Abstract:
Disclosed is a putter head and a putter having the putter head comprising a putter head body having a putter shaft connector and least one horizontal bore extending therethrough and a locatable adjacent to the putter head body. The impact adjustment body has at least one bore alignable with the bore in the putter head body. The putter head further comprises a putter face plate locatable adjacent to the impact adjustment body such that the impact adjustment body is disposed between the putter face plate and the putter head body and at least one weighted fastener sized to extend through the bores in the putter head body and the impact adjustment body so as to secure the putter face plate to the putter head body. Also disclosed is a kit for constructing an adjustable putter head including a plurality of interchangeable impact adjustment bodies and weighted fasteners.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to golf putters in general and in particular to a putter head having adjustable balance and feel. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Golf is a popular game played by players of all ages, genders and skill levels. Many golfers continuously attempt to improve their performance through practice, lessons or better equipment. Golf equipment manufacturers in turn continuously improve the quality of the equipment they offer as well as seek the latest advances which they can offer their customers. 
         [0005]    Putters are a type of golf club used for hitting the ball when close to the cup when on the putting green. Putters are typically designed to provide the user with a consistent swing or stroke and to make contact with the ball in a manner that provides a sufficient amount of information to the user about the swing. The information transmitted to the golfer, or feel, may be the resistance provided by the ball, vibration through the club from the ball impact or the sound made by the club among other types of information. 
         [0006]    As many golfers have different skill abilities and swing characteristics, no single putter is typically the best suited for all players. Differences in rebound preference to swing angle and trajectory are all typically different. Current putters exist enabling the user to modify some aspects of the club such as the weight distribution in the club head or the properties of the striking surface. Such clubs however are limited to modifying single aspects of the putter performance. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    According to a first embodiment of the present invention there is disclosed a putter head comprising a putter head body having a putter shaft connector and least one horizontal bore extending therethrough and an impact adjustment body locatable adjacent to the putter head body. The impact adjustment body has at least one impact adjustment body bore alignable with the at least one putter head body bore. The putter head further comprises a putter face plate locatable adjacent to the impact adjustment body such that the impact adjustment body is disposed between the putter face plate and the putter head body and at least one weighted fastener sized to extend through the putter head body bore and the impact adjustment body bore so as to secure the putter face plate to the putter head body. 
         [0008]    The putter face plate fastener may include at least one fastener receptacle alignable with the at least one impact adjustment body bore and the at least one putter head body bore wherein the fastener is engageable within the fastener receptacle to secure the impact adjustment body and the putter face plate to the putter head body. The putter face plate may include at least one post extending therefrom sized to extend through the putter head body bore and the impact adjustment body bore wherein the fastener is securable to an end of the post. 
         [0009]    The putter head body may comprise a heal portion and a toe portion and a longitudinal length extending therebetween, wherein the heal portion includes a first putter head body bore and the toe portion includes a second parallel putter head body bore. The impact adjustment body may comprise a planar member having an outline corresponding to the putter face plate. The impact adjustment body may be domed towards the putter face plate. The at least one fastener may have a weighted head having one of a plurality of predetermined weights. 
         [0010]    The putter face plate may include a ball striking surface. The ball striking surface may be substantially planar. The ball striking surface may be substantially perpendicular to the putter body bores and the impact adjustment body bores. 
         [0011]    The ball striking surface may have a surface pattern therein. The surface pattern may include a first surface pattern and a second surface pattern. The ball striking surface may include the first surface pattern across a central portion thereof and said second surface pattern adjacent to heal and said toe portions. The first surface pattern may comprise a plurality of parallel substantially horizontal grooves. The second surface pattern may comprise a plurality of parallel grooves angularly extending from central portion upwardly towards the respective heal or toe portion. The angular groves of the second surface pattern may be inclined at an angle of between 60 and 80 degrees from horizontal. The first surface pattern may comprises a plurality of parallel substantially horizontal slots through the putter face plate. 
