Patent Grant
8961334
This application builds on information contained in the following U.S. patents and patent applications: (a) U.S. Pat. No. 7,717,801 issued May 18, 2010 in the names of David N. Franklin and John Thomas Stites and entitled “Putter Heads and Putters Including Polymeric Material as Part of the Ball Striking Face,” (b) U.S. Pat. No. 7,806,779 issued Oct. 5, 2010 in the names of David N. Franklin and John Thomas Stites and entitled “Putter Heads and Putters Including Polymeric Material as Part of the Ball Striking Face,” (c) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/612,236 filed Nov. 4, 2009 in the names of Jeremy N. Synder, David N. Franklin, John T. Stites, and Donald S. Rahrig entitled “Putter Heads and Putters Including Polymeric Material as Part of the Ball Striking Face;” and (d) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/755,330 filed Apr. 6, 2010 in the names of Jeremy N. Synder, John T. Stites, David N. Franklin, and Donald S. Rahrig entitled “Putter Heads and Putters Including Polymeric Material as Part of the Ball Striking Face.” This earlier patent and these earlier patent applications are entirely incorporated herein by reference.
The invention relates generally to putter heads and putters, as well as to methods of making and using these putting devices. Putter heads and putters in accordance with at least some examples of this invention may be constructed to include polymeric and/or damping materials on the putter body and a relatively soft polymeric material as at least a portion of the ball striking surface. Furthermore, the putters and putter heads may include various customization features.
Golf is enjoyed by a wide variety of players—players of different genders and players of dramatically different ages and skill levels. Golf is somewhat unique in the sporting world in that such diverse collections of players can play together in golf events, even in direct competition with one another (e.g., using handicapped scoring, different tee boxes, in team formats, etc.), and still enjoy the golf outing or competition. These factors, together with increased availability of golf programming on television (e.g., golf tournaments, golf news, golf history, and/or other golf programming) and the rise of well known golf superstars, at least in part, have increased golf's popularity in recent years both in the United States and across the world.
Golfers at all skill levels seek to improve their performance, lower their golf scores, and reach that next performance “level.” Manufacturers of all types of golf equipment have responded to these demands, and recently, the industry has witnessed dramatic changes and improvements in golf equipment. For example, a wide range of different golf ball models now are available, with some balls designed to complement specific swing speeds and/or other player characteristics or preferences, e.g., with some balls designed to fly farther and/or straighter, some designed to provide higher or flatter trajectories, some designed to provide more spin, control, and/or feel (particularly around the greens), etc. A host of swing aids and/or teaching aids also are available on the market that promise to help lower one's golf scores.
Being the sole instruments that set golf balls in motion during play, golf clubs also have been the subject of much technological research and advancement in recent years. For example, the market has seen improvements in putter designs, golf club head designs, shafts, and grips in recent years. Additionally, other technological advancements have been made in an effort to better match the various elements and/or characteristics of the golf club and/or characteristics of a golf ball to a particular user's swing features or characteristics (e.g., club fitting technology, ball launch angle measurement technology, ball spin rate characteristics, etc.).
Golfers tend to be sensitive to the “feel” of a golf club, particularly with respect to putters. The “feel” of a golf club comprises the combination of various component parts of the club and various features associated with the club that produce the sensory sensations experienced by the player when a ball is swung at and/or struck. Club “feel” is a very personal characteristic in that a club that “feels” good to one user may have totally undesirable “feel” characteristics for another. Club weight, weight distribution, aerodynamics, swing speed, balancing, and the like all may affect the “feel” of the club as it swings and strikes a ball. “Feel” also has been found to be related to the visual appearance of the club and the sound produced when the club head strikes a ball to send the ball in motion.
To successfully putt a ball in the hole, the ball must be launched at the proper combination of speed and direction to arrive at the intended destination. While some errors in putt speed and direction may be the result of mental or physical mistakes by the player (e.g., mis-hits, mis-alignment, etc.), the putter also can contribute to inconsistencies in ball launch speed and launch direction that result in missed putts. For example, if the putter head twists in the player's hands before or during ball contact, this may cause the ball to start out “off-line,” with some undesired spin, and/or at the wrong speed. As another example, if the ball is launched with backspin or bounces excessively during the early phase of its locomotion, this can cause inconsistencies in ball speed. All of these things may result in missed putts and inconsistent putting.
While technological improvements to putter designs have been made, because of the very personal nature of the putting stroke and the “feel” aspects of putting a golf ball, no single putter structure is best suited for all players. New putter structures that change the look and feel of the club and/or allow customization to individual swings or tastes are welcomed by at least some players. Moreover, technological advances that provide improved and more consistent ball initial launch direction and launch speed would be a welcome advance in the art.
The following presents a general summary of aspects of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of this invention. This summary is not intended as an extensive overview of the invention. It is not intended to identify key or critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of the invention. The following summary merely presents some concepts of the invention in a general form as a prelude to the more detailed description provided below.
Aspects of this invention relate to putters and putter heads that include one or more of the following: (a) a ball striking face body member (made from one or more parts) including a ball striking face having a central portion for contacting a ball during a putting stroke, wherein the central portion includes a plurality of openings defined therein; (b) a polymeric material having a majority thereof located behind an exterior surface of the ball striking face, wherein a portion of the polymeric material is exposed at the exterior surface of the ball striking face through the plurality of openings; (c) a rear body member (made from one or more parts) removably engaged with the ball striking face body member; and (d) for putters, a shaft engaged with at least one of the ball striking face body member and the rear body member.
