Putters with Enhanced Alignment Visualization

• US 20090017933A1
• Filed: 07/13/2007
• Published: 01/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Reichow, Alan W., Franklin, David N., Oldknow, Andrew G.V., Stites, John Thomas, Miller, Sean
• Granted Patent: US 8,246,481 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/254
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/007 Putters
• 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: Y10T 29/49 Method of mechanical manufacture

Abstract

Putters and putter heads better camouflage the main body of the head and/or highlight the alignment aid. The top surface of the head (when viewed from a ball address orientation) may be finished in a non-reflective, matte finish, optionally, in a dark color and/or in a color or colors selected so as to blend into or match the color of a golf green. At least some portion of the shaft member may be colored and finished in this same manner. These features help in visualization of the alignment aid (which also may be designed to help in alignment). If desired, the club head and/or shaft color and finish may be customized based on the greens at a specific golf course, greens in a specific geographical region, greens of a specific grass type, greens at a specific time of year or under specific conditions, etc.

Claims

1. A putter head, comprising:

a club head body having a ball striking face and a top surface when viewed from a ball address orientation, wherein a majority of the top surface has a non-reflective, matte finish, and wherein the color or colors of the matte finish are selected so as to substantially blend into or substantially match a color of a grass on a golf green; and

an alignment aid provided on or integrally formed as part of the top surface, wherein the alignment aid is formed in one or more highly contrasting colors and covers less than a majority of the top surface of the club head body.

3. A putter head according to claim 1, wherein the top surface of the club head body includes a ball striking face portion and a main body portion extending from the ball striking face portion and away from the ball striking face.

4. A putter head according to claim 3, wherein the alignment aid includes a first portion located on or integrally formed as part of the main body portion.

5. A putter head according to claim 4, wherein the alignment aid includes a second portion located on or integrally formed as part of the ball striking face portion.

6. A putter head according to claim 5, wherein the first portion of the alignment aid includes a triangular shaped element.

7. A putter head according to claim 6, wherein the second portion of the alignment aid includes a line or an elongated substantially polygon shaped element extending along the ball striking face portion.

8. A putter head according to claim 5, wherein the first portion of the alignment aid includes a triangular shaped element having a flat side proximate to and extending substantially parallel to the ball striking face and a single apex area located toward a center rearmost portion of the main body portion.

9. A putter head according to claim 8, wherein the second portion of the alignment aid includes a line or an elongated substantially polygon shaped element extending along the ball striking face portion substantially parallel to the flat side of the first portion of the alignment aid.

10. A putter head according to claim 3, wherein the alignment aid includes a first portion located on or integrally formed as part of the ball striking face portion.

11. A putter head according to claim 10, wherein the first portion of the alignment aid includes a line or an elongated substantially polygon shaped element extending along the ball striking face portion.

12. A putter head according to claim 1, wherein the top surface of the club head body includes no sharp corners visible from the ball address orientation.

13. A putter head according to claim 1, wherein the top surface of the club head body includes no abrupt surface elevation changes visible from the ball address orientation.

14. A putter head according to claim 1, wherein the top surface of the club head body includes smoothly rounded corners and smoothly transitioned surface elevation changes.

15. A putter head according to claim 1, wherein at least 65% of the top surface has the non-reflective, matte finish.

17. A putter head according to claim 1, wherein at least 85% of the top surface has the non-reflective, matte finish.

18. A putter head according to claim 1, wherein the top surface coloring consists essentially of:

(a) the non-reflective, matte finish and (b) the alignment aid formed in the one or more highly contrasting colors.

19. A putter head according to claim 1, wherein at least 90% of the top surface coloring includes:

(a) the non-reflective, matte finish and (b) the alignment aid formed in the one or more highly contrasting colors.

20. A putter head according to claim 1, wherein at least 95% of the top surface coloring includes:

(a) the non-reflective, matte finish colors and (b) the alignment aid formed in the one or more highly contrasting colors.

2. (canceled)

16. (canceled)

21. (canceled)

22. A putter, comprising:

a club head body having a ball striking face and a top surface when viewed from a ball address orientation, wherein a majority of the top surface has a non-reflective, matte finish;

an alignment aid provided on or integrally formed as part of the top surface; and

a shaft member engaged with the club head body, wherein at least a portion of the shaft member adjacent to the club head body has a non-reflective, matte finish.

23-42. -42. (canceled)

43. A putter, comprising:

a club head body having a ball striking face and a top surface when viewed from a ball address orientation, wherein a majority of the top surface has a non-reflective, matte finish in a green color; and

a shaft member engaged with the club head body, wherein at least a portion of the shaft member adjacent to the club head body has a non-reflective, matte finish in a green color.

44. A putter according to claim 43, wherein the green colors for at least one of the top surface and the shaft member are selected so as to substantially blend into or substantially match a color of a grass on a golf green.

58. A putter according to claim 43, wherein the non-reflective matte finish of the shaft member substantially matches the green color and finish of the majority of the top surface of the club head body.

59. A putter according to claim 43, wherein the portion of the shaft member having the non-reflective matte finish constitutes at least 10% of an overall length of the shaft member.

60. A putter according to claim 43, wherein the portion of the shaft member having the non-reflective matte finish constitutes at least 25% of an overall length of the shaft member.

61. A putter according to claim 43, wherein the portion of the shaft member having the non-reflective matte finish constitutes at least 50% of an overall length of the shaft member.

