Abstract:
Devices, apparatus, and methods of storing and releasing a ball marker from the bottom of a head of the golf club, such as a putter. A compartment in the bottom of the golf club head has a side opening adjacent to the rear of the golf club head for allowing a disc shaped ball marker to be slid into the compartment, and sliding the marker in reverse allows the marker to be slid out of and removed from the compartment. A magnet can also be used. Also, the compartment can have grooved side walls that act as tracks to allow the marker to be slid into and out of the compartment. A removable top disc and front plate on the golf club head allows for advertising indicia and logos to be placed on the head of the golf club.

Description:
This invention relates to golf, in particular to devices, apparatus, and methods of storing and releasing a ball marker on a putter head. 
     BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART 
     Golf is an extremely popular game where the players are constantly playing up to 18 holes per game usually with other players. A common problem occurs when more than one player is ready to make the final shot. Typically, these short shots require the use of a putter. When multiple parties are playing, it is normal for the players to pick up their balls until they are ready to take their turn. However, picking up the ball can create a problem if the player is not able to place the ball back in the exact spot from which it needs to be played. Markers such as a metal disc or coins are sometimes used to mark the player&#39;s spot until the player is ready. However, many players do not try to carry loose items on their person to use with marking the spot on the ground for the ball. 
     Various types of markers with golf clubs have been proposed over the years. See for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,595,582 to Chapman; 3,749,408 to Mills; 4,017,082 to Channing et al.; 5,417,426 to Bayer; 5,605,510 to Schmidt et al.; 5,972,144 to Hsu; 6,200,226 to Regan; 6,425,831 to Heene et al.; 6,692,376 to Kosovac et al.; 6,729,972 to Boord; 7,059,971 to Schmitt; 7,172,517 to Phelps et al.; 7,510,484 to Tavares et al.; 7,749,105 to Zielke et al. and U.S. Patent Application Publications: 2002/0147055 to French; 2003/0153400 to Boord; 2004/0038746 to Wahl et al.; 2005/0221908 to Gornall; 2007/0191131 to Nickel; 2009/0029800 to Jones et al.; 2010/0087269 to Snyder et al.; 2010/0113182 to Franklin et al. 
     While some of the references show markers, the references primarily generally the markers be placed on the upper surface of the putter close to one of the sides of the putter. This non-central placement location would mean that the extra weight of the marker can potentially effect the use the putter by changing the balance of the putter head during play. Also, the upper locations may allow for accidental releases of the marker before, after or during play. Additionally, cut-outs in the top of the putter can detract from the appearance of the smooth lines and surfaces on the putter, and create an unaesthetic effect. Some of the references require openings on both the top and bottom of the putter to access the markers. Additionally, the references generally require the use of magnets which means that non-metal markers would not be able to stored. Thus, many of these attempted solutions create other problems to the player. Thus, the need exists for solutions to the above problems with the prior art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A primary objective of the present invention is to provide devices, apparatus, and methods of storing and releasing a ball marker on a putter head having a marker storage compartment close to the center of mass of the putter head thereby not offsetting the balance of the putter head during play. 
     A secondary objective of the present invention is to provide devices, apparatus, and methods of storing and releasing a ball marker on a putter head, wherein the marker can easily be slid along the bottom of the putter into a storage location, and easily retrieved by sliding the marker out of the storage location underneath the putter. 
     A third objective of the present invention is to provide devices, apparatus, and methods of storing and releasing a ball marker on a putter head having a storage compartment that is not visibly located on or is accessible through the top of the putter. 
     A fourth objective of the present invention is to provide devices, apparatus, and methods of storing and releasing a ball marker on a putter head, wherein a metal marker can be held in place by a permanent magnet. 
     A fifth objective of the present invention is to provide devices, apparatus, and methods of storing and releasing a ball marker on a putter head, wherein metal and nonmetal markers can be held in place through track shaped side walls with friction. 
