Games using tangible projectile – Golf – Practice swingable implement or indicator associated with...
Patent
1995-12-11
1997-01-28
Marlo, George J.
Games using tangible projectile
Golf
Practice swingable implement or indicator associated with...
A63B 6936
Patent
active
055973612
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to golfing aids, and more particularly to devices for identifying and indicating the location on the club face which is struck by the golf ball.
BACKGROUND ART
Numerous aids are available to assist the golfer in improving his or her golf stroke. For example, it is useful to the golfer to be able to identify the location on the club face struck by the ball so that the golfer can modify his or her stance, grip or swing to improve the impact location to result in greater distance or avoid hooking or slicing shots. As with tennis racquets, golf club heads have a "sweet spot" which is the optimum location for striking the ball to provide maximum distance and accuracy.
One golfing aid which assists in determining the location of impact of the golf ball on the club head in a golfer's stroke is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,173 Brown. It provides a hook and loop fastener, one component of which covers the club face and the other component of which is made into a ring to form the "ball". When the club strikes the "ball" the "ball" sticks to the club face to indicate the impact location. This apparatus however does not reproduce the striking of an actual golf ball to allow the mimicking of an actual golf shot.
Another prior art device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,898,389 Plutt. This device uses an array of electronic transducers attached to the club face to sense the impact of the ball and communicate electric signals to a processor which displays the point of impact electronically. Such a device is sufficiently expensive to produce and difficult to use to discourage widespread acceptance. A simpler device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,746 Jones. this patent discloses a device for marking the point of impact of a golf ball on the face of a golf club. It comprises an outer translucent sheet of one colour which is connected to an underlying sheet of a contrasting colour. There is a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive between the two sheets such that the impact of a golf ball causes the two sheets to adhere and the colour of the underlying sheet to show through the translucent sheet in the area of impact. This device has been found to deteriorate after the impact and leave an imprecise impression of the impact location. Another similar device is disclosed in International Application no. PCT/GB89/01036, published 22 Mar. 1990 under WO 90/02586. In this device, two sheets form a pocket containing a high viscosity coloured liquid. The pocket is mounted on a club face by adhesive. The thickness of the viscous liquid and shape of the impact area indicates the point of impact of the ball on the club face and the impact angle.
Consequently there is a need for a golf club strike indicator which is inexpensive to produce, easy to apply and remove, can be re-used numerous times and provides an accurate impression of the impact location of the golf ball on the club face.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
The invention provides a self-adhesive sticker or decal which adheres to the club face. It consists of a sandwich of four layers--a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive on the bottom, followed by a layer of high-hysteresis (energy-absorbing) elastomeric material on which is provided a film of a thermochromic material, such as a temperature sensitive liquid crystal, followed by a top layer of a clear high impact plastic.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
In drawings which illustrate an embodiment of the invention:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a golf club head;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the invention, partially exploded;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the invention applied to a driver head;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the invention applied to an iron head;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the invention applied to a driver head, after impact with a golf ball; and
FIG. 6 is a plan view of a further embodiment of the invention.
BEST MODE(S) FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
A golf club shown in FIG. 1, in particular a driver 10, has a shaft 12 to which is attached a club hea
REFERENCES:
patent: 3071379 (1963-01-01), Ramsey
patent: 5033746 (1991-07-01), Jones
patent: 5142309 (1992-08-01), Lee
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