Putter-type club head

• US 7,431,660 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2005
• Issued: 10/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SRI Sports Limited (Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: SRI Sports Limited (Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Hasegawa, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti; Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US11/206,753
• Publication Number:
  US 20060058113A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,145 Days
• Field of Search: 473219-256, 473340-341, 473/313, 473/334, 473/349, 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 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• 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

Abstract

A putter-type club head comprises a head main body with a face for hitting a ball in a front side, and a plurality of rod members firmly fixed to said head main body and extending to a rear side of the head. The rod members comprise a toe side rod member provided in a toe side, a heel side rod member provided in a heel side and an intermediate rod member provided therebetween. Each rod member has a high specific gravity larger than said head main body.

Claims

1. A putter-type club head comprising

a head main body having a front surface defining a face for hitting a ball and a rear surface opposite the front surface, and

a plurality of rod members firmly fixed to said head main body and extending beyond the rear surface of the head main body,

said rod members comprising

a toe side rod member provided in a toe side of the head main body,

a heel side rod member provided in a heel side of the head main body and

an intermediate rod member provided therebetween, and

each said rod member having a high specific gravity larger than said head main body,

wherein

a part of each rod member extends perpendicularly to a horizontal tangent line which is in contact with a sweet spot of the face in a plan view of the club head,

each rod member is provided without contacting each other, and

wherein a protruding length Lt (mm) from the rear surface of the head main body to a rear end of the toe side rod member, a protruding length Lc (mm) from the rear surface of the head main body to a rear end of the intermediate rod member and a protruding length Lh (mm) from the rear surface of the head main body to a rear end of the heel side rod member satisfy the following relation:

1.0≦

Lt/Lc≦

4.0

1.0≦

Lh/Lc≦

4.0.

2. The putter-type club head according to claim 1, wherein

the protruding length Lt (mm),

the protruding length Lc (mm) and

the protruding length Lh (mm) satisfy the following relation:

1.3≦

Lt/Lc≦

2.5

1.3≦

Lh/Lc≦

2.5.

3. The putter-type club head according to claim 1, wherein

the protruding length Lt (mm),

the protruding length Lc (mm) and

the protruding length Lh (mm) satisfy the following relation:

1.3≦

Lt/Lc≦

4.0

1.3≦

Lh/Lc≦

4.0.

4. The putter-type club head according to claim 2 or 3, wherein

cross sectional areas of the respective rod members are substantially the same.

5. The putter-type club head according to claim 1, wherein

the protruding length Lt (mm) and the protruding length Lh (mm) are substantially the same.

6. The putter-type club head according to claim 1, wherein

a weight Wt(g) of a protruding portion of the toe side rod member which extends beyond the rear surface of the head main body,

a weight Wc(g) of a protruding portion of the intermediate rod member which extends beyond the rear surface of the head main body and

a weight Wh(g) of a protruding portion of the heel side rod member which extends beyond the rear surface of the head main body satisfy the following relation:

0.6≦

Wt/Wc≦

4.0

0.6≦

Wh/Wc≦

4.0.

7. The putter-type club bead according to claim 1, wherein

a weight Wt(g) of a protruding portion of the toe side rod member which extends beyond the rear surface of the head main body,

a weight Wc(g) of a protruding portion of the intermediate rod member which extends beyond the rear surface of the head main body and

a weight Wh(g) of a protruding portion of the heel side rod member which extends beyond the rear surface of the head main body satisfy the following relation:

1.3≦

Wt/Wc≦

4.0

1.3≦

Wh/Wc≦

4.0.

8. The putter-type club head according to claim 1, wherein

respective protruding lengths of the toe side rod member and the heel side rod member are longer than the protruding length of said intermediate rod member, and

the rear ends of said toe side rod member and the heel side rod member are located beyond the rear end of said intermediate rod member toward the rear side of the head.

9. The putter-type club head according to claim 1, wherein

respective centers of gravity of protruding portions of the toe side rod member and the heel side rod member which extend beyond the rear surface of the head main body are located beyond a center of gravity of a protruding portion of said intermediate rod member which extends beyond the rear surface of the head main body toward the rear side of the head.

10. The putter-type club head according to claim 1, wherein

respective centers of gravity of protruding portions of the toe side rod member and the heel side rod member which extend beyond the rear surface of the head main body are located lower than a center of gravity of a protruding portion of said intermediate rod member which extends beyond the rear surface of the head main body.

11. The putter-type club head according to claim 1, wherein

each toe side and heel side rod member has a first curved portion which is curved to an upper side toward the rear side of the head.

12. The putter-type club head according to claim 1, wherein

the toe side rod member and/or the heel side rod member has a second curved portion which is curved in a direction moving apart from the intermediate rod member toward the rear side of the head.

13. The putter-type club head according to claim 1, wherein the head has a weight in a range of from 290 g to 420 g.

14. The putter-type club head according to claim 1, wherein

the toe side rod member and the heel side rod member have substantially the same cross sectional area, and

each toe side and heel side rod member has a first curved portion which is curved to an upper side toward the rear side of the head.

15. The putter-type club head according to claim 1, wherein

the head main body comprises a main portion formed in the approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape and provided with the face and

a sub portion extending to the rear side of the head from the rear surface of the main portion and having a smaller thickness than that of the main portion,

the rear surface of the main portion is provided with a plurality of attaching holes to which said rod members are fixed, and

the sub portion is provided without contacting said rod members.

16. The putter-type club head according to claim 15, wherein

the sub portion of the head main body comprises

a center portion positioned in an approximately center in the toe and heel side of the head main body,

a toe side portion connected to the toe side of the center portion and

a heel side portion connected to the heel side of the center portion,

the center portion extends to the rear side of the head from the rear surface of the main portion under the intermediate rod member, and

the toe side portion and the heel side portion each has a branched portion having a recess concave along rod members.

17. A putter-type club head comprising

a head main body having a front surface defining a face for hitting a ball, and

a plurality of rod members firmly fixed to said head main body and extending to a rear side of the head,

said rod members comprising

a toe side rod member provided in a toe side of the head main body,

a heel side rod member provided in a heel side of the head main body and

an intermediate rod member provided therebetween,

each said rod member having a high specific gravity larger than that of said head main body, wherein

respective centers of gravity of protruding portions of the toe side rod member and the heel side rod member are located lower than a center of gravity of a protruding portion of said intermediate rod member.

18. A putter-type club head comprising

a head main body having a front surface defining a face for hitting a ball, and

a plurality of rod members firmly fixed to said head main body and extending to a rear side of the head,

said rod members comprising

a toe side rod member provided in a toe side of the head main body,

a heel side rod member provided in a heel side of the head main body and

an intermediate rod member provided therebetween,

each said rod member having a high specific gravity larger than that of said head main body, wherein

a part of each rod member extends perpendicularly to a horizontal tangent line which is in contact with a sweet spot of the face in a plan view of the club head,

each rod member is provided without contacting each other,

respective protruding lengths of the toe side rod member and the heel side rod member are longer than a protruding length of said intermediate rod member, and

the rear ends of said toe side rod member and the heel side rod member are located beyond the rear end of said intermediate rod member toward the rear side of the head.

19. A putter-type club head comprising

a head main body having a front surface defining a face for hitting a ball, and

a plurality of rod members firmly fixed to said head main body and extending to a rear side of the head,

said rod members comprising

a toe side rod member provided in a toe side of the head main body,

a heel side rod member provided in a heel side of the head main body and

an intermediate rod member provided therebetween,

each said rod member having a high specific gravity larger than that of said head main body, wherein

a part of each rod member extends perpendicularly to a horizontal tangent line which is in contact with a sweet spot of the face in a plan view of the club head,

each rod member is provided without contacting each other, and

respective centers of gravity of protruding portions of the toe side rod member and the heel side rod member are located beyond a center of gravity of a protruding portion of said intermediate rod member toward the rear side of the head.

20. A putter-type club head comprising

a head main body having a front surface defining a face for hitting a ball, and

a plurality of rod members firmly fixed to said head main body and extending to a rear side of the head,

said rod members comprising

a toe side rod member provided in a toe side of the head main body,

a heel side rod member provided in a heel side of the head main body and

an intermediate rod member provided therebetween,

each said rod member having a high specific gravity larger than that of said head main body, wherein

a part of each rod member extends perpendicularly to a horizontal tangent line which is in contact with a sweet spot of the face in a plan view of the club head,

each rod member is provided without contacting each other, and respective centers of gravity of protruding portions of the toe side rod member and the heel side rod member are located lower than a center of gravity of a protruding portion of said intermediate rod member.