U.S. patent application number 10/252016 was filed with the patent office on 2003-03-06 for putter.
Invention is credited to Field, Christopher Howard.
Application Number | 20030045373 10/252016 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 9888190 |
Filed Date | 2003-03-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030045373 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Field, Christopher Howard |
March 6, 2003 |
Putter
Abstract
A putter includes a shaft, a head having a front face for
striking a golf ball and a rear face, and a connector
interconnecting the shaft and the head. The connector has a rear
edge that can be aligned visually with the rear face of the head by
a golfer holding the shaft. The putter head has a toe and a heel,
the heel being the end portion of the head that is closer to the
golfer when putting and the toe being the end portion of the head
that is remote from the golfer when putting. The shaft of the
putter is connected to the head of the putter at or adjacent the
"toe" end of the head of the putter. This allows a golfer to be
able to obtain an accurate visual sighting by looking at that part
of the head of the putter that is furthest from him.
Inventors: |
Field, Christopher Howard;
(Galmpton, GB) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MACMILLAN SOBANSKI & TODD, LLC
ONE MARITIME PLAZA FOURTH FLOOR
720 WATER STREET
TOLEDO
OH
43604-1619
US
|
Family ID: |
9888190 |
Appl. No.: |
10/252016 |
Filed: |
September 20, 2002 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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10252016 |
Sep 20, 2002 |
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PCT/GB01/00944 |
Mar 5, 2001 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
473/340 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 53/02 20130101;
A63B 69/3685 20130101; A63B 53/007 20130101; A63B 2209/02
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/340 |
International
Class: |
A63B 053/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 23, 2000 |
GB |
0006936.9 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A putter comprising: a shaft; a head having a front face for
striking a golf ball and a rear face; and a connector
interconnecting said shaft and said head, said connector having a
rear edge that can be aligned visually with said rear face of said
head by a golfer holding said shaft.
2. A putter as claimed in claim 1, in which the connection to the
said shaft is at a toe end of the said head.
3. A putter as claimed in claim 1, in which said connector
interconnecting said head and said shaft is formed as an injection
molding.
4. A putter as claimed in claim 3, in which said injection molding
includes a part of the head of the putter.
5. A putter as claimed in claim 3, in which said injection molding
is a graphite-reinforced thermoplastic material.
6. A putter as claimed in claim 1, in which said head of said
putter is formed as two parts.
7. A putter as claimed in claim 6, in which a first one of said two
parts of said head provides a striking face of said putter, while a
second one of said two parts is formed integrally with said
connector.
8. A putter as claimed in claim 7, in which said second one of said
two parts provides a upper portion of said rear face of the
head.
9. A putter as claimed in claim 7, in which said one part of the
head of the putter is formed as a metal casting.
10. A putter as claimed in claim 9, in which said first one of said
two parts of said head of said putter is releasably attached to
said second one of said two parts of said head of said putter.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to putters, i.e., to a golf club used
for putting. In order for a golfer to putt accurately, the striking
face of the putter must be positioned correctly, and it is
accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an
improved form of putter, the design of which is such as to
facilitate accurate putting.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0002] According to the present invention, there is provided a
putter that includes a shaft, a head having a front face for
striking a golf ball and a rear face, and a connector
interconnecting the shaft and the head, and in which the connector
has a rear edge that can be aligned visually with the rear face of
the head by a golfer holding the shaft.
[0003] The putter head has a toe and a heel, the heel being the end
portion of the head that is closer to the golfer when putting and
the toe being the end portion of the head that is remote from the
golfer when putting. With a conventional putter, the connection to
the shaft is at the heel end of the head whereas, with a putter in
accordance with the present invention, the connection to the shaft
is at the toe end of the head.
[0004] The connector interconnecting the head and the shaft is
preferably formed as an injection molding integrally with a part of
the head of the putter. The injection molding may be of a
graphite-reinforced thermoplastic material.
[0005] The head of the putter is accordingly preferably formed as
two parts, one of which parts provides the striking face of the
putter, while the other part is formed integrally with the
connector. Said other part preferably provides the upper portion of
the rear face of the head.
