Patent Publication Number: US-9833669-B2

Title: Golf club head with cam weight

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/823,834, filed on Aug. 11, 2015, and issued on Jan. 24, 2017, as U.S. Pat. No. 9,550,097, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/216,971, filed on Mar. 17, 2014, and issued on Jul. 12, 2016, and U.S. Pat. No. 9,387,376, which claims priority to 61/940,288, filed on Feb. 14, 2014, the disclosure of each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety herein. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a weight feature for use with sporting goods such as golf clubs. More specifically, the present invention relates to a cam weight for a golf club head that has a lockable, interference fit structure. 
     Description of the Related Art 
     The ability to adjust center of gravity location and weight in the head of driving clubs is useful for controlling performance of the golf club. The prior art includes several different solutions for adjustable weighting, including removable weight screws, which were provided with the Callaway RAZR Fit driver, for example. Other prior art weight screw configurations are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,773,360, and 7,452,285. While these weighting solutions are easy to use, they are not ideal because they include through-holes that extend into the interior of the golf club heads and must be covered when not in use to conform to USGA regulations. Similarly, the weight plugs disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,744,484 require covers, which add weight that could be used elsewhere in the club head to optimize center of gravity (CG) and moment of inertia (MOI). Therefore, there is a need for a weighting mechanism that allows for simple and flexible CG and MOI optimization and adjustability. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a novel way of working with adjustable products. The present invention allows consumers to easily move and fix a weight at set locations without requiring through bores or openings to receive fixing screws or other types of mechanical fasteners, such as covers and seals. The weights of the present invention have built in fastening features and thus are easier and more efficient to use with a golf club head. 
     One aspect of the present invention is a golf club head comprising a head body comprising at least one weight port having a floor, a wall, a first seating tab extending from the wall, and a second seating tab extending from the wall, and a cam weight comprising a cylindrical body, a first wing, a second wing, and a tool engagement feature, wherein the at least one weight port does not comprise any through-openings, wherein the at least one weight port is cylindrical, wherein the cam weight is sized to removably fit within the at least one weight port, wherein each of the first wing and the second wing has a tapered thickness, wherein the first wing and the second wing are spaced from one another on the cylindrical body, and wherein each of the first wing and the second wing extends only partway around the cylindrical body. In some embodiments, the head body may comprise a crown, a sole, and a face, and the at least one weight port may be in the sole. In a further embodiment, the head body may comprise a rear edge, and the weight port may be disposed proximate the rear edge. In some embodiments, the golf club head may be a driver-type head, while in other embodiments the golf club head may be an iron-type head. 
     In some embodiments, the golf club head may further comprise a spring element sized to fit within a counterbore in the cylindrical body of the cam weight. In other embodiments, the cam weight may be composed of a single material, which can be selected from the group consisting of steel, titanium alloy, and tungsten alloy or the group consisting of plastic, rubber, and composite. In other embodiments, the first seating tab may be located directly opposite the second seating tab in the weight port. In any of the embodiments herein, the first wing may comprise a first end with a first width and a second end with a second width that is greater than the first width. There may be vertical spacing between the first wing and the first seating tab when the cam weight is in an unlocked configuration within the weight port, and no vertical spacing between the first wing and the first seating tab when the cam weight is in a locked configuration within the weight port. 
     Another aspect of the present invention is a driver-type golf club head comprising a head body comprising a face, a crown, a sole, a rear edge, a first cylindrical weight port, a second cylindrical weight port, and a hollow interior, a cam weight comprising a cylindrical body, a first helical wing, a second helical wing, a tool engagement feature, and a counterbore, and a spring sized to fit within the counterbore, wherein each of the first and second cylindrical weight ports comprises a floor, a wall, a first seating tab extending from the wall, and a second seating tab extending from the wall at a location directly opposite the first seating tab, wherein neither of the cylindrical weight ports comprises any through-openings that communicate with the hollow interior, wherein the cam weight is sized to removably fit within each of the first and second cylindrical weight ports, wherein the cam weight is composed of a single material, wherein each of the first helical wing and the second helical wing has a tapered thickness, wherein the first helical wing and the second helical wing are spaced from one another on the cylindrical body, and wherein each of the first helical wing and the second helical wing extends only partway around the cylindrical body. 
