A putter with improved structure and aiming.

Abstract

To provide a golf putter with improved structure and collimation.SOLUTION: A putter 100 has an inclined surface, a line of sight, contrasting colors, and various depths for assisting alignment. The putter 100 includes a plurality of components to form a body and employs a plurality of materials.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a golf club, and more particularly to a golf putter comprising a body composed of at least three separate parts and a sight line formed on a plurality of parts.

Background Art

[0002] Golf club heads come in various shapes and structures, such as metal woods, irons (including wedges), utility or hybrid or special type clubs, and putters. Each of these styles has a predetermined function and general structure. This invention mainly relates to putters, which are usually used to hit a golf ball and give it a rolling trajectory on the green of the course.

[0003] There are various styles of putters, each with different advantages. Putters also comply with the golf rules set by the USGA. The rules include that the heel-to-toe dimension, the front-to-back dimension, the length of the neck, the face angle, the lie angle, and the putter must not be substantially different from the customary and traditional shape.

Summary of the Invention

[0004] In some aspects, the technology described herein relates to a putter that includes: a first body member including a striking face and a rear portion extending rearward from the striking face at an address position; a second body member coupled to the first body member at the address position, below the rear portion of the first body member and behind the striking face; a third body member coupled to the second body member below the second body member at the address position; and a face center plane passing through the center of the face of the striking face and perpendicular to the ground at the address position, and the first body member, the second body member, and the third body member are visible to the golfer at the address position.

[0005] In some respects, the technology described herein relates to a putter, the putter comprising: a first body member including a striking face and a rear portion extending backward from the striking face at the address position; a second body member coupled to the first body member below the rear portion of the first body member and behind the striking face at the address position; a third body member coupled to the second body member below the second body member at the address position; and a face center plane passing through the face center of the striking face at the address position and perpendicular to the ground, wherein the first body member is made of a first material having a first density, the second body member is made of a second material having a second density, and the third body member is made of a third material having a third density, the second density being less than the first density, the second density being less than the third density, the first body member having at least one sightline, and the second body member having multiple sightlines.

[0006]

[0006] In some respects, the technology described herein relates to a putter comprising a first body member including a striking face and a rear portion extending rearward from the striking face, and a face center plane that passes through the face center of the striking face at the address position and is perpendicular to the ground, wherein the first body member includes a first inclined surface on the toe side of the face center plane having an angle of 20 to 60 degrees with respect to the face center plane.

[0007]

[0007] In some respects, the technology described herein relates to a putter comprising a first body member including a striking face and a rear portion extending rearward from the striking face, and a face center plane that passes through the face center of the striking face at the address position and is perpendicular to the ground, wherein the first body member includes an inclined toe surface having an angle with respect to the face center plane, and the plane extending along the inclined toe surface intersects the face center plane at a distance of 3 to 30 inches in front of the striking face. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] This invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference numerals refer to similar elements. [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a top perspective view of the putter according to this invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is an exploded top perspective view of the putter shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is an exploded bottom perspective view of the putter shown in Figure 1. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a top view of the putter shown in Figure 1. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a bottom view of the putter shown in Figure 1. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a top view of the putter in Figure 1. Detailed description of the invention

[0009] Referring to Figures 1 to 6, this invention relates to a putter 100. The putter 100 includes a first body member 110, a second body member 120, and a third body member 130. As will be described in more detail below, by constructing the putter 100 with the first body member 110, the second body member 120, and the third body member 130, the weight distribution of the putter 100 is increased, improving the sound, feel, and forgiveness, as well as creating contrast between the body members, which improves the golfer's ability to aim the putter 100 at the intended target. The first body member 110 includes a striking face 114 for impacting the golf ball during the putting stroke. The first body member 110 in this embodiment includes a hosel 112 coupled to the shaft and grip, as is well known in the art. The first body member 110 includes a rear portion 116 extending rearward from the striking face 114, having an upper surface 117 that the golfer can see at address. The rear section 116 may include a cavity 115 to allow weight to be distributed to other areas of the putter 100.

