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Stabilized putter headRelated Patent Categories: Games Using Tangible Projectile, Golf, Club Or Club Support, Head, PutterStabilized putter head description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060234810, Stabilized putter head. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates in general to golf putters and in particular to a hollow multi-component putter head having mass concentrations in its heel, toe and lower rear extremities. [0003] 2. Description of Prior Developments [0004] Golf putters are currently available in numerous shapes, sizes and weights. Although conventional putters perform adequately, there is an ongoing need to provide a putter which is resistant to movement away from its desired stroke path. That is, it is desirable to increase the moment of inertia of the putter head so that the distributed mass of the putter head acts to stabilize the movement of the putter head over its intended stroke path. [0005] One way to increase the moment of inertia of a putter head is to concentrate the mass of the putter head around its periphery. While this approach is feasible in theory, it is difficult to achieve maximum desired moments of inertia in a putter head using conventional manufacturing techniques. Moreover, the resulting putter head design must also meet the limitations set by the PGA rules. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0006] The present invention has been developed to meet the needs noted above by providing a putter head with a hollow central portion bordered by mass concentrations located adjacent the heel, toe and rear portions of the putter head. In order to facilitate the manufacture and fabrication of the putter head, a multi-part construction has been developed in accordance with the invention. [0007] In one embodiment of the invention, a relatively lightweight front blade member is formed with a pocket or channel for receiving a rear weighted member. The front and rear components may be joined with a tongue and groove or plug and socket type connection, and fixed in position with a simple adhesive bond or weld. A large central hollow portion is defined between the front blade member and rear weighted member so as to concentrate the mass of the putter head around its heel, toe and central rearward peripheral portions. [0008] This selected concentration of mass in these three portions of the putter head maximize the moments of inertia of the putter head with respect to its intended stroke path in horizontal directions both parallel and perpendicular to the stroke path as well as in a vertical plane through the stroke path. This mass distribution and resultant moments of inertia tend to stabilize the putter head along these three directions or axes as it travels along its stroke path. [0009] The selected mass concentrations along with a double tapered bottom surface enable the moving putter head to resist minor external forces such as caused by contact with grass, leaves, twigs and the like, as well as unintended movements from a golfer's stroke or grip. Moreover, the mass distribution of the putter head resists twisting of the putter club shaft. This is most desirable insofar as twisting can cause unwanted deviations from the intended path of the golf ball. [0010] By forming the putter head with a large hollow interior, the putter head may have a large upper surface area facing a golfer during putting, as well as a large bottom surface area facing the surface of the putting green during putting. The large upper surface area assists a golfer's view of the putter head and thereby assists in the proper alignment or aim of the putter head with respect to the golf ball. The large central lower surface area provides accurate orientation, alignment and smooth sliding guidance of the putter head over the surface of the putting green. [0011] A further refinement of the invention includes the placement of a large heavy mass of material not only at an extreme rearward position of the putter head, but also at a relatively low position closest to the surface of a putting green. This provides increased stability to the putter head during a putting stroke by increasing the moment of inertia of the putter head with respect to the stroke path of the putter head during putting. [0012] Moreover, by centering a large weighted mass on the putter head at a lower or bottom portion of the putter head, the resulting putter club incorporating the putter head provides a comfortable, secure and stable feel to a golfer during putting. The large rearward mass of the putter head located behind the golf ball establishes a stable feel during putting as the rearward weight acts like a pendulum to maintain the putter in a desired vertical plane. [0013] In order to reduce the possibility of snagging the putter head on a putting surface due to unintended heel-to-toe tipping of the putter head, the bottom surface of the putter head tapers upwardly and outwardly from a flat central bottom portion towards the respective heel and toe portions of the putter head. These tapered portions provide some degree of clearance or tolerance between the bottom of the putter head and the putting surface and thereby prevent unintended scraping or snagging of the putter head due to heel-to-toe tipping during a putting stroke. [0014] As the putter head may be fabricated from separate components, different materials may be used for the front face or blade component and for the rear weighted component. The front face or blade may be fabricated, for example, from a lightweight material such as alloys of aluminum, titanium and magnesium. Even carbon composite fiber material may be used. The rear weighted body may be fabricated, for example, from a denser or heavier material having a specific gravity greater than that of the front blade, such as stainless steel or tungsten carbide. [0015] The design of the putter head is readily mass produced using conventional machining and fabrication techniques to achieve a reduction in central mass through a hollow multi-part construction. This construction provides selective weighting around the perimeter of the putter head, increased moments of inertia along desired axes, a small blade component, heel-to-toe weighting and a large sighting area. By fabricating the front blade component as a thin-walled lightweight component and the rear weighted component as a much heavier and massive component, rearward weighting of the putter head can be maximized in order to greatly increase the stability of the putter head during putting. [0016] By distributing the mass of a heavy rear-weighted member in a rearwardly-extending horizontal arch, and by defining a large internal cavity between the arch and a lightweight front blade member, the resulting putter head is provided with an exceptionally large sweet spot. That is, a large area of the front blade on opposite sides of its geometric center can be used to strike a golf ball and still drive the ball over its intended path. Stated another way, off center contact between the golf ball and the putter head will still result in an accurate put. [0017] It has been found that the extent of this sweet spot is coextensive with the length of the internal cavity along the back surface of the front blade member. In some designs, this can extend over more than half the length of the putter blade or putter face. [0018] The aforementioned objects, features and advantages of the invention will, in part, be pointed out with particularity, and will, in part, become apparent from the following more detailed description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which form an integral part thereof. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0019] In the drawings: [0020] FIG. 1 is a top right front perspective view of a putter head; constructed in accordance with the invention; [0021] FIG. 2 is a bottom rear perspective view of the front blade member of FIG. 1; Continue reading about Stabilized putter head... Full patent description for Stabilized putter head Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Stabilized 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. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Stabilized putter head or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Iron-type golf clubs Next Patent Application: Iron-type golf clubs Industry Class: Games using tangible projectile ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Stabilized putter head patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.0981 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Qualcomm , Schering-Plough , Schlumberger , Seagate , Siemens , Texas Instruments , 174 |
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