Putters with Enhanced Alignment Visualization

• US 20090017934A1
• Filed: 07/13/2007
• Published: 01/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Reichow, Alan W., Oldknow, Andrew G.V., Stites, John Thomas, Miller, Sean
• Application Number:
  US11/777,734
• Publication Number:
  US 20090017934A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/290
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/007 Putters
• 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 29/49826 Assembling or joining

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 in one or more dark colors; 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.

2. A putter head according to claim 1, wherein the dark color or colors for the top surface of the club head body include one or more colors selected from the group of:

green, brown, black, or gray.

3. A putter head according to claim 2, wherein the color or colors for the alignment aid include one or more colors selected from the group of:

white, yellow, pink, purple, orange, blue, or green.

5. 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.

6. A putter head according to claim 5, wherein the alignment aid includes a first portion located on or integrally formed as part of the main body portion.

7. A putter head according to claim 6, wherein the alignment aid includes a second portion located on or integrally formed as part of the ball striking face portion.

8. A putter head according to claim 7, wherein the first portion of the alignment aid includes a triangular shaped element.

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.

10. A putter head according to claim 7, 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.

11. A putter head according to claim 10, 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.

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

13. A putter head according to claim 12, 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.

14. 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.

15. 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.

16. 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.

17. A putter head according to claim 16, wherein the dark color or colors for the top surface of the club head body includes primarily a green color.

18. A putter head according to claim 16, wherein the dark color or colors for the top surface of the club head body include one or more colors selected from the group of:

green, brown, black, or gray.

19. A putter head according to claim 1, wherein at least 65% of the top surface has the non-reflective, matte finish in one or more dark colors.

20. A putter head according to claim 1, wherein at least 75% of the top surface has the non-reflective, matte finish in one or more dark colors.

21. A putter head according to claim 1, wherein at least 85% of the top surface has the non-reflective, matte finish in one or more dark colors.

22. A putter head according to claim 1, wherein less than 35% of the top surface includes the alignment aid.

23. A putter head according to claim 1, wherein less than 25% of the top surface includes the alignment aid.

24. A putter head according to claim 1, wherein less than 15% of the top surface includes the alignment aid.

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

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

26. A putter head according to claim 25, wherein the dark color or colors for the top surface of the club head body includes primarily a green color.

27. A putter head according to claim 1, wherein at least 85% of the top surface coloring includes:

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

30. A putter head according to claim 1, wherein at least 98% of the top surface coloring includes:

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

31. A putter head according to claim 30, wherein the dark color or colors for the top surface of the club head body includes primarily a green color.

4. (canceled)

28-29. -29. (canceled)

32. 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 one or more dark colors;

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; and

a shaft member engaged with the club head body.

33. A putter according to claim 32, wherein the dark color or colors for the top surface of the club head body include one or more colors selected from the group of:

green, brown, black, or gray.

34. A putter according to claim 32, wherein the color or colors for the alignment aid include one or more colors selected from the group of:

white, yellow, pink, purple, orange, blue, or green.

35. A putter according to claim 32, 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.

36. A putter according to claim 35, wherein the alignment aid includes a first portion located on or integrally formed as part of the main body portion.

37. A putter according to claim 36, wherein the alignment aid includes a second portion located on or integrally formed as part of the ball striking face portion.

38. A putter according to claim 37, wherein the first portion of the alignment aid includes a triangular shaped element.

39. A putter according to claim 38, 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.

40. A putter according to claim 37, 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.

41. A putter according to claim 40, 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.

42. A putter according to claim 35, wherein the alignment aid includes a first portion located on or integrally formed as part of the ball striking face portion.

43. A putter according to claim 42, 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.

44. A putter according to claim 32, wherein the top surface of the club head body includes no sharp corners visible from the ball address orientation.

45. A putter according to claim 32, wherein the top surface of the club head body includes no abrupt surface elevation changes visible from the ball address orientation.

46. A putter according to claim 32, wherein the top surface of the club head body includes smoothly rounded corners and smoothly transitioned surface elevation changes.

47. A putter according to claim 46, wherein the dark color or colors for the top surface of the club head body includes primarily a green color.

48. A putter according to claim 32, wherein at least 65% of the top surface has the non-reflective, matte finish in one or more dark colors.

51. A putter according to claim 32, wherein less than 35% of the top surface includes the alignment aid.

53. A putter according to claim 32, wherein less than 15% of the top surface includes the alignment aid.

54. A putter according to claim 32, wherein the top surface coloring consists essentially of:

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

55. A putter according to claim 54, wherein the dark color or colors for the top surface of the club head body includes primarily a green color.

56. A putter according to claim 32, wherein at least 85% of the top surface coloring includes:

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

57. A putter according to claim 56, wherein the dark color or colors for the top surface of the club head body includes primarily a green color.

60. A putter according to claim 32, wherein at least 98% of the top surface coloring includes:

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

61. A putter according to claim 60, wherein the dark color or colors for the top surface of the club head body includes primarily a green color.

62. A putter according to claim 32, wherein at least a portion of the shaft member adjacent to the club head body has a non-reflective, matte finish in one or more dark colors.

63. A putter according to claim 62, 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 club head body.

64. A putter according to claim 62, 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.

65. A putter according to claim 62, 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.

67. A putter according to claim 62, wherein the portion of the shaft member having the non-reflective matte finish constitutes at least 75% of an overall length of the shaft member.

68. A putter according to claim 32, wherein an entire visible portion of the shaft member has a non-reflective, matte finish in one or more dark colors.

49-50. -50. (canceled)

52. (canceled)

58-59. -59. (canceled)

66. (canceled)

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

finishing a top surface of a club head body when viewed from a ball address orientation such that a majority of the top surface has a non-reflective, matte finish in one or more dark colors; and

forming an alignment aid on or 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.

70-95. -95. (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 in one or more dark colors, wherein an alignment aid is included on or as part of the top surface, and wherein the alignment aid is formed as one or more highly contrasting colors and covers less than a majority of the top surface of the club head body; and

engaging a shaft member with the putter head.

97-131. -131. (canceled)