Games using tangible projectile – Golf – Practice swingable implement or indicator associated with...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-26
2001-06-12
Passaniti, Sebastiano (Department: 3711)
Games using tangible projectile
Golf
Practice swingable implement or indicator associated with...
C473S235000, C473S236000, C273SDIG003
Reexamination Certificate
active
06244973
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to training golfers and particularly to a golfer swinging a club against a target that registers where the club head strikes the target.
PRIOR ART AND INFORMATION DISCOSURE
Many golfers are almost fanatical about improving their golf scores. Consequently, many devices have appeared intended to help them improve the accuracy of driving the ball. these inventions generally comprise a target that the driver strikes with his club and the target sticks to the ball.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,721,447 to Louderback describes a ball covered with Velcro™ loop material that adheres to the striking surface of a club covered with VELCRO hook material when the ball is struck by the club.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,026,064 to Novosel discloses a training head that, when the club is swung, strikes a moveable upright target composed of yieldable light weight material that becomes attached to the head. The addition of the target to the head provides increased resistance to train the player to increase head speed at impact and beyond. Emphasis on the training effect is to present “a relatively large target surface that the player strikes with the head of the training club thereby encouraging the player to relax due to the size of the target and the absence of any requirement other than to strike it.” The surfaces of the target and club head are covered with Velcro™ in order to that the target stick to the club head.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,782,701 to O'Bryan discloses a golf practice aid comprising a deformable inner core and an outer energy absorbing cover that makes a sound and sticks bu hook and loop material to a striking surface when struck by the club head.
Two very important aspects regarding chiving a golf ball are:
(1.) The angle which the striking surface makes with the intended direction of the ball leaving the striking surface. Ideally, the striking surface should be perpendicular to the intended direction of travel;
(2) The proximity of the point of contact of the ball with the striking surface to a location on the striking surface known to golfers as the “sweetspot” The sweetspot is allocated at the center of the striking surface and the ability to cause the ball to meet the sweet spot is very important to distance and accuracy of the drive.
The ability to determine proximity of the point of contact to the sweet spot is not as accurate using the devices of the prior art as when using the present invention. Furthermore, none of the devices of the present invention give any indication of how close to perpendicular the striking surface is to the direction of travel of the ball.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of this invention to provide a device, used with a golf club, that helps a golfer improve his drive by displaying the the proximity of the sweet spot on his club to the target of this invention. It is another object that the device display the inclination of the striking surface to the direction of his swing. It is another object that the golfer using the device need not have to retrieve the device from any distance after striking the target.
This invention is directed toward a target being a slab of material, having a flat “target” surface such as a disk or rectangular block. A target pattern (bull's eye) is inscribed on the target surface. The material is preferably styrofoam. The invention also includes a spike, about an inch long with a flat head that is adhesively attachable to the striking golf club.
In one embodiment for outdoor use, a stake is positioned through the slab and stuck in the ground so that the target surface is stood erect. In another embodiment for indoor use, the invention includes a base pad laid on a ground or floor surface configured to detachably support the pad with the target surface upright.
In use, the golfer addresses with the target at his feet and in at location normally occupied by a golf ball. He swings the club and strikes the flat surface as if it were a golf ball thereby driving the spike into the styrofoam target. The target is impaled on the spike and carried through the rest of the stroke. The golfer is then able to observe where the spike entered the target in relation to the bulls eye and is thereby guided in correcting his swing. as indicated.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1464029 (1923-08-01), Coughtrie
patent: 1600466 (1926-09-01), Goldsworthy
patent: 3194564 (1965-07-01), Swan
patent: 3325168 (1967-06-01), Fyanes
patent: 3384376 (1968-05-01), Greenlee
patent: 3721447 (1973-03-01), Louderback
patent: 4054288 (1977-10-01), Perrine
patent: 4433843 (1984-02-01), Bricco
patent: 4470603 (1984-09-01), Myers
patent: 4969645 (1990-11-01), Barbador
patent: 5026064 (1991-06-01), Novosel
patent: 5082284 (1992-01-01), Reed
patent: 5782701 (1998-06-01), O'Bryan
Passaniti Sebastiano
Smith Robert Samuel
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