Will This Cobra Driver Design Make it to the Market?

[0124] In another embodiment, shown generally in FIG. 25, two separate movable inserts may be coupled to the body by a rotatable hinge. For example, FIG. 25 shows inserts 375a and 375b attached to the inside of the body of the club 300 by hinges 380a and 380b. The hinge is lockable by the use of a locking mechanism such as a screw or other movement limiting fastener. Inserts 375a and 375b are able to move into the body of the club as desired by the golfer along the axis of hinge 380a and 380b. Dotted lines 390a and 390b indicate the position of the inserts 375a and 375b when fully compressed into the body.

[0121 ]In another embodiment shown in FIGS. 22-24, insert 325 is coupled to a center pin 350. The insert is preferably round and capable of rotation about center pin 350. Center pin 350 may be coupled to track 360 or similar device that allows for mobility in the face to back dimension. The track may have a locking mechanism, such as a set screw, that prevents the center pin from moving.

[0105] FIGS. 18-21 illustrate various adjustable inserts according to the invention. For example, golf club head 300 is comprised of a face 321, a back 320, a heel 345, a crown 336, an adjustable insert 325, an adjustment mechanism 328, a locking mechanism 330, and a sole 338. In particular, FIGS. 18-19 demonstrate a weight insert 325 coupled to golf club head 300. Insert 325 is attached to golf club head 300 by way of adjustment mechanism 328 and locking mechanism 330. In the unlocked position, the insert 325 is capable of movement in the several directions. For example, the insert 325 may be adjusted in a direction from face to back. In the alternative (or in addition to this adjustment), the insert 325 may be adjusted vertically from crown to sole. In the locked position, the insert is incapable of movement.

[0106] Insert 325 may be composed of a single material or a combination of multiple materials. In one embodiment, at least a portion of the insert is composed of a material with a higher specific gravity than the material of the body. For example, the specific gravity of all or a portion of the insert may be about 5 or more, preferably about 7 or more, and more preferably about 9 or more. In comparison to the specific gravity of the body components, the specific gravity of at least a portion of the insert may be greater than the specific gravity of the body by about 4 or more, preferably by about 5 or more, and even more preferably by about 7 or more.

[0107] In one embodiment, the portion of the insert with a higher specific gravity may be less than about 50 percent of the total volume of the insert. In another embodiment, the high specific gravity portion is less than about 40 percent of the total volume of the insert. In still another embodiment, the high specific gravity portion accounts for less than about 20 percent of the total volume of the insert. In the alternative, the insert in its entirety may have a specific gravity that exceeds that of the specific gravity of the body.

[0108] In one embodiment, the portion of the insert with a higher specific gravity than the body is aligned with the horizontal center of the club face when the club is at an address position. In another embodiment, the high specific gravity portion may be biased toward either the toe or the heel of the club head. Biasing the high specific gravity portion toward either the heel or the toe allows for a golfer with a hook or slice swing to obtain a center of gravity of the club head that will accommodate the golfer’s swing.

Interesting. I think I like it, but I bet it will be hard to implement into a commercial product.