U.S. patent application number 11/556965 was filed with the patent office on 2007-12-20 for practice attachment for golf putter.
Invention is credited to Stephen W. Walsh.
Application Number | 20070293335 11/556965 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46326521 |
Filed Date | 2007-12-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070293335 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Walsh; Stephen W. |
December 20, 2007 |
PRACTICE ATTACHMENT FOR GOLF PUTTER
Abstract
A practice attachment device for removable attachment to the
head of a putter. The device is designed to aid a golfer improve a
putting stroke when using a blade or heel-toe putter. The device
includes a frame, an aligning rod, and a clamp to attach the
combination of the frame and the rod to the putter head. The rod is
cylindrical in shape and positioned in front of the putter head
face such that it strikes the ball. If the putter head, and thus
the rod, is not properly aligned with the ball, the ball will
travel off target when struck. The golfer must change the stroke
until the rod is properly aligned with the ball on contact. The
frame includes a sight port to allow the golfer to align the frame
on the putter at the center of the putter head.
Inventors: |
Walsh; Stephen W.;
(Bridgton, ME) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CHRIS A. CASEIRO
VERRILL DANA, LLP, ONE PORTLAND SQUARE
PORTLAND
ME
04112-0586
US
|
Family ID: |
46326521 |
Appl. No.: |
11/556965 |
Filed: |
November 6, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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29261743 |
Jun 20, 2006 |
D548809 |
|
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11556965 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
473/236 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 69/3685
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/236 |
International
Class: |
A63B 69/36 20060101
A63B069/36 |
Claims
1. A practice attachment for a golf putter having a putter head,
the practice attachment comprising: a. a frame including a rod
having a convex curved edge aligned approximately perpendicular to
the ground when the practice attachment is clamped to a putter, and
wherein the frame includes a sight port; and b. a clamp device for
removably clamping the frame to the putter.
2. The practice attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rod
is cylindrical.
3. The practice attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the frame
includes a main body and a clamp body extending from the main body,
and wherein the clamp body includes retaining means.
4. The practice attachment as claimed in claim 3, wherein the
retaining means is a threaded port and the clamp device is a
threaded thumb screw.
5. The practice attachment as claimed in claim 3, wherein the main
body and the clamp body are fabricated as a unitary piece.
6. The practice attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the frame
and the rod are fabricated as a unitary piece.
7. The practice attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
putter includes an alignment mark on the putter head, the rod
includes a front striking face, and wherein when the frame is
clamped to the putter head with the mark visible through the sight
port, a proper putting stroke causes the front striking face to
contact a ball aligned with a target.
8. The practice attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sight
port is cylindrical.
9. The practice attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sight
port is an elongated diamond shape.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a Continuation-In-Part of, and claims
priority benefit to, pending U.S. design patent application Ser.
No. 29/261,743, filed Jun. 20, 2006, entitled "PRACTICE ATTACHMENT
FOR A GOLF PUTTER" filed by the same inventor of the present
application. The entire content of that pending application is
incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to devices for improving golf
swings. More particularly, the present invention relates to devices
for improving golf putting. Still more particularly, the present
invention relates to a device removably attachable to a putter and
arranged to aid a golfer improve a putting stroke.
[0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0005] Many golfers take great interest in improving their skills
in order to reduce the number of strokes required to play each hole
of golf that they play. While golfers must hit a golf ball hundreds
of yards to reach the hole from the tee, approximately one-third to
one-half of all golf strokes are taken on the green within fifty or
sixty feet of the hole. Therefore, putting is an important aspect
of the game. As a result, many golfers spend a substantial amount
of time attempting to improve that part of their game. In spite of
that effort, putting has remained a fickle aspect of the sport. A
golfer can be told how to hold the putter, how to read the green
and how to swing the putter. Unfortunately, it can be difficult for
many golfers to translate that mental understanding of the
important technical details of the putting stroke into reality.
[0006] There are many devices, tools, instructional programs and
professionals available to assist golfers in improving all parts of
their games from the tee to the hole. Some of these aids are much
more costly than others and therefore may be out of reach of the
recreational and/or well-funded golfer. The present invention is
related to a putting stroke aid that is removably attachable to a
blade or heel-toe type putter rather than a mallet type putter or
any other type of golf club. Others have described publicly devices
to assist in the improvement of golf strokes not limited to
putting. However, each has its own deficiency resolved through use
of an aid such as the invention described herein.
[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 5,240,253 to Cooper describes a putter
permanently modified for the removable introduction of a
flat-headed cylinder to the face of a heel-toe type putter. The
Cooper device requires the golfer either to acquire a putter having
a threaded hole through the putting service, or modify his/her own
putter to accept the flat-headed cylinder. Either way, the golfer
may be required to expend more than is desirable for a
single-purpose putter. Further, the flat surface of the flat-headed
cylinder fails to address putting problems by giving the putter a
forgiving surface--the flat surface to perpetuate an improper
putting stroke.
[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,895 to Nakajima describes a
single-purpose putter comprised of a shaft and a ball-shaped head.
The Cooper putter is not arranged as a conventional putter. It
requires the golfer to purchase the item separate from the putter
the golfer ordinarily uses. Therefore, the golfer would work on the
putting stroke with the aid device and then separately putt with a
separate device--the golfer's regular putter. This device not only
adds to the golfer's expenses, but fails to allow the golfer to
correct his/her stroke with the putter of choice.
[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,228 to Hawkins et al. describes a
practice attachment tool for a golf club not limited to a putter.
In particular, the Hawkins device is shown removably attachable to
a club that appears to be a driver or other type of wood. The
Hawkins device addresses the concern about either permanently
modifying the golfer's existing club(s) or purchasing a dedicated
stroke-aiding club. The attachment tool includes a convex ball
striking surface, but the described mechanism for attaching the
tool to the club is completely unsuitable in a practical sense. The
Hawkins attachment means are straps described as either elastic
(rubber bands) or hook-and-loop (Velcro.RTM.). Any ordinary
physical exertion on the club, such as in the course of a swing,
would dislodge the straps and cause the undesired movement of the
attachment tool. Therefore, the Hawkins device is unsuitable for
actual swing training. Further, it does not appear to be directed
to aiding the improvement of the putting stroke but, instead, the
full-swing stroke associated with all other golf club types.
[0010] What is needed is a putting stroke aid that is relatively
inexpensive and that may be removably attached to a conventional
putter without permanent modification of the putter. Also, what is
needed is such a putting stroke aid that will remain in the desired
position during the club swinging process. Further, what is needed
is such an aid that is specifically directed to assisting in the
improvement of the putting stroke.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] It is an object of the present invention to provide a
putting stroke aid that is relatively inexpensive and that may be
removably attached to a conventional putter without permanent
modification of the putter. It is also an object of the present
invention to provide such a putting stroke aid that will remain in
the desired position during the club swinging process. Further, it
is an object of the present invention to provide such an aid that
is specifically directed to assisting in the improvement of the
putting stroke.
[0012] These and other objects are provided by the present
invention, which is a practice attachment for a golf putter. The
practice attachment includes a frame and a clamping device. The
frame has a convex curved edge aligned approximately perpendicular
to the ground when the practice attachment is clamped to a putter.
The frame further includes a sight hole. The frame may be formed of
an angle and a cylindrical rod, with a thumb screw for easy
adjustment of the positioning of the frame on the putter head and
application and release of pressure on the putter head to keep the
frame firmly in place or to remove it, as desired. The frame may be
fabricated in a unitary fabrication but is not limited thereto.
[0013] The practice attachment of the present invention provides an
inexpensive, simple, and durable device that can improve a golfer's
putting stroke, and therefore putting accuracy, by producing a
putting system where small deviations in putting swing result in
large deviations from the intended direction of golf ball travel.
An aspect of the invention is that it adds a convex striking
surface to the golfer's preferred putter, but limited to either a
blade-type putter or a heel-toe type putter. The practice
attachment includes a facility to align the temporary, convex
striking surface with the marked "sweet spot" that appears on the
putter.
[0014] The practice attachment teaches the golfer to keep his or
her head down and their eye on the ball for every putting stroke.
