Abstract:
A golf club having enhanced balance and sensory feedback that includes: a shaft, a hosel and a body in an integrated assembly of relatively low mass density; and, a shell having distal toe and heel portions of relatively high mass density, a web in the body between the toe and heel portions and an armature extending up from the web connecting the integrated body, hosel and shaft.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This patent application is a continuation-in-part of copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/618,076, filed Jul. 17, 2000, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/148,011, filed Aug. 10, 1999. 
     
    
     
       TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to the field of golf clubs, and more particularly, to the field of golf putters.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    The golf club art has seen substantial creative work in mass distribution, clubhead configuration, audible and sensory feedback and the like. Much has been done in golf club design in an effort to improve the performance of the golfer or otherwise enhance the golfing experience. U.S. Pat. No. 3,042,405 to Karsten Solheim discloses a golf putter having internal weights at the heel and toe ends of the club. The end blocks are connected together by one or two thin face plates and a bar that supports a hosel.  
           [0004]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,444,395 to Morton Reiss discloses a golf putter having an elongate head comprising three sections. The head includes a low mass center section with a length at least 1½ times the ball diameter and two, more massive, end sections. The three sections have substantially the same transverse cross section forming a single continuous blade. A major portion of the mass is in the end portions which may be connected together longitudinally through the center section by steel pins. The club shaft is secured to the head centrally.  
           [0005]    Another approach to putter shape, size and weight distribution is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,938,543 to McGeeney et al. where a center section of the head is of relatively low mass density, non-metallic material. The head has higher density metallic heel and toe portions with an integrally formed high density hosel extending upwardly from the heel portion.  
           [0006]    Numerous other golf clubs have been provided in the prior art that have been described by the designers as providing enhancements of sound, balance, or human factor considerations.  
           [0007]    Some golf clubs known in the art are said to have an awkward “feel” when striking a golf ball, believed to be in part because of the distribution of weight within the clubhead. In addition, while the prior art has provided other golf clubs that are said to have a proper feel and to be properly balanced, many of these golf clubs are unattractive and the physical appearance is distractive. Some configurations do not provide the optimum perspective to the golfer as the ball is addressed or a helpful audible or tactile response as the club strikes the ball. There thus exists an ongoing need in the art for a golf club that has an optimum balance and feel, an appearance and a sighting perspective which support concentration and audible and tactile responses that optimize the relationship between golfer and putter.  
           [0008]    It is a general object of this invention to provide a club that optimizes the foregoing criteria.  
           [0009]    Specifically, the general objects of the invention include the creation of a golf club, especially a putter, that provides audible and sensory feed-back to the golfer for improved performance. The golfer, golf club and golf ball are connected during the swing and at impact. Golf clubs made according to this invention provide superior sensitivity to the swing and impact, a dynamic sense of balance and an enhanced “feel” which is fed back visually and by tactile sensations indicative of stroke quality. The characteristics of the clubhead are believed to be further enhanced from integration of a shaft of low mass density material and a low mass density hosel and body with a shell having a unique web extending through the body that is integrated with high mass density heel and toe polar shell portions. The performance of the unique body, hosel and shaft configuration is augmented by the other structural and functional features of the invention as described and claimed.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0010]    The present invention provides a well-balanced golf club that satisfies the foregoing general objects. The golf club of the invention includes a shaft that has a handle end and a clubhead end. Means in the nature of a hosel integrates the clubhead end of the shaft to a clubhead that comprises two basic elements. The two basic clubhead elements are (1) a body, also sometimes called an insert, of relatively lightweight material defining a striking surface, an upper aligning surface integrally related to a flat sighting surface on the hosel connecting the shaft and handle and, and (2) a shell including polar weighting comprising relatively massive distal portions, and an interconnecting medial portion comprising a web in the body and an armature connected to the web within the body and extending into the hosel. In a preferred embodiment, the low mass body is secured between the relatively high mass heel and toe portions and is configured for optimum dynamic balance, inertial stability, sensory golfer feed-back and related enhanced sighting. The body portion, shaft and hosel are preferably of low mass density materials compared to the shell to provide an optimum polar mass distribution.  
