| Weighting system for a putter type golf club -> Monitor Keywords |
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Weighting system for a putter type golf clubRelated Patent Categories: Games Using Tangible Projectile, Golf, Club Or Club Support, Head, Selectively Adjustable Weighting ElementWeighting system for a putter type golf club description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060223649, Weighting system for a putter type golf club. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to golf clubs and in particular to golf putters having a unique weighting and alignment system. [0002] A wide variety of putter head designs have been developed in order to aid a golfer in making more repetitive and consistent strokes. A unique weighting and alignment system is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,754,976 to Pelz which uses a plurality of golf balls behind the striking face and a rear weight to stabilize the putter during the execution of a putting stroke to hit a golf ball. Other putters having weighting systems of interest are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,058 to Coughlin that shows weights located behind the heel and toe portions of the putter head. U.S. Pat. No. 5,997,409 to Matson shows a putter head with a pair of wing members extending rearwardly. U.S. Pat. No. 5,993,324 to Gammil uses longitudinal rods between front and rear faces of a putter head. U.S. Pat. No. 6,270,422 to Fisher shows a putter head having trailing weight members at the heel and toe portions. U.S. Published Patent Application No. US2004/0132542 A1 to Olsavsky et al. shows a putter head using a pair of cylindrical bars connected between the rear face and a rear weight on the putter head on both sides of a center reinforcing member. [0003] It is well known that when green speeds are fast, a heavier putter slows the golfer's hands allowing more control of the putter head during the execution of a putting stroke. Conversely when green speeds are slow, a lighter putter allows the hands to speed up to hit a golf ball harder. Golfers often compensate for green speeds by having at least two, and often more putters, that may be selected for a particular green speed. The present invention provides adjustability that allows the overall weight of the putter to be adjusted in accordance with the speed of the greens on a particular golf course so that the golfer is using the same identical putter every time with only the overall weight being adjusted. This promotes familiarity and confidence enabling a golfer to execute putting strokes by relying on ingrained muscle memory that is built up over many repeated uses of the same putter. [0004] The present invention is a golf putter head having a pair of weighted cylindrical bar members extending rearwardly from the rear face. The bar members are located in a direction perpendicular to the ball striking face and parallel to the target line a golf ball will traverse when hit on a putting surface. The bar members have multiple features. Initially the bars provide weight at a location behind and in close proximity to the ball striking area on the clubface. Preferably the bars are located on opposite sides of the center of percussion of the putter head, one being toward the toe and the other being toward the heel of the putter head. [0005] An important feature of the bar members is that the preponderance of the weight is located at the rearmost area of the bars. This increases the effective moment of inertia of the club head providing more forgiveness when a golf ball is struck at a location on the ball striking face other than the precise center of percussion. To achieve this weight distribution, in a preferred embodiment, the forward or proximal end attached to the club head is hollow. The solid, heavier distal ends of the bar members are rearward and spaced behind the ball striking face. [0006] Preferably the club head body is made of a lightweight material, such as aluminum, ceramic or the like and the bars are made of heavier material such as steel, copper or tungsten. The bars may be structured so that the bar weight is variable in order to provide a precise weight to control the overall weight of the putter head. This may be accomplished, as indicated above, by making the weighted bars partially hollow in order to control the exact amount of weight of the bar. In a preferred embodiment, the forward end of each of the cylindrical bar members that is attached to the rear face of the club head is threaded in order to cooperate with threaded bores on the rear face. To assemble the cylindrical bars to the putter head, they ate threaded into the bores in the rear face and tightened with a suitable tool and permanently secured therein with epoxy or suitable cement. [0007] An additional intended feature of the invention is that the cylindrical bar members may be removable and replaced by bars having different weights to allow adjustment to a preferred swing weight to coincide with the speed of the greens at a particular golf course. [0008] Still another important feature of the bar members is the provision of an alignment tool for the golfer. Since the bar members are located perpendicular to ball striking face of the putter head in a front to rear direction, the bar members are parallel to the target line and serve as an alignment device to aid the golfer to aim the putter when the putter is in a normal address position. In use, the golfer simply aligns the bars to aim the putter head in the direction of the intended target line. [0009] Another feature is the weight of the cylindrical bars increases the effective polar moment of inertia. In addition, as the putter head is swung, the weight configuration of the bat members causes the putter head to continue on the path of the accelerating force applied by the golfer. This results in keeping the putter head more stable and moving on the same line toward the target, particularly when the golf ball is not struck precisely on the center of the ball striking face. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0010] It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a putter head having a weight configuration that stabilizes the putter head as it is swung to eliminate twisting and turning of the club head during the execution of a putting stroke. [0011] Another object of the present invention is the provision of a putter head with weights that are adjustable to coincide with particular green speeds. [0012] Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a putter head having a weight configuration that keeps the putter head moving in a direction toward the intended target line with a driving motion. [0013] Another object of the present invention is the provision of a putter head having a unique alignment design in the form of cylindrical bars extending rearward from the dub head in a direction parallel to the intended target line. [0014] Other objects, advantages and salient features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, which taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses a preferred, but non-limiting, embodiment of the subject invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0015] FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of a putter head in accordance with the present invention. [0016] FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the putter head of FIG. 1. [0017] FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of the putter head of FIG. 1. [0018] FIG. 4 is a top plan view thereof FIG. 5 is a bottom view thereof. [0019] FIG. 6 is a toe side elevational view of the putter head of FIG. 1. [0020] FIG. 7 is a heel side elevational view of the putter head of FIG. 1. [0021] FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 4. Continue reading about Weighting system for a putter type golf club... Full patent description for Weighting system for a putter type golf club Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Weighting system for a putter type golf club 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 Weighting system for a putter type golf club or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Golf club having stepped grooves Next Patent Application: Golf rod with adjustable weights Industry Class: Games using tangible projectile ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Weighting system for a putter type golf club patent info. 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