Abstract:
A golf putter has a head and a shaft affixed to the head, the head having a front face for striking a ball and a rear face and is constructed and designed to assist the golfer in aligning the putter for propelling the ball to be putted in the desired direction. The head comprises a central section with a front face, the central section extending from proximate the head&#39;s front face towards the head&#39;s rear face and tapering rearward outwardly in width in plan, and a pair of side sections flanking sides of the central section, the side sections each having a front face adjacent the front face of the central section and being of a tapering configuration along the sides of the central section. The central sections and the side sections are oppositely transparent or opaque, allowing them to be visually distinguished from each other and providing visual cues for aligning the putter.

Description:
[0001]    The present application claims the benefit of provisional application Ser. No. 61/370,216 filed Aug. 3, 2010, and relates to a golf club construction and in particular to a new and improved construction for a putter and putter head. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Putting is the ultimate step in achieving the goals of a round of golf—directing the golf ball to fall into the cup hole. Putting requires extreme accuracy, as the target cup is 4.25 inches in diameter, and a typical golf ball is on the order of 1.68 inches in diameter. The average golfer often finds it difficult to position the putter properly to send the ball on a desired path to the cup. Many aids have been developed to assist the golfer in aligning the putter and assisting the golfer in directing the ball in the intended direction. 
         [0003]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,877,251 discloses a novelty putter having a funnel-like attachment through which the ball is stroked, the funnel tending to redirect a mis-stroked ball back along a desired path. 
         [0004]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,669 discloses a putter head has counterweights embedded in a transparent body. The counterweights are spaced to define a space between them that is intended to serve as an alignment guide, allowing the golfer to observe a target below the club and control the swing with respect to the target. 
         [0005]    U.S. Published Pat. Appln. 2009/0118035 discloses a putter with alignment means mounted to the rear of the putter head. An alignment element can be adjusted to provide a target line to the cup, allowing the golfer to more easily swing the putter along that line to direct the ball. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention is a putter head construction for assisting the golfer in aligning a putt without resort to attachments or devices that substantially alter the performance or operation of the putter, while providing the putter head with a heft and contact feel that is substantially the same as that of a conventional putter. The head has central and flanking sections of visually contrasting portions, preferably of opaque and transparent constructions, which together form an arrow wedge configuration as seen from the perspective of the golfer using the putter. The central section tapers forward to the front face of the head and the intended central striking portion of the striking face of the putter, the tapered configuration providing alignment assistance for a putt. The central section is flanked by a the pair of visually contrasting portions, each of which has a front face portion that forms an lateral outer portion of the striking face of the club. The flanking portions further delineate the alignment function of the central section, while providing additional striking portions for the ball in the event the golfer fails to properly align the putt and strike the ball squarely with the central section as intended. 
         [0007]    The construction provides a putter with the feel and heft of a more traditional putter, while providing substantial assistance to the golfer in aligning a putt. The construction assists the golfer in initially aligning the putter (static alignment) as well as assisting the golfer in maintaining the desired orientation through the swing (dynamic alignment). 
         [0008]    Further, the construction removes distractions associated with conventional putter designs by providing a single, central element or zone in the golfer&#39;s focus for the ball striking location. The back to front taper of the central portion provides an arrow-like aiming device, assisting the golfer to align the putter to have the ball travel along the desired path. The clear outer portions allow the green to be seen through them, minimizing the visual effect of the outer head portions and forcing the golfer to more completely focus on the central portion of the head, its tapering construction further channeling the golfer&#39;s focus to improve the accuracy of the putter&#39;s alignment along the desired path of the ball. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    A fuller understanding of the present invention will be obtained upon consideration of the following detailed description of a preferred but nonetheless illustrative embodiment thereof, reviewed in association with the annexed drawings, wherein: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a putter head of the present invention shown in conjunction with a golf ball aligned for putting thereby; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a bottom plan view of the putter head; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3A  is a top plan view of the putter head with the ball aligned for striking; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3B  is a side elevation view of the putter as positioned in  FIG. 3A ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3C  is a front elevation view thereof; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a top plan view of an alternative embodiment of the invention; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a diagrammatic front elevation view of the embodiment of  FIG. 4 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0017]    As depicted in the figures, and initially with reference to  FIG. 1 , putter head  10  has central section  12 , which in a preferred embodiment is opaque, to which upwardly-extending putter shaft  14  is affixed in a conventional manner. Alternatively, however, a hosel or socket may be incorporated into the head to provide a means for connecting the shaft to the head. A hosel can facilitate the positioning of the shaft at a chosen orientation with respect to the head. The upper end of the shaft (not shown) includes a conventional grip portion for the golfer&#39;s hands. The central section  12  may be formed entirely of metal, or may be a composite material chosen with density and rigidity considerations appropriate for use in a golf club head. When a composite material is used for the central section  12  the front face  16  of the central section is preferably the front of a metallic spacer or insert  28 , as shown in phantom in  FIG. 1 . The spacer or insert may be of any desired front-to-back thickness, but preferably is greater than 1/16 inch, and preferably forms no more than 25 percent of the volume of the central section. The forward face  16  of the central section defines the central portion of the putter&#39;s front face  24 , lies directly forward of the shaft  14 , and defines the intended contact portion between the putter and golf ball  18 . 