           [0011]    The medial portion of the shell comprising a thin web in the lightweight body and a hosel armature extending therefrom integrates the total body, hosel and shaft and should provide improved performance of the putter and enhanced sensory feedback to the golfer upon striking the ball.  
           [0012]    In one preferred embodiment the hosel, or connecting means, is strategically located on the body, close to the heel portion and of the same low density material as the body and shaft, resulting in advantages of optimum weight distribution. The body portion is visible as a flat top surface with an indicium which assists the golfer in addressing the ball and aligning the club and ball for the putt. The configuration of the connecting means or hosel includes a flat alignment surface that has a synergistic relationship to the upper sighting surface of the body and provides body/shaft interaction.  
           [0013]    In some preferred embodiments of the invention, the clubhead body portion has a striking surface having a cylindrical or roll face configuration the longitudinal axis of which is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the clubhead. The striking surface extends between the top surface and a bottom surface that forms a portion of the sole of the club. The striking surface is preferably an arcuate segment that correlates with the sweet spot or center of gravity and the top and bottom surfaces. For the putting stance of most golfers, this surface minimizes skipping or jumping and causes the ball to hug the green. It is a portion of the striking face of the clubhead.  
           [0014]    In a preferred embodiment, the shaft and body portion are connected through the hosel connecting means and include a reinforcing armature. The body portion is a generally rectilinear blade having an exposed striking surface, a sole surface, a sighting top surface and may include a rearward sole back shelf. The back configuration of the toe and heel portions may conform to the back of the body. In another preferred embodiment the rear of the body portion is cut-away to define a rear sole shelf to further augment the polar mass distribution while the toe and heel portions are not cut away, thus providing augmented polar distribution. However, the invention provides advantages in blade-type putters with or without a cut-away back and in mallet-type putters having various back configurations. The hosel connecting means may be straight or may include a single or double offset portion to provide an upper hosel portion aligned with the shaft axis and the front of the clubhead to align with the striking surface and to establish a shaft angle of about 72° to the sole, called the “lie” angle.  
           [0015]    Other features and objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention and its embodiments. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]    For clarity, the following nomenclature, adapted from the prior art, will be employed in the description. The ball striking surface or “strike face” of the clubhead, which is intended to hit the golf ball, is located on the “front” of the clubhead. The terms “top” or “upper” and “bottom” or “lower” assume that the clubhead is oriented as it would be if the golf club were held by a golfer in an at rest position, i.e., the bottom of the clubhead, also called the sole, would contact the ground when at rest. The heel of the clubhead is located longitudinally opposite the toe of the clubhead. The heel portion of the clubhead would be nearest the golfer when the golfer holds the club in an at rest position. The term “depth” refers to a dimension extending from the front to the back of the golf club. The terms “length” of the clubhead and “longitudinal” refer to a dimension extending from the heel end to the toe end.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 is an overview perspective of one embodiment of the invention;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the clubhead of one embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3 is a rear elevation of the embodiment of FIG. 2;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 2;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 2;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line  6 - 6  of FIG. 4, illustrating one internal configuration for the clubhead forming a part of the embodiment of FIG. 2;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line  6 - 6  of FIG. 4 showing an alternate configuration of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 2;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line  8 - 8  of FIG. 4 illustrating the invention of the clubhead and part of the hosel of FIG. 6;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view partly in section of one embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 9 a  is a cross-section of the hosel portion of the invention of FIG. 1 taken on the line  9   a - 9   a  of FIG. 9;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 10 is a fragmentary front elevation partially in section of an alternate embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1 illustrating portions of the web and armature shown in broken lines;  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 11 is a side elevation of the embodiment of FIG. 10;  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 12 is a sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the invention of FIG. 1 similar to that shown in FIGS.  2 - 5  and taken on the line  6 - 6  of FIG. 4;  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 13 is a fragmentary rear elevation of the embodiment of FIG. 12; and  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 14 is a cross-section of another embodiment of the invention of FIG. 1 similar to that shown in FIGS.  2 - 5  taken on the line  6 - 6  of FIG. 4. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0032]    Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 1, a perspective view of the invention is illustrated comprising generally a shaft  10  having a gripping end  12  with a handle  14  of leather or the like and a clubhead end  16  that has a connecting means  18  in the nature of a hosel integrated with a clubhead  20 .  
