Patent Application
20060094534
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a putter-type golf club heads. More specifically, the present invention relates to a putter-type golf club head with a milled face.
2. Description of the Related Art
The milling of putter-heads is well-known in the golf industry. Computer Numerical Control (CNC) milling is also well-known in the golf industry.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,693,478 discloses a putter with a milled face.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,694 discloses a puffer with two identical milled lateral faces.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,688,186 discloses a golf club face with different regions of grooves.
An example of the milling of putters is disclosed at www.bettinardigolf.com, which discloses milled face putters.
One aspect of the present invention is a putter-type golf club head having a body. The body is composed of a metal material and has a striking face for impacting a golf ball. The striking face has a first milled pattern and a second milled pattern. The first milled pattern is located in a central area of the striking face and the second milled pattern encompasses the central area. The second milled pattern is different from the first milled pattern.
Preferably, the first milled pattern comprises a plurality of milled parallel horizontal lines and the second milled pattern comprises a plurality of milled parallel vertical lines.
Alternatively, the first milled pattern comprises a plurality of milled parallel vertical lines and the second milled pattern comprises a plurality of milled parallel horizontal lines.
Alternatively, the first milled pattern comprises a plurality of milled parallel horizontal lines and the second milled pattern comprises a plurality of milled curved lines.
Each of the plurality of milled parallel horizontal lines of the first milled pattern preferably has a depth ranging from 0.0001 inch to 0.010 inch.
Further, each of the plurality of milled parallel horizontal lines of the first milled pattern preferably has a depth greater than the depth of each of the plurality of milled parallel vertical lines of the second milled pattern.
The body is preferably composed of a stainless steel material. Alternatively, the body is composed of a titanium material.
The first milled pattern preferably has an area ranging from 0.25 square inch to 1.0 square inch, and the striking face has a total surface area ranging from 2.5 square inches to 5.0 square inches.
Another aspect of the present invention is a putter-type golf club head having a body composed of a metal material. The body has a sole section, a crown section, and a striking face for impacting a golf ball. The striking face has a central area with a first milled pattern and a periphery area with a second milled pattern. The second milled pattern is different from the first milled pattern. The striking face has a total surface area ranging from 2.5 square inches to 5.0 square inches. The central area ranges from 20% to 60% of the total surface area of the striking face.
Yet another aspect of the present invention is a putter-type golf club head having a body composed of a metal material with a striking face have dual milled patterns. The body has a sole section, a crown section, and a striking face for impacting a golf ball. The striking face has a central area with a first milled pattern and a periphery area with a second milled pattern. The second milled pattern is different from the first milled pattern. The first milled pattern has a first plurality of milled lines having a depth ranging from 0.0005 inch to 0.010 inch, and the second milled pattern has a second plurality of milled lines having a depth ranging from 0.0005 inch to 0.010 inch, The striking face has a total surface area ranging from 2.5 square inches to 5.0 square inches. The central area ranges from 20% to 60% of the total surface area of the striking face.
Having briefly described the present invention, the above and further objects, features and advantages thereof will be recognized by those skilled in the pertinent art from the following detailed description of the invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
As shown in
The body 22 preferably weighs from 275 grams to 400 grams, more preferably from 300 grams to 350 grams, even more preferably from 315 grams to 335 grams and most preferably 328 grams.
The body 22 preferably has a striking face 24, a crown section 28, a sole section 30 and an optionally a hosel 26. A heel end 32 is opposite a toe end 34, and an aft-end 36 is opposite the striking face 24.
The striking face 24 preferably has a central area 40 and a periphery region 42. A perimeter 44 of the central area 40 generally defines a boundary between the central area 40 and the periphery region 42. The periphery region is preferably composed of a heel portion 42a, a toe portion 42b, a central crown portion 42c and a central sole portion 42d. As best shown in
In a preferred embodiment, the first plurality of milled lines 46 is a plurality of parallel horizontal lines 46, and the second plurality of milled lines 48 is a plurality of parallel curved vertical lines 48. Alternatively, the first plurality of milled lines 46 is a plurality of milled parallel vertical lines and the second plurality of milled lines 48 is a plurality of milled parallel horizontal lines. Alternatively, the first plurality of milled lines 46 is a plurality of milled parallel horizontal lines and the second plurality of milled lines 48 is a plurality of milled curved lines. Those skilled in the pertinent art will recognize that other combinations may be used for the first plurality of milled lines 46 and the second plurality of milled lines 48 without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.
The striking face 24 preferably has a total area that ranges from 2.5 square inches to 5.0 square inches. The central area 40 preferably has an area that ranges from 0.25 square inch to 2.5 square inches, and more preferably from 0.25 square inch to 1.0 square inch. The central area 40 preferably ranges from 20% to 60% of the total surface area of the striking face 24 with the entirety of the striking face 24 composed of the periphery region 42.
The putter-heads 20a-20d illustrated in
The putter-head 20 alternatively has an alignment means on a crown section 28. One such alignment means is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,471,600, entitled Putter Head, assigned to Callaway Golf Company, which pertinent parts are hereby incorporated by reference. Alternative alignment means are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,688,798, entitled Golf Club And Head Including Alignment Indicators, assigned to Callaway Golf Company, which pertinent parts are hereby incorporated by reference.
From the foregoing it is believed that those skilled in the pertinent art will recognize the meritorious advancement of this invention and will readily understand that while the present invention has been described in association with a preferred embodiment thereof, and other embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, numerous changes, modifications and substitutions of equivalents may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention which is intended to be unlimited by the foregoing except as may appear in the following appended claims. Therefore, the embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined in the following appended claims.
