Customizable golf putter head

• US 20030022730A1
• Filed: 09/23/2002
• Published: 01/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Inventors: Nelson, Michael J., Anderson, Douglas W., Tuerschmann, Gary L.
• Granted Patent: US 6,663,502 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/332
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/02 Joint structures between the head and the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0441 with visual indicators for aligning the golf club
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/065 for putters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations

Abstract

A customizable golf putter head includes a face member and a back body both of which may be selected from a plurality of differently configured face members and back bodies. The face member has a cavity formed in its rear surface, and the back body has a mating section that is positioned within the cavity of the face member so that a parting line between the face member and the back body is concealed below a top ledge of the face member when the putter head is assembled. A hosel selected from a plurality of differently configured hosels is mounted on the face member, and an elastomeric membrane is positioned within the cavity of the face member so as to be interposed between the face member and the back body.

Claims

1. A golf putter head comprising:

a face member having a heel end, a toe end, a front surface arranged for striking a golf ball, and a rear surface with a cavity formed therein;

a back body having a heel end, a toe end and a mating section disposed in the cavity in said face member; and

a membrane disposed in said cavity and positioned between said face member and said back body in order to absorb vibration when the front surface of said face member strikes a golf ball.

2. The golf putter head of claim 1, wherein said membrane is formed of elastomeric material.

3. The golf putter head of claim 1, further comprising a hosel extending upwardly from said face member for receiving one end of a golf shaft.

4. The golf putter head of claim 1, wherein said membrane is interposed between a bottom surface of said cavity and the mating section of said back body.

5. The golf putter head of claim 4, wherein said membrane has a shape that matches both the bottom surface of said cavity and the mating section of said back body.

6. The golf putter head of claim 1, wherein said back body includes a threaded bore adjacent the heel end thereof and another threaded bore adjacent the toe end thereof, and further comprising a pair of screws extending through the heel and toe ends of said face member into said threaded bores to secure said face member and said back body together.

7. The golf putter head of claim 1, wherein said face member includes a threaded bore adjacent the heel end thereof and another threaded bore adjacent the toe end thereof, and further comprising a pair of screws extending through the heel and toe ends of said back body into said threaded bores to secure said face member and said back body together.

8. The golf putter head of claim 1, wherein said face member also has a sole and a top ledge.

9. The golf putter head of claim 8, wherein the cavity in said face member is circumscribed by a rim surface.

10. The golf putter head of claim 8, wherein the mating section of said back body has an upper edge that lies beneath the top ledge of said face member when the mating section of said back body is disposed in the cavity in said face member.

11. The golf putter head of claim 1, wherein said face member is formed of metal, and wherein said back body is formed of synthetic material.

12. A golf putter head comprising:

a face member formed of metal, said face member having a heel end, a toe end, a top ledge extending between said heel and toe ends, a front surface arranged for striking a golf ball, and a rear surface with a cavity formed therein;

a back body formed of synthetic material, said back body having a heel end, a toe end,and a mating section disposed in the cavity in said face member, the mating section of said back body having an upper edge that lies beneath the top ledge of said face member when the mating section of said back body is disposed in the cavity in said face member; and

a membrane formed of elastomeric material, said membrane being disposed in said cavity and positioned between a bottom surface of said cavity and the mating section of said back body in order to absorb vibration when the front surface of said face member strikes a golf ball.

13. The golf putter head of claim 12, wherein said back body includes a threaded bore adjacent the heel end thereof and another threaded bore adjacent the toe end thereof, and further comprising a pair of screws extending through the heel and toe ends of said face member into said threaded bores to secure said face member and said back body together.

14. The golf putter head of claim 12, wherein said face member includes a threaded bore adjacent the heel end thereof and another threaded bore adjacent the toe end thereof, and further comprising a pair of screws extending through the heel and toe ends of said back body into said threaded bores to secure said face member and said back body together.