Golf putter head

Abstract

A putter head is provided having enhanced inertia and alignment characteristics. The putter head includes a front body and a weight body. The weight body includes a central weight extending rearwardly from the front body a prescribed distance to a rear weight. The putter head is configured such that the rear weight has a width less than the width of the front body and greater than a width of the central weight. Thus, both the longitudinal and lateral moments of inertia are improved to offer greater forgiveness and increased accuracy during putts. The central weight may include at least one and more preferably two elongated, high-density elements that are visible on a top surface of the sole between the front body and the rear weight. The visibility of the elongated elements, with optional parallel markings on the top surface, also act as alignment aids to the golfer.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates generally to a golf club head and, more particularly, to a putter head.

[0002] Putting is an important aspect of the game of golf. During a typical round of golf, a putter is the club most often used. To putt effectively, a golfer must predict a path of travel from the golf ball's stationary position to the cup. Then, using the putter, the golfer must strike the ball with the appropriate force and alignment to cause the ball to roll along the predicted path.

[0003] Misalignment of the putter with respect to the ball during impact, i.e., off-center hits, is a chief source of error in putting. Upon impact with the ball in an off-center hit, the putter undergoes angular acceleration, both longitudinally (i.e., heel-to-toe) and laterally (i.e., front-to-rear). This causes the ball to deviate from the predicted path. A club head's moment of inertia is the measure of the club's ability to resist angular acceleration. Although attempts have been made to counteract angular acceleration from off-center hits, they have been deficient in some respects. For example, prior approaches have not properly accounted for angular acceleration, both longitudinally and laterally.

[0004] It should, therefore, be appreciated that there exists a need for a putter having enhanced inertia characteristics to improved resistance for improved accuracy for off-center hits. The present invention fulfills this need and others.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] A putter head is provided having enhanced inertia and alignment characteristics. The putter head includes a front body and a weight body. The weight body has a central weight extending rearwardly from the front body a prescribed distance to a rear weight. The putter head is configured such that the rear weight has a width less than the width of the front body and greater than a width of the central weight. Thus, the putter head has relatively high longitudinal and lateral moments of inertia to offer greater forgiveness and increased accuracy during putts, even for off-center hits.

[0006] In a preferred embodiment, the central weight includes at least one and more preferably two elongated, high-density elements, such as, tungsten rods, that are visible on a top surface of the sole between the front body and the rear weight, and the rear weight includes a rear weight member having a high density. The visibility of the elongated elements, with optional parallel marking(s) on the top surface, also act as alignment aids to the golfer.

[0007] In a detailed aspect of a preferred embodiment, the front body includes a face plate that defines at least a portion of the front surface.

[0008] In another detailed aspect of a preferred embodiment, the rear weight has a height greater than the height of the sole and less than the height of the front body.

[0009] For purposes of summarizing the invention and the advantages achieved over the prior art, certain advantages of the invention have been described herein above. Of course, it is to be understood that not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, for example, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.

[0010] All of these embodiments are intended to be within the scope of the invention herein disclosed. These and other embodiments of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments having reference to the attached figures, the invention not being limited to any particular preferred embodiment(s) disclosed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following drawings in which:

[0012] FIG. 1 is a partially exploded view of a putter head in accordance with the invention, depicting a body, a face plate and a weight assembly.

[0013] FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the putter head of FIG. 1.

[0014] FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the putter head of FIG. 1.

[0015] FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the putter head of FIG. 1.

[0016] FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the putter head of FIG. 1.

[0017] FIG. 6 is a rear elevational view of the putter head of FIG. 1.

[0018] FIG. 7 is a top plan view of a second preferred embodiment of a putter head in accordance with the invention.

[0019] FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the putter head of FIG. 7.

[0020] FIG. 9 is a rear elevational view of the putter head of FIG. 7.

[0021] FIG. 10 is a top plan view of a third preferred embodiment of a putter head in accordance with the invention.

[0022] FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of the putter head of FIG. 10.

[0023] FIG. 12 is a rear elevational view of the putter head of FIG. 10.

[0024] FIG. 13 is a top plan view of a fourth preferred embodiment of a putter head in accordance with the invention.

[0025] FIG. 14 is a side elevational view of the putter head of FIG. 13.

[0026] FIG. 15 is a rear elevational view of the putter head of FIG. 13.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0027] With reference now to the illustrative drawings, and particularly FIG. 1, there is shown a putter head 10 includes a front body 14 and a weight body 16 extending rearwardly therefrom. The front body includes a face plate 20, and the weight body includes a weight assembly 22 disposed therein. The weight assembly includes two elongated weight members 24 and a rear weight member 26, and it is generally aligned along a centerline of the putter head, as indicated by a reference numeral 28. The putter head resists twisting on off-center hits, both longitudinally (i.e., heel-to-toe) and laterally (i.e., front-to-rear), resulting in predictable and accurate putts. Also, the elongated weight members are visible from above, to serve as alignment aids to the golfer.

[0028] With reference now to FIG. 2, the front body 14 is elongated and generally perpendicular to the centerline 28 of the putter head 10. In this embodiment, the front body includes the face plate 20 and a forward section 30 of the body, and the weight body includes a central weight 32 and rear weight 34. The rear weight is spaced from the front body by at least 2.5 cm. The front body has a width (Wf) measured from a toe end 36 to a heel end 38 of the putter head, and the rear weight has a width (Wr) less than the width of the front body and greater than a width (Wc) of the central weight. Beneficially, the configuration of the weight body aids in providing the putter head with a high moments of inertia to resist twisting at impact.