Additional aspects of this invention relate to putting devices (such as putters or putter heads) that include: (a) a ball striking face body member including a ball striking face having a central recess defined therein; (b) an insert engaged within the central recess of the ball striking face body member, the insert including a polymeric base material, wherein a plurality of depressions are defined in an exposed surface of the polymeric base material, wherein at least some of the plurality of depressions include an edge element mounted therein to thereby provide a ball striking surface of the putter head with grooves defined therein between edges of the depressions and adjacent edges of the edge elements mounted within the depressions; (c) a rear body member removably engaged with the ball striking face body member; and (optionally) (d) a shaft engaged with at least one of the ball striking face body member and the rear body member.
Still additional aspects of this invention relate to putters and putter heads that include: (a) a ball striking face body member including a ball striking face portion extending in a heel-to-toe direction, the ball striking face portion including a ball striking face, a toe side, and a heel side, the ball striking face body member further including an arm extending rearward at the heel side of the ball striking face portion at an obtuse angle (e.g., from 100° to 170°) with respect to the ball striking face; and (b) a rear body member engaged with the ball striking face body member.
In accordance with yet additional aspects of this invention, a putter head may include a putter head body having a ball striking face portion and a rear body portion (as one or more parts), wherein the putter head body has an overall breadth dimension B in a front-to-rear direction and a depth of a center of gravity in the front-to-rear direction DCG, wherein a ratio of DCG/B is at least 0.425, and in some examples, at least 0.45, at least 0.48, at least 0.5, at least 0.51, and even at least 0.52. In some examples of this aspect of the invention, the putter heads will have an overall front-to-rear dimension B of at least 2 inches, and in some examples at least 2.25 inches, or even at least 2.5 inches. Such putter head structures also may define an enclosed open area (e.g., defined between a rear of the ball striking face portion and the rear body portion).
Additional aspects of this invention relating to putting systems or kits that may include various interchangeable parts. As one example, such a putting system may include: (a) one or more ball striking face body members of the types described above; (b) a first rear body member removably engagable with the ball striking face body member(s); (c) a second rear body member removable engagable with the ball striking face body member(s), wherein the first rear body member differs from the second rear body member in at least one manner selected from the group consisting of weight, weight distribution, material, color, balance, texture, graphics, and shape; and (d) (optionally) a shaft engagable with at least one of the ball striking face body member(s) and the rear body members.
Still additional aspects of this invention relate to methods of making putting devices, e.g., of the various types described above, as well as to methods of interchanging the parts in such putting devices (e.g., to change one or more characteristics of the putting device, such as the characteristics identified above).
A more complete understanding of the present invention and certain advantages thereof may be acquired by referring to the following detailed description in consideration with the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference numbers indicate the same or similar features, and wherein:
In the following description of various example putter heads and other aspects of this invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration various example structures, systems, and steps in which aspects of the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other specific arrangements of parts, structures, example devices, systems, and steps may be utilized and structural and functional modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Also, while the terms “top,” “bottom,” “front,” “back,” “side,” “rear,” and the like may be used in this specification to describe various example features and elements of the invention, these terms are used herein as a matter of convenience, e.g., based on the example orientations shown in the figures and/or the orientations during typical use. Nothing in this specification should be construed as requiring a specific three dimensional orientation of structures in order to fall within the scope of this invention.
At least some example aspects of this invention relate to putters and putter heads, as well as to methods of making and using such structures. A general description of various aspects of the invention and a more detailed description of specific examples of the invention follows.
In general, some aspects of this invention relate to putters and putter heads. Such putters and putter heads, according to at least some examples of the invention, may include one or more of the following: (a) a ball striking face body member (made from one or more parts) including a ball striking face having a central portion for contacting a ball during a putting stroke, wherein the central portion includes a plurality of openings defined therein; (b) a polymeric material having a majority thereof located behind an exterior surface of the ball striking face, wherein a portion of the polymeric material is exposed at the exterior surface of the ball striking face through the plurality of openings; (c) a rear body member (made from one or more parts) removably engaged with the ball striking face body member; and (d) for putters, a shaft engaged with at least one of the ball striking face body member and the rear body member.
In some example structures in accordance with this invention, the central portion of the ball striking face will constitute an insert element that is engaged within an opening or recess provided in a surface of the ball striking face body member. This insert element may include a first, outer, harder layer (e.g., made of a metal material, a polymer material, a ceramic material, etc.) and a second, inner, softer layer that constitutes the polymeric material.
The exterior ball striking face of putter structures in accordance with at least some examples of this invention may include grooves. For example, the exterior surface at the central portion of the ball striking face between a top and a bottom of the putter head may include the polymeric material and a metal material, and wherein a top-to-bottom cross section of the exterior surface at the central portion of the ball striking face may have a structure that includes alternating polymeric material and metal material and a plurality of grooves (e.g., three or more grooves, optionally extending at least partially in parallel with one another). The grooves may be provided such that, in the cross section, a first edge of the groove is defined by metal material and a second edge of the groove opposite the first edge is defined by polymeric material exposed in the openings in the ball striking face.
