# US 5,707,296 A · Training putter with laser line alignment system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,707,296 A - Document ID: US5707296A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/738,904 - Filed: 1996-10-28 - Granted: 1998-01-13 - Earliest claimed: 1996-10-28 - Inventors: Fred S. Hodgson; John S. Fedor - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5707296A ## CPC - A63B 69/3614: {using electro-magnetic, magnetic or ultrasonic radiation emitted, reflected or interrupted by the golf club} - A63B 69/3676: {for putting (A63B69/3608, A63B69/3661, A63B69/3667 and A63B69/3697 take precedence)} - A63B 53/0487: {for putters (A63B53/065 takes precedence)} - A63B 2071/0694: {Visual indication, e.g. Indicia} - A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H) ## Abstract A putter including a club head, a shaft, a handle, a ball striking face, a heel, a toe, and an upper surface, with the shaft being connected to the upper surface, and a pair of light sources located in the ball striking face. One light source is located adjacent to the heel and other light source is located adjacent the toe. Also, included in the putter is a power source for energizing the light sources; a switch for connecting the light sources to the power source; and, an optical device associated with each of the light sources for focusing a light beam from said light sources, when the light sources are energized, into a continuous, visible linear image of light in the form of a persistent, visual pair of alignment lines on a putting surface. The pair of alignment lines extend forwardly of and perpendicular to the striking face from a point on the putting surface adjacent the ball striking face towards a remote target, said image being formed at each side of a golf ball when the putter head is in place behind the ball prior to and during the execution of a putting stroke. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A putter type golf club head including a club head, a shaft and a handle; said club head including a ball striking face, a heel, a toe, and an upper surface; said shaft being connected to said upper surface; the improvement comprising: a pair of light sources located in said ball striking face; one source being adjacent to said heel and other source being located adjacent said toe; a power source for energizing said light sources; switching means for connecting said light sources to said power source; and, optical means associated with each of said light sources for focusing a light beam from said light sources, when said light sources are energized, into a continuous, visible linear image of light in the form of a persistent, visual pair of alignment lines on a putting surface, said pair of alignment lines extending forwardly of and perpendicular to the ball striking face from a point on the putting surface adjacent said ball striking face toward a remote target; said image being formed at each side of a golf ball when the putter type club head is in place behind the ball prior to and during the execution of a putting stroke. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The putter of claim 1 wherein said light sources are light emitting laser diodes. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The putter of claim 1 wherein said power source and said switching means are located in said handle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The putter of claim 1 wherein said switching means includes an on/off switch and a pressure sensitive switch in series with said light sources and said power source. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The putter of claim 1 wherein said putter head includes an opening in said heel and an opening in said toe, said openings sized to snugly fit said light sources therein. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The putter of claim 5 further including a channel in said club head in communication with an interior opening in said shaft for housing electrical leads connected between said light sources and said power supply. ### Claim 7 A putter type golf club head including a club head, a shaft and a handle; said club head including a ball striking face, a heel, a toe, and an upper surface; said shaft being connected to said upper surface; the improvement comprising: a pair of light sources located in said ball striking face; one source being adjacent to said heel and other source being located adjacent said toe; a power source for energizing said light sources; optical means associated with each of said light sources for focusing a light beam from said light sources, when said light sources are energized, into a continuous, visible linear image of light in the form of a persistent, visual pair of alignment lines on a putting surface, said pair of alignment lines extending forwardly of and perpendicular to the ball striking face from a point on the putting surface adjacent said ball striking face toward a remote target; said image being formed at each side of a golf ball when the putter type club head is in place behind the ball prior to and during the execution of a putting stroke; and switching means for connecting said light sources to said power source, said switching means being located in said handle; said switching means including an on-off switch and a pressure sensitive switch in series with said on-off switch whereby said on-off switch and said pressure sensitive switch both are required to be in an on position to energize said light sources. ### Claim 8 A putter type golf club head including a club head, a shaft and a handle; said club head including a ball striking face, a heel, a toe, and an upper surface; said shaft being connected to said upper surface; the improvement comprising: a pair of light sources located in said ball striking face; one source being adjacent to said heel and other source being located adjacent said toe; a power source in said shaft for energizing said light sources; optical means associated with each of said light sources for focusing a light beam from said light sources, when said light sources are energized, into a continuous, visible linear image of light in the form of a persistent, visual pair of alignment lines on a putting surface, said pair of alignment lines extending forwardly of and perpendicular to the ball striking face from a point on the putting surface adjacent said ball striking face toward a remote target; said image being formed at each side of a golf ball when the putter type club head is in place behind the ball prior to and during the execution of a putting stroke; switching means for connecting said light sources to said power source, said switching means being located in said handle; said switching means including an on-off switch and a pressure sensitive switch in series with said on-off switch whereby said on-off switch and said pressure sensitive switch both are required to be in an on position to energize said light sources; said club head being further defined by an opening in said heel, an opening in said toe, said openings sized to snugly fit said light sources therein; and a channel connecting said openings; a shaft opening in said shaft; said channel and said shaft opening housing electrical leads between said light sources and said power source in said shaft. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1, 7, 8) The putter head of claim 1, 7 or 8 further including on said upper surface a pair of sighting lines located at the heel at toe which appear to a golfer to be extensions of said alignment lines when viewing the putter head from above.