[0010] The first body member 110 also includes at least one line of sight 118 on the upper surface 117 of the rear portion 116 extending rearward from the striking face 114. The at least one line of sight 118 extends from the striking face 114 to the rearmost end 119 of the first body member 110, providing the maximum length of the at least one line of sight 118 and further assisting the golfer in properly positioning the putter 100. The at least one line of sight 118 may be formed as a groove, projection, or painted line on the upper surface 117. The at least one line of sight 118 may be in the shape of an arrow to assist the golfer in positioning the putter 100 toward the target. In a preferred embodiment, the first body member 110 is one color, such as gray or black, and the at least one line of sight 118 is a different, contrasting color. For example, if the first body member 110 is black, the at least one line of sight 118 may be red, white, silver, or other light color. If the first body member 110 is gray, at least one gaze 118 may be red, white, black, or other contrasting color. In a preferred embodiment, a golfer may choose the color of at least one gaze 118 to personalize the putter 100. The first body member 110 is made of a first material having a first density. In a most preferred embodiment, the first body member 110 is made of steel with a density of approximately 7 g / cc to 8 g / cc.

[0011] The putter 100 includes a second body member 120 connected to a first body member 110 via a fastener 122. The second body member 120 is located below the first body member 110 and behind the striking face 114 at the address position. The second body member 120 includes a first weight port 124a located toe-side with respect to the face center plane 140, which passes through the face center 140 of the striking face 114 and is perpendicular to the ground at the address position. The second body member 120 also includes a second weight port 124b located heel-side with respect to the face center plane 140. The fastener 122 may be inserted into openings 123 located at the first weight port 124a and the second weight port 124b to connect the second body member 120 to the first body member 110. The putter 100 includes a weight member 105 that can be removably inserted into the first weight port 124a and the second weight port 124b. Preferably, the weight members 105 are made of steel or tungsten. Each weight member 105 may be formed to weigh between 10 and 50 grams. The weight members 105 may be positioned equidistant from the face center plane 140 to increase the moment of inertia of the putter 100. The weight members 105 are threaded to protect the fasteners 122 from corrosion and wear and to function as a cover to prevent the second body member 120 from unnecessarily detaching from the first body member 110. The second body member 120 may include a central groove 126 to receive the rear portion 116 of the first body member 110 during assembly. The central groove 126 functions as a positioning feature to help properly align the first body member 110 and the second body member 120 during assembly. The central groove 126 may include at least one opening 123 to accommodate at least one fastener 122 and connect the second body member 120 to the first body member 110.

[0012] The second body member 120 includes lines 128 on both sides of a central groove 126 on the top surface of the second body member 120 so that they are visible to the golfer at address. The lines 128 may be formed on the second body member 120 as grooves, protrusions, or painted lines. In a preferred embodiment, the second body member 120 is one color, such as gray or black, and the lines 128 are different contrasting colors. For example, if the second body member 120 is black, the lines 128 may be red, white, silver, or other light colors. If the second body member 120 is gray, the lines 128 may be red, white, black, or other contrasting colors. In a preferred embodiment, the golfer may choose the color of the lines 128 to customize the putter 100. The lines 128 are parallel to each other and positioned to extend perpendicular to the striking face 114. Preferably, these lines 128 are spaced more than 1.0 inch apart. In other preferred embodiments, these lines 128 are spaced about 1.6 inches apart, corresponding to the width of a golf ball. The lines 128 are preferably evenly distributed around the face center plane 140. The lines 128 may be positioned at least 0.1 inches below the upper surface 117 of the first body member 110 in a direction perpendicular to the ground at the address position. The second body member 120 is preferably made of a different color than the first body member 110. The color contrast between the first body member 110 and the second body member 120 facilitates the visual alignment of the putter 100. The second body member 120 is made of a second material having a second density lower than the density of the first material of the first body member 110. In the most preferred embodiment, the second body member 120 is made of aluminum with a density of about 2.5 g / cc to 3 g / cc.

[0013] The putter 100 includes a third body member 130 connected to a second body member 120 via a fastener 132. The third body member 130 may include at least one opening 133 that receives at least one projection 129 on the bottom surface of the second body member 120 during assembly. The at least one opening 133 functions as a positioning feature that helps to properly align the second body member 120 and the third body member 130 during assembly. The at least one opening 133 also allows weight to be distributed to other areas of the putter 100 to improve sound, feel, and forgiveness. The third body member 130 includes a first projection 134 located on the toe side of the face center plane 140, and a second projection 134b located on the heel side of the face center plane 140. The first projection 134a and the second projection 134b distribute weight in the toe and heel directions to increase the moment of inertia and forgiveness of the putter 100. The first protrusion 134a and the second protrusion 134b are visible to the golfer at address, providing further contrast to improve visual alignment. The third body member 130 may include a central portion 136 that protects at least one fastener 122 from corrosion and wear and also serves as a cover to prevent the second body member 120 from unnecessarily detaching from the first body member 110. The third body member 130 may be positioned behind the first weight port 124a and the second weight port 124b of the second body member 120. The third body member 130 is preferably made of a different color than the second body member 120. The third body member 130 is preferably made of the same color as the first body member 110. The contrasting colors between the first body member 110 and the second body member 120, and between the second body member 120 and the third body member 130, enhance visibility when aligning the putter 100. The third body member 130 is made of a third material having a third density. In the most preferred embodiment, the third body member 130 is made of steel with a density of approximately 7 g / cc to 8 g / cc. The above-described multiple body member structure results in a more precise weight distribution of the putter 100, increased forgiveness, and improved sound and feel. It also increases depth and color contrast, improving the visual alignment of the putter 100 with respect to the target.The features mentioned above also help with proper assembly and protection against wear and tear on parts and unnecessary disassembly.

