Putter-type golf club head

• US 8,480,513 B2
• Filed: 12/24/2008
• Issued: 07/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: SRI Sports Limited (Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Kuan, Jimmy H., Sandoval, Michael D., Sheldon, Adam K.
• Primary Examiner(s): HUNTER, ALVIN A
• Application Number:
  US12/343,949
• Publication Number:
  US 20100113184A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,658 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350
• 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 53/042 the face insert consisting of a material different from that of the head
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0425 the face insert comprising two or more different materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0441 with visual indicators for aligning the golf club
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0445 Details of grooves or the like on the impact surface
• 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 60/54 with means for damping vibrations

Abstract

A golf club head according to one or more aspects of the present invention may include a body comprising a front surface, having an opening therein for receiving a primary insert. One or more secondary inserts may be disposed in the primary insert and may include a leading surface and a trailing surface. The trailing surface may be physically exposed to the elements and the leading surface may be physically exposed and/or visually exposed.

Claims

1. A putter head comprising:

a body formed from a metallic material having a planar front surface, a rear surface, a heel portion and a toe portion opposite the heel portion;

an opening in the front surface extending into the body toward the rear surface;

a primary insert disposed within the opening and having a generally planar anterior surface and a plurality of cavities extending from the anterior surface towards the rear surface, the cavities being elongated in the heel to toe direction;

a secondary insert comprising a plurality of horizontal elements, each of the plurality of cavities receiving one of the plurality of horizontal elements, each horizontal element having a curvilinear physically-exposed surface; and

a plurality of reveals extending into the anterior surface of the primary insert, each reveal being adjacent one of the horizontal elements;

wherein the secondary insert further comprises a forwardmost projecting point that is coplanar with the anterior surface of the primary insert.

2. The putter head of claim 1, wherein the anterior surface of the primary insert is coplanar with the front surface of the body.

3. The putter head of claim 1, wherein the primary insert has a first hardness and the secondary insert has a second hardness, the second hardness being greater than the first hardness.

4. The putter head of claim 1, wherein the hardness of the primary insert is between about Shore 55 D and Shore 115 D.

5. The putter head of claim 4, wherein the hardness of the primary insert is between about Shore 65 D and Shore 100 D.

6. The putter head of claim 1, wherein the primary insert is made from a polymeric material.

7. The putter head of claim 1, wherein the primary and secondary inserts are co-molded.

8. The putter head of claim 1, wherein the primary and secondary inserts are mechanically interlocked.

9. The putter head of claim 1, wherein the secondary insert is adhesively bonded to the primary insert.

10. The putter head of claim 1, wherein the opening is a blind cavity.

11. The putter head of claim 1, wherein the opening penetrates the rear surface of the body.

12. The putter head of claim 1, wherein the primary insert is made from a non-metallic material and the secondary insert is made from a metallic material.

13. The putter head of claim 12, wherein the secondary insert is made from a material selected from the group consisting of titanium, aluminum, and stainless steel.

14. The putter head of claim 1, wherein each horizontal element has a forwardly convex curvilinear physically-exposed surface.

15. A putter head comprising:

a body formed from a metallic material having a planar front surface, a rear surface, a heel portion and a toe portion opposite the heel portion;

an opening in the front surface extending into the body toward the rear surface;

a primary insert disposed within the opening and having a generally planar anterior surface and a plurality of cavities extending from the anterior surface towards the rear surface, the cavities being elongated in the heel to toe direction;

a secondary insert comprising a plurality of horizontal elements, each of the plurality of cavities receiving one of the plurality of horizontal elements, each horizontal element having a curvilinear physically-exposed surface; and

a plurality of reveals extending into the anterior surface of the primary insert, each reveal being adjacent one of the horizontal elements.

16. The putter head of claim 15, wherein each horizontal element has a forwardly convex curvilinear physically-exposed surface.