         [0033]    The clubhead  20  has a central body (sometimes referred to as an “insert”)  22  of lightweight material with a shell having a heel end  24  and a toe end  26  of relatively heavy, high mass density material.  
         [0034]    Various internal configurations for the clubhead are contemplated. Cross sections of several of those configurations are illustrated in FIGS. 6, 7,  12  and  14 . In accordance with the invention, the bodies  22 ,  122 ,  222  and  322  have a web  54 ,  154 ,  254  and  354 , respectively, comprising a shell medial portion to obtain the benefits described in the Summary of the Invention. The structural and functional details of those webs are more fully described hereinafter.  
         [0035]    The construction of the shaft, hosel connection means and body integrated with an armature and with the web are illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9- 11  and are also described in greater detail hereinafter.  
         [0036]    These construction features are herein applied to golf clubs similar to that of FIGS. 9 a - 9   f  of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/618,076, and can be applied to the other embodiments of that application by omitting the tubular (cylindrical) cavity thereof and incorporating the longitudinal web in the body (insert) as described herein.  
         [0037]    With respect to the integrated shaft, connector and body shown in FIG. 10 hereof and described herein, that construction and method can also be utilized in golf clubs as shown, described and claimed in application Ser. No. 09/618,076. To implement the foregoing, application Ser. No. 09/618,076 is incorporated herein, in its entirety, by reference.  
         [0038]    In FIG. 1 hereof the handle  14  may be a leather cover on the player gripping end  12  of shaft  10  or it may be of other materials dictated by the regulations of the PGA or other regulatory organizations. The shaft  10 , hosel  18 , and body  22  may be of a composite material such as a graphite resin composite or a fiberglass resin composite and may be integrated in a manner explained in greater detail hereinafter. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the connecting means (hosel)  18  and clubhead body  22  are fabricated of a composite material such as a graphite-resin. If the shaft  10  is also of graphite resin composite, the body  22  connecting means  18  and shaft  10  are preferably integrated during fabrication to comprise a continuous composite unit.  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the clubhead and hosel portion of the golf putter of FIG. 1 while FIGS. 3, 4 and  5  are rear, top and bottom views thereof. The front or striking surface  30  of body  22  extends longitudinally of the clubhead between the front surfaces of heel end  24  and toe end  26  of a clubhead shell  28  which together comprise the striking face. The shell  28  is relatively massive, preferably fabricated of a relatively heavy metal such as steel, tungsten, or the like. The shell  28  includes a medial section  32  connecting the toe end  26  and heel end  24  together. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the medial section  32  includes a rear shelf  52  and an upright web within body  22  that is not visible in FIG. 3.  
         [0040]    [0040]FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 3 showing a fragment of the hosel  18  extending upwardly from the top face  34  of body  22 . The hosel  18  has a portion  36  extending upwardly from the top face  34  of the body  22  which extends into an offset portion  38  extending at a small acute angle to the plane of the striking surface  30  of body  22  for a short distance. An upper portion  40  of hosel  18  lies generally aligned with the top edge joining the striking surface  30  with the top surface  34  of body  22 . The upper portion  40  of hosel  18  forms a large acute angle relative to the edge  42  which joins the striking surface  30  with the bottom or sole surface  44  of body  22 . The large acute angle defined by the upper portion  40  of hosel  18  is aligned with the clubhead end  16  of shaft  10 . The angle of the shaft  10  relative to the longitudinal axis of the clubhead is approximately 72° and is often referred to as the lie angle.  
         [0041]    The upper surface  34  of body  22  includes an indicium  46  that, in the preferred embodiment, is a groove formed in the upper surface transverse to the striking surface  30 . The groove  46  acts as a sighting aid and is located above an optimum target point  48  indicated by imaginary cross hairs in FIG. 2 on the striking surface  30 . The bottom portion  36  of hosel  18  is flattened at the toe side  37  providing an additional alignment aid cooperating with the upper body surface  34  and groove  46 . The striking surface  30  of body  22  preferably has circular heel and toe edges  31  and  33  centered on target  48 . The longitudinal axis of the shaft  10  is also aligned with that target point  48 .  
