U.S. patent application number 16/967081 was filed with the patent office on 2021-02-18 for a swing training practice club.
The applicant listed for this patent is Arnolds Innovations Pty Ltd. Invention is credited to Craig ANDREWS, Brett ARNOLD, Rohaan TANEJA, Pavel ZOCEK.
Application Number | 20210046348 16/967081 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005191701 |
Filed Date | 2021-02-18 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20210046348 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
ARNOLD; Brett ; et
al. |
February 18, 2021 |
A Swing Training Practice Club
Abstract
A practice club for practicing a sport is described, the
practice club including a club shaft; an extendible bump assembly
including a stopper movable between a rest position in which it
rests against a mounting stop, and an extended position in which
the stopper extends a selected distance from the stop. There is
also described a sports club or bat with a tension indicator
disposed on a shaft of the practice club or bat to indicate tension
of an inextensible stringer or resilient element in or on the
practice club or bat.
Inventors: |
ARNOLD; Brett; (Dolans Bay,
New South Wales, AU) ; ANDREWS; Craig; (Kirribilli,
New South Wales, AU) ; ZOCEK; Pavel; (Kirribilli, New
South Wales, AU) ; TANEJA; Rohaan; (Kirribilli, New
South Wales, AU) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Arnolds Innovations Pty Ltd |
Dolans Bay, NSW |
|
AU |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000005191701 |
Appl. No.: |
16/967081 |
Filed: |
February 4, 2019 |
PCT Filed: |
February 4, 2019 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/AU2019/050080 |
371 Date: |
August 3, 2020 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 69/3632 20130101;
A63B 69/0002 20130101; A63B 2069/0008 20130101; A63B 69/0015
20130101; A63B 15/005 20130101; A63B 2102/32 20151001; A63B
2220/833 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A63B 15/00 20060101
A63B015/00; A63B 69/00 20060101 A63B069/00; A63B 69/36 20060101
A63B069/36 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 2, 2018 |
AU |
2018900327 |
Aug 8, 2018 |
AU |
2018902900 |
Nov 2, 2018 |
AU |
2018904173 |
Claims
1. A practice club or bat for practicing a sport, the practice club
including: a club shaft including a handle end and a distal end; an
extendable head assembly including a resilient extensible
connector, a tensioner for to place the resilient extensible
connector under a selected among of tension, and a head, the head
movable in use between a rest position in which it rests against a
mounting stop at the distal end, and an extended position during a
time the club is being swung, in which the head extends a selected
distance from the distal end mounting stop.
2. The practice club in accordance with claim 1 wherein the length
of the connector is variable to vary the tension of the
connector.
3. The practice club in accordance with claim 1 wherein the mass of
the head is variable to vary the dynamic of the swing.
4. The practice club in accordance with claim 1 wherein the
connector includes one or more inextensible cord portions.
5. The practice club in accordance with claim 1 further including a
tension indicator disposed on the club shaft.
6. The practice club in accordance with claim 5 wherein the tension
indicator includes a window on a club shaft wall to provide a view
of the connector.
7. The practice club in accordance with claim 5 wherein the
connector includes markings thereon to indicate tension to a
player.
8. (canceled)
9. The practice club in accordance with claim 2 wherein the tension
adjuster tensioner is in the form of a rotatable actuator which is
configured to draw the resilient cord around an axle.
10. The practice club in accordance with claim 2 wherein the
tension adjuster tensioner is in the form of a rotatable actuator
which draws a lace around an axle so as to extend or retract the
connector.
11. (canceled)
12. The practice club in accordance with claim 2 wherein the
tensioner includes a clutch to provide release and engagement
positions for the axle relative to the stopper.
13. The practice club in accordance with claim 2 wherein the
tensioner includes an axle accessible from both ends of the
stopper.
14. The practice club in accordance with claim 2 wherein the
tensioner includes an axle that is configured to be depressed to
release the clutch.
15. The practice club in accordance with claim 2 wherein the
tensioner includes an axle that extends transversely to the club
shaft.
16. The practice club in accordance with claim 2 wherein the
tensioner includes a clutch that includes a ratchet to control the
release of the tension in the cord.
17. The practice club in accordance with claim 2 wherein the
tensioner may include a biasing element to provide fail safe
locking position for the clutch.
18. The practice dub in accordance with claim 1 wherein a mounting
stop is provided, in the form of flange or a cup for receiving the
head, and the mounting stop is a shape cooperating with the head or
stopper shape to receive the stopper on a broad surface area.
19. (canceled)
20. The practice club in accordance with claim 1 including a joint
to tilt the mounting stop to an angle transverse to the club
shaft.