The putter body also may have a variety of different structures and configurations. As one example, if desired, the ball striking face body member may include an arm extending rearward at a first side of the ball striking face. The rear body member may be engaged with the ball striking face body member in any desired manner, e.g., via a first fastener that extends through the ball striking face and via a second fastener that extends through the arm. The arm, when present as part of a ball striking face body member, may extend at an obtuse angle (e.g., within a range of 100° to 170°, and in some examples, within a range of 110° to 160°, or even within a range of 120° to 150°) with respect to the exterior front surface of the ball striking face and/or a rear side of the ball striking face.
The rear body member may take on a variety of sizes, shapes, weights, weight distributions, colors, color combinations, textures, or other properties without departing from this invention. In one example structure, the rear body member includes a first arm extending rearward at a second side of the ball striking face and a second arm extending from the arm of the ball striking face body member in a toe direction. If desired, an enclosed open space may be defined between the rear body member and the ball striking face body member. Also, if desired, the rear body member may be non-symmetric, and, when it is engaged with the ball striking face body member, the rear body member may be non-symmetric with respect to a front-to-rear center line of the putter head.
Other aspects of this invention relate to putter heads having: (a) a ball striking face body member including a ball striking face portion extending in a heel-to-toe direction, the ball striking face portion including a ball striking face, a toe side, and a heel side, the ball striking face body member further including an arm extending rearward at the heel side of the ball striking face portion at an obtuse angle (e.g., from 100° to 170°) with respect to the ball striking face; and (b) a rear body member engaged with the ball striking face body member. If desired, the rear body member may be removably engaged with the ball striking face body member, e.g., via a first fastener that extends through the ball striking face and via a second fastener that extends through the arm. In some example structures in accordance with this invention, the rear body member may be non-symmetric with respect to a central front-to-rear direction thereof and may include a first arm extending generally rearward at the toe side of the ball striking face portion and a second arm extending from the arm of the ball striking face body member generally in the heel-to-toe direction. Additionally, if desired, an enclosed open space may be defined between the rear body member and the ball striking face body member.
The rear body member may have a variety of different structures and constructions without departing from this invention. As some more specific examples, the rear body member may include a central body portion and an outer cover material that covers at least a majority of the central body portion. This outer cover material may include a rubber or other polymeric material doped with a weighting material having a higher density than the rubber or polymer material (e.g., doped with lead, tungsten, materials containing lead and/or tungsten, powders containing tungsten or lead, etc.). A first fastener may engage a first end of the central body portion (e.g., at the toe end of the ball striking face member) and a second fastener may engage a second end of the central body portion (e.g., at the arm portion of the ball striking face member).
Still other aspects of this invention relate to putter heads that have a putter head body including a ball striking face portion and a rear body portion (formed from one or more parts), wherein the putter head body has an overall breadth dimension B in a front-to-rear direction and a depth of a center of gravity in the front-to-rear direction DCG, wherein a ratio of DCG/B is at least 0.425, and in some examples, at least 0.45, at least 0.48, at least 0.5, at least 0.51, and even at least 0.52. In some examples of this aspect of the invention, the putter heads will have an overall front-to-rear dimension of at least 2 inches, and in some examples at least 2.25 inches, or even at least 2.5 inches. Such putter head structures also may define an enclosed open area (e.g., defined between a rear of the ball striking face portion and the rear body portion). The ball striking face portion and the rear body portion also may be formed as independent parts, e.g., having the various characteristics described above.
Additional aspects of this invention relate to putting systems or kits that may include various interchangeable parts (to make any of the various putter head constructions described above). As one example, such a putting system may include: (a) one or more ball striking face body members each including a ball striking face having a central portion for contacting a ball during a putting stroke, wherein the central portion includes a plurality of openings defined therein; (b) a polymeric material having a majority thereof located behind an exterior surface of the ball striking face, wherein a portion of the polymeric material is exposed at the exterior surface of the ball striking face through the plurality of openings; (c) a first rear body member removably engagable with the ball striking face body member; (d) a second rear body member removable engagable with the ball striking face body member, wherein the first rear body member differs from the second rear body member in at least one manner selected from the group consisting of: weight, weight distribution, material, color, texture, balance, graphics, and shape; and (e) a shaft engagable with at least one of the ball striking face members and the rear body members. The various parts of the putting system may have any of the more specific characteristics or features described above.
Additional aspects of this invention relate to putting devices (such as putters or putter heads) that include: (a) a ball striking face body member including a ball striking face having a central recess defined therein; (b) an insert engaged within the central recess of the ball striking face body member, the insert including a polymeric base material, wherein a plurality of depressions are defined in an exposed surface of the polymeric base material, wherein at least some of the plurality of depressions include an edge element mounted therein to thereby provide a ball striking surface of the putter head with grooves defined therein between edges of the depressions and adjacent edges of the edge elements mounted within the depressions; (c) a rear body member removably engaged with the ball striking face body member; and (optionally) (d) a shaft engaged with at least one of the ball striking face body member and the rear body member. These putting devices may have any of the other characteristics or features described above, including, for example, any of the above noted features of the ball striking face body member, the rear body member, and rear body member interchangeability.
