Golf club head with heel-side weight plug

A golf club head comprising a body with a heel-side sole opening in communication with a hosel bore, a removable shaft sleeve with a tip sized to fit within the hosel bore, and a weight plug sized to fit within, and at least partially fill, the heel-side opening is disclosed herein. The weight plug, which has a base end with a through-opening, a tip end with a flange, and a side opening in communication with the through-opening, is connected to the shaft sleeve with a screw. When the golf club head is fully assembled, a hosel flange is trapped between the weight plug and the tip end of the shaft sleeve, and tightening the screw causes the weight plug and the shaft sleeve to move towards one another.

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a golf club head having a removable heel-side weight plug. More specifically, the present invention relates to a golf club head having a hosel with a hosel bore and a heel side opening in communication with the hosel bore, a shaft sleeve that is removably affixed to the hosel, and a plug sized to fit within and at least partially fill the heel side opening. The present invention also relates to a golf club shaft sleeve and weight plug assembly.

Description of the Related Art

Various golf club manufacturers offer golf club heads with removable or adjustable shafts, which are affixed to the golf club heads with a shaft sleeve. See, for example, the Callaway GBB Epic Driver. Most of these club heads include a sole opening, in communication with a hosel bore, through which a screw is inserted to engage the shaft sleeve. While this structure serves to reversibly affix the shaft sleeve, and thereby the shaft, to the club head, the sole opening occupies a great deal of space, minimizing the area where manufacturers can add weight to increase the draw bias of the head. Therefore, there is a need for a golf club head with an adjustable or removable shaft sleeve assembly and improved draw bias structure.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a golf club head, and particularly club heads such as drivers, fairway-woods, and hybrids, comprising a heel-side sole opening in communication with a hosel bore, and a weight plug sized to fit within and fill at least a portion of the heel-side sole opening to increase the draw bias of the golf club head. The weight plug is reversibly fixed in place within the heel-side sole opening with a screw, which extends into the hosel bore to engage threads in a shaft sleeve affixed to a shaft.

One aspect of the present invention is a golf club head comprising a body comprising a face portion, a sole portion, a crown portion, a heel side, a toe side, and a heel-side opening extending into the sole portion, a hosel comprising a hosel bore and an internal hosel flange extending into and at least partially encircling the hosel bore, a shaft sleeve comprising a shaft sleeve tip end with an internally threaded opening, a first weight plug comprising a wall, a base end, a plug flange opposite the base end, a side opening extending into the wall proximate the plug flange, and a through-opening extending from the base end to the side opening, and a screw comprising a head portion, a midsection, and a threaded tip portion sized to engage the threads of the internally threaded opening in the shaft tip end, wherein the heel-side opening communicates with the hosel bore, wherein the first weight plug is sized to fit within the heel-side opening so that the base end is approximately flush with at least part of the sole portion, and wherein, when the first weight plug is disposed within the heel-side opening and the shaft sleeve is disposed within the hosel bore, the screw connects the weight plug to the shaft sleeve so that the internal hosel flange is sandwiched between the plug flange and the shaft tip end.

In some embodiments, the plug flange may be approximately U-shaped, the head portion of the screw may be disposed within the side opening of the first weight plug, and the plug flange may extend around a portion of the midsection of the screw. In other embodiments, the base end may be angled with respect to the first weight plug wall, and the first weight plug may have a width that tapers from a maximum width proximate the base end to a minimum width proximate the plug flange. In any of the embodiments, the wall of the first weight plug may have a varying thickness.

In further embodiments, the body may comprise a secondary weight port, which may be spaced from the heel-side opening, and the first weight plug may be sized to fit within the secondary weight port. In a further embodiment, the golf club head may further comprise a second weight plug, the first weight plug may have a first mass, and the second weight plug may have a second mass that is different from the first mass. In some embodiments, each of the first and second weights plug may be sized to fit within the heel-side opening and the secondary weight port, such that they are interchangeable. In some embodiments, the secondary weight port may extend into the toe side of the body. In any of the embodiments, the golf club head may further comprise a washer disposed between the head portion of the screw and the plug flange.

