U.S. patent application number 15/052866 was filed with the patent office on 2017-08-24 for method for configuring the face of a putter.
The applicant listed for this patent is Guerin D. Rife. Invention is credited to Guerin D. Rife.
Application Number | 20170239534 15/052866 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 59631455 |
Filed Date | 2017-08-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170239534 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Rife; Guerin D. |
August 24, 2017 |
METHOD FOR CONFIGURING THE FACE OF A PUTTER
Abstract
The present invention is a method of forming the ball striking
face of a putter type golf club to control the amount of force
applied to a golf ball for a given stroke in order that golf ball
struck away from the center of percussion of the face travels
essentially the same distance as golf balls struck precisely at the
center of percussion.
Inventors: |
Rife; Guerin D.; (Carlsbad,
CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Rife; Guerin D. |
Carlsbad |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
59631455 |
Appl. No.: |
15/052866 |
Filed: |
February 24, 2016 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 53/0445 20200801;
A63B 53/0487 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A63B 53/04 20060101
A63B053/04 |
Claims
1. A method of configuring the ball striking face of a putter type
golf club having a center of percussion and heel and toe portions
on the face to control the amount of force applied to a golf ball
for a given stroke in order that a golf ball struck away from the
center of percussion of the face travels essentially the same
distance as golf balls struck precisely at the center of
percussion, comprising the steps of: a) calculating an amount of
material to be progressively eliminated from the ball striking face
to form variable ball contact surfaces on the ball striking face;
b) selectively eliminating portions of the ball striking face in
accordance with the amount of material calculated to be eliminated;
c) and, creating variable ball contact surfaces as a result of the
portions of the ball striking face eliminated; said variable ball
contact surfaces characterized to impart progressively more energy
to a golf ball the further away from the center of percussion the
ball is struck to insure an equal amount of force is delivered to
the ball wherever the ball contacts the striking face of the
putter.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said variable ball contact
surfaces are created by forming recesses adjoining the ball contact
areas below the surface of said ball striking face.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of selectively
eliminating the calculated portions of said striking face is
further defined by the step of forming ball contact surfaces at the
center of percussion of the striking face that are smaller at the
center than the ball contact surfaces at either side of the center
of percussion.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein the step of selectively
eliminating the calculated portions of said striking face is
further defined by the step of forming the ball contact surfaces
that become progressively larger toward the heel and toe portions
of the striking face than the contact surfaces at the center of
percussion.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of selectively
eliminating portions of the ball striking face is further defined
by removing the portions in the shape of longitudinal, variable
width, recessed grooves extending between the heel and toe portions
of the ball striking face.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of selectively
eliminating portions of the ball striking face is defined by
removing the portions in the shape of parabolic recesses extending
between the heel and toe portions of the striking face.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of selectively
eliminating portions of the ball striking face is defined by the
step of removing the portions in geometrical shapes extending
between said heel and toe portions of the striking face.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of creating ball contact
surfaces is defined by the contact surfaces being geometrically
shaped.
9. The method of claim 1 further including a step of determining a
moment of inertia value of the putter type golf club; and, using
the moment of inertia value to calculate the amount of the portions
of the face to be eliminated.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein a lesser amount of material is
eliminated from the ball striking face away from the center for
putters with a high moment of inertia and a greater amount of
material is removed away from the center for putters with a low
moment of inertia.
11. The method of claim 2 further including the step of filling the
recesses with energy adsorbing material.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein the amount of face material to be
eliminated is further calculated by considering the hardness of the
putter face material.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein the face material to be
eliminated is limited to a hitting area on the face inside the heel
and toe of the ball striking face adjacent the center of
percussion.
