Abstract:
A golf club head is composed of a first body having mass concentrations at the heel and toe ends joined by a relatively thinner central web portion that is recessed from the front, top and rear surfaces of the club head. A second body member selected from a plurality of second body members composed of a relatively less dense material is temporarily attached to the web portion of the first body to form a face portion that extends from the sole to the top rail of the club as well as the central portion of the top rail.

Description:
This application is a continuation application claiming priority of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/934,865 filed Nov. 5, 2007, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,666,108. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to golf equipment and in particular to putters with inserts. 
    
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of an illustrative embodiment of putter head incorporating features of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of the putter head of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded front perspective view of the putter head of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a rear perspective view of the putter head of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the putter head of  FIG. 2  taken along line  5 - 5 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of a putter head incorporating features of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a rear perspective view of a plurality of second body members associated with the putter head of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a side view of alternative embodiments of a second body member incorporating features of the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  is a rear perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a first body member; and 
         FIG. 10  is a rear perspective view of an additional alternative embodiment of a first body member. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1-6 , a golf club head  10  comprises a first body member  12  and a second body member  14 . For example, first body member  12  may be made of a metallic material such as stainless steel and/or any other suitable materials. First body member  12  includes a heel end  16 , a toe end  18 , a forward surface  20 , a rearward surface  22  and a rear extension  24 . Heel end  16  of first body member  12  further includes a hosel  26  having a hosel bore  28  adapted for receiving a golf club shaft (not shown). 
     With particular reference to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , forward surface  20  of first body member  12  includes a recessed portion  30  having a recessed surface  32 , a near side wall  34  and a far side wall  36 . Top rail  38  of first body  12  also includes a recessed portion  40  defined by a recessed surface  42 , a near side wall  44  and a far side wall  46 . 
     Rearward surface  22  of first body member  12  also includes a recessed portion  48  defined by a recessed surface  50 , a near side wall  52  and a far side wall  54 . Recessed surfaces  32 ,  42  and  50  are of equal depth below front surface  20 , top rail  38  and rearward surface  22 , respectively. Therefore recessed surfaces  32 ,  42  and  50  cooperate to form a relatively thin web portion  56  joining the relatively thicker mass concentrations at heel end  16  and toe end  18  of first body member  12 . For example, the depth of the recessed portions can be from 0.100 to 0.250 inches. In one example, web portion  56  may have a thickness between recessed surfaces  32  and  50  of from 0.200 to 0.450 inches. 
     Second body member  14  is attached to first body member  12  as discussed more fully hereinafter. Second body member  14  has a substantially upright front flange portion  60  having a thickness equal to the depth of recessed portion  30 , a horizontally extending flange portion  62  having a thickness equal to the depth of recessed portion  40  and a rear flange portion  64  having a thickness equal to the depth of recessed portion  48 . Accordingly, when second body member  14  is placed over web portion  56 , forward surface  66  of second body member  14  is substantially coplanar with forward surface  20  of first body member  12 . Similarly, the upper surface of intermediate portion  68  and the outer surface of rear portion  70  of second body member  14  are coplanar with their respective adjoining top rail  38  and rearward surfaces  22  of first body member  12 . 
     In one example, second body member  14  comprises a relatively lower density material such as a polymer. In another example, second body member  14  is an injection molded thermoplastic such as thermoplastic polyurethane or cellulose acetate propionate. In particular, second body member  14  may be formed of a thermoplastic polyurethane having a hardness of between 50 Shore D and 80 Shore D. Alternatively, second body member  14  may be formed of thermoplastic polyurethane having a hardness of approximately 72 Shore D. The methods and apparatus described herein are not limited in this regard. 
     As can be determined from the foregoing, providing a thin web portion  56  joining the relatively more massive heel and toe portions of first body member  12  increases the perimeter weighting of the club head over other insert putters in which the insert is poured or placed into a cavity formed in the metallic portion of the club head. Moreover, because second body member  14  extends across the full height of golf club head  10  from sole  72  to top rail  38 , there is no metallic rim surrounding nonmetallic second body member  14 . Accordingly, only second body member  14  will contact the golf ball even if the ball is struck high or is struck low, thereby leading to more consistent performance of the putter in use. 
     In the illustrative embodiment of  FIGS. 1-6 , second body member  14  is temporarily attached to first body. As used herein, temporarily attached, means that second body member  14  may be removed (e.g. by prying) from first body member  12  without destroying second body member  14  or damaging first body member  12  as would be the case if second body member  14  were removed by sawing, drilling, milling, etc. The means for temporarily attaching second body member  14  to first body member  12  are also integral either to second body member  14  or first body member  12 , As used herein, “integral” means that the attachments are either imbedded in or cast as feature(s) on second body member  14  or first body member  12  or are otherwise permanently affixed to second body member  14  or first body member  12  as opposed to threaded fasteners, rivets and other separate fasteners. 
