IP Library Granted Patent US 8,480,504
Granted Patent B2
US 8,480,504 · App. 13/270,451 · Granted Jul 9, 2013

Golf club head with alignment markings

Inventors: Thomas R. Hilton (Cardiff, CA); Augustin W. Rollinston (Carlsbad, CA)
Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,480,504
App. No.
13/270,451
Granted
Jul 9, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A golf club putter having an alignment pattern is disclosed herein. The alignment pattern has first and second long lines that approach each other as they extend from an aft region of the putter to a front region of the putter and, when the putter is properly aligned with a golf ball, create an optical illusion of convergence of said lines at or near a center of the golf ball without actually intersecting.

Claims (34)

1. An alignment pattern for a top surface of a putter head comprising:

a first long line having a length of 2 to 4 inches; and

and a second long line having a length of 2 to 4 inches,

wherein the first and second long lines extend from a rear portion of the top surface of the putter to a location proximate a face of the putter,

wherein the first and second long lines converge without intersecting as they approach the face,

wherein the first and second long lines create an optical illusion of continuity past the face and into a golf ball having a diameter of approximately 1.680 inches when the golf ball is properly aligned with the putter head and is substantially adjacent to the face, and

wherein the first and second long lines appear to intersect at a center of the golf ball.

2. The alignment pattern of claim 1 , further comprising a median stripe disposed between the first and second long lines.

3. The alignment pattern of claim 2 , wherein the median stripe extends from a rearward-most end of the top surface of the putter to a location proximate the face of the putter.

4. The alignment pattern of claim 2 , wherein the median stripe has a length that is less than the lengths of the first and second long lines.

5. The alignment pattern of claim 2 , wherein the median stripe bisects the alignment pattern.

6. The alignment pattern of claim 2 , wherein the first and second long lines do not intersect the median stripe.

7. The alignment pattern of claim 1 , wherein the first and second long lines originate at the rear portion at a distance of between 1 and 2 inches from each other.

8. The alignment pattern of claim 1 , wherein the first and second long lines terminate at the face at a distance of less than an inch from each other.

9. The alignment pattern of claim 1 , further comprising first and second short lines.

10. A putter head comprising a top surface, a face, and a rear end,

wherein the putter head has a mass of 250 to 500 grams,

wherein the top surface has a front region proximate the face and an aft region proximate the rear end,

wherein the top surface comprises an alignment feature having a first long line and a second long line,

wherein the first long line and second long line extend from the aft region to the front region,

wherein the first long line and second long line converge without intersecting,

wherein the first and second long lines are between 2 and 4 inches long,

wherein the first and second long lines create an optical illusion of continuity past the face and into a golf ball having a diameter of approximately 1.68 inches when the golf ball is properly aligned with the putter head and is substantially adjacent to the face, and

wherein the first and second long lines appear to intersect at a center of the golf ball.

11. The putter head of claim 10 , wherein the putter head is composed of a metal selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, aluminum, aluminum alloy, titanium, titanium alloy, magnesium, magnesium alloy, tungsten, and tungsten alloy.

12. The putter head of claim 11 , wherein the putter head is composed of stainless steel.

13. The putter head of claim 10 , wherein the alignment feature further comprises a median stripe disposed between the first and second long lines.

14. The putter head of claim 13 , wherein the first and second long lines do not intersect the median stripe.

15. The putter head of claim 13 , wherein the median stripe extends from the aft region to the front region, and wherein the median stripe has a length that is less than the lengths of the first and second long lines.

16. The putter head of claim 10 , wherein the first and second long lines originate at the aft region at a distance of between 1 and 2 inches from each other.

17. The putter head of claim 10 , wherein the first and second long lines terminate at the front region at a distance of less than an inch from each other.

18. The putter head of claim 10 , wherein the alignment feature further comprises first and second short lines.

19. The putter head of claim 10 , further comprising a face insert composed of a polyurethane material.

20. The putter head of claim 10 , wherein the face has a thickness of 0.10 to 0.50 inch.

Assignments (8)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL/FRAME 063665/0176 Recorded Jun 1, 2026
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANY (F/K/A TOPGOLF CALLAWAY BRANDS CORP.); TRAVISMATHEW, LLC; OGIO INTERNATIONAL, INC.; WORLD GOLF TOUR, LLC
Reel/Frame 075834/0150 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 17, 2023
From: TOPGOLF CALLAWAY BRANDS CORP.; OGIO INTERNATIONAL, INC.; TOPGOLF INTERNATIONAL, INC.; TRAVISMATHEW, LLC; WORLD GOLF TOUR, LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 063692/0009 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 16, 2023
From: TOPGOLF CALLAWAY BRANDS CORP. (FORMERLY CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANY); OGIO INTERNATIONAL, INC.; TOPGOLF INTERNATIONAL, INC.; TRAVISMATHEW, LLC; WORLD GOLF TOUR, LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 063665/0176 →
RELEASE (REEL 048172 / FRAME 0001) Recorded Mar 17, 2023
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
To: TOPGOLF CALLAWAY BRANDS CORP. (F/K/A CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANY); OGIO INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Reel/Frame 063622/0187 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 23, 2019
From: CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANY; CALLAWAY GOLF SALES COMPANY; CALLAWAY GOLF BALL OPERATIONS, INC.; OGIO INTERNATIONAL, INC.; CALLAWAY GOLF INTERACTIVE, INC.; CALLAWAY GOLF INTERNATIONAL SALES COMPANY; TRAVISMATHEW, LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 048110/0352 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 4, 2019
From: CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANY; OGIO INTERNATIONAL, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 048172/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 16, 2018
From: CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANY; CALLAWAY GOLF SALES COMPANY; CALLAWAY GOLF BALL OPERATIONS, INC.; OGIO INTERNATIONAL, INC.; CALLAWAY GOLF INTERACTIVE, INC.; CALLAWAY GOLF INTERNATIONAL SALES COMPANY
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 045350/0741 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 11, 2011
From: HILTON, THOMAS R.; ROLLINSON, AUGUSTIN W.
To: CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANY
Reel/Frame 027041/0988 →
Continuity (5)
Continuation In Part 29362886 · Jun 1, 2010
Continuation In Part 29367280 · Aug 5, 2010
Continuation In Part 29377322 · Oct 20, 2010
Provisional Application 61391938 · Oct 11, 2010
Related Publication 20120040771A1 · Feb 16, 2012