     A sixth objective of the present invention is to provide devices, apparatus, and methods of storing and releasing a ball marker on a putter head, wherein markers can be held in place through track shaped side walls with friction with permanent magnets. 
     A preferred embodiment of the golf club with compartment for holding a ball marker can include a head of a golf club having a bottom side, a top side, and front side, rear side, left side and right side, a longitudinal compartment in the bottom side of the golf club head, the compartment having a opening through the rear side of the head adjacent to the bottom, and the compartment having closed side walls, a closed upper wall, and an opening in a lower wall of the compartment through the bottom side of the golf club head, and a ball marker that is slid into and out of the opening in the rear side of the gulf club head into the compartment, so that the ball marker is held within the compartment. The golf club can be a putter. 
     The longitudinal compartment can be oblong shaped and is located under a center of gravity of the golf club head. A magnet can be located adjacent to the closed upper wall of the compartment for holding the marker in the compartment. 
     An alternative compartment can include track slots, such as a T-shaped slot along the side walls of the compartment for allowing edges of the marker to slide therein by friction between the edges of the marker and the track slots in side walls of the compartment. 
     Also, a magnet can be located adjacent to the closed upper wall of the compartment for holding the marker in the compartment, along with the track slots along the side walls of the compartment for allowing edges of the marker to slide therein. 
     The golf club can include an opening in the top side of the head for placing removable plate with indicia. A removable circular disc as the plate can have an upper surface for the indicia. Alternatively, a removable rectangular plate having an upper surface for the indicia. 
     The upper removable plate can be metal and can be held in place by another magnet for attaching the removable indicia plate to the opening in the top side of the head. 
     The golf club can also have a surface on the front side of the golf club head for placing a removable indicia plate thereon. Another magnet can be used for attaching the removable metal indicial plate thereon. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the ball marker can be metal and is held in place by the permanent magnet on the bottom side of the head. Also, a nonmetal marker, such as a plastic marker can be held in place by the T-slot shaped cavity. 
     Further objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments which are illustrated schematically in the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         FIG. 1  is a top front perspective view of the novel putter head. 
         FIG. 2  is a top rear perspective view of the putter head of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a bottom front perspective view of the putter head of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a bottom rear perspective view of the putter head of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a bottom rear perspective view of the putter head of  FIG. 1  with ball marker removed. 
         FIG. 6  is a front side view of the putter head of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 7  is a rear side view of the putter head of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 8  is a right side view of the putter head of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 9  is a left side view of the putter head of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 10  is a top side view of the putter head of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 11  is a bottom side view of the putter head of  FIG. 1  with ball marker in place. 
         FIG. 12  is another bottom view of the putter head of  FIG. 11  with ball marker removed. 
         FIG. 13  is a top front exploded perspective view of the putter head of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 14  is a bottom rear exploded perspective view of the putter head of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 15  is a top front perspective view of another embodiment of the novel putter head 
         FIG. 16  is a top rear perspective view of the putter head of  FIG. 15 . 
         FIG. 17  is a bottom front perspective view of the putter head of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 18  is a bottom rear perspective view of the putter head of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 19  is a bottom front perspective view of putter head with ball marker removed. 
         FIG. 20  is a front view of the putter head of  FIG. 15 . 
         FIG. 21A  is a rear view of the putter head with detail of T-Slot ball marker holder. 
         FIG. 21B  is an enlarged view of the T-slot ball marker holder compartment of  FIG. 21A . 
         FIG. 22  is a left side view of the putter head of  FIG. 15 . 
         FIG. 23  is a right side view of the putter head of  FIG. 15   
         FIG. 24  is a top view of the putter head of  FIG. 15 . 
         FIG. 25  is a bottom view of the putter head of  FIG. 15  with ball marker in T-Slot holder. 
         FIG. 26  is a bottom view of the putter head of  FIG. 25  with ball marker removed from T-Slot holder. 
