Golf driver with selective head weighting system

Abstract

An improved golf driver head design is presented which permits golf drivers to be adjusted to correct the swing characteristics of most golfers. A system of attachable weights is shown which make it possible to adjust golf club swing characteristics at the factory simply and economically. The invention is cast from very light weight metals to allow the maximum amount of weight adjustment within the head while keeping the head weight to a minimum.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to golf drivers with adjustable swing characteristics. These adjustable swing characteristics are implemented with a series of weights mounted within the head.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Golf driver heads with adjustable weighting are a new field of invention, based on golf club heads that are made of hollow metal shapes cast from lightweight materials. Changing the swing plane of the golf club by adjusting the weighting of the driver head is new as well.

[0003] The use of super-lightweight metals in the construction of the golf driver head permits a head to be constructed that possesses the same structural strength but substantially lower weight than a conventional steel or wood head. There are advantages to golf driver heads that have such low weight characteristics.

[0004] One specific advantage exploited by the present invention is the ability to place additional weights at selected points in the golf club head. Placing weights in this manner can affect important characteristics of the head and the club itself

[0005] For example, other manufacturers, such as Taylor Made.TM., have developed golf club driver heads with adjustable weights in the head itself. These weights are removable and can be moved as desired by the golfer, depending on the club swing plane characteristics he desires.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The present invention is hollow, light-weight metal driver head inside of which are cast several attachment points for tungsten or steel weights. This invention is a new combination of light-weight metal casting technology for golf clubs and a new weighting system for adjusting the swing plane of the club.

[0007] The use of light-weight metals such as magnesium or titanium permits the club designer to cast a driver head that weighs less than a standard driver head and allows the addition of weights within the hollow head to adjust the effective swing plane when the club is swung. Other manufacturers with similar weighting schemes can place up to 12 grams of adjustment weights in the head to change club swing path characteristics. Because of its unique low-weight design, the present invention driver head can make use of an additional 25 to 30 grams of adjustment weights.

[0008] Unlike the Taylor Made.TM. design, the present invention installs the adjustment weights permanently. The cast golf club head can be drilled out in certain pre-selected points in the casting and adjustment weights added by screwing them in and gluing them in place. There is a specific process used to determine the amount of weighting and the placement of the weights needed to correct a golfer's swing. Additional weighting can be placed in the toe or heel of the golf club head to correct for hooking or slicing.

[0009] The process would begin with measurement of a golfer's swing characteristics. A measurement lab, such as Max Out Golf Labs, would perform an analysis of a golfer's build, physical considerations, such as chronic injuries, athletic ability, and other parameters. The process would use ultra high speed cameras, sensors, and accelerometers to capture the physics of a golfer's swing. Data analysis would then be performed to accumulate factors such as: ball velocity, launch angle, spin rates, clubhead speed, and shaft load profiles.

[0010] Additional computer analysis and performance testing will identify the optimum driver head weighting for the golfer to correct detected swing deficiencies or adjust the golfer's swing to meet his preferences. Some players like to draw the ball all the time, or need more loft on their drives. These preferences can be addressed with the proper weighting applied to the present invention.

[0011] Beyond the tailored weighting of the present invention to correct golfers' swing characteristics, the "sweet spot" of the club head can be expanded with the application of proper weights to the attachment points.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention.

[0013] FIG. 2 is an inside view of the golf club head lower section.

[0014] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the interior of the club head lower section

[0015] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the underside of the club head lower section.

[0016] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the upper surface of the club head upper section.

[0017] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the underside of the club head upper section

[0018] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the interior of the face plate

[0019] FIG. 8 is a view of the underside of the sole plate

[0020] FIG. 9 is a view of the inside of the sole plate

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] The present invention is an improved golf driver head design, with a metallic golf driver head 100 and and several metallic weights 130 attached to the interior of the driver head 100. Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the invention has several weight attachment points 102 in the driver head lower section 104 and driver head upper section 101 which are part of the casting of the driver head 100.

[0022] The weights 130 are manufactured in a variety of gram weights, for example, 5, 10, and 15 grams. The weights 130 can be made from metals such as tungsten, selected for their density and hardness. The weights 130 have decorative heads which are flush with the surface of the golf driver head 100 when assembled in place at the factory. The weighting of an individual club head is not adjustable by the end-user golfer after the club leaves the factory.

[0023] The driver head 100 is connected to a hosel piece 127 that is inserted into the driver head upper section 101 at hosel insertion hole 118 and through it into the driver head lower section 104 into a receiving recess 117 at the hosel connection point 110. The driver head lower section 104 possesses three sole plate attachment points 108 where the sole plate 109 is connected to the driver head lower section 104. In the preferred embodiment, the connection means is a set of brass screws.

[0024] In FIG. 6, the interior of the driver head upper section 101 is shown, where there are a plurality of weight attachment points 111. The same weights 130 as used for the driver head lower section 104 attachment points 102 may be attached at these attachment points 111 to adjust driver swing plane characteristics.

[0025] The driver head lower section 104 and the driver head upper section 101 can be attached to each other by several means, including strong adhesives and welding of the metals. In the preferred embodiment, these two components are glued together by means of adhesive.

[0026] The hosel piece 102 is inserted into a hole 118 drilled through the driver head upper section 101 and into the hosel connection point 110, which has also been drilled with a receiving recess 117. The preferred means of attaching the hosel piece 102 to the driver head is a strong adhesive, although the hosel piece 102 could also be welded in place.

[0027] During manufacturing, the invention can be drilled to receive the weights 130 in such a manner as to weight the golf club head 100 to improve the golfer's swing plane. The underside of the driver head lower section 104 as shown in FIG. 4 can be drilled at a points corresponding to the weight attachment points 102 on the interior of the lower section 104.

[0028] The holes (not shown) can be threaded to receive the weights 130, which can be screwed in and secured permanently by a weight securing means so they will not move when the club is swung. The best mode weight securing means is screw-threading the weights and screw threads drilled into the holes at the weight attachment points 102. The weights will be secured by means of adhesive so that they are permanently placed.

[0029] Proper choice of weights 130 and locations for attachment 102,111 permits the club head assembler at the factory to correct for slicing, hooking, low or high loft, or to expand the "sweet spot" of the club face. The present invention provides a unique capability to create a variety of specialized clubs with widely varying performance characteristics by using a simple club head weighting scheme.

[0030] While the present invention has been described above and a preferred embodiment of the invention has been identified, changes and substitutions of equivalent features can be made without departing from this invention. Those skilled in the art of driver design will recognize that many variations of this described embodiment of the invention can be resorted to without leaving the boundaries of this specification and associated claims below.

Claims

1. A golf driver head comprised of a driver head upper section, a driver head lower section, a hosel piece, a plurality of weight attachment points, and a plurality of golf club weights, the driver head upper section possessing an outer and an inner surface, the driver head upper section inner surface possessing a plurality of strategically-placed weight attachment points, the weight attachment points in the shape of a bulge in the material of the driver head upper section inner surface, The driver head upper section possessing a hosel pass-through hole, the hosel pass through hole a circular hole passing through the driver head upper section, the driver head lower section possessing an outer and an inner surface, the driver head lower section inner surface possessing a plurality of strategically-placed weight attachment points and a hosel mounting point, the weight attachment points and the hosel attachment point in the shape of a bulge in the material of the driver head lower section inner surface, the hosel mounting point placed such that when the driver upper section and driver lower section are assembled, the hosel mounting point is directly beneath the hosel pass-through hole, the golf driver head assembled by drilling a hole in the hosel mounting point in line with the hosel pass-through hole, selecting certain of the weight attachment points to be prepared for placing of the golf club weights by choosing the characteristics of swing that the golf club head will produce, preparing the weight attachment points on the golf club head upper and lower sections that when weighted will produce those characteristics, attaching the weights permanently by means of a weight attachment means to the prepared weight attachment points, attaching the driver head upper and lower sections to each other by a golf club head assembly means, then attaching golf club weights at the weight attachment points, then permanently affixing the golf club weights with the weight attachment means.

2. The golf driver head of claim 1 where preparing the weight attachment points on the golf club head upper and lower sections consists of drilling a receiving hole into the weight attachment point from the outer surface of either or both of the golf club head lower and upper sections.

3. The golf driver head of claim 2 where the weight attachment means is a combination of screw threads on the golf club weight and permanent adhesive that holds the individual weights in the receiving hole.

4. The golf driver head of claim 1 where both the golf club head upper and lower sections are comprised of magnesium or titanium.