Still additional aspects of this invention relate to methods of making putting devices, e.g., of the various types described above. Such methods may include: (a) providing a ball striking face body member including a ball striking face having a central portion for contacting a ball during a putting stroke, wherein the central portion includes a plurality of openings defined therein; (b) providing a polymeric material behind at least the central portion of the ball striking face, wherein a portion of the polymeric material is exposed at an exterior surface of the ball striking face through the plurality of openings; and (c) removably engaging a rear body member with the ball striking face body member. Other example methods according to aspects of this invention may include: (a) providing a ball striking face body member including a ball striking face having a central recess defined therein; (b) engaging an insert within the central recess of the ball striking face body member, the insert including a polymeric base material, wherein a plurality of depressions are defined in an exposed surface of the polymeric base material, wherein at least some of the plurality of depressions include an edge element mounted therein to thereby provide a ball striking surface of the putter head with grooves defined therein between edges of the depressions and adjacent edges of the edge elements mounted within the depressions; and (c) removably engaging a rear body member with the ball striking face body member.
Finally, still additional aspects of this invention relate to methods of changing one or more characteristics of a putting device (e.g., of the types described above) that include: (a) disengaging a first rear body member from the ball striking face body member; and (b) engaging a second rear body member with the ball striking face body member, wherein the first rear body member differs from the second rear body member in at least one manner selected from the group consisting of: weight, weight distribution, material, color, texture, balance, graphics, and shape. Such aspects of the invention allow users to customize the putter head to best match their putting strokes, to better suit their eye, to conform to their preferences, etc.
Specific examples of the invention are described in more detail below. The reader should understand that these specific examples are set forth merely to illustrate examples of the invention, and they should not be construed as limiting the invention.
The various figures in this application illustrate examples of putters, components thereof, and methods in accordance with examples of this invention. When the same reference number appears in more than one drawing, that reference number is used consistently in this specification and the drawings to refer to the same or similar parts throughout.
In the illustrated structure, the shaft member 110 engages the putter head 102 at the heel of the ball striking face body member 112, but other arrangements are possible, such as center shafting etc. Also, while the illustrated example shows the shaft member 110 extending into an opening or hole 110a formed in the top surface 106 of the ball striking face body member 112, any desired type of engagement of the shaft 110 with the ball striking face body member 112 and/or the rear body member 114 may be possible without departing from this invention, including engagement via an external hosel member engaged or integrally formed with one or more parts of the putter head 102 structure. Putter heads in accordance with this invention also may be face balanced or otherwise balanced.
As illustrated in
One potential advantage of providing a polymeric material (e.g., material 104b) within a putter head relates to the potential for weight savings. By removing some of the metal material from the putter head body (e.g., ball striking face body member 112), this material may be replaced by a lighter weight or less dense polymeric material. This weight savings allows the club designer to place additional weight at other areas of the putter head structure, such as toward the rear corners of the putter head structure. Such features may allow the club designer to control and design a club head having a higher moment of inertia (resistance to twisting) and desired center of gravity location characteristics. Additionally, by including this relatively soft polymeric material 104b as part of the ball striking face 104 (such that the polymeric material 104b also directly contacts the ball during a putt) and in the putter head 102, the ball strike characteristics of the putter head 102 may be altered and controlled, which affects the sound, rebound, and other “feel” characteristics of the putter head (e.g., by damping vibrations and altering the sound of a ball strike). The polymeric material 104b and/or the junction between the polymeric material 104b and the material of the ball striking face member 104a also may influence ball spin and/or launch as the ball comes off the putter face. These features will be described in more detail below.
The example putter head structure 102 of
Other features of this example putter head structure 102 enable easy customization and fitting of the putter to the user's personal tastes and putting stroke. As shown in
The ball striking face body member 112 of this example structure includes two openings defined therethrough to enable attachment of the rear body member 114 to the ball striking face body member 112. One opening 120a is provided at the toe of the ball striking face 104, and the other opening 120b is provided at a free end of the arm 116. Fasteners 122a and 122b extend through the openings 120a and 120b, respectively, and engage interior structures 124a and 124b, respectively, provided at the ends (114a and 114b) of the rear body member 114 to thereby engage the rear body member 114 to the ball striking face body member 112. While any desired types of fasteners and engagement structures may be used without departing from this invention, in this illustrated example, fasteners 122a and 122b included threaded ends that engage threaded openings provided in the ends of the rear body member 114.
Turnbuckles, spring loaded fasteners, or other fastening mechanisms also may be used for these connections without departing from this invention (and the fastener system at the ball striking face 104 toe end need not have the same construction as the fastener system at the arm 116 location).
The rear body member 114 of this example structure includes a first arm portion 132 extending rearward at the toe of the ball striking face 104 and a second arm portion 134 extending from the arm 116 of the ball striking face body member 112. The first arm portion 132 extends generally rearward and somewhat toward the putter head's heel direction, and the second arm portion 134 extends generally toward the putter head's toe direction and somewhat toward the rear of the club head 102. While the rear body member 114 may have any desired shape, in this example, the two arms 132 and 134 are somewhat curved and meet at an elbow area 136. The elbow area 136 may be curved or angular (or otherwise shaped) without departing from this invention.
The rear body member 114 (and any individual part thereof, such as internal structures 124a, 124b, and/or cover material 126) may be weighted in any desired manner to thereby provide different overall weights, weight distributions, balance characteristics, etc. Additionally or alternatively, if desired, additional separate weight members may be incorporated into the rear body member 114 structure. These additional weights may be separately engaged with the rear body member 114 (and optionally releasably engaged, to thereby allow interchange of weights on the rear body member 114), engaged with or formed as part of the interior structure of the rear body member 114 (e.g., on interior structures 124a and/or 124b), engaged with one or more weight ports provided on the rear body member 114 (e.g., provided in cover material 126), etc. These removable weight features also may allow for at least some customization and fitting of the putter to a specific user's tastes and/or putting stroke characteristics.
