Putter-type golf club head

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10456637-B2
Application number	US-201715813944-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 15, 2017
Priority date	Oct 16, 2013
Publication date	Oct 29, 2019
Grant date	Oct 29, 2019

Abstract

A putter-type golf club head is disclosed. When oriented in a reference position, the putter-type golf club head comprises a blade member and a central elongate member in communication with, and extending rearwardly from, the blade member. The blade member extends in a heel-to-toe direction and has a striking wall defining a substantially planar striking surface, and an upper surface of the central elongate member comprises at least one generally square-shaped alignment element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A putter-type golf club head that, when oriented in a reference position, comprises:
a main body comprising a blade member extending in a heel-to-toe direction and having a striking wall defining a substantially planar striking surface, and a central elongate member in communication with, and extending rearwardly from, the blade member, the central elongate member having an upper surface;
wherein:
the main body is formed of plural discrete components including a sole portion comprising a first material and a top portion comprising a second material different from the first material, the sole portion being recessed in its entirety from the upper surface of the central elongate member;
the upper surface of the central elongate member comprises at least one generally square-shaped alignment element; and
the first material comprises a first density and the second material comprises a second density that is less than the first density.

2. The putter-type golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the sole portion is secured to the top portion by a mechanical fastener.

3. The putter-type golf club head of claim 1 , further comprising a resilient material sandwiched between the sole portion and the top portion.

4. The putter-type golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the first material comprises stainless steel and the second material comprises aluminum.

5. The putter-type golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the first material is harder than the second material.

6. The putter-type golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the main body is substantially T-shaped.

7. The putter-type golf club head of claim 1 , wherein:
the central elongate member further comprises a width, in the heel-to-toe direction, that is greater than a diameter of a golf ball; and
the at least one alignment element comprises a width, in the heel-to-toe direction, that is slightly less than the diameter of the golf ball.

8. The putter-type golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the club head is face-balanced.

9. A putter-type golf club head that, when oriented in a reference position, comprises:
a blade member extending in a heel-to-toe direction and having a striking wall defining a substantially planar striking surface;
a central elongate member in communication with, and extending rearwardly from, the blade member, the central elongate member comprising an upper surface having at least one generally square-shaped alignment element;
a cantilevered heel arm extending rearward from a heel-ward portion of the blade member; and
a cantilevered toe arm extending rearward from a toe-ward portion of the blade member,
wherein at least one of the heel arm and the toe arm tapers in thickness in the front-to-rear direction.

10. The putter-type golf club head of claim 9 , further comprising:
a heel-ward gap defined between the heel arm and the central elongate member, the heel-ward gap having a first bend; and
a toe-ward gap defined between the toe arm and the central elongate member, the toe-ward gap having a second bend.

11. The putter-type golf club head of claim 9 , wherein the at least one generally square-shaped alignment element comprises at least two generally square-shaped alignment elements.

12. The putter-type golf club head of claim 9 , wherein:
the central elongate member further comprises a width, in the heel-to-toe direction, that is greater than a diameter of a golf ball; and
the at least one alignment element comprises a width, in the heel-to-toe direction, that is slightly less than the diameter of the golf ball.

13. The putter-type golf club head of claim 9 , wherein the club head is face-balanced.

14. A putter-type golf club head that, when oriented in a reference position, comprises:
a blade member extending in a heel-to-toe direction and having a striking wall defining a substantially planar striking surface;
a central elongate member in communication with, and extending rearwardly from, the blade member, the central elongate member comprising an upper surface having at least one generally square-shaped alignment element;
a cantilevered heel arm secured to a rear portion of the central elongate member and projecting heel-wardly and forwardly of the rear portion; and
a cantilevered toe arm secured to a toe-ward side of the rear portion of the central elongate member and projecting toe-wardly and forwardly of the rear portion,
wherein the heel arm and the toe arm are formed in a unitary sole portion, the central elongate member is formed in a unitary top portion discrete from the sole portion, and the sole portion is mechanically coupled to the top portion.

15. The putter-type golf club head of claim 14 , wherein the at least one generally square-shaped alignment element comprises at least two generally square-shaped alignment elements.

16. The putter-type golf club head of claim 14 , wherein:
the central elongate member further comprises a width, in the heel-to-toe direction, that is greater than a diameter of a golf ball; and
the at least one alignment element comprises a width, in the heel-to-toe direction, that is slightly less than the diameter of the golf ball.

17. The putter-type golf club head of claim 14 , wherein the club head is face-balanced.

Assignees

• Dunlop Sports Co Ltd
• Sumitomo Rubber Ind

Inventors

• Becktor Mika
• Dolezel Keith
• Trahan Nick
• Seagram Phillip C
• Herr Brian
• Brunski Jeff
• Sheldon Adam

Classifications

• A63B53/0487 Primary

  for putters (A63B53/065 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A63B2053/0437

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• A63B2053/0433

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• A63B2069/3682

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• A63B2053/0441

  Human Necessities · mapped topic