Another aspect of the present invention is a wood-type golf club head comprising a body comprising a sole portion, a crown portion, a heel side, a toe side, a hollow interior cavity, a hosel having a hosel bore and a hosel flange extending into the hosel bore, and a heel-side opening extending into the sole portion in communication with the hosel bore, a shaft sleeve comprising an internally threaded tip end, the tip end sized to fit within the hosel bore, a weight plug comprising a wall, a base end, a u-shaped flange opposite the base end, a side opening extending into the wall proximate the u-shaped flange, and a through-opening extending from the base end to the side opening, and a screw comprising a head portion, an unthreaded midsection, and an externally threaded tip portion sized to engage the internally threaded tip end of the shaft sleeve, wherein the weight plug is sized to fit within, and fill a majority of a volume of, the heel-side opening, wherein the base end is angled with respect to the weight plug wall, wherein the weight plug has a width that tapers from a maximum width proximate the base end to a minimum width proximate the plug flange, wherein, when the weight plug is disposed within the heel-side opening and the tip end of the shaft sleeve is disposed within the hosel bore, the screw connects the weight plug to the shaft sleeve so that the hosel flange is disposed between the plug flange and the shaft tip end, and wherein tightening the screw causes the weight plug and the shaft sleeve to move towards one another.

In some embodiments, the wood-type golf club head may further comprise at least one washer, which may at least partially encircle the unthreaded midsection of the screw. In other embodiments, the shaft sleeve may be composed of a first material, and the weight plug may be composed of a second material that differs from the first material. In some embodiments, the weight plug may have a mass of no more than 10 grams, and in others, the base end may be approximately flush with an external surface of the sole portion.

Yet another aspect of the present invention is an assembly comprising a golf club shaft sleeve comprising a tip end having a threaded internal bore, a weight plug comprising a wall, a base end, a u-shaped flange, a side opening, and a through opening extending from the base end to the flange and in communication with the side opening, and a screw comprising a head portion, an unthreaded midsection, and threaded tip portion, wherein the weight plug tapers in width from a maximum width proximate the base end to a minimum width proximate the flange, wherein the base end is angled with respect to the wall, wherein the head portion is disposed within the side opening so that the u-shaped flange extends around a portion of the unthreaded midsection, wherein the threaded tip portion engages the threaded internal bore, and wherein the screw reversibly attaches the weight plug to the shaft sleeve. In some embodiments, the wall of the weight plug may have a varying thickness. In other embodiments, the golf club shaft sleeve may be composed of a first material, and the weight plug may be composed of a second material that differs from the first material. In a further embodiment, the golf club shaft sleeve may be composed of an aluminum alloy, and the weight plug may be composed of a titanium alloy. In another embodiment, the weight plug may comprise a tungsten alloy. In yet another embodiment, the assembly may further comprise at least one washer and at least one o-ring, which may at least partially encircle the unthreaded midsection.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a golf club head with improved draw bias weighting, and particularly a weight plug that fills an opening in the heel side below the hosel, where a shaft sleeve is affixed to the club head. The weight plug of the present invention fills previously unused space to focus mass at the lower heel side of the club head, thereby freeing up discretionary weight, which in prior art club heads would have been placed in other areas near the heel. This additional discretionary weight can be used to optimize the overall center of gravity of the club head and improve forgiveness.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown inFIGS. 1-11. The golf club head10, which in this embodiment is a driver, comprises a body20with a heel side22, a toe side24, a sole30, crown40, face50, and hosel60. The sole30, crown40, and face50connect with one another to define a hollow interior cavity25. The hosel60has an upper edge61proximate the crown40and an internal hosel bore62that extends from the upper edge61to an internal flange63encircling a through-opening64. The hosel bore62is sized to receive a shaft sleeve80, which is connected to the tip end of a shaft (not shown), and which has a threaded sleeve bore82and a tip end84that, when the shaft sleeve80is fully engaged with the hosel60, abuts the internal flange63so that the sleeve bore82is aligned with the through-opening64. The shaft sleeve80may have any of the features disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,174,097, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety herein.