14. A method of configuring the ball striking face of a putter type
golf club having a center of percussion and heel and toe portions
on the face to control the amount of force applied to a golf ball
for a given stroke in order that a golf ball struck away from the
center of percussion of the face travels essentially the same
distance as golf balls struck precisely at the center of
percussion, comprising the steps of: calculating an amount of
material on the face to create ball contact areas that will impart
the same force or energy transfer to a golf ball wherever on the
face the ball is struck; and, selectively forming the calculated
material of ball contact surface areas of the ball striking face
creating variable, ball striking surfaces that are progressively
larger away from the center of percussion toward the heel and toe
portions of the face.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of selectively forming
calculated material of the ball striking is further defined by
forming the calculated portions as geometrical shapes.
16. A method of configuring the ball striking face of a putter type
golf club having a center of percussion and heel and toe portions
on the face to control the amount of force applied to a golf ball
for a given stroke in order that a golf ball struck away from the
center of percussion of the face travels essentially the same
distance as golf balls struck precisely at the center of
percussion, comprising the steps of: calculating an amount of
material on the face to create ball contact surface areas that will
impart the same force or energy transfer to a golf ball wherever on
the face the ball is struck; selectively forming ball contact areas
on the face that become progressively larger away from the center
of percussion toward the heel and toe portions of the face; and,
forming non-contact areas on the putter face adjacent the ball
contact surfaces that are progressively smaller away from the
center of percussion toward the heel and toe portions of the face.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to golf clubs and in
particular to a method of configuring the striking face of a
putter.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The game of golf is played with a maximum of fourteen clubs.
However, one club, the putter, is generally responsible for 40% of
the total number of strokes made during a round of golf. Playing a
typical golf hole, a golfer will hit an approach shot from a
distance to the puffing green that can be reached with an iron type
golf club or some type of fairway metalwood or hybrid type golf
club. Even when the shot finishes on the green, usually it is not
close to the hole and in most instances a golf ball hit onto the
green will end up 25 to 40 feet from the hole or further. This is
particularly true with golfers of lesser skill. The golfer then has
the primary goal with longer putts to roll the ball the correct
distance in order to leave the shortest putt possible to complete
the hole.
[0003] Thus for golfers of all skill levels, even very proficient
golfers, distance control is one of the primary keys to good
puffing and achieving lower scores. When hitting a golf ball with a
standard putter having a flat, evenly milled, or cast face, a golf
ball will travel the greatest distance when the point of contact is
in line with the putter head's center of percussion usually located
at or near the center of the striking face. However, if the ball
makes contact on the putter face away from the center of
percussion, less force or energy is transferred into the ball
reducing the distance the ball will travel.
[0004] Unfortunately, with putts that are longer than a couple of
feet, most golfers commonly miss hit many of these putts toward the
heel or toe on the putter face causing the ball to lose energy and
not travel the intended distance to the hole. For example, research
shows that a golf ball hit just one-half inch away from the center
of the putter face will end up approximately 5% shorter than a putt
struck in the center of the putter head. This can be 2 feet or more
on a putt of 40 feet. Typically, most miss-hits rarely occur
further than one half inch either side of the center of the putter
face and this area is referred to herein as the hitting area of the
putter face.
[0005] It has been discovered by the inventor by robot testing that
a similar reduction in distance occurs with a putter provided with
a plurality of very closely spaced face grooves, when compared to
an identical putter having a smooth non-grooved face. This is
because the grooves create less ball contact area and therefore
less energy is transferred to the ball even when hit at the center
of percussion. Simply put, less ball contact surface on the face
means less energy transfer and less distance for a given, identical
force generated by the execution of the golfer's puffing stroke.
More ball contact surface means more energy transfer and more
distance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention relates to a method for configuring
the surface of the ball striking face of a golf putter so that a
golf ball struck off center will travel the same distance as a ball
struck directly at the center of percussion. This is achieved by
eliminating selected ball contact surfaces on the face of the
putter to control the amount of force applied against a golf ball
during the execution of a puffing stroke. In the preferred method
of the present invention, non-contact areas are formed on a
generally flat putter face leaving complimentary ball contact areas
adjacent the non-contact areas. Preferably in the center of the
face, opposite the center of percussion, the contact areas are
reduced and the complimentary non-contact areas in the center of
the putter face are greater. In accordance with the present
invention, the non-contact areas are progressively reduced away
from the center and the contact areas accordingly become larger to
increase the force or energy transfer to the golf ball where the
normal energy transfer of the putter to the ball is weaker.
