Putter heads and putters including polymeric material as part of the ball striking face
First Claim
1. A putter head, comprising:
- a putter body including a ball striking face member made of a material having a first hardness characteristic, wherein a cavity is defined in the putter body behind the ball striking face member, wherein a plurality of independent and separated openings are defined in the ball striking face member, the independent and separated openings extending rearward with respect to the ball striking face member so as to open into the cavity, and wherein at least some portion of a first opening of the plurality of independent and separated openings extends substantially horizontally along a central portion of the ball striking face member when the putter head is oriented in a ball address position; and
a polymeric material provided to at least partially fill the plurality of openings and the cavity, wherein the polymeric material has a second hardness characteristic that is softer than the first hardness characteristic, and wherein the material making up the ball striking face member between adjacent openings and the polymeric material exposed in at least some of the openings extend across the central portion of the ball striking face member and provide a ball striking surface of the putter head that contacts a ball when struck by the putter head,wherein a plurality of grooves are defined in the ball striking surface of the putter head, wherein the plurality of grooves extend across the central portion of the ball striking face member and are formed in at least one of;
(a) the material making up the ball striking face member between adjacent openings and (b) the polymeric material exposed in the openings in the ball striking face member.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Putters include a putter body having a ball striking face member made of a material having a first hardness characteristic. A cavity is defined in the putter body behind the ball striking face member, and plural openings are defined in the ball striking face member extending rearward with respect to the ball striking face member and into the cavity. A polymeric material at least partially fills the openings and the cavity, wherein the polymeric material has a second hardness characteristic that is softer than the first hardness characteristic. The ball striking face member and the polymeric material exposed in at least some of the openings provide a ball striking surface of the putter. The ball striking surface may include grooves or scorelines to affect the launch angle, spin, and/or roll of the ball during a putt. Methods for making such putter devices also are described.
81 Citations
37 Claims
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1. A putter head, comprising:
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a putter body including a ball striking face member made of a material having a first hardness characteristic, wherein a cavity is defined in the putter body behind the ball striking face member, wherein a plurality of independent and separated openings are defined in the ball striking face member, the independent and separated openings extending rearward with respect to the ball striking face member so as to open into the cavity, and wherein at least some portion of a first opening of the plurality of independent and separated openings extends substantially horizontally along a central portion of the ball striking face member when the putter head is oriented in a ball address position; and a polymeric material provided to at least partially fill the plurality of openings and the cavity, wherein the polymeric material has a second hardness characteristic that is softer than the first hardness characteristic, and wherein the material making up the ball striking face member between adjacent openings and the polymeric material exposed in at least some of the openings extend across the central portion of the ball striking face member and provide a ball striking surface of the putter head that contacts a ball when struck by the putter head, wherein a plurality of grooves are defined in the ball striking surface of the putter head, wherein the plurality of grooves extend across the central portion of the ball striking face member and are formed in at least one of;
(a) the material making up the ball striking face member between adjacent openings and (b) the polymeric material exposed in the openings in the ball striking face member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A putter, comprising:
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a putter body including a ball striking face member made of a material having a first hardness characteristic, wherein a cavity is defined in the putter body behind the ball striking face member, wherein a plurality of independent and separated openings are defined in the ball striking face member, the independent and separated openings extending rearward with respect to the ball striking face member so as to open into the cavity, and wherein at least some portion of a first opening of the plurality of independent and separated openings extends substantially horizontally along a central portion of the ball striking face member when the putter body is oriented in a ball address position; a polymeric material provided to at least partially fill the plurality of openings and the cavity, wherein the polymeric material has a second hardness characteristic that is softer than the first hardness characteristic, wherein the material making up the ball striking face member between adjacent openings and the polymeric material exposed in at least some of the openings extend across the central portion of the ball striking face member and provide a ball striking surface of the putter body that contacts a ball when struck by the putter body, wherein a plurality of grooves are defined in the ball striking surface of the putter body, and wherein the plurality of grooves extend across the central portion of the ball striking face member and are formed in at least one of;
(a) the material making up the ball striking face member between adjacent openings and (b) the polymeric material exposed in the openings in the ball striking face member; anda shaft member extending from the putter body. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of forming a putting device, comprising:
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providing a putter body including a ball striking face member made of a material having a first hardness characteristic, wherein a cavity is defined in the putter body behind the ball striking face member, wherein a plurality of independent and separated openings are defined in the ball striking face member, the independent and separated openings extending rearward with respect to the ball striking face member so as to open into the cavity, and wherein at least some portion of a first opening of the plurality of independent and separated openings extends substantially horizontally along a central portion of the ball striking face member when the putter body is oriented in a ball address position; and placing a polymeric material in the putter body to at least partially fill the plurality of openings and the cavity, wherein the polymeric material has a second hardness characteristic that is softer than the first hardness characteristic, wherein the polymeric material is inserted such that the material making up the ball striking face member between adjacent openings and the polymeric material exposed in at least some of the openings extend across the central portion of the ball striking face member and provide a ball striking surface of the putter body that contacts a ball when struck by the putter, and wherein a plurality of grooves are defined in the ball striking surface of the putter body, wherein the plurality of grooves extend across the central portion of the ball striking face member and are formed in at least one of;
(a) the material making up the ball striking face member between adjacent openings and (b) the polymeric material exposed in the openings in the ball striking face member. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification