Patent Application
20140066225
1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a golf putter head, more specifically to a putter head made entirely of pottery clay with a glazed exterior surface and an unglazed striking face.
2. Prior Art
The most important features of a golf putter are its appearance, feel, and function. The aesthetic appearance of a golf club putter is one of the most important features in the consumer's acceptance of a golf club. Many conventional golf putters are polished or painted to provide a reflective surface. In normal use these surfaces tend to wear or patina over a period of time. The present invention is superior in that the surface is permanent and remains aesthetically pleasing.
The prior art known to the applicant comprises the following U.S. Patents which relate to the present invention. These include U.S. Pat. No. 2,908,502 to Bradstreet who uses ceramic composites to coat the surface of a metal golf club. U.S. Pat. No. 3,975,023 to Inamori, U.S. Pat. No. 4,181,306 to Jepson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,037,102 to Fukayma, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,328,661 to Helmstetter are directed to golf club heads that have a ceramic composite or polyurethane face insert. U.S. Pat. No. 4,630,826 to Nishigaki is directed to a golf club head with a plurality of ceramic plates and layers of glass fibers or carbon fibers laminated alternately, allowing for a change of hardness and roughness of the ball-striking surface. U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,616 to Fernandez is directed to the use of a foam core surrounded by a rigid shell including resin impregnated fibers and ceramic particles dispersed in the resin. U.S. Pat. No. 5,340,107 to Baker is directed to a dry pressed silicon nitride composite monolithic ceramic putter whose main focus is on the weighting system and the method of manufacturing using bi-axial symmetric pressure to form the unique shape of the golf club. The finishing is completed with sandblasting and diamond lapping to polish the surface.
The present invention is for a golf putter head made entirely of pottery clay, usually stoneware or porcelain with an aesthetically pleasing glazed exterior and an unglazed striking face. The body of the putter head is formed using traditional pottery forming techniques. After firing the vitrified clay putter head has the weight and density to function as a standard golf putter head with a “soft feel” when striking a golf ball.
A golf club putter head according to this invention is formed entirely of pottery clay, usually stoneware or porcelain, with a glazed exterior and an unglazed striking face.
The glazed vitrified putter head according to this invention is aesthetically pleasing.
The glazed vitrified putter head according to this invention is functional.
The putter head according to this invention has a “soft feel” when putting a golf ball.
The putter head according to this invention can be formed by traditional pottery forming techniques using pottery clay in an uncommon way.
The principal object of the present invention is to provide a unique functional golf putter head 1 that is aesthetically pleasing.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a golf putter head 1 that has a permanent exterior surface.
It is still an additional object of the present invention to use pottery clay and traditional pottery forming techniques to create a golf putter head 1 that capitalizes on the inherent properties of vitrified clay for an unusual, but very functional application.
A golf putter head 1 made entirely of pottery clay, typically stoneware or porcelain, with a glazed body 2 and an unglazed striking face 3. The present invention is preferably fabricated by forming the basic disc shape of the putter head 1 on the potter's wheel. Cutting a portion of the wet clay disc to make a traditionally shaped “mallet” putter head 1 forms the striking face 3. After drying, the clay putter head 1 is glazed and then fired to a temperature that vitrifies the clay and allows the exterior glaze to melt. A hole 4 is then drilled in the top of the finished putter head 1 for the putter shaft 5 to be glued into place. The invention may also be fabricated using a ram press molding technique.
The present invention capitalizes of the inherent nature of vitrified clay. Vitrified clay is strongest in compression. Just observe an all brick building. With a mallet putter head 1 shape the full depth of the putter head 1 supports the portion of the striking face 3 where the golf ball is generally hit. The weight and strength of the vitrified clay makes it functional as a putter head 1.
Many of the newer metal putters have an insert of composite ceramic material embedded in the striking face 3 to create a “soft feel” when striking the golf ball. The density of vitrified pottery clay is a similar to these composite materials. With a density less than most metals, but greater that a golf ball, the all clay putter head 1 has a “soft feel”.
Forming clay on a potter's wheel is nothing new. However forming solid discs of clay to make a putter head 1 is. The centering of the clay aligns the clay particles in a concentric pattern that adds to the strength of the thrown object. When the clay disc is cut to form the striking face 3 of the putter head 1, the ends of the concentric clay particles are exposed, adding to the strength of the structure.