[0006] Said one part of the head of the putter is preferably formed
a metal casting so that the head of the putter is of the required
weight while, at the same time, the two parts of the head of the
putter have contrasting visual appearances facilitating alignment
of the rear face of the head of the putter with the rear edge of
the connector.
[0007] Said one part of the head of the putter is preferably
releasably attached to the other part of the head of the putter,
and a golfer is preferably provided with a plurality of different
forms of said one part of the head. Thus, if the golfer is playing
on a warm dry day, he may employ a part which is lighter in weight
than the part he would use when the greens are damp.
[0008] Various objects and advantages of this invention will become
apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed
description of the preferred embodiment, when read in light of the
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of the lower portion of a
golf putter.
[0010] FIG. 2 is a side view of the lower portion of the
putter.
[0011] FIG. 3 is an exploded rear perspective view of the lower
portion of the putter.
[0012] FIG. 4 is an exploded side view of the lower portion of the
putter.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0013] As shown in the drawings, a golf putter comprises a shaft 10
that is provided on its upper end with a hand-grip formation (not
shown). At the lower end of the shaft 10, there is a plastic
injection molding 11 which is preferably formed from a
thermoplastic material impregnated with graphite fibers so that the
molding 11 will have the required strength and flexibility
characteristics.
[0014] The plastics molding 11 includes an upper portion 12 that is
connected to the lower end of the shaft 10, a crank portion 13, a
main body portion 14, and a lowermost portion 15 that forms part of
the head 16 of the putter. The main body portion 14 is inclined
relative to and offset from the axis of the shaft 10 of the putter,
and the rear edge of the main body portion 14 cooperates with the
rear face of the head 16 of the putter to provide a sighting
aid.
[0015] Thus, when the golfer takes hold of the putter and looks
down on the rear face of the head 16 of the putter along the line
Z-Z, the head 16 of the putter will be correctly positioned, to
enable the golfer to putt accurately, when the rear edge of the
main body portion 14 is in line with the rear face of the head 16
of the putter.
[0016] The head 16 of the putter also includes a metal casting 17
that is secured by threaded fasteners 18 and 19 to the lowermost
portion 15 of the plastic molding 11. The metal casting 17 has a
flat face 20 for striking the golf ball and is of a color that
contrasts with the color of the plastics molding 11. The plastics
molding 11 will typically be black in color, while the metal
casting 17 can be of steel or brass. The shape of the metal casting
17 is such as to provide a pocket or cavity 21 within which the
lowermost portion 15 of the plastics molding 11 is a close fit.
[0017] The metal casting 17 provides the majority of the weight of
the head 16 of the putter. A golfer may, however, wish to vary the
weight of the head of the putter in dependence on the conditions of
the greens on which he is putting. For dry, fast greens, he may
prefer a head which is light in weight, whereas, for damp
conditions, he may prefer a heavier head. The putter can
accordingly be provided with a number of metal castings 17 of
different weights, each having a pocket or cavity 21 of the same
configuration to receive the lowermost portion 15 of the plastics
molding 11.
[0018] The head of a putter has two ends, i.e. the "heel" end which
is closer to the feet of the golfer when he is putting and a "toe"
end which is remote from the feet of the golfer. In a conventional
putter, the shaft is connected to the head of the putter at or
adjacent the "heel" end of the head of the putter. With, however,
the putter of the present invention, the connection to the stem 10
is at the "toe" end of the head 16 of the putter. The golfer will
thus be able to obtain an accurate visual sighting in that he will
be able to look at that part of the head 16 of the putter that is
furthest from him. He will be able to line up the rear edge of the
black main body portion 14 of the plastic molding 11 with the rear
face of the head 16 of the putter, which rear face is of two
contrasting colors.
[0019] As shown in FIG. 2, the configuration of the crank portion
13 of the plastics molding 11 is such as to provide the required
off-setting of the rear edge of the main body portion 14 from the
axis of the shaft 10 so that the golfer can clearly see the upper
portion of the rear face of the head 16. FIG. 2 also shows that the
front face 20 of the head 16 of the putter is at a small acute
angle to the vertical.
[0020] In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes,
the principle and mode of operation of this invention have been
explained and illustrated in its preferred embodiment. However, it
must be understood that this invention may be practiced otherwise
than as specifically explained and illustrated without departing
from its spirit or scope.
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