     In some embodiments, the golf club head may comprise vertical spacing between the first helical wing and the first seating tab when the cam weight is in an unlocked configuration within one of the first and second cylindrical weight ports, and no vertical spacing between the first helical wing and the first seating tab when the cam weight is in a locked configuration within the weight port. In other embodiments, the cam weight material may be selected from the group consisting of steel, titanium alloy, and tungsten alloy. In still other embodiments, the spring may be composed of stainless steel. In some embodiments, the crown and sole may be composed of a composite material and the face may be composed of a metal material, while in alternative embodiments the crown may be composed of a composite material and the face and sole may be composed of a metal material. 
     Having briefly described the present invention, the above and further objects, features and advantages thereof will be recognized by those skilled in the pertinent art from the following detailed description of the invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side perspective view of a cam weight of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a side elevation view of the cam weight shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a top perspective view of a weight port of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a top elevation view of the cam weight shown in  FIG. 1  engaged with the weight port shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a top plan view of the cam weight shown in  FIG. 1  in an unlocked configuration in the weight port shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 5  along lines  6 - 6 . 
         FIG. 7  is a top plan view of the cam weight shown in  FIG. 1  along in a locked configuration in the weight port shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 7  along lines  8 - 8 . 
         FIG. 9  is a simplified view of the cross-section shown in  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 10  is a side perspective view of another embodiment of the cam weight of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is a simplified, cross-sectional view of the cam weight shown in  FIG. 10  engaged with the weight port shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional view of the cam weight shown in  FIG. 10  engaged with the weight port shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 13  is a rear elevation view of an iron-type golf club head with two cam weights of the present invention engaged with weight ports. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A first embodiment of the cam weight  10  of the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 1-9 . The cam weight  10  comprises a cylindrical body  20 , a tool engagement portion  22 , a first helical wing  30 , and a second helical wing  40 , each of which taper upwards from a base surface  24  of the body  20  towards an upper surface  26  of the body  20 , without actually contacting the upper surface  26 . The wings  30 ,  40  extend only part way around the body  20  and increase in width, from a smallest width W 1  to a greatest width W 2 , as they do so. The wings  30 ,  40  give the cam weight  10  a keyed shape when viewed from above or below. The cam weight  10  has an overall height of 0.10 to 1.00 inch, and more preferably approximately 0.40 inch, and an overall diameter of 0.50 to 1.50 inch, and more preferably approximately 0.85 inch. The cylindrical body  20  has a diameter of 0.20 to 1.00 inch, and more preferably approximately 0.60 inch. The cam weight  10  also includes a counterbore  28  extending into the cylindrical body  20  from the base surface  24 , the dimensions of which can be adjusted during manufacturing to ensure that the cam weight  10  has a desirable mass. 
     The cam weight  10  is sized to fit within one or more weight ports  110  disposed in a golf club head  100 . As shown in the Figures, the weight ports  110  preferably are located in a sole portion  105  of the head  100 , though they can be located anywhere on the head  100 , including in the crown, sole, skirt, face, and/or rear portion of the head  100  if it is a wood-type club, or analogous locations if it is an iron or putter-type club. As shown in  FIG. 4 , the golf club head  100  preferably includes at least two weight ports  110  in the sole  105 , so that the cam weight  10  can be moved to change the mass properties of the head  100 . 
     The weight port  110  of the present invention has an opening  115  with a shape that matches the keyed shape of the cam weight  10 , but does not have any through-holes, bores, or other such openings leading to an interior of the golf club head  100 , which preferably is hollow and completely enclosed. The keyed shape of the weight port  110  is created by two seating tabs  112 ,  114  extending away from an inner wall  118  of the weight port  110 . The seating tabs  112 ,  114  each have a maximum width of 0.10 to 0.50 inch, and more preferably of 0.26 inch, and a thickness of 0.050 to 0.150 inch, and more preferably 0.110 inch. The seating tabs  112 ,  114 , which are located directly opposite one another in the weight port  110 , extend only a short distance into the weight port  110  but require that the cam weight  10  be oriented, when inserted into the weight port  110 , so that the wings  30 ,  40  do not overlap the seating tabs  112 ,  114 , as shown in  FIGS. 4-6 . Once the base surface  24  of the cam weight  10  makes contact with the bottom surface  116  of the weight port  110 , the cam weight  10  is ready to be rotated and locked into place. As shown in  FIG. 6 , there is vertical spacing  50  between the portions of the wings  30 ,  40  having the smallest width W 1  and the seating tabs  112 ,  114 , which allows the cam weight  10  to be rotated. There is no vertical spacing between the portions of the wings  30 ,  40  with the greatest width W 2  and the seating tabs  112 ,  114 , so the cam weight  10  can only be rotated in one direction. 
