Putter Heads and Putters Including Polymeric Material as Part of the Ball Striking Face

• US 20100323813A1
• Filed: 08/27/2010
• Published: 12/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Franklin, David N., Stites, John T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,012,035 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/329
• 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 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0441 with visual indicators for aligning the golf club
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• 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 29/49993 Filling of opening

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.

Claims

1-30. -30. (canceled)

31. A putter head, comprising:

a putter body including a ball striking face, a top, and a bottom, wherein an exposed ball striking surface at a central portion of the ball striking face between the top and the bottom includes polymeric material and metal material arranged in an alternating manner, wherein a first portion of the polymeric material is present at the exposed ball striking surface as;

(a) a first horizontal linear segment extending across the central portion of the ball striking face 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.

32. A putter head according to claim 31, wherein the polymeric material present at the exposed ball striking surface further includes a second portion separate from the first portion and having:

(a) a second horizontal linear segment extending across the central portion of the ball striking face 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.

33. A putter head according to claim 32, wherein the first horizontal linear segment is parallel to the second horizontal linear segment, wherein the first slanted linear segment is parallel to the third slanted linear segment, and wherein the second slanted linear segment is parallel to the fourth slanted linear segment.

34. A putter head according to claim 32, wherein the polymeric material present at the exposed ball striking surface further includes a third portion separate from the first and second portions and having:

(a) a third horizontal linear segment extending across the central portion of the ball striking face 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.

35. A putter head according to claim 34, 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.

36. A putter head according to claim 31, wherein the polymeric material is softer than the metal material.

37. A putter head according to claim 31, wherein the putter body constitutes a blade type putter body.

38. A putter head according to claim 31, wherein the putter body constitutes a mallet type putter body.

39. A putter head, comprising:

a putter body including a ball striking face, a top, and a bottom, wherein an exposed ball striking surface at a central portion of the ball striking face between the top and the bottom includes polymeric material and metal material arranged in an alternating manner, wherein a first portion of the polymeric material is present at the exposed ball striking surface as;

(a) a first horizontal linear segment extending across the central portion of the ball striking face 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 exposed ball striking surface further includes a first groove defined therein, and 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 polymeric material of the first horizontal linear segment.

40. A putter head according to claim 39, wherein the first groove has a rectangular cross section.

41. A putter head according to claim 39, wherein the polymeric material present at the exposed ball striking surface includes a second portion separate from the first portion and having:

(a) a second horizontal linear segment extending across the central portion of the ball striking face 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,

wherein the exposed ball striking surface further includes a second groove defined therein, and 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 of the second groove is defined by the polymeric material of the second horizontal linear segment.

42. A putter head according to claim 41, wherein the first horizontal linear segment is parallel to the second horizontal linear segment, wherein the first slanted linear segment is parallel to the third slanted linear segment, and wherein the second slanted linear segment is parallel to the fourth slanted linear segment.

43. A putter head according to claim 41, wherein the first groove and the second groove are defined in the metal material.

44. A putter head according to claim 41, wherein the first groove is defined in the polymeric material of the first horizontal linear segment and the second groove is defined in the polymeric material of the second horizontal linear segment.

45. A putter head according to claim 41, wherein the first groove is defined in both the metal material and the polymeric material of the first horizontal linear segment, and wherein the second groove is defined in both the metal material and the polymeric material of the second horizontal linear segment.

46. A putter head according to claim 41, wherein the polymeric material present at the exposed ball striking surface includes a third portion separate from the first and second portions and having:

(a) a third horizontal linear segment extending across the central portion of the ball striking face 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,

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

47. A putter head according to claim 46, wherein the first, second, and third grooves extend in a parallel manner across the central portion of the ball striking surface.

48. A putter head according to claim 46, 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.

49. A putter head according to claim 46, wherein the first groove, the second groove, and the third groove are defined in the metal material.

50. A putter head according to claim 46, wherein the first groove is defined in the polymeric material of the first horizontal linear segment, wherein the second groove is defined in the polymeric material of the second horizontal linear segment, and wherein the third groove is defined in the polymeric material of the third horizontal linear segment.

51. A putter head according to claim 46, wherein the first groove is defined in both the metal material and the polymeric material of the first horizontal linear segment, wherein the second groove is defined in both the metal material and the polymeric material of the second horizontal linear segment, and wherein the third groove is defined in both the metal material and the polymeric material of the third horizontal linear segment.

52. A putter head according to claim 39, wherein the polymeric material is softer than the metal material.

53. A putter head according to claim 39, wherein the putter body constitutes a blade type putter body.

54. A putter head according to claim 39, wherein the putter body constitutes a mallet type putter body.

55. A putter head according to claim 39, wherein the first groove is defined in the metal material.

56. A putter head according to claim 39, wherein the first groove is defined in the polymeric material of the first horizontal linear segment.

57. A putter head according to claim 39, wherein the first groove is defined in both the metal material and the polymeric material of the first horizontal linear segment.