Faceplate groove pattern for a golf club putter head

• US 7,261,644 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2005
• Issued: 08/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: BGI Acquisition, LLC (Lion Gate LLC)
• Original Assignee: BGI Acquisition, LLC (Lion Gate LLC)
• Inventors: Burrows, Bruce D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim; Eugene
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUNTER, ALVIN A
• Application Number:
  US11/045,887
• Publication Number:
  US 20050209020A1
• Time in Patent Office: 943 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350
• US Class Current: 473/340
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0445 Details of grooves or the like on the impact surface
• 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

Abstract

A golf club putter head includes a faceplate groove pattern configured to provide the putter head with an elevated center of gravity. In one preferred form, a club head body defines a faceplate having at least one and preferably multiple elongated grooves formed therein to extend generally in a heel-to-toe direction, with at least one groove positioned above a vertical mid-point of the club head body. The groove depths progressively increase in a top-to-bottom direction so that the putter head center of gravity is elevated to a position spaced above the vertical mid-point of the club head body. When striking a golf ball, the elevated center of gravity functions to minimize initial ball skidding and to promote early smooth ball roll toward a target such as a cup on a golf green.

Claims

1. A golf club putter head, comprising:

a putter head body defining a heel end, a toe end, a top surface, a bottom surface, and a faceplate for striking impact with a golf ball, said faceplate having at least one groove formed therein at a position and with a depth for elevating the center of gravity of said body to a position disposed above a vertical mid-point of said body wherein said at least one groove extends generally in a heel-to-toe direction and is formed in said faceplate at a position disposed below the vertical mid-point of said body, and further wherein said at least one groove is at least partially filled with a filler material having a specific gravity greater than the specific gravity of said body.

2. A golf club putter head, comprising:

a putter head body defining a heel end, a toe end, a top surface, a bottom surface, and a faceplate for striking impact with a golf ball, said faceplate having at least one groove formed therein at a position and with a depth for elevating the center of gravity of said body to a position disposed above a vertical mid-point of said body and further wherein said at least one groove comprises a plurality of grooves each extending generally in a heel-to-toe direction, with at least one of said grooves being positioned at a location disposed below the vertical mid-point of said body, said grooves having a depth decreasing progressively in a top to bottom direction, and further wherein said grooves are at least partially filled with a filler material having a specific gravity greater than the specific gravity of said body.

3. A golf club putter head, comprising:

a putter head body defining a heel end, a toe end, a top surface, a bottom surface, and a faceplate for striking impact with a golf ball, said faceplate having at least one groove formed therein at a position and with a depth for elevating the center of gravity of said body to a position disposed above a vertical mid-point of said body, wherein said at least one groove is formed in said faceplate to extend generally vertically between said top and bottom surfaces, said at least one groove having a variable depth for elevating the center of gravity of said body, and further wherein said at least one groove has a depth decreasing progressively in a top to bottom direction, and further wherein said at least one groove is at least partially filled with a filler material having a specific gravity greater than the specific gravity of said body.

4. A golf club putter head, comprising:

a putter head body defining a heel end, a toe end, a top surface, a bottom surface, and a faceplate for striking impact with a golf ball, said faceplate having a plurality of grooves formed therein to extend generally in a heel-to-toe direction and having a depth for elevating the center of gravity of said body to a position disposed above a vertical mid-point of said body wherein at least one of said grooves is positioned at a location disposed below the vertical mid-point of said body, said grooves having a depth decreasing progressively in a top to bottom direction, and further wherein said grooves are at least partially filled with a filler material having a specific gravity greater than the specific gravity of said body.

5. A golf club putter head, comprising:

a putter head body defining a heel end, a toe end, a top surface, a bottom surface, and a faceplate for striking impact with a golf ball, said faceplate having a plurality of grooves formed therein to extend generally in a vertical direction and having a variable depth for elevating the center of gravity of said body to a position disposed above a vertical mid-point of said body and wherein said grooves each have a depth decreasing progressively in a top to bottom direction, and further wherein said at least one groove is at least partially filled with a filler material having a specific gravity greater than the specific gravity of said body.