21. The practice club in accordance with claim 2 wherein the mass
of the stopper is varied by providing mass receivers on or in the
stopper.
22. The practice dub in accordance with claim 21 wherein the
stopper is hollow and includes an access port to receive weights
inside.
23. A sports club or bat with a tension indicator disposed on a
shaft of the practice club or bat to indicate tension of an
inextensible stringer or resilient element in or on the practice
club or bat.
24-28. (canceled)
Description
[0001] This application is a US 371 Application from
PCT/AU2019/050080 filed Feb. 4, 2019, which claims priority from
AU2018900327 filed on 2 Feb. 2018, AU2018902900 filed on 8 Aug.
2018 and AU2018904173 filed on 2 Nov. 2018, the entire contents of
which are incorporated herein by referring to them in this
statement.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present technology relates generally to a practice club
and methods for practicing a club swing, The present technology
finds particularly effective application in golf, but it may be
applied to baseball, cricket and other sports where clubs and bats
are used.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Club sports can be challenging.
[0004] Golf, in particular, is very difficult to master. Optimally
and accurately swinging a club can be very difficult, because so
many variables come into play. It is said that there are more than
90 variables including ball position, grip, hand position, stance,
hand to lower arm angle, spine angle, club length. Many of these
variables need to be deployed in the right sequence to obtain a
good swing.
[0005] One important swing variable is downswing. A particular
problem often experienced by novice golf players is that the hands
and arms are moved too quickly during the downswing with the
consequence that the club moves in advance of its desired position
relative to the hips. A particular feature of many professional
golfers is that their swing incorporates a desirable "lag" of the
club head behind the golfer's hands during the downswing. The swing
of the late Ben Hogan is thought to have been a particularly good
example in this connection.
[0006] A particular advantage of the devices of the embodiment of
the present technology is that they facilitate novice players to
experience a swing which incorporates the above mentioned desirable
lag of the club head, although the devices to be described are not
solely restricted to this aspect of the swing.
[0007] Another important swing variable is club follow through,
which is the trajectory and speed of club travel after the club
head hits the ball. Clearly, the follow through is at least
partially dependent on the trajectory and speed of the
down-swing.
[0008] it is difficult to improve the down-swing and follow through
with a normal club without going to the trouble of physically
driving to a range, or having complex machinery, or losing a lot of
balls, or other time-intensive and unhelpful distractions, in any
event, it is not clear whether the lessons learnt with known
machines or even on a driving range can be directly transferred to
the course.
[0009] The genesis of the present invention is a desire to provide
a device which provides an experience to a player of what a good
swing should feel like. One intention is that repeated simulated
good swings enables a muscle memory within the brain and body of
the player to be developed. One aim is that having developed the
appropriate muscle memory, the player is then able to apply it when
playing with their own clubs or bats and thereby improve their
game.
[0010] The present inventor seeks to provide a practice club which
facilitates swing training, and/or which at least provides a useful
alternative to known alternatives.
SUMMARY
[0011] Broadly, the present technology provides a practice club
which provides feedback on a user's swing.
[0012] Broadly, the present technology provides a practice club
which in use provides haptic feedback to a user during the user's
swing.
[0013] Broadly, the present technology provides a practice club
which during a swing provides a tactile sensation which can be felt
through hands when in a grip position on a club shaft. On the
downswing, and/or the follow-through, the dynamics of a swing of an
actual swing are transmitted into the shaft of the practice club.
It may be that a ball is not available or other conditions are not
able to be met to hit a ball and this may be a convenient way to
practice, or ij may be useful to instill the right technique by
accentuating certain dynamic conditions on the practice club. The
return bump that may be felt could be a snap, or audible noise to
feedback to the user some relevant information about the velocity
profile of a user's swing.
[0014] Broadly the present technology provides a practice club
which provides tunable haptic feedback to the user on the velocity
profile of the swing trajectory during a swing.
[0015] The arrangement may be that the practice club has a
resiliently held mass element on a distal end thereof. In use the
user swings the practice club with the aim of increasing the
centripetal (or in lay terms centrifugal) force on the
resiliently-held mass element so it is driven away from the distal
end of the club during a down swing. The user can feel that
movement away from the distal end of the club. The user may also
feel the angular location of the resiliently-held mass leaving the
mounting stop. Then, if the swing is good, the resiliently-held
mass snaps back into a mounting stop at a selected portion of the
follow-through. Players may aim to have the resiliently-held mass
hit the distal end of the club during the follow through by aiming
to slow the club down in a selected angular range of the follow
through. The user may use the feedback to refine the swing so that
a particular angle from vertical (during the follow through) is
selected for a haptic bump. In poor swings, ij may even be that the
return occurs during the downswing, which of course is undesirable
and the user may immediately note the angle of the return by the
feel.
