U.S. patent application number 11/646037 was filed with the patent office on 2008-04-24 for putter insert.
Invention is credited to Surjit Singh Bilkhu.
Application Number | 20080096686 11/646037 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36061155 |
Filed Date | 2008-04-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080096686 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bilkhu; Surjit Singh |
April 24, 2008 |
Putter insert
Abstract
The present invention proposes a transparent insert (illustrated
on attached drawings marked 3 on FIG. 3) with lines or other
indicia printed or etched onto the upper surface of the insert
(marked 1 on FIG. 3) and also onto the lower surface (marked 2 on
FIG. 3) so that a three dimensional image is formed. The golfer by
himself or with the help of a playing partner or a caddy can align
the lines or indicia to achieve the desired putting stroke.
Inventors: |
Bilkhu; Surjit Singh;
(Nottingham, GB) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SURJIT SINGH BILKHU
5 BRACEY RISE, WEST BRIDGFORD
NOTTINGHAM, UK
NG2 7AX
GB
|
Family ID: |
36061155 |
Appl. No.: |
11/646037 |
Filed: |
December 28, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/340 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 53/0466 20130101;
A63B 53/0487 20130101; A63B 69/3685 20130101; A63B 53/0441
20200801 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/340 |
International
Class: |
A63B 53/08 20060101
A63B053/08 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 31, 2006 |
GB |
GB0601885-7 |
Claims
1. A golf putter head comprising a transparent insert mounted at
the back of the putter head with lines or indicia printed or etched
on more than one surface which may be aligned by the golfer to
achieve a good putting stroke. 1.1 A golf putter head according to
claim 1 wherein the lines or indicia are printed or etched above
and below the sweet spot on the putter head for accurate location
of the sweet spot by the golfer. 1.2 A golf putter head according
to claim 1 for accurate putter head alignment to the intended
target line by the golfer. 1.3 A golf putter head according to
claim 1 for consistent head and body positioning of the golfer for
different length putts.
2. A golf putter head comprising a transparent insert mounted at
the back of the putter head with lines or indicia printed or etched
on more than one surface which may be aligned with the help of a
caddy or a golfer's playing partner so that the golfer can achieve
a good putting stroke. 2.1 A golf putter head according to claim 2
wherein the lines or indicia are printed or etched above and below
the sweet spot on the putter head for accurate location of the
sweet spot by the golfer with the help of a caddy or a golfer's
playing partner. 2.2 A golf putter head according to claim 2 for
accurate putter head alignment to the intended target line with the
help of a caddy or a golfer's playing partner.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] This invention relates to the game of golf. A golf putter is
a specialized golf club that is usually only used on an area of a
golf course referred to as the putting green. The putter is usually
designed in such a way so as to impart a smooth stroke on the golf
ball so that it rolls smoothly on the green to the golf hole. The
golfer will still need to consider a number of important factors in
order to impart a smooth and consistent stroke on the golf ball so
that it follows the correct line to the golf bole and rolls
smoothly. One of these factors is consistently striking of the golf
ball from the middle or dead center of the putter head; also
referred to as the sweet spot on the putter head. Accurate and
consistent ball striking on a green with a putter is also dependant
on the head and body positions of the golfer in relation to the
putter head and the position of the golf ball on the putting green.
Another factor to consider is the line along which a putt must be
struck for the ball to drop into the hole called the target line.
Some golfers are assisted by a person known as a `caddy`, who will
carry the golf bag and generally assist the golfer with, for
example, club selection, picking the correct target line on putting
greens, putter head alignment, etc.
[0002] There are many different putters available in the
marketplace designed to help golfers improve the putting stroke.
Many conventional putters have a line marked in the middle of the
top of the putter head and this corresponds to the rough location
of the sweet spot on a putter head. A more recent innovation is the
two ball putter where two white disks are marked on the top of a
putter head and these are designed to help the golfer to strike the
ball along the correct target line. Lines and other flat markings
are geometrically defined as two dimensional objects and will give
the golfer two dimensional feedback. The present invention proposes
a transparent alignment aid (hereafter referred to as "insert")
with lines or other indicia printed or etched onto the upper
surface of the insert and also onto the lower surface so that a
three dimensional image is formed. The insert would make the
present invention superior to existing putter head designs because
it would give the golfer accurate three dimensional feedback.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0003] The present invention is illustrated on the attached
drawings by FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.
