Patent Application
20250018253
This application is a continuation-in-part of prior pending United States non-provisional utility patent application serial number 18351137 filed 2023 Jul. 12.
This invention relates to the field of golf clubs and their fabrication. More particularly, this invention relates to putters and their fabrication.
A putter is a specialized golf club used for short-distance strokes on a putting green. The major components of a putter include the head, the hosel, the shaft, and the grip. The grip is grasped by the golfer to hold the putter. The shaft extends from within the grip down toward and in proximity to the putting surface. The hosel connects the distal end of the shaft to the head. The head is used to strike the golf ball.
The head is described as having a face—which is the surface of the head that contacts the ball, a toe—which is the surface of the head that faces away from the golfer, a heel—which is the surface of the head that faces toward the golfer, a sole—which is the surface of the head that is adjacent the putting surface, a top—which is the surface of the head that faces upward toward the golfer and the sky, and a back—which is the surface of the head that faces away from the ball. These several surfaces can all be formed in a variety of different shapes, and the head itself can be formed of a variety of one more different materials.
The putter is used by the golfer by grasping the grip with both hands, and bringing the face of the head in close proximity to the golf ball. The golfer aligns the face of the putter so that a short and controlled stroke of the putter contacts the face of the putter to the ball, and sends the ball toward the cup in the putting surface, typically allowing for slope, windage, and other factors in the trajectory of the ball.
Putters come in a wide range of sizes and with an extremely wide range of characteristics. One reason for this is that golfers also come in a wide range of sizes, and also with a wide range of characteristics. Thus, it is perhaps not a surprise that a large number of different types of putters would be required to fit the large number of different types of golfers, and so, a large number of different types of putters does indeed exist.
This situation might be good news in that, no matter how different the individual golfer might be, there probably exists—what is for him, anyway—the perfect putter. However, a byproduct of this veritable ocean of putters is that finding the perfect putter might just be a task that takes a lifetime. Indeed, the large number of putters that many golfers own tends to stand as a testament to the difficulty of this process.
What is needed, therefore, is a method for reducing issues such as those alluded to above, at least in part.
The above and other needs are met by a putter having a head, a shaft, and a grip. The head includes a face, a toe, a heel, a sole, a top, and a back, is formed of a single block of material, and weighs from about 350 grams to about 358 grams. A sound slot is formed in the head, from the top to the sole, and extending from adjacent the toe to adjacent the heel, parallel to the face. Junctions along the lines between the face and the top, the toe, the heel, and the sole form a substantially ninety-degree angle. The shaft is formed of a graphite and steel composition, and weighs no more than about 101 grams at 35.25 inches. The grip has two ridges forming a flat between them, and weighs from about 68 grams to about 82 grams. The overall weight of the putter, including the head, the shaft, and the grip, is from about 523 grams to about 542 grams.
According to another aspect of the disclosure, there is described a method of constructing a putter, by constructing a head, shaft, and grip as described above, and assembling the putter using the head, shaft, and grip.
According to yet another aspect of the disclosure, there is described a method of fitting a putter to a golfer, by providing a putter as described above, adjusting a length of the shaft to the height of the golfer, and installing the grip on the shaft within a range of from about two degrees open to about two degrees closed, with respect to a line that is perpendicular to the face of the head.
Further advantages of the invention are apparent by reference to the detailed description when considered in conjunction with the figures, which are not to scale so as to more clearly show the details, wherein like reference numbers indicate like elements throughout the several views, and wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, there are depicted all of the claimed elements of the various embodiments, although all claimed embodiments might not be depicted in a single drawing. Thus, it is appreciated that not all embodiments include all of the elements as depicted, and that some embodiments include different combinations of the depicted elements. It is further appreciated that the various elements can all have many different configurations, and are not limited to just the configuration of a given element as depicted. As indicated above, the elements of the drawings as depicted are not to scale, even with respect one to another, and relative size or thickness of one element cannot be determined by the aspect ratios of that element or with reference to any dimension of another element.
In some embodiments, the head 100 as depicted in the figures includes a toe surface 102, a top surface 104, a heel surface 106, a sole 108, a face surface 110, a back surface 114, a hosel 112, an offset and attachment point 118, and a sound slot 120.
In some embodiments, the head 100 is incorporated into a putter 712 by attaching the head 100 into a first end of a shaft 710 at the attachment point 118, and fitting a distal second end of the shaft 710 into a grip 708.
In some embodiments, the head 100 is formed of a single block of material, such as steel. In other embodiments, the head 100 has a body formed of one material, and a hosel 112 formed of a different material.
In some embodiments, a sound slot 120 is cut into the head 100, from the top 104 to the sole 108. In some embodiments the slot 120 is cut from very near the toe 102 to very near the heel 106, and runs substantially parallel to the face 110. The slot 120 is adapted to make a sound when the face 110 strikes a golf ball 704. The characteristics of the sound for a given head 100 will vary depending upon the angle of the face 110 and the velocity of the head 100 as the ball 704 is struck. This sound provides immediate feedback to the golfer 702 as to those and other factors of the golf swing.
In some embodiments, the aspect ratio of the slot 120, as measured by the length of the slot 120 along the toe 102 to heel 106 direction, over the width of the slot 120, as measured along the face 110 to back 114 direction, is very high, such that the slot 120 appears to be no more than a thin slit or line in the top 104 and sole 108 of the head 100.
