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Adjustable weight putterRelated Patent Categories: Games Using Tangible Projectile, Golf, Club Or Club Support, Head, PutterAdjustable weight putter description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060142095, Adjustable weight putter. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to golf putters and more specifically to an improved form of putter head incorporating novel and advantageous means for concentrating weight near the back end of the putter, spaced well behind the ball-striking face, and also providing for an improved, simplified and effective arrangement for adjustably weighting the putter head to enable the putter to be optimized to the desires and abilities of the golfer. [0002] There are numerous examples in the prior art of putters incorporating features providing for adjustable weighting of the putter head. The Bushner U.S. Pat. No. 4,895,371, for example, discloses a putter head having one or more bores therein for receiving a rod, on which a weight is slideably mounted and secured in position by a set screw. The rod is contained within the putter head by means of a threaded plug. [0003] The D'Eath U.S. Pat. No. 5,046,740 discloses a putter head in which a longitudinal cavity in the putter is filled with steel balls, in order to increase the weight of the putter along its center line. [0004] Other prior art concepts involve the placement of one or more weighted elements at various locations on the putter head to enable the golfer to vary the weight to suit his desires and/or abilities. Many of these known concepts are largely unsuccessful as commercial products, either because they are complicated to work with, because they place the weight adjustment elements at locations that do not optimize the weight balance of the putter, and for other reasons. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0005] The present invention provides an adjustable weight putter head which is easy to use and which, to the greatest practical extent, optimizes the weight balance of the putter by concentrating weight at the back extremity of the putter head, along the center line axis of the putter head. In accordance with the present invention, a putter head is provided in which the body is elongated in the ball-striking direction and is provided with a body cavity, at the back end extremity of the putter head, for the reception of an adjustable weighting assembly. The main body of the putter is formed of a lightweight material, typically aluminum but certain engineering plastics, such as Celcon, are suitable. [0006] In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a weighted cap, positioned at the back end extremity of the putter body, is formed of a high specific gravity material in relation to the material of the putter body itself. The weighted cap forms a substantial part of the weight of the overall putter head assembly so as to provide a maximized concentration of weight at a location as far behind the putter face as practicable. In this respect, the weighted cap advantageously has a weight which is more than 20%, and preferably more than one third the weight of the main putter head. In addition, the weighted cap incorporates a threaded shaft extending forwardly therefrom which can receive one or more of a plurality of disc-like weights, also formed of a high specific gravity material. Preferably, each of the weights has a different weight, such that by mounting some or all (or none) of the weights on the threaded shaft, a wide variety of weight combinations can be incorporated into the putter, so suit the golfer's desires. Significantly, the weights can be applied over the threaded shaft to be in abutting relation to the front face of the weighted cap, such that the assembly of the weighted cap and the disc-like weights concentrates the weight mass as far back in the putter as practicable. [0007] For a more complete understanding of the above and other features-and advantages of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment, and to the accompanying drawings. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0008] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a putter head according to the invention, illustrating particularly the weighted cap and the manner in which disc-like weights are applied thereto. [0009] FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the putter head of FIG. 1. [0010] FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the putter head. [0011] FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the putter head as taken generally on line 4-4 of FIG. 2. [0012] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the weighted cap element with a disc-like weight applied thereto. DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT [0013] Referring now the drawings, the reference numeral 10 designates generally a putter head which is comprised of a ball-striking face 11 and an extended body portion 12 comprised of a stem 13, a body end portion 14, and gussets 15, 16 which extend along opposite sides of the stem 13 and join the ball-striking face 11 with the back portion 14 of the body. [0014] Although specific dimensions of the putter head can vary, USGA rules require that the length of the putter (in the ball-striking direction) be less than the width of the ball-striking face. For long-shafted putters, it may be desired to have a larger putter head than for short-shafted putters. In all cases, however, the length-width relationship specified by the USGA rules must be observed. In typical embodiments of the invention, the face width of the putter may be around 4.25 inches, for a short-shafted putter and around 5.00 inches for a long-shafted putter, with the body length preferably being between 85 and 90% of the width of the ball-striking face. [0015] Preferably, the entire putter head is a one-piece molding of suitable, relatively lightweight material. Aluminum, with a specific gravity of around 2.65, is widely preferred by most golfers, although engineering plastics, such as Celcon.RTM., an acetal copolymer, available from Ticona Engineering Polymers (Division of Celanese AG) are suitable. Celcon is considerably lower in specific gravity than aluminum. [0016] The illustrated embodiment will be described as if proportioned for a short-shafted putter, it being understood that dimensions may be slightly larger for medium-shafted and long-shafted putters. However, the basic principles of the invention are not limited to specific dimensions, which as used herein are illustrative only. [0017] In the illustrated putter head, the ball-striking face 11 preferably is relatively thin, for example, around 0.275 inch, with a face width of, for example, 4.25 inches and face height of about one inch. The stem 13 is substantially the same height as the putter face and may have a typical width of about 5/8th inch above the gussets and 3/8th inch below the gussets. The back portion 14 of the putter body comprises an arcuate upper portion 17 and a squared-off lower portion 18. The bottom surface 19 of the putter is contoured in a large radius convex arc, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, and the bottom surface of the back portion 14 of the body conforms to that arcuate curvature. When the putter is in its "normal" position, as reflected in FIG. 3, the low point of the arcuate bottom surface 19 preferably is located an inch or so behind the front of the ball-striking face 11. [0018] As reflected in FIGS. 1 and 2, the body portion of the putter head tapers from front to back, and the back extremity of the back portion is rounded and convexly contoured, as indicated at 20. The gussets 15, 16 join with the back side of the ball-striking face 11 and taper in a rearward direction until they merge with the back portion 14 of the body. The front wall of 14a of the back portion typically is spaced about two inches behind the front face 11 (slightly less for a short shaft putter and slightly more for a long shaft putter). [0019] As indicated in FIG. 3 in particular, the gussets 15, 16 are relatively thin in relation to the overall thickness (height) of the putter head. By way of example, for a short-shafted putter having a thickness of about one inch, the gusset webs may have a thickness of about 1/8th inch. For a larger, long-shafted putter head, having an overall thickness of about 1.2 inch, the gusset thickness may be proportionately greater, for example, 0.156 inch. [0020] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the gussets 15, 16 are disposed in a horizontal plane, preferably slightly above the mid-height of the putter head, so as to be approximately aligned with the center of a ball to be struck. At one side of the stem 13 there is a shaft socket 21 that extends through the gusset 16 and to, or substantially to, the bottom surface 19 of the putter head. The shaft socket receives a putter shaft (not shown) by which the golfer handles the putter. Continue reading about Adjustable weight putter... Full patent description for Adjustable weight putter Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Adjustable weight putter patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Adjustable weight putter or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Golf putter Next Patent Application: Multilayer golf ball Industry Class: Games using tangible projectile ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Adjustable weight putter patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 1.18486 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Daimler Chrysler , DirecTV , Exxonmobil Chemical Company , Goodyear , Intel , Kyocera Wireless , 174 |
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