         [0018]    Flanking central section  12  are transparent side portions  20 , which are advantageously fabricated of an appropriate tough material, such as glass or a polymer such as an acrylic or polycarbonate. The forward faces  22  of the side portions define corresponding lateral portions of the putter front face, flanking the central section&#39;s forward face  16 , and provide additional ball contact areas for the putter front face. The bottom faces  38  of the side portions may be at an acute angle A to the horizontal, on the order of about 15 degrees, as may be seen in  FIG. 3C , to provide a measure of additional clearance between the faces and the ground. As an alternative to the spacer  28  lying only at the front of the central section, it may extend completely across the putter&#39;s front face, as further indicated in  FIG. 1 , whereby the spacer&#39;s front face forms the entirety of the putter&#39;s front face. In such a configuration the spacer may advantageously be mounted to the head after the central section and side portions are joined together. 
         [0019]    While is a preferred embodiment the central section  12  is opaque and the side portions  20  are transparent, the putter head may have a reversed construction, wherein the central section  12  is transparent and the side portions opaque. In such an embodiment use of the metallic front face insert or spacer  28  for at least the central section is preferred to provide an appropriate contact surface for the ball. 
         [0020]    As seen in  FIG. 2 , the head may also be provided with one or more areas  30  to accommodate weights to vary both the overall mass of the head as well as its balance. The areas may be located as may be appropriate with consideration of the materials used for the head and overall head geometry, and may be of any form known in the art to allow varying mass to be added. The areas may be, for example, in the form cavities into which weights are snap-fit, or threaded bores into which complementary-threaded inserts of varying mass may be inserted. Particularly when the head has a construction in which the central section is transparent, the inclusion of mass-adjustments means can be beneficial to place a greater proportion of the head&#39;s overall weight in the central section. 
         [0021]    With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 3A , the putter head  10  is preferably rectangular in plan, with a width of the front face  24  of the head preferably on the order of the width of a regulation green cup—about 4.25 inches. The ratio of the width of the entire front face  24  to the width of the front face  16  of the central section  12  should be at least 2:1, with the face  16  centrally located. When an insert  28  is employed for the central section, however, the insert&#39;s width can exceed that preferred limitation, extending partially into the adjacent side portions  20 . The minimum width of the front face of the central section is preferably 1/16 inch to provide a sufficient ball-striking area, with a maximum width preferably corresponding to the minimum diameter of a regulation golf ball—between 1.62 and 1.68 inches. 
         [0022]    The central section tapers evenly outwardly from the head&#39;s front face  24  to its rear face  26 . The minimum taper is such that the width of the central section at the rear face  26  is at least twice the width of the central section&#39;s front face  16 . The maximum width of the central section at the head&#39;s rear face is the full width of the head. 
         [0023]    With further reference to FIGS.  2  and  3 A-C, central section  12  may be formed in plan view as a trapezoid, with its front face  16  constituting the smaller base of the trapezoid and its rear, larger base forming at least the central portion of the rear face  26  of the head. The plan view shape focuses the golfer&#39;s view towards the ball, and assists the golfer in aligning the putter head to putt the ball along the desired line of travel. The side portions  20  may likewise be formed in plan essentially as right angle triangles or trapezoids, depending on the percentage of the head&#39;s rear face  26  occupied by the central section  12 , with the side portions&#39; smaller bases  32  (if present) flanking the rear base of the central section and forming the rear corner portions of the putter and their larger bases comprising forward faces  22 . The transparency of the side portions further emphasizes the guide nature of the central section. While the side portions are preferably trapezoidal or triangular, they may have other shapes in plan, so long as they serve to maintain emphasis of the tapered central portion and provide the lateral coplanar forward faces  22 . Overall, the putter head is preferably rectangular in plan, greater in front-to-back depth than in width, with a flat upper surface, although a blade-like construction, in which the width is greater than the depth, is also within the invention&#39;s contemplation. With the central section transparent and the side portions opaque the guide nature of the construction is preserved, but tinting of the central section may be desired to assist the golfer in properly directing his focus to the center section and the desired travel path for the ball. 