If desired, the outer cover material 126 may be removable from its internal structure (e.g., fastener element structures 124a and 124b) to allow one cover material 126 to be interchanged for another (e.g., to provide different weights, different weight distributions, weight balancing, colors, graphics, shapes, materials, textures, etc.) without completely detaching the rear body member 114 from the ball striking face body member 112. This may be accomplished, for example, if the outer cover material 126 is a flexible material (such as rubber, foam, textile, etc.) that can be peeled off and fit around the internal structures 124a and/or 124b. This feature may allow interchange of rear body members by replacing just a portion of the overall rear body member.
As shown in
Additional features of this example putter head 102 are illustrated in
The new rear body member 200 can change the characteristics of the putter head 220 in any desired manner without departing from this invention. While the changes may be purely aesthetic (e.g. color changes, shape changes, graphics changes or additions, personalized information inclusion, texture changes, etc.), the changes also may affect performance or feel characteristics of the putter head, such as weight, weight distribution, materials, center of gravity location, moment of inertia characteristics, balance characteristics, etc. Optionally, if desired, the fasteners 122a and/or 122b also may be changed, and this action also may provide different characteristics to the putter head (e.g., different weighting, weight distribution, etc.).
As another option, if desired, rather than swapping out the entire rear body member 114 for another (e.g., rear body member 200), only a portion of the rear body member 114 needs to be changed. For example, if desired, one outer member 126 may be swapped for another, optionally while a portion of the rear body member 114 remains attached to the ball striking face body member 112. This can be accomplished, for example, if the outer member 126 is releasably engaged with its internal mount structures 124a and 124b.
The openings 128 expose the polymeric material 104b and allow it to extend to an exterior surface of the ball striking face 104 (i.e., positioned to contact the ball during a putt). A variety of different face constructions are possible without departing from this invention, and several examples are described in more detail below (in this illustrated example, the polymeric material 104b is a separate layer of the insert 300 provided behind the ball striking face member 104a).
As shown in
The thicknesses T1 and T2 of the ball striking face member 104a and the polymeric material 104b, respectively, also may vary without departing from this invention. As more specific examples, these thicknesses T1 and T2 may be the same or different and may range, for example, from 0.1 to 2 inches, and in some examples, from about 0.25 to 1 inch.
As further illustrated in
A flat and/or smooth exterior surface of the ball striking face 104 is not a requirement. To the contrary, as illustrated in
Providing grooves or scorelines (e.g., like grooves 210) can affect the manner in which the ball leaves the putter ball striking face 104 during the course of a putt. For example, the grooves 210 can affect launch angle and/or ball spin as the ball leaves the putter ball striking face 104 during a putt. As one more specific example, in at least some instances, the grooves 210 and the polymeric material 104b will grip the ball somewhat and produce top spin on the ball when putted (particularly if the ball is struck with somewhat of an ascending blow), which tends to get the ball rolling earlier and truer (e.g., and may eliminate some early bouncing during a putt).
The grooves 210 may have any desired height without departing from this invention. For example, if desired, the grooves 210 may extend up to 10% of the height of the portion 104a and/or 104b into which it is provided, and in some examples, up to 25% or even up to 50% or 75% of this height. The grooves 210 may extend into the portions 104a and/or 104b (in the front-to-rear or depth direction), for example, a distance of about 0.25 to 2 times the groove's height, and in some examples, from 0.5 to 1.5 times the groove's height. The grooves 210 also may have any desired cross sectional shape in the top-to-bottom and front-to-rear directions, such as U-shaped, V-shaped, C-shaped, etc. The various grooves 210 on a putter ball striking surface 104 may have the same or different sizes and/or shapes, and every junction and/or every portion 104a and/or 104b on a given putter structure need not include an associated groove 210.
The grooves 210 may have other constructions or arrangements without departing from this invention. For example, as illustrated in
While
Notably, by making the grooves 210 V-shaped, the angle between the front ball striking face and the groove side wall is not as sharp (e.g., less than 90°, and optionally between 30° and 80°, and in some examples, between 45° and 65°). This less sharp angle may grip the ball somewhat less aggressively (as compared to the 90° box shaped grooves 210), to allow fine tuning of the ball's typical launch angle and/or rolling characteristics (e.g., to suit an individual player's preferences, typical course conditions, etc.). While V-shaped and box-shaped grooves 210 are illustrated in these figures, other groove cross sectional shapes also may be utilized, such as C-shaped, non-symmetric shapes (e.g., with the top entry angle into the groove different from the bottom entry angle into the groove), etc. Also, if desired, a single ball striking face may have grooves 210 of different cross sectional shapes (e.g., with some grooves box-shaped, some V-shaped, etc.).
V-shaped grooves 210 as shown in
In the various structures shown in
The openings 128 on the ball striking face 104 through which the polymeric material 104b is exposed also may have a wide variety of configurations without departing from this invention.
