GOLF PUTTER

• US 20130095953A1
• Filed: 10/17/2011
• Published: 04/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sentio Golf, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Product Insight, Inc.
• Inventors: Hotaling, Bryan R., Varney, James R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,523,698 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/332
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• 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 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0441 with visual indicators for aligning the golf club
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0454 Strengthening ribs on the rear surface of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 17/04 characterised by the nature of the material involved or the kind of product independently of its shape
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49993 Filling of opening

Abstract

A golf putter head includes a metal back body adapted to be secured to a golf club shaft and a metal face body including a golf ball contact surface. The metal back body and the metal face body have non-planar, inter-fitting surfaces facing one another without contact across a gap defined by the inter-fitting surfaces. The golf putter head further includes a vibration dampening intermediate body filling the gap to isolate the metal face body from the metal back body. Other embodiments of golf putters and golf putter heads are further disclosed.

Claims

1. A golf putter head comprising:

a back body adapted to be secured to a golf club shaft;

a face body including a golf ball contact surface;

the back body and the face body having non-planar, inter-fitting surfaces without contact across a gap defined by the inter-fitting surfaces; and

a vibration dampening intermediate body filling the gap to isolate the face body from the back body.

2. The golf putter head of claim 1, wherein the vibration dampening intermediate body includes a polymeric material.

3. The golf putter head of claim 2, wherein the polymeric material includes at least one of the following materials—

urethane, polyester, silicone, rubber, polypropylene, polyethylene, polycarbonate, ABS, PVC, nylon, acrylic, and acetal.

4. The golf putter head of claim 1, wherein the vibration dampening intermediate body adheres to at least one of the back body and the face body.

5. The golf putter head of claim 1, further comprising a hosel configured to attach the back body to the shaft.

6. The golf putter head of claim 1, wherein the face body includes a middle portion positioned between two end portions, the end portions having a thickness greater than a thickness of the middle portion.

7. The golf putter head of claim 1, wherein the back body includes a surface defining an irregularly-shaped opening, wherein the face body includes an insert extending from a surface opposite the contact surface, and wherein the opening is configured to receive the insert therein to create the gap.

8. The golf putter head of claim 1, wherein at least one of the back body and the face body includes an interlocking feature configured to secure the at least one of the back body and the face body to the vibration dampening intermediate body.

9. The golf putter head of claim 1, wherein portions of the inter-fitting surfaces of the back body and the face body face one another.

10. A golf putter comprising:

a shaft; and

a head including

a back body adapted to be secured to the shaft,

a face body including a golf ball contact surface,

the back body and the face body having non-planar, inter-fitting surfaces without contact across a gap defined by the inter-fitting surfaces, and

a vibration dampening intermediate body filling the gap to isolate the back body from the face body.

11. The golf putter of claim 10, wherein the vibration dampening intermediate body includes a polymeric material.

12. The golf putter of claim 11, wherein the polymeric material includes at least one of the following materials—

urethane, polyester, silicone, rubber, polypropylene, polyethylene, polycarbonate, ABS, PVC, nylon, acrylic, and acetal.

13. The golf putter of claim 10, wherein the vibration dampening intermediate body adheres to at least one of the back body and the face body.

14. The golf putter of claim 10, further comprising a hosel configured to attach the back body to the shaft.

15. The golf putter of claim 10, wherein the face body of the head includes a middle portion positioned between two end portions, the end portions having a thickness greater than a thickness of the middle portion.

16. The golf putter of claim 10, wherein the back body includes a surface defining an irregularly-shaped opening, wherein the face body includes an insert extending from a surface opposite the contact surface, and wherein the opening is configured to receive the insert therein to create the gap.

17. The golf putter of claim 10, wherein at least one of the back body and the face body includes an interlocking feature configured to secure the at least one of the back body and the face body to the vibration dampening intermediate body.

18. The golf putter of claim 10, wherein portions of the inter-fitting surfaces of the back body and the face body face one another.

19. A method of fabricating a head of a golf putter, the method comprising:

placing a back body and a face body in a mold with a gap being provided between the back body and the face body;

depositing a polymeric material in the mold to create the vibration dampening intermediate body positioned between the back body and the face body; and

removing the head from the mold.