U.S. patent application number 10/099654 was filed with the patent office on 2002-09-19 for putter head with pre-machined insert.
Invention is credited to Buchanan, Douglas B..
Application Number | 20020132683 10/099654 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 9910718 |
Filed Date | 2002-09-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020132683 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Buchanan, Douglas B. |
September 19, 2002 |
Putter head with pre-machined insert
Abstract
The invention provides a head for a putter. The face of the
putter head includes very shallow markings having a depth of the
order of 50 microns (0.05 mm). The markings are formed on an insert
defining the sweet spot of the putter face by an end milling
process with the insert being resiliently supported and fixed
within a cavity in the head by means of resilient O-rings. Since
the resilient O-rings take up any clearance the insert does not
need to be made to tight tolerance and can be machined out with the
head prior to insertion within the head cavity. The markings
produced are radial and non-concentric grooves.
Inventors: |
Buchanan, Douglas B.;
(Ludlow, GB) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Mr. Marc D. Machtinger, Esq.
Low Office of Marc D. Machtinger, Ltd.
Suite 350
750 W. Lake Cook Road
Buffalo Grove
IL
60089-2073
US
|
Family ID: |
9910718 |
Appl. No.: |
10/099654 |
Filed: |
March 15, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/340 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 53/0487 20130101;
A63B 53/0441 20200801; A63B 53/0416 20200801; A63B 53/0445
20200801; A63B 53/0408 20200801 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/340 |
International
Class: |
A63B 053/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 15, 2001 |
GB |
GB 0106364.3 |
Claims
1. A head for a putter, the head including a striking face having
markings formed on a part of the striking face, the markings being
of micron size.
2. A head for a putter according to claim 1 wherein the markings
have a depth of 50 microns (0.05 mm)
3. A head for a putter according to claim 2 wherein the markings
are V-shaped grooves having a pitch of 0.7 mm.
4. A head for a putter according to claim 1 wherein the markings
are curvilinear and non-concentric.
5. A head for a putter according to claim 1 wherein the markings
are formed on an insert located within a closed cavity formed
within the head.
6. A head for a putter according to claim 5 wherein the insert is
spaced from the head by means of a clearance space.
7. A head for a putter according to claim 6 wherein the insert is
made from bar stock material.
8. A head for a putter according to claim 6 wherein the insert is
made from as cast material.
9. A head for a putter according to claim 7 or claim 8 wherein the
insert has a front face, the front face only being machined from
either the bar stock or as cast material.
10. A head for a putter according to claim 1 wherein the markings
are produced by means of a milling process.
11. A head for a putter according to claim 10 wherein the milling
process uses an end mill.
12. A head for a putter according to claim 5 wherein the insert
defines the sweet spot of the putter.
13. A head for a putter substantially as herein described with
reference to any one of FIGS. 1 to 6 of the accompanying
drawings.
14. An insert for a putter head, the insert having markings formed
on a face thereof, the markings being of micron size.
15. An insert for a putter head according to claim 14 wherein the
markings have a depth of 50 microns (0.05 mm)
16. An insert for a putter head according to claim 14 wherein the
markings are curvilinear and non-concentric.
17. An insert for a putter head substantially as herein described
with reference to FIG. 4 of the accompanying drawings.
Description
[0001] This invention relates to a head for a golf putter. More
particularly the invention is concerned with producing a head for a
putter in such a manner as to allow expensive machining techniques
to be used to provide the face of the putter with markings designed
to facilitate the control of a golf ball during the putting stroke.
Preferably the markings are confined to the sweet spot on the
putter face.
[0002] In U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,409 (Currie-1994) there is disclosed
a putter having a vertical flat machined surface extending between
top and bottom surfaces. The vertical flat machined surface forms
the striking face of the putter. According to this patent the
process of machining provides a technique in which a very flat
surface can be provided upon a putter head. However this patent
laments the fact that machined putter heads are not common and have
not been widely adopted because the machining process is so
expensive.