In addition, if desired, one or more individual slanted segments 306 may be provided independent of horizontal segments, e.g., at the upper edges of the overall polymeric segment design (running parallel to or substantially parallel to slanted segments 304 associated with a horizontal segment 302). As other alternatives, if desired, the slanted segments 304 and/or 306 may be parallel or non-parallel, may extend upward or downward, may differ in number from those illustrated, may be discontinuous (spaced apart somewhat) from their associated horizontal segment 302 (if any), may all extend downward to a common base line of the putter structure (e.g., to a common horizontal line), may all extend downward to different horizontal locations, etc. In this illustrated structure (as well as the other opening/exposed polymeric material structures described above), grooves may be included in the polymeric material, in the material between the polymeric material, or both, e.g., as described above in conjunction with
The presence of contiguous segments is not a requirement. As other examples, the ball striking surface 104 may include multiple sets of separated openings filled with polymeric material. These sets of openings may align with one another or may be offset from one another as one moves across the ball striking surface 104. The sets of openings may extend to a common cavity in the body member, to different cavities, or to no common cavity at all, if desired. Also, if desired, the openings 128 and the exposed polymeric material 104b included therein may be oriented at different angles from one another and/or they need not be parallel to one another.
The openings (and thus the exposed polymeric material on the ball striking surface) are not limited to narrow, elongated slots. Rather, if desired, all or some portion of the openings may be of a different shape, e.g., shaped and arranged to produce a stylized design, pattern, alphanumeric information, or other information on the ball striking surface, such as a logo, manufacturer name, brand name, or trademark information, etc. This feature also may be used to customize the putter head, e.g., to include a personal name or initials (such as the putter owner's name or initials), a team name, or any other desired information, or to provide an end user (such as the club purchaser or other person) with the ability to design his or her own putter face.
The overall pattern of exposed polymeric material 104b at the putter ball striking surface 104 (and thus the size of the openings 128) may extend and span any desired amount across the ball striking face 104 in the heel-to-toe direction, such as from 25-100% of the face's heel-to-toe direction, from 30-90% of the face's heel-to-toe direction, or even from 40-80% of the face's heel-to-toe direction. In some example structures in accordance with this invention, the overall pattern of exposed polymeric material 104b at the ball striking face 104 may extend across at least the central 25% of the face 104 in the heel-to-toe direction, and in some examples, the polymeric material 104b will extend across at least the central 40% of the ball striking face 104 or across at least the central 50% of the surface 104 in the heel-to-toe direction.
In at least some examples, the insert 300 may include a front plate portion 408, into which openings 128 of any desired sizes, configurations, shapes, etc. may be machined or otherwise formed. In some examples, the front plate 408 may be between 1 mm and 4 mm thick and, in some examples, may be approximately 2 or 3 mm thick. As mentioned, the plate 408 may include openings 128 formed therein. The openings 128 may, in some arrangements, extend completely through the plate 408 (i.e., forming one or more through holes in the plate 408), or at least some of the openings 128 may extend partially through the plate 408. Additionally or alternatively, the openings 128 may have a constant depth, width, height, etc. across the plate 408. However, in some examples, the depth, width, height, etc. of one or more openings 128 may vary along the length of the opening 128, along the plate 408, and the like. Additionally or alternatively, the openings 128, or at least some portion thereof, may be arranged generally horizontally across the central portion of the ball striking face 104 of the putter head 402 when the club is in a ball address position. In other arrangements, the openings 128 may extend in a non-horizontal linear, circular, semi-circular, or other curved pattern on the face.
The plate 408 may be formed of any suitable material, including metals such as aluminum, steel (e.g., stainless steel), titanium, nickel, beryllium, copper, combinations or alloys including these metals; polymers; and the like. Once the openings 128 are formed in the plate 408, the plate 408 may be pressed together (optionally “co-molded”) with a moldable, polymer material backing 414, such as thermoplastic polyurethane or thermoset materials. In some examples, the polymer material 414 in the final putter structure (once cured) may have a hardness range between 25 and 85 Shore D. In some more specific examples, the polymer material backing 414 may have a hardness range between 35 and 45 Shore D, 50 and 60 Shore D or 60 and 70 Shore D. Forcing the polymer material 414 together with the front plate 408 (for example, as indicated by arrows 416) may be used to form the insert 300 (as shown in
In some examples, during the pressing or co-molding process, the front surface of the plate 408 (which will correspond to a portion of the ball striking face 104 of the putter head 402) may be held against a mold surface so that grooves (e.g., grooves 210) may be formed in the polymer material (e.g., as described above in conjunction with
As noted above, the ball striking face body member 112 may include a recess 130 formed in the front face 112a thereof, and this recess 130 may be formed in any desired manner. For instance, the recess 130 may be milled or otherwise machined into the front face 112a during manufacture, or the front face 112a may simply be formed into the desired shape, e.g., formed during a molding, casting, forging, or other fabrication operation to include the recess 130. The insert 300 may be shaped to correspond to the shape of the recess 130 and may be configured to be received in the recess 130 (e.g., as shown by arrow 420). The insert 300 may be engaged with or connected to the recess 130 and/or the ball striking face body member 112 in any desired manner, such as via adhesives and cements (e.g., double sided adhesive tape); via fusing techniques (e.g., welding, soldering, brazing, etc.); via mechanical fasteners or connectors (including releasable mechanical connectors); and the like. If desired, the insert 300 may rest on or press against a ledge or other structure defined in the recess 130 (e.g., along the side, top, and/or bottom edges of the recess 130).
