Games using tangible projectile – Golf – Club or club support
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-09
2001-07-31
Chapman, Jeanette (Department: 3711)
Games using tangible projectile
Golf
Club or club support
C473S330000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06267690
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to golf equipment and more particularly, relates to a novel golf club head designed to impart spin to a ball.
The field of golf clubs is replete with many structures designed to improve or render easier the hitting of a golf ball. Included among the proposals in the art are golf club heads with means for imparting a corrective spin or action to a golf ball when struck by the golf club. Thus, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,354,059 issued to Alfred O. Stuss, Oct. 11, 1994, discloses a golf club head having plural grooves extending along their face in at least two nonparallel directions for the purpose of achieving a variety of different corrective actions to golf balls struck by the face of the club. The grooves are more specifically adapted to control backspin and skidding and also to compensate for toe and heel shots. U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,703 issued to Angelo Koumarianos, Feb. 25, 1992, discloses a golf club in which the ball engaging face of the club head has a rectangular central opening through which sand can pass during a stroke while the club is used as a sand wedge. Upper and lower flat rim surfaces are dimensioned, angled and spaced so as to contact the golf club at intermediate portions between the outer and inner edges of the rim surfaces. U.S. Pat. No. 4,165,076 issued to Richard Cella, Aug. 21, 1969, discloses a golf club having a blade face formed with a longitudinal edge which has a normal ball striking component of the golf club located above the center line of the ball in blade striking position and is thus capable on proper alignment with the ball of causing the latter to roll with minimal deviation towards its target. On the reverse side of the blade there is provided a secondary ball striking edge located below the center line of the ball.
Many of the prior art structures are directed specifically towards a putter type of club to be used on or around the green. As will be appreciated, it is desirable to provide a golf club wherein the risk of hooking or slicing the golf ball is minimized and particularly when used by the average golfer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a golf club which provides a desired spin to the golf ball when struck thereby.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved golf club head which may be utilized to impart backspin to the ball.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a golf club which comprises a shaft and a club head, the club head having a toe portion, a heel portion, a sole, a front face defined by a bottom edge adjacent to the sole, first and second side edges adjacent the heel and toe portions respectively of the club head, and a top edge, the front face having a recessed portion extending substantially between the first and second side edges.
In a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a golf club comprising a shaft and a club head, the club head having a toe portion, a heel portion, a sole, a front face defined by a bottom edge adjacent the sole, a heel side edge and a toe side edge adjacent the heel and toe portions respectively of the club head, and a top edge, the front face having a recessed portion defined by a first front face portion extending rearwardly from a position proximate the sole towards the back face with respect to a plane extending between the sole and the top edge, and a second front face portion extending rearwardly from a position proximate the top edge towards the back face with respect to the plane, the front face having a protuberance extending substantially parallel to the sole, the protuberance having a generally convex configuration and being located proximate the top edge, the protuberance extending substantially between the heel side edge and the toe side edge.
The golf club of the present invention may take any conventional form and method of manufacture insofar as the connection between the club head and the shaft. The unique features lie in the particular configuration of the front face of the club head. As such, there may be provided conventional means for securing the club head to a shaft by means of a suitable hosel and the shaft may be formed of any suitable material such as graphite, stainless steel, etc. A suitable handle may be provided on the end of the shaft as is conventional.
Similarly, the front face may be provided with suitable friction imparting means such as relatively small grooves and/or a rough surface on the face.
Although the front face may take various configurations in terms of the overall size and shape, the front face is preferably of a generally conventional outline. It is, however, preferred that the front face be sized such that the ball will complete close to a full rotation on the front face. As such, it would have a surface length approximating at least the circumference of a golf ball which is normally approximately 44 mm. Thus, a surface height of between 35-55 mm would be appropriate.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1211708 (1917-01-01), Hudson
patent: 1467714 (1923-09-01), Doerr
patent: 1540550 (1925-06-01), East
patent: 1647487 (1927-11-01), Vernon
patent: 1673994 (1928-06-01), Quynn
patent: 1674173 (1928-06-01), Haupt
patent: 2472978 (1949-06-01), Mahon
patent: 2826417 (1958-03-01), Marcoccio
patent: 3720410 (1973-03-01), Saytar
patent: 4413825 (1983-11-01), Sasse
patent: 4508349 (1985-04-01), Gebauer
patent: 4523758 (1985-06-01), Guendling, Jr.
patent: 6062987 (2000-05-01), Woodward
patent: 2300815 (1996-11-01), None
Blau Stephen L.
Chapman Jeanette
LandOfFree
Golf club head with corrective configuration does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Golf club head with corrective configuration, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Golf club head with corrective configuration will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2500054