US20110319189A1 - Putter head - Google Patents

Putter head Download PDF

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Publication number
US20110319189A1
US20110319189A1 US13/165,357 US201113165357A US2011319189A1 US 20110319189 A1 US20110319189 A1 US 20110319189A1 US 201113165357 A US201113165357 A US 201113165357A US 2011319189 A1 US2011319189 A1 US 2011319189A1
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
face
face insert
high hardness
putter head
portions
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
US13/165,357
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Tadahiro NARITA
Wataru Ban
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Bridgestone Sports Co Ltd
Original Assignee
Bridgestone Sports Co Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Bridgestone Sports Co Ltd filed Critical Bridgestone Sports Co Ltd
Assigned to BRIDGESTONE SPORTS CO., LTD. reassignment BRIDGESTONE SPORTS CO., LTD. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: BAN, WATARU, NARITA, TADAHIRO
Publication of US20110319189A1 publication Critical patent/US20110319189A1/en
Granted legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
    • A63B53/00—Golf clubs
    • A63B53/04—Heads
    • A63B53/0487—Heads for putters
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
    • A63B53/00—Golf clubs
    • A63B53/04—Heads
    • A63B53/0416—Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
    • A63B53/00—Golf clubs
    • A63B53/04—Heads
    • A63B53/0416—Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
    • A63B53/042—Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert the face insert consisting of a material different from that of the head
    • A63B53/0425—Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert the face insert consisting of a material different from that of the head the face insert comprising two or more different materials
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
    • A63B53/00—Golf clubs
    • A63B53/04—Heads
    • A63B53/0445—Details of grooves or the like on the impact surface
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
    • A63B53/00—Golf clubs
    • A63B53/04—Heads
    • A63B53/0458—Heads with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
    • A63B2209/00—Characteristics of used materials
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
    • A63B60/00—Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
    • A63B60/54—Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like with means for damping vibrations