In some examples, the insert 300 may be removable to allow for replacement, customization, and/or personalization of the insert 300 and/or putter head 402. For instance, the insert 300 may be releasably connected to the ball striking face body member 112 using mechanical connectors to secure the insert 300 in the recess 130 (e.g., screws, bolts or other connectors may extend from a rear side of the putter head toward a front region of the putter head to engage threaded regions provided on the insert 300, it may be engaged from the bottom surface of the putter head upward, it may be engaged from the top surface of the putter head downward, etc.). Personalization and customization features may include various characteristics such as polymer and/or metal color (e.g., team colors, color associated with a cause or promotion, player preference, etc.); polymer and/or metal hardness (e.g., harder or softer for different play conditions or swing types); graphics on the polymer and/or metal (e.g., logos, etc.); alphanumeric or textual information; etc.
In some arrangements, the metal plate 408 may be replaced by a plate formed of a polymer of a different hardness from the backing material polymer 414, thereby forming an insert 300 of all polymer. For instance, the metal plate 408 may be replaced with a plate formed of a polymer material having a higher Shore D hardness value than the Shore D hardness of the polymer 414 filling the openings 128 of the insert 300. This “all polymer” insert may aid in further reducing weight associated with the putter head 402. Additionally or alternatively, the polymer material 414 may be replaced with a metal of a different hardness from the metal plate 408, thereby forming an insert 300 of all metal materials.
If desired, the major interior surface defining the recess 130 may be formed to include a polymer or other material, to provide a consistent backing or base against which insert 300 is mounted. As another alternative, if desired, the material of the polymer backing layer 414 may be included in the recess 130 and the putter head 402 may be formed by pressing plate 408 against the polymer backing material 414 in the recess 130 to force the polymer material 414 into the openings 128 of the plate 408. If necessary, one or more overflow holes may be provided to allow any excess polymer material 414 to escape from the putter head 402 during the pressing operation. As yet another alternative, if desired, the adhesive used to hold the insert 300 in the recess 130 may have a foam or other cushioning layer for use as this consistent backing or base.
In some examples, the polymer included in the recess 130 (if any, e.g., as a backing or base) may be a material different from the polymer material 414 filling the openings 128 of the insert 300. For instance, polymers of different Shore hardness values may be used for the polymer in the recess 130 and the polymer 414 filling the openings 128. In some examples, the polymer 414 filling the openings 128 may have a higher Shore D hardness than the polymer in the recess 130. The harder polymer 414 in the openings 128 may aid in creating top spin on the ball while the softer polymer in the recess may aid in providing a soft or consistent “feel” for the putter head 402 (e.g., by damping vibrations).
Alternatively, if desired, an insert structure similar to that of
In some examples, an edge element 512, such as a thin metal bar, strip or other metal layer, is formed or laid within the recesses 510.
The metal strips 512 may be provided within the recesses 510 and/or connected to the polymer insert 506 in any desired manner. For instance, the metal 512 may be engaged with the insert 506 via adhesives or cements, mechanical connectors, deposition techniques, etc. Multiple metal strips 512 also may be interconnected with one another and mounted on a rear surface of the main base portion of the insert 506 such that the front of the strips 512 extend to and project through openings in the insert 506 and are exposed at the front surface 508.
Insert 506 may be engaged with the main putter body portion (e.g., ball striking face body member 112) (as indicated by arrow 514) using various engagement or connection techniques as described above. For instance, the insert 506 may be connected to the recess 130 and/or other portion of the ball striking face body member 112 via adhesives, fusing techniques, mechanical connectors, and the like.
Optionally, if desired, a rear or back side of the insert 506 may include a similar groove and metal strip structure, thus forming a two-sided, reversible insert. The rear or back side insert arrangement may optionally include a different groove pattern or configuration, different metal type, different polymer type, different hardnesses, etc. in order to provide different sound, feel, hardnesses, etc. The various other insert structures described above (e.g., insert member 300) also may have reversible characteristics.
In still other arrangements, the metal and polymer may be reversed to provide an insert 506 having an opposite arrangement from that shown in
The insert 604 may be engaged with the putter head 602 (as indicated by arrow 614) using any of the techniques and/or methods described above. For instance, the insert 604 may engaged with the club head 602 at recess 602a using adhesives, fusing techniques, mechanical connectors, etc. Also, microgrooves 606 of the types described above also may be used in conjunction with any of the arrangements and ball striking faces described herein.
Also, the ball striking surface 704 may include grooves defined in the material of the ball striking face portion 704a and/or the polymeric material 710, e.g., in any of the manners described above in conjunction with
The following table compares the DCG/B ratio of putter heads in accordance with some examples of this invention against various other commercially available putter heads.
As is evident from this Table, the putter structures in accordance with the examples of this invention have a higher DCG/B ratio than other commercially available putters (which corresponds to a deeper center of gravity location in the front-to-rear direction). The location of the center of gravity (and thus, DCG) can be controlled in putter head structures in accordance with examples of this invention, at least in part, by selection of the various materials for use in the putter construction (e.g., by selecting lighter or less dense materials for the face member 112 (e.g., aluminum, carbon or other fiber reinforced polymers, other lightweight metals or polymers, etc.) and heavier or more dense materials for the rear body member 114 (e.g., heavier metals, like steel, lead, tungsten, etc.; polymers or other materials doped with weighted materials, such as lead or tungsten; etc.). If desired, separate weight members also may be provided on the rear body member 114 to help move the center of gravity rearward.
