Games using tangible projectile – Golf – Club or club support
Reexamination Certificate
1996-12-03
2001-05-29
Chiu, Raleigh W. (Department: 3711)
Games using tangible projectile
Golf
Club or club support
C473S288000, C473S325000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06238303
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to golf clubs in general and, more particularly, to golf clubs for putting.
One of the more difficult aspects of mastering the game of golf is developing and maintaining an effective putting technique. Effective putting depends upon many factors—some objective, some subjective—including the speed of the greens on any given day and at any given time, and the “feel” of the golf putting club. Through the years, golf putters of many different, widely varying designs have been produced, from simple blade shapes through mallet head bodies and blade putters having compound curved rear surfaces. Individual golfers have developed individual preferences for different putter shapes and styles, with these preferences changing from time to time. Consequently, most devotees of the sport of golf accumulate several putters over time, with each putter providing a different “feel” for the individual golfer. Not only does this present a club storage problem for the individual golfer, but the requirement for a wide variety of different putters each providing different “feel” dictates that golf club retailers must carry in inventory a large number of different style putters in order to satisfy the needs of customers.
While golf putters are known which permit adjustment of the weight of the putter head by adding or removing internally located weights, and which enable adjustment of the loft of the striking surface, efforts to date to provide a golf putter with easily adjustable weight, striking surface texture and hardness have not met with success.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention comprises a golf putting club which provides simple and rapid adjustment of the putter weight, striking surface texture and hardness so that a golfer may alter the “feel” of the club to suit the putting green characteristics, the type of ball being played and the player's putting style at any given time.
In its broadest aspect, the invention comprises a putter body having a shaft connection region and a ball striking surface, the ball striking surface having a recess formed therein to a predetermined depth; a shaft having an end secured to the shaft connection region; and a ball striking insert detachably mounted in the recess. The ball striking insert has length, width and depth dimensions closely matching those of the recess so as to form a striking face substantially co-planar with the ball striking surface of the putter body.
In one embodiment, the putter body includes a longitudinal axis with a stroke balance point at a predetermined location therealong, and the recess extends along the longitudinal axis in substantial equal and opposite directions from the stroke balance point. The stroke balance point may be centered along the longitudinal axis of the putter body, or may be offset from the lineal center of the longitudinal axis.
The putter body recess and the ball striking insert are both preferably rectangular in shape, with chamfered corner portions. A plurality of alternative mounting mechanisms are used to detachably mount the insert in the recess. One such mechanism includes a spaced pair of bores formed in the ball striking insert, a corresponding pair of fastener apertures formed in the putter body, and a pair of fasteners each removably secured in a different one of the fastener apertures and a corresponding one of the bores. The fastener bores may be internally threaded and the fasteners externally threaded so that the fasteners are threaded into the fastener bores. Alternatively, the fasteners may be spring friction fasteners releasably received within smooth walled fastener bores. In another mounting arrangement, the putter body is provided with one or two insert receiving slots adjacent the recess; and the ball striking insert has opposite end portions each engageable with a different one of the slots. In this embodiment, the ball striking insert may include a grip recess formed therein in a position accessible when the ball striking insert is mounted in the recess. Further, the putter body may be provided with a relieved portion adjacent the recess to facilitate access to the grip recess. In another mounting arrangement, the ball striking insert includes a spaced pair of studs, the putter body has a corresponding pair of stud apertures, and a pair of fasteners is releasably secured to the studs after they are manipulated through the stud apertures.
In another embodiment of the invention, the putter body may include first and second recesses formed in the ball striking surface in order to accommodate a pair of ball striking inserts. The first recess and the second recess are preferably spaced laterally along the ball striking surface and have substantially identical depth dimensions.
The putting characteristics of the golf club can be varied by using ball striking inserts of different weight, texture and hardness. The ball striking insert may be fabricated from a wide variety of materials, such as titanium, graphite, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), copper, brass, plastics, aluminum and steel.
An indicium may be provided on the putter body at a location visible to the golfer in order to provide a visual indication of the location or position of the stroke balance point.
A point of sale package is provided to accommodate one or a plurality of the ball striking inserts. The container includes a base portion and means for removably retaining the ball striking inserts therein. Additionally, provision is made in the container for a journal card or booklet for preprinting information identifying the characteristics of the various ball striking inserts contained within the container, and for enabling the user to record personal entries memorializing experience gained with the ball striking inserts.
The invention enables a single putter to provide a wide variation in club “feel” by virtue of providing the removable ball striking inserts of different weights, textures and hardnesses.
For a fuller understanding of the nature and advantages of the invention, reference should be made to the ensuing detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
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Chiu Raleigh W.
Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP
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