Games using tangible projectile – Golf – Practice swingable implement or indicator associated with...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-16
2001-12-04
Graham, Mark S. (Department: 3711)
Games using tangible projectile
Golf
Practice swingable implement or indicator associated with...
C482S111000, C440S101000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06325727
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a golf swing training device and more particularly to a golf swing training device and method for use of the device in an aquatic environment where the use of the device and method enhances muscle memory and golf swing strength.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Golf is a simple sport that involves the use of a golf club which has at one end thereof a weighted club head connected by a shaft to a handle gripped by the golfer. The object of the sport is to swing the golf club in a manner that causes the club head to pass through an arc and strike a golf ball adjacent the ground so that the impact of the head with ball causes the ball to move towards a preselected destination, namely, a hole in the ground. The sport of golf is easy to describe but difficult to execute as many factors are involved in the accurate swinging of the club to strike the ball in a controlled manner.
The neurobiology involved in a golf swing is equally simple to describe. The cerebellum in the base of the human brain is connected via the spinal cord to all the muscles in the body. The cerebellum is responsible for the coordination of muscle movement and therefore controls gross and fine motor movements of muscles in the body.
Brain cells, that is neurons are comprised of a cell body and an axon i.e., nerve fiber that emanates from the cell. The neuron when activated will produce an electrical signal that travels along the nerve fiber to another neuron(s) which in turn are triggered to produce a signal that eventually reaches a fibrous bundle of muscles in the body. The delivery to the muscle of the electrical signal via the nerve fiber causes the muscle to contract. Muscles connected at either end to joints or other muscles respond by moving an associated limb or muscle in response to the contraction of the muscle. The just described controlled activation of a muscles is only half of the story. There are neurons located in the muscles of the body that are connected to the brain via nerve fibers. Any physical stimulation of the muscles causes these neurons in the muscles to generate signals representative of physical stimulation and these signals are fed back to the brain to complete a servo loop with neural circuits in the brain that are involved in generating muscle control signals. These muscle controlled neural circuits are also connected to portions of the brain that respond to visual input from the eyes. The human mind which is resident in the brain directs the cooperation of the muscle control neural circuits in the cerebellum with visual input. Feedback from the muscles actually aides in the formation of the muscle control neural circuits in the brain. The stronger the feedback signal to the muscle control circuits the more completely these circuits develop. It is these muscle control circuits that are involved in that which is called muscle memory. It is believed by many that the more this just described muscle control circuit servo loop is activated the stronger it becomes. For example, once an individual learns to ride a bicycle the ability to ride a bike is recorded in muscle memory circuits and continues to be operative for a life time.
It should also be recognized that the development of muscle memory of a golf swing is essential to effortless swings that allow the club head to accurately hit the golf ball. This, however, is only half of the story because the distance the ball will travel is dependent upon the momentum of the club head when it strikes the ball. Momentum is measured as a function of the mass of club head and the velocity it reaches at the moment of impact with the ball. The velocity of the club head is, in part, a function of the muscular energy delivered to club from the muscles of the back shoulders and arms of the golfer. Where distance the golf ball travels is a desirable outcome then the condition of these muscles is also vital to delivering the golf ball to a desired location. It is common knowledge that repetitive flexing of a muscle against a resistive force strengthens the muscle. It follows that when specifics sets of muscles repetitively experience resistance to flexing they physically change to accommodate the increased resistance. We characterize this physical change as increased strength which means these muscles have a greater capacity to deliver muscle energy to the golf club handle.
It would seem that the most successful golfer would have great muscle memory and muscle strength tailored to the specific muscles involved in the muscle memory.
In view of the foregoing, muscle memory involves the neural circuitry of the brain as well as the neural circuits that find their origin in the muscles of the body and connect to neural circuits in the brain. It is the servo loop circuit comprised of both brain and body neural circuits that establishes what this application defines as a muscle memory circuit or muscle memory as it will be called hereinafter.
It is against this just described explanation of muscle memory and golf swing training that the prior attempts to enhance muscle memory and improve golf swing will be distinguished.
The pursuit of golfing excellence has led a long line of inventors to develop training devices that enhance a golfers muscle memory and strength. Golf swing training in an aquatic environment is shown and described in the aquatic exercise assembly of D. Solloway, U.S. Pat. No. 4,311,306, issued Jan. 19, 1982. Solloway equips the head of a golf club with a water resistance exercise assembly that enhances the resistance of the golf head assembly as it passes through the water. Variation in resistance experienced by the user is accomplished by varying the speed at which the user swings the golf club training device through the water. Use of the Solloway device reportedly will improve muscle memory and muscle strength. An overriding concern not addressed by the Solloway patent asks what specific muscles are involved in the muscle memory developed by swinging the club through the water. In the Solloway training device the water resisting exercise assembly is located in the region of the golf club head. It takes very little imagination to visualize the exercise assembly at the head of the golf club being swung through the water. The resistive force experienced by the golf head assembly will be transmitted as a torque delivered to the wrist and lower arm of the user. The lever arm involved in generating the torque is of course defined by the length of golf club shaft where the users hand grasp a handle. When the neurobiology of muscle memory is taken into account it is immediately recognized that the reactive forces experienced by the muscles in the users wrists and lower arms generate feedback signals to the brain that aid in the formation of muscle control servo loop circuit that establishes muscle memory. This memory circuit will not match the nature of a muscle memory circuit needed by the user when the user leaves the aquatic environment. It also follows that the muscles that are strengthened are not the ones employed when the golfer swings a club in a non-aquatic environment.
The need to strengthen specific muscles involved in a golf swing as well as ensuring that the golfer keep an eye on the ball during a swing is addressed by the golf swing training and exercising devise of A. Kiehl in U.S. Pat. No. 4,326,718 issued Apr. 27, 1982. The Kiehl device wisely recognizes that the position of a golfers head and eyes is a factor in perfecting a golf swing and provides a physical head restraint to correctly position the golfers head during a swing of the golf club. The Kiehl training device is equipped with variable resistance load that operates through a series of swing arms that cooperate with a hand grip that the user engages and attempts to move through an arc of the nature needed to swing a golf club. Here while the path of the club swing may be practiced the resistive load feedback via the swing arms does not duplicate that experienced by the muscles of the golfer when the golfer is on a golf course
Gorden Raeann
Graham Mark S.
Leydig , Voit & Mayer, Ltd.
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