Putter heads and putters including polymeric material as part of the ball striking face

• US 8,292,754 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2010
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Snyder, Jeremy N., Franklin, David N., Rahrig, Donald S., Stites, John T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US12/907,781
• Publication Number:
  US 20110039633A1
• Time in Patent Office: 735 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473287-292, 473219-256, 473/313, D21736-746, D21/759
• US Class Current: 473/251
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• 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 53/0441 with visual indicators for aligning the golf club
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0445 Details of grooves or the like on the impact surface
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0462 characterised by tapering thickness of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/065 for putters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/08 with special arrangements for obtaining a variable impact
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

Golf clubs and golf club heads, such as putter heads, may include a putter body and an insert forming a ball striking face and engaged with the putter body. Portions of the insert may be formed of a metal material, while portions of the insert may be formed of a polymer material. The insert may include a base portion having grooves formed therein. This base may be joined with another material to form the insert. In some arrangements, the insert may be a two-sided, reversible construction and may have different performance characteristics associated with each side of the insert. Methods for making such putter devices are also described.

Claims

1. A putter head, comprising:

a putter head body having a front face;

a recess formed in the front face; and

a ball striking surface insert configured to be received in the recess, the ball striking surface insert forming at least a portion of an exposed ball striking surface of the putter head, the exposed ball striking surface including a first strip of polymeric material, with metal material provided adjacent and above the first strip of polymeric material and adjacent and below the first strip of polymeric material,

wherein the exposed ball striking surface includes a first groove defined therein, wherein a first edge of the first groove is defined by the metal material and a second edge of the first groove opposite the first edge is defined by the first strip of polymeric material, and

wherein the ball striking surface insert is mounted with respect to the putter head body and recess so as to produce a loft angle of less than 3 degrees.

2. A putter head according to claim 1, wherein the first strip of polymeric material at the exposed ball striking surface includes:

(a) a first horizontal linear segment extending in a heel-to-toe direction when the putter head is oriented in a ball address position, (b) a first slanted linear segment located at a first end of the first horizontal linear segment, and (c) a second slanted linear segment located at a second end of the first horizontal linear segment.

3. A putter head according to claim 1, wherein the exposed ball striking surface includes a second strip of polymeric material, with metal material provided adjacent and above the second strip of polymeric material and adjacent and below the second strip of polymeric material,

wherein the exposed ball striking surface further includes a second groove defined therein, wherein a first edge of the second groove is defined by the metal material and a second edge of the second groove opposite the first edge is defined by the second strip of polymeric material.

4. A putter head according to claim 3, wherein the first strip of polymeric material at the exposed ball striking surface includes:

(a) a first horizontal linear segment extending in a heel-to-toe direction when the putter head is oriented in a ball address position, (b) a first slanted linear segment located at a first end of the first horizontal linear segment, and (c) a second slanted linear segment located at a second end of the first horizontal linear segment; and

wherein the second strip of polymeric material at the exposed ball striking surface includes;

(a) a second horizontal linear segment extending in the heel-to-toe direction when the putter head is oriented in the ball address position, (b) a third slanted linear segment located at a first end of the second horizontal linear segment, and (c) a fourth slanted linear segment located at a second end of the second horizontal linear segment.

5. A putter head according to claim 4, wherein the first and second horizontal linear segments are parallel, wherein the first and third slanted linear segments are parallel, and wherein the second and fourth slanted linear segments are parallel.

6. A putter head according to claim 3, wherein the exposed ball striking surface includes a third strip of polymeric material, with metal material provided adjacent and above the third strip of polymeric material and adjacent and below the third strip of polymeric material,

wherein the exposed ball striking surface further includes a third groove defined therein, wherein a first edge of the third groove is defined by the metal material above the third strip of polymeric material and a second edge of the third groove opposite the first edge is defined by the third strip of polymeric material.

7. A putter head according to claim 6, wherein the first strip of polymeric material at the exposed ball striking surface includes:

(a) a first horizontal linear segment extending in a heel-to-toe direction when the putter head is oriented in a ball address position, (b) a first slanted linear segment located at a first end of the first horizontal linear segment, and (c) a second slanted linear segment located at a second end of the first horizontal linear segment;

wherein the second strip of polymeric material at the exposed ball striking surface includes;

(a) a second horizontal linear segment extending in the heel-to-toe direction when the putter head is oriented in the ball address position, (b) a third slanted linear segment located at a first end of the second horizontal linear segment, and (c) a fourth slanted linear segment located at a second end of the second horizontal linear segment; and

wherein the third strip of polymeric material at the exposed ball striking surface includes;

(a) a third horizontal linear segment extending in the heel-to-toe direction when the putter head is oriented in the ball address position, (b) a fifth slanted linear segment located at a first end of the third horizontal linear segment, and (c) a sixth slanted linear segment located at a second end of the third horizontal linear segment.

