Putter-type club head

• US 7,344,451 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Issued: 03/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Inventors: Rollinson, Augustin W., Tang, Larry G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Legesse; Nini F.
• Application Number:
  US10/711,711
• Publication Number:
  US 20060068935A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,265 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-356, D21736-746, D21/759
• US Class Current: 473/340
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole 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 60/50 with through-holes A63B60/18 takes precedence; for stringing purposes A63B49/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3685 Putters or attachments on putters, e.g. for measuring, aligning A63B69/3614 takes precedence

Abstract

A putter-type club head (20) having a body (22) and a peripheral mass belt (23) is disclosed herein. The body (22) is preferably composed of an aluminum alloy. The body (22) includes a face portion (24), a crown portion (26), a sole portion (28) and a column portion (30). The crown portion (26) and the sole portion (28) extend rearward from the face portion (24). The peripheral mass belt (23) includes a central mass portion (80), a heel arc member (82) and a toe arc member (84). The face portion (24), the crown portion (26), the sole portion (28) and the peripheral mass belt (23) define a central aperture (32), which separates the crown portion (26) from the sole portion (28) and the face portion (24) from the central mass portion (80). The crown portion (26) preferably has an alignment means (40) thereon for aiming a golf ball during putting.

Claims

1. A putter-type club head comprising:

a body having a face portion, a crown portion, a sole portion and a column portion, the crown portion extending rearward from the face portion to cover the column portion, the sole portion extending rearward from face portion; and

a peripheral mass belt attached to the body, the peripheral mass belt having a central mass portion, a heel arc member extending outward from the central mass portion and a toe arc member extending outward from the central mass member, wherein the heel arc member is attached to the face portion of the body and the toe arc member is attached to the face portion of the body;

wherein the face portion, the crown portion, the sole portion and the central mass portion of the peripheral mass belt define a central aperture through the body having a heel end opening and a toe end opening, and the central aperture separates the crown portion from the sole portion and the face portion from the central mass portion;

wherein the heel arc member and the body define an open heel space, and the toe arc member and the body define an open toe space.

2. The putter-type club head according to claim 1 further comprising

a plurality of recesses on an external surface of the crown portion, each of the plurality of recesses having a circular shape with a diameter ranging from 1.62 inches to 1.70 inches;

a plurality of circular inserts, each of the plurality of circular inserts disposed within a corresponding recess of the plurality of recesses.

3. The putter-type club head according to claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of circular inserts is composed of a thermosetting polyurethane material, and each of the plurality of circular inserts has a white color.

4. A putter-type club head comprising:

a face portion having a recess with a face insert disposed therein;

a sole portion extending rearward from the face portion, the sole portion having an internal surface and an external surface;

a crown portion extending rearward from the face portion, the crown portion having a central elongated section and a forward section, the forward section having a width from a heel end of the face portion to a toe end of the face portion from between 3.0 inches to 5.0 inches, the forward section having a width greater than a width of the central elongated portion;

an alignment means disposed on an external surface of the crown portion; and

a peripheral mass belt attached to the body, the peripheral mass belt having a central mass portion, a heel arc member extending outward from the central mass portion and a toe arc member extending outward from the central mass member, wherein the heel arc member is attached to the face portion and the toe arc member is attached to the face portion;

wherein the heel arc member and the body define an open heel space, and the toe arc member and the body define an open toe space.

5. The putter-type club head according to claim 4 wherein the center of gravity of the club head is located from between 0.25 inch to 1.0 inch upward from the external surface of the sole portion.

6. The putter-type club head according to claim 4 wherein the center of gravity of the club head is located 0.50 inch to 2.5 inches rearward from the external surface of the face portion.

7. The putter-type club head according to claim 4 wherein the alignment means is composed of two circular inserts.

8. The putter-type club head according to claim 7 wherein the two circular inserts are composed of a thermosetting polyurethane.

9. The putter-type club head according to claim 4 wherein the alignment means is composed of two intersecting circles.

10. A putter-type club head comprising:

a body having a face portion, a crown portion, a sole portion and a column portion, the crown portion extending rearward from the face portion to cover the column portion, the sole portion extending rearward from face portion; and

a peripheral mass belt attached to the body, the peripheral mass belt having a central mass portion, a heel arc member extending outward from the central mass portion and a toe arc member extending outward from the central mass member, wherein the heel arc member is attached to the face portion of the body and the toe arc member is attached to the face portion of the body;

wherein the puffer-type club head has length from the face portion to a rearward most end of the aft mass portion ranging from 2.5 inches to 4.5 inches, wherein the heel arc member and the body define an open heel space, and the toe arc member and the body define an open toe space.

11. The putter-type club head according to claim 10 wherein the peripheral mass belt ranges from 20 to 50 volume percent of the putter-type club head and ranges from 40 to 60 weight percent of the body.

12. The puffer-type club head according to claim 10 wherein the peripheral mass belt is composed of stainless steel.

13. A putter-type club head comprising:

a body having a face portion, a crown portion, a sole portion and a column portion, the crown portion extending rearward from the face portion to cover the column portion, the sole portion extending rearward from face portion; and

a peripheral mass belt attached to the body, the peripheral mass belt having a central mass portion, a heel arc member extending outward from the central mass portion and a toe arc member extending outward from the central mass member wherein the heel arc member is attached to the face portion of the body and the toe arc member is attached to the face portion of the body;

wherein the body and the peripheral mass belt have substantially equal mass, and the mass of each of the body and the peripheral belt ranges from 160 grams to 180 grams, and wherein the heel arc member and the body define an open heel space, and the toe arc member and the body define an open toe space.

14. A putter-type club head comprising:

a body having a face portion, a crown portion, a sole portion and a column portion, the crown portion extending rearward from the face portion to cover the column portion, the sole portion extending rearward from face portion; and

a peripheral mass belt attached to the body, the peripheral mass belt having a central mass portion, a heel arc member extending outward from the central mass portion and a toe arc member extending outward from the central mass member, wherein the heel arc member is attached to the face portion of the body and the toe arc member is attached to the face portion of the body;

wherein the heel arc member and the body forms an open heel space and the toe arc member and the body forms an open toe space.

15. The putter-type club head according to claim 14 further comprising an alignment means disposed on the crown portion.

16. The putter type-club head according to claim 15 wherein the alignment means is a large white strip.

17. The putter-type club head according to claim 14 wherein the body is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, aluminum alloy, magnesium, magnesium alloy, titanium and titanium alloy.

18. The putter-type club head according to claim 14 wherein the body is composed of a material having a density ranging from 0.90 g/cm³ to 6.0 g/cm³.

19. The putter-type club head according to claim 14 wherein the peripheral mass belt is composed of a material having a density ranging from 7.00 g/cm³ to 10.0 g/cm³.

20. A putter-type club head comprising:

a body composed of an aluminum material having a density ranging from 2.0 g/cm³ to 3.0 g/cm³, a body having a face portion, a crown portion, a sole portion and a column portion, the crown portion extending rearward from the face portion to cover the column portion, the sole portion extending rearward from face portion; and

a peripheral mass belt attached to the body, the peripheral mass belt having a central mass portion, a heel arc member extending outward from the central mass portion and a toe arc member extending outward from the central mass member, the peripheral mass belt composed of a material having a density ranging from 6.0 g/cm³ to 20.0 g/cm³,wherein the heel arc member is attached to the face portion of the body and the toe arc member is attached to the face portion of the body;

wherein the heel arc member and the body define an open heel space, and the toe arc member and the body define an open toe space.