         [0012]    According to a further embodiment of the present invention there is disclosed a putter having a putter head body having a putter shaft connector and least one horizontal bore extending therethrough and an impact adjustment body locatable adjacent to the putter head body. The impact adjustment body has at least one impact adjustment body bore alignable with the at least one putter head body bore. The putter head further comprises a putter face plate locatable adjacent to the impact adjustment body such that the impact adjustment body is disposed between the putter face plate and the putter head body and at least one weighted fastener sized to extend through the putter head body bore and the impact adjustment body bore so as to secure the putter face plate to the putter head body. 
         [0013]    According to a further embodiment of the present invention there is disclosed a kit for constructing an adjustable putter head comprising a putter head body having at putter shaft connector and least one horizontal bore extending therethrough and a plurality of interchangeable impact adjustment bodies locatable adjacent to the putter head body. Each of the plurality of impact adjustment bodies has at least one impact adjustment body bore alignable with the at least one putter head body bore. The kit further comprises a putter face plate locatable adjacent to at least one of the plurality of impact adjustment bodies such that the at least one of the plurality of the impact adjustment bodies is disposed between the putter face plate and the putter head body and a plurality of weighted fasteners sized to extend through the at least one putter head body bore and the at least one impact adjustment body bore so as to secure the impact adjustment body and the putter face plate to the putter head body. The plurality of weighted fasteners have unique predetermined masses for adjusting the swing characteristics of the putter head. 
         [0014]    Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the following description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    In drawings which illustrate embodiments of the invention wherein similar characters of reference denote corresponding parts in each view, 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a putter head according to a first embodiment. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the putter head of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view of the putter head of  FIG. 1  taken along the line  3 - 3   
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view of the insert of  FIG. 1  taken along the line  4 - 4 . 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  is a rear perspective view of the putter head of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  is a front view of the face plate of the putter head of  FIG. 1  showing a surface pattern according to a first embodiment. 
           [0022]      FIG. 7  is a cross sectional view of the putter head of  FIG. 1  taken along the line  3 - 3  according to a further embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0023]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a putter head according to a first embodiment of the invention is shown generally at  10 . The putter head  10  comprises a putter head body  12  having a putter shaft connector or hosel  14  extending therefrom as are known in the art. The putter head  10  also includes a putter face plate  60  and an insert (not shown in  FIG. 1 ) secured thereto by fasteners  80  as will be further described below. 
         [0024]    Turning now to  FIG. 2 , an exploded view of the putter head is illustrated. The putter head body  12  comprises an elongate member having heal and toe portions  16  and  18 , respectively and a longitudinal axis generally indicated at  17  extending therebetween. The heal and toe portions  16  and  18  each have a putter head body bore  20  extending therethrough. The putter head body  12  has a front surface  22  and a rear surface  24 . The front surface  22  is substantially planar to receive the insert  40  thereon. The front surface  22  may also include a perimeter ridge  26  therearound for circumferentially surrounding the insert  40 . The putter head body  12  may be formed of any material conventionally known, such as, for example, carbon steel. It will be appreciated that the putter may be formed of any known method, such as, for example, cast, machined, welded, or forged however it has been found that machining the putter head body  12  from a single block of material has been particularly useful. 
         [0025]    The insert  40  comprises a substantially planar member for adjusting the impact of the putter head  10  having front and rear surfaces,  48  and  50 , respectively. The insert  40  has an outline corresponding to the outline of the putter head body  12  and includes heal and toe portions  42  and  44  each having an insert bore  46  therethrough. The insert bores  46  are positioned to be aligned with the putter head body bores  20  in the putter head body  12  when the insert is positioned against the front surface  22  of the putter head body. As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the insert  40  may have a constant thickness between the front and rear surfaces  48  and  50  and may be domed such that a middle portion  52  of the insert is offset towards the front surface  48  by a distance generally indicated at  54 . The offset distance  54  may be between 1.025 to 2.025 mm (0.040 to 0.080 inches). 
         [0026]    The insert  40  may be formed of a variety of materials to adjust the reaction or “feel” of the putter head  10 . Materials may be selected for the insert to increase or decrease the roll or rebound effect imparted to the golf ball by the putter head or to adjust the reaction of the putter head to different playing surfaces. In particular, harder materials, such as, by way of non-limiting example, titanium, ceramics or steels may be utilized for slower greens. Softer materials may be utilized for faster greens, such as for example, brass, copper, carbon fibres or Kevlar. Intermediate or neutral materials, such as for example, carbon steel, nickel or tungsten may also be utilized for normal or intermediate greens. Although some exemplary material have been described above, it will be appreciated that other materials will also be useful as well. It will be appreciated that harder materials will amplify the impact of the putter head  10  upon a golf ball while softer materials will deaden the impact. 
