Abstract:
A weight adjustment member may be mounted in a tuning port in a golf club head and secured therein using adhesive. The weight adjustment member includes a lip which prevents excess adhesive from escaping the tuning port and hides adhesive that might otherwise be visible between the weight adjustment member and the tuning port. Locating devices that mate with each other are included in the tuning port and on the weight adjustment member. A method of mounting the weight adjustment member in the tuning port of a golf club head is also provided.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates generally to golf equipment and, in particular, to a weight adjustment member for a golf club head.  
         [0002]     U.S. Pat. No. 6,206,790 to D. J. Kubica et al discloses an iron-type golf club head having a primary cavity formed in its back face by a perimeter weighting element which protrudes rearwardly from its front face. A secondary cavity or tuning port defined within the primary cavity contains a weight adjustment member. In the Kubica patent, the weight adjustment member comprises a top surface, a bottom surface, and a side surface extending between said top and bottom surfaces with a groove formed in the side surface extending peripherally of the weight adjustment member. According to the Kubica patent, if epoxy is applied to the bottom of the weight adjustment member in order to affix the weight adjustment member in the tuning port, any excess epoxy collects in the groove and is prevented from being pushed out of the secondary cavity.  
         [0003]     U.S. Pat. No. 6,913,545 to D. D. Jones et al discloses a face insert mounted in a cavity in the front face of a golf club head. The face insert is formed with a continuous protrusion extending outwardly from its perimeter edge. The protrusion is sized and shaped to form a close tolerance fit within the cavity in order to properly position the face insert with respect to the cavity.  
         [0004]     Although a weight adjustment member with a groove formed in its side surface, such as the weight adjustment member described in the Kubica patent, is effective for preventing most of the excess adhesive used to affix the weight adjustment member in a tuning port of an iron-type golf club head from being pushed out of the tuning port, excess adhesive will, nevertheless, occasionally be pushed out of the tuning port, marring the back face of the golf club head. Additionally, the adhesive, while not escaping the tuning port, may be visible between the weight adjustment member and the tuning port wall, resulting in a less than desirable appearance. Thus, there is a need for a weight adjustment member that more effectively prevents excess adhesive from escaping the tuning port, hides any excess adhesive that escapes the tuning port, and hides adhesive between the weight adjustment member and the tuning port wall.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     The present invention provides a weight adjustment member or an insert for a golf club head wherein the golf club head includes a tuning port with a rim. The weight adjustment member or insert comprises a base adapted to be received in the tuning port, and a cap connected to the base. The cap has a lip projecting outwardly for concealing at least a portion of the tuning port rim when the base is received in the tuning port. A first locating device on a bottom surface of the base mates with a second locating device on a bottom wall of the tuning port. In one embodiment of the weight adjustment member, the first locating device comprises an indentation and the second locating device comprises a protrusion.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]      FIG. 1  is a rear elevational view an iron-type golf club head into which the weight adjustment member shown in  FIGS. 7-10  may be mounted;  
         [0007]      FIG. 2  is toe end view of the golf club head of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0008]      FIG. 3  is a heel end view of the golf club head of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0009]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the golf club head of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0010]      FIG. 5  is a sectional view of another iron-type golf club head with the weight adjustment member shown in  FIG. 6  mounted therein;  
         [0011]      FIG. 6  is a side view of a weight adjustment member according to one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0012]      FIG. 7  is a top view of a weight adjustment member according to another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0013]      FIG. 8  is a side view of the weight adjustment member of  FIG. 7 ;  
         [0014]      FIG. 9  is an end view of the weight adjustment member of  FIG. 7 ; and  
         [0015]      FIG. 10  is a bottom view of the weight adjustment member of  FIG. 7 .  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0016]     Referring to  FIGS. 1-4 , an iron-type golf club head  31  includes a body  25  and a hosel  26  containing a cylindrical bore  27  for receiving one end of a golf club shaft (not shown). The body  25  has a heel portion  28  and a toe portion  29  that are spaced apart. The hosel  26  includes a neck  30  connected to the heel portion  28  of the body  25 . The club head  31  is preferably cast from suitable metal such as stainless steel. A front face  32  arranged for impact with a golf ball (not shown) is provided on the body  25  and extends between the body heel and toe portions  28 ,  29  along a frontal portion of the body  25 . Disposed rearwardly of the front face  32  is a back face  33 .  
