Golf club having replaceable striking surface attachments

• US 7,431,662 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2006
• Issued: 10/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Wm. T. Burnett Ip, LLC
• Original Assignee: Wm. T. Burnett & Co., Inc.
• Inventors: Tucker, Richard B. C. Sr., Reeb, David
• Primary Examiner(s): BLAU, STEPHEN LUTHER
• Application Number:
  US11/338,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20070021236A1
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: 473/288, 473/342, 473244-248, 473/340, 403 28- 30, 403/273, 411/35, 411/76
• US Class Current: 473/288
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0458 with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/06 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/08 with special arrangements for obtaining a variable impact
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like

Abstract

An adjustable customized golf club, e.g., a golf putter, as well as a method for using the club, wherein the club has a head, a striking surface attachment, and one or more lock fittings that positively lock the striking surface attachment to the head. The striking surface attachment is one of several selectable attachments, each with different performance characteristics, e.g., rebound. The one or more lock fittings positively lock the striking surface attachments to the putter head such that the club components are firmly fixed, yet are still quickly removable and replaceable. One embodiment provides a golf club comprising a head defining at least one slot, and a replaceable striking surface attachment having protrusions compressed within the at least one slot.

Claims

1. A golf club comprising:

a head defining at least one slot; and

a replaceable striking surface attachment having at least one protrusion compressed within the at least one slot,

wherein a cavity is formed between adjacent protrusions of the at least one protrusion and wherein the compressed adjacent protrusions deform toward the cavity, and

wherein the at least one protrusion is dovetail-shaped and the at least one slot is a correspondingly shaped mortise.

2. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the slot has an open end and a closed end, the width of the slot at the closed end being smaller than the width of the slot at the open end.

3. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the slot is tapered.

4. The golf club of claim 3, wherein the slot is tapered approximately 1 to 2 degrees.

5. The golf club of claim 1, wherein one of the head and the striking surface attachment has a nub and the other of the head and the striking surface attachment has an indentation, and wherein the nub and the indentation form an interference fit when the striking surface attachment is hilly seated within the head.

6. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the head has a hole and the striking surface attachment has an indentation, and wherein a fastener is disposed in the hole and the indentation to secure the striking surface attachment to the head.

7. The golf club of claim 6, wherein the fastener is a set screw and the hole is threaded to retain the set screw.

8. The golf club of claim 6, wherein the fastener is a pin.

9. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the striking surface attachment is formed of one of rubber and an elastomer.

10. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the striking surface attachment is a striking surface support member and the golf club further comprises a striking surface member attached to the striking surface attachment.

11. The golf club of claim 10, wherein the striking surface member is formed of metal.

12. A golf club comprising:

a head defining at least one slot; and

a replaceable striking surface attachment having at least one protrusion compressed within the at least one slot,

wherein a cavity is formed between adjacent protrusions of the at least one protrusion and wherein the compressed adjacent protrusions deform toward the cavity, and

wherein the golf club has at least two pairs of corresponding protrusions and slots.

13. A golf club comprising:

a head defining at least one slot; and

a replaceable striking surface attachment having at least one protrusion compressed within the at least one slot,

wherein a pair of protrusions is compressed within each slot and wherein the striking surface attachment has defined thereon at least one raised face spaced apart from a protrusion, the at least one raised face configured to press against a face of the head upon compression of the protrusion.

14. The golf club of claim 13, wherein the at least one raised face is disposed between adjacent pairs of protrusions.

15. The golf club of claim 13, wherein the at least one raised face is disposed at a perimeter of the striking surface attachment.

16. The golf club of claim 13, wherein the protrusion and the at least one raised face move relative to each other about a pivot point at the base of the protrusion.

17. The golf club of claim 13, wherein a portion of a face of the striking surface attachment between the at least one raised face and the protrusion is recessed relative to the at least one raised face and is inclined.

18. The golf club of claim 13, wherein a portion of a face of the striking surface attachment between the at least one raised face and the protrusion is recessed relative to the at least one raised face and is level.

19. A golf club comprising:

a head defining at least one slot, each of the at least one slot having a receiving end and a terminal end, the terminal end being narrower than the receiving end; and

a replaceable striking surface attachment having at least one protrusion, the at least one protrusion configured to be received by the at least one slot,

wherein a cavity is formed between adjacent protrusions of the at least one protrusion and wherein the adjacent protrusions compress and deform toward the cavity when received by the at least one slot, and

wherein the at least one protrusion is dovetail-shaped and the at least one slot is a correspondingly shaped mortise.

20. The golf club of claim 19, wherein the slot is tapered.

21. The golf club of claim 20, wherein the slot is tapered approximately 1 to 2 degrees.

22. The golf club of claim 19, wherein one of the head and the striking surface attachment has a nub and the other of the head and the striking surface attachment has an indentation, and wherein the nub and the indentation form an interference fit when the striking surface attachment is fully seated within the head.

23. The golf club of claim 19, wherein the head has a hole and the striking surface attachment has an indentation, and wherein a fastener is disposed in the hole and the indentation to secure the striking surface attachment to the head.

24. The golf club of claim 23, wherein the fastener is a set screw and the hole is threaded to retain the set screw.

25. The golf club of claim 23, wherein the fastener is a pin.

26. The golf club of claim 19, wherein the striking surface attachment is formed of one of rubber and an elastomer.

27. The golf club of claim 19, wherein the striking surface attachment is a striking surface support member and the golf club further comprises a striking surface member attached to the striking surface attachment.

28. The golf club of claim 27, wherein the striking surface member is formed of metal.

29. A golf club comprising:

a head defining at least one slot, each of the at least one slot having a receiving end and a terminal end, the terminal end being narrower than the receiving end; and

a replaceable striking surface attachment having at least one protrusion, the at least one protrusion configured to be received by the at least one slot,

wherein a pair of protrusions is compressed within each slot and wherein the striking surface attachment has defined thereon at least one raised face spaced apart from a protrusion, the at least one raised face configured to press against a face of the head upon compression of the protrusion.

30. The golf club of claim 29, wherein the at least one raised face is disposed between adjacent pairs of protrusions.

31. The golf club of claim 29, wherein the at least one raised face is disposed at a perimeter of the striking surface attachment.

32. The golf club of claim 29, wherein the protrusion and the at least one raised face move relative to each other about a pivot point at the base of the protrusion.

33. The golf club of claim 29, wherein a portion of a face of the striking surface attachment between the at least one raised face and the protrusion is recessed relative to the at least one raised face and is inclined.

34. The golf club of claim 29, wherein a portion of a face of the striking surface attachment between the at least one raised face and the protrusion is recessed relative to the at least one raised face and is level.

35. A golf club comprising:

a head defining at least one slot, each of the at least one slot having a receiving end and a terminal end, the terminal end being narrower than the receiving end; and

a replaceable striking surface attachment having at least one protrusion, the at least one protrusion configured to be received by the at least one slot,

wherein a cavity is formed between adjacent protrusions of the at least one protrusion and wherein the adjacent protrusions compress and deform toward the cavity when received by the at least one slot, and

wherein the golf club has at least two pairs of corresponding protrusions and slots.