Putter with alignment aid

A putter head comprising a novel alignment structure is disclosed herein. In particular, the putter comprises an alignment sphere attached to an upper surface of a lower flange and an alignment ring suspended over the lower flange and vertically aligned with the alignment sphere. When a golfer has oriented the putter properly in front of a golf ball at address, the alignment sphere will appear to the golfer to be encircled by the alignment ring.

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a golf club head, particularly a putter, with an alignment aid. In particular, the alignment aid comprises an upper opening and a removable insert that aligns with the upper opening when the golfer is aligned with the club at address.

Description of the Related Art

The prior art discloses different types of alignment features incorporated into golf club heads, and on putters in particular. There still is a need, however, for an improved putter alignment system that also allows a golfer to change the specific alignment aid.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One aspect of the present invention is a putter with an alignment aid that appears to be contained within an alignment ring or structure when a golfer's head is properly oriented with respect to the putter head at address with a golf ball.

Another aspect of the present invention is a putter head comprising a body portion comprising a striking face, a rear surface opposite the striking face, an upper portion, a lower portion, a heel side, a toe side, and an aft edge spaced from the striking face, the lower portion having an upper surface and a lower surface, a support bar extending from the body portion towards the aft edge, the support bar comprising a first end, a midsection, and a second end, an alignment ring connected to the support bar, an alignment structure extending vertically from the upper surface of the lower portion, the alignment structure vertically aligned with the alignment ring along a vertical Z axis, wherein the alignment structure does not make direct contact with the support bar or the alignment ring, and wherein the alignment ring is spaced from, and does not make direct contact with, any portion of the body portion.

In some embodiments, each of the first end and the second end may be affixed to the body portion, and the midsection may be suspended over the lower portion. In a further embodiment, the putter head may comprise a stem extending from the midsection of the support bar towards the body portion and connecting to the alignment ring so that the alignment ring is suspended over the lower portion, and the stem may space the alignment ring from the support bar. In another embodiment, the alignment structure may be removably affixed to the upper surface. In a further embodiment, the putter head may comprise a bolt, the lower portion may comprise a threaded through-bore extending from the lower surface to the upper surface, the alignment structure may comprise a threaded receiving bore, and a portion of the bolt may extend through the threaded through-bore to engage the threaded receiving bore.

In some embodiments, the alignment structure may be a sphere. In a further embodiment, the sphere may comprise a first color, the alignment ring may comprises a second color, and the first color may contrast with the second color. In a further embodiment, the support bar may comprises a third color, which may contrast with the first color and the second color. In an alternative embodiment, the rear surface of the striking face may comprise a fourth color, which may contrast with the first color. In yet another alternative embodiment, the upper surface may comprise a fifth color, which may contrast with the first color. In still other embodiments, the alignment structure may be a cylinder comprising at least one fiber optic filament, which may be coiled within the cylinder.

In another embodiment, the upper portion of the body may comprise an alignment line extending perpendicular to the striking face and aligned with the alignment ring along a horizontal x-axis extending perpendicular to the striking face in a front-to-back direction. In yet another embodiment, the putter head may further comprise a face insert, and the striking face may comprise a recess sized to receive the face insert. In yet another embodiment, the lower portion may comprise at least one unthreaded through-hole, and the support bar may extend over the at least one unthreaded through-hole.

Yet another aspect of the present invention is a putter head comprising a body portion comprising a striking face, a rear surface opposite the striking face, an upper portion, a lower portion, a heel side, a toe side, and an aft edge spaced from the striking face, the lower portion having an upper surface and a lower surface, first and second support bars extending from the body portion towards the aft edge, the first support bar extending approximately parallel with the second support bar, an alignment ring suspended between the first and second support bars, and a sphere affixed to the upper surface of the lower portion and vertically aligned with the alignment ring along a vertical Z axis, wherein the sphere does not make direct contact with the first support bar, the second support bar, or the alignment ring, and wherein the alignment ring is spaced from, and does not make direct contact with, any portion of the body portion. In some embodiments, the sphere may be removably affixed to the upper surface. In a further embodiment, the putter head may comprise a bolt, the lower portion may comprise a threaded through-bore extending from the lower surface to the upper surface, the sphere may comprise a threaded receiving bore, and a portion of the bolt may extend through the threaded through-bore to engage the threaded receiving bore.

In some embodiments, the lower portion may comprise a heel-side portion having a first front-to-back length, a middle portion having a second front-to-back length, and a toe-side portion having a third front-to-back length, and the second front-to-back length may be less than the first and third front-to-back lengths. In a further embodiment, the first front-to-back length may be approximately equivalent to the third front-to-back length.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a golf club head, and particularly a putter head, with a removable alignment structure and an alignment ring or sighting structure disposed vertically above the alignment structure. Before striking a golf ball, a golfer can confirm that the putter is properly oriented by aligning his or her head over the putter head so that the alignment structure appears to be entirely bounded within the alignment ring or sight structure.

