Golf club head and method for shifting the club head center of gravity

Abstract

A golf club head and a method for shifting the club head center of gravity. The golf club head includes a body having a front face, a back face, a heel end, a toe end, and a sole extending between lower portions of the heel and the toe ends. The golf club head also has a top rail extending between upper portions of the heel and toe ends and at least one cavity extending from the back surface into the body. Three or four weighting elements are attached to the body to shift the club head center of gravity in accordance with the desired performance of an individual golfer. The weighting elements are formed of a material which has a different density than the material forming the body.

1 . A golf club head comprising: 
 a body formed of a first material which has a predetermined density, the body having a front face for impacting a golf ball, a back face, a heel end, a toe end, a sole and a top rail;    a cavity extending from the back face into the body, the cavity having a bottom surface and first, second, and third walls, the first wall being adjacent the sole, the second wall being adjacent the top rail, and the third wall being adjacent the toe end;    the first wall cooperating with the second wall to form a first intersection, the first wall cooperating with the third wall to form a second intersection, and the second wall and the third wall cooperating to form a third intersection;    a first weighting element attached to the body adjacent the first intersection, a second weighting element attached to the body adjacent the second intersection, and a third weighting element attached to the body adjacent the third intersection; and    the first, second and third weighting elements each being formed of a second material which has a predetermined density that is different than the predetermined density of the first material.    
   
   
       2 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined density of the second material is greater than the predetermined density of the first material.  
   
   
       3 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined density of the second material is less than the predetermined density of the first material.  
   
   
       4 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second weighting elements have substantially equal volumes and wherein the third weighting element has a volume that is greater than the volumes of each of the first and second weighting elements.  
   
   
       5 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second weighting elements have substantially equal volumes and wherein the third weighting element has a volume that is less than the volumes of each of the first and second weighting elements.  
   
   
       6 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the second and third weighting elements have substantially equal volumes and wherein the first weighting element has a volume that is greater than the volumes of each of the second and third weighting elements.  
   
   
       7 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the second and third weighting elements have substantially equal volumes and wherein the first weighting element has a volume that is less than the volumes of each of the second and third weighting elements.  
   
   
       8 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the cavity has a generally triangular shape.  
   
   
       9 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , wherein the cavity has a generally quadrilateral shape.  
   
   
       10 . The golf club head of  claim 1 , further comprising an interior wall extending through the cavity from the heel end to the toe end.  
   
   
       11 . A golf club head comprising: 
 a body formed of a first material which has a predetermined density, the body having a front face for impacting a golf ball, a back face disposed rearwardly of the front face, a heel end, and a toe end, the club head having a center of gravity;    a perimeter weighting element protruding rearwardly away from the front face defining a cavity in the back face, the perimeter weighting element including a top rail extending between the heel and toe ends along an upper portion of the body, the perimeter weighting element also including a sole extending between the heel and toe ends along a lower portion of the body;    means for shifting the center of gravity of the club head including a first weight attached to the body adjacent an intersection of the sole and the heel end of the body, a second weight attached to the body adjacent an intersection of the sole and toe end of the body, and a third weight attached to the body adjacent an intersection of the top rail and the toe end of the body; and    the first, second and third weights each being formed of a second material which has a predetermined density that is different than the predetermined density of the first material.    
   
   
       12 . The golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein the first and second weights have substantially equal masses and wherein the third weight has a mass that is less than the masses of either of the first and second weights.  
   
   
       13 . The golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein the first and second weights have substantially equal masses and wherein the third weight has a mass that is greater than the masses of either of the first and second weights.  
   
   
       14 . The golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein the second and third weights have substantially equal masses and wherein the first weight has a mass that is less than the masses of either of the second and third weights.  
   
   
       15 . The golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein the second and third weights have substantially equal masses and wherein the first weight has a mass that is greater than the masses of either of the second and third weights.  
   
   
       16 . The golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein the predetermined density of the second material is greater than the predetermined density of the first material.  
   
   
       17 . The golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein the predetermined density of the second material is less than the predetermined density of the first material.  
   
   
       18 . The golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein the cavity has a generally triangular shape.  
   
   
       19 . The golf club head of  claim 11 , wherein the cavity has a generally quadrilateral shape and further comprising a fourth weight attached to the body adjacent an intersection of the top rail and the heel end of the body.  
   
   
       20 . A method for adjusting the center of gravity of a golf club head, comprising: 
 providing a golf club head including a body formed of a first material which has a predetermined density, the body having a front face for impacting a golf ball, a back face, a heel end, a toe end, a sole, and a top rail;    forming a cavity in the back face, the cavity having a bottom surface and at least three walls, wherein a first portion of the first wall and a first portion of the second wall form a first intersection, a second portion of the first wall and a first portion of the third wall form a second intersection, and a second portion of the second wall and a second portion of the third wall form a third intersection; and    shifting the center of gravity of the golf club head by attaching first, second and third weighting elements adjacent the first, second, and third intersections, respectively, wherein the first, second and third weights are each formed of a second material which has a predetermined density that is different than the predetermined density of the first material.