Putter head

• US 8,790,192 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2011
• Issued: 07/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co Limited (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co Limited (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Inventors: Narita, Tadahiro, Ban, Wataru
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US13/164,403
• Publication Number:
  US 20110319188A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,135 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350
• US Class Current: 473/329
• 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 53/0445 Details of grooves or the like on the impact surface
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0458 with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0462 characterised by tapering thickness of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/065 for putters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/42 Devices for measuring, verifying, correcting or customising the inherent characteristics of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like, e.g. measuring the maximum torque a batting shaft can withstand

Abstract

A putter head has a head main body and a face insert mounted on a face surface of the head main body. The face insert has a slit which is cut in from an end face on a sole or top side of the face insert toward an opposite side thereof. In one embodiment, the slit is cut in from an end face on the sole side of the face insert toward the top side thereof. The slit may be extended obliquely such that the top side of the slit is located forward of the face insert. In another embodiment, the slit is cut in from the side face on the top side of the face insert toward the sole side thereof. The slit may be extended obliquely such that the sole side of the slit is located rearward of the putter head. Any slit may be extended from the side face on a toe side of the face insert to the side face on a heel side thereof. The face inserts may contain viscoelastic material loaded in the slit.

Claims

1. A putter head comprising:

a head main body having a concave portion in a face surface on a front side thereof; and

a face insert disposed within the concave portion of the head main body, a front face of the face insert being flush with a front face of the head main body around the concave portion,

wherein the face insert has a slit which is cut in from an end face on a sole side of the face insert toward a top side thereof,

wherein a length of the slit between a top side of the slit and a sole side of the slit is 60% to 95% of a length of the face insert measured in a sole to top direction of the putter;

wherein the slit is extended obliquely such that a top side of the slit is located closer to a front side of the head main body than the sole side of the slit.

2. The putter head according to claim 1, wherein the slit is extended from the side face on a toe side of the face insert to the side face on a heel side thereof.

3. The putter head according to claim 1, wherein the face insert contains viscoelastic material loaded in the slit.

4. The putter head according to claim 1, wherein the number of slits is one in the face insert.

5. A putter head comprising:

a head main body having a concave portion in a face surface on a front side thereof; and

a face insert disposed within the concave portion of the head main body, a front face of the face insert being flush with the front face of the head main body around the concave portion,

wherein the face insert has a slit which is cut in from an end face on a top side of the face insert toward the sole side thereof,

wherein a length of the slit between a top side of the slit and a sole side of the slit is 60% to 95% of a length of the face insert measured in a sole to top direction of the putter;

wherein the slit is extended obliquely such that a sole side of the slit is located further from the front side of the head main body than the top side of the slit.

6. The putter head according to claim 5, wherein the slit is extended from the side face on a toe side of the face insert to the side face on a heel side thereof.

7. The putter head according to claim 5, wherein the face insert contains viscoelastic material loaded in the slit.