45-57. -57. (canceled)

62. (canceled)

63. A method of producing a putter head, comprising:

finishing a club head body having a ball striking face and a top surface when viewed from a ball address orientation such that a majority of the top surface has a non-reflective, matte finish, wherein the color or colors of the matte finish are selected so as to substantially blend into or substantially match a color of a grass on a golf green; and

forming an alignment as part of the top surface, wherein the alignment aid is formed in one or more highly contrasting colors and covers less than a majority of the top surface of the club head body.

88. A method according to claim 63, further comprising:

investigating a grass color of a specific golf green; and

creating a finish color for the putter head, at least in part, based on the grass color, wherein the finish color is applied to the putter head during the finishing.

89. A method according to claim 88, wherein the investigating includes spectral analysis of the grass color.

90. A method according to claim 63, further comprising:

investigating grass color of plural golf greens on a golf course; and

creating a finish color for the putter head, at least in part, based on the grass color, wherein the finish color is applied to the putter head during the finishing.

91. A method according to claim 90, wherein the investigating includes spectral analysis of the grass color.

92. A method according to claim 63, further comprising:

investigating grass color of plural golf greens in a predetermined geographic region; and

creating a finish color for the putter head, at least in part, based on the grass color, wherein the finish color is applied to the putter head during the finishing.

93. A method according to claim 92, wherein the investigating includes spectral analysis of the grass color.

94. A method according to claim 63, further comprising:

investigating grass color of plural golf greens, wherein each of the plural golf greens include the same breed of turfgrass; and

creating a finish color for the putter head, at least in part, based on the grass color, wherein the finish color is applied to the putter head during the finishing.

95. A method according to claim 94, wherein the investigating includes spectral analysis of the grass color.

64-87. -87. (canceled)

96. A method of producing a putter, comprising:

providing a putter head including a ball striking face and a top surface when viewed from a ball address orientation, wherein a majority of the top surface has a non-reflective, matte finish, wherein the color or colors of the matte finish are selected so as to substantially blend into or substantially match a color of a grass on a golf green, wherein an alignment aid is included as part of the top surface, and wherein the alignment aid covers less than a majority of the top surface of the putter head; and

engaging a shaft member with the putter head.

121. A method according to claim 96, wherein at least a portion of the shaft member adjacent to the putter head has a non-reflective, matte finish.

122. A method according to claim 121, wherein the non-reflective matte finish of the shaft member substantially matches the color and finish of the majority of the top surface of the putter head.

123. A method according to claim 121, wherein the portion of the shaft member having the non-reflective matte finish constitutes at least 10% of an overall length of the shaft member.

124. A method according to claim 121, wherein the portion of the shaft member having the non-reflective matte finish constitutes at least 25% of an overall length of the shaft member.

125. A method according to claim 121, wherein the portion of the shaft member having the non-reflective matte finish constitutes at least 50% of an overall length of the shaft member.

127. A method according to claim 121, wherein an entire visible portion of the shaft member has a non-reflective, matte finish.

129. A method according to claim 96, further comprising:

investigating a grass color of a specific golf green; and

creating a finish color for the putter head, at least in part, based on the grass color, wherein the finish color is applied to the putter head during the finishing.

130. A method according to claim 129, wherein the investigating includes spectral analysis of the grass color.

131. A method according to claim 96, further comprising:

investigating grass color of plural golf greens on a golf course; and

creating a finish color for the putter head, at least in part, based on the grass color, wherein the finish color is applied to the putter head during the finishing.

132. A method according to claim 131, wherein the investigating includes spectral analysis of the grass color.

133. A method according to claim 96, further comprising:

investigating grass color of plural golf greens in a predetermined geographic region; and

creating a finish color for the putter head, at least in part, based on the grass color, wherein the finish color is applied to the putter head during the finishing.

134. A method according to claim 133, wherein the investigating includes spectral analysis of the grass color.

135. A method according to claim 96, further comprising:

investigating grass color of plural golf greens, wherein each of the plural golf greens include the same breed of turfgrass; and

creating a finish color for the putter head, at least in part, based on the grass color, wherein the finish color is applied to the putter head during the finishing.

136. A method according to claim 135, wherein the investigating includes spectral analysis of the grass color.

97-120. -120. (canceled)

126. (canceled)

128. (canceled)

137. A method of producing a putter, comprising:

providing a putter head including a ball striking face and a top surface when viewed from a ball address orientation, wherein a majority of the top surface has a non-reflective, matte finish, and wherein an alignment aid is included as part of the top surface; and

engaging a shaft member with the putter head, wherein at least a portion of the shaft member adjacent to the club head body has a non-reflective, matte finish.

148. A method according to claim 137, wherein an entire visible portion of the shaft member has the non-reflective, matte finish.

138-147. -147. (canceled)

149. A method of producing a putter, comprising:

providing a putter head including a ball striking face and a top surface when viewed from a ball address orientation, wherein a majority of the top surface has a non-reflective, matte finish in a green color; and

engaging a shaft member with the putter head, wherein at least a portion of the shaft member adjacent to the club head body has a non-reflective, matte finish in a green color.

161. A method according to claim 149, wherein the non-reflective matte finish of the shaft member substantially matches the color and finish of the majority of the top surface of the putter head.

162. A method according to claim 149, wherein the portion of the shaft member having the non-reflective matte finish constitutes at least 10% of an overall length of the shaft member.

163. A method according to claim 149, wherein the portion of the shaft member having the non-reflective matte finish constitutes at least 25% of an overall length of the shaft member.

164. A method according to claim 149, wherein the portion of the shaft member having the non-reflective matte finish constitutes at least 50% of an overall length of the shaft member.

166. A method according to claim 149, wherein an entire visible portion of the shaft member has the non-reflective, matte finish.

150-160. -160. (canceled)

165. (canceled)

167. (canceled)