Golf putter head

• US 7,294,066 B1
• Filed: 06/06/2003
• Issued: 11/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: J&M Custom Mold Inc.
• Original Assignee: J&M Custom Mold Inc.
• Inventors: Richard, Joseph K. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim; Eugene
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hunter; Alvin A
• Application Number:
  US10/456,045
• Time in Patent Office: 1,621 Days
• Field of Search: 473/324, 473/325, 473/329, 473/340
• US Class Current: 473/340
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/007 Putters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/02 Joint structures between the head and the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence

Abstract

A putter head having a face and a sole, the putter head comprising a front segment of the sole angled downward and rearward from the face, the front segment fading into two approximately ninety (90) degree angles and forming a radius that flattens through the approximate center of the sole then flares outward from the radius and curves upward toward the back of the sole; a first side segment of the sole angled upward from the flattened portion of the radius and blended with the front segment of the sole and the outward flaring segment of the sole; and a second side segment of the sole angled upward from the flattened portion of the radius and blended with the front segment of the sole and the outward flaring segment of the sole.

Claims

1. A putter head having a first centerline, comprising:

a crown;

a hosel extending from said crown;

a sole; and

a face, the face shaped as a segment of a circle, the segment having a second centerline and the circle having a third centerline, the centerline of the segment located substantially along the centerline of the putter head and the centerline of the circle located above the centerline of the putter head;

wherein said hosel is positioned proximate to a mid-portion of said face; and

wherein said putter head includes an inset made of a first material, said inset including cavities containing a second material different than said first material.

2. The putter head according to claim 1 in which the centerline of the circle is located approximately five (5) degrees above the centerline of the putter head.

3. The putter head according to claim 1 in which the putter head is injection over-molded with a moderately soft polymer material.

4. The putter head according to claim 1, wherein the centerline of the circle is positioned above the centerline of the putter head and below said crown.

5. The putter head according to claim 1, wherein said cavities includes a first cavity positioned toward one side of said inset, and a smaller second cavity positioned toward another side of said inset.

6. The putter head according to claim 5, wherein said first cavity and said second cavity are interconnected.

7. The putter head according to claim 1, wherein said cavities are positioned toward the face of the putter head to bias weight of the putter head rearward.

8. The putter head according to claim 1, wherein said cavities are substantially rectangular in cross-section.

9. The putter head according to claim 1, wherein said inset is rear weight biased away from the face of the putter head.

10. A putter head having a first centerline, comprising:

a crown;

a hosel extending from said crown;

a sole; and

a face, the face shaped as a segment of a circle, the segment having a second centerline and the circle having a third centerline, the centerline of the segment located substantially along the centerline of the putter head and the centerline of the circle located above the centerline of the putter head;

wherein said hosel is positioned proximate to a mid-portion of said face;

wherein a front segment of the sole is angled downward and rearward from the face, the front segment including an angled planar surface, and fading into two approximately ninety (90) degree angles and forming a radius that flattens through the approximate center of the sole then flares outward from the radius and curves upward toward the back of the sole;

wherein a first side segment of the sole is angled upward from the flattened portion of the radius and blended with the front segment of the sole and the outward flaring segment of the sole; and

wherein a second side segment of the sole is angled upward from the flattened portion of the radius and blended with the front segment of the sole and the outward flaring segment of the sole.

11. The putter head according to claim 10 in which the front segment angles downward and rearward at approximately fifteen (15) degrees.

12. The putter head according to claim 10 in which the front segment fades and flattens at approximately three-eights (⅜

) of an inch from the face.

13. The putter head according to claim 10 in which the radius is approximately one (1) inch wide.

14. The putter head according to claim 10 in which the flattened portion of the radius is approximately one (1) inch square.

15. A putter head having a first centerline, comprising:

a crown;

a hosel extending from said crown;

a sole; and

a face, the face shaped as a segment of a circle, the segment having a second centerline and the circle having a third centerline, the centerline of the segment located substantially along the centerline of the putter head and the centerline of the circle located above the centerline of the putter head;

wherein said hosel is positioned proximate to a mid-portion of said face; and

wherein the putter head is injection over-molded with a moderately soft polymer material which is a polyester-based thermoplastic polyurethane.

16. A putter head comprising:

an inset made of a first material, said inset having at least one cavity;

a filler made of a second material and positioned in said at least one cavity; and

an overmolded outer cover covering said inset and said filler to form said putter head;

wherein a portion of said inset overmolded with said outer cover defines a face of said putter head; and

wherein said face has a profile shaped as a segment of a circle.

17. The putter head according to claim 16, wherein a centerline of the circle is positioned above a centerline of said putter head.

18. The putter head according to claim 16, wherein said at least one cavity is positioned toward the face of the putter head to bias weight of the putter head rearward.

19. The putter head according to claim 16, wherein said at least one cavity has a U-shape.

20. The putter head according to claim 16, wherein said at least one cavity includes a first cavity positioned toward one side of said inset, and a second cavity positioned toward another side of said inset.

21. The putter head according to claim 20, wherein said cavities are substantially rectangular in cross-section.

22. The putter head according to claim 20, wherein said first cavity and said second cavity are interconnected in said inset.

23. The putter head according to claim 20, wherein said first cavity is larger than said second cavity.

24. The putter head according to claim 16, wherein said second material is lighter than said first material.

25. The putter head according to claim 24, wherein said first material is at least one of a metal and a plastic.

26. The putter head according to claim 24, wherein said second material is a polymer.

27. The putter head according to claim 16, wherein said overmolded outer cover is made of a polyurethane.

28. The putter head according to claim 16, further including a hosel that is positioned proximate to a mid-portion of said face.

29. A putter head comprising:

a body having a centerline;

a crown defining a top surface of said body;

a sole defining a bottom surface of said body; and

a face defining a front surface of said body, the face having a profile shaped as a segment of a circle having another centerline, the centerline of the circle being positioned above the centerline of said body;

wherein said body includes an inset made of a first material, said inset including a cavity containing a second material different than said first material.

30. The putter head according to claim 29, wherein said first material is at least one of a metal and a plastic.

31. The putter head according to claim 29, wherein said second material is a polymer.

32. The putter head according to claim 29, wherein said second material is lighter than said first material.

33. The putter head according to claim 29, wherein said inset is rear weight biased away from the face of the putter head.

34. The putter head according to claim 29, wherein said body further includes an overmolded outer cover that covers substantially all of an outer surface of said putter head.

35. The putter head according to claim 29, wherein said cavity is U-shaped.

36. The putter head according to claim 29, wherein the centerline of the circle is located approximately five (5) degrees above the centerline of the body.

37. The putter head according to claim 29, wherein the centerline of the circle is positioned above the centerline of the body and below said crown.

38. The putter head according to claim 29, further including a hosel extending from said crown, said hosel being angled away from the face at approximately five (5) degrees.

39. The putter head according to claim 29, further including a hosel that is positioned proximate to a mid-portion of said face.

40. The putter head according to claim 29, wherein said cavity is positioned toward the face of the putter head to bias weight of the putter head rearward.

41. The putter head according to claim 29, wherein said overmolded outer cover is made of a polyurethane.