Multi-component putter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12485325-B2
Application number	US-202318509120-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 14, 2023
Priority date	Oct 1, 2018
Publication date	Dec 2, 2025
Grant date	Dec 2, 2025

Abstract

Embodiments of multi-component putters comprising an upper portion and a lower portion are described herein. The upper portion is formed from a first material having a first density and the lower portion is formed from a second material having a second density. The first density is less than the second density. The upper portion is affixed to the lower portion via an adhesive or a combination of adhesives and interlocking geometry. The multi-component putter design provides increased forgiveness and moment of inertia compared to a putter formed from a single material.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A putter type golf club head comprising:
a strike face, a rear end, a toe end, a heel end, a crown, a sole; an upper portion comprising the strike face, and a lower portion; wherein: the upper portion is formed from a first material having a first density and the lower portion is formed from a second material having a second density; the first density is less than the second density; the lower portion comprises a sole plate having a toe mass and a heel mass; the upper portion comprises a crown bridge including the crown, and extending from the strike face to the rear end; the upper portion comprises a front pocket wall opposite the strike face, a rear pocket wall opposite the rear end, a pocket ceiling opposite the crown, and a pocket floor opposite an under surface of the upper portion; the front pocket wall, the rear pocket wall, the pocket ceiling, and the pocket floor together define a pocket; the upper portion comprises an upright member extending between the crown bridge and the pocket floor, dividing the pocket into a toe side pocket and a heel side pocket; the upper portion is affixed to the lower portion via an adhesive; and the upper portion is affixed to the lower portion such that the crown bridge is positioned between the toe mass and the heel mass.

2 . The putter type golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the putter type golf club head comprises a loft angle less than 7 degrees.

3 . The putter type golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the putter type golf club head further comprises a volume and a mass; wherein the lower portion comprises less than 35% of the volume of the putter type golf club head; and wherein the lower portion comprises greater than 50% of the mass of the putter type golf club head.

4 . The putter type golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the heel side pocket is between the heel mass and the upright member.

5 . The putter type golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the toe side pocket is between the toe mass and the upright member.

6 . The putter type golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the first density of the first material is less than 6.0 g/cc.

7 . The putter type golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the second density of the second material is greater than 7.0 g/cc.

8 . The putter type golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the golf club head comprises a center of gravity defining an origin for a coordinate system including a vertical CG y-axis perpendicular to a ground plane when the putter type golf club head is at an address position, the putter type golf club head comprises a moment of inertia lyy about the vertical CG y-axis greater than 3000 g-cm 2 .

9 . The putter type golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the first material and the second material comprise a material selected from the group consisting of 8620 alloy steel, S25C steel, carbon steel, maraging steel, 17-4 stainless steel, 303 stainless steel, stainless steel alloy, tungsten, aluminum, aluminum alloy, and ADC-12.

10 . A putter type golf club head comprising:
a strike face, a rear end, a toe end, a heel end, a crown, a sole; an upper portion comprising the strike face, and a lower portion; wherein: the upper portion is formed from a first material having a first density and the lower portion is formed from a second material having a second density; the first density is less than the second density; the lower portion comprises a sole plate having a toe mass and a heel mass; the upper portion comprises a crown bridge including the crown and extending from the strike face to the rear end; the upper portion comprises a front pocket wall opposite the strike face, a rear pocket wall opposite the rear end, a pocket ceiling opposite the crown, and a pocket floor opposite an under surface of the upper portion; the front pocket wall, the rear pocket wall, the pocket ceiling, and the pocket floor together define a pocket; the upper portion comprises an upright member extending between the crown bridge and the pocket floor, dividing the pocket into a toe side pocket and a heel side pocket; the upper portion is affixed to the lower portion via an adhesive; and the upper portion is affixed to the lower portion such that the crown bridge is positioned between the toe mass and the heel mass; the putter type golf club head further comprises a volume and a mass; the lower portion comprises less than 35% of the volume of the putter type golf club head; and the lower portion comprises greater than 50% of the mass of the putter type golf club head.

11 . The putter type golf club head of claim 10 , wherein the putter type golf club head comprises a loft angle less than 7 degrees.

12 . The putter type golf club head of claim 10 , wherein the heel side pocket is between the heel mass and the upright member.

13 . The putter type golf club head of claim 10 , wherein the toe side pocket is between the toe mass and the upright member.

14 . The putter type golf club head of claim 10 , wherein the first density of the first material is less than 6.0 g/cc.

15 . The putter type golf club head of claim 10 , wherein the second density of the second material is greater than 7.0 g/cc.

16 . The putter type golf club head of claim 10 , wherein the golf club head comprises a center of gravity defining an origin for a coordinate system including a vertical CG y-axis perpendicular to a ground plane when the putter type golf club head is at an address position, the putter type golf club head comprises a moment of inertia lyy about the vertical CG y-axis greater than 3000 g-cm 2 .

17 . The putter type golf club head of claim 10 , wherein the first material and the second material comprise a material selected from the group consisting of 8620 alloy steel, S25C steel, carbon steel, maraging steel, 17-4 stainless steel, 303 stainless steel, stainless steel alloy, tungsten, aluminum, aluminum alloy, and ADC-12.

Assignees

• Karsten Mfg Corp

Inventors

• Higdon David A
• Clarke Jacob T
• Serrano Anthony D
• Alexander Murphy R

Classifications

• A63B2209/00

  Characteristics of used materials · CPC title

• A63B53/0441

  with visual indicators for aligning the golf club · CPC title

• A63B53/0416

  Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert · CPC title

• A63B53/0412

  Volume · CPC title

• A63B47/02

  for picking-up {or collecting} · CPC title