Abstract:
A golf club head includes a body and a retaining element removably mounted to the body. The retaining element includes a main body and an annular wall extending from a side of the main body of the retaining element. The annular wall defines a compartment for receiving a weight that is retained to the body of the golf club head by the retaining element. A vibration absorbing washer is received in the compartment of the retaining element and mounted to the weight. The vibration absorbing washer absorbs vibration during swing, thereby enhancing assembling reliability of the weight.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a golf club head and, more particularly, to a golf club head having a removable weight. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,773,360 discloses a golf club head having a weight assembly removably mounted in a recess on a sole of a main body of the golf club head. The recess bottom defines a threaded opening. The weight assembly includes a mass element received in the recess, a screw, and a retaining element. The mass element includes a recess for receiving the retaining element. The screw is extended through an aperture of the mass element and threadedly engaged with the threaded opening of the recess bottom of the main body. The retaining element has outer threads for engaging with internal threads in the recess of the mass element to retain the screw head in the recess of the main body. The weight assembly allows adjustment in the center of gravity of the golf club head to improve swing stability for the golfer. 
         [0005]    However, when striking a golf ball with the ball striking face of the golf club head, the vibration generated is imparted to the screw and thus causes loosening or even disengagement of the screw and the mass element. The engaging reliability and assembly between the mass element and the main body deteriorate. 
       OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The primary object of the present invention is to provide a golf club head having a removable weight with improved engaging reliability while allowing adjustment in the center of gravity of the golf club head. 
         [0007]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a golf club head having a removable weight that allows easy assembly and easy replacement of the weight. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    To achieve the aforementioned objects, the present invention provides a golf club head including a body; a retaining element removably mounted to the body, with the retaining element including a main body and an annular wall extending from a side of the main body of the retaining element, with the annular wall defining a compartment; a weight received in the compartment of the retaining element and retained to the body of the golf club head by the retaining element; and a vibration absorbing washer received in the compartment of the retaining element and mounted to the weight, with the vibration absorbing washer absorbing vibration during swing, thereby enhancing assembling reliability of the weight. 
         [0009]    In an example, the body of the golf club head includes a sole having a recess for receiving the retaining element. In another example, the body of the golf club head includes a skirt having a recess for receiving the retaining element. 
         [0010]    Preferably, a peripheral wall defining the recess includes inner threading, and the annular wall of the retaining element includes outer threading for threadedly engaging with the inner threading. 
         [0011]    Preferably, a bottom wall defining the recess includes a positioning hole. The weight includes a flange on an outer periphery thereof. The flange of the weight has a diameter greater than that of the positioning hole. An end of the weight extends through the positioning hole of the bottom wall. The vibration absorbing washer is mounted around the weight and sandwiched between the flange and the bottom wall defining the recess. 
         [0012]    Preferably, a second vibration absorbing washer is mounted around the weight and sandwiched between the flange and the main body of the retaining element. 
         [0013]    Preferably, the main body of the retaining element includes a positioning hole through which the other end of the weight extends. 
         [0014]    Preferably, the main body of the retaining element further includes at least two tool coupling holes in a side thereof for assembling or detaching the retaining element to or from the recess. 
         [0015]    The weight may be made of metal powders and elastomeric resin. The vibration absorbing washer may be made of rubber or polyurethane. 
         [0016]    Other objects, advantages and novel features of this invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of a golf club head having a removable weight in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is an exploded sectional view of a portion of the golf club head of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a sectional view of the golf club head of  FIG. 3  after assembly; 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of the golf club head in accordance with the present invention; and 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view of a third embodiment of the golf club head in accordance with the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0022]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a first embodiment of a golf club head in accordance with the present invention includes a body  1 , a weight  2 , at least one vibration absorbing washer  3  (two in this embodiment), and a retaining element  4 . In this embodiment, the golf club head is of wood type that can be made of a single material by integral formation or composed of a plurality of parts. The body  1  includes a striking face  11 , a toe  12 , a heel  13 , a crown (not shown), a sole  14 , and a skirt  15 . A recess  16  is defined in the sole  14  and includes inner threading  160  in a peripheral wall thereof. A bottom wall defining the recess  16  includes a positioning hole  161 . 
