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US 8,075,416 B2Granted
Adjustable putter alignment aide
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorsJohn T. Stites, David N. Franklin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A golf club head with a body and a pivotable alignment aide non-removably housed on a top surface of the body is provided. The pivotable alignment aide is pivotable relative to the top surface and about an axis of rotation transverse to the top surface. The pivotable alignment aide may be coupled to the remainder of the golf club head through a resistive connection and may be shifted to assist a golfer in squaring the face of the golf club face to a perceived eye line and resulting in the golfer being able to better square the golf club head with the eye line at a point of contact. The golf club head may be a golf club head for a putter.
Claims17
A golf club head comprising:
- a body;
- a front surface including a hitting surface;
- a pivotable alignment aide non-removably located on a top surface of the body including a swivel end and a rotating end on opposing sides of a pivot, the swivel end being the single shortest side of the pivotable alignment aide, the side of the pivotable alignment aide closest to the hitting surface in a first position, and parallel to the hitting surface in the first position,
- wherein the pivotable alignment aide is pivotable relative to the top surface and about an axis of rotation transverse to the top surface and configured to permit the rotating end and the swivel end to each rotate about the pivot in opposing directions relative to the first position;
- and
- an alignment aide pivot guidance mechanism.
3 more elements
A golf club head comprising:
- a body;
- a front surface including a hitting surface;
- a pivotable alignment aide non-removably located on a top surface of the body including a swivel end and a rotating end on opposing sides of a pivot, the swivel end being the single shortest side of the pivotable alignment aide, the side of the pivotable alignment aide closest to the hitting surface in a first position, and parallel to the hitting surface in the first positon,
- wherein the pivotable alignment aide is pivotable relative to the top surface and about an axis of rotation transverse to the top surface and configured to permit the rotating end and the swivel end to each roate about the pivot in opposing directions relative to the first position;
- a first range of pivot of the rotating end and a second range of pivot of the rotating end, the first and second range of pivot of the rotating end being equivalent and in opposing directions from the first position at which the swivel end is parallel to the hitting surface;
- and
- a pair of rotation stops, each of the rotation stops being housed on the top surface of the body and forming a pivot range boundary to one of the respective first and second ranges of pivot of the rotating end.
4 more elements
A golf club head, comprising:
- a body;
- a front surface including a hitting surface;
- a pivotable alignment aide non-removably located on a top surface of the body including a swivel end and a rotating end on oppoing sides of a pivot, the swivel end being the single shortest side of the pivotable alignment aide, the side of the pivotable alignment aide closest to the hitting surface in a first position, and parallel to the hitting surface in the first position,
- wherein the pivotable alignment aide is pivotable relative to the top surface of about an axis of rotation transverse to the top surface and configured to permit the rotating end and the swivel end to each rotate about the pivot in opposing directions relative to the first position;
- and
- wherein the perimeter of the pivotable alignment aide is an isosceles triangle.
3 more elements
A golf club head, comprising:
- a body;
- a front surface including a hitting surface;
- a pivotable alignment aide non-removably located on a top surface of the body including a swivel end and a rotating end on opposing sides of a pivot, the swivel end being the single shortest side of the pivotable alignment aide, the side of the pivotable alignment aide closest to the hitting surface in a first position, and parallel to the hitting surface in the first position, wherein the picotable alignment aide is pivotable relative to the top surface and about an axis of rotation transverse to the top surface and configured to permit the rotating end and the swivel end to each rotate about the pivot in opposing directions relative to the first position;
- and
- wherein the pivotable alignment aide is triangularly shaped and is symmetrical across a line perpendicular to the hitting surface when the pivotable alignment aide is in the first position.
2 more elements
A golf club head, comprising:
- a body;
- a front surface including a hitting surface;
- a pivotable alignment aide non-removably located on a top surface of the body including a swivel end and a rotating end on opposing sides of a pivot, the swivel end being the single shortest side of the pivotable alignment aide, the side of the pivotable alignment aide closest to the hitting surface in a first position, and parallel to the hitting surface in the first position, wherein the pivotable alignment aide is pivotable relative to the top surface and about an axis of rotation transverse to the top surface and configured to permit the rotating end and the swivel end to each rotate about the pivot in opposing directions relative to the first position, and
- an incremental pivot configured such that the pivoting end rotates in predefined increments about the pivot.
1 more element
A golf club head, comprising:
- a body;
- a front surface including a hitting surface;
- a pivotable alignment aide non-removably located on a top surface of the body including a swivel end and a rotating end on opposing sides of a pivot,the swivel end being the single shortest side of the pivotable alignment aide, the side of the pivotable alignment aide closest to the hitting surface in a first position, and a parallel to the hitting surface in the first position, wherein the pivotable alignment aide is pivotable relative to the top surface and about an axis of rotation transverse to the top surface and configured to permit the rotating end and the swivel end to each rotate about the pivot in opposing directions relative to the first position;
- and
- wherein the pivotable alignment aide is housed in a recess of the top surface of the body and configured such that a top surface of the pivotable alignment aide is flush with the top surface of the body.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.