U.S. patent application number 10/532942 was filed with the patent office on 2006-12-28 for golf ball marking system.
Invention is credited to David Pelz.
Application Number | 20060293113 10/532942 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32233454 |
Filed Date | 2006-12-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060293113 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Pelz; David |
December 28, 2006 |
Golf ball marking system
Abstract
In accordance with the invention, a golf ball is marked with two
equatorial O-rings adjacent an equator of the ball and equally
spaced therefrom, which are in a golfer's full view of the top side
of the ball when the ball is accurately aligned to its desired
initial starting line and a golfer is properly positioned to putt.
The polar regions of the ball are also imprinted with a pattern
which is essentially invisible to the golfer when properly
positioned to putt. When the ball is aligned to a particular
starting direction, and properly struck precisely and squarely and
rolls purely in that starting direction, the equatorial O-rings
will roll without wobble, and the polar O-rings will remain
essentially invisible to the golfer. But when side spin is imparted
to the ball at impact, the equatorial O-rings (circumferential
lines) will appear to wobble as the ball rolls, and the polar
O-rings will become periodically visible and emphasize the
appearance of wobble. The quantity of the polar region imprints
which become visible and obvious, and which enhance the appearance
of wobble as the ball is rolling, provides an indication of the
extent to which side spin has been imparted to the ball by the
putting stroke. This feedback to the golfer after every putt, as to
the magnitude of the apparent wobble (i.e. amount of side spin) his
or her stroke imparted at impact, allows the golfer to
differentiate between good and poor putting strokes. Such learning
will inevitably help the golfer improve his or her putting. A
putter for use with the ball marked as described above includes a
central region which simulates the appearance of a golf ball cover.
Two lines are printed on this central region converging from the
back of the putter toward the front surface with the lines adapted
to be aligned with the equatorial O-rings on the ball. The regions
of the upper surface of the putter contiguous to the central region
may be printed or painted with a coating that simulates grass.
Inventors: |
Pelz; David; (Austin,
TX) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DARBY & DARBY P.C.
P. O. BOX 5257
NEW YORK
NY
10150-5257
US
|
Family ID: |
32233454 |
Appl. No.: |
10/532942 |
Filed: |
October 27, 2003 |
PCT Filed: |
October 27, 2003 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/US03/34175 |
371 Date: |
August 23, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60421749 |
Oct 28, 2002 |
|
|
|
60476792 |
Jun 6, 2003 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
473/280 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 37/14 20130101;
A63B 69/3685 20130101; A63B 43/008 20130101; A63B 45/02 20130101;
A63B 69/3688 20130101; A63B 37/0022 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/280 |
International
Class: |
A63B 69/36 20060101
A63B069/36 |
Claims
1. A golf ball, comprising two equatorial O-rings printed on the
ball, the o-rings being spaced close to but equidistant apart from
an equator of the ball, and markings printed in the polar regions
of the ball, whereby the movement of the o-rings and markings when
a ball is rolling indicates whether or not a ball has been squarely
struck and the extent, if any, to which side spin was imparted to
the ball at impact.
2. A golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the marking printed in
each polar region is an o-ring parallel to the two equatorial
o-rings, the polar o-rings being essentially invisible to a golfer
when aligning a putt, when the ball is properly aimed along its
desired starting line.
3. A golf ball according to claim 1, wherein the marking printed in
the polar regions comprises a pair of solid lobes extending in
opposite directions, the polar lobes being essentially invisible to
a golfer when aligning a putt, when the ball is properly aimed
along its desired starting line.
4. A golf ball according to claim 3, wherein the patterns printed
in the polar regions are offset from each other by 90.degree..
5. For use with a golf ball according to claim 1, a putter
including an upper central region simulating the cover of a golf
ball and two marking lines printed on the surface of said central
region and adapted to align with the equatorial o-rings of the golf
ball.
6. A putter according to claim 5, wherein the lines printed on the
central region of the putter converge from the back of the putter
toward the front.
7. A putter according to claim 6, wherein the upper central region
of the putter is shaped with converging edges which line up with
the polar markings of the golf ball.
8. A putter according to claim 7, wherein the putter includes areas
adjoining said central region, said areas containing a surface
coating simulating grass.
9. A putter according to claim 5, wherein a top tray insert forms
said upper central region, said top tray insert being secured to
the putter and including a vertical surface adapted to contact the
golf ball during the putting stroke.