[0003] U.S. Pat. No. 3,206,206 (Santosuosso-1965) discloses a
putter head having a rectangular insert fitted within the putter
head. The insert is grooved for contacting the ball. However, this
design likewise does not seem to have gained wide acceptance in the
art possibly because of the complexities of machining the
rectangular opening in the putter head and then machining the
insert to fit within the opening.
[0004] In U.S. Pat. No. 5,637,044 (Swash) a putter head is
disclosed having concentric grooves with a commom centre of
rotation formed on the face of the putter. The grooves are
described as being relatively shallow but even so have a depth
typically of between 0.2 to 0.3 mm. The grooves are said to impart
advantageous spin to the ball.
[0005] According to the present invention there is provided a head
for a putter, the head including a striking face having markings
formed on at least a part of the putter face, the markings being of
micron size.
[0006] Preferably the markings are curvilinear and non-concentric
and are formed by a machining process, for example, a milling
process. A milling cutter, for example an end mill may be passed
over the surface.
[0007] The invention will now be described by way of example only
with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:
[0008] FIG. 1 shows a front perspective view of a putter head in
accordance with one aspect of the invention.
[0009] FIG. 2 shows a front perspective view of a putter head in
accordance with a second aspect of the invention
[0010] FIG. 3 shows a part sectional elevation of the putter head
shown in FIG. 2.
[0011] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an insert for insertion into
a putter head in accordance with the invention.
[0012] FIG. 5 illustrates the curvilinear markings that may be
formed upon the putter face in accordance with the invention.
[0013] FIG. 6 illustrates a part cross-section of markings in
accordance with the invention.
[0014] In FIG. 1 there is shown a putter head 2 in accordance with
a first aspect of the invention. A shaft 3 is attached to putter
head 2, for example by suitable adhesive. Putter head 2 includes
curved side surfaces 4, 5 and a curved rear surface 6 and has a
striking face 7.
[0015] Dotted lines 8 denote an area including the sweet spot on
the putter face 7 and has curvilinear surface markings 9 formed
thereon by the machining method described below.
[0016] In FIG. 2 there is shown a golf putter 10 in accordance with
a second aspect of the present invention. Golf putter 10 comprises
a T-shaped head 11 connected to a shaft 12 by means of a hosel
member 13. Hosel member 13 may be hollow as best seen in FIG. 3. A
shaft connection may comprise the hosel member 13 or the hosel
member 13 may be dispensed with and the shaft connection may
comprise shaft 14 connected directly to head 11. A reinforcing ring
13A may be used to assist in connecting shaft 14 to hosel member
13. The head 11 comprises an outer shell member 15, best seen in
FIG. 3 which defines a closed cavity 16 within head 11. A shoulder
17 is formed within the cavity 16. The putter head 11 includes a
striking face 18. An important part of the present invention is the
use of an elongate cylindrical inner insert member 19 set into or
located within cavity 16 in the head 11. As seen in FIG. 4 inner
insert member 19 has a front face 20 and a rear face 21 and a
circular peripheral surface 22 joining the front and rear surfaces
20, 21. Peripheral surface 22 has two semi-circular grooves 23, 24
formed thereon for a purpose later to be explained. An aperture 25
is formed in insert 19 by drilling and reaming to receive and
ensure a proper fit for either hosel 13 or shaft 14. As best seen
in FIG. 3 hosel member 13 stops short of the end of the aperture 25
so that it does not contact the outer shell member 15. It is
believed this arrangement enhances the transmission of impact
energy to the putter shaft as "feel". A sweet spot 26 for the
putter head 11 as indicated by the crossed lines 27 is arranged to
be at the centre of area of the front face 20 of insert 19. Insert
19 is supported and fixed within cavity 16 by means of Neoprene
resilient O-rings 28, 29 (see FIG. 3) fitted to the semi-circular
grooves 23, 24 in the insert 19. A small clearance is left between
the shoulder 17 in the cavity 16 and the rear face 21 of insert 19.
