Customizable golf putter head

• US 6,659,883 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2002
• Issued: 12/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Inventors: Nelson, Michael J., Anderson, Douglas W., Tuerschmann, Gary L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sewell, Paul T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Duong, Tom
• Application Number:
  US10/295,743
• Publication Number:
  US 20030073510A1
• Time in Patent Office: 390 Days
• Field of Search: 473/350, 473/244, 473/246, 473/247, 473/248, 473/251, 473/305, 473/307, 473/313, 473/314, 473/332
• US Class Current: 473/324
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/02 Joint structures between the head and the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0441 with visual indicators for aligning the golf club
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/065 for putters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations

Abstract

A customizable golf putter head includes a face member and a back body both of which may be selected from a plurality of differently configured face members and back bodies. The face member has a cavity formed in its rear surface, and the back body has a mating section that is positioned within the cavity of the face member so that a parting line between the face member and the back body is concealed below a top ledge of the face member when the putter head is assembled. A hosel selected from a plurality of differently configured hosels is mounted on the face member, and an elastomeric membrane is positioned within the cavity of the face member so as to be interposed between the face member and the back body.

Claims

1. A golf putter head comprising:

a face member having a heel end, a toe end, a front surface arranged for striking a golf ball, a rear surface and a top ledge extending between said heel and toe ends and disposed between said front and rear surfaces, said face member including a cavity formed in the rear surface with the cavity having a recessed bottom surface circumscribed by a rim surface;

a back body mounted on the rear surface of said face member, said back body having a mating section which is disposed within the cavity formed in the rear surface of said face member, the mating section of said back body having an upper edge which is disposed underneath the top ledge of said face member so that a parting line between said face member and said back body is concealed by the top ledge of said face member;

said face member including a hosel extending upwardly from the top ledge thereof for receiving one end of a golf shaft;

said face member having a socket formed therein with the socket being disposed so as to open upwardly onto the top ledge thereof; and

said hosel having a depending extension, the depending extension of said hosel being received in the socket provided in said face member.

2. The golf putter head of claim 1, wherein the depending extension of said hosel being secured in the socket in said face member.

3. A golf putter head comprising:

a face member having a heel end, a toe end, a front surface arranged for striking a golf ball, a rear surface and a top ledge extending between said heel and toe ends and disposed between said front and rear surfaces, said face member including a cavity formed in the rear surface with the cavity having a recessed bottom surface circumscribed by a rim surface;

a back body mounted on the rear surface of said face member, said back body having a mating section which is disposed within the cavity formed in the rear surface of said face member, the mating section of said back body having an upper edge which is disposed underneath the top ledge of said face member so that a parting line between said face member and said back body is concealed by the top ledge of said face member; and

a membrane disposed in the cavity formed in said face member and positioned between said face member and said back body.

4. The golf putter head of claim 3, further comprising said membrane being interposed between the recessed bottom surface of the cavity of said face member and the mating section of said back body.

5. A golf putter head comprising:

a face member having a heel end, a toe end, a front surface arranged for striking a golf ball, a rear surface and a top ledge extending between said heel and toe ends and disposed between said front and rear surfaces, said face member including a cavity formed in the rear surface with the cavity having a recessed bottom surface circumscribed by a rim surface;

a back body mounted on the rear surface of said face member, said back body having a mating section which is disposed within the cavity formed in the rear surface of said face member, the mating section of said back body having an upper edge which is disposed underneath the top ledge of said face member so that a parting line between said face member and said back body is concealed by the top ledge of said face member; and

the mating section of said back body having a shape that substantially matches a shape of the cavity formed in the rear surface of said face member.

6. A golf putter head comprising:

a face member having a heel end, a toe end, a front surface arranged for striking a golf ball, a rear surface and a top ledge extending between said heel and toe ends and disposed between said front and rear surfaces, said face member including a cavity formed in the rear surface with the cavity having a recessed bottom surface circumscribed by a rim surface;

a back body mounted on the rear surface of said face member, said back body having a mating section which is disposed within the cavity formed in the rear surface of said face member, the mating section of said back body having an upper edge which is disposed underneath the top ledge of said face member so that a parting line between said face member and said back body is concealed by the top ledge of said face member;

said face member having a spaced apart pair of counterbores formed therein so as to extend between the front and the rear surfaces thereof;

said back body having a spaced apart pair of threaded bores formed therein with each of the threaded bores being disposed to axially align with one of the pair of counterbores formed through said face member; and

a pair of screws with each of the screws passing through one of the pair of counterbores formed through said face member into threaded engagement with one of the threaded bores formed in said back body.

7. A golf putter head comprising:

a face member having a heel end, a toe end, a front surface arranged for striking a golf ball, a rear surface and a top ledge extending between said heel and toe ends and disposed between said front and rear surfaces, said face member including a cavity formed in the rear surface with the cavity having a recessed bottom surface circumscribed by a rim surface;

a back body mounted on the rear surface of said face member, said back body having a mating section which is disposed within the cavity formed in the rear surface of said face member, the mating section of said back body having an upper edge which is disposed underneath the top ledge of said face member so that a parting line between said face member and said back body is concealed by the top ledge of said face member;

said back body having a spaced apart pair of holes formed therethrough and disposed generally normally with respect to the mating section thereof;

a spaced apart pair of threaded bores formed in said face member with each of the threaded bores being disposed to axially align with one of the pair of holes formed through said back body; and

a pair of screws with each of the screws passing through one of the pair of holes formed through said back body into threaded engagement with one of the threaded bores formed in said face member.

8. The golf putter head of claim 7, further comprising;

each of said pair of screws having a head which is recessed in said back body; and

a pair of plates attached to said back body with each of said pair of plates being disposed to conceal one of the screws of said pair of screws.

9. A golf putter head comprising:

a face member having a heel end, a toe end, a front surface arranged for striking a golf ball, a rear surface and a top ledge extending between said heel and toe ends and disposed between said front and rear surfaces, said face member including a cavity formed in the rear surface with the cavity having a recessed bottom surface circumscribed by a rim surface;

a back body mounted on the rear surface of said face member, said back body having a mating section which is disposed within the cavity formed in the rear surface of said face member, the mating section of said back body having an upper edge which is disposed underneath the top ledge of said face member so that a parting line between said face member and said back body is concealed by the top ledge of said face member;

said back body having a heel end and a toe end; and

said upper edge of said mating section being disposed between said heel and toe ends of said back body.

10. The golf putter head of claim 9, further comprising:

said back body having a sole; and

said mating section having a lower edge opposite said upper edge, said lower edge being separated from said sole by a lip.