 7, 2022
From: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 058963/0671 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Aug 24, 2021
From: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
To: KOOKMIN BANK, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 057293/0207 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Aug 24, 2021
From: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
To: KOOKMIN BANK, AS SECURITY AGENT
Reel/Frame 057300/0058 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 4, 2021
From: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
Reel/Frame 057085/0314 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 4, 2021
From: KPS CAPITAL FINANCE MANAGEMENT, LLC
To: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
Reel/Frame 057085/0262 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 4, 2021
From: ADIDAS NORTH AMERICA, INC.
To: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
Reel/Frame 057453/0167 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 13, 2017
From: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
To: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 044206/0712 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 13, 2017
From: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
To: ADIDAS NORTH AMERICA, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 044206/0765 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 13, 2017
From: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
To: KPS CAPITAL FINANCE MANAGEMENT, LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 044207/0745 →