         FIG. 27  is a top front exploded view of the putter head of  FIG. 15 . 
         FIG. 28  is a bottom front exploded view of the putter head of  FIG. 15 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Before explaining the disclosed embodiments of the present invention in detail it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its applications to the details of the particular arrangements shown since the invention is capable of other embodiments. Also, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. 
     A components will now be described.
       10 . Putter head with cavity and magnet for ball marker. Square logo plate shown.     20 . Putter head with slot and magnet for ball marker. Round logo plate shown.     30 . Square logo plate.     40 . Round logo plate.     50 . Ball marker.     60 . Lead weight.     65 . Optional magnet on front face of weight     70 . Magnet to retain ball marker.     80 . Advertising plate covers lead weight.     90 . Putter shaft (prior art).     100 . Sight line.     110 . T-slot for ball marker.     120 . Body of putter head.     122 . Bottom of putter head.     126 . Rear(back) of putter head.     128 . Front face of putter head     130 . Cavity for ball marker.     132 . side opening to cavity through lower rear wall of putter head  120       138 . closed sidewalls of cavity     140 . Cavity for lead weight.     150 . Cavity for square logo plate.     155 . Optional magnet in cavity  150       160 . Cavity for round logo plate.     170 . Cavity for magnet.     180 . Hole for shaft.
 
Slidable Magneticaly Held Marker
   

       FIG. 1  is a top front perspective view of the novel putter head  10 .  FIG. 2  is a top rear perspective view of the putter head  10  of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 3  is a bottom front perspective view of the putter head  10  of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 4  is a bottom rear perspective view of the putter head  10  of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 5  is a bottom rear perspective view of the putter head  10  of  FIG. 1  with ball marker  50  removed.  FIG. 6  is a front side view of the putter head  10  of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 7  is a rear side view of the putter head  10  of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 8  is a right side view of the putter head  10  of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 9  is a left side view of the putter head  10  of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 10  is a top side view of the putter head  10  of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 11  is a bottom side view of the putter head  10  of  FIG. 1  with ball marker in place.  FIG. 12  is another bottom view of the putter head  10  of  FIG. 11  with ball marker  50  removed.  FIG. 13  is a top front exploded perspective view of the putter head  10  of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 14  is a bottom rear exploded perspective view of the putter head  10  of  FIG. 1 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-14 , the novel putter  10  includes a putter head  20  that can have a putter shaft  90  protruding from a hole  180 , where the hole can located off to one side of the head  20 . The putter head  20  can include an easily retrievable and storable ball marker  50 , and removable portions such as a front face  80  and top removable portion  30  for allowing advertising indicia, logos, and the like, to be placed thereon. 
     For storing the ball marker  50 , a cavity type compartment  130  that can have an oblong shape can be located in the bottom  120  of the putter head  20 . The cavity  130  can have an opening groove-shaped cut-out in the lower part of the rear(back)  126  of the putter head  120 , and the cavity  130  can have closed sidewalls  138 . The entire lower surface of the cavity  130  can be completely open. The cavity  130  can be located so that the marker  50  is substantially located under the main center of mass(center of gravity) of the putter head  120 , so that leaving the marker  50  during play does not offset the balance of the putter head  120 . A permanent magnet  170  can be located in an indentation in the ceiling surface of the cavity  130 . 
     The player can slide the marker  50  through the side opening  132  until the marker  50  is resting against the inner curved sidewalls of the cavity  130  which is also where the full force of the magnet  170  can then hold the marker  50 , such as a metal ball marker in place. Alternatively, the player can position the marker over the main part of the cavity  130  so that the attraction force of the magnet  70  just pulls the marker  50  in place. 
     When the player needs the ball marker  50 , the player can take their finger, such as a thumb and slide the ball marker  50  out of cavity  130  toward the opening  132  until the attraction of the magnet is no longer in effect. 
