Peripheral-weighted putter head

Abstract

A golf putter head having a toe and a heel. The putter head has a face defining a ball-striking portion and lateral portions extending from the ball-striking portion toward the toe and the heel. There is a rear section spaced from the face, and a connecting section extending from the ball-striking portion of the face to the rear section. A pair of elongated weights, one weight coupled at one end to each of the lateral portions of the face at locations equidistant from the ball-striking portion, and each weight also coupled at its other end to the rear section, accomplish balanced peripheral weighting. The weights are preferably replaceable.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority of Provisional application Ser. No. 60/515,876, filed on Oct. 30, 2003.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a golf putter.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known that peripheral-weighted putters can assist with maintaining proper alignment of the putter through the swing and contact with the ball. However, many of these putter designs have a substantial bottom face area that can easily touch the ground during the swing, either by improper downward motion of the putter head, or a slight transverse rocking of the head. Another drawback is that the substantial area greatly increases the drag of the putter when the head moves through longer grass on the fringe of the green.

Yet another disadvantage of many of these putters is that the overall weight and the weight distribution relative to the face are fixed. Such putters with adjustable weight designs typically have one or more cavities that can accept weights placed therein. However, the club head material that creates the cavity itself adds weight. Also, since the cavities are fixed in size, the weights must have a particular diameter. Both of these factors inherently limit the weight range achievable with such putters.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a peripheral-weighted putter head that can be tilted transversely without contacting the putting surface.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a peripheral-weighted putter head in which the peripheral-weighting is adjustable over a wide range.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a peripheral-weighted putter head with reduced drag as the head is moved through grass.

This invention features a putter head that allows a golfer to draw a “direct line” mental image from the putter-head to the target without the need to create a perpendicular line from the face, as the player would from a traditional blade or mallet style putter. The main body is in a cylindrical shape to allow accurate and precise ball striking. This cylindrical main body shape is divided down the middle by a gap, or space from top to bottom that starts directly behind the face and separates the body into two halves thereafter. This separation or division provides equalized balancing on off center ball strikes, as well as to facilitate alignment of the head and ball with the target or intended line. The main body is parallel with the axis to the intended target line, which also aids with target alignment. The invention also encourages the user to concentrate on the center of the putter face since that is the largest contact area of the face and is smaller than the diameter of the golf ball.

The putter head also has counterbalance weights on each side, directly behind the heal and the toe of the face that run transversely to the back of the putter head and parallel to the intended target line. These weights prevent twisting of the putter head if contact with the ball is made off center on the putter face as well as providing most of the putter head weight. The side weights are interchangeable which allows for heavier or lighter putter head weight. The putter also allows the golfer to putt from the second cut or heavy fringe due to the unique face and body designed to flow though the higher grass without substantial drag.

This invention features a golf putter head having a toe and a heel. The putter head has a face defining a ball-striking portion and lateral portions extending from the ball-striking portion toward the toe and the heel. There is a rear section spaced from the face, and a connecting section extending from the ball-striking portion of the face to the rear section. A pair of elongated weights, one weight coupled at one end to each of the lateral portions of the face at locations equidistant from the ball-striking portion, and each weight also coupled at its other end to the rear section, accomplish balanced peripheral weighting. The weights are preferably replaceable.

The weights are preferably removably coupled to both the face and the rear section, to allow their replacement. The removable coupling is preferably accomplished with threaded connecting members. The face, the rear section and the connecting section are preferably unitary. The lateral width of the face and of the rear section are preferably about the same, and the connecting section preferably has a lateral width that is about the same as the ball-striking portion. The ball-striking portion is preferably substantially circular, in which case the connecting section is preferably substantially cylindrical along at least a part of its length.

The connecting section may define an elongated slot along its top, and the slot may extend through the thickness of the connecting section, to divide the connecting section into two part cylinders. The rear section may comprise two distinct portions, one integral with each part cylinder. The two distinct portions of the rear section may lie essentially at right angles to the slot. The connecting section may be flattened at its lower circumferential region, and the lateral portions of the face may not be as high as the cylinder, to define narrowed wings extending from the ball-striking portion. The lower edges of the wings may rise up along their length toward the heel and toe, in which case the weights are connected near the tips of the wings.

The weights may have a substantially circular cross-section. The substantially circular cross-section preferably extends along at least much of the length of the weights, or even along effectively the entire length of the weights. The diameter of the weights may vary along their length. The diameter of the weights is preferably largest near their center, and tapers from the largest point toward the front that is coupled to the face and toward the back that is coupled to the rear section. The taper of the weights toward the front is in one embodiment greater than it is toward the back.

