GOLF CLUB WITH INTERCHANGEABLE FACES AND WEIGHTS

• US 20110021287A1
• Filed: 07/23/2009
• Published: 01/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WM. T. Burnett IP, LLP
• Original Assignee: WM. T. Burnett IP, LLP
• Inventors: Tolen, George, Tucker, Richard B.C. SR.
• Granted Patent: US 8,177,663 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/334
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0495 moving on impact, slidable, spring or otherwise elastically biased
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/08 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/10 with adhesive type surfaces, i.e. hook and loop-type fastener
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/065 for putters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence

Abstract

In accordance with the present invention, a golf putter and method of adjustment of the golf putter are provided. The golf putter includes two threaded connections, one between a weighting element and a putter head, and one between a screw fastener and a replaceable striking surface attachment. The weighting element may be attached to the putter head by manual manipulation. The striking surface attachment may be attached to the putter head by a magnetic connection or any other attachment means suitable for easy replacement during a practice or experimentation mode, and is further configured to be attached to a screw fastener using a tool such that the golf putter is in compliance with rules. The screw fastener passes through the weighting element so that it locks the weighting element simultaneously when affixing the striking surface attachment, thus rendering the weighting element non-removable without the use of a tool. Further alternatives and modifications are described.

Claims

1. A golf putter comprising:

a putter head defining a front portion, a bore, and a first threaded portion having a first thread pitch;

a striking surface attachment attached to the front portion of the putter head, a rear portion of the striking surface attachment having a second threaded portion having a second thread pitch, the second thread pitch being different from the first thread pitch;

a weighting element disposed at a rear portion of the putter head, the weighting element having a third threaded portion matching the first thread pitch, the weighting element attached to the putter head via the first threaded portion engaging with the third threaded portion, wherein the weighting element is configured to be attached to and detached from the putter head manually; and

a screw fastener disposed within the weighting element, the screw fastener having a fourth threaded portion matching the second thread pitch, wherein the screw fastener is configured to pass through the weighting element and the bore of the putter head and to be attached to the striking surface attachment via the second threaded portion engaging with the fourth threaded portion.

2. The golf putter of claim 1, wherein the bore of the putter head is internally threaded and comprises the first threaded portion.

3. The golf putter of claim 1, wherein the first threaded portion comprises external threads and the bore of the putter head has a diameter smaller than the first threaded portion, and wherein the bore is concentric to the first threaded portion.

4. The golf putter of claim 1, wherein the screw fastener is captively held by the weighting element.

5. The golf putter of claim 4, wherein an outer portion of the weighting element is mechanically deformed to captively hold the screw fastener within the weighting element.

6. The golf putter of claim 4, wherein a retaining element is attached to an outer portion of the weighting element in order to captively hold the screw fastener within the weighting element.

7. The golf putter of claim 1, wherein the front portion of the putter head defines a cavity, and wherein the striking surface attachment is disposed in the cavity and magnetically attached thereto.

8. The golf putter of claim 1, wherein the striking surface attachment comprises protrusions and the front portion of the putter head comprises indentations, and wherein the protrusions and indentations are configured to consistently align the striking surface attachment with the putter head.

9. The golf putter of claim 1, wherein the first thread pitch comprises fewer threads per inch than does the second thread pitch.

10. The golf putter of claim 1, wherein the screw fastener is a socket head screw that requires the use of a tool to affix the screw fastener to the striking surface attachment.

11. The golf putter of claim 1, further comprising a biasing or cushioning member configured to resist free movement of the screw fastener when the screw fastener is not attached to the striking surface attachment.

12. A method for adjusting the weighting and striking face of a golf putter, comprising:

attaching a desired weighting element to a rear portion of a putter head via a first threaded connection having a first thread pitch;

attaching a desired striking surface attachment to a front portion of the putter head;

securing the desired striking surface attachment to the putter head by means of a screw fastener, the screw fastener passing through the weighting element and the putter head and threadedly engaging a rear portion of the striking surface attachment via a second threaded connection having a second thread pitch different from the first thread pitch.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first threaded connection comprises an externally threaded stub disposed on the rear portion of the putter head and an internally threaded portion disposed in the weighting element.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the first threaded connection comprises an internally threaded boss disposed on the rear portion of the putter head and an externally threaded stub disposed on the weighting element.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein attaching a desired striking surface attachment comprises aligning one or more protrusions disposed on the striking surface attachment with one or more indentations disposed in the front portion of the putter head.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the first thread pitch comprises fewer threads per inch than does the second thread pitch.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising captively retaining the screw fastener within the weighting element.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising mechanically deforming an outer portion of the weighting element to captively hold the screw fastener within the weighting element.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising attaching a retaining element to an outer portion of the weighting element in order to captively hold the screw fastener within the weighting element.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising tightening the screw fastener with a tool to affix the screw fastener to the striking surface attachment.

21. The method of claim 12, further comprising biasing or cushioning the screw fastener to resist free movement when the screw fastener is not attached to the striking surface attachment.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein attaching the desired striking surface attachment to the front portion of the putter head comprising attaching the desired striking surface attachment using a magnetic connection.