Golf putter head with undercut back cavity and peripheral weighting

• US 5,464,218 A
• Filed: 07/07/1994
• Issued: 11/07/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: Helmstetter, Richard C., Schmidt, Glenn H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US08/267,885
• Time in Patent Office: 488 Days
• Field of Search: 273/167 R, 273/167 A, 273/167 D, 273/167 E, 273/167 F, 273/167 H, 273/167 G, 273/169, 273/170, 273/171, 273/172, 273/173, 273/174, 273/78, 273/77 R , 273/77 A, 273/162 R, 273/193 R, 273/194 R, 273/164.1
• US Class Current: 473/341
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0458 with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations

Abstract

In a putter head, the combination including a longitudinally elongated putter body in the form of a bar having a forward face for striking a golf ball, and rear side, top and bottom walls, a toe and a heel, between peripherally weighted toe and heel regions; a main recess sunk forwardly in the rear side; and an undercut recess extending outwardly from the inner extent of the main recess whereby a reduced thickness plate is formed between the recesses and the front face.

Claims

1. In a putter head, the combination comprising:

a) a longitudinally elongated putter body in the form of a bar having a forward face for striking a golf ball, and rear side, top and bottom walls, a toe and a heel,

b) a main recess sunk forwardly in said rear side, and between peripherally weighted toe and heel regions,

c) and an undercut recess extending away from an inner extent of said main recess and in substantially parallel relation to said forward face whereby a reduced thickness plate is formed between said recesses and said forward face.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said undercut recess extends outwardly toward at least two of the following:

i) said top wall

ii) said bottom wall

iii) said toe

iv) said heel.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said undercut recess extends outwardly toward at least three of the following:

i) said top wall

ii) said bottom wall

iii) said heel

iv) said toe.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said undercut recess extends outwardly toward all four of the following:

i) said top wall

ii) said bottom wall

iii) said heel

iv) said toe.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said body forms outwardly convex elongated corners between at least two of the following:

i) said top wall and said forward face

ii) said top wall and said rear side

iii) said bottom wall and said forward face

iv) said bottom wall and said rear side.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said corners are formed between at least three of the following:

i) said top wall and said forward face

ii) said top wall and said rear side

iii) said bottom wall and said forward face

iv) said bottom wall and said rear side.

7. The combination of claim 5 wherein said corners are formed between all four of the following:

i) said top wall and said forward face

ii) said top wall and said rear side

iii) said bottom wall and said forward face

iv) said bottom wall and said rear side.

8. The combination of claim 6 wherein said elongated convex corners are substantially parallel with one another as viewed downwardly.

9. The combination of claim 7 wherein said elongated convex corners are substantially parallel with one another as viewed downwardly.

10. The combination of claim 5 wherein said bottom wall projects rearwardly to a greater extent than said top wall.

11. The combination of claim 5 wherein said elongated convex corners are parallel with one another.

12. The combination of claim 5 wherein a shaft bore extends downwardly in the head, and intersects said top wall and said elongated corner which is formed between said top wall and said forward face.

13. The combination of claim 1 wherein said bottom wall projects rearwardly to a greater extent than said top wall.

14. The combination of claim 1 wherein said bottom wall defines a scoop located centrally of the bar between the heel and toe, said scoop diverging toward said rear side, and spaced rearwardly from said forward face.

15. The combination of claim 14 wherein said scoop is in the form of a bevel.

16. The combination of claim 14 wherein said body forms an elongated outwardly convex corner between said bottom wall and said rear side, said scoop intersecting said convex corner.

17. The combination of claim 1 wherein a shaft bore extends downwardly in the head, from said top wall.

27. The combination of claim 5 wherein a shaft bore extends downwardly in the head, and intersecting said top wall between said elongated corners.

18. In a putter head, the combination comprising:

a) a longitudinally elongated putter body in the form of a bar having a forward face for striking a golf ball, and rear side, top and bottom walls, a toe and a heel,

b) a main recess sunk forwardly in said rear side, and between peripherally weighted toe and heel regions,

c) and an undercut recess extending away from an inner extent of said main recess and in substantially parallel relation to said forward face whereby a reduced thickness plate is formed between said recesses and said forward face, and

d) said bottom wall defining a bevel located centrally of the bar between the head and toe, said bevel diverging toward said rear side, and spaced rearwardly from said forward face.

19. The combination of claim 18 wherein said body forms an elongated outwardly convex corner between said bottom wall and said rear side, said bevel intersecting said convex corner.

20. In a putter head, the combination comprising:

a) a longitudinally elongated putter body in the form of a bar having a forward face for striking a golf ball, and rear side, top and bottom walls, a toe and a heel,

b) a main recess sunk forwardly in said rear side, and between peripherally weighted toe and heel regions,

c) and an undercut recess extending away from an inner extent of said main recess and in substantially parallel relation to said forward face whereby a reduced thickness plate is formed between said recesses and said forward face, and

d) there being a shaft bore that extends downwardly in the head, from said top wall.

21. In a putter head, the combination comprising:

a) a longitudinally elongated putter body in the form of a bar having a forward face for striking a golf ball, and rear side, top and bottom walls, a toe and a heel,

b) a main recess sunk forwardly in said rear side, and between peripherally weighted toe and heel regions,

c) and an undercut recess extending away from an inner extent of said main recess and substantially parallel to said forward face whereby a reduce thickness plate is formed between said recesses and said forward face,

d) and wherein a shaft bore extends downwardly in the head, and toward a region proximate an elongated corner formed between said top wall and said forward face.

22. The combination of claim 21 wherein said shaft bore intersects said top wall.

23. In a putter head, the combination comprising:

a) a longitudinally elongated putter body in the form of a bar having a forward face for striking a golf ball, and rear side, top and bottom walls, a toe and a heel,

b) a main recess sunk forwardly in said rear side, and between peripherally weighted toe and heel regions,

c) and wherein said rear side is angled downwardly and rearwardly, to provide an upwardly projected visible intersection of the main recess with said angled rear side,

d) there being an undercut recess extending away from the main recess and in substantially parallel relation to said forward face.

24. The combination of claim 23 including parallel edges on said angled rear side and extending in directions between the heel and toe.

25. In a putter head, the combination comprising:

a) a longitudinally elongated putter body in the form of a bar having a forward face for striking a golf ball, and rear side, top and bottom walls, a toe and a heel,

b) a main recess sunk forwardly in said rear side, and between peripherally weighted toe and heel regions,

c) and an undercut recess extending away from an inner extent of said main recess and into said body rearwardly of said forward face whereby a reduced thickness plate is formed between said recesses and said forward face, and

d) said body forming outwardly convex elongated corners between at least two of the following;

i) said top wall and said forward face

ii) said top wall and said rear side

iii) said bottom wall and said forward face

iv) said bottom wall and said rear side.

26. In a putter head, the combination comprising:

a) a longitudinally elongated putter body in the form of a bar having a forward face for striking a golf ball, and rear side, top and bottom walls, a toe and a heel,

b) a main recess sunk forwardly in said rear side, and between peripherally weighted toe and heel regions,

c) and an undercut recess extending away from an inner extent of said main recess and into said body rearwardly of said forward face whereby a reduced thickness plate is formed between said recesses and said forward face, and

d) said bottom wall projecting rearwardly to a greater extent than said top wall.