[0014] As shown in Figure 6, the putter 100 includes several alignment features to assist the golfer in aiming the putter 100 at the target. In a plan view of the putter 100 in a normal address position, the putter 100 may include a first inclined surface 141 on the toe side of the face center plane 140 of the first body member 110 that forms an angle θ with respect to the face center plane 140, a second inclined surface 142 on the toe side of the face center plane 140 of the third body member 130 that forms an angle θ with respect to the face center plane 140, and a third inclined surface 143 on the toe side of the face center plane 140 of the third body member 130 that forms an angle θ with respect to the face center plane 140. The putter 100 may include a fourth inclined surface 144 on the heel side of the face center plane 140 on the first body member 110 that forms an angle θ with respect to the face center plane 140, a fifth inclined surface 145 on the heel side of the face center plane 140 on the third body member 130 that forms an angle θ with respect to the face center plane 140, and a sixth inclined surface 146 on the heel side of the face center plane 140 on the third body member 130 that forms an angle θ with respect to the face center plane 140. In a preferred embodiment, the angle θ is the same for the first inclined surface 141, the second inclined surface 142, the third inclined surface 143, the fourth inclined surface 144, the fifth inclined surface 145, and the sixth inclined surface 146. Preferably, the angle θ is 20 to 60 degrees, more preferably 25 to 50 degrees, and most preferably 30 to 40 degrees. The first inclined surface 141 is symmetrical with respect to the fourth inclined surface 144 with respect to the face center plane 140, the second inclined surface 142 is symmetrical with respect to the fifth inclined surface 145 with respect to the face center plane 140, and the third inclined surface 143 is symmetrical with respect to the sixth inclined surface 146 with respect to the face center plane 140. The plane 151 extending along the first inclined surface 141 intersects the striking face 114 within + / - 0.5 inches from the face center in the heel-to-toe direction, more preferably within + / - 0.25 inches from the face center in the heel-to-toe direction. The plane 154 extending along the fourth inclined surface 144 intersects the striking face 114 within + / - 0.5 inches from the face center in the heel-to-toe direction, more preferably within + / - 0.25 inches from the face center in the heel-to-toe direction.The first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth inclined surfaces 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, and 146 all serve to direct the golfer's eye toward the face center plane 140 in order to precisely position the golf ball at the center of the face and to precisely align the putter 100 with the intended target.

[0015] The putter 100 may include an inclined toe surface 147 on a first body member 110 that forms an angle β with respect to the face center plane 140, and an inclined heel surface 148 on the first body member 110 that forms an angle β with respect to the face center plane 140. The inclined toe surface 147 may be symmetrical to the inclined heel surface 148 with respect to the face center plane 140. In a preferred embodiment, the angle β is the same for the inclined toe surface 147 and the inclined heel surface 148. Preferably, the angle β is smaller than the angle θ of the first inclined surface 141, second inclined surface 142, third inclined surface 143, fourth inclined surface 144, fifth inclined surface 145, and sixth inclined surface 146. A plane 157 extending along the inclined toe surface 147 intersects the face center plane 140 at a distance D1 from the striking face 114. A plane 158 extending along the beveled heel surface 148 intersects the face center plane 140 at a distance D1 from the striking face 114. In one embodiment, the distance D1 is between 2 and 30 inches, more preferably between 3 and 15 inches, and most preferably between 4 and 8 inches. The beveled toe surface 147 and the beveled heel surface 148 help the golfer align the putter 100 along the face center plane 140 to a target point just in front of the putter 100, and help the golfer launch the golf ball on the intended target line.