Also as best seen in FIG. 3 the O-rings 28, 29 space the insert 19
from the outer shell member 15 so that a small clearance 30 is
formed between the periphery 22 of insert 19 and the outer shell
member 15. Thus this in a sense insulates the insert member from
the outer shell member so that impact energy is channelled directly
through the insert member 19 to hosel 13 and hence up shaft 14 to
be felt as "feel" in the golfer's hands. The rear surface 21
defines a blind bore or cavity 31 which together with the remainder
of cavity 16 forms a void 32 within the head 11. This is thought to
increase the resonance factor of the head thereby contributing to
the "feel" of the putter. Stabilising or inertia weights 33 are let
into the sides 34 of head 11 to minimise the effect of off-centre
hits. A slot 35, see FIG. 2, assists in aiming the striking face 18
of the putter. In addition to resiliently fixing insert 19 within
cavity 16 the O-rings act as seals to prevent dirt and moisture
from entering through clearance 30 and acting on either side of the
shaft connection 13 within cavity 25 they also protect this
assembly. Shaft connection 13 enters aperture 25 in insert 19
through a drilled hole 36 in outer shell member 15.
[0017] The arrangement whereby insert 19 is located within cavity
16 by means of the resilient O-rings 28, 29 and thereby forms a
part of striking face 18 provides a number of important advantages.
For example, it means that the round peripheral surface 22 of
insert 19 need not be made to tight tolerances, indeed it need not
be machined atall with the result that insert 19 may be made from
bar stock. Likewise since the rear surface 21 stops short of
shoulder 17 within cavity 16 this need not be made to tight
tolerances. Indeed since the rear surace 21 is hidden from view
within the cavity 16 the end of the insert 19 need not be machined
atall and may have an as-cut finish or as-cast finish as the case
may be. Any discrepancies in fit can be taken up by the resilience
of the O-rings This means that it is the front surface 20 only
forming the sweet spot that needs to be subjected to the expense of
a machining procedure. Also the fact that the insert 19 can be
pre-machined out with cavity 16 and prior to installation therein
means that the machining procedure can be considerably
simplified.
[0018] FIG. 5 shown greatly exaggerated for ease of explanation
illustrates the characteristics of the surface markings formed on
the sweet spot 26 on insert 19. As shown these are non-concentric
curvilinear grooves having the cross-section shown in FIG. 6 with a
pitch (P) of 0.7 mm. The grooves or markings illustrated in FIG. 6
are of Micron size (1 micron=1 thousandth of 1 mm). As used herein
the term "micron size " is meant to convey the meaning of a depth
(D) of markings or grooves several orders smaller than the smallest
groove (0.2 mm) disclosed in the above mentioned U.S. Pat. No.
5,637,044 (Swash). That is a depth (D) of 0.05 mm (50 microns) to
0.1 mm for the present invention compared to depth of 0.2 mm in the
Swash patent. In a practical embodiment of the present invention
with an insert diameter of 25.4 mm a tungsten carbide end mill of
62 mm diameter was passed once over the front surface of the
insert. End mills having a diameter of between 25 and 76 mm could
be used in the practise of the invention. The curvilinear
non-concentric markings produced by the end milling are of constant
radius and present the same configuration to the golf ball as it
moves relative to the putter face during a putting stroke. This is
in contrast to the aforementioned Swash patent where the grooves
radiating from a common centre point will result in presenting
differing configurations to the golf ball. Also grooves or markings
of this small order of depth could possibly allow face slippage if
the putt is at an angle from the desired path of travel but the
lightly curved lines will have a slightly self centralising
effect.
[0019] The insert member 19 is made from a material selected to be
a soft ductile material, for example bronze, which will facilitate
the transmission of shock thereby conveying impact energy as "feel"
to the golfer's hands. Outer shell member 15 and hosel member 13
are made of aircraft quality high strength aluminium
(specification-6082T6 (H30). The putter head of the present
invention may be used with any conventional shaft but it can be
most advantageously used in a putter with a substantially large
diameter (between 25 and 45 mm), thin walled (between 0.75 and 1
mm), parallel shaft or a grip made therefrom to enhance the "feel"
thereof. then such large sized shaft or grip is used the preferred
material is carbon fibre.
* * * * *