Golf putter head with a visual alignment aid and an increased moment of inertia

• US 6,960,140 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2004
• Issued: 11/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Inventors: Jones, David D., Solheim, John A., Haines, Derek W., Solheim, John K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US10/758,654
• Publication Number:
  US 20050159240A1
• Time in Patent Office: 656 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473251-256, D21736-746, D21/759
• US Class Current: 473/251
• 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

Abstract

A golf putter head includes a face member with a front surface arranged for impacting a golf ball. A first arm extends substantially rearwardly from a heel end of the face member, a second arm extends substantially rearwardly from a toe end of the face member, and a central member extends rearwardly from the face member intermediate the heel and toe ends thereof. The central member is connected to the first and second arms rearwardly of the face member. A first cavity is formed in an upper surface of the central member between the first and second openings, and a second cavity is formed in the upper surface of the central member rearwardly of the first cavity and rearwardly of the first and second openings. First and second inserts are disposed, respectively, in the first and second cavities. The first cavity and the first insert each have a generally elongated crescent shape with a concave end while the second cavity and the second insert each have a generally semicircular shape with a convex side. In order to provide a visual alignment aid, the convex sides of the second cavity and the second insert are aligned with and complement the concave ends of the first cavity and the first insert. The first and second inserts have a color which contrasts with the face member, the first and second arms, and the central member to enhance the visual alignment aid.

Claims

1. A golf putter head comprising:

a face member having a heel end, a toe end, a top rail, and a front surface arranged for impacting a golf ball;

a first arm extending substantially rearwardly from the heel end of said face member;

a second arm extending substantially rearwardly from the toe end of said face member;

a central member extending rearwardly from said face member intermediate the heel and toe ends thereof, said central member being connected to said first and second arms rearwardly of said face member, said central member having an upper surface;

said central member and said first arm defining a first opening therebetween adjacent the heel end of said face member;

said central member and said second arm defining a second opening therebetween adjacent the toe end of said face member;

said central member including a first cavity in its upper surface located between said first and second openings; and

said central member including a second cavity in its upper surface located rearwardly of said first cavity and rearwardly of said first and second openings.

2. The golf putter head of claim 1, wherein said central member includes a pair of wing portions connecting said central member to said first and second arms rearwardly of said face member.

3. The golf putter head of claim 1, wherein said first cavity has a generally elongated crescent shape with a concave end while said second cavity has a generally semicircular shape with a convex side.

4. The golf putter head of claim 3, wherein the convex side of said second cavity is aligned with and complements the concave end of said first cavity to provide a visual alignment aid.

5. The golf putter head of claim 4, further comprising:

said face member, said first and second arms, and said central member being made of a first material; and

first and second inserts disposed, respectively, in said first and second cavities, said first and second inserts being made of a second material that is less dense than said first material.

6. The golf putter head of claim 5, wherein said first material is steel and said second material is urethane.

7. The golf putter head of claim 5, wherein said first and second inserts have a color which contrasts with said face member, said first and second arms and said central member to enhance said visual alignment aid.

8. The golf putter head of claim 7, wherein said first and second inserts are aligned in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to said face member thereby lengthening said visual alignment aid.

9. The golf putter head of claim 5, wherein said first and second cavities have respective depths of approximately 0.089 and 0.149 inch, and wherein said first and second inserts have respective thicknesses of approximately 0.074 and 0.134 inch.

10. The golf putter head of claim 3, further comprising a first insert disposed in said first cavity and having a generally elongated crescent shape with a concave end, and further comprising a second insert disposed in said second cavity and having a generally semicircular shape with a convex side.

11. The golf putter head of claim 10, wherein the convex side of said second insert is aligned with and complements the concave end of said first insert.

12. The golf putter head of claim 1, wherein said central member includes a substantially U-shaped wall at one end thereof that merges with a back surface of said face member.

13. The golf putter head of claim 12, wherein said arcuate wall has a top edge and wherein a middle portion of said wall top edge is curved and protrudes above the top rail on said face member.

14. The golf putter head of claim 13, wherein said wall top edge has opposed side portions which slope downwardly from said middle portion as said wall extends away from said face member.

15. The golf putter head of claim 14, wherein said first and second arms have top surfaces that slope downwardly as said first and second arms extend away from said face member.

16. The golf putter head of claim 12, wherein said central member has a thickened portion at the other end thereof opposite said arcuate wall.

17. A golf putter head comprising:

a face member having a heel end, a toe end, a top rail, a front surface arranged for impacting a golf ball, and a back surface;

a first arm extending substantially rearwardly from the heel end of said face member;

a second arm extending substantially rearwardly from the toe end of said face member;

a central member extending rearwardly from said face member intermediate the heel and toe ends thereof, said central member being connected to said first and second arms rearwardly of said face member;

said central member and said first arm defining a first opening therebetween adjacent the heel end of said face member;

said central member and said second arm defining a second opening therebetween adjacent the toe end of said face member; and

said central member including a substantially U-shaped wall at one end thereof that merges with the back surface of said face member, said U-shaped wall including an arcuate wall having a top edge with a middle section of said U-shaped wall abutting the back surface of said face member and further including opposed side sections of said U-shaped wall extending from said middle section of said U-shaped wall and sloping downwardly from said top edge of said arcuate wall adjacent each of said first and second openings.

18. The golf putter head of claim 17, further comprising a face plate disposed in the front surface of said face member.

19. The golf putter head of claim 17, wherein said first and second openings define first and second open spaces, respectively, that are not closed off.

20. A golf putter head comprising:

a face member having a heel end, a toe end, a top rail, a front surface arranged for impacting a golf ball, and a back surface;

a first arm extending substantially rearwardly from the heel end of said face member;

a second arm extending substantially rearwardly from the toe end of said face member;

a central member extending rearwardly from said face member intermediate the heel and toe ends thereof, said central member being connected to said first and second arms rearwardly of said face member;

said central member including a substantially U-shaped wall at one end thereof that merges with the back surface of said face member, said U-shaped wall having a top edge with a middle portion that is curved and opposed side portions; and

the middle portion of said U-shaped wall top edge protruding above the top rail of said face member, and the opposed side portions of said U-shaped wall top edge sloping downwardly as said U-shaped wall extends away from said face member.

21. The golf putter head of claim 20, wherein said first and second arms have top surfaces that slope downwardly as said first and second arms extend away from said face member.

22. The golf putter head of claim 21, wherein said central member has a thickened portion at the other end thereof apposite said U-shaped wall.