Putter face and golf putter having putter face inserted therein

• US 7,824,278 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2008
• Issued: 11/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: M-System Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: M-System Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Miyamichi, Saburo
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter; Alvin A
• Application Number:
  US12/288,325
• Publication Number:
  US 20090131197A1
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350
• US Class Current: 473/329
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0425 the face insert comprising two or more different materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence

Abstract

In order to solve a problem of a shift of a rebounding direction due to a contact of a golf ball and a ball contact surface of a putter face, while attaining an initial velocity, a striking touch, and a sense of distance, each of which are compared favorably to a metal face, a putter face is arranged including hexagonal posts (4) each made of material having a higher rigidity than a ball (7), the hexagonal posts (4) having a contact surface (41) which has contact with the ball (7), and impact-absorbing rings (5) made of material having a lower rigidity than that of the hexagonal posts (4), so as to elastically support the hexagonal posts (4) in a normal direction of the contact surfaces (41), wherein the plurality of hexagonal posts (4) are juxtaposed in an in-plane direction of the contact surfaces (41) and the contact surfaces (41) constitute a single surface when the ball (7) is not in contact with the contact surfaces (41).

Claims

1. A putter face to be inserted into a golf putter head, the putter face comprising:

a plurality of pillar-shaped bodies, each said pillar-shaped body being made of a material having higher rigidity than a ball to be struck by said putter face, and each said pillar-shaped body having a contact surface for making contact with said ball,

a plurality of elastic bodies, each said elastic body being attached to a respective one of the pillar-shaped bodies so as to elastically support said respective one of the pillar-shaped bodies in a normal direction of its contact surface, and each said elastic body being made of a material having lower rigidity than that of the one of said pillar-shaped bodies to which it is attached; and

the plurality of pillar-shaped bodies being juxtaposed in an in-plane direction such that the contact surfaces of the plurality of pillar-shaped bodies constitute a single surface when a ball is not in contact with the contact surfaces;

wherein;

the plurality of pillar-shaped bodies are, slidably in the normal direction of the contact surfaces, inserted and fitted in a plurality of holes, respectively, the plurality of holes being provided in a pedestal that is provided on a side opposed to the contact surfaces so as to engage the plurality of pillar-shaped bodies with the pedestal, and

the plurality of pillar-shaped bodies include engaging sections, respectively, via which the plurality of pillar-shaped bodies engage with the pedestal.

2. A putter face to be inserted into a golf putter head, the putter face comprising:

a plurality of pillar-shaped bodies, each said pillar-shaped body being made of a material having higher rigidity than a ball to be struck by said putter face, and each said pillar-shaped body having a contact surface for making contact with said ball,

a plurality of elastic bodies, each said elastic body being attached to a respective one of the pillar-shaped bodies so as to elastically support said respective one of the pillar-shaped bodies in a normal direction of its contact surface, and each said elastic body being made of a material having lower rigidity than that of the one of the pillar-shaped bodies to which it is attached; and

the plurality of pillar-shaped bodies being juxtaposed in an in-plane direction such that the contact surfaces of the plurality of pillar-shaped bodies constitute a single surface when a ball is not in contact with the contact surfaces, wherein;

a pedestal is provided on a side opposed to the contact surfaces, the pedestal having a plurality of holes in which the plurality of pillar-shaped bodies are inserted and fitted, respectively, slidably in the normal direction of the contact surfaces thereof, so as to engage the plurality of pillar-shaped bodies with the pedestal.