Golf club with adjustable weighting system

Abstract

A golf club head having an adjustable weight system. The golf club head having a single, relatively compact slot for receiving a weight assembly. The weight assembly comprising a relatively high mass. Wherein small lateral movements of the heavy weight assembly are sufficient to shape a golfer's shot. Wherein the small movements also prevents the reduction of the total golf club head moment of inertia, thus preserving the forgiveness of the golf club when the ball is miss-hit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A golf club head, comprising:
 a front portion having a strikeface, a crown, a sole, a toe region, a heel region, and a rear portion, which together form a hollow interior;   wherein the strikeface defines a strikeface geometric center, and a loft plane extends tangent to the strikeface geometric center;   a coordinate system having a coordinate system origin at the strikeface geometric center, the coordinate system comprising:
 an x-axis extending through the strikeface geometric center from the toe region to the heel region; 
 a y-axis extending through the strikeface geometric center in a direction from the crown to the sole; and 
 a z-axis extending through the strikeface geometric center in a direction from the front portion to the rear portion; 
 wherein the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis are perpendicular to one another; 
   a depth of 3.0 inches to 6.0 inches, measured from the loft plane to a rear-most point of the rear portion parallel to the z-axis;   a single slot in the rear portion, comprising:
 a slot top surface; 
 a slot bottom surface; 
 a slot height measured between the slot bottom surface and the slot top surface, wherein the slot height varies; 
 three weight assembly attachment apertures; 
 a slot cross-sectional shape in a toe-to-heel direction that is non-uniform [and defines three slot receptacles associated with the three weight assembly attachment apertures]; 
 a slot structure mass less than 7.0% of a total mass of the golf club head; and 
   a moveable weight assembly configured to be positioned within the single slot and releasably affixed to a selected one of the three weight assembly attachment apertures [within an associated weight assembly attachment aperture], the moveable weight assembly comprising a single weight member and a single fastener, wherein the moveable weight assembly has a mass of 16 grams to 50 grams;   wherein the non-uniform slot cross-sectional shape of the single slot prevents sliding of the moveable weight assembly within the single slot between the three weight assembly attachment apertures.   
     
     
         2 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the single slot comprises a slot interior surface and two slot sidewalls, wherein:
 the slot interior surface, slot bottom surface, slot top surface, and two slot sidewalls cooperate to form a slot channel open to the rear portion and sole of the golf club head and a slot structure exposed to the hollow interior; and   the slot bottom surface does not extend as far towards the rear-most point of the rear portion as the slot top surface.   
     
     
         3 . The golf club head of  claim 2 , wherein:
 a fastener axis extends through a length of the single fastener;   the single weight member comprises a weight member through aperture for receiving the single fastener; and   a weight member CG is located within the weight member through aperture.   
     
     
         4 . The golf club head of  claim 2 , wherein the single weight member comprises:
 a weight member interior surface configured to conform to the slot interior surface;   a weight member outer surface;   a weight member upper surface;   a weight member lower surface;   weight member sidewalls;   a weight member maximum height; and   a weight member length;   wherein the weight member maximum height decreases along the weight member length toward each weight member end; and   wherein, when the moveable weight assembly is attached to a selected one of the three weight assembly attachment apertures, the weight member outer surface is exposed at the rear portion, the weight member lower surface is at least partially exposed at the sole, and the weight member lower surface and outer surface are not concealed or entirely surrounded.   
     
     
         5 . The golf club head of  claim 2 , wherein the three weight assembly attachment apertures comprise a toe-side aperture, a central aperture, and a heel-side aperture. 
     
     
         6 . The golf club head of  claim 5 , wherein:
 when the weight assembly is affixed to the toe-side aperture, the weight assembly comprises a toe-side fastener axis;   when the weight assembly is affixed to the central aperture, the weight assembly comprises a central fastener axis; and   when the weight assembly is affixed to the heel-side aperture, the weight assembly comprises a heel-side fastener axis.   
     
     
         7 . The golf club head of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the toe-side fastener axis and the heel-side fastener axis intersect at an axis intersection point; and   the toe-side fastener axis and the heel-side fastener axis form an included angle having a vertex at the axis intersection point, wherein the included angle is 40 degrees to 55 degrees.   
     
     
         8 . The golf club head of  claim 7 , wherein the axis intersection point is spaced from the loft plane by an axis intersection point depth of 2.8 inches to 3.2 inches, measured parallel to the z-axis. 
     
     
         9 . The golf club head of  claim 1  wherein a rearward extension of the sole comprises a shroud, and the shroud comprises at least a portion of the slot bottom surface. 
     
     
         10 . A golf club head, comprising:
 a front portion having a strikeface, a crown, a sole, a toe region, a heel region, and a rear portion, which together form a hollow interior;   wherein the strikeface defines a strikeface geometric center, and a loft plane extends tangent to the strikeface geometric center;   a coordinate system having a coordinate system origin at the strikeface geometric center, the coordinate system comprising:
 an x-axis extending through the strikeface geometric center from the toe region to the heel region; 
 a y-axis extending through the strikeface geometric center in a direction from the crown to the sole; and 
 a z-axis extending through the strikeface geometric center in a direction from the front portion to the rear portion; 
 wherein the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis are perpendicular to one another; 
   a depth of 3.0 inches to 6.0 inches, measured from the loft plane to a rear-most point of the rear portion parallel to the z-axis;   a single slot in the rear portion, comprising:
 a slot top surface; 
 a slot bottom surface; 
 a slot height measured between the slot bottom surface and the slot top surface, wherein the slot height varies; 
 three weight assembly attachment apertures, wherein each of the three weight assembly attachment apertures is separated from an adjacent weight assembly attachment aperture by an aperture separation distance of 0.5 inch to 0.6 inch; 
 a slot aperture housing for each weight assembly attachment aperture; 
 a slot interior rib; 
 a slot cross-sectional shape in a toe-to-heel direction that is non-uniform; 
 a slot structure mass less than 7.0% of a total mass of the golf club head; 
 a slot interior surface; and 
 two slot sidewalls; 
 wherein the slot interior surface, slot bottom surface, slot top surface, and two slot sidewalls cooperate to form a slot channel open to the rear portion and sole of the golf club head and a slot structure exposed to the hollow interior; and 
 wherein the slot bottom surface does not extend as far towards the rear-most point of the rear portion as the slot top surface; and 
   a moveable weight assembly configured to be positioned within the single slot and releasably affixed to a selected one of the three weight assembly attachment apertures, the moveable weight assembly comprising a single weight member and a single fastener, wherein the single fastener is retained within the single weight member when the moveable weight assembly is detached from the single slot, and wherein the moveable weight assembly has a mass of 16 grams to 50 grams;   wherein the non-uniform slot cross-sectional shape of the single slot prevents sliding of the moveable weight assembly within the single slot between the three weight assembly attachment apertures.   
     
     
         11 . The golf club head of  claim 10 , wherein the single weight member comprises:
 a weight member interior surface configured to conform to the slot interior surface;   a weight member outer surface;   a weight member upper surface;   a weight member lower surface;   weight member sidewalls;   a weight member maximum height; and   a weight member length;   wherein the weight member maximum height decreases along the weight member length toward each weight member end; and   wherein, when the moveable weight assembly is attached to a selected one of the three weight assembly attachment apertures, the weight member outer surface is exposed at the rear portion, the weight member lower surface is at least partially exposed at the sole, and the weight member lower surface and outer surface are not concealed or entirely surrounded.   
     
     
         12 . The golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein the weight member lower surface comprises an indent configured to receive the slot bottom surface. 
     
     
         13 . The golf club head of  claim 10 , wherein the three weight assembly attachment apertures comprise a toe-side aperture, a central aperture, and a heel-side aperture. 
     
     
         14 . The golf club head of  claim 13 , wherein;
 when the weight assembly is affixed to the toe-side aperture, the weight assembly comprises a toe-side fastener axis;   when the weight assembly is affixed to the central aperture, the weight assembly comprises a central fastener axis; and   when the weight assembly is affixed to the heel-side aperture, the weight assembly comprises a heel-side fastener axis.   
     
     
         15 . The golf club head of  claim 14 , wherein;
 the toe-side fastener axis and the heel-side fastener axis intersect at an axis intersection point; and   the toe-side fastener axis and the heel-side fastener axis form an included angle having a vertex at the axis intersection point, wherein the included angle is 40 degrees to 55 degrees.