         [0023]    Still referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the weight  2  of the first embodiment is preferably cylindrical or polygonal in section. The weight  2  includes a flange  20  on a part of an outer periphery thereof and between two ends of the weight  2 . The flange  20  has a diameter greater than that of the positioning hole  161  of the recess  16 . Thus, the weight  2  is prevented from falling into an interior of the body  1  after an end of the weight  2  is extended through the positioning hole  161  of the recess  16 . The weight  2  is made of a material having a larger specific weight, such as W—Fe—Ni alloy, carbon steel, low-carbon steel, stainless steel, alloy steel, low-alloy steel, martensite steel, cast iron, nickel-based alloy or non-metal materials. The specific weight of the weight  2  can be greater or smaller than that of the body  1  to provide different weighting effects. Furthermore, the size and material for the weight  2  can be selected to adjust the center of gravity of the body  1 . Furthermore, the material of the weight  2  may include metal powders and elastomeric resin to provide vibration absorbing effect. It can be however appreciated that the weight  2  of the present invention can be made of any conventional metal or non-metal materials for making golf club heads. 
         [0024]    Still referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the vibration absorbing washers  3  are preferably made of elastomeric materials such as rubber or polyurethane. Each vibration absorbing washer  3  includes an assembling hole  30  in a center thereof and mounted to and abutting against a side of the flange  20 . Preferably, the vibration absorbing washers  3  are respectively mounted to two sides of the flange  20  to enhance the vibration absorbing effect. 
         [0025]    Still referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the retaining element  4  of the first embodiment includes a main body  40  having a positioning hole  401  in a center thereof for the weight  2  to protrude, and an user can conveniently check and choose a suitable weight  2 . At least two coupling holes  400  are defined in a side of the main body  40  for coupling with a tool (not shown) for the purposes of assembling or detaching the retaining element  40 . An annular wall  41  extends from the other side of the main body of the retaining element  40  and defines a compartment  410  for receiving the other end of the weight  2  and the vibration absorbing washers  3 . An outer thread  411  is formed on an outer periphery of the annular wall  41  for threadedly engaging with the inner thread  160  of the recess  16 . 
         [0026]    With reference to  FIG. 3 , in assembly, the vibration absorbing washers  3  are mounted around the weight  2  and respectively abut against two sides of the flange  20  of the weight  2  which is then placed into the compartment  410  of the retaining element  4 , with one of the vibration absorbing washers  3  securely sandwiched between the flange  20  and the retaining element  4 , and with an end (the upper one in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ) of the weight  2  extending beyond the positioning hole  401  of the retaining element  4 . The other end (the lower one in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ) of the weight  2  is then extended through the positioning hole  161  of the recess  16 . A tool is coupled with the tool coupling holes  400  of the retaining element  4  to threadedly engage the outer threading  411  of the retaining element  4  with the inner thread  160  of the recess  16  until the other vibration absorbing washer  3  is securely sandwiched between the bottom wall of the recess  16  and the flange  20  of the weight  2 . The vibration absorbing washers  3  are capable of directly absorbing and, hence, reducing the striking stress imparted to the golf club head. The vibration absorbing effect of the body  1  is, thus, enhanced. By providing the vibration absorbing washers  3  and the retaining element  4 , the adjusting flexibility, assembling reliability, and replacement convenience of the weight  2  are greatly improved. Furthermore, the engaging reliability between the weight  2  and the body  1  is enhanced. 
         [0027]      FIG. 4  shows a second embodiment of the present invention in which the body  1  is also of wood type. In this embodiment, a plurality of recesses  16  are defined in the skirt  15  of the body  1 . The recesses  16  may be cylindrical or of any suitable shapes and extend inward into the interior of the body  1 . At least one of the recesses  16  is defined in a rear portion of the skirt  15 . A weight  2  is mounted in each recess  16  by a retaining element  4 , allowing adjustment of the center of gravity of the golf club head to a position adjacent to the skirt  15  and enhancing the engaging reliability between the weight  2  and the body  1  while improving the adjusting flexibility, assembling reliability, and replacement convenience of the weight  2 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 5  shows a third embodiment of the present invention in which the body  1  is of iron type including a ball striking portion (not shown), a toe  12 , a heel  13 , a blade  17 , and a sole  14 . In this embodiment, a plurality of recesses  16  are defined in the sole  14  of the body  1 . The recesses  16  may be cylindrical or of any suitable shapes and extend inward into the interior of the body  1 . A weight  2  is mounted in each recess  16  by a retaining element  4 , allowing adjustment of the center of gravity of the golf club head to a position adjacent to a rear portion of the sole  14  and enhancing the engaging reliability between the weight  2  and the body  1  while improving the adjusting flexibility, assembling reliability, and replacement convenience of the weight  2 . 
         [0029]    While the principles of this invention have been disclosed in connection with specific embodiments, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that these descriptions are not intended to limit the scope of the invention, and that any modification and variation without departing the spirit of the invention is intended to be covered by the scope of this invention defined only by the appended claims.