The hosel bore62communicates with a heel-side opening70extending into the sole30. This heel side opening70has a tapering width that decreases from a maximum width W1proximate the external surface32of the sole30to a minimum width W2proximate the internal flange63. The heel side opening70is disposed beneath the hosel60and proximate the face50.

The weight plug100of the present invention is sized to fit within, and follow the contours of, the heel side opening70, though it does not have to completely fill the heel side opening70, and, when engaged with the golf club head10, there is a slight spacing between the walls105of the weight plug100and the walls of the heel side opening70. In general, the weight plug100has a width that tapers from a maximum width proximate the base end140to a minimum width proximate the tip end145. The wall105of the weight plug100may have varying thicknesses, as shown inFIGS. 6 and 7, to adjust the overall mass of the weight plug100. The weight plug100comprises a through-opening110extending from a base end140to a tip end145that communicates with a slotted side opening120in the weight plug wall105and a U-shaped flange130at the tip end145. The base end140of the weight plug100is angled and contoured to match the outer mold line of the sole30, and is at least partially flush with the external surface32of the sole30when the weight plug100is fully disposed within the heel-side opening70, and the base-side end112of the through-opening110preferably is located on an opposite side of the weight plug100from the slotted side opening120. The base end140may be painted or otherwise decorated so that, when engaged with the golf club head10, the weight plug100blends in with the sole30.

The weight plug100is reversibly secured within the heel side opening70with a screw150, which comprises a head portion152, an unthreaded midsection154, and a threaded tip156. The weight plug100is attached to the screw150by sliding the head portion152into the slotted side opening120, as shown inFIGS. 9-11, so that a tool-engagement section151of the head portion152is aligned with the through-opening110of the weight plug100. The U-shaped flange130extends around a portion of the unthreaded midsection154, and one or more washers160are disposed between the head portion152and the U-shaped flange130. As shown inFIG. 16, one or more o-rings170can also be attached to the midsection154above and/or below the u-shaped flange130to cushion the contact between, and secure, various parts of the assembly.

The weight plug100and screw150combination is then inserted into the heel-side opening70so that the U-shaped flange130abuts or is proximate the internal flange63, the unthreaded midsection154extends through the through-opening64, and the threaded tip156of the screw150engages the threaded tip end84of the shaft sleeve80. A torque wrench, screwdriver, or other tool (not shown) fits through the through-opening to engage the tool-engagement section151and tighten the screw150, which pulls the weight plug100and the shaft sleeve80towards one another so that they sandwich the internal flange63of the hosel60between the U-shaped flange130and the tip end84of the shaft sleeve80. The weight plug100is thereby directly connected to the shaft sleeve80, but not directly connected to the body20of the golf club head10.

An alternative embodiment of the present invention is shown inFIGS. 12-16. In this embodiment, the golf club head10has many of the same features as the preferred embodiment, but is a fairway wood head having separate body20and face components55, and a shallower heel-side opening70than the preferred embodiment. This golf club head10also includes a toe-side weight port35having approximately the same shape and dimensions as the heel-side opening70, and an additional weight plug115having the same features as the first weight plug100but a different mass and/or material composition. The additional weight plug115is secured within the toe-side weight port35with a screw or other fastening device (not shown), and is interchangeable with the other weight plug100within the heel-side opening70so that a golfer can adjust the draw bias of the golf club head10. In this embodiment, the first weight plug100has a mass of 8.5 grams, the additional weight plug115has a mass of 4.5 grams, and the golfer can adjust the draw bias by changing the location of the weight plugs100,115in the body20. Each of the weight plugs100,115of this embodiment preferably has a mass of no more than 10 grams.

The weight plug100of the present invention preferably comprises a metal material, such as titanium alloy, steel, or aluminum alloy, and is more preferably entirely composed of metal, though in alternative embodiments it may be composed of a polymer dosed with a dense metal such as tungsten. The shaft sleeve80preferably is composed of a less dense material than the weight plug100, such as aluminum alloy, and the washers160and o-rings170may be composed of any material known to a person skilled in the art.