# US 11,439,877 B2 · Golf club having an adjustable weight assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,439,877 B2 - Document ID: US11439877B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/143,779 - Filed: 2021-01-07 - Published: 2021-05-13 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2019-04-18 - Assignees: Acushnet Company - Applicants: Acushnet Company - Inventors: Tyrone Northcutt; Thomas Orrin Bennett; Takeshi Casey Funaki - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11439877B2 ## CPC - A63B 53/04: Heads - A63B 53/0466: {wood-type} - A63B 53/0433: {with special sole configurations} - A63B 53/045: {Strengthening ribs} - A63B 53/047: {iron-type} - A63B 60/04: Movable ballast means {(A63B15/005 takes precedence)} - A63B 60/02: Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass (A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence) - A63B 60/52: with slits - A63B 2053/0491: {with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable} - A63B 2053/0495: {moving on impact, slidable, spring or otherwise elastically biased} - A63B 2071/0602: {Non-electronic means therefor} - A63B 2071/0633: {without electronic means} - A63B 2071/0655: {Tactile feedback} - A63B 2071/0694: {Visual indication, e.g. Indicia} - A63B 2102/32: Golf - A63B 2209/00: Characteristics of used materials - A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H) ## Abstract A golf club head includes a body having a recessed channel formed in the outer surface. A weight assembly that includes a weight disposed within the recessed channel and a cover extending over the recessed channel. A shelf is defined in the cover and slidably receives the weight. The weight assembly also includes a fastener coupling the cover to the body. The fastener is adapted to retain the weight in the recessed channel only indirectly by the cover. The cover is positionable in an unlocked configuration whereby the cover is raised at least partially out of the recessed channel and the weight is slidable within the shelf and the recessed channel, and a locked configuration whereby the cover is disposed within the recessed channel and the weight is secured within the recessed channel and the shelf. The weight moves with the cover between the unlocked configuration and the locked configuration. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A golf club head comprising: a body comprising: a striking face comprising a lower edge and an opposite upper edge; a sole extending from the lower edge; and a crown extending from the upper edge, wherein one or more of the striking face, the sole, and the crown, define an outer surface of the body; a recessed channel formed in the outer surface; and a weight assembly positionable in at least an unlocked configuration and a locked configuration, the weight assembly comprising: a weight; a cover extending at least partially over the recessed channel and comprising an exterior surface; and a fastener coupling the cover to the body, wherein between 10% and 20% of the weight is exposed between the outer surface of the body and the exterior surface of the cover in the locked configuration, wherein the weight comprises a position indicator and at least a portion of the position indicator is exposed between the outer surface of the body and the exterior surface of the cover in the locked configuration. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The golf club head of claim 1, wherein approximately 16% of the weight is exposed between the outer surface of the body and the exterior surface of the cover in the locked configuration. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the exposure of the weight in the locked configuration is based on an outer surface area of the weight. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The golf club head of claim 3, wherein approximately 16% of the outer surface area of the weight is exposed between the outer surface of the body and the exterior surface of the cover in the locked configuration. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The golf club head of claim 1, wherein the exposure of the weight in the locked configuration is based on a planar surface area of the weight. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The golf club head of claim 5, wherein approximately 16% of the planar surface area of the weight is exposed between the outer surface of the body and the exterior surface of the cover in the locked configuration. ### Claim 7 A golf club head comprising: a body having an outer surface; a recessed channel formed in the outer surface; a weight shaped and sized to be at least partially received within the recessed channel and selectively movable therein; a cover configured to secure the weight to the body; and a fastener configured to releasably couple the cover to the body, wherein the cover and the body conceals between 70% to 90% of the weight from exposure on the golf club head when the cover is securing a position of the weight within the recessed channel, wherein the weight comprises a position indicator, and wherein when the cover is securing the position of the weight within the recessed channel, at least a portion of the position indicator is visible between the cover and the body. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The golf club head of claim 7, wherein the cover and the body conceals approximately 84% of the weight from exposure on the golf club head when the cover is securing the position of the weight within the recessed channel. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The golf club head of claim 7, wherein the concealment of the weight is based on an outer surface area of the weight. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The golf club head of claim 7, wherein the concealment of the weight is based on a planar surface area of the weight. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The golf club head of claim 7, wherein the weight is slidably engaged with the cover. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The golf club head of claim 7, wherein when the cover is securing the position of the weight within the recessed channel, an exterior surface of the cover is substantially aligned with the outer surface of the body, and wherein the weight is disposed below the exterior surface of the cover and the outer surface of the body. ### Claim 13 A golf club head comprising: a body having an outer surface; a recessed channel formed in the outer surface; and a weight assembly disposed at the recessed channel and configured to adjust at least a center of gravity of the golf club head, wherein the weight assembly comprises: a slidable weight at least partially received within the recessed channel; a cover that selectively secures the weight to the body; and a fastener that couples the cover to the body, wherein when the cover is securing the weight such that sliding movement is restricted, between 10% and 30% of the weight is exposed between the cover and the body, wherein a surface area of the weight that is exposed comprises a single projection side of the weight. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The golf club head of claim 13, wherein the surface area of the weight that is exposed comprises two or more projection sides of the weight. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The golf club head of claim 13, wherein the weight is fully disposed within the recessed channel when being secured by the cover. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The golf club head of claim 13, wherein the cover is formed from an at least partially transparent material. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The golf club head of claim 13, wherein the recessed channel comprises a plurality of dimples and the weight comprises a position indicator, and wherein the position indicator is received at least partially within one of the plurality of dimples when being secured by the cover.