Adjustable length putter

Abstract

An adjustable length putter has a putter head having a contact face adapted to contact a golf ball, a grip portion having a graspable surface adapted to be grasped by a golfer, and a shaft portion connecting the grip portion to the putter head. The shaft portion has a length adjustment mechanism with an outer shaft having a hollow interior, an inner shaft slidable within the hollow interior of the outer shaft, and a clamping mechanism moveable between an unlocked position in which the inner shaft is able to slide within the outer shaft and a locked position in which the inner shaft is prevented from sliding within the outer shaft. In one version, a pivot pin of the clamping mechanism is located in the front of the shaft portion to assist the golfer in aligning the putter during use.

1 . An adjustable length putter comprising:
 a putter head having a contact face adapted to contact a golf ball;   a grip portion having a graspable surface adapted to be grasped by a golfer; and   a shaft portion connecting the grip portion to the putter head, wherein the shaft portion has a length adjustment mechanism comprising an outer shaft having a substantially circular cross section and a hollow interior, an inner shaft having a substantially circular cross section and being slidable within the hollow interior of the outer shaft, and a clamping mechanism moveable between an unlocked position in which the inner shaft is able to slide within the outer shaft and a locked position in which the inner shaft is prevented from sliding within the outer shaft;   wherein the clamping mechanism comprises a constrictor clamp, the constrictor clamp having a clamp body that defines a passageway that receives the outer shaft, wherein the constrictor clamp comprises a clamp actuator having a cam member rotatable by a pivot arm, wherein the clamp actuator moves the clamping mechanism from the unlocked position to the locked position by rotation of the pivot arm which causes the cam member to press against the clamp body to cause the clamp body to deform and constrict and press against the shaft portion by changing a cross-sectional dimension of the passageway, and   wherein the adjustable length putter is moveable from an extended configuration to a retracted configuration by sliding the inner shaft within the outer shaft when the clamping mechanism is in the unlocked position.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . An adjustable length putter according to  claim 1  wherein the pivot arm pivots about a pivot axis to move the clamping mechanism from the unlocked position to the locked position, the pivot axis extending substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the shaft portion. 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . An adjustable length putter according to  claim 1  wherein the clamp body comprises a protrusion that extends into the passageway, the protrusion being sized and shaped to apply pressure to the shaft portion to prevent the inner shaft from sliding relative to the outer shaft when the constrictor clamp is in the locked position. 
     
     
         6 . An adjustable length putter according to  claim 5  wherein the outer shaft comprises a longitudinally extending channel on the outer surface of the outer shaft, and wherein the protrusion extends into the longitudinally extending channel. 
     
     
         7 . An adjustable length putter according to  claim 5  wherein the outer shaft comprises a longitudinally extending channel on the outer surface of the outer shaft, wherein the inner shaft comprises a longitudinally extending channel in the outer surface of the inner shaft, and wherein the longitudinally extending channels nest within one another to prevent relative rotation between the outer shaft and the inner shaft. 
     
     
         8 . An adjustable length putter according to  claim 5  wherein the outer shaft comprises a longitudinally extending channel on the outer surface of the outer shaft, wherein the inner shaft comprises a longitudinally extending channel on the outer surface of the inner shaft, wherein the longitudinally extending channels are aligned with one another, wherein the outer shaft comprises a window, and wherein the protrusion extends through the window and into the longitudinally extending channel of the inner shaft. 
     
     
         9 . An adjustable length putter according to  claim 1  wherein the outer shaft comprises a longitudinally extending channel on the outer surface of the outer shaft, wherein the inner shaft comprises a longitudinally extending channel on the outer surface of the inner shaft, and wherein the longitudinally extending channels nest within one another to prevent relative rotation between the outer shaft and the inner shaft. 
     
     
         10 . An adjustable length putter according to  claim 1  wherein the outer shaft comprises a longitudinally extending channel on the outer surface of the outer shaft, wherein the inner shaft comprises a longitudinally extending channel on the outer surface of the inner shaft, wherein the longitudinally extending channels are aligned with one another, wherein the outer shaft comprises a window so that the clamping mechanism can contact the inner shaft through the window. 
     
     
         11 . An adjustable length putter according to  claim 1  wherein the outer shaft comprises a window so that the clamping mechanism can contact the inner shaft through the window. 
     
     
         12 . An adjustable length putter according to  claim 1  wherein the clamping mechanism is a first clamping mechanism and the inner shaft is an intermediate shaft having a hollow interior, wherein the length adjustment mechanism further comprises a third shaft and a second clamping mechanism, wherein the first clamping mechanism is moveable between an unlocked position in which the intermediate shaft is able to slide within the outer shaft and a locked position in which the intermediate shaft is prevented from sliding within the outer shaft, and wherein the second clamping mechanism is moveable between an unlocked position in which the third shaft is able to slide within the intermediate shaft and a locked position in which the third shaft is prevented from sliding within the intermediate shaft. 
     
     
         13 . An adjustable length putter according to  claim 1  wherein the constrictor clamp is bi-positional so that it is either fully in its locked position or fully in its unlocked position. 
     
     
         14 . An adjustable length putter according to  claim 1  wherein the adjustable length putter can range from a retracted length of about 17 inches to an extended length of about 35 inches. 
     
     
         15 . An adjustable length putter according to  claim 1  wherein the pivot arm pivots about a pivot pin, the pivot pin defining a pivot axis extending substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the shaft portion, and wherein the pivot pin is located in the front of the shaft portion to assist the golfer in aligning the putter during use of the putter, 
     
     
         16 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . An adjustable length putter according to  claim 1  wherein the passageway is defined by a single piece of the clamp body that surrounds the outer shaft. 
     
     
         20 . An adjustable length putter according to  claim 1  wherein the clamp body comprises an integral protrusion and wherein the cam member presses against the claim body to cause the protrusion to press against the shaft portion. 
     
     
         21 . An adjustable length putter according to  claim 20  wherein the passageway is defined by a single piece of the clamp body that surrounds the outer shaft and wherein the protrusion is part of the single piece of the clamp body. 
     
     
         22 - 25 . (canceled)