         [0042]    [0042]FIG. 3 illustrates the rear elevation of the clubhead embodiments specifically shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. In those embodiments the rear view or back view of the clubhead shows the rear body surface  50  having a unitary appearance and comprising a nonmetallic material surface such as the graphite resin composite described above. The more massive polar shell portions  24  and  26  are also shown connected by shelf  52 . Those preferred embodiments are illustrated in cross sections of the clubhead taken on lines  6 - 6  and  8 - 8  of FIG. 4. One preferred embodiment shown in the cross section of FIG. 6 illustrates the clubhead  20  including the clubhead body  22  formed of a nonmetallic material of relatively lighter weight which is formed around a medial section  32  of shell  28 . The medial section  32  in the embodiment of FIG. 6 includes the rear shelf  52  already described and an internal web  54  extending upwardly within the nonmetallic body  22 . The body  22  has a sole portion  60  under shell shelf  52  and defining the sole surface  44 .  
         [0043]    The web  54  is connected to the massive heel end  24  and toe end  26  of shell  28 . As shown in FIG. 8, taken along the line  8 - 8  of FIG. 4, there is an armature  56  of the high mass density shell  28  enclosed within the hosel  18  composed of the same low mass density material as body  22 . The armature  56  is formed with the web  54  and extends upwardly within the hosel  18 . The armature  56  imparts structural rigidity to the hosel and the integrated body, hosel and shaft in cooperation with the web  54 .  
         [0044]    It has been found that the web  54  extending between the massive toe end and heel end of the shell  28  and formed in the nonmetallic body  22  provides an enhanced club performance. The golfer senses this enhancement as a tactile response through the clubhead handle  14  as well as an audible response when the striking surface  30  of the body  22  optimally impacts the ball. The audible and tactile responses appears to be optimized when the striking surface  30  engages the ball at the target location  48  diagrammically shown in FIG. 2 thus providing a indication of golfer performance.  
         [0045]    There is a wide range of golf putter styles including relatively small blades to more massive mallets. Consequently the depth of the clubhead also varies. One popular style is the blade and shelf style as shown herein, although the invention can be applied by one skilled in the art to most styles including the various styles shown and described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/618,076 incorporated herein by reference.  
         [0046]    In the examples shown herein, the clubhead is of the blade and shelf or blade and flange style and is usually about one inch or more in depth. The depth of the body  22  is preferably in a range of about 0.3 to 0.6 inch and the depth of the web  54  is in a range of about 0.08 inch to about 0.25 inch. In the preferred embodiments the body  22  is approximately one inch in height and the web  54  does not extend to the upper surface of body  22 . These dimensions and ranges can vary with the clubhead style.  
         [0047]    An alternate embodiment is shown in the sectional view of FIG. 7 taken on the line  6 - 6  of FIG. 4. Therein the metallic web  154  is totally surrounded by the nonmetallic body  122 . In the embodiment of FIG. 7, the medial section includes rear shelf  152  corresponding to the shelf  52  of FIG. 6 but it is disconnected and isolated from the web  154 . The web  154  is connected to an armature within the hosel  18  at a location corresponding to section line  8 - 8  of FIG. 4 in the manner already described with respect to the embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 8. In all of the embodiments disclosed the striking surface  30  of the body  22  is canted for loft at a small acute angle in the order of two to five degrees relative to the sole surface  44 .  
         [0048]    The manner in which the metallic web and armature are incorporated within the nonmetallic body in cooperation with the hosel and shaft is illustrated in FIGS.  9 - 11 . Specifically referring to FIG. 9, the armature  56  is secured to and integral with the web  54  within the nonmetallic body  22 . The body  22  and the hosel  18  are partially broken away to illustrate that interconnection. The armature  56  extends upwardly through the various sections of the hosel  18  providing a connector stud  58  to receive and support a club shaft  60  (partially shown cut away). FIG. 9 a  shows the cross sectional configuration of the hosel  18  along the line  9   a - 9   a  in FIG. 9. In FIG. 9 a  the metallic armature  56  is shown enclosed within the composite hosel  18 .  
