# US 10,441,859 B2 · Golf club head with vertical center of gravity adjustment > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,441,859 B2 - Document ID: US10441859B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/024,459 - Filed: 2018-06-29 - Published: 2018-11-29 - Granted: 2019-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2007-10-12 - Assignees: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc. - Applicants: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc. - Inventors: Kraig Alan Willett; Todd P. Beach; Christopher John Harbert; Gery Mel Zimmerman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10441859B2 ## CPC - A63B 53/06: adjustable - A63B 53/0466: {wood-type} - A63B 60/00: Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like - A63B 53/0408: {characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness} - A63B 53/0412: {Volume} - A63B 53/0433: {with special sole configurations} - A63B 53/0437: {with special crown configurations} - A63B 53/045: {Strengthening ribs} - A63B 53/0458: {with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate} - A63B 2053/0491: {with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable} - A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H) ## Abstract Golf club heads include at least one weight port situated to retain weights and positioned above an approximate club face geometric center with the club in a standard address position. One, two, or more weight ports can be located above the club face center in a club crown or other portion of a club body. Club head vertical center of gravity can be selected to compensate dynamic loft associated with locating the club head center of gravity well behind the club face. Three-dimensional adjustment of club head center of gravity is possible. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A wood-type golf club head comprising: a body comprising a face positioned at a forward portion of the golf club head, a sole positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head, a crown positioned at a top portion of the golf club head and a skirt positioned around a periphery of the golf club head between the sole and crown, wherein the body defines an interior cavity; wherein the head has a face center positioned on the face at an approximate geometric center of the face, the face center including an x-axis tangential to the face and generally parallel to the ground when the head is ideally positioned, a y-axis generally perpendicular to the x-axis and generally parallel to the ground when the head is ideally positioned, and a z-axis generally perpendicular to the x-axis and to the y-axis and generally perpendicular to the ground when the head is ideally positioned, the head having a center of gravity whose location can be defined relative to the x-axis, y-axis and z-axis; and a plurality of weight ports formed in the body, the plurality of weight ports being arranged on the body to selectively receive and retain one or more weights to vertically displace the center of gravity up to about 2.8 mm; wherein a center of gravity of the head is situated at a predetermined head origin y-coordinate that provides dynamic loft, and a head origin z-coordinate that at least partially compensates for dynamic loft; wherein the crown has an areal weight of about 0.15 g/cm2 to 0.45 g/cm2 over at least 50% of the surface area of the crown. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The wood-type golf club head according to claim 1 including at least three weight ports formed in the body, at least one of which is located centrally on the body, wherein the vertical center of gravity of the head is adjustable by selectively placing one or more of the weights in one or more of the weight ports. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The wood-type golf club head according to claim 1 wherein the one or more weights each have a mass ranging from about 1 g to about 18 g. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The wood-type golf club head according to claim 1 wherein vertical displacement of the center of gravity is as much as −0.9 mm below the face center and as much as 1.7 mm above the face center as measured parallel to the z-axis. ### Claim 5 A wood-type golf club head comprising: a body comprising a face positioned at a forward portion of the golf club head, a sole positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head, a crown positioned at a top portion of the golf club head and a skirt positioned around a periphery of the golf club head between the sole and crown, wherein the body defines an interior cavity; wherein the head has a face center positioned on the face at an approximate geometric center of the face, the face center including an x-axis tangential to the face and generally parallel to the ground when the head is ideally positioned, a y-axis generally perpendicular to the x-axis and generally parallel to the ground when the head is ideally positioned, and a z-axis generally perpendicular to the x-axis and to the y-axis and generally perpendicular to the ground when the head is ideally positioned, the head having a center of gravity whose location can be defined relative to the x-axis, y-axis and z-axis; and a plurality of weight ports formed in the body, the plurality of weight ports being arranged on the body to selectively receive and retain one or more weights to vertically displace the center of gravity up to about 2.8 mm; wherein the plurality of weight ports includes first and second weight ports, and the first weight port is located proximate to the sole and the second weight port is located proximate to the crown. ### Claim 6 A wood-type golf club head comprising: a body comprising a face positioned at a forward portion of the golf club head, a sole positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head, a crown positioned at a top portion of the golf club head and a skirt positioned around a periphery of the golf club head between the sole and crown, wherein the body defines an interior cavity; wherein the head has a face center positioned on the face at an approximate geometric center of the face, the face center including an x-axis tangential to the face and generally parallel to the ground when the head is ideally positioned, a y-axis generally perpendicular to the x-axis and generally parallel to the ground when the head is ideally positioned, and a z-axis generally perpendicular to the x-axis and to the y-axis and generally perpendicular to the ground when the head is ideally positioned, the head having a center of gravity whose location can be defined relative to the x-axis, y-axis and z-axis; and a plurality of external weight ports formed in the body, the plurality of weight ports being arranged on the body to selectively receive and retain at least first and second weights at respective externally accessible first and second positions on the body, the first and second weights having a total weight mass and a separation distance between the first and second positions, wherein the club head has a total weight mass multiplied by the separation distance which is at least 500 g·mm and no greater than about 15,000 g·mm; wherein the crown has a crown areal weight between about 0.15 g/cm2 and about 0.45 g/cm2 over at least 50% of the surface area of the crown. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The wood-type golf club head according to claim 6 wherein the first weight has a maximum weight mass and the second weight has a minimum weight mass, and the maximum weight mass minus the minimum weight mass multiplied by the separation distance is between 7,600 g·mm and about 14,250 g·mm. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The wood-type golf club head according to claim 6 wherein the weights each have a mass ranging from about 1 g to about 18 g. ### Claim 9 A wood-type golf club head comprising: a body comprising a face positioned at a forward portion of the golf club head, a sole positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head, a crown positioned at a top portion of the golf club head and a skirt positioned around a periphery of the golf club head between the sole and crown, wherein the body defines an interior cavity; wherein the head has a face center positioned on the face at an approximate geometric center of the face, the face center including an x-axis tangential to the face and generally parallel to the ground when the head is ideally positioned, a y-axis generally perpendicular to the x-axis and generally parallel to the ground when the head is ideally positioned, and a z-axis generally perpendicular to the x-axis and to the y-axis and generally perpendicular to the ground when the head is ideally positioned, the head having a center of gravity whose location can be defined relative to the x-axis, y-axis and z-axis; and a plurality of weights, each having a mass ranging from about 1 g to about 18 g; a plurality of weight ports formed in the body to selectively receive and retain the plurality of weights; wherein the plurality of weights includes first and second weights, the first weight having a maximum weight mass and the second weight having a minimum weight mass, the first and second weights having a separation distance therebetween when retained in their respective weight ports, wherein the maximum weight mass minus the minimum weight mass multiplied by the separation distance is between about 7600 g·mm and about 14250 g·mm; wherein one or both of the first and second weights may be retained in their respective weight ports such that the center of gravity has a head origin z-axis coordinate between about −6 mm and about 1 mm. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The wood-type golf club head according to claim 9 wherein the head has a moment of inertia about the z-axis of between about 250 Kg·mm2 and 650 Kg·mm2. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The wood-type golf club head according to claim 10 wherein the plurality of weight ports are arranged on the body to selectively receive and retain one or more of the first and second weights to vertically displace the center of gravity up to about 2.8 mm. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The wood-type golf club head according to claim 9 wherein the crown has a crown areal weight between about 0.15 g/cm2 and about 0.45 g/cm2. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The wood-type golf club head according to claim 12 wherein one of the plurality of weight ports is located at a head origin z-axis coordinate between about 5 mm and about 15 mm and a head origin x-axis coordinate between about 0 mm and about −60 mm, and another of the plurality of weight ports is located at a head origin z-axis coordinate between about −30 mm and about −10 mm and a head origin x-axis coordinate between about 0 mm and about 60 mm. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The wood-type golf club head according to claim 9 wherein the first position has a head origin z-axis coordinate between about 5 mm and about 15 mm and a head origin x-axis coordinate between about 0 mm and about −60 mm, and the second position has a head origin z-axis coordinate between about −30 mm and about −10 mm and a head origin x-axis coordinate between about 0 mm and about 60 mm. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The wood-type golf club head according to claim 14 wherein the club head has a total weight mass, body mass and total weight port mass, and also has a ratio of total weight mass to the sum of the body mass plus total weight port mass between about 0.05 and about 1.25. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The wood-type golf club head according to claim 14 wherein the plurality of weight ports are arranged on the body to selectively receive and retain one or more of the first and second weights to vertically displace the center of gravity up to about 2.8 mm. ### Claim 17 (depends on 9) The wood-type golf club head according to claim 9 wherein the club head has a total weight mass, body mass and total weight port mass, and also has a ratio of total weight mass to the sum of the body mass plus total weight port mass between about 0.05 and about 1.25. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The wood-type golf club head according to claim 17 wherein the plurality of weight ports are arranged on the body to selectively receive and retain one or more of the first and second weights to vertically displace the center of gravity up to about 2.8 mm. ### Claim 19 (depends on 9) The wood-type golf club head according to claim 9 wherein the plurality of weight ports are arranged on the body to selectively receive and retain one or more of the first and second weights to vertically displace the center of gravity up to about 2.8 mm. ### Claim 20 (depends on 9) The wood-type golf club head according to claim 9 wherein the first and second weights are externally accessible for insertion into and removal from the weight ports and have a total weight mass and a separation distance between the first and second positions.