Putter Head Segmented Face with Exposed Polymer for Launch Consistency

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current putter designs fail to provide a consistent ball launch speed and direction due to personal variations in feel and stroke, leading to inconsistent putting performance, as no single putter structure suits all players effectively.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates a ball striking face with a central portion featuring a polymeric material exposed through openings, a rear body member that can be removably engaged for customization, and a shaft, allowing for adjustable weight, balance, and material properties to match individual putting styles.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a single fixed putter structure is used, then manufacturing and design are simplified, but putting performance becomes inconsistent due to variations in player feel and stroke

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconsistency of ball launchVSAvoidcustomization to individual preferences

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The putter head is divided into separate components: a body member with a ball striking face, a rear body member, and a shaft. The rear body member can be removably engaged with the ball striking face body member, allowing different configurations to be assembled. This segmentation enables customization of weight, balance, and material properties while maintaining consistent ball launch characteristics through standardized interface designs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The putter design incorporates adjustable and interchangeable components, particularly the rear body member that can be removably engaged. This allows the putter's characteristics to be dynamically adjusted to match individual player preferences and putting styles, while the standardized ball striking face maintains consistent performance across different configurations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If polymeric material is exposed through openings in the ball striking face, then feel and ball launch consistency are improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveball launch consistencyVSAvoidcomplexity of face construction

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The ball striking face combines polymeric material with metal or other materials, exposing the polymeric material through openings. This composite construction provides consistent feel and ball launch characteristics by utilizing the damping properties of the polymeric material, while the structured integration of different materials manages the manufacturing complexity through standardized processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The polymeric material is strategically exposed through openings in specific locations on the ball striking face, creating local variations in material properties. This localized application of different materials optimizes feel and ball launch consistency in critical contact areas while maintaining structural integrity and managing manufacturing complexity in non-critical areas.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Adaptability or versatility

If interchangeable rear body members are provided for customization, then adaptability to individual players is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecustomization optionsVSAvoidnumber of components

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The rear body member is designed as a universal component that can be removably engaged with the ball striking face body member through standardized interfaces. This universal design allows a single rear body member to work with different ball striking face configurations, reducing the total number of unique components needed while maintaining high adaptability to individual player preferences.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS8961334B2Putter heads and putters including a ball striking face body member and a rear body member

Publication Date: 2015.02.24 KARSTEN MFG CORP

AI summary

Putter heads have a ball striking face portion and a rear body portion (as one or more parts). These putter heads may have a DCG/B ratio of at least 0.425 (where B is the overall breadth dimension and DCG is the depth of the center of gravity). Some putter heads may include: (a) a ball striking face body member having a ball striking face with plural openings defined in its central portion; (b) a polymeric material mostly located behind an exterior surface of the ball striking face, wherein a portion of the polymeric material is exposed at the exterior surface of the ball striking face through the openings; and (c) a rear body member engaged with the ball striking face body member. Rear body members or portions thereof can be interchanged to allow for customization and/or better fitting of the putter to the user's putting stroke and/or tastes.