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a putter head for a putter for golf, and more particularly, relates to a putter head including a face insert mounted in a face surface of a head main body thereof.
  • the putter for golf is a club for use mainly for hitting a ball on a green to roll the ball toward a cup.
  • the putter head may be constructed so as to soften a feeling of putting by mounting a face insert in a face surface thereof.
  • Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2007-117635 describes an invention that the face insert is constructed of a high hardness portion and a low hardness portion whereas the high hardness portion is formed such that a thickness thereof decreases gradually from its central portion to its peripheral portion.
  • a putter head using this face insert has a characteristic that the feeling of putting is soft and a putting sound is high.
  • An object of the present invention is to provide a putter head which ensures an excellent straight advancement of a hit ball.
  • a putter head having a head main body and a face insert mounted in a face surface of the head main body, the face insert having at least one low hardness portion and at least one high hardness portion, in which the face insert has a boundary face between the at least one low hardness portion and the at least one high hardness portion which is inclined relative to a back-to-forth direction of the putter head.
  • the face insert may include a plurality of the low hardness portions and a plurality of the high hardness portions so that the low hardness portions and the high hardness portions can be arranged in multiple layers along a direction from a top side to a sole side of the putter head.
  • the face insert may further include a surface layer of synthetic resin or metal on a front face of the face insert.
  • Each of the plurality of the high hardness portions may be separated from a front face of the face insert by the low hardness portions so that two low hardness portions adjacent to the high hardness portion can be combined with each other before a front edge of the high hardness portion and the plurality of the low hardness portions can be continuous with each other.
  • the face insert may have groove portions formed in a front face of the face insert, the groove portions reaching each front edge portion of the plurality of the high hardness portion which recedes relative to each front face of the plurality of the low hardness portions.
  • the boundary face may decline toward the rear.
  • the boundary face may rise toward the rear.
  • the head main body may have a depressed portion in which the face insert is disposed so that a side surface around the face insert can be apart from a side surface of the depressed portion.
  • the putter head may further include a viscoelastic material applied between the side surface of the face insert and the side surface of the depressed portion.
  • the spin such as overspin and backspin of the hit ball can be improved.
  • the feeling of putting a ball can be adjusted by selecting material of the synthetic resin. Additionally, it is easy to form an entire surface of the face with an even appearance.
  • the face surface of the head main body is provided with the depressed portion and the face insert is disposed within this depressed portion, by providing a gap around the face insert and applying viscoelastic material therein, there is an effect of preventing deformation of the face insert containing differences in hardness and having an inclined boundary face therein from being suppressed.
  • FIG. 1(A) is an exploded perspective view of a putter head according to an embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 1(B) is a front view of the putter head of FIG. 1(A) ;
  • FIG. 1(C) is a sectional view taken along the line C-C of FIG. 1(B) ;
  • FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II-II of FIG. 1(A) ;
  • FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a face insert of a putter head according to another embodiment
  • FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the face insert of a putter head according to another embodiment
  • FIG. 5(A) is a perspective view of the face insert of a putter head according to another embodiment
  • FIG. 5(B) is a sectional view taken along the line B-B of FIG. 5(A) ;
  • FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the face insert of a putter head according to another embodiment
  • FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the face insert of a putter head according to another embodiment
  • FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the face insert of a putter head according to another embodiment
  • FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the face insert of a putter head according to another embodiment.
  • FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the face insert of a putter head according to another embodiment
  • FIG. 11 is a sectional view of a putter head according to another embodiment
  • FIG. 12(A) is a front view of a putter head according to another embodiment.
  • FIG. 12(B) is a sectional view taken along the line B-B of FIG. 12(A) .
  • FIGS. 1 and 2 indicate a putter head 1 according to a first embodiment.
  • This putter head 1 is provided with a depressed portion 2 H in the front face (face surface) of a head main body 2 and a face insert 3 is disposed within this depressed portion 2 H.
  • the head main body 2 is made of metal.
  • a front face of the face insert 3 is flush with a front face of the head main body 2 around the depressed portion 2 H.
  • the depressed portion 2 H and the face insert 3 are of a substantially rectangular shape which is horizontally long.
  • the depth of the depressed portion 2 H is entirely even and the thickness of the face insert 3 is entirely even. However, they may be provided partly with a deep portion or a thick portion or may be provided partly with a shallow portion or a thin portion.
  • the lateral and vertical widths of the face insert 3 are slightly smaller than those of the depressed portion 2 H and there is a slight gap 4 between top, bottom, right and left side faces 3 S of the face insert 3 and the peripheral face 2 S of the depressed portion 2 H.
  • the width of this gap 4 is 0.1 to 1 mm, particularly 0.2 to 0.8 mm.
  • the vertical width is preferred to be 16 to 30 mm, particularly 18 to 25 mm
  • the lateral width is preferred to be 50 to 150 mm, particularly 70 to 100 mm
  • the thickness is preferred to be 2 to 10 mm, particularly 3 to 6 mm. However, they are not limited to these values.
  • this face insert 3 includes high hardness portions 3 a, each having a rear face of the insert, and low hardness portions 3 b, each having a front face of the insert, which are stacked alternately vertically (i.e., along the direction from a top side to a sole side of the putter head) into multiple layers.
  • high hardness portions 3 a and low hardness portions 3 b are provided such that the high hardness portion is located up and the low hardness portion is located down in each layer, thereby totaling eight layers. This total number of layers is preferred to be 20 or less, particularly 6 to 14.
  • the sectional shapes taken perpendicularly to the back-to-forth direction of the high hardness portion 3 a and the low hardness portion 3 b are substantially of a right triangle.
  • a front end of the high hardness portion 3 a reaches the front face of the face insert 3 .
