| Mini-face putter with non-horizontal grooves perpendicular and to the tangent of the vertical arc of the putter head -> Monitor Keywords |
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Mini-face putter with non-horizontal grooves perpendicular and to the tangent of the vertical arc of the putter headRelated Patent Categories: Games Using Tangible Projectile, Golf, Club Or Club Support, Head, PutterMini-face putter with non-horizontal grooves perpendicular and to the tangent of the vertical arc of the putter head description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070093314, Mini-face putter with non-horizontal grooves perpendicular and to the tangent of the vertical arc of the putter head. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/672,185, filed Sep. 26, 2003, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/173,066 filed on Jul. 1, 2005 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/408,830. STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT [0002] Not Applicable BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] (1) Field of the Invention [0004] The present invention relates generally to golf equipment, and more particularly to golf putter heads. Specifically, the present invention relates to a putter head having a grooved striking face. [0005] (2) Description of the Related Art [0006] The traditional putter has a vertical blade with a flat surface and a vertical height usually one inch (25 mm) or greater. Subsequent traditional putters have a similar geometry on the face allowing for flat, convex, but not concave faces. The contact surface is often distinguished by the shape of the mass behind the vertical face. There have been putters with curved contact faces from heel to toe on the putter. This feature is permissible under United States Golf Association (U.S.G.A.) rules. There also have been putters that are totally cylindrical in geometry. There also has been a putter introduced that has an apparent vertical rolled face, but close examination shows the face to be flat in the central ball striking area. (The Tear Drop Putter) Existing putters come in many sizes and geometries. There is often heel to toe weighting to resist the turning of the vertical positioned putter blade. [0007] The rules of golf equipment are controlled by the U.S.G.A. for America. The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews (R.&A.) is the governing authority for the rules of golf in more than one hundred affiliated nations. More recently, in a written `statement of principles` published jointly by the R.&A. and the U.S.G.A., it was acknowledged that, "History has proved that it is impossible to foresee the developments in golf equipment which advancing technology will deliver." However, both the R.& A. and the U.S.G.A. remain vigilant when considering the equipment rules. The main objective of U.S.G.A. Rules 4 and 5 and Appendices II and III is to protect golf's best traditions, to prevent an over-reliance on technological advances rather than skill, and to ensure that skill is the dominant element of success throughout the game. Therefore, any club design must consider these rules if the club is to be deemed legal by the governing authorities of golf. Any putter must be compatible with the U.S.G.A. rules of golf in regards to being plain in shape, with runners that do not extend into the face, a width that is greater than the depth, a face without concavity, a face angle of no more than fifteen degrees, and an angle of shaft to the head of ten degrees incline or greater. There is no rule regarding the vertical depth of the face of the putter. When there are grooves in the putter face, and if a groove exceeds 0.035 inches in width and 0.020 inches in depth, the following guidelines apply: 1. The width may not exceed 0.06 inches. 2. The width to spacing ratio must be no less than 1:1.3. The depth must be less than the width, and may not exceed 0.04 inches. As for the grooves on irons and woods, the grooves on a putter must not have sharp edges. [0008] U.S. Pat. No. 4,165,076 to Cella teaches a putter with the blade face formed with a longitudinal edge, which is the normal ball striking component of the golf club, being located above the center line of the ball in blade striking position. On the reverse side of the blade there is provided a secondary ball striking edge located below the center line of the ball. [0009] U.S. Pat. No. 5,467,987 to Perkins et al. teaches a golf putter having a club head with a striking face comprising a striking edge defined by at least two substantially planar surfaces which engages a golf ball at a point below the center of the golf ball. [0010] U.S. Pat. No. 6,464,598 to Miller teaches a golf club with a wedge face, a rounded sole, and a putting face located along a blade area between the wedge face and a front portion of the rounded sole. The putting face is located at a height above the crown of the rounded sole so that the putting face strikes a golf ball above the equator of the ball to impart top spin when putting. [0011] U.S. Design Pat. No. D396257 to Spano teaches an ornamental design for a golf club head. It is not clear from the drawings how the club is used. [0012] Japanese Patent Publication No. 8-150233 to Hotta et al. discloses a golf putter having a thin-plate head portion. The thin-plate head portion can have protrusion constructed of a very light-weight material on the bottom surface or top and bottom surfaces of the thin-plate head portion, but does not provide grooves or provide for variable weighting of the putter. [0013] U.S. Pat. No. 4,529,202 to Jacobsen discloses a golf club head suitable for use on putting surfaces having a generally planar blade member with disc-like members which provide a predetermined weight to the toe and heel ends golf club head. [0014] U.S. Pat. No. 6,849,004 to Lindsay discloses a golf-putter head having a grooved flat impact face with a multiplicity of substantially parallel ridges extending lengthwise along the head. Lindsay does not disclose a golf putter head having a rolled face vertically with a radius less than that of a golf ball. [0015] U.S. Pat. No. 5,193,806 to Burkly discloses a spin control chipper-putter with grooves. The round golf club head has grooves which extend along upper and lower portions of the putter head. The grooves are omitted to provide a smooth surface on the right and left faces of the putter head. [0016] U.S. Pat. No. 5,637,044 to Swash discloses the use of concentric grooves on the face of a putter to increase accuracy. The putter has a conventional flat putting face. The U.S. Pat. No. 6,183,379 discloses a golf putter including a head having a face including a centered first face, a second face formed on one side of the first face and incline inward and a third face formed on the other side of the first face and incline inward. [0017] While the related art describes alternative ways to address improving putter performance, there is still a need for a superior solution. OBJECTS [0018] Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a putter head having a grooved striking face. It is still further an object of the present invention to provide a putter with a geometry such that the contact area between the putter and the ball at impact is linear and essentially horizontal. In addition, the combination of the vertical radius face and the grooves further decrease the surface area of the impact geometry between the ball and the face. This geometry also provides compensation for changes in the shaft angle common to golfer's strokes. The forward press of the shaft is compensated for by the downward rotation of the face that still presents the same impact geometry between the face and the ball as the neutral positon. The impact site higher on the face will still be an arc with the grooves (hence the ridges) the same as if it were no shaft angle change. The same is so true for delofting of the putter shaft in practice where the radius face with perpendicular grooves (ridges) will be lower on the face but the same geometry as the neutral position. These and other objects will become increasingly apparent by reference to the following description and the drawings. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0019] The present invention provides a golf putter head with a curved front edge used for striking a golf ball in an essentially linear contact area horizontal to the ground when putting and an opposed back edge, a length defined between a toe edge which extends from the curved front edge to the back edge of the blade and an opposed heel edge, and a thickness defined between a top side bordered by the edges and an opposed bottom side, the improvement which comprises one or more grooves on the curved front edge at least adjacent to a ball contact portion of the head defined by two or more ridges between the grooves, wherein the front edge is curved vertically such that the front edge strikes the golf ball on a small contact area dependent on the length of the radius and how hard the ball is hit. Continue reading about Mini-face putter with non-horizontal grooves perpendicular and to the tangent of the vertical arc of the putter head... Full patent description for Mini-face putter with non-horizontal grooves perpendicular and to the tangent of the vertical arc of the putter head Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Mini-face putter with non-horizontal grooves perpendicular and to the tangent of the vertical arc of the putter head 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. 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