Inside weight system for golf mallets or blades

A weight system for a golf club. The golf club has an impact head, which is swung by a golfer to strike a golf ball. The weight system has at least one cavity within the impact head of the golf club; a plurality of weights, shaped and dimensioned to slidingly fit within the cavity; and a top plate on an upper surface of the impact head, the top plate covering the cavity to prevent the weights from dislodging from the cavity. The top plate is removable to provide access to the cavity for the insertion or removal of the weights.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to weighting systems for golf clubs, particularly mallets or blades.

BACKGROUND ART

Golf clubs typically require precise strokes to properly strike a golf ball. This is especially so for putting strokes, which tend to require a precise “feel” to accurately and consistently make successful putts. One way to vary this feel is to provide a golf club that has variable weight characteristics in that the distribution of the weight can be adjusted to provide the feel that the golfer is seeking. To increase stability and impact of the ball, it is also beneficial if the weights can be added in line with the point of impact with the ball, which is typically along the centerline of the club's head.

As such, there is a need to provide a golf club in which the weight can be distributed and adjusted. There is also a need that the weight system permits adjustment and installation of the weights along the centerline of the club's head. Additionally, there is a need that the weights be easily accessible and removable from the club's head.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a weight system for a golf club. The golf club has an impact head, and the impact head includes an upper surface. The impact head is swung by a golfer to strike a golf ball. The weight system has at least one cavity within the impact head of the golf club; a plurality of weights, shaped and dimensioned to slidingly fit within the cavity; and a top plate on the upper surface of the impact head, the top plate covering the cavity to prevent the weights from dislodging from the cavity. The top plate is removable to provide access to the cavity for the insertion or removal of the weights.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of presently-preferred embodiments of the invention and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the present invention may be constructed or utilized. The description sets forth the functions and the sequence of steps for constructing and operating the invention in connection with the illustrated embodiments. However, it is to be understood that the same or equivalent functions and sequences may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Referring to the figures, a weight system10for a golf club swung by a golfer to hit a golf ball has at least one at least one cavity18, a plurality of weights20, and a top plate22. Although adaptable for various golf club designs, the invention is particularly useful for a blade golf club head, an example of which is depicted inFIGS. 1-3, and a mallet golf club head, an example of which is depicted inFIGS. 4-7.

The golf club has a head12, and the head12has a centerline14, a top side16, and a bottom side17. The centerline14is generally parallel to the direction of travel of the head12when swung by the golfer and is generally in line with the point on the head12that impacts the golf ball (which is typically on the impact face28). The centerline14further may be a line of symmetry of the head12in that the head12is generally symmetrical about the line. An example of a centerline14that is also a line of symmetry is depicted inFIG. 1andFIG. 4.

The at least one cavity18is internal to the head12of the golf club. In a version of the invention, the at least one cavity18is cylindrical. In versions having more than one cavity18, each of the cavities may be the same size and shape. For embodiments having more than one cavity18, preferably at least one of the cavities is located along the centerline14of the head12of the golf club, particularly for a mallet style golf club. Installation of one or more of the plurality of weights20along the centerline14permits the golfer to add weight to the golf club without having to unbalance or counterbalance an off-center-mounted weight. Furthermore, it may be beneficial to have the weight concentrated along the centerline14such that the weight is inline with the impact point where the golf club strikes the golf ball. In this way, the golf club may be weighted, yet there is less chance of imparting an unwanted torque or spin to the golf ball from an off-center weight. In some embodiments, though, the golfer may prefer to impart a corrective torque or spin to the golf ball. As such, the golfer may choose to keep the golf club unbalanced by applying more weight to one side than the other of the centerline. Where the golf club head is a mallet having a heel portion26opposite the impact face28that strikes the golf ball, one or more of the plurality of weights20may also be installed in the heel portion of the mallet. An example of a mallet head for a golf club is depictedFIG. 4. The variety of the available locations for the at least one cavity18permits the user to accurately adjust the weight and the weight distribution of the head12so that the user may obtain the desired feel.

The plurality of weights20are each shaped and dimensioned to fit within the at least one cavity18, preferably by sliding. The plurality weights20are preferably made from metal and, in particular, may be made from aluminum, brass, steel, or tungsten. In some embodiments, a portion of the plurality of weights20may be made from one material, while another portion is made from a different material having a different density. Due to the different densities of the different materials, in such embodiments, the user is provided with a variety of weights to obtain the desired feel in the golf club. In a version of the invention, each of the plurality of weights20may be cylindrical. One or more of the fasteners24may also function as one or more of the plurality of weights20in some embodiments.

In a version of the invention, each of the plurality of weights20may be the same size and shape. In versions where the cavities18are also each of the same size and shape, any one of the plurality of weights20may then interchangeably fit into any one of the cavities18. When these features are combined with embodiments having portions of the plurality of weights20made from materials of different densities, the user is provided with similarly sized weights20having different masses, yet that will fit into any one of the cavities18.

The head12has a top plate22located at the top side16of the head12. The top plate22covers the at least one cavity18to prevent the plurality of weights20from dislodging from the at least one cavity18. The top plate22is removable to provide access to the at least one cavity18for the insertion or removal of the plurality of weights20. As such, the plurality of weights20is removable and interchangeable to provide an adjustable weight distribution within the head12of the head12, particularly in embodiments having more than one cavity18. In some embodiments, access may be via an access panel, which in some versions is not located at the top side16of the head12. For example, the access panel may be located on a lateral side or underside of the head12.

In some embodiments, the top plate22is attached to the head12by a single fastener24, such as a screw, peg, or tab. The single fastener24allows rapid access to the at least one cavity18and the weights20therein. In some embodiments, there may be more than one fastener24. The fastener24may extend through the top plate22to attach the top plate22to the head12; alternatively the fastener24may extend from the bottom side17through the head12to attach the top plate22to the head12. To further benefit from the rapid access to the at least one cavity18, it is also preferred that the weights20are not threaded into the head12of the golf club. Rather, it is preferred that the weights20can be slid in and out of the golf club.

A method of using the weight system10has the steps of providing a golf club having a cavity within an impact head of the golf club and having an access plate, the access plate covering and providing access to the cavity; providing a plurality of weights, each shaped and dimensioned to individually fit within the cavity; selecting one or more of the plurality of weights for insertion into the cavity; removing the access plate to provide access to the cavity; sliding the selected weight into the cavity; and replacing the access plate to cover the cavity and prevent the selected weight from dislodging from the cavity. The provided plurality of weights may include weights of different masses, as discussed above. In a version of the invention, the step of removing the access plate the access panel involves unfastening a single fastener.

While the present invention has been described with regards to particular embodiments, it is recognized that additional variations of the present invention may be devised without departing from the inventive concept.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

This invention can be applied to the development, manufacture, and use of weighting systems for golf clubs, particularly mallets or blades.