[0007] Thus by forming an amount of ball contact area at and on
either side of the center of percussion in the normal hitting area
on the putter face that becomes progressively greater away from the
center toward the heel and toe that exerts an equal amount of
striking force against the golf ball, it is possible to create a
putter that rolls a golf ball virtually the same distance when hit
with equal force on or off the center of the putter face.
[0008] To illustrate this method of a progressive contact surface,
assume a ball hit at the center of percussion with a flat faced
putter will travel 25 feet. Using a putter having 0.050 inches wide
recessed grooves at the center of the face separated by a 0.010
inches contact surface, a ball struck with the same energy will
travel 23.5 feet. By progressively reducing the non-contact,
recessed groove width to 0.030 inches and increasing contact
surface between the recesses to 0.030 inches gradually to a
location 0.75 inches to either side away from the center toward the
heel and toe, the energy transfer will remain constant allowing the
ball to travel the same 23.5 feet.
[0009] This method of progressively increasing the contact surface
away from the center of percussion requires the use of a rigid
material. However, some materials are more rigid than others. In
the case of a softer material such as aluminum, the degree of
contact surface compared to non-contact area away from the center
will not be as great. Using the example in the previous paragraph,
the contact surface at the center of percussion is 0.015 inches for
aluminum instead of 0.010 inches for steel and the non-contact area
is 0.045 inches for aluminum instead of 0.050 inches for steel in
order to roll the golf ball the same distance as when the harder
material, steel, is used.
[0010] The method of the present invention is not limited to a
particular putter head or putter face configurations. The method is
equally applicable to a variety of putters and putter face
configurations where the ball contact area of the putter face is
less at the precise center of percussion and progressively larger
away from the center to provide a greater transfer of energy when
the ball is struck away from the center of the striking face. A
typical method of the present invention uses various sized
non-contact areas such as variable width grooves, formed and
recessed at least in the hitting area of the face. However, other
geometrical configurations and milling techniques are able to
achieve the same effect where the ball contact areas are lesser at
the center of the putter face and become progressively greater away
from the center toward the heel and toe portions of the club.
[0011] Among the objects of the present invention is the provision
of a method for configuring the face of a putter to progressively
add striking force to a golf ball when the ball is struck away from
the center of the face.
[0012] Another object is the provision of a method for configuring
progressively larger, ball contacting surfaces toward the heel and
toe locations of a putter face away from the center of
percussion.
[0013] Still another object is the provision of a method for
configuring non-contact areas that are progressively smaller away
from the center of percussion toward the heel and toe locations of
a putter face.
[0014] Yet another object is the provision of a method for
configuring a putter face using geometrical, ball contacting
configurations that are smaller at the center of percussion of the
face and progressively larger away from the center toward the heel
and toe locations of a putter face.
[0015] Yet another object is the provision of a method for
configuring a putter face using a milled configuration that
presents less ball contact at the center of percussion of the face
and progressively more ball contact area away from the center
toward the heel and toe locations of a putter face.
[0016] These and other objects will be apparent with reference to
the following specification and accompanying drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a ball striking face of
a putter type golf club made in accordance with the method of the
present invention.
[0018] FIG. 2 illustrates a second embodiment of a ball striking
face of a putter type golf club made in accordance with the method
of the present invention.
[0019] FIG. 3 illustrates a third embodiment of a ball striking
face of a putter type golf club made in accordance with the method
of the present invention.
[0020] FIG. 4 illustrates a fourth embodiment of a ball striking
face of a putter type golf club made in accordance with the method
of the present invention.