         [0017]     In the iron type golf club head  31  shown in  FIGS. 14 , a perimeter weighting element  34  protrudes rearwardly from the front face  32  and defines a primary cavity  35  in the back face  33 . The primary cavity  35  is defined at its upper extremity by a top rail  36  and at its lower extremity by a sole  37 . The top rail  36  extends between the body heel and toe portions  28 ,  29  along an upper portion of the body  25 , and the sole  37  extends between the body heel and toe portions  28 ,  29  along a lower portion of the body  25 .  
         [0018]     The primary cavity  35  defined by the perimeter weighting element  34  has a bottom surface  38 . An interior wall  39  extends from a first end  40  located adjacent the body heel portion  28  through the primary cavity  35  between the top rail  36  and the sole  37  to a second end  41  located adjacent the body toe portion  29 . The interior wall  39  may be formed integrally with the bottom surface  38  of the primary cavity  35 . The first and second ends  40 ,  41  of the interior wall  39  are preferably integrally connected to the perimeter weighting element  34  adjacent the body heel and toe portions  28 ,  29  thereby defining a secondary cavity or tuning port  42  within the primary cavity  35 .  
         [0019]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the tuning port  42  has a first end  43  located adjacent the body heel portion  28 , a second end  44  located adjacent the body toe portion  29 , a bottom wall  45  and a side wall  46 . The tuning port wall  46  is defined by the sole  37  of the perimeter weighting element  34  on its lower extremity  49  and by the interior wall  39  on its upper extremity  50 . The tuning port wall  46  has a rim  47 , an inner surface  48 , and a height dimension H ( FIG. 1 ). In some embodiments of the iron type golf club head  31 , the height dimension H of the tuning port wall  46  may vary between its lower and upper extremities  49 ,  50 . In other embodiments of the iron type golf club head  31 , the height dimension H of the tuning port wall  46  may vary between its first and second ends  43 ,  44 . In still other embodiments of the iron type golf club head  31 , the height dimension H of the tuning port wall  46  may be substantially constant.  
         [0020]     As shown in  FIGS. 6-10 , weight adjustment members or inserts  51  according to the present invention preferably comprise a cap  13  connected to a base  14 . The cap.  13  preferably has a top surface  19 , a bottom surface  20 , a first side  17 , a second side  18 , a first end  52  and a second end  53 . The bottom surface  20  of the cap  13  preferably has an outer edge  21  and an inner edge  22 . The top surface  19  extends to the outer edge  21  of the bottom surface  20  defining a lip  56  between the top and bottom surfaces  19 ,  20  that projects outwardly and conceals at least a portion of the tuning port rim  47 . The top surface  19  may be convex, concave, flat, or any other suitable shape. The bottom surface  20  of the cap  13  may be generally flat or it may be contoured.  
         [0021]     The base  14  of the weight adjustment member  51  preferably has a first end  15 , a second end  16 , a first side  54 , a second side  55 , a bottom surface  23  and a side surface  24 . The side surface  24  extends between the inner edge  22  of the cap bottom surface  20  and the base bottom surface  23 . The side surface  24  may be flat or contoured. The perimeter of the base bottom surface  23  may be less than, equal to, or greater than the perimeter of the inner edge  22  of the cap bottom surface  20 .  
         [0022]     The side surface  24  of the base  14  has a height dimension H 1 . In the embodiment of the weight adjustment member or insert  51  shown in  FIG. 6 , the height dimension H 1  of the side surface  24  on the first side  54  of the base  14  will be different than the height dimension H 1  of the side surface  24  on the second side  55  of the base  14 . In the embodiment of the weight adjustment member  51  shown in  FIGS. 7-10 , the height dimension H 1  of the side surface  24  of the base  14  is substantially equal on the first and second sides  54 ,  55  of the base  14 .  
         [0023]     It will be understood that the height dimension H 1  of the base side surface  24  preferably will be approximately equal to, less than, or greater than, the height dimension H of the tuning port wall  46 . Any variation in the height dimension H 1  of the base side surface  24  between its first and its second ends  15 ,  16  and/or its first and second sides  54 ,  55  will be proportional to a variation in the height dimension H of the tuning port wall  46 . When the weight adjustment member  51  is mounted in the tuning port  42 , the base  14  will be received in the tuning port  42  and the lip  56  will conceal at least a portion of the tuning port rim  47 .  