     In the illustrative embodiment, second body member  14  is retained to first body member  12  by one or more detents  92  formed on first body member  12 , which engage corresponding recesses in second body member  14 , either alone or in combination with adhesive tape, which prevents second body member  14  rattling against first body member  12  when the club is struck. This feature allows one of a plurality of second body members  14   c ,  14   d ,  14   e  as shown in  FIG. 7  to be affixed to a given first body member, either by the manufacturer or the user may select one of a plurality of second body members  14   c ,  14   d ,  14   e  supplied as a kit to enable post-sale interchangeability of second body members  14   c ,  14   d ,  14   e  to suit the user&#39;s taste. The plurality of second body members  14   c ,  14   d ,  14   e , may be made of different materials to provide a different feel or sound to suit the user&#39;s taste. Additionally, since some users prefer a traditional alignment aid such as a small circular dot  94  on the top rail of the club, while other users prefer more elaborate alignment aids, such as single lines  96 , parallel lines  98 , large circles  100 , or chevrons, etc. and may prefer different colored second body members to contrast with the color of first body member  12 , the plurality of second body members  14   c ,  14   d ,  14   e , may have different colors and/or different alignment indicia appearing on their respective upper surfaces. 
     Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 8 , second body member  122  may be retained to first body member by detents  102  formed on the surface of second body member  122 , which engage corresponding recesses formed in first body member  12 . Additionally, although the second body member may be formed with a cross-section in the shape of a question mark as with second body member  122 , second body member is not limited to question mark shapes, but may have a U-shaped cross section as with second body  124 , which includes detents  104 , an L-shaped cross section as with second body  126 , which includes a hook-shaped detent  106 , a C-shaped cross section as with second body  128 , which includes detents  108 , or any other suitable cross section and integral means for temporarily attaching a second body to a first body. 
     In the illustrative embodiment, rear extension  24  of first body member  12  also includes a recessed portion  78  defined by a recessed surface  80 , a near side wall  82  and a far side wall  84 . Second body member  14  has a corresponding rear projection  86  having a thickness equal to the depth of recessed portion  78  so that when second body member is in place, top surface  88  is flush with upper surface  90  of rear extension  24 . The upper surface of intermediate portion  68  and top surface of rear projection  88  of second body member  14  are inherently contrasting in color and/or surface finish compared to first body member  12 . Accordingly, the surfaces cooperate to form a natural alignment aid to assist the golfer with aligning forward surface  66  of second body member  14  with the golf ball to be putted. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , in the illustrative embodiment second body member  14  is a unitary member attached to first body member  12  by a combination of detents and a conventional adhesive such as a thermoset epoxy  110  disposed in the gap between first body member  12  and second body member  14 . Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 6 , second body member  14  is composed of two parts  14   a  and  14   b  which interlock mechanically with first body member  12  to retain second body members  14   a  and  14   b  either alone or as supplemented by adhesive layer  110 . 
     As noted above, second body member  14  may be temporarily coupled to first body member  12  with detents to allow interchangeability of the alignment indicia and/or color associated with golf club head  10 . Alternatively, second body member  14  may be temporarily coupled to first body member  12  via one or more alternative temporary attachment devices such as hook and loop fasteners or magnetic devices. In an illustrative embodiment, first body member  12  is made of a ferrous material and second body member  14  includes one or more magnetic devices embedded within second body member  14 . Alternatively, first body member is made of a non ferrous material and first body member may have imbedded magnets or imbedded ferrous targets to attract the magnets imbedded in second body member  14 . The methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard. 
     Although the above examples may describe and depict first and second body members with particular configurations, shapes, sizes, and/or materials, the methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture described herein may include first and second body members with other suitable configurations, shapes, sizes, and/or materials, such as first body  130  together with second body member  132  as shown in  FIG. 9 , and first body  140  together with second body  142 . Further while the above examples may describe and depict putter-type club head, the methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture described herein may be applicable to driver-type club heads, fairway wood-type club heads, hybrid-type club heads, iron-type club heads, and/or other suitable types of golf club heads. In addition, the methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture may be applicable other sport equipment (e.g., a baseball bat, a hockey stick, etc.) or pieces of hardware to strike an object (e.g., a hammer, a mallet, etc.). The methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this regard. 
     Although certain illustrative embodiments and methods have been disclosed herein, it will be apparent from the foregoing disclosure to those skilled in the art that variations and modifications of such embodiments and methods may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention should be limited only to extent required by the appended claims and the rules and principals of applicable law.