         [0024]    The bottom surface of the putter head may be contoured, as best seen in  FIGS. 2 ,  3 B and  3 C. Central section  12  has a horizontally extending bottom face portion  34  extending approximately one-half the front-to-back depth of the head, and is flanked by generally quadrilateral faces  36  extending the depth of the head. As may be seen with reference to  FIG. 3C , the faces  36 , along with the bottom faces  38  of the side portions  20 , are upward sloping towards the sides of the head at the angle A. The central section  12  has an additional trapezoidal face portion  44  abutting the rear of the bottom face portion  34  and lies between the rear portions of the angled faces  36 . It may have a slight rearward-directed upward angle on the order of 2-3 degrees with respect to the horizontal (see  FIG. 3B ). 
         [0025]    As stated above, the transparent side portions  20  have bottom faces  38  that are at the angle A to the horizontal and are coplanar with the adjacent central portion faces  36 . The lower front edge of the central section  12  and the adjacent portions of the side portions  20  may be beveled at  42 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 4  depicts an embodiment in which central section  12 A is transparent and the side portions are opaque and are merged together into a unitary component  20 A. The forward edge of component  20 A extends entirely across the width of the head, and thus central section  12 A in top plan is in the shape of a triangle, with its tip or vertex  46  located rearwardly of the merged side portions. At the tip or vertex  46  the thickness of opaque component  20 A may be from 0.015 to 0.500 inches. The tip or vertex  46  itself may have a radius of curvature of 0.015 to 0.500 inches to accommodate the milling or tooling used to form the mating opaque component. Spacer  28  is affixed to the forward face of component  20 A and forms the entirety of the putter&#39;s front face. 
         [0027]    The rearward extent of the opaque component  20 A is such that it defines the rear corners of the head, with the back face portion widths  44  of the opaque component preferably being in the range of 0.015 to 0.500 inches. 
         [0028]    With such a construction the shaft, mounted to portion  14 A, is preferably mounted by means of a hosel  48 , such that the main axis of the shaft, as seen in  FIG. 5 , extends to intersect the front-to-back centerline of the head at the bottom of the head. Other hosel orientations can allow, for example, for the main shaft axis to intersect the centerline at the vertical midpoint of the head. 
         [0029]    When an insert or spacer  28  or  28 A is employed, it can provide means for adjusting the weight or balance of the putter. As depicted in  FIG. 4 , the rear face of the insert may be milled or otherwise formed to provide a recess  50  that can either be left hollow or filled with a material of a density different from that of the insert body to change the overall mass distribution of the head and thus its feel and balance. Suitable fills may include polymers and polymer blends, as well as metallic compositions. The recess is preferably no more than half the head&#39;s width and no more than three-quarters of its height. It typically will be centered laterally, but need not be centered vertically in the insert. 
         [0030]    The spacer&#39;s recess may further include portions that extend entirely through the spacer, forming a pattern of openings through the spacer&#39;s front face, such as a series of horizontal slots or circular bores. The fill of the recess in such openings thus forms portions of the front face and may allow for varying the nature of the contact between the front face and the ball when struck. The front surface of the fill may lie in the same plane as the remainder of the front face, or its surface may be textured or contoured to form projections, recesses or dimples as may be desired. 
         [0031]    The head may be dimensioned as required to comply with organization or local rules respecting the size of club heads. A typical set of dimensions for the head may be, for example, a depth of 3⅞ inch in depth, a width of 3½ inch in width, and a height of ¾ inch, with the front face  16  of the central section being 1 inch wide. The central section and side portions may be bonded together by means as known in the art, such as by epoxy adhesive or mechanical fasteners. While the side portions are preferably transparent, they may be tinted. Further, while the head in plan is preferably rectangular, it may take other shapes, such as trapezoidal, with either a larger or smaller base forming the front striking surface of the putter, once again so long as emphasis of the tapered central portion is maintained and lateral coplanar forward faces are provided.