  • a boundary face between the high hardness portion 3 a and the low hardness portion 3 b is an inclined face which declines toward the rear.
  • the declining gradient ⁇ of this inclined face is preferred to be 20° to 86°, particularly 30° to 84°.
  • the face insert 3 may be produced by connecting the high hardness portion 3 a and the low hardness portion 3 b together by bonding or welding. Alternatively, it is permissible to dispose the high hardness portion 3 a within a mold and insert-mold the low hardness portion 3 b by injecting corresponding material into the mold.
  • the face insert 3 is disposed within the depressed portion 2 H with a left side face in FIG. 2 as a front side of a putter face, and its opposite side is bonded to a deep wall face of the depressed portion 2 H with adhesive.
  • adhesive epoxide-based adhesive, rubber-based adhesive and the like are preferred, it is not limited to these adhesives. It is possible to use a double-faced tape.
  • a putter is constructed by connecting a shaft to a hosel portion 1 h of the putter head 1 having the above-described construction.
  • the face surface of the putter strongly pushes an upper area of the ball so that overspin is likely to be applied to the ball because of the above-mentioned inclined face, whereby straight advancement of the hit ball is improved.
  • a surface layer 3 c of thin synthetic resin may be provided on an entire front face of the face insert by bonding or welding.
  • synthetic resin of this surface layer 3 c an elastomer is preferable.
  • the thickness of the surface layer 3 c of synthetic resin is preferred to be 0.2 to 1.0 mm.
  • FIG. 3 is the same as FIG. 2 and the same reference numerals indicate the same portions.
  • a face insert 3 B of FIG. 4 the front end of a high hardness portion 3 d may be separated from the front face of the face insert 3 B, and a low hardness portion 3 e above the high hardness portion 3 d and a high hardness portion 3 e under the same high hardness portion 3 d may be combined with each other before a front edge of the high hardness portion 3 d such that both the low hardness portions are continuous with each other.
  • This face insert 3 B also has a uniform appearance because its face surface is constructed uniformly of the low hardness portion 3 e.
  • the high hardness portion 3 d has the same structure as the high hardness portion 3 a except that it is of a trapezoidal shape in cross section, lacking the front end of the high hardness portion 3 a.
  • the low hardness portion 3 e has the same structure as the low hardness portion 3 b except that the low hardness portions 3 e adjacent vertically are combined with each other.
  • the face surface may be provided with horizontally long groove portions 3 g.
  • the groove portions 3 g are provided except near the right end and the left end of the face insert 3 C.
  • the face inserts 3 A, 3 B, 3 C may be provided with the groove portions.
  • the face insert 3 C is formed by providing the groove portions 3 g in the face insert 3 B of FIG. 4 such that they reach the front ends of the high hardness portion 3 d.
  • the groove portion 3 g has a trapezoidal shape in which the vertical width of an inlet of the groove portion 3 g is large while the vertical width of the deepest portion of the groove portion 3 g is the smallest. Provision of the groove portions 3 g facilitates application of spin to a ball.
  • the other configuration of the face insert 3 C is the face insert 3 B and the same reference numerals indicate the same portions.
  • the vertical width of the inlet of the groove portion 3 g is preferred to be 0.3 to 1.6 mm, particularly 0.4 to 0.8 mm, and the depth of the groove portion is preferred to be 0.05 to 1.1 mm, particularly 0.07 to 0.5 mm.
  • the grooves may have only the same cross section, they may have multiple kinds of cross sections.
  • the face insert is so constructed that the high hardness portions and the low hardness portions are provided as a set vertically in multiple layers.
  • a face insert 3 D of FIG. 6 it is permissible to provide each of a high hardness portion 3 h and a low hardness portion 3 i.
  • Both the high hardness portion 3 h and the low hardness portion 3 i are of a right triangle and the rectangular parallelepiped face insert 3 D is formed by bonding or welding together faces corresponding to the inclined faces of the respective right triangles.
  • the thickness of the low hardness portion 3 i in the back-to-forth direction of the head decreases toward the top of the head, when a ball is hit with a putter having this face insert 3 D, a higher position of the head can apply a stronger repelling force to the ball, and thereby, overspin is applied to the ball easily.
  • the boundary face between the low hardness portion and the high hardness portion is inclined such that it descends toward the rear of the head, conversely, the boundary face may be inclined such that it rises toward the rear of the head.
  • a face insert 3 ′ of FIG. 7 is obtained by turning the face insert 3 of FIG. 2 upside down.
  • a face insert 3 C′ of FIG. 8 is obtained by turning the face insert 3 C of FIG. 5 upside down.
  • the other configurations of both cases are the same as FIG. 2 and FIG. 5 and the same reference numerals indicate the same portions.
  • the face inserts may be obtained by turning the face inserts 3 A, 3 B, and 3 C upside down.
  • a medium high hardness portion 5 b, a medium low hardness portion 5 c and a low hardness portion 5 d are disposed in order thereabove such that the hardness decreases sequentially.
  • the top faces of the high hardness portion 5 a, the medium high hardness portion 5 b and the medium low hardness portion 5 c are of a quarter-circle curve which projects upward and forward.
  • the bottom faces of the medium high hardness portion 5 b, the medium low hardness portion 5 c and the low hardness portion 5 d are of quarter-circle curve which recedes relative downwardly and backwardly.
  • the face insert 3 E is of a rectangular parallelepiped shape like the above-described face inserts. The boundary faces between the high hardness portion 5 a to the low hardness portion 5 d becomes higher toward the rear.
  • a high hardness portion 6 a, a medium high hardness portion 6 b, a medium low hardness portion 6 c and a low hardness portion 6 d are arranged such that the hardness decreases in a sequence from the bottom to the top.
  • the high hardness portion 6 a and the low hardness portion 6 d have a trapezoidal cross section and the medium high hardness portion 6 b and the medium low hardness portion 6 c have a parallelogram cross section.
  • the face insert 3 F is of a parallelogram shape like the above-described respective face inserts. The boundary faces between the high hardness portion 6 a to the low hardness portion 6 d rise toward the rear.
  • the gap 4 is formed around the face insert 3 , it is possible to dispose viscoelastic material 8 such as rubber, elastomer, or synthetic resin in this gap as shown in FIG. 11 . As shown in a putter head 1 ′ of FIG. 12 , it is possible to construct the face insert 3 so as to fit to the depressed portion 2 H without any gap 4 .
  • viscoelastic material 8 such as rubber, elastomer, or synthetic resin
  • FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 are the same as FIG. 1 , and the same reference numerals indicate the same portions. Provision of the gap 4 or the viscoelastic material 8 eliminates generation of residual stress in the face insert, thereby ensuring an effect that rebound characteristics of the face insert are obtained as designed.