         [0049]    In a preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 10 the armature  456  is shown within the hosel  418 . The armature  456  is shown connected to the metallic web  454  within the nonmetallic body  422 . As in the other embodiments, the body  422  is formed to receive the web  454  and is formed between and secured to the heel end  424  and toe end  426  of the shell  428 .  
         [0050]    The armature  456  extends beyond the hosel  418  to integrate the body  422 , hosel  418  and shaft  410 . The shaft  410 , hosel  418  and body  422  are formed of the same basic material, graphite fibers and plastic resin, in the preferred embodiment. The preferred fabrication method for the putter includes several forming steps. The metal shell  428  with the polar heel portion  424 , polar toe portion  426  and interconnecting medial section including web  454  is first formed. The body  422  and hosel  418  are then formed of a plastic resin containing graphite fibers to create a component integrated with the web  454  and the lower part of armature  456 . The metal shell and the body/hosel resin component comprise the clubhead. In the embodiments of FIGS.  6 - 8  the shell  428  comprises an insert in the formation of the body/hosel. In the embodiments of FIGS.  12 - 14 , it is not necessary to form the clubhead with the metal shell as an insert, but the shell and the body/hosel can be formed separately and secured together by an adhesive. Rolling a lamination comprising several biased layers of resin pre-impregnated long fiber graphite sheets around a tapered mandrel forms the club shaft  410 . After curing, the shaft  410  is removed from the tapered mandrel. A resin adhesive is applied to the upper end of the hosel  418  and the armature  456  and to the inside lower extremity of the shaft  410 . The adhesive coated components are next assembled together in a suitable alignment holding fixture and cured. After removal from the alignment fixture, a complete putter has been formed, requiring only the addition of an appropriate handle and any desired finishing and ornamentation. The sequence of steps may be varied to provide the integrated composite body/hosel/shaft component combined with the metal shell and web.  
         [0051]    [0051]FIG. 11 is a side elevation of the embodiment of FIG. 10. The functions and positions of the various components of the complete putter including the three portions  436 ,  438  and  440  of hosel  418  are best understood from a consideration of FIGS. 10 and 11 together. Specifically, the lie angle of shaft  410 , the loft angle of striking surface  430 , and the forward offset of hosel  418  for better alignment with the center of the ball and toe to heel alignment with the target can be best understood from FIGS. 10 and 11. The toe side  437  of lower hosel portion  436  is flattened as an additional alignment aid as previously described.  
         [0052]    Two additional embodiments of the invention are shown in FIGS.  12 - 14 . In most respects, these embodiments can be fully understood from the description of the embodiments of FIGS. 6, 7 and  8 . However, in the embodiment of FIG. 12 the metallic web  254  is formed with a recess  258  which is filled with the material of body  222  and the surrounding portions of web  254  provide a picture window effect. The web  254  is embedded in the back surface of body  222 . The clubhead of FIG. 12 includes a rear shelf  252  corresponding to that shown in the prior embodiments and the body  222  includes a sole portion  260  corresponding to the sole portion  60  shown in FIGS.  6 - 8  The appearance of the embodiment of FIG. 12 in a rear elevation is shown in FIG. 13. Therein the nonmetallic picture-like area  258  is illustrated surrounded by portions of the metal shell  228 . The top surface  234  of the body  222  is shown with the hosel  228  extending upwardly therefrom. Broken lines in FIG. 13 indicate the armature  256 .  
         [0053]    The additional embodiment of FIG. 14 is similar to that of FIGS. 12 and 13. However, the picture cavity  258  of FIG. 12 is omitted and a web  354  is embedded in and formed as a part of the rear surface of the body  322 . A rear portion  360  of body  322  appears above the web  354  and includes the aligning groove in surface  334  as described in the preceding embodiments. The rear body portion  360  may be shaped for aesthetic purposes. Thus the rear body surface  362  may have a curved appearance.  
         [0054]    All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents, cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein.  
         [0055]    The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention.  
         [0056]    Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention. Of course, variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.