As further shown in this figure, if desired, the weights 802 and the ports 852 therefor may be recessed or at least partially countersunk into the putter head structure 800, optionally, so that the weights 802 are not visible to the player when the putter head 800 is being used. This is shown in
If desired, in at least some example structures in accordance with this aspect of the invention, during manufacture of the putter heads 800, one or both countersink hole(s) 810 may form a portion of the machined in recess formed behind the ball striking face portion, e.g., like the machined in recess described in the example putter head structure described with respect to
Weights 802 and their location close to the ball striking surface 804 as described above in conjunction with
Additionally, these features of the invention can help customize or personalize the putter head to help users make better contact with the ball and launch the ball in the desired direction. More specifically, the amount of weight provided in the heel and toe weight ports 852 can affect the putter head's motion during a putting stroke. As some more concrete examples, for players that tend to hit the ball with an open putter face, more weight can be provided in the putter heel port(s) 852 to help the putter face close a bit earlier in the putting stroke. Alternatively, for players that tend to hit the ball with a closed putter face, more weight can be provided in the putter toe port(s) 852 to help the putter face remain open a bit longer in the putting stroke. Adjusting the weighting in the vertical direction can also help fine tune and control the location and/or height of the bottom of the arc of the putting stroke. Club fitters can use these weights 802 and weight ports 852 to help better match a putter head to the user's stroke to provide more consistent and straight putting.
Heel and/or toe oriented weights, optionally as part of or very close to the ball striking portion of the putter head (just back from the ball striking face) as shown in
First, as a ball sits on the green, its weight forces it down somewhat into the grass. When putting, the putter must first somewhat “pop” the ball out of this settled condition. Therefore, putter faces generally have some loft to help launch the ball at an upward angle (e.g., loft angle Θ from
Putter structures in accordance with at least some examples of this invention, however, may provide quicker and truer roll (and thus a more consistent roll) and a more consistent launch as compared to conventional putters. As noted above, because of the soft polymer materials and the sharp edges in the polymer and metal (e.g., from the grooves), the putter face tends to “grip” the ball a bit better during a putt (particularly if the putt is struck with somewhat of an upward swing of the putter head). These features, along with the loft angle, help “pop” the ball out of its settled condition somewhat more easily and tend to better induce top spin on the ball (which tends to keep the ball on the ground and get it rolling somewhat more quickly). Also, these features allow some example putter heads according to this invention to have a less lofted face angle (e.g., 2° or even 3° vs. a conventional 4°). Thus, the ball does not tend to launch as high out of the settled condition, causing it to more quickly contact the ground once out of the settled position, and the induced top spin helps hold the ball on the ground and gets it rolling more quickly. These features provide a more consistent and repeatable launch. A schematic diagram of an example trajectory of the ball using an example putter according to this invention is shown in
The microgrooves, as described above in conjunction with the arrangement illustrated in
As shown in
Also, the combination of metal and polymer on the ball striking face of the putter provides a nice, soft and consistent feel (optionally controllable by selecting the hardnesses of the various parts) while still providing a more conventional “metal-on-ball” sound (or “click”) of conventional putters. This sound feature also is an important part of the “feel” for many golfers, and maintaining this metallic sound helps prevent a more “dead” sound of putting a ball against a full polymer material on a putter face (e.g., as provided in many conventional putters that simply have a polymer ball striking insert or face).
Any desired polymeric material may be used in the putter head without departing from this invention, including thermoplastic or thermosetting polymeric materials, synthetic rubber type polymeric materials, etc., such as polyurethanes, vinyls (e.g., ethylvinylacetates, etc.), nylons, polyethers, polybutylene terephthalates, etc. Additionally or alternatively, recycled materials, such as recycled polymer materials, may be used in any of the above-described arrangements without departing from the invention. In some examples, portions of the club head, insert, golf club grip, etc. may be formed from a recycled material such as regrind. Regrind may include additives used in the formation of portions of the ball striking surface, club head, grip, etc., and this regrind may include finely ground recycled materials. In some examples, the finely ground recycled materials may be recycled footwear materials that may be scraps, shavings, etc. generated during manufacture, defective or used articles of footwear, and the like. The additives may include leather, cotton, thermoplastics, synthetic and natural rubber, millable/partially cross-linked polyurethane, and synthetic fibers. The thermoplastics may include polyamides, polyesters and polyurethanes.
In some examples, the regrind additives may be ground to a desired particle size and added to raw material (such as new polymeric material) to form the desired portions of the club head, grip, ball striking surface, insert, etc. In other instances, the desired portions may be formed entirely of regrind. One advantage of using regrind materials in forming portions of the putter, such as the ball striking surface, grip, insert, etc., is the reduction in waste associated with the manufacture of the articles being ground into regrind and the reduction in first-use materials in manufacturing portions of the putter. The use of recycled materials generally reduces waste that would have consumed landfill space and aids in reducing the carbon footprint of manufacturers. Additional examples of regrind materials, manufacture, etc. may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,346,934 to Chriss, entitled “Footwear Additive Made From Recycled Materials,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Of course, many modifications to the putter and putter head structures and/or methods for making and using these structures may be used without departing from the invention. For example, with respect to the structures, grips, aiming indicia or markings, other indicia or markings, different types of putter heads, various shaft curvatures and/or shapes, various shaft connecting member shapes, and/or other structural elements may be provided and/or modified in the structure without departing from the invention. With respect to the methods, additional production or use steps may be added, various described steps may be omitted, the steps may be changed and/or changed in order, and the like, without departing from the invention. Therefore, while the invention has been described with respect to specific examples including presently preferred modes of carrying out the invention, those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are numerous variations and permutations of the above described structures and methods. Thus, the spirit and scope of the invention should be construed broadly as set forth in the appended claims.
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