10. A putter according to claim 9, wherein the lines printed on the
top tray insert converge from the back of the putter toward the
front.
11. A putter according to claim 10, wherein the top tray insert
includes converging side edges which line up with the polar
markings of the golf ball.
12. A putter according to claim 11, wherein the putter includes
areas adjoining said top tray insert, said areas containing a
surface coating simulating grass.
Description
[0001] This application claims priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C.
.sctn.119 based on U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/421,749
filed Oct. 28, 2002, and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No.
60/476,792 filed Jun. 6, 2003, the entire disclosures of which are
hereby incorporated by reference.
[0002] This invention relates to golf. More particularly, this
invention relates to a system for marking golf balls and/or putters
so as to help a golfer align putts in a particular direction, and
then determine whether the ball was struck properly (initially
rolled in that direction) when it was putted.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Golfers continuously struggle to improve the quality of
their putting. Innumerable putters have been designed over the
years to improve putting accuracy. Many different training aids
have also been designed with a view toward improving the putting
stroke and/or the golfer's alignment.
[0004] Accurate putting depends in the first place on the putter's
skill in "reading" a green. That is, the putter must calculate the
extent, if any, to which a ball will curve when struck, the speed
of the green, and the force that must be applied to the ball to
reach the hole. Even if the golfer has accurately "read" the green
and aimed his or her ball and putter accurately along the proper
initial starting line, it is necessary that the ball be struck
squarely (with a square strike) so that it starts rolling in that
proper direction at the proper speed, for good putting. Small
errors in alignment between 1) the face of the putter and ball at
impact, 2) the direction of motion of the putter relative to the
proper starting line, or 3) the impact point relative to the
location of the center of mass or percussion center of the putter,
will, cause the struck ball to rotate (spin sideways), and to
initially move away from the desired path. Said another way, if any
of the above mentioned three errors cause, or combine to cause the
putter face to not deliver a "square-strike" to the ball, then side
spin is initially imparted to the ball and the ball will veer from
the proper path in one direction or the other depending on the
direction and magnitude of the stroke error(s).
[0005] The object of this invention is to provide an improved
marking system for golf balls whereby the golfer can determine
immediately whether or not the ball has been struck properly along
the direction it was aimed and, if not, to enable the golfer to
assess the extent to which the ball has been mis-stroked.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] In accordance with the invention, a golf ball is marked by
placing two highly visible circumferential O-rings (circular
stripes) around the ball close to the equator of the ball, and two
markings on the polar regions of the ball. The polar markings are
almost invisible to the golfer who is putting the ball when the
ball is properly aligned with its intended starting line. The
O-rings are precisely parallel to each other and capable of being
aligned parallel to the desired direction of initial motion of the
putt. If the ball is struck improperly (in any way other than with
a precisely "square-strike"), the circumferential o-rings (stripes)
will then appear to wobble as the putt rolls (due to initial side
spin imparted by the non-square strike), and the rotating polar
markings will become more visible to the golfer (pulsating into and
out of the golfers view), with the extent of their visibility
indicating the extent to which the ball was improperly struck.
[0007] A putter in accordance with the invention includes a central
region (top tray) on its upper surface which contains two lines
that converge from back to front. At the forward face of the putter
these two lines align precisely with the equatorial O-rings on the
ball. The outside edges of such top tray converge into alignment
with the outside white edges of the ball to be putted (and in the
golfer's mind, with the ball's outside two polar markings, although
the polar markings are not readily visible to the golfer), and run
over the front top line of the puffer and down along the putter
face, to connect most closely to the ball. In accordance with a
further feature of the invention, the upper top tray surface of the
putter has the same color and dimpled configuration of a
conventional golf ball, with the remaining upper surfaces of the
putter colored to imitate (and disappear from the golfer's
attention into the) grass.
THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a golf ball marked in
accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention;
[0009] FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a golf ball marked in
accordance with a second embodiment of the invention;
[0010] FIGS. 2B and 2C are views face-on to the polar regions of a
golf ball marked in accordance with the second embodiment of the
invention;
[0011] FIG. 3 is an illustration showing how the markings appear
when a ball marked in accordance with the preferred embodiment of
the invention) rolls after being struck properly;
[0012] FIG. 4 is an illustration showing how the markings appear
when the ball shown in FIG. 3 is struck improperly, with sidespin
imparted to the ball at impact;
[0013] FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C are top perspective views of different
putter constructions showing how a putter can be marked to enhance
alignment of the putter and ball marked as shown in FIG. 1 or
2;
[0014] FIGS. 5D, 5E and 5F are side cross sectional views of the
putters shown in FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C, respectively, showing the top
tray inserts; and
[0015] FIGS. 6A and 6B are top plan views of ball markers
containing alignment markings in accordance with another feature of
the invention;
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] In the specification and claims, the terms "equator" and
"polar regions" are used to define relative positions on a golf
ball. The "equator" as its name implies, is the circumference of
the ball at its midpoint, i.e., its largest diameter, or a great
circle. The "polar regions" refer to the regions of the ball which
lie on and around the intersection of the ball and an axis of the
ball perpendicular to the plane in which the equator lies.
[0017] The principles of the invention are explained with respect
to FIGS. 1 and 2 which illustrate a golf ball marked in accordance
with two embodiments of the invention.
[0018] In FIG. 1 a golf ball 8 includes two closely spaced
equatorial O-rings (circumferential stripes) 10 and 12 equally
offset from an equator of the ball. In accordance with this
embodiment of the invention, a marking in the shape of a circle or
polar o-ring 14 is printed in each polar region of the golf ball
(only one circle 14 is shown in FIG. 1). The polar o-rings 14 are
essentially invisible to a golfer when positioned to putt, with his
or her eyes vertically above the line along which the equatorial
o-rings are aligned.
[0019] In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C, two
equatorial O-rings (circumferential stripes) 10 and 12 as shown in
FIG. 1 are also included, but in this case each polar region is
marked with a pair of lobes 16 and 18. Each lobe may be circular
although the shape is not critical. The lobes on one pole are
offset by 90.degree. from the lobes on the other pole.
[0020] When a golfer addresses a putt, his or her eyes are directly
over the ball which means that if the ball is correctly aligned
before the putting stroke, the golfer sees the two equatorial
O-rings clearly as they cross the upper surface of the ball, but
almost none of the two polar o-rings, which appear only at the
outer edges of the ball. The golfer's eyes from this position are
also in an ideal position to observe the rotation of the markings,
as the ball rolls along the green after being putted. Surface
friction eliminates side spin from putts shortly after impact, so
the amount of side-spin (or turn) imparted to a ball at impact
determines how much of the polar o-rings become periodically
visible to the golfer, as the putt rolls. The equatorial O-rings
(circumferential stripes) 10 and 12 on the ball enable the golfer
to align the ball with a precise direction (anticipated initial
path). The golfer can then ascertain whether the ball was properly
or improperly struck by his or her putting stroke, by watching the
roll of the ball along the green. During this roll, the apparent
wobble shown by the equatorial o-rings, and the extent of
appearance (or non-appearance) of the polar markings, as explained
below, provide a quantitative indication of the quality of the
putting stroke.
[0021] With the balls marked as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, when the
ball is struck perfectly, no side spin is imparted to the ball at
impact and the golfer observes a putt, roll in which no wobble
appears in the equatorial o-rings, and the polar O-rings or lobe
markings stay essentially invisible. This is illustrated in FIG. 3.
If the ball is improperly struck, causing side spin to be imparted
to the ball at impact, the lines formed by the equatorial o-rings
(stripes 10 and 12) appear to wobble from side to side, and the
polar O-rings (or lobe markings) make periodic appearances on
opposite sides of the ball, greatly magnifying the appearance of
wobble as the ball rolls (see FIG. 4). The greater the side spin
imparted to the ball, the greater the apparent amplitude of the
wobble.
[0022] An important advantage of the balls marked as shown in FIGS.
1 and 2 is that the visual effect created by the polar markings
provides a quantitative indication of how much side spin was
imparted to the ball by the putter (e.g. of how bad the stroke
was). As balls containing polar markings rotate, the visual
dominance of the pole markings increases proportionately to the
amount of initial side spin imparted to the ball at impact. This
indicates to the golfer how much side spin his or her stroke
imparted to the putt. The greater the side spin, the more obvious
the wobble. A perfect putt will exhibit no wobble as the polar
markings stay essentially invisible to the golfer.