[0004] FIG. 1 Illustrates a short line marked on the top of the
transparent insert.
[0005] FIG. 2 illustrates a long line marked on the bottom of the
transparent insert.
[0006] FIG. 3 illustrates the transparent insert mounted on the
back of a putter. The transparent insert is marked 3, the shaft of
the putter is marked 6, the putter head is marked 5, the base of
the putter is marked 7 and the height of the back of the putter is
marked 4. Good putting is all to do with lines (alignment, putting
line, eye-line, etc) and the preferred markings of choice are lines
which are marked 1 and 2 on the transparent insert. When lines 1
and 2 are superimposed on each other a three dimensional image is
formed which is defined as a parallax line.
STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The present invention proposes a transparent insert
(hereafter referred to as "insert") with lines or other indicia
printed or etched onto the upper surface of the insert and also
onto the lower surface so that a three dimensional image is
formed.
[0008] The present invention is illustrated on the attached
drawings on page 9 by FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. Just 2 lines are used to
illustrate the present invention although the principle could be
applied to any number of lines or indicia. The insert is marked 3
which is supported on a base marked 7, the putter head is marked 5,
and the putter shaft is marked 6. The line on the upper surface of
the insert is marked 1 and is shorter in length than the line on
the lower surface of the insert marked 2. The maximum distance
between the lines is marked 4.
[0009] A line is geometrically defined as a two dimensional object.
When the line marked on the upper surface of the transparent insert
is aligned with the line marked on the lower surface of the
transparent insert only one line will be visible and this line is
known as a parallax line. A parallax line is a geometrically
defined as a three dimensional object. Thus, a parallax line on the
present invention will give the golfer more accurate feedback than
a putter marked with one or more lines or other two dimensional
indicia.
[0010] The transparent insert could be any shape which has a flat
upper surface and a flat lower surface and is always mounted at the
back of the putter. A wedge shaped insert is chosen and illustrated
on the attached drawings by FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. The insert would
normally be made of any transparent or other material with similar
optical properties such as acrylic, glass, plastic, resin, etc.
[0011] The two lines are strategically marked above and below the
dead center of the putter head and separated by a gap (marked 4 on
FIG. 3). When these two lines are in perfect alignment the golfer
will be able to locate the dead center of the putter head with
accuracy and can consistently set up to strike the golf ball from
the sweet spot.
[0012] If the golfer has taken care to pick out the correct target
line and placed the putter head so that it is perfectly square to
the target line with the parallax line centered on the golf ball,
the golfer will now see an accurate representation of part of the
target line on the insert in front of him. The golfer will
therefore be able to start the ball along the correct target line,
every time.
[0013] The parallax line will always force the golfer to set up in
the same starting position for different length putts. Consistency
in putting stems from consistent starting positions.
[0014] The fact that the insert is always mounted on the back of
the putter head adds another useful feature to the invention. A
golfer's caddy (or playing partner) can use the parallax line on
the present invention to help the golfer with setting the putter
head on the correct target line, every time. The golfer sets the
putter head on what the golfer perceives to be the correct target
line. The caddy then stands away from the golfer, directly behind
the target line so that the caddy can see the back of the putter
head, the transparent insert, the ball, the target line to the hole
and the hole, itself. The caddy is in a better position than the
golfer to see if the putter head is set correctly on the target
line to the hole. The caddy just bends lower and as he does so the
lines on the insert will come together. If the two lines do not
overlap perfectly to form a single parallax line that is pointing
down the target line then the putter head is not square to the
target line. The caddy can then instruct the golfer to make
corrective adjustments. In this way the caddy can ensure that the
putter head is always perfectly square to the intended target
line.
* * * * *