         [0024]     It will further be understood that the shape of the base  14  of the weight adjustment member  51  may be generally circular, oval, rectangular, square, or may be made in any other shape in which the tuning port  42  of the iron type golf club head  31  is made. The shape of the cap  13  of the weight adjustment member  51  may be the same as or different than the shape of the base  14  of the weight adjustment member  51 . The weight adjustment member  51  may exhibit any desired weight and/or density. The weight adjustment member  51  may be formed of any suitable material, such as plastic, metal, or composite material. Integrally affixed to the cap  13  of the weight adjustment member  51  may be a cover made of the same or a different material, which cover may, for example, include letters of the alphabet and/or other symbols.  
         [0025]     In order to secure the weight adjustment member  51  in the tuning port  42 , adhesive, such as epoxy, may be applied to the base bottom surface  23 , the base side surface  24 , the tuning port bottom wall  45  and the inner surface  48  of the tuning port wall  46 . Because the lip  56  lies on or above the tuning port rim  47  thereby concealing the tuning port rim  47 , any visible or excess adhesive remains under lip  56  and does not seep beyond the outer edge  21  of the cap bottom surface  20 . Furthermore, the lip  56  hides any adhesive that is between the side surface  24  of the weight adjustment member  51  and the inner surface  48  of the tuning port wall  46 .  
         [0026]     Due to the significantly increased effectiveness of the weight adjustment member  51  in preventing the escape of excess adhesive while hiding from view adhesive used to secure the weight adjustment member  51  in the tuning port  42 , less time is spent inspecting for adhesive outside of the tuning port  42  or between the inner surface  48  of the tuning port wall  46  and the side surface  24  of the weight adjustment member  51  and addressing any such adhesive.  
         [0027]     In the embodiment of the weight adjustment member  51  shown in  FIGS. 7-10 , a plurality of recesses or indents  57  are formed in the base side surface  24  below the lip  56  extending peripherally around the base  14 . When adhesive is applied to the bottom surface  23  and/or the side surface  24  of the base  14  to secure the weight adjustment member  51  in the tuning port  42 , excess adhesive will collect in these recesses or indents  57  and be prevented from being pushed out of the tuning port  42 .  
         [0028]     In the embodiment of the weight adjustment member  51  shown in  FIGS. 7-10 , a plurality of integral tabs  58  extend outwardly from the side surface  24  of the base  14 . The tabs  58  are disposed below the lip  56  and are spaced apart from each other. Since these tabs  58  will contact the inner surface  48  of the tuning port wall  46  when the weight adjustment member  51  is mounted in the tuning port  42 , the tabs  58  will properly position (i.e., “center”) the weight adjustment member  51  with respect to the tuning port  42 .  
         [0029]     In the embodiment of the weight adjustment member  51  shown in  FIGS. 7-10 , a locating device, such as an indentation  59 , is located off-center on the bottom surface  23  of the base  14  so that, when the weight adjustment member  51  is properly mounted in the tuning port  42 , it will mate with a corresponding locating device such as a protrusion  60  ( FIG. 1 ) located off-center on the bottom wall  45  of the tuning port  42 . The corresponding locating devices  59 ,  60  on the bottom surface  23  of the base  14  of the weight adjustment member  51  and on the bottom surface  45  of the tuning port  42  operate to properly position and orient the weight adjustment member  51  with respect to the tuning port  42  when the base  14  is received in the tuning port  42 . Alternatively, one or more locating devices may be positioned on the side surface  24  of the weight adjustment member  51  to mate with one or more locating devices on the inner surface  48  of the tuning port wall  46 .  
         [0030]     In the embodiment of the weight adjustment member  51  shown in  FIGS. 7-10 , dimension D 1  measured between the first and second sides  17 ,  18  of the cap  13  is 0.78 inches, dimension D 2  measured between the first and second ends  52 ,  53  of the cap  13  is 1.88 inches, dimension D 3  measured between the first and second sides  54 ,  55  of the base  14  is 0.681 inches, dimension D 4  measured between the first and second ends  15 ,  16  of the base  14  is 1.783 inches, and the height dimension H 1  of the side surface  24  of the base  14  is 0.165 inches.