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  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Physical Education & Sports Medicine (AREA)
  • Golf Clubs (AREA)
US13/165,357 2010-06-29 2011-06-21 Putter head Granted US20110319189A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP2010-147856 2010-06-29
JP2010147856A JP2012010767A (ja) 2010-06-29 2010-06-29 パターヘッド

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US20110319189A1 true US20110319189A1 (en) 2011-12-29

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US13/165,357 Granted US20110319189A1 (en) 2010-06-29 2011-06-21 Putter head

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JP (1) JP2012010767A (ja)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20150352412A1 (en) * 2014-06-10 2015-12-10 Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd. Golf club head

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP5508227B2 (ja) * 2010-11-02 2014-05-28 ダンロップスポーツ株式会社 パター型ゴルフクラブヘッド及びパター型ゴルフクラブ
JP6608611B2 (ja) * 2015-04-28 2019-11-20 大清工業株式会社 パターヘッド及びパター
US12029947B1 (en) * 2022-08-22 2024-07-09 Cobra Golf Incorporated Golf club head

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5083778A (en) * 1988-02-18 1992-01-28 Douglass Michael B Golf club putter head
US5405136A (en) * 1993-09-20 1995-04-11 Wilson Sporting Goods Co. Golf club with face insert of variable hardness
US6001030A (en) * 1998-05-27 1999-12-14 Delaney; William Golf putter having insert construction with controller compression
US20070099724A1 (en) * 2005-10-31 2007-05-03 Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd. Putter head
US20100087269A1 (en) * 2008-05-19 2010-04-08 Nike, Inc. Putter Heads And Putters Including Polymeric Material As Part Of The Ball Striking Face
US20110136585A1 (en) * 2008-10-28 2011-06-09 Nike, Inc. Golf Club Face with Spin Strip

Family Cites Families (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS59225081A (ja) * 1983-06-02 1984-12-18 金井　孝雄 パタ−
JP2001276286A (ja) * 2000-03-31 2001-10-09 Yoshimitsu Kuno ゴルフ用パター及びそのヘッド
JP4108498B2 (ja) * 2003-02-07 2008-06-25 有限会社三井ゴム工業所 ゴルフパター
JP2005137913A (ja) * 2003-11-10 2005-06-02 Acushnet Co パターゴルフクラブ
JP2007117472A (ja) * 2005-10-28 2007-05-17 Bridgestone Sports Co Ltd パターヘッド
US7713139B1 (en) * 2008-10-28 2010-05-11 Nike, Inc. Golf club face with spin strip
US8083611B2 (en) * 2008-11-05 2011-12-27 Sri Sports Limited Putter-type golf club head

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5083778A (en) * 1988-02-18 1992-01-28 Douglass Michael B Golf club putter head
US5405136A (en) * 1993-09-20 1995-04-11 Wilson Sporting Goods Co. Golf club with face insert of variable hardness
US6001030A (en) * 1998-05-27 1999-12-14 Delaney; William Golf putter having insert construction with controller compression
US20070099724A1 (en) * 2005-10-31 2007-05-03 Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd. Putter head
US20100087269A1 (en) * 2008-05-19 2010-04-08 Nike, Inc. Putter Heads And Putters Including Polymeric Material As Part Of The Ball Striking Face
US20110136585A1 (en) * 2008-10-28 2011-06-09 Nike, Inc. Golf Club Face with Spin Strip

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20150352412A1 (en) * 2014-06-10 2015-12-10 Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd. Golf club head
US9539478B2 (en) * 2014-06-10 2017-01-10 Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd. Golf club head

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AS Assignment

Owner name: BRIDGESTONE SPORTS CO., LTD., JAPAN

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:NARITA, TADAHIRO;BAN, WATARU;REEL/FRAME:026473/0716

Effective date: 20110526

STCB Information on status: application discontinuation

Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION