Abstract:
An adaptable putter head that can be easily configured by a golfer for use in training or competitive play is described. The adaptable putter head comprises a center piece and two wings rotatably attached to the center piece. The center piece and wings include a central face and wing faces, respectively. In an extended position, the central face and wing faces form a continuous surface for striking a ball in competitive play. In a retracted position, the central face provides a striking surface with less surface area and the putter head has a lower moment of inertia for skill training and practice.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/147,872, filed Apr. 15, 2015. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable. 
     THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
     Not Applicable. 
     INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC 
     Not Applicable. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to golf clubs. More particularly, the invention relates to putter heads for training and play. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In the game of golf, a “putt” is a stroke used in short-distance shots on or near the putting green, generally with the goal of placing the ball in the hole. For these types of strokes, a specialized golf club called a “putter” is typically used. Putters are differentiated from other types of clubs (such as “irons” and “woods”) by a striking surface or “club head” with a very flat, low-profile, low-loft striking face, and by other features which, by game regulation, are only allowed on putters. Such features include bent shafts, non-circular grips, and positional guides. 
     Putting is often a deciding factor in a game of golf. While the player&#39;s skill at putting is an important factor in deciding success, another important contributing factor is the putting device and its performance characteristics. Therefore, many types of putters and putter heads are available to golfers today. Further, many training aids are also available to assist players in improving their putting skills and mechanics. 
     A golfer&#39;s success at putting can be significantly affected by how familiar the golfer is with the particular putter he or she is using. Even slight differences in the weight, grip configuration, putter head shape, size, angle, and striking surface of the club can have a significant impact on the mechanics of the player&#39;s putting stroke and the resulting path and velocity of the ball. However, during a competitive game of golf, a player who has been practicing with a putting training aid generally must use a different putter designed for actual play. Changing to a different putter may negatively affect the golfer&#39;s play. A performance benefit could be gained by using a putter that could be adapted for both training and for competitive play. 
     Hence, a need exists for a golf putter that can simultaneously satisfy desired training requirements while being adaptable to a configuration suitable for competitive play. In addition, a significant need exists for such a golf putter where the putter head can be quickly and easily changed from a training configuration to a competitive play configuration. Further, a need exists for such a putter where the operational parameters of the putter are generally consistent when moving from a training mode to a play mode. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention comprises an adaptable putter head. An embodiment of the invention allows the putter head to be used for both training and play. The putter head is designed so that two wing portions fold back to make the face of the putter head smaller. This allows the putter to be used as a practice device to help train a golfer to strike more putts in the center of the putter head. 
     The putter is designed to be reconfigurable between a play mode and a training mode. The putter head includes a center piece with two wings that may be either fully extended or folded back. With the wings in a fully extended position, the putter head is placed in a play mode configuration with a full putter face, comprised of the central face and both wing faces, exposed to the golf ball during use. With the wings in a folded position, the putter head is in a training mode configuration with a narrower putter face, comprised of only the central face, exposed to the ball. 
     When the putter head is reconfigured from one mode to another, the moment of inertia (MOI) of the putter is changed while other features of the putter generally remain constant, e.g., the putter swing weight. In play mode, with wings fully extended, the MOI of the putter is greater than that of the training mode. Hence, in training, with the wings folded back, the MOI is lower and the golfer must exercise more care to control the putter swing and avoid twisting the putter head. The higher the MOI in the putter head, the more resistant it is to twisting on off-center hits, especially helpful for players seeking forgiveness in a putter on mis-hits. Consequently, during play mode, with the wings fully extended, the golfer receives the benefit of a higher MOI to supplement improved skill developed during training with a lower MOI. 
     The wings are maintained in either a fully extended position or folded position by appropriately placed magnetic components. In addition, a magnetic bolt placed in each wing is adjustable to ensure that the face of each wing is properly aligned with the central face of the putter head when the wings are fully extended. In various embodiments, the wings may be replaced with wings of differing weights to provide a preferred feel to the golfer. Adjustment in weight allows a further change in both the MOI and the swing weight of the putter. 
     Through the combination of training and a variable MOI, the golfer is able to reduce the probability of a less-than-ideal strike on the golf ball while putting and, hence, improve overall putting results. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other features, aspects and advantages of various embodiments of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an adaptable putter head according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a second perspective view of the adaptable putter head of  FIG. 1  showing the putter head in both a fully extended and fully folded state; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view thereof; 
         FIG. 4  is a top plan view of the adaptable putter head of  FIG. 1  in an extended state; 
         FIG. 5  is a rear elevation view thereof; 
         FIG. 6  is top plan view of the adaptable putter head of  FIG. 1  in a folded state; 
         FIG. 7  is a rear elevation view thereof; and 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the adaptable putter head of  FIG. 1  in use with the wings fully extended. 
     
    
    
     The accompanying drawings numbered herein are given by way of illustration only and are not intended to be limitative to any extent. Commonly used reference numbers identify the same or equivalent parts of the claimed invention throughout the several Figures. 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     A first object of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide an adaptable putter head that can be used for both skill training and competitive play. 
     Another object is to provide an adaptable putter head that can be easily configured by the golfer without any additional tools. 
     Another object is to provide an adaptable putter head wherein the width of the putter can be adjusted. 
     Another object is to provide an adaptable putter head that retains a core configuration while various components may be exchanged to change the putter performance parameters. 
     Other objects of the invention will become apparent through further review of the present disclosure. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIGS. 1 through 8 , wherein like parts are designated by like reference numerals throughout, illustrate example embodiments of an adaptable putter head  10  according to the present invention. Although) the present invention will be described with reference to the example embodiments illustrated in the figures, it should be understood that many alternative forms can embody the present invention. One of skill in the art will additionally appreciate different ways to after the parameters of the embodiments disclosed, such as the size, shape, or type of elements or materials, in a manner still in keeping with the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a first exemplary embodiment of an adaptable putter head  10  according to the invention is shown. For succinctness, the adaptable putter head  10  will hereinafter be referred to as the putter head  10 . The putter head  10  comprises a center piece  20  and two wings  50 . The center piece  20  includes a sole  30  and a top  40 . The sole  30  rests adjacent the putting surface when the putter is in use. The top  40  is used to attach a putter shaft  60  (not shown) at the hosel  48  of the putter head  10 . The center piece  20  further includes a central face  22  for striking a golf ball. Each wing  50  includes a planar wing face  52 . 
     In  FIG. 1 , the putter head  10  is shown in a play mode, with the wings  50  in a forward, fully extended position. The wings  50  are rotatably attached to the center piece  20  via pin  23 . Thus, the wings  50  may be rotated around the axis formed by the pin  23  to move the wings  50  into a retracted folded position, thereby placing the putter head  10  into a training mode. 
     The center piece  20  and wings  50  can be formed of hard or rigid material, and material having a certain amount of resilience depending on the desired striking characteristics of the putter, including but not limited to plastic, rubber, composites, synthetic materials, natural materials, wood and the like. The putter head  10  may likewise be made from metal or composites, while still providing desired functionality to the golfer. The components of the putter head  10  may be machined or cast. One of skill in the art will appreciate that any number of different materials and manufacturing methods may be utilized, such that the present invention is by no means limited to those specifically listed herein. 
     Now referring to  FIG. 2 , a perspective view from the sole  30  of the adaptable putter head  10  is shown. The wings  50  are able to rotate from an extended position to a retracted folded position. The retracted folded position of the wings  50  is indicated by the wings  50  shown in dotted lines. As illustrated, the top  40  of the putter head  10  serves to hide the wings  50  when placed in a folded position. 
     Now referring to  FIG. 3 , a detailed exploded view of the adaptable putter head  10  is shown. The center piece  20  serves as an anchor piece for the wings  50 . The wings  50  are rotationally engaged with the center piece  20  by hinge pin  23 . The hinge pin  23  passes through a hole  34  in the sole  30 , a sleeve  54  of the wing  50  and a top hole  46  in the top  40 . Each wing  50  includes a cylindrical distal receiver  58  into which cylindrical distal wing magnets  59  are affixed. When the putter head  10  is placed in a training mode with the wings  50  in a folded position, the wing magnets  59  come into contact and hold the wings  50  securely in the retracted folded position during use. 
     Each wing  50  further includes a proximal bolt hole  56  into which magnetic adjusting bolts  57  are threadably engaged. The sole  30  of the center piece  20  includes two cylindrical receptacles  36  into which cylindrical sole magnets  37  are affixed. The sole magnets  37  correspond with each magnetic bolt  57  of each wing  50  such that when the wings  50  are in a forward fully extended position, the wings  50  are secured in place by magnetic attraction between the sole magnets  37  and the magnetic adjusting bolts  57  of each wing  50 . 
     In addition to providing magnetic attraction to maintain the wings  50  in an extended position, the magnetic adjusting bolts  57  are adjustable to ensure that the entire striking surface, i.e., the entire face  12  of the putter, formed by the central face  22  and the wing faces  52 , is properly aligned to form a single planar surface from wing  50  to wing  50 . When the putter head  10  is in play mode with the wings  50  fully extended, the threadably engaged magnetic adjusting bolts  57  may be adjusted via rotation to eliminate any gaps at the interface between the central face  22  and the wing faces  52  and to ensure that the wing faces  52  are properly aligned with the central face  22 . This adjustment feature ensures that the putter head  10  does not strike erroneously when fully extended in a play position. In addition, the adjustment feature allows the putter head  10  to be tuned when first manufactured and throughout its playing life. For example, during repeated use, the sole magnets  37  or hinge pins  23  may wear, requiring adjustment of the magnetic adjusting bolts  57  to ensure the central face  22  and wing faces  52  are aligned. 
     Now referring to  FIG. 4 , a top plan view of the adaptable putter head  10  according to the invention is shown. The putter head  10  is shown in a play mode, with the wings  50  in an extended position. In play mode, both wing faces  52  are planar aligned with central face  22  of the putter head  10  forming an entire face  12 . Pin  23  is shown inserted through top pin hole  46 . The top  40  includes a top surface  42  and a decorative opening  44  in the surface  42  of the top  40 . Also shown in the top surface  42  is the hosel  48  through which a putter shaft  60  may be attached to the putter center piece  20 . The location of the hosel  48  is shown for exemplary purposes. The hosel  48  may be located elsewhere on the top surface  42  of the putter head  10  to provide variable performance and adapt to different types of putter shafts or player preferences for balance, among other performance parameters. 
     Now referring to  FIG. 5 , a rear elevation view of the adaptable putter head  10  according to the invention is shown. The putter head  10  is shown in a play mode, with the wings  50  in a fully extended position. Magnetic adjusting bolts  57  are deployed within proximal receivers  56 . Distal cylindrical magnets  59  are secured within cylindrical distal receivers  58 . 
     Now referring to  FIG. 6 , a top plan view of the adaptable putter head  10  in a folded state is shown. The putter head  10  is shown in a training mode, with the wings  50  in a retracted or folded position. The wing faces  52  align with the edges  43  of the top  40  of the putter head  10 . The remainder of each wing  50  is hidden by the top  40 . Decorative opening  44  is also adaptable to receive a mating insert weight (not shown) which can be used to adjust the weight and MOI of the putter to suit a player&#39;s preference or to easily test various swing weights and MOI. 
     Now referring to  FIG. 7 , a rear elevation view of the adaptable putter head  10  according to the invention is shown. The putter head  10  is shown in a training mode, with the wings  50  in a retracted position. The wing magnets  59  hold the wings  50  securely in the retracted folded position via magnetic attraction. 
     Now referring to  FIG. 8 , an illustration of the putter head  10  with wings  50  fully extended is shown. The putter head  10  is configured to receive a putter shaft  60  acceptable to the preferences of the golfer. A golf ball B is positioned adjacent the central face  22 . Thus deployed, a golfer is now able to use the same putter for practice as for actual play. 
     The present invention has been particularly shown and described with respect to certain preferred embodiments and features thereof. However, it should be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes and modifications in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventions as set forth in the appended claims. The inventions illustratively disclosed herein may be practiced without any element which is not specifically disclosed herein.