While many of the ordinal surfaces 102, 104, 106, and 114 may tend, in some embodiments, to smoothly flow one into another, the junction between the face 110 and the other surfaces, especially the top 104, does not. The face 110 forms a substantially ninety-degree angle between the top 104 in some embodiments, and also forms a substantially ninety-degree angle with the other ordinal surfaces that it contacts, such as the toe 102, the heel 106 and the sole 108, in some embodiments. In some embodiments the face 110 is substantially planar, and disposed so as to sit substantially perpendicular to the plane of the putting surface on which the ball 704 lies.
Some embodiments include a top line 116, running along an edge between the face 110 and the top 104, and extending entirely from the toe 102 to proximate the heel 106 or hosel 112 or shaft 712. The top line 116 is a very thin cut. In some embodiments the width of the top line 116 is no greater than about one millimeter.
The following describes a specific embodiment of the putter 712 according to the present disclosure. Other embodiments according to the present disclosure are also contemplated.
In some embodiments, the putter 712 is constructed so that the overall weight of the putter 712, including the head 100, the hosel 112, the shaft 710, and the grip 708, is from about 523 grams to about 542 grams. The length of the putter 712 from the lowest-most point on the sole 108 to the distal end of the shaft 710, without the grip 708 attached, is 35.25 inches.
In some embodiments, the weight of the head 100 is from about 350 grams to about 358 grams. The head 100 is made of steel. The head 100 has a series of one or more kerfs cut into the sole 108, running along the length of the sole 108, and extending from the toe 102 to the heel 106. The overall shape of the head 100 is rectangular or square.
In some embodiments, the top line length of the head 100 is from about 54.29 mm to about 61.00 mm. This is measured from the outside edge (which faces away from the golfer 702) of the one of either (a) the shaft 710 or (b) the hosel 112 to the end of the top line between the face 110 and the top 104 at the toe 102.
In some embodiments, when resting on a flat surface 110 with the shaft 710 in a neutral position (ie. neither forward nor backward) the face 110 angle is within about +/−0.05 degrees of 90 degrees to the cup 706. This is due to the sole 108 being produced with little to no sole draft (slope at the ends). This flat sole 108 admits less opportunity for the face 110 to open or close to the cup 706 on a hard flat surface 110, such as those played on in championships.
In some embodiments, a single dot 140 is placed as an alignment aid on the top 104 of the head 100 at a position that is generally midway between the toe 102 and the heel 106. The dot is placed relatively closer to the face 110 than the back 110 of the head 100.
In some embodiments, the color of the head 100 is at least one of gold, silver, white, florescent green, and gray. The width of the head 100 at its widest point is from about 32 mm to about 47 mm.
In some embodiments, the width of the top line between the face 110 and the top 104 is from about 11 mm to about 13.75 mm.
In some embodiments, the shaft 710 is formed of a graphite and steel composition. The shaft 710 color is at least one of black, silver, and white. The shaft 710 weighs no more than about 101 grams, and extends to a length of about 35.25 inches.
In some embodiments, the putter 712 is constructed as either shaft-in-hosel with a double bend shaft 710 or a longneck hosel 112 with a length of about 3.5 inches to about 3.75 inches. Alternately, a short flow-neck hosel 112 is disposed proximate the center of the head 100 as measured from toe 102 to heel 106.
In some embodiments, the grip 708 has two relatively square, sharp edges 802 and 804 running down the length of the grip 708, starting at the closed end 904 of the grip 708, and extending down to a point 902 that is at least as far toward the open end 906 of the grip 708 as the golfer's 702 hands will grasp the grip 708. These sharp edges 804 and 802 form between them a flat surface 806 in the otherwise cylinder-shaped 808 grip 708. The edges 802 and 804 and flat 806 on the grip 708 allow a golfer 702 to properly set his hands relative to the face 110 of the head 100. The total weight of the grip 708 is from about 68 grams to about 82 grams, not counting any tape that might be affixed to secure the grip 708.
In some embodiments, the toe hang of the putter 712 is between about zero degrees (generally referred to as face-balanced) to about 25 degrees.
In some embodiments, fitting the putter 712 to a given golfer 702 involves providing a putter 712 having the characteristics as described above, and then determining (1) the proper length of the shaft 710 for the comfort of the golfer 702, and (2) rotation of the grip 708 so as to have a natural alignment of the face 110 to the cup 706, such that the face 110 is within about +1-0.05 degrees to perpendicular toward the cup 706 when the golfer 702 grasps the grip 708 in what he feels is the appropriate rotation, with his eyes closed.
To accomplish this, in some embodiments, the flat 806 of the grip 708 is installed on the shaft 710 within a range of from about two degrees open (clockwise for a right-handed putter 712) to about two degrees closed (counter-clockwise for a right-handed putter 712), with respect to a line that is perpendicular the face 110 of the head 100.
It is appreciated that it is the synergistic combination of these elements as described that allow the golfer 702 to quickly address the ball 704 with the putter 712 and align them to the target 706, so that the stroke can be quickly and confidently made. These various elements all contribute to a proper and accurate alignment.
As used herein, the phrase “at least one of A, B, and C” means all possible combinations of none or multiple instances of each of A, B, and C, but at least one A, or one B, or one C. For example, and without limitation: Ax1, Ax2+Bx1, Cx2, Ax1+Bx1 +Cx1, Ax7+Bx12+Cx113. It does not mean Ax0+Bx0+Cx0.
The foregoing description of embodiments for this invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments are chosen and described in an effort to provide illustrations of the principles of the invention and its practical application, and to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally, and equitably entitled.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 18351137 | Jul 2023 | US |
| Child | 18525973 | US |