         [0027]    The putter face plate  60  comprises a substantially planar member having an outline substantially conforming to the outline of the front surface  22  of the putter head body  12 . The putter face plate  60  has front and rear surfaces,  62  and  64 , respectively, wherein the front surface  62  comprises a ball striking surface and wherein the rear surface may include a perimeter ridge  63  extending therearound for surrounding the insert  40  as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . The rear surface  64  includes at least one fastener receptacle  66  extending substantially perpendicularly therefrom for receiving the fasteners  80  as will be further described below. As illustrated, the fastener receptacle  66  may comprise a cylindrical projection  68  from the rear surface  64  of the putter face plate  60 . The cylindrical projection  68  may have a distal end  70 , an outer cylindrical surface  72  and an interior surface  74 . The interior surface  74  may have interior threading corresponding to the threading on the fastener so as to permit the fastener and fastener receptacle to co-operate to retain the face plate and insert against the putter head body  12 . In an alternate embodiment, as illustrated in  FIG. 7 , the putter face plate  60  may have a threaded post  78  extending therefrom through the insert bore  46  and the putter head body bore  20  wherein the putter head  10  includes a corresponding weighted nut  79  to be received thereon as will be described below with reference to weighted fasteners  80 . The front surface  62  of the putter head face plate  60  may also have a loft as are commonly known of between  1 . 5  and  3 . 5  degrees although other lofts may be useful as well. 
         [0028]    The fasteners  80  may comprise any known fastener type. In particular, the fasteners  80  may comprise screws having a threaded portion  82  having a distal end  88  and a head portion  84  having screw drive design  90  in a proximate surface  92  thereof. The threaded portion  82  will be sized so as to permit the fastener to extend through putter head body bores  20  and the insert bores  46  to be securely engaged within the fastener receptacles  66  of the putter face plate  60 . The screw drive design  90  may be any conventional screw design to permit rapid interchangability or may also incorporate a unique design so as to require the use of a specialized tool or key to change the fasteners. The fastener  80  may be formed of any suitable material for forming such a fastener, such as, by way of non-limiting example, steel, brass, tungsten, titanium or an alloyed metal. 
         [0029]    The head portion  84  will have a predetermined weight such that fasteners of differing weights may be utilized so as to adjust the swing characteristics of the putter head  10 . In some embodiments, a plurality of fasteners  80  having a variety of head portions  84  of a variety of weights may be provided so as to permit the user to change the weights of the fasteners. The selection of particular weights of the fasteners will depend upon the other characteristics of the putter head although, by way of example, it has been found that fasteners having weights of 5, 8, 10 and 12.5 grams (0.18, 0.28, 0.35 and 0.44 oz). The use of fasteners  80  of different weight will adjust the center of mass of the putter head as well as the moment of inertia of the putter head  10 . It will be appreciated that the placement of the putter head body bores  20  and the insert bores  46  will influence the amount of adjustability that the fasteners  80  has on the putter head  10 . As illustrated, the putter head body bores  20  and the insert bores  46  are located within the heal and toe portions  16  and  18  of the putter head so as to maximize the influence of the fastener mass on the swing characteristics of the putter head. It will be appreciated that other placements of the fasteners and bores may also be utilized such as, for example, utilizing a single weight in one of the heal or toe portion or utilizing more than two fasteners for greater variety of adjustability of the swing characteristics of the putter head. The fastener 
         [0030]    When the putter head  10  is assembled, the middle portion  52  of the insert will bear against the putter face plate  60 . The fasteners  80  will be passed through the putter head body bores  20  and the insert bores  46  to be received within the fastener receptacles  66  of the putter face plate  60 . Up tightening the fasteners, the putter face plate  60  will be drawn towards the putter head body so as to bear against the insert which then bears against the front surface  22  of the putter head body  12 . The insert  40  will deform when the putter head  10  impacts the ball due to the middle portion  52  contacting the putter face plate  60 . The middle portion  52  of the insert will correspond with the sweat spot of the putter head. The ridge  26  of the putter head body  12  and the ridge  63  of the face plate circumferentially surround the insert  40 . In some embodiments, the two ridges may abut against each other such that the insert  40  is not visible while in other embodiments, the two ridges  26  and  63  may have a gap between them such that the insert is visible therebetween. 