[0023] There are numerous ways in which a ball can be marked both
circumferentially and in the polar regions, to provide the
evaluation of stroke quality feedback benefits to golfers sought by
the invention. The individual markings can be any desired pattern,
including letters, and may include different colors, solid or cross
hatched areas, or other visual indicia which enable the golfer to
assess the quality of his/her putting stroke based on the
appearance or non-appearance of apparent wobble in the roll of the
ball after it has been struck. Obviously, the markings of this
invention do not make balls actually wobble. The orientation of the
markings relative to the initially intended putt line produces only
the appearance of wobble, when balls are turned or spun sideways by
putter impact.
[0024] FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C are top perspective views of three
putters designed for use with the ball shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The
putters may be cast from any suitable 5 material (e.g. stainless
steel) and include an opening for receiving a shaft 19. A recessed
top tray 20 is provided in the central region of each putter
between two lateral sections 21 and 23. Two marking lines 22 and 24
are printed on the upper surface of top tray 20 and converge from
the back of the putter to the front (face), with the distance
between the lines 22 and 24 at the putter face corresponding to the
distance between the central O-rings 10 and 12 on the ball. The top
tray 20 rises from the back of the putter to the front (face) and,
preferably, is horizontal for a distance of at least about 0.4
inches from the face of the putter (referred to as the "top line"),
sloping gradually downward to the back of the putter. Preferably,
the width of the tray converges towards the face of the putter with
the width of the tray at the face corresponding to the distance
between the polar O-rings 14 of the ball (FIG. 1). The top tray
region 20 of each putter simulates a golf ball cover and the
remaining portions of the putter head which are visible to the
golfer are camouflaged to look like grass. This can be done by the
application of spattered grass-like colors to the upper surfaces of
the sections 21 and 23. The top tray 20 may be covered with the
same material which is used to cover a golf ball, i.e., a white
dimpled material. The top tray 20 preferably comprises a separate
insert (e.g. made of urethane) which is cemented into a suitable
recess in the putter and serves as the hitting surface of the
putter face. In this way the top tray material flows contiguously
over the front top line of the putter and is in close proximity to
the ball during alignment of the putter. The hitting (vertical)
surface of the top tray is not dimpled but the upper surface which
is visible to the golf is dimpled in the same way as a typical golf
ball.
[0025] The cross-sectional shapes of inserts that may serve as the
top trays 20 used in the putters of FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C are shown
in FIGS. 5D, 5E and 5F, respectively. As shown each tray 20 may
include a slot 27 which engages a complementary locking bar 29 in
the putter head.
[0026] Because of the identity of the putter and ball surfaces, the
continuous flow of white surface material from the back of the
putter over the top front line and down the putter face (making the
ball and converging white putter surface look almost contiguous),
and the ability to match the convergent marking lines 22 and 24 on
the putter with the lines 12 and 14 on the ball, a golfer can
position the putter in the proper orientation with respect to the
ball with less difficulty and greater accuracy than previously
possible.
[0027] Single lines on a putter have been used in the past to
assist in the alignment of a ball and putter, but converging lines
such as the lines 22 and 24 have been found by testing to enhance
the golfer's ability to align the putter with the ball.
[0028] A still further feature of the invention is illustrated in
FIGS. 6A and 6B which show two different versions of a ball maker
in accordance with the invention. Ball markers are used by golfers
to mark the position of a ball on a putting green if the ball is to
be removed from the green for any reason. Both of the ball markers
illustrated in FIGS. 6A and 6B can also made of (or covered with)
dimpled, white, material which exactly matches the appearance of
the surface of the golf ball. Each of the markers includes
converging lines 40 and 42 which are adapted to be aligned with the
lines 10 and 12 on the ball. The marker of FIG. 6B includes curved
lines 44 which can be aligned with the polar O-rings 14 on the ball
illustrated in FIG. 1.
[0029] The markers can be used to assist in aligning the golf ball
along a desired path on the green. Once the golfer has determined
the path on which he or she thics the ball should start rolling,
the marker is carefully positioned so that the converging lines 40
and 42 are precisely aligned with that path. The ball is then
re-placed in front of the marker so that the lines 10 and 12 on the
ball are aligned with the lines on the marker. When the marker is
removed, from the viewer's perspective above the ball, the
equatorial O-rings on the ball should be directed exactly along the
desired starting line of the putt. Thereafter, a putter marked as
shown in FIGS. 5A, 5B or 5C, can be aligned with the ball to enable
a proper stroke. After the ball has been struck, the lines on the
ball can be viewed as described above to determine how well, or how
poorly, the putt was struck.
* * * * *