[0029] With reference now to FIGS. 3 and 4, the putter head 10 includes a body piece 18 that defines a sole 40 and a cavity for receiving the rear weight 26 located in the rear weight 34. The rear weight is generally aligned along the centerline. The sole pitches upwardly along the rear weight such that the rear weight member is positioned a height (h) from the lowest portion of the sole. In this embodiment, the sole extends between the front body 14 and the rear weight. This sole configuration provides a consistent backdrop for the alignment aids atop the putter head, thereby facilitating proper alignment with the golf ball.

[0030] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the face plate 20 is disposed within a recess defined in the front body 14. The face plate material is preferably an aluminum alloy, but may also be a non-metal such as Pebax® or other material. The body preferably is formed of 303 or 304 stainless steel alloys or 1020 carbon steel. Alternatively, the putter head may be formed of other steel alloys, aluminum alloys or titanium alloys, as well as any combination of metals and non-metals, as desired. Preferably, the body has a density less than 10 g/cc, and the weight assembly 22 has a density greater than 11 g/cc.

[0031] FIGS. 7-9 depict a second preferred embodiment of a putter head 10′ in accordance with the invention. This putter head has a front body 14′ and a weight body 16′, and it has a two-piece configuration, i.e., a body piece 18′ and a face plate 20′. Notably, the sole 40′ does not extend between the front body and a rear weight 34′ of the weight body, and the weight body has a generally consistent density throughout.

[0032] FIGS. 10-12 depict a third preferred embodiment of a putter head 10″ in accordance with the invention. This putter head has a sole 40″ configured to extend between a front body 14″ and a rear weight 34″ of a weight body 16″, and it includes a central weight member 24″ disposed along the centerline. The fourth preferred embodiment, i.e, putter head 10′″ depicted in FIGS. 13-15 varies in that the central weight member 24′″ is disposed within the weight body 16′″.

[0033] It should be appreciated from the foregoing that the present invention provides a putter head having enhanced inertia and alignment characteristics. The putter head includes a front body and a weight body. The weight body has a central weight extending rearwardly from the front body a prescribed distance to a rear weight. The putter head is configured such that the rear weight has a width less than the width of the front body and greater than a width of the central weight. Thus, the putter head has relatively high longitudinal and lateral moments of inertia to offer greater forgiveness and increased accuracy during putts, even for off-center hits.

[0034] Although the invention has been disclosed in detail with reference only to the preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate that additional putter heads can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is defined only by the claims set forth below.

Claims

1. A putter head comprising: a front body defining a front surface and an opposing rear surface, the front body having a width measured from a toe end to a heel end; and a weight body including an elongated central weight projecting rearwardly from a mid-portion of the front body and oriented generally perpendicular to the front surface of the front body, and a rear weight spaced from the front body such that the central weight extends therebetween, the rear weight having a width less than the width of the front body and greater than a width of the central weight; wherein the rear weight is spaced from the front body by at least 2.5 cm.

2. A putter head as defined in claim 1, wherein the front body includes a face plate that defined at least a portion of the front surface.

3. A putter head as defined in claim 1, wherein the weight body includes two tungsten rods extending rearwardly from the front body throughout the length of the weight body, the tungsten rods being visible from above the putter head.

4. A putter head comprising: a front body having a front surface and a rear surface, the front body having a width measured from a toe end to a heel end and a height measured from a bottom to a top of the front surface; and a weight body including an elongated central weight projecting rearwardly from a mid-portion of the front body and oriented generally perpendicular to the front surface of the front body, and a rear weight spaced from the front body such that the central weight extends therebetween, the rear weight having a width less than the width of the front body and greater than a width of the central weight and having a height greater than the height of the sole and less than the height of the front body.

5. A putter head as defined in claim 4, wherein the front body includes a face plate that defined at least a portion of the front surface.

6. A putter head as defined in claim 4, wherein the weight body includes two tungsten rods extending rearwardly from the front body throughout the length of the weight body, the tungsten rods being visible from above the putter head.

7. A putter head comprising: a front body having a front surface and a rear surface, the front body having a width measured from a toe end to a heel end; a sole extending rearwardly from the front surface; and a weight body including an elongated central weight projecting rearwardly from a mid-portion of the front body and oriented generally perpendicular to the front surface of the front body, and a rear weight spaced from the front body such that the central weight extends therebetween, the rear weight having a width less than the width of the front body and greater than a width of the central weight; wherein the central weight includes at least one elongated, high-density element that is visible from above the putter head.

8. A putter head as defined in claim 7, wherein the central weight comprises two tungsten rods that extend through the rear weight.

9. A putter head comprising: a front body having a front surface and a rear surface, the front body having a width measured from a toe end to a heel end; a sole extending rearwardly from the front surface; and a weight body including an elongated central weight projecting rearwardly from a mid-portion of the front body and oriented generally perpendicular to the front surface of the front body, and a a rear weight spaced from the front body such that the central weight extends therebetween, the rear weight having a width less than the width of the front body and greater than a width of the central weight; wherein the central weight includes at least two elongated, high-density elements that are visible between the front body and the rear weight from above the putter head and the rear weight includes a high-density element positioned about a centerline of the putter head.

10. A putter head as defined in claim 9, wherein the at least two high-density elements extend through the rear weight and are visible at a rear end of the putter head.

11. A putter head as defined in claim 9, wherein the putter head is formed of a material having a density less than 10 g/cc and the at least two high-density elements are formed of a material having a density greater than 11 g/cc.

12. A putter head as defined in claim 11, further comprising an alignment mark on a top of the putter head extending from the front body to the rear weight.

13. A putter head as defined in claim 11, wherein the front body includes a face plate that defined at least a portion of the front surface.

14. A putter head as defined in claim 13, wherein the face plate comprises a metal material.