Games using tangible projectile – Golf – Club or club support
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-07
2002-04-30
Graham, Mark S. (Department: 3711)
Games using tangible projectile
Golf
Club or club support
C473S288000, C473S314000, C473S291000, C473S292000, C473S334000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06379261
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
The field of the present invention relates to devices for golf swing training and muscle exercising devices which enable users to develop the proper elements of a golf swing while exercising the muscles generally utilized in a proper golf swing.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
At whatever level of play a golfer has reached, there is continuing need for practice in order to improve or perfect one's golf swing. It is every educated golfer's desire to consistently execute a perfect well-timed swing where everything comes together in an easy relaxed motion. In such a swing the club head will meet the ball at an optimal attitude and will continue along the target line, propelling the ball flight where the golfer has aimed it. Whether a beginner, a low handicapper or week-end golfer, it is every golfer's desire to consistently execute a perfect well-timed swing where everything comes together in an easy relaxed motion. In such a swing the club head will meet the ball at an optimal attitude and will continue along the target line, propelling the ball flight where the golfer has aimed it. To occasionally execute such a swing provides a peak experience to any golfer's game. To repeatedly execute such a swing is the ultimate goal to which every golfer aspires as he or she contemplates the state of their game.
A golf swing is a combination of a number of actions or elements completed in series. An improper execution of any one or more of these actions will produce other than an optimum swing. While such elements can be evaluated individually, it is their flowing sequential execution that provides a dynamic interrelationship to produce a desired golf swing. Individually, the actions or elements that make up the preferred golf swing can be generally summarized as; the hand placement on the club and the club extension, release, and follow-through as the club is swung. These elements occur sequentially, with the upper body rotating as the club is swung and a weight transfer occurring from one leg to the other. During extension, the golfer's weight is generally on his or her back leg. At release, it is evenly distributed, and at follow-through, his or her weight will have transferred to the leading leg.
The present invention provides a dynamic training system whose repeated use will condition a golfer to perform a proper golf swing. Whereas, earlier devices and arrangements have addressed improving or modifying aspects of the swing only. For example, certain earlier devices have dealt with club grips for positioning a golfer's hands around the club grip and, to that end, have provided grooves, finger pads, and ridges to fit the contours of his hands. Some such grips are shown in patents by Papin, U.S. Pat. No. 1,638,454; English, U.S. Pat. No. 3,111,322; Beebe, U.S. Pat. No. 2,628,100; Smith, U.S. Pat. No. 2,046,191; Ottman, U.S. Pat. No. 2,298,505 and Cummings et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,427,376.
In addition to earlier U.S. Patents disclosing club grips, an earlier patent to Barnhart, U.S. Pat. No. 2,146,048, recognized a benefit to weight displacement in using a bent golf club shaft. This weighted shaft arrangement was, however, intended only to dampen a shock imparted into the golf club shaft when the head struck a golf ball.
A number of other golf club training and guiding devices have been proposed for training golfers with respect to maintaining the proper golf club movement while addressing and striking the golf ball. See for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,121,925; 5,083,790; 3,583,707; 3,351,346; 3,341,208; 3,339,927; 2,756,056; 2,520,287; 1,944,942 and 1,567,530. Most of these patents utilize rings, and/or arc devices for aiding the golfer during the golf swing and some of these devices utilize guides wherein the club may be connected to a ring or arc to indicate to the golfer the proper club swing movement. While these patents may provide help to some, they may be viewed by others a cumbersome, and to hard to understand, which lead to limited use and ultimately to non-usage.
Other swing training clubs and related devices have also been proposed. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,050,874; 4,653,757; 4,580,786; 4,262,573; 4,229,002; 3,738,661; 3,703,294; 3,614,108; 3,462,156; 3,429,571; 3,319,963; 2,848,234; 2,328,408; and 1,893,920. Most of these devices are believed to be to large, to heavy, to expensive and/or demonstrate a lack of portability or durability. As such, these devices are believed to be impractical for convenient use and/or commercial distribution.
Additionally, a bent shaft and weighted head arrangement is shown for a golf swing training device in a patent by Strahan, U.S. Pat. No.
3
,
351
,
346
. This swing trainer, however, while it recognizes a benefit to a bent shaft and a weighted end displaced from a golf swing center line, is significantly different in structure from the trainer of the present invention in that it teaches a trainer shaft having a single bend only and it arranges a weight to encircle the shaft and to be adjustable vertically thereon. Also, the Strahan trainer is used to retrain a golfer to perform an inside-out golf swing correcting only a single aspect of the swing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,511,147 to Olsen also teaches a weighted training club having a double bent shaft and a training grip on the proximate end of the shaft. The training club is generally the same length as a fall length club, however, and would be difficult to use indoors where space is limited. Furthermore, the weighted end of the club has a set weight which may or may not be an appropriate weight for golfers of various size/age or strength. Therefore, it is believed that such a training club would be of only limited use to golfers of a certain size and strength and/or to seasonal golfers living in colder climates where one might find themselves indoors in close quarters during the winter or during otherwise inclement weather; quarters too close to use a swing trainer the length of a regular golf club.
Accordingly, it will be appreciated that there is a continuing need for new and improved training clubs that will benefit golfers of all ages and genders; a swing trainer which can be easily used inside and out, by users of various size and strength. The present invention provides advantages over the prior devices and the prior methods used to resurface these and other surfaces, and also offers other advantages over the prior art and solves other problems associated therewith.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A golf swing training and muscle exercising apparatus or swing trainer is provided which is designed to be used indoors as well as outdoors. The golf swing trainer includes a double bent shaft having upper and lower end portions separated by a center portion, the center portion being interconnected at opposite ends with each of the upper and lower end portions by first and second joining portions. The upper and lower end portions being substantially straight and having respective center lines, wherein the center line for the upper end portion is the first center line, the center line for the center portion is the second center line and the center line for the lower end portion is the third center line, the first center line lying at an angle A to the second center line an the second center line lying at an angle B to the third center line. The first center line, second center line and third center line preferably lie in the same plane and angle B is preferably greater than angle A. This permits the weighted head at the distal end of the swing trainer to be centered somewhat more closely to an extensions of the first center line allowing the weighted head, while still offset from the first center line, to feel more centered to the user when gripping the proximal end of swing trainer. It will be appreciated that this is advantageous in a shortened club, because of the potential overemphasis of the offset when, it is believed to be too great and which may result from the use of the shortened club length. In preferred embodiments, angle A preferably is fro
Gordon Raeann
Graham Mark S.
Moore & Hansen
LandOfFree
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