The golf club putter head further comprises a hosel for accepting a club shaft. Preferably, the hosel is in the connecting section.

Also featured is a golf putter head having a toe and a heel, comprising a face defining a substantially circular ball-striking portion, and narrowed lateral portions extending from the ball-striking portion toward the toe and the heel, a rear section spaced from and essentially parallel to the face, and a connecting section extending from the ball-striking portion of the face to the rear section, wherein the face, rear section and the connecting section are unitary. There is also a pair of removable elongated weights, one weight removably coupled at one end to each of the lateral portions of the face at locations equidistant from the ball-striking portion, and each weight also removably coupled at its other end to the rear section, to accomplish balanced peripheral weighting.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects, features and advantages will occur to those skilled in the art from the following description of the preferred embodiments, and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1-6 are top, front, bottom, left side, rear and perspective views, respectively, of the preferred embodiment of the peripheral-weighted putter head of the invention; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an alternative preferred embodiment of the peripheral-weighted putter head of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 is a top view of putter head 8 constructed in accordance with the invention. Face 13 is connected to rear section 44 by central section 42. In this embodiment, these three are unitary, made from cast aluminum. Cylindrical central sections 11 and 12 have a part cylindrical shape lengthwise that runs transversely from the face 13 to rear sections 20 and 21, and run on a parallel axis to the ball travel line. Sections 11 and 12 are only joined together at face 13. Each of part cylindrical shaped sections 11 and 12 extend out at the rear to form rear section 44 that is at a right angle to central section 42, thus parallel to face 13, and taper to rear section extensions 20 and 21. These extensions provide means of attaching peripheral weights 14 and 15. Weights 14 and 15 are of metal (e.g., stainless steel or brass) and are affixed to extensions 20 and 21 as well as to face 13 at points 16, 17, 18, and 19, preferably with machine screws or similar mechanical or threaded members that pass through the rear section and the weights and are received in the face. Slot 22 is open space that divides body sections 11 and 12. Top tapers 9 and 10 of central sections 11 and 12 respectively are cut back or tapered to the back. Hosel 23 is shown on section 12 for a right-handed golfer. Hosel 23 would be located in section 11 for left-handed golfers.

FIG. 2 is a front view of putter head 8 and depicts the face 13 shown by the solid line as well as the cylindrical shape of central section 42, and the essentially circular shape of ball-striking portion 30 of face 13. Weights 14 and 15 are depicted by the outer solid lines (as well as their ends as the inner dotted lines). Slot 22 is seen behind the face 13 outlined by the dotted essentially “A” shaped line which transversely carries straight to the back of the putter head. Although slot 22, when present in the invention, can be of any shape, the “A” shape was chosen because this reduces mass behind the ball strike area, which improves performance by creating more “feel” (less mass behind the strike point increases feel), allows for a greater perimeter weight ratio, aids in gliding through higher grass, and helps the putter head to track straight. The diameter of ball-striking portion 30 is preferably less than the diameter of a regulation golf ball. Shown as well is the flat cut 26 on the bottom of central section 42 that runs transversely from the front to back, which helps to prevent the head from striking the ground during a stroke.

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of putter head 8, and clearly shows slot 22 starting behind the face 13 and continuing transversely thereafter through the rest of the putter head parallel to bottom cut 26. The mounting points 16, 17, 18, and 19 are illustrated from this view, as well as the bottom tapers 24 and 25 which cut into body cylindrical shapes 11 and 12 and taper to rear extensions 20 and 21.

FIG. 4 is a side view of putter head 8. Mounting point 16 is a tapped blind hole in the back of face 13 and toward the outer edge of the face. Behind side weight 15 is hosel 23 affixed to body section 12 as to accommodate a shaft (not shown). Tapers 10 and 24 cut into body section 12 to meet at extension 21 shown behind mounting point 17.

FIG. 5 is a rear view of putter head 8. This rear view shows the “A” shaped separation or slot 22 dividing the part-cylindrical shaped central section portions 11 and 12. Surface 26 is the flat bottom which runs on the bottom from the face 13 and on either side of space 22 and in parallel to the axis of the intended target line, until meeting tapers 24 and 25, which come together at extensions 20 and 21.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view from slightly above the front corner to show an overall transparent 3-D image of the putter head 8 in accordance with the invention. This perspective allows one to see all components with the solid line representing the surface from this view angle and the dotted lines on the back or under side together forming the putter head. It is easy to see the gap 22 that cuts through from top to bottom starting behind the face 13.