[0021] FIG. 5 illustrates a fifth embodiment of a ball striking
face of a putter type golf club made in accordance with the method
of the present invention.
[0022] FIG. 6 illustrates a sixth embodiment of a ball striking
face of a putter type golf club made in accordance with the method
of the present invention.
[0023] FIG. 7 illustrates a seventh embodiment of a ball striking
face of a putter type golf club made in accordance with the method
of the present invention.
[0024] FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along lines 8-8 of FIG.
7.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED METHODS OF THE INVENTION
[0025] The present invention is a method of forming a preferably
flat ball striking face of a putter type golf club to control the
amount of force applied to a golf ball for a given stroke in order
that a golf ball struck away from the center of percussion of the
face will travel essentially the same distance as a golf ball
struck precisely at the center of percussion. This is accomplished
by forming ball contact areas on the face of the putter that exert
variable impact forces against the ball as a result of the size and
position of the contact areas. It has been determined that lesser
ball contact area is needed at the center of the face and
progressively greater ball contact area is needed away from the
center toward the heel and toe in order for a golf ball to travel
the same distance whether struck at the center or toward the heel
or toe of the putter face. By carefully calculating and forming the
relative size of the ball contact areas by removing or eliminating
portions of the contact surface of the striking face, the impact
force and energy transfer against a golf ball can be controlled
such that the amount of impact force is the same across the entire
hitting area of the face. This insures that a golf ball will travel
essentially the same distance even when the ball is miss-hit away
from the center of percussion toward the heel or toe of the putter
face.
[0026] A preferred method of the invention eliminates a greater
amount of face material at the center creating a non-contact area
and leaving a ball contact area that is less than the
complimentary, adjoining non-contact area. The ball contact areas
on either side of the center become progressively greater away from
the center until the ball contact areas are equal to and become
greater toward the heel and toe of the putter face. The greater the
size of the contact areas, the more impact force energy is
transferred to the golf ball for a given puffing stroke and this
offsets the reduction in impact force that occurs when the ball is
struck away from the center.
[0027] The method of the present invention further contemplates
that the size and shapes of the ball contact areas and adjacent
non-contact areas may take a variety of different shapes or
configurations and are only limited by the relative size between
the adjacent areas and the relative positions of these areas on the
face. As described hereinbelow, the contact and non-contact areas
on the face may be formed as recessed grooves, milling
configurations or various geometrical shapes including, but not
limited to, circles, ovals, and rectangles as examples.
[0028] A common way to analyze the degree of dispersion and loss of
distance of a particular putter that occur with miss hits is to use
a putting robot. Starting with a flat face putter, putts are struck
with identical force across the hitting area of the face from the
exact center up to one inch toward the heel and toe. The loss of
distance for the various locations on the face away from the center
is compared with the hits at the center and this information is
used to calculate the amount of ball contact surface area needed to
compensate for the loss of energy applied to the golf ball.
[0029] The calculations to determine how much force is necessary
and how much contact area is needed to cause the ball to roll the
same distance when struck at the center of percussion or away from
the center of percussion may be done mechanically as described
above using a putting robot. Alternately a computer designed
program based on the size of the relative areas of contact and
non-contact areas on the face and the exerted force against the
golf ball during the putting stroke may also be used to determine
the dimensions and configuration of the putter face. The MOI and
the hardness of the putter head material may also be programmed
into the calculations to obtain a more precise value of the
relative size of the contact and complimentary non-contact areas of
the face.
[0030] The method in accordance with the present invention may also
include a step that first determines or calculates the approximate
moment of inertia (MOI) of the particular putter configuration
being used. A putter head with a higher MOI creates greater
stability and reduces torque when a golf ball is struck away from
the center of percussion. Therefore, when using a high MOI putter,
the amount of force applied to the golf ball need not be as great
between the off center hits and the center hits to insure the ball
rolls the same distance. A low MOI putter requires additional force
to enable the golf ball to move the same preferred distance. It
follows that the configuration of the putter face in terms of
contact areas and non-contact areas to cause the ball to travel
essentially the same distance for hits across the putter face will,
in part, be determined by the particular MOI of the putter.
