Games using tangible projectile – Golf – Club or club support
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-28
2001-05-08
Nguyen, Kien T. (Department: 3712)
Games using tangible projectile
Golf
Club or club support
C473S340000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06227986
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to golf clubs. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved golf putter having a laminated face insert in which only a single lamination thereof is exposed.
B. Description of Background Art
In recognition of problems encountered with controlling the direction and speed of golf balls putted toward the hole on a golf course green, the present inventor disclosed a novel golf putter design for improving putting skills in U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,332, Golf Putter Head With A Cushioning Face, issued Oct. 17, 1995. That patent disclosed golf putters in which the heads of the putters were provided with a face insert comprising a polymer pad having a rebound factor directly related to the distance to an intended target, i.e., the hole. For short putts and/or fast greens, a low rebound factor of say 12.5% was disclosed as being desirable for putts of about 10 feet, 25% for 15-20 foot putts, 33.5% for putts of about 30 feet, and 50% for putts of 40 feet or greater. According to the invention, the precise value of selected rebound factor would of course be a matter of personal choice, as long as putters having higher rebound factors are selected for longer putts and/or slow greens.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,674,132, issued Oct. 7, 1997, the present inventor disclosed further improvements in golf clubs, in which the rebound factor and hardness of woods and irons as well as putters could be independently varied over a wider range to achieve selected ball propulsion distances and feel.
In co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/944,080, filed Oct. 4, 1997, the present inventor disclosed a Golf Putter Head With Interchangeable Rebound Control Insert. In that patent application, putters were disclosed in which the heads were provided with interchangeable rebound control inserts, each consisting of a front rebound control pad made of a resilient material, and a rear fastener plate. A recess having a uniform height and extending inward from the front face of the putter receives the insert. The insert is secured to the body of the head by screws which are inserted through holes which extend through the body and the bottom wall of the recess, the screws threadably engaging blind threaded holes in the rear surface of the insert.
The present invention was conceived of to provide an improved golf putter provided with a laminated face insert in which only an outer, ball-contacting lamination thereof is exposed, thereby allowing an inner portion of the insert to have a thickness, shape, and material properties which may all differ from those of the outer lamination.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide a golf putter having a head which includes a face insert, in which only the face, upper and lower sides of an outer portion of the insert are exposed.
Another object of the invention is to provide a golf putter head which includes an insert having an outer portion which is exposed and an inner portion which is enclosed within a pocket in the head.
Another object of the invention is to provide a golf putter head which includes a laminated face insert in which only the outer lamination of the insert is exposed.
Another object of the invention is to provide a golf putter head including a body having in the front face thereof a front recess which holds the front lamination of a laminated insert, and a pocket rearward of the recess which encloses and secures the rear potion of the laminated insert, the material properties of the front lamination and rear portion of the insert providing in combination with the body desired composite hardness and weight characteristics.
Another object of the invention is to provide a golf putter head having in the front face thereof a recess which receives a selected one of a plurality of laminated inserts secured to the head by fastening means, each insert having an exposed outer lamination of a fixed thickness and backed by one or more inner laminations enclosed with a pocket inward the recess.
Another object of the invention is to provide a golf putter head including a body having in the front face thereof an interchangeable laminated impact control insert in which only the front lamination thereof is exposed, thereby providing a single interfacial joint between the insert and the upper and lower surfaces of the putter head.
Various other objects and advantages of the present invention, and its most novel features, will become apparent to those skilled in the art by perusing the accompanying specification, drawings and claims.
It is to be understood that although the invention disclosed herein is fully capable of achieving the objects and providing the advantages described, the characteristics of the invention described herein are merely illustrative of the preferred embodiments. Accordingly, I do not intend that the scope of my exclusive rights and privileges in the invention be limited to details of the embodiments described. I do intend that equivalents, adaptations and modifications of the invention reasonably inferable from the description contained herein be included within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly stated, the present invention comprehends an improved golf putter in which the head of the putter is of a novel construction and receives a ball-impacting insert of improved design.
According to the present invention, a putter head is provided in which the front face thereof has a cutout portion that includes a recess having a uniform transverse cross section, the recess extending perpendicularly rearwardly or inwardly from the front ball-impacting face of the head. The recess is located at the intended ball-impacting region of the club head face, and is adapted to conformally receive the front or outer portion of an insert having the same outline shape as that of the recess. Rearward of the recess is located a shallow, trough-shaped pocket having a pair of laterally opposed side walls coextensive with the side walls of the recess. The pocket is of the same width as the recess, having laterally opposed side walls which are coplanar, inward extensions of the recess side walls. However, the height of the pocket is less than that of club head face and recess. Thus, a pair of horizontally disposed, rectangular cross section upper and lower ribs running between the lateral side walls of the recess comprise the upper and lower side walls of the pocket. The upper and lower surfaces of the upper and lower ribs, respectively, are co-extensive with the respective upper and lower surfaces of the club head. Thus constructed, the cutout portion of the front face of the putter head is adapted to receive an insert having a front portion or lamination of a fixed thickness which fits conformally within the recess portion of the cutout, with the lower or inner surface of the front lamination of the insert resting on the ribs, and the front surface of the lamination flush with the uncut portion of the club head face adjacent the recess. The insert has a rear portion consisting of an inner lamination or backing plate of smaller vertical extent than the front lamination of the insert, the rear portion being received in the pocket rearward of the recess. The insert is secured to the putter head by fastening means attached to the backing plate. In a preferred embodiment, the backing plate is releasably fastened to the putter head by a pair of screws which protrude forward through holes extending forward from the rear wall of the head through the bottom wall of the pocket, the screws being tightened into a pair of laterally opposed threaded holes provided in the rear surface of the backing plate.
The combination of the novel insert with the complementarily-shaped cutout in the putter head face provides an insert putter head construction in which only the front portion of an insert is exposed, allowing the rear portion or backing plate of the insert structure to be made of different materials and shapes,
Chapin William L.
Nguyen Kien T.
LandOfFree
Golf putter having laminated face insert with single exposed... 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 putter having laminated face insert with single exposed..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Golf putter having laminated face insert with single exposed... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2458801