Golf club head

• US 6,679,781 B1
• Filed: 10/09/2001
• Issued: 01/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Green-Maurer Golf LLC
• Original Assignee: Green-Maurer Golf LLC
• Inventors: Green, Timothy M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US09/958,400
• Time in Patent Office: 833 Days
• Field of Search: 473/332, 473/333, 473/334, 473/335, 473/336, 473/337, 473/338, 473/339, 473/288, 473/226, 473/219, 473/238, 473/240, 473/242, 473/244, 473/251, 473/268, 473/254, 473/256, 473/340, 473/342, 473/327, 473/228
• US Class Current: 473/226
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• 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 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3685 Putters or attachments on putters, e.g. for measuring, aligning A63B69/3614 takes precedence

Abstract

A golf club (110) has a head (111) with a curved reflective surface (128) for visually aligning a shot. The club head is counterbalanced above the plane of the ball (120) and has balance weights (116, 118) which may be selected to accommodate the style and preference of the user. The striking surface may be of a different material than the surrounding club head to dampen vibration on the stroke and may be of a material tailored to the user'"'"'s preference. The other parts of the club may also be composites of several materials to assist in dampening vibration. An alternative aligning structure uses lenticular lens (142, 144, 146) to provide guiding images to the user.

Claims

1. A golf club putter having a club head including a club head body and a striking surface, the club head body having an insert located therein and the striking surface being located on the insert, the insert being of a different material than the club head body and being fastened to the club head body, the insert and the club head body being substantially elongated in the transverse horizontal direction and the insert being of reduced length in the vertical direction and the longitudinal horizontal direction, parallel to a club stroke, to increase the rotational inertia of the club in the horizontal plane, the club head further having a vertically rising structure extending upwardly from a top surface of the club head and gradually expanding in width as it rises, said vertically rising structure comprising a flexible material for permitting the vertically rising structure to act as a spring/damper when the club head strikes a golf ball.

2. The golf club putter of claim 1 having inserts of higher density material than the vertically rising structure, said inserts being positioned on the vertically rising structure to increase the rotational inertia of the club in the horizontal plane.

3. The golf club putter of claim 1 wherein the vertically rising structure curves back with curvature in both the vertical and horizontal planes.

4. The golf club putter of claim 3 wherein the vertically rising structure has a light reflective surface to reflect an image of a golf ball to the user.

5. The golf club putter of claim 4 wherein the reflective surface includes a plurality of reference elements, the reference elements diverging in an upward and rearward direction from the golf club head, the portion of the reflective surface between the diverging reference elements providing means for visually indicating the location of a golf ball, the proper stance of a user and alignment of a stroke of the club.

6. The golf club putter of claim 3 wherein a rear curve of the vertically rising structure is matched with a rear curve of the club head body for perfect alignment with a golf ball.

7. A golf club putter having a club head including a club head body and a striking surface, the club head body having an insert located therein and the striking surface being located on the insert, the insert being of a different material than the club head body and being fastened to the club head body, the insert and the club head body being substantially elongated in the transverse horizontal direction and the insert being of reduced length in the vertical direction and the longitudinal horizontal direction, parallel to a club stroke, to increase the rotational inertia of the club in the horizontal plane, the club head further having a set of lenticular lenses on a top surface of the club head with a central lens flanked by right and left lenses, said right and left lenses being at an angle to the central lens whereby all three lenses remain in view if the club head is stroked along a proper path through the ball.

8. The golf club putter of claim 7 wherein the right and left lenses are at a right angle to the central lens.