[0031] Knowing the distance and dispersion results using a putter
with a known MOI, it is possible to calculate the exact structure
and size of the contact and non-contact areas of the putter face in
order to transfer the necessary amount of energy to the ball
enabling it to travel the same distance with center hits and
off-center hits.
[0032] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a conventional putter
type golf club head 100 made in accordance with the above described
method of the present invention. The club head 100 includes a heel
102, toe 104, top surface 106, bottom 108 and generally flat ball
striking face 110. As seen in the exploded portion of FIG. 1, the
hitting area of the striking face includes a series of ball contact
surface areas 112, extending in a heel 102 to toe 104 direction,
that are adjacent and located between a series of elongated,
parabolic shaped recesses 114. The recesses 114 are eliminated from
the face 110 by molding and/or machining or any other suitable
process in accordance with the above described method. The ball
contact surfaces 112 are substantially smaller and the recesses 114
substantially larger at the center of percussion 116 of the club
head 100. The ball contact surfaces 112 become progressively larger
or wider away from the center of percussion 116 as the
complimentary recesses 114 become smaller.
[0033] FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of a portion of a golf club
face 210 made in accordance with the above described method of the
present invention having ball contact surface areas 212 formed
between downwardly configured, arcuate recesses 214. The ball
contact areas 212 are narrower than the recesses 214 at the center
216 of the face 210 and become progressively wider away from the
center 216.
[0034] FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment of a portion of a golf club
face 310 made in accordance with the present method having ball
contact surface areas 312 formed between a series of elongated,
oval shaped recesses 314. The contact surfaces 312 are smaller than
the recesses 314 at the center 316 of the face 310 and become
progressively larger away from the center 316.
[0035] FIG. 4 shows a fourth embodiment of a portion of a golf club
face 410 made in accordance with the present method having a
milling pattern with ball contact surface areas 412 formed between
milled recesses 414. The milling pattern is more closely spaced at
the midpoint 416 and separates away from the midpoint 416 creating
greater ball contact surfaces away from the center of the face.
[0036] FIG. 5 shows a fifth embodiment of a striking face made in
accordance with the method of the present invention. In this
embodiment, the geometrical shapes on the club face 510 are the
ball contact surface areas 512 in the form of rectangles with
adjoining, complimentary recesses 514 between the contact surfaces.
As with the previous embodiments, the contact surfaces 512 are
smaller at the center 516 and become progressively larger away from
the midpoint 516 of the club face 510.
[0037] FIG. 6 shows a sixth embodiment of a portion of a golf club
face 610 made in accordance with the present method also having
geometrical shaped ball contact surface areas 612 in the form of
circular shapes. Here also the circular ball contact surface areas
612 are smaller at the center 616 and become progressively larger
away from the midpoint 616 of the face 610.
[0038] FIGS. 7 and 8 show a seventh embodiment of a portion of a
golf club face 710, similar in design to the embodiment of FIG. 1,
made in accordance with the present method having rigid ball
contacting surface areas 712 formed between complimentary recesses
714 filled with a softer, non-metallic material such as polymer or
the like, that deadens the strike against the golf ball. The ball
striking surface areas 712 are narrower than the recesses 714 at
the center 716 and become progressively wider away from the center
716 of the face 710.
[0039] It will be appreciated the method of the present invention
may be practiced on any type or shape putter head the only
requirement being that the putter is formed with a putter face with
a center of percussion and adjacent areas of the face at either
side of the center. It will also be appreciated that other
embodiments and configurations of the recesses and ball contact
areas may be used in keeping within the spirit and scope of the
present invention as defined in the following claims.
* * * * *