U.S. patent application number 11/411465 was filed with the patent office on 2006-10-26 for golf putter.
This patent application is currently assigned to Fred Haney. Invention is credited to David Paul Diddens, Fred Haney.
Application Number | 20060240905 11/411465 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37187640 |
Filed Date | 2006-10-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060240905 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Haney; Fred ; et
al. |
October 26, 2006 |
Golf putter
Abstract
A putter is disclosed wherein the sole of the club head is
provided with at least one elongate rail oriented substantially
perpendicular to the club head face.
Inventors: |
Haney; Fred; (Tigard,
OR) ; Diddens; David Paul; (Sandy, OR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CHERNOFF, VILHAUER, MCCLUNG & STENZEL
1600 ODS TOWER
601 SW SECOND AVENUE
PORTLAND
OR
97204-3157
US
|
Assignee: |
Fred Haney
|
Family ID: |
37187640 |
Appl. No.: |
11/411465 |
Filed: |
April 25, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60674853 |
Apr 26, 2005 |
|
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|
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/313 ;
473/328; 473/336; 473/337; 473/340 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 53/0487 20130101;
A63B 60/02 20151001; A63B 2053/0491 20130101; A63B 53/0433
20200801 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/313 ;
473/328; 473/340; 473/336; 473/337 |
International
Class: |
A63B 53/02 20060101
A63B053/02; A63B 53/00 20060101 A63B053/00 |
Claims
1. A putter, comprising a shaft and a club head, said club head
having a face, a heel, a toe and a sole, wherein said sole is
provided with at least one elongate rail substantially
perpendicular to said face.
2. The putter of claim 1 wherein said at least one rail is integral
with said sole.
3. The putter of claim 1 wherein said at least one rail is
attachable to and detachable from said sole.
4. The putter of claim 1 provided with two rails spaced
substantially equidistantly from the center of said face.
5. The putter of claim 1 provided with three rails wherein the two
outermost rails are spaced substantially equidistantly from the
center of said face.
6. The putter of claim 1 wherein said at least one rail extends
across a portion of said sole.
7. The putter of claim 1 wherein said at least one rail extends
substantially entirely across said sole.
8. The putter of claim 1 wherein said at least one rail has a
substantially convex cross-section.
9. The putter of claim 8 provided with two rails, spaced
substantially equidistantly from the center of said face.
10. The putter of claim 9 provided with weights in said heel and
said toe spaced substantially equidistantly from the center of said
face.
11. The putter of claim 9 provided with at least one weight distal
to said face and substantially aligned with the center of said
face.
12. The putter of claim 9 wherein said shaft is connected to said
club head at a point that is offset from the center of said
face.
13. The putter of claim 10 wherein said shaft is connected to said
club head at a point that is substantially aligned with the center
of said face.
14. The putter of claim 11 wherein a portion of said shaft is
offset relative to an axis that is perpendicular to said club
head.
15. The putter of claim 13 wherein a portion of said shaft is
offset relative to an axis that is perpendicular to said club head.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The priority of Provisional U.S. Application Ser. No.
60/624,853 filed Apr. 26, 2005 is claimed.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Ever since the advent of the modem putter, golf club
designers have continuously developed new means to square the
putter face to the center of the golf ball so as to impart a truer
roll to the ball about an axis that is generally aligned with the
desired direction of the putt. Such design improvements have
included visual aids such as arrows and hash marks on the top of
the club face, a myriad of different putter head shapes, offset
shafts of various configurations, and the inclusion of weights and
counterbalances to improve club head balance and reduce torsion.
Notwithstanding all such improvements, there is an ongoing need for
a putter the face of which is readily aligned with the center of
the ball and that is easily squared up with the ball at impact.
This need and others which will become apparent to one skilled in
the art of golf putter design, are met by the present invention,
which is summarized and described in detail herein.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The present invention comprises a golf putter wherein the
putter head is provided with one or more elongate rails on the sole
of the club head so as to raise the center of the putter face on a
vertical axis so that it is more aligned with the height of the
center of the ball.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] FIG. 1 is a bottom perspective view of an exemplary club
head of the inventive putter.
[0005] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the bottom of the club head shown
in FIG. 1.
[0006] FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the back side of the club
head shown in FIG. 1, showing a centered shaft connection.
[0007] FIG. 4 is an another elevational view of the back side of
the club head shown in FIG. 1, showing an offset shaft
connection.
[0008] FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of the club head shown in
FIG. 1.
[0009] FIG. 6 is a plan view of the bottom of another exemplary
club head of the inventive putter.
[0010] FIG. 7 is a bottom perspective view of another exemplary
club head of the inventive putter showing a different arrangement
of rails.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0011] Referring to the drawings, wherein like numerals generally
refer to the same elements, there is shown in FIGS. 1-5 a putter
club head 10 connected to a shaft 11 or 11', the club head having a
club head face 12 for making contact with the golf ball, a heel
portion 13, a toe portion 14, and a sole 15. Sole 15 is provided
with at least one elongate rail 16 or 16', and optionally includes
a rearward-facing projection 17 provided with a recess 18 adapted
to accept a permanent or removable weight 19 that is distal to club
head face 12. Club head 10 may also be optionally provided with
permanent or removable heel and toe weights 20 so as to improve the
torsional balance of the club head. When heel and toe weights 20
and weight 19 are removable, they may be inserted or removed, for
example, by a threaded engagement, such as is found in a nut and
bolt combination. All three weights may be varied in size and
weight so as to adjust the balance and feel of the putter to suit
the individual golfer.
[0012] Sole 15 is provided with at least one elongate rail 16 or
16', preferably up to three rails, and most preferably two rails.
The rails are generally elongate as shown in FIGS. 1-7, and are
oriented substantially perpendicular to club head face 12. The
rail(s) may extend either partially across sole 15, as shown in
FIGS. 1-4 and 6 or substantially completely across sole 15, as
shown in FIG. 7. The rail(s) may be integral with sole 15, may be
glued or bolted to the sole, or may be attachable thereto and
detachable therefrom. The elongate rails(s) effectively raise the
center of the putter face vertically so as to substantially align
that center with the height of the center of the golf ball, thereby
promoting more solid contact between the putter face and the ball.
In a preferred embodiment, two elongate rails are provided that are
spaced substantially equidistantly from the center of face 12, best
seen in FIG. 2. When three rails are provided, the two outermost
rails are situated substantially equidistantly from the center of
face 12, best seen in FIG. 6. So as to minimize drag in the event
the rail(s) touch the ground during the putting stroke, that
portion of the rails distal to sole 15, is/are preferably radiused,
most preferably convex in cross-section.
[0013] The putter shaft may be connected to club head 10 in
substantial alignment with the center of face 12, as shown in FIG.
3, or offset from the center of the face, as shown in FIG. 4.
[0014] The overall shape of club head 10 may be of virtually any
type, including, but not limited to, square, rectangular, oval,
round, triangular and elliptical and may include a rearward-facing
projection 17, as shown in FIGS. 1-2, or may not, as shown in FIG.
6.
[0015] The terms and expressions which have been employed in the
foregoing specification are used therein as terms of description
and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such
terms and expressions of excluding equivalents of the features
shown and described or portions thereof, it being recognized that
the scope of the invention is defined and limited only by the
claims which follow.
* * * * *