FIG. 7 shows a slightly different embodiment, in which rear section 44a is slightly shorter, so that its ends butt up against the rear section of the weights, to which they are attached by mechanical fasteners.

DRAWING REFERENCE NUMBERS
8  putter head
9  top taper of central section to rear
10 top taper of central section to rear
11 cylindrical central section portion
12 cylindrical central section portion
13 face
14 replaceable weight
15 replaceable weight
16 mounting point for weight
17 mounting point for weight
18 mounting point for weight
19 mounting point for weight
20 rear section extension
21 rear section extension
22 slot
23 hosel
24 bottom taper of central section to rear
25 bottom taper of central section to rear
26 bottom
30 ball-striking portion of face
32 face lateral extending portion
34 face lateral extending portion
38 threaded connecting member
40 threaded connecting member
42 central section
44 rear section

Although specific features of the invention are shown in some drawings and not others, this is for convenience only as some feature may be combined with any or all of the other features in accordance with the invention.

Other embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art and are within the following claims.

Claims

1. A golf putter head having a toe and a heel, comprising:

a face defining a ball-striking portion and lateral portions extending from the ball-striking portion toward the toe and the heel;

a rear section spaced from the face;

a connecting section extending from the ball-striking portion of the face to the rear section; and

a pair of elongated weights, one weight coupled at one end to each of the lateral portions of the face at locations equidistant from the ball-striking portion, and each weight also coupled at its other end to the rear section, to accomplish balanced peripheral weighting.

2. The golf club putter head of claim 1, wherein the weights are removably coupled to both the face and the rear section, to allow their replacement.

3. The golf club putter head of claim 2, wherein the removable coupling is accomplished with threaded connecting members.

4. The golf club putter head of claim 1, wherein the face, the rear section and the connecting section are unitary.

5. The golf club putter head of claim 4, wherein the lateral width of the face and of the rear section are about the same.

6. The golf club putter head of claim 5, wherein the connecting section has a lateral width that is about the same as the ball-striking portion.

7. The golf club putter head of claim 6, wherein the ball-striking portion is substantially circular.

8. The golf club putter head of claim 7, wherein the connecting section is substantially cylindrical along at least a part of its length.

9. The golf club putter head of claim 8, wherein the connecting section defines an elongated slot along its top.

10. The golf club putter head of claim 9, wherein the slot extends through the thickness of the connecting section, to divide the connecting section into two part cylinders.

11. The golf club putter head of claim 10, wherein the rear section comprises two distinct portions, one integral with each part cylinder.

12. The golf club putter head of claim 11, wherein the two distinct portions of the rear section lie essentially at right angles to the slot.

13. The golf club putter head of claim 8, wherein the connecting section is flattened at its lower circumferential region.

14. The golf club putter head of claim 8, wherein the lateral portions of the face are not as high as the cylinder, to define narrowed wings extending from the ball-striking portion.

15. The golf club putter head of claim 14, wherein the lower edges of the wings rise up along their length toward the heel and toe.

16. The golf club putter head of claim 14, wherein the weights are connected near the tips of the wings.

17. The golf club putter head of claim 16, wherein the weights have a substantially circular cross-section.

18. The golf club putter head of claim 17, wherein the substantially circular cross-section extends along at least much of the length of the weights.

19. The golf club putter head of claim 18, wherein the substantially circular cross-section extends along effectively the entire length of the weights.

20. The golf club putter head of claim 18, wherein the diameter of the weights varies along their length.

21. The golf club putter head of claim 20, wherein the diameter of the weights is largest near their center.

22. The golf club putter head of claim 21, wherein the diameter of the weights tapers from the largest point toward the front that is coupled to the face.

23. The golf club putter head of claim 22, wherein the diameter of the weights tapers from the largest point toward the back that is coupled to the rear section.

24. The golf club putter head of claim 23, wherein the taper of the weights toward the front is greater than it is toward the back.

25. The golf club putter head of claim 1, further comprising a hosel for accepting a club shaft.

26. The golf club putter head of claim 25, wherein the hosel is in the connecting section.

27. A golf putter head having a toe and a heel, comprising:

a face defining a substantially circular ball-striking portion, and narrowed lateral portions extending from the ball-striking portion toward the toe and the heel;

a rear section spaced from and essentially parallel to the face;

a connecting section extending from the ball-striking portion of the face to the rear section;

wherein the face, rear section and the connecting section are unitary; and

a pair of removable elongated weights, one weight removably coupled at one end to each of the lateral portions of the face at locations equidistant from the ball-striking portion, and each weight also removably coupled at its other end to the rear section, to accomplish balanced peripheral weighting.