Golf putter head with a cushioning face

• US 5,458,332 A
• Filed: 04/04/1995
• Issued: 10/17/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dale Fisher
• Original Assignee: Dale Fisher
• Inventors: Fisher, Dale
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US08/416,135
• Time in Patent Office: 196 Days
• Field of Search: 273/167 R, 273/167 A, 273/167 H, 273/167 J, 273/171, 273/172, 273/173, 273/174, 273/175, 273/78, 273/77 R, 273/164.1, 273/193 R, 273/194 R, 273/186.4 , 273/187.4, 273/162 R, 273/DIG. 8, 273/DIG. 3, 273/DIG. 10
• US Class Current: 473/251
• 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 53/0441 with visual indicators for aligning the golf club
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/62 specially adapted for clubs, e.g. head covers , connector means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 273/08 Urethane

Abstract

A golf putter comprises a putter head having fixed thereto a putter shaft, the putter head having a front face into which is received and fixed a polyurethane insert or pad at the position of intended ball impact. The insert may be one of a set of inserts or pads, each of which is constructed from a solid polyurethane material having a pre-selected and reproducible linear relationship between its rebound factor and the distance to a target hole for any designated and pre-selected value of its hardness. For a particular hardness value, a number of pads having different specific rebound factors are manufactured. The rebound factors of each pad are substantially equal to a constant "K_n ", where K₁ =12.5%, K₂ =25%, K₃ =37.5%, and K₄ =50.0%. A golfer may thus preselect a pad having a known characteristic related to the distance from a golf ball to a cup. The preselected pad provides a known cushioning feel effect and a relatively large contact area when a golf ball is putted by the putter, the cushioning effect factor of the putter head thus advantageously diminishing club head oscillation or quivering and dampening the putter head force transmitted from the hand grip area through the putter shaft. For such purpose, the pad has a hardness that is between about Shore A 70 and about Shore D 80 durometer, the hardness of a typical golf ball being in excess of Shore A 100 durometer. Alternatively, a set of putters is provided, and each putter head has a front face which is formed from, or includes, such a pad. In either case, the pad includes an indicator which, as viewed from above, indicates the center of the pad so as to aid the user in aligning the putter head with a golf ball.

Claims

1. A cushioned golf putter head having an intended golf ball impact region, said head comprising a resilient pad formed from a polymeric material having one of a first plurality of hardness or durometer values (DV), said material exhibiting one of a second plurality of rebound factors (RF) for each said hardness value, each of said rebound factors being less than 50.0% in amount, and said pad formulated to effect a reproducible direct linear relationship between said rebound factor and the distance from said putter head to an intended target.

2. The cushioned head of claim 1 wherein said pad includes an indicator indicating the center of the pad and thereby the center of said impact region.

3. A golf putter comprising:

a. a putter head having a front face with an intended golf ball impact region;

b. an elastomeric pad formed from a polyurethane material having a linear relationship between the rebound factor (RF) thereof and the distance from said putter head to an intended target for a durometer range of at least between about Shore A 70 and about Shore D 80, the rebound factor for any durometer value being substantially equal to a constant, K_n ;

c. means for attaching said pad to said putter face at said intended impact region; and

d. a putter shaft fixed to said putter head.

4. The golf putter as claimed in claim 3, wherein said constant, K_n, of the pad has the approximate values K₁ =12.5%, K₂ =25% K₃ =37.5%, and K₄ =50.0%.

5. A golf putter comprising:

a. a putter head having a front face with an intended golf ball impact region;

b. a plurality of elastomeric pads, each of said pads being formed from a polyurethane material having a linear relationship between the durometer value (DV) and rebound factor (RF) thereof and the distance from said putter head to an intended target for a durometer range of at least between about Shore A 70 and about Shore D 80, the rebound factor for any durometer value being substantially equal to a constant, K_n ;

c. means for releasably attaching a selected one of said pads to said putter face at said intended impact region; and

d. a putter shaft fixed to said putter head.

6. The golf putter as claimed in claim 5, wherein said constant, K_n, of the pad has the approximate values K₁ =12.5%, K₂ =25%, K₃ =37.5% and K₄ =50.0%.

7. A golf putter comprising:

a. a putter head having a front face with an intended golf ball impact region;

b. a plurality of polymeric pads, each of said pads being formed from a polyurethane material having a linear relationship between the durometer value (DV) and rebound factor (RF) thereof and the distance from said putter head to an intended target for a durometer range of at least between about Shore A 70 and about Shore D 80, the rebound factor for any durometer value being given by K_n, where K_n is approximately equal to the values for each said distance of K₁ =12.5%, K₂ =25%, K₃ =37.5%, and K₄ =50.0%;

c. means for releasably attaching any selected one of said pads to said putter face at said intended impact region; and

d. a putter shaft fixed to said putter head.

8. A series of golf putters, each of said putters comprising:

a. a putter head having a front face with an intended golf ball impact region;

b. a pad formed of a polyurethane material, said pad being disposed at said intended impact region of said putter face and having a different rebound value with respect to each other pad included in said putters, each said rebound value being related to a particular different putting distance from a target, such that each said pad has a linear rebound value relationship relative to each said other pad.

9. The golf putters of claim 8, wherein said pad forms said putter face.

10. The golf putter as claimed in claim 8, wherein said pad includes an indicator indicating the center of the pad and thereby the center of said impact region.

11. A series of golf putters, each of said putters having a polyurethane pad forming a front face on each of said putters wherein each said pad is formulated to effect a pre-selected and reproducible rebound, said rebound being related to the distance from each said face to an intended target by a linear relationship.