     When the cam weight  10  is fully inserted into the weight port  110 , a tool such a s a screwdriver or Torx® wrench (not shown) is inserted into the tool engagement portion  22  and used to rotate the cam weight  10  in place until the wings  30 ,  40  create an interference fit with the seating tabs  112 ,  114 , as shown in  FIGS. 7-8 . The seating tabs  112 ,  114  exert downward force against the tapered wings  30 ,  40  when the cam weight  10  is rotated and, by doing so, push the cam weight  10  against the bottom surface  116  of the weight port  110 . As shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , when the cam weight  10  is in its locked position, there is no spacing between the wings  30 ,  40  and the seating tabs  112 ,  114  as compared with the unlocked configuration ( FIG. 6 ). The taper on the wings  30 ,  40  self-centers the cam weight  10  in the weight port  110 , which allows for looser manufacturing tolerances in seating geometry for both the cam weight  10  and the weight port  110 . 
     In an alternative embodiment, shown in  FIGS. 10-12 , a spring  60  may be inserted into the counterbore  28  to provide additional resistance against the seating tabs  112 ,  114  and thus more securely fix the cam weight  10  in the weight port  110  when it is in its locked configuration. When the cam weight  10  is in its locked position, the spring  60  presses against an inner surface  29  of the counterbore and the bottom surface  116  of the weight port  110 , thus pressing the cam weight  10  upwards against the seating tabs  112 ,  114 . 
     The design approaches described herein with reference to  FIGS. 1-12  are based on a driver head characterized by a composite crown adhesively bonded to a cast titanium body. This particular construction approach permits the crown configuration to be adapted to the inventive weighting scheme with minimal impact on weight and function. However, the weighting embodiments disclosed herein can be used with other constructions, including all titanium, all composite, and a composite body with metal face cup. The cam weight  10  configurations disclosed herein can also be used in connection with other types of golf club heads, including irons, putters, and hybrids. An example of an iron head  150  comprising a pair of weight ports  160 ,  165  and two of the cam weights  10  disclosed herein is shown in  FIG. 13 . The weight ports  160 ,  165  are positioned in a rear flange  170  of the iron head  150 , but may in alternative embodiments be positioned in one or more of the sole  180 , top line  190 , or any other part of the iron head  150 . 
     In another embodiment, the weight port  110  may comprise more than two seating tabs  112 ,  114 , and the cam weight  10  may have a matching number of wings  30 ,  40 . In some embodiments, the golf club head  100  may have a cover feature that can be used to obscure any weight ports  110  not housing a cam weight  110 , though this feature is not strictly necessary because none of the weight ports  110  of the present invention have through bores communicating with a hollow interior of the golf club head  100 . 
     The cam weights  10  of the present invention preferably are made from a single material, and can be cast, forged, machined, extruded, molded, or made via any other process known in the art from materials including, but not limited to, as steel, titanium alloy, tungsten alloy, plastic, composite, and rubber. The spring  60  may be made of one or more of the same materials, but preferably is composed of stainless steel. In some embodiments, a golf club head  100  may be sole with multiple cam weights  10  having different material compositions and masses so that a golfer has many options for adjusting the mass properties of the golf club head  100 . Though disclosed in connection with golf club heads herein, the cam weights  10  of the present invention can be used with any sporting goods equipment having weight ports. 
     From the foregoing it is believed that those skilled in the pertinent art will recognize the meritorious advancement of this invention and will readily understand that while the present invention has been described in association with a preferred embodiment thereof, and other embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, numerous changes, modifications and substitutions of equivalents may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention which is intended to be unlimited by the foregoing except as may appear in the following appended claims. Therefore, the embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined in the following appended claims.