8. A putter head according to claim 7, wherein the first, second, and third horizontal linear segments are parallel, wherein the first, third, and fifth slanted linear segments are parallel, and wherein the second, fourth, and sixth slanted linear segments are parallel.

9. A putter head according to claim 1, wherein the loft angle is between 2 degrees and 3 degrees.

10. A putter head according to claim 1, wherein the loft angle is about 2 degrees.

11. A putter head, comprising:

a putter body having a front face;

a recess formed in the front face; and

a ball striking surface insert configured to be received in the recess and forming at least a portion of an exposed ball striking surface of the putter head, the ball striking surface insert including;

a front portion formed of a first polymeric material and having a first elongated opening formed therein, and

a backing portion engaged with the front portion, the backing portion being formed of a second polymeric material having a different hardness from the first polymeric material, and wherein the backing portion extends into the first elongated opening and forms a first strip of the second polymeric material exposed at the exposed ball striking surface,

wherein the exposed ball striking surface includes a first groove defined therein, wherein a first edge of the first groove is defined by the first polymeric material and a second edge of the first groove opposite the first edge is defined by the second polymeric material exposed through the first elongated opening.

12. A putter head according to claim 11, wherein the first strip of the second polymeric material at the exposed ball striking surface includes:

(a) a first horizontal linear segment extending in a heel-to-toe direction when the putter head is oriented in a ball address position, (b) a first slanted linear segment located at a first end of the first horizontal linear segment, and (c) a second slanted linear segment located at a second end of the first horizontal linear segment.

13. A putter head according to claim 11, wherein the front portion of the ball striking surface insert includes a second elongated opening formed therein, wherein the backing portion extends into the second elongated opening and forms a second strip of the second polymeric material exposed at the exposed ball striking surface, and wherein the exposed ball striking surface includes a second groove defined therein, wherein a first edge of the second groove is defined by the first polymeric material and a second edge of the second groove opposite the first edge is defined by the second polymeric material exposed through the second elongated opening.

14. A putter head according to claim 13, wherein the first strip of the second polymeric material at the exposed ball striking surface includes:

(a) a first horizontal linear segment extending in a heel-to-toe direction when the putter head is oriented in a ball address position, (b) a first slanted linear segment located at a first end of the first horizontal linear segment, and (c) a second slanted linear segment located at a second end of the first horizontal linear segment, and

wherein the second strip of the second polymeric material at the exposed ball striking surface includes;

(a) a second horizontal linear segment extending in the heel-to-toe direction when the putter head is oriented in the ball address position, (b) a third slanted linear segment located at a first end of the second horizontal linear segment, and (c) a fourth slanted linear segment located at a second end of the second horizontal linear segment.

15. A putter head according to claim 14, wherein the first and second horizontal linear segments are parallel, wherein the first and third slanted linear segments are parallel, and wherein the second and fourth slanted linear segments are parallel.

16. A putter head according to claim 13, wherein the front portion of the ball striking surface insert includes a third elongated opening formed therein, wherein the backing portion extends into the third elongated opening and forms a third strip of the second polymeric material exposed at the exposed ball striking surface, and wherein the exposed ball striking surface includes a third groove defined therein, wherein a first edge of the third groove is defined by the first polymeric material and a second edge of the third groove opposite the first edge is defined by the second polymeric material exposed through the third elongated opening.

17. A putter head according to claim 16, wherein the first strip of the second polymeric material at the exposed ball striking surface includes:

(a) a first horizontal linear segment extending in a heel-to-toe direction when the putter head is oriented in a ball address position, (b) a first slanted linear segment located at a first end of the first horizontal linear segment, and (c) a second slanted linear segment located at a second end of the first horizontal linear segment,

wherein the second strip of the second polymeric material at the exposed ball striking surface includes;

(a) a second horizontal linear segment extending in the heel-to-toe direction when the putter head is oriented in the ball address position, (b) a third slanted linear segment located at a first end of the second horizontal linear segment, and (c) a fourth slanted linear segment located at a second end of the second horizontal linear segment, and

wherein the third strip of the second polymeric material at the exposed ball striking surface includes;

(a) a third horizontal linear segment extending in the heel-to-toe direction when the putter head is oriented in the ball address position, (b) a fifth slanted linear segment located at a first end of the third horizontal linear segment, and (c) a sixth slanted linear segment located at a second end of the third horizontal linear segment.

18. A putter head according to claim 17, wherein the first, second, and third horizontal linear segments are parallel, wherein the first, third, and fifth slanted linear segments are parallel, and wherein the second, fourth, and sixth slanted linear segments are parallel.

19. A putter head according to claim 11, wherein the ball striking surface insert is mounted with respect to the putter head body and recess so as to produce a loft angle of between 2 degrees and 3 degrees.

20. A putter head according to claim 11, wherein the ball striking surface insert is mounted with respect to the putter head body and recess so as to produce a loft angle of about 2 degrees.

21. A putter head according to claim 11, wherein the ball striking surface insert is mounted with respect to the putter head body and recess so as to produce a loft angle of less than 3 degrees.