     The putter head  120  can also have an upper cavity type compartment  150  that can be used to support a logo plate  30 , such as a square logo plate therein, so that advertising indicia is visible from above the putter head  120 . The upper logo plate  30  can also be metal, and can be removably held in place by an optional magnet  155 . Additionally, the logo plate  30  can have other indicia such as names and addresses of the owner of the putter personalized thereon. 
     Across the front face  128  of the putter head  120  can be another advertising/logo plate  80 . Inside of the putter head  120  can be another compartment  140  that supports a weight  60  such as a lead weight therein. The weight  60  can be removable if the player desires different weights to be used with the putter head  120 . Across the front outer face of the weight  60  can be the second advertising metal plate  80  that can also be held in place by an optional magnet  65  that can be attached on the outer face of the weight. The magnet  65  can allow for different logo plates  80  to be removably attached thereon. 
     Although magnets are described that can hold the logo plate  30  and advertising plate  80 , thereon, other types of fastening arrangements can be used. For more permanent attachments, glue or adhesive can be used. 
     On top of the putter head  120  can a sight line  100  substantially down the middle between the front face  128  and rear face  126  of the putter head  120 . 
     Slidable Marker Field by Tracks 
       FIG. 15  is a top front perspective view of another embodiment of the novel putter head  20 .  FIG. 16  is a top rear perspective view of the putter head  20  of  FIG. 15 .  FIG. 17  is a bottom front perspective view of the putter head  20  of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 18  is a bottom rear perspective view of the putter head  20  of  FIG. 1   FIG. 19  is a bottom front perspective view of putter head  20  with ball marker  50  removed.  FIG. 20  is a front view of the putter head  20  of  FIG. 15 .  FIG. 21A  is a rear view of the putter head with detail of T-Slot ball marker holder compartment  110 .  FIG. 21B  is an enlarged view of the T-slot ball marker holder compartment  110  of  FIG. 21A .  FIG. 22  is a left side view of the putter head  20  of  FIG. 15 .  FIG. 23  is a right side view of the putter head  20  of  FIG. 15   FIG. 24  is a top view of the putter head  20  of  FIG. 15 .  FIG. 25  is a bottom view of the putter head of  FIG. 15  with ball marker  50  in T-Slot holder compartment  110 .  FIG. 26  is a bottom view of the putter head  20  of  FIG. 25  with ball marker  50  removed from T-Slot holder.  FIG. 27  is a top front exploded view of the putter head  20  of  FIG. 15 .  FIG. 28  is a bottom front exploded view of the putter head  20  of  FIG. 15 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 15-28 , the second embodiment can include similar parts as in the previous embodiment with the exception of utilizing a disc shaped logo plate  40  that can also be held in place by a magnet in side of the cavity  160  of the supporting the disc shaped plate  40  therein. In addition, the second embodiment 20 can have a T-slot shaped cavity type compartment  110  that can have track shaped edges that can grip about side edges of the ball marker  50 . Although a preferred ball marker  50  can be metal, the T-shot shaped tracks can be sized tight enough so that the edges of nonmetal(such as plastic) ball markers, can be held in place. Also, a magnet  70  can be used with the T-slot shaped cavity compartment in order to more carefully secure the ball marker  50  in place. With the T-slot shaped cavity, the user generally must slide the marker into the cavity through the lower rear back side opening  132  of the cavity  130 . The removal can be similar to the previous embodiment where the user slides the marker out of the cavity toward the opening  132 . 
     Although the preferred embodiments refer to the golf club being a putter, the invention can be used with other types of golf clubs, such as drivers, woods, and the like. 
     While the invention has been described, disclosed, illustrated and shown in various terms of certain embodiments or modifications which it has presumed in practice, the scope of the invention is not intended to be, nor should it be deemed to be, limited thereby and such other modifications or embodiments as may be suggested by the teachings herein are particularly reserved especially as they fall within the breadth and scope of the claims here appended.