Games using tangible projectile – Golf – Club or club support
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-04
2001-04-10
Nguyen, Kien T. (Department: 3712)
Games using tangible projectile
Golf
Club or club support
C473S340000, C473S297000, C473S294000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06213890
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The instant invention broadly relates to novel implements used in the performance of a sport. More specifically, the invention relates to a sport that employs a ball and an instrument for striking it. Still more specifically, the invention relates to the game of golf and a club used for striking a golf ball. Still even more specifically, the invention relates to the game of golf and a putter for advantageously putting a golf ball.
2. Background Discussion
Various related technology has been proposed by the prior art as exemplified by the following United States Patents which are incorporated herein in their entireties for the purpose of enabling the person of ordinary skill in the art to practice the instant invention.
Golf putter technology has been the subject of many innovations in recent years, some of which are scientifically well-founded, others of which may be considered merely psychological. However, whether the results are psychological or based on scientific reasoning, the value of the putter is in the results. Regardless, innovations which are scientifically sound are preferred since they are more widely accepted by a large range of golfers.
Through the years there has been much effort expended in improving golf clubs, particularly putters, and with much concentration on the development of means to enable a golfer to properly strike a golf ball on a true line toward the hole. In particular, it has been common to provide a method to align the head of the putter for more accurate putting. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,917,277, 3,866,922, 3,955,819, 3,921,984, 4,209,172, 4,519,612, and 3,880,430.
In addition, numerous efforts have been made to alter the weight distribution of a putter in an effort to reduce the tendency of a putter to rotate when a golf ball is struck off center. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,265,451, 3,843,122, 4,253,667, 4,369,974, and 1,537,320.
In addition, in the never-ending search to improve putting, numerous practice devices not usable on a golf course have been invented, including U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,153,235, 4,010,958, 3,893,678, 3,893,673, and 3,384,376.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,384,376 discloses a practice golf putter with a shaft running through the face of the putter and detachable guides directing both in front of and behind the face of the putter. Such a putter may not be a legal putter under the United States Golf Association Rules since it provides alignment means in front of the club face. In addition it does not provide the balanced weight distribution found to be most conducive for accurate putting.
In order to accomplish the conventional golf swing, the golfer stands facing the ball, with the cup located at an approximate 90° angle from the direction in which the golfer is facing. Taking this stance, the golfer must choose between looking at the ball, the terrain over which the ball is intended to travel, or the cup. In no manner can the golfer obtain a line-of-sight that includes both the ball and the cup while occupied with this stance. Nevertheless, this stance and approach is advantageous when attempting very long putts owing to the large amount of energy imparted to the ball. However, the vast majority of putts attempted are of relatively short distance, and require accuracy rather than brute force. For this majority of putts, the conventional stance offers serious difficulties, and the long backstroke and follow through provided are of no particular benefit. As mentioned above, the golfer cannot establish a line-of-sight from the ball to the cup while facing 90° from the cup. When using the conventional stance, most golfers stand behind the ball to establish such a line-of-sight, then lose the effect upon approaching the ball. It has been found advantageous in many other sports to continuously maintain such a direct line-of-sight. For example, it is generally conceded that the jump shot has greatly contributed to modem basketball field-goal percentages. The jump shot is especially effective because the shooter jumps directly toward the basket when he releases the ball. His hand and arm, the ball, and the basket are all along a line or arc extending directly in front of the shooter. This is in contrast to the low percentage hook shot attempted at approximately a 90° angle from the front of the shooter's body. Likewise, in baseball, fielders are instructed to position themselves directly in front of a ground ball, allowing them to follow the ball straight into the glove, and greatly reducing the chance of error. Similar logic is believed applicable to putting, where the chance of error can be greatly reduced, and the percentage of completed putts increased, by keeping the ball in front of the golfer along a line-of-sight to the cup.
Croquet style putters have been proposed in the past, which partially recognize the advantage of maintaining such a line-of-sight. However, these clubs also exhibit significant disadvantages. For example, the United States Golf Association rules require that a golfer have both feet on one side of a line extending from the ball to the cup. This rule effectively prohibits swinging a croquet style putter between the legs. Also, the existing croquet style putters are not configured for use with a conventional swing, and so are limited to use in short distance putting. Since a golfer is likely to encounter situations requiring both long and short putts during the course of a game, such putters constitute an additional club to be carried along with a conventional putter.
Many types of golf putters have heretofore been developed for the purpose of improving the chances of an ordinary player to properly strike the golf ball. These developers have concentrated on improving the putter's head shape, obtaining a better balance for the head, changing the ball-striking surface, placing indicia on the head, and the like.
As examples of such golf putters, attention is directed to the following U.S. Pat. Nos. Des.: 196,734, 218,178, 234,206, 234,207, 234,208, 234,209, 234,858, 235,567, 236,517, 239,401, 239,402, 4,592,552, 4,163,554, 5,401,022, 5,474,300 and 239,725, incorporated herein by reference.
Other prior art schemes have been proposed to aid the putter by providing a putter that includes variously weighted handles. Exemplary of these patents are: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,364,102, 4,461,479, 5,465,967 and 5,554,078.
Still other prior art patents have proposed putters having various novel elemental length relationships, elemental weight relationships, and uniquely designed elements, to aid the pursuit of the elusive perfect putt stroke. See for example: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,209,474, 5,632,691 and 5,595,385.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,219,348 for instance, describes a golf putter featuring a handle having a triangular cross section which is supposed to provide a stabilizing means for gripping the club.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,578,332 describes a putter having an elongated head and is provided with an enlargement projecting upwardly from the top surface of the head and outwardly from the rear surface with the shaft connecting to the head at the enlargement. U.S. Pat. No. 3,923,308 discloses a putter having a head provided with a vertical slot of sufficient width and length dimensions to permit visual observations therethrough of the undersurface, that is, the putting green.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,679,207 the player must use a side stance, that is, he must face the target or cup and stand with both feet substantially parallel to the line of putt. This putter is provided with an extra-length shaft which ungulates by about 10° from the vertical and terminates in a special-purpose handle. The shaft is made purposely longer than a standard shaft such that the player can putt from a generally upright position. For this purpose, the shaft is about 50 inches long compared to a standard shaft which is about 40″ long. The angulation of the shaft at 10° directs the shaft towards the head of the player when the head of the putter is located to one side of the player. The putter head is wei
Nguyen Kien T.
Stevens Davis Miller & Mosher LLP
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