Because the striking surface of the practice attachment is not flat
(it is convex), the golf ball will not travel in the intended
direction unless it is struck at the point on the convex striking
surface that is on the line defined by the direction of putter head
travel. If the ball is struck to one side or the other of this
point, it will be driven to the right or left of the direction of
putter head travel.
[0015] The practice attachment also helps golfers develop a smooth
putting stroke. If the putting stroke is not smooth and careful,
the golfer will have difficulty in repeating sending the ball in
the intended direction of travel. The practice attachment is
arranged to fit most blade-type and heel-toe putters. The practice
attachment may be fabricated of one or more materials of interest,
such as metallic and/or non-metallic materials or combinations
thereof. The material or materials selected for the fabrication of
each component of the practice attachment are preferably chosen to
avoid marking, marring, scarring or otherwise damaging the golfer's
putter in any manner. The components of the practice attachment may
be fabricated of one or more pieces as desired for ease of use,
shipment, and/or manufacture,
[0016] These and other advantages of the practice attachment of the
present invention will become more apparent upon review of the
following detailed description, the accompanying drawings and the
appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a heel-toe
putter having the practice attachment device of the present
invention attached thereto.
[0018] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the
practice attachment device.
[0019] FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the first embodiment of
the practice attachment device.
[0020] FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the first embodiment of the
practice attachment device.
[0021] FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the first embodiment of the
practice attachment device.
[0022] FIG. 6 is a front elevation view of the first embodiment of
the practice attachment device.
[0023] FIG. 7 is a rear elevation view of the first embodiment of
the practice attachment device.
[0024] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the
practice attachment device.
[0025] FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the second embodiment of the
practice attachment device.
[0026] FIG. 10 is a bottom plan view of the second embodiment of
the practice attachment device.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0027] A practice attachment device 10 of the present invention is
shown in FIG. 1 removably attached to a putter 100 at putter head
102. FIGS. 2-7 show a first embodiment of the practice attachment
device 10 alone in various views that may be referred to in
combination with this description.
[0028] The practice attachment device 10 includes an attachment
frame 12 and a guiding rod 14. The rod 14 may be permanently or
removably attached to the frame 12. For example, the rod 14 is
preferably press fitted directly into the frame 12. Alternatively,
it may be removably attached with a threaded screw into a threaded
port of the frame 12 and of the rod 14, or it may be permanently
attached to the frame 12 such as by welding or with a press fit
stud. The frame 12 includes a body 18 and a clamp body 20. The
clamp body 20 includes port 22 for receiving therein retaining
means for holding the frame 12 to the putter head 102. The port 22
may or may not be threaded. As shown in the drawings, the retaining
means is a clamp screw 24 having a threaded body 26 for passing
through the port 22, and a wing head 28. The frame body 18 includes
a sight port 30 to be used to aid a golfer in aligning the frame 12
and the rod 14 on the putter head 102. In this embodiment of the
present invention the sight port 30 is cylindrical.
[0029] The frame 12, the rod 14 and the retaining means each may be
fabricated of one or more metallic and/or non-metallic materials
selected to minimize or avoid marking, marring, scarring or
otherwise causing damage to the putter head 102. The frame 12 is
preferably 1/8-inch thick aluminum alloy formed in an "L" shape,
where the long leg is the main body 18 and is about 1.35 inches
long, and the short leg is the clamp body 20 and is about 0.60
inches long. Front end 19 of the main body 18 of the frame 12
preferably has a radius to match the radius of the rod 14 as
described herein. While the retaining means is shown as a clamp
screw 24 used to attach the practice attachment device 10 to the
putter head 102, alternative retaining means include a button head
cap screw, a flat head screw, a self-tapping screw, or any similar
removable attachment mechanism suitable for joining the frame 12 to
the putter head 102 in a way that keeps the frame in a fixed
position during the putting stroke. The wing head 28 is a preferred
device to cause rotation of the clamp screw 24 in that it is easy
to use by any golfer, regardless of age, gender or difficulty with
fine motor skills. However, other means for causing rotation of the
clamp screw 24 or other similar tightening component do not
diminish the functional aspect of the practice attachment device
10.
[0030] The body 18 and the clamp body 20 of the frame 12 may be
fabricated as two or more distinct pieces joined together such as
by welding or adhesive. Alternatively and preferably, it may be a
unitary piece in an "L" shape, such as an Aluminum extrusion.
Further, the frame 12 and the rod 14 may be fabricated as two or
more distinct pieces joined together in any of the manners
described herein. Alternatively, the frame 12 and rod 14 may be
fabricated as a unitary piece in a "U" shape.
[0031] The clamp body 20 is preferably fabricated to include as the
port 22 a threaded hole, for example a no. 10-32 threaded hole,
arranged so that the axis of the threaded hole for receiving
threaded body 26 of the clamp screw 24 intersects the axis of rod
14 at a right angle. Further, the threaded hole is preferably
located about midway along the length of clamp body 20. In general,
the dimensions of the combination of frame 12 and rod 14 are
designed to permit temporary attachment of the practice attachment
10 to the putter head 102. That is, the maximum opening between
face 25 of clamp screw 24 and backside 15 of the rod 14 is adequate
to fit over the width or thickness of any putter head 102 for a
blade or heel-toe type of putter. The rod 14 is preferably a right
cylinder, which may be either a solid or hollow. The rod 14
preferably has a radius of about 0.31 inches.
[0032] With continuing reference to FIGS. 1-5, the body 18 includes
the sight port 30 extends from upper body face 18' through lower
body face 18'' such that when the practice attachment 10 is affixed
to the putter head 102, the golfer can see onto upper surface 104
of the putter head 102 to a putter alignment mark 106 of the type
applied to many putters by putter manufacturers. The alignment mark
106 is ordinarily aligned with the center of the long dimension of
face 108 of the putter head 102. The sight port 30 thereby allows
the golfer to properly locate the practice attachment 10 on the
putter head 102 such that when the practice attachment is in use,
optimal front striking surface 32 of the rod 14 is aligned with the
center of the putter face 108.
[0033] When the practice attachment 10 is properly aligned on the
putter head 102, the golfer may proceed with putting stroke
practice. Specifically, the golfer may place a golf ball on a
substrate, align the putter 100 with a target and swing the putter
100 with practice attachment 10 as he or she ordinarily would when
playing. The frame 12 is attached such that the axis of the rod 14
is approximately vertical with respect to the underlying substrate,
and the golfer is viewing the upper body face 18' of the frame 12
when he or she is in the normal putting position. Only when the
front striking surface 32 of the rod 14 is properly aligned with
the ball will the ball travel in the direction of the target when
the putter 100 is swung to hit the ball. Any other stroke path
generated by the golfer will cause improper contact of the rod 14
with the ball such that the ball is not struck by the front
striking surface 32 and will therefore not travel to the intended
target. The golfer must thereby adjust the stroke until that impact
is achieved. Through repetition the golfer will come to establish a
smooth, consistent stroke by which the putter face 108 will strike
the ball at the sweet spot when the bottom of the putter head 102
is substantially parallel with the underlying substrate.
[0034] A second embodiment of the practice attachment device 10' is
shown in FIGS. 8-10. In all respects but the shape of the sight
port 30' the second embodiment of the practice attachment device
10' includes the same components and is attached and used in the
same manner as described herein with respect to the practice
attachment device 10 of FIGS. 1-7. In this embodiment of the
invention, the sight port 30' is not cylindrical but is instead
elongate modified diamond shape. It is to be understood that the
sight port may be of other shapes without deviating from the intent
to provide the golfer with a line-of-sight to the alignment mark
106 of the putter head 102.
[0035] The practice attachment 10/10' is a simple, cost effective
aid to improve a golfer's putting stroke. The practice attachment
10/10' may be easily attached to and removed from the putter head
of the golfer's putter without the need to make any modifications
to the putter and without the need to purchase a customized
practice-aid putter. The practice attachment 10/10' forces the
golfer to establish a repeatable smooth putting stroke using the
cylindrical arrangement of the rod 14 and its striking surface
32.
[0036] While the present invention has been described with
particular reference to certain embodiments of the practice
attachment device, it is to be understood that it includes all
reasonable equivalents thereof as defined by the following appended
claims.
* * * * *