Structure of a golf club head or other ball striking device

• US 7,407,443 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2004
• Issued: 08/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Tavares, Gary G., Franklin, David N., Stites, John T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti; Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US10/934,742
• Publication Number:
  US 20060052178A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,428 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350, 473244-256, D21736-746
• US Class Current: 473/251
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• 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 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/50 with through-holes A63B60/18 takes precedence; for stringing purposes A63B49/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

Ball striking devices, such as golf club heads (including putter heads), have a high moment of inertia about their center, to help prevent twisting and mis-hits, particularly when the ball striking device hits the ball at a somewhat off-center position. The ball striking head of the ball striking device may be structured and/or weighted (optionally with separately attachable weight elements) to have a moment of inertia about a center of the ball striking surface of at least 10,000 g-cm², and in some examples, the moment of inertia may be at least 11,000 g-cm², or even at least 12,000 g-cm². In some examples, the moment of inertia may be at least 20,000 g-cm², or even at least 25,000 g-cm² or at least 28,000 g-cm².

Claims

1. A putter, comprising:

a first member including a first surface that faces a ball in use, a second surface opposite the first surface, wherein an opening is defined in the second surface, and a base member extending in a direction away from the second surface; and

a second member including an insert portion received in the opening defined in the first member, the second member further including a body portion that extends in a direction away from the insert portion, wherein the body portion defines and encloses at least one exposed open area, and wherein the opening in the first member extends through the first member such that the insert portion of the second member is exposed through the first surface of the first member and a surface of the insert portion of the second member forms at least a portion of a ball striking surface.

2. A putter according to claim 1, further comprising:

a handle member extending from at least one of the first member or the second member.

3. A putter according to claim 1, further comprising:

a weighted member removably mounted on the body portion of the second member.

4. A putter according to claim 1, wherein the base member of the first member attaches to the body portion of the second member.

5. A putter according to claim 1, wherein the putter includes a ball striking head that includes a ball striking surface, wherein the ball striking head has a moment of inertia about a center of the ball striking surface of at least 10,000 g-cm².

6. A golf club head, comprising:

a first member including a first surface that faces a ball in use, a second surface defining an opening, and a base member extending in a direction away from the first surface; and

a second member including an insert portion received in the opening defined in the first member, the second member further including a body portion that extends in a direction away from the insert portion, wherein the body portion defines and encloses at least one exposed open area, and wherein the opening in the first member is defined and oriented such that the insert portion of the second member is inserted into the opening and exposed through the first surface of the first member.

7. A golf club head according to claim 6, wherein the body portion of the second member further includes a receptacle for receiving a weighted member.

8. A golf club head according to claim 6, wherein the golf club head is a putter head.