         [0031]    Turning to  FIG. 3 , an exploded cross sectional view of the putter head  10  is illustrated through fasteners  80 . As illustrated, the putter head body bore  20  may have a narrowed central passage  34  and widened front and rear portions  36  and  38 , respectively with corresponding shoulders  35  and  37  therebetween. The front portion  36  may be sized to receive the fastener receptacle while the rear portion  38  will receive the weighted head portion  84  of the fastener  80 . 
         [0032]    The putter head body  12  may, in some embodiments include an upright portion  28  and a rear bottom flange  30  extending therefrom. It will be appreciated that the rear bottom flange  30  may also be omitted from some embodiments so as to form a blade putter. It will also be appreciated that the rear bottom flange  30  may have the shape of a portion of a horizontal disk so as to form a mallet type putter or have a substantially rectangular plate having greater thickness proximate to the heal and toe portions  16  and  18  so as to form a peripheral weighted putter as illustrated in  FIG. 5 . It will be appreciated that other shapes of the upright portion  28  and rear bottom flange  30  may also be utilized as are known in the art. As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , upright portion  28  of the putter head body  12  may include a cavity  32  therein. The cavity  32  may optionally comprise a void region passing through the upright portion  28  substantially behind the middle portion  52  or sweet spot of the putter face plate  60 . It will be appreciated that the cavity  32  may also comprise a hollowed portion in the front surface  22  of the putter head body. The cavity  32  is provided to keep the middle portion  52  of the insert  40  to flex under impact with a ball. 
         [0033]    Turning now to  FIG. 6 , a surface design on the front surface  62  of a putter face plate  60  is illustrated having a middle portion  100  and heal and toe portions  102  and  104 , respectively. The middle portion  100  may have a plurality of parallel substantially horizontal grooves  106  milled or otherwise formed therein. The horizontal grooves  106  may have a depth of between 0.8 and 2.8 mm (0.031 and 0.110 inches) and may be spaced apart from each other by a distance of 1.5 and 2.25 mm (0.059 and 0.089 inches). The heal and toe portions  102  and  104  also have a plurality of parallel heal and toe grooves  108  and  110 , respectively. The grooves of the heal and toe portions  108  and  110  may have a depth of between 0.5 and 0.8 mm (0.020 and 0.031 inches) and may be spaced apart from each other by a distance of between 1 and 2.5 mm (0.040 to 0.098 inches) although it will be appreciated that other spacing distances may also be useful as well depending upon the grove shape and depth. The heal and toe grooves  108  and  110  may be angularly oriented away from the middle portion  100  as illustrated in  FIG. 6  by an angle of between 60 and 80 degrees from the horizontal. 
         [0034]    The heal and toe portions  102  and  104  are separated from the middle portion  100  by heal and toe boundaries  112  and  114 , respectively. The heal and toe boundaries  112  and  114  may comprise substantially straight lines angularly oriented towards each other at their top end. The heal and toe boundaries  112  and  114  may be angled from the horizontal at an angle of between 60 and 80 degrees. In some embodiments, the heal and toe grooves  108  and  110  may be angularly oriented and spaced apart such that the heal and toe grooves  108  and  110  align with the horizontal grooves  106  of the middle portion  100 . The horizontal grooves  106  of the middle portion  100  assist to impart a forward or “true” roll to the ball with limited bounce or skipping of the ball upon being struck by the putter head  10 . The heal and toe grooves  108  and  110  will assist in pushing off center or “miss hits” back towards center. 
         [0035]    While specific embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated, such embodiments should be considered illustrative of the invention only and not as limiting the invention as construed in accordance with the accompanying claims.