[0016] Although preferred embodiments of this invention have been described above, it should be understood that these are illustrative only and not limiting. It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made to the form and details without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. Therefore, this invention should not be limited to the exemplary embodiments described above, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents. Furthermore, although certain advantages of this invention are described herein, it should be understood that not all advantages are necessarily achieved by following a particular embodiment of this invention. Therefore, for example, those skilled in the art will recognize that this invention may be embodied or implemented in a manner that achieves or optimizes one or a group of the advantages taught herein, and does not necessarily achieve other advantages taught or suggested herein.

[0017] Except in the implementation examples, or unless otherwise specified, all numerical ranges, quantities, values, and percentages may be read as if they were preceded by the word "approximately," even if the word "approximately" does not explicitly appear in the value, quantity, or range. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, the numerical parameters described in the following descriptions and claims are approximations that may vary depending on the desired characteristics to be obtained by this invention. At the very least, each numerical parameter should be interpreted using ordinary rounding techniques, taking into account the reported number of significant figures, and not as an attempt to limit the application of the doctrine of equivalents to the scope of the claims.

[0018] Although the numerical ranges and parameters representing the broad scope of this invention are approximations, the numerical values ​​shown in specific examples are reported as accurately as possible. However, any numerical value inherently contains a certain degree of error that inevitably arises from the standard deviation observed in each test measurement. Furthermore, where various ranges of numerical values ​​are shown here, it is assumed that any combination of these values, including the stated values, may be used.

Claims

1. A first main body member including a striking face and a rear portion extending rearward from the striking face (defined as "forward" in the direction the striking surface of the striking face faces, and "rearward" in the direction opposite to the forward direction), The above-mentioned striking face has a face-center plane that passes through the face center and is perpendicular to the ground at the address position, The first main body member is a first inclined surface on the toe side of the face center plane, and includes the first inclined surface facing backward, wherein the first inclined surface has an angle θ of 20 to 60 degrees with respect to the face center plane (angle θ is the angle between a plane extending backward from the intersection line of the face center plane and the first inclined surface and a plane extending to the toe side of the first inclined surface from the intersection line).

2. The putter according to claim 1, wherein the first inclined surface has an angle θ of 30 to 40 degrees with respect to the face center plane.

3. The putter according to claim 1, wherein the first main body member includes an inclined toe surface that is at an angle to the face center plane, and a plane extending along the inclined toe surface intersects the face center plane at distances between 7.62 cm (3 inches) and 76.2 cm (30 inches) in front of the striking face.

4. The putter according to claim 3, wherein the plane extending along the inclined toe surface intersects the face center plane at a distance between 10.16 cm (4 inches) and 20.32 cm (8 inches) in front of the striking face.

5. The putter according to claim 3, wherein the first main body member includes an inclined heel surface having an angle with respect to the face center plane, and a plane extending along the inclined heel surface intersects the face center plane at distances between 7.62 cm (3 inches) and 76.2 cm (30 inches) in front of the striking face.

6. At the address position described above, a second body member is connected to the first body member, which is located below the rear portion of the first body member and behind the striking face, At the above address position, it further comprises a third main body member which is coupled to the second main body member below the second main body member, The third main body member includes a second inclined surface that is at an angle with respect to the face center plane in the toe direction of the face center plane, The putter according to claim 1, wherein the second inclined surface is substantially parallel to the first inclined surface.

7. The third main body member includes a third inclined surface that is angled with respect to the face center plane on the toe side of the face center plane, The putter according to claim 6, wherein the third inclined surface is substantially parallel to the first inclined surface.

8. The first main body member includes a fourth inclined surface that is angled with respect to the face center plane on the heel side of the face center plane, and the fourth inclined surface is symmetrical with respect to the first inclined surface with respect to the face center plane. The third main body member includes a fifth inclined surface that is angled with respect to the face center plane on the heel side of the face center plane, and the fifth inclined surface is symmetrical with respect to the second inclined surface with respect to the face center plane. The putter according to claim 7, wherein the third main body member includes a sixth inclined surface on the heel side of the face center plane that is at an angle to the face center plane, and the sixth inclined surface is symmetrical with respect to the third inclined surface with respect to the face center plane.

9. The putter according to claim 8, wherein the first inclined surface has an angle θ of 30 to 40 degrees with respect to the face center plane.

10. The putter according to claim 1, wherein a plane extending along the first inclined surface intersects the striking face within + / - 1.27 cm (0.5 inches) from the center of the face in the heel-to-toe direction.

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