[0016] Again, or alternatively, for clarity, the arrangement is
such that an extensible element in the club is caused to extend
away from a mounting stop during the down swing or follow through,
and return to the mounting stop, preferably during the follow
through. The user is caused to feel a haptic bump across or along
the shaft at a point in the swing where the club is caused to slow
down. The position of the bump provides feedback on the swing.
[0017] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there
is provided a practice club for practicing a club sport, the
practice club including: [0018] a. a club shaft; [0019] b. a
resiliently-mounted mass assembly including a stopper movable
between a rest position in which it rests against a mounting stop,
and an extended position, under centrifugal load, in which the
stopper extends a selected distance from the stop.
[0020] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention
there is provided a practice club or bat for practicing a sport,
the practice club including: [0021] a. a club shaft including a
handle end and a distal end; [0022] b. an extendible head assembly
including a resilient extensible connector, a tensioner for to
place the resilient extensible connector under a selected amount of
tension, and a head,
[0023] c. the head movable in use between a rest position in which
it rests against a mounting stop at the distal end, and an extended
position during a time the club is being swung, in which the head
extends a selected distance from the distal end mounting stop.
[0024] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention
there is provided a method for practicing a golf swing, the method
including the steps of:
[0025] a. swinging a practice club through the air, such that an
extendible stopper mounted on or in the practice club extends from
a rest position against a mounting stop on or in the club.
[0026] The method may further include the step of slowing the club
to cause the stopper to return to the mounting stop with a
bump.
[0027] In accordance with still another aspect of the present
invention there is provided a sports club or bat with a tension
indicator disposed on a shaft of the practice club or bat to
indicate tension of a resilient element in or on the practice club
or bat.
[0028] The resilient element may stiffen the club or bat to stiffen
the club or bat shaft.
[0029] The resilient element may facilitate release of a club head
or bump stopper during a swing.
[0030] In accordance with yet another aspect of the present
technology there is provided a sports club or bat with a tensioning
device for a flexible element.
[0031] In one embodiment the tensioning device may be a batten or a
stringer element so as to provide an increase in stiffness along
one or more portions of the club or bat. Although various
embodiments of the technology are directed to a practice club, the
tension element may be used in a golf club. The batten may be
fairly inextensible such that an increase in tension may only move
the tensioning indicator by 0.5 mm or 10 mm or 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3 mm,
3.5, 4 or 4.5 or 5 mm or thereabouts. There may be adjustment of
the cord of up 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120,
130, 140, 150, 160, 170, 180, 190, 200, 210, 220, 230, 240, or 250
or thereabouts.
[0032] The stringer may be mounted at each end on a rubber mount,
inside the club.
[0033] The stringer may be a wooden element in the form of balsa,
bamboo, or a steel element or a metal element, or a plastic element
to provide additional stiffness or compression.
[0034] The club may be formed from a hollow tube of steel or
plastic, or metal, or like material.
[0035] The stringer may be attached at each end to a cable or other
cord element to provide additional flexibility of mounting when
under tension.
[0036] In one embodiment the club shaft is a stub shaft, which is
to say that it resembles a shortened golf club; missing the typical
golf club head that might be expected of a golf club. The club
could be regulation length.
[0037] In one embodiment the club shaft is at least partially
hollow, which is to say that at least one portion of the club is
hollow, so as to receive and/or mount a portion of the
resilient-mounted mass assembly.
[0038] In one embodiment the resilient-mounted mass includes a
resilient element and a stopper mounted thereon. The resilient
element is provided to allow the stopper to extend away from the
mounting stop during an acceleration portion of a swing such as for
example, a downswing, and to retract so as to cause a bump to be
felt on or along the shaft during a follow through or a
deceleration.
[0039] The resilient element may be an elastic band or octopus
strap portion or other resilient cord. The arrangement of the
resilient element may be that the tension therein may be varied, A
tension adjuster may be provided for that purpose. The tension
adjuster may be in the form of a plurality of rungs or steps or
catches or hooks or the like, spaced along the club or some
cooperating element, for to be selected by a cooperating hook
element disposed on the resilient element.
[0040] The tension adjuster may be in the form of a rotatable
actuator which is configured to draw the resilient cord around an
axle.
[0041] The tension adjuster may be in the form of a rotatable
actuator which draws a lace around an axle so as to extend or
retract the cord.
[0042] The tension adjuster may include grip regions or handles on
the axle to facilitate axle rotation.
[0043] The tension adjuster may include a clutch to provide release
and engagement positions for the axle relative to the stopper.
[0044] The tension adjuster may include an axle accessible from
both ends of the stopper.
[0045] The tension adjuster may include an axle that may be
depressed to release the clutch.
[0046] The tension adjuster may include an axle that extends
transversely to the club shaft.
[0047] The tension adjuster may include a clutch that includes a
ratchet to control the release of the tension in the cord.
[0048] The tension adjuster may include a biasing element to
provide fail safe locking position for the clutch.
[0049] The mounting stop may be provided at a selected portion
along the club shaft. The mounting stop may be disposed at an
intermediate portion along the club shaft, which may be preferred
for internal mounting of the extendble bump assembly. In the
alternative, the mounting stop may be disposed at a distal end of
the club. A plurality of mounting stops may be provided at a
selected plurality of points along the club shaft, which may
provide one way of providing varying degrees of tension in the
resilient element,
[0050] The mounting stop may be a flange or a cup for receiving the
stopper. The mounting stop may be convex or some suitable
cooperating shape to receive the stopper on a broad surface area,
to make a loud sound when it retracts during the follow through. At
least, the convex and/or cooperating shape may provide a secure
seat for the resiliently-mounted mass when it is in the seated
position.
[0051] The mounting stop may be oriented to face longitudinally
outward from the club shaft, to facilitate fast retraction along
the centripetal plane for strong bump and noise. Alternatively the
mounting stop may be oriented in a lateral/transverse or (in use)
trailing position which may suit some stoppers. The advantage of
the mounting stop being mounted in a trailing disposition is so
that it may release the stopper in a trailing direction and receive
the stopper from the trailing direction.
[0052] There may be a suitable angle such as 20, 25, 30, 35, 40,
45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85 degrees at which the mounting
stop may be disposed, relative to the club shaft.
[0053] The distal end may tilt so as to provide an angular
adjustment for the mounting stop. A joint may be included so as to
provide a mounting stop that can be moved into a suitable angle
relative to the club shaft to suit the head
speed/height/stance/physical attribute characteristic of a
player.
[0054] The stopper may be in the form of an expansion or lump on
the resilient element, so that the resilient element may pass
through the stop but the stopper is stopped there against. The
stopper may be a ball such as a baseball-shaped element, golf-ball
sized, or sized as large as an orange, fist, or balloon, depending
on the desired airflow or other resistance which is desired.
[0055] There may be dimples, stitching or other surface treatment
on the stopper to influence the Reynolds number so as to affect the
airflow around the surface of the stopper. The stopper may be a
cylinder, cube, or other regular or irregularly-shaped element,
laterally or longitudinally disposed relative to the club shaft, to
suit an aerodynamic or other consideration. The stopper may be 100
mm in diameter, or 20 mm, or 30 mm, 40 mm, 50 mm, 60 mm, 70 mm, 80
mm, 90 mm, 110 mm, 120 mm, 130 mm, 140 min, 150 mm, 160 mm, 170 mm,
180 mm, 190 mm 200 mm, 210 mm or other suitable intermediate or
greater diameter to suit a selected sport.
[0056] The mass of the stopper may be varied, so as to tailor the
feel of the practice club to suit the style and strength of a
player. A player may want to mimic the feel of a heavier head, or
have a faster swing, and adjust the mass of the stopper
accordingly.
[0057] The mass of the stopper may be varied by providing mass
receivers on or in the stopper. In one embodiment the stopper is
hollow and includes an access port to receive weights inside. The
access port in one embodiment may include a closure in the form of,
for example, a hatch. The hatch may be quick-release (1/4 or 1/2
turn) or threaded, or hinged with a catch.
[0058] The mass of the stopper may be varied by moving masses along
the resilient element. This may provide variation in the spring of
the resilient element.
[0059] In one embodiment, extra weights may be attached to the
resilient element upstream or downstream of the ball, or on the
ball. For example, weight collars or discs or washers with clips or
other retainers may be provided on the resilient cord or strap, or
on the ball or in the ball.
Advantages
[0060] Advantageously, embodiments of the practice club give a
player a feeling of the required swing acceleration, velocity and
deceleration of a club, by giving real-time, immediate haptic
feedback during a stroke. On the downstroke and part of the follow
through, the player seeks to feel the extension and trailing of the
stopper from its mount. The player may also seek in use to feel a
bump at the correct angle of the follow-through. If the stopper
extension, trailing or bump is felt at some undesired angle, the
player can feel what they did wrong and what they should do to
improve the next stroke. They can apply that muscle memory to
strokes in actual game play with actual clubs and