A preferred embodiment of the putter head10of the present invention is shown inFIGS. 1-10. The putter head10comprises a body portion20having a heel side22proximate a hosel25, a toe side24, a striking face30with a recess34sized to receive a face insert35, a rear surface40opposite to, and extending approximately parallel with, the striking face30, an upper portion50extending approximately perpendicular to the striking face30from an upper edge31of the striking face30, and a lower portion60or flange extending approximately perpendicular to the striking face30from a lower edge32of the striking face30and comprising an aft edge65, a lower surface62, and an upper surface66. The upper surface66has a first region66adisposed directly behind the rear surface40and a second region66bencircling the first region66a, and the lower portion60has at least one through-opening or hole68proximate the aft edge65. The upper portion50of the body20preferably includes an alignment line55that extends perpendicular to the striking face30along a horizontal x-axis, and is approximately centered between the heel side22and the toe side24along a horizontal y-axis extending parallel with the striking face30.

The putter head10also includes a U-shaped support bar70having a first end72affixed to the body20towards the heel side22, a midsection74, and a second end76affixed to the body20towards the toe side24. The support bar70, which preferably is integrally formed with the body20but may be formed separately and then permanently affixed to the body20, extends from the body20over the lower portion60toward the aft edge65so that the midsection74is suspended over the hole68, though in alternative embodiments the lower portion60may lack the hole68entirely and the support bar70may be suspended completely over the upper surface66of the lower portion60. A stem82extends from the midsection75towards the body20and supports an alignment ring84that is suspended vertically over the first upper surface region66a. No portion of the alignment ring84, which is spaced from the support bar70by the stem82and is centered between the heel and toe sides22,24of the body along the horizontal y-axis, directly contacts the body20or the support bar70.

The lower portion60of the body20also includes a threaded through-bore63that extends from the lower surface62through the first upper surface region66aand is vertically aligned with the alignment ring84along a vertical z-axis100. The threaded portion112of a bolt110extends through the threaded through-bore63and engages the threaded bore92of an alignment sphere90to removably affix the alignment sphere90to the first upper surface region66aof the lower portion60. When the threaded portion112is fully engaged with the threaded through-bore63and the alignment sphere90, the head114of the bolt abuts the lower surface62of the lower portion60. When the alignment sphere90is secured to the lower portion60via the bolt110, it is vertically aligned with the alignment ring84along the vertical z-axis100and appears to be encircled by the alignment ring84when a golfer has properly aligned her head over the putter head10at address before striking a golf ball.

Another embodiment of the present invention is shown inFIGS. 11-14. In this embodiment, the putter head10has many of the same features as the preferred embodiment, except that instead of a single, U-shaped support bar70, first and second support bars170,175extend away from the body20approximately parallel to one another and perpendicular to the rear surface40along the horizontal x-axis, and a pair of stems180,182extend from the rearmost ends171,176of the support bars at less than a 90° angle with respect to the support bars170,175to connect the support bars170,175to the alignment ring84. Like in the preferred embodiment, the alignment ring84is suspended over the first upper surface region66aof the lower portion60, but in this embodiment, the entirety of each support bar170,175is also suspended over the lower portion60instead over through-holes68a,68b, which in this embodiment are disposed at heel and toe sides160,165of the lower portion60. The lower portion60of the body20in this second embodiment has a heel side160with a first length L1, a middle portion164with a second length L2, and a toe side165with a third length L3. As shown inFIGS. 11 and 12, the first and third lengths L1, L3are preferably approximately equivalent to one another and are greater than the second length L2.

In each of the embodiments disclosed herein, the alignment sphere90has a first color that contrasts with other parts of the putter head10, and particularly the alignment ring84, so as to maximize its visibility to a golfer. The first color also preferably contrasts with the color of the rear surface40of the body20, the upper surface66of the lower portion60, and with the support bars70,170,175. In particular, the alignment sphere90preferably is red, the support bars70,170,175are white, the alignment ring84and upper surface66is black or dark gray, and the rear surface40is dark or light gray.

In an alternative embodiment, the alignment sphere90may be replaced with a cylinder120that includes one or more coiled fiber optic filaments122that can catch the light and make the cylinder120appear to glow when the putter head10is in use. The fiber optic filaments122preferably have the same color green as that of a putting green to assist with alignment. The cylinder120includes a threaded bore92at one end so that it can be removably affixed to the upper surface66of the lower portion60.

The body20of the putter head10preferably is composed of a high strength material, such as titanium alloy or stainless steel, while the alignment sphere90is formed of a lighter weight material such as aluminum ally, carbon composite, or plastic to reduce the overall weight of the putter head10and ensure a low center of gravity. The material composition of the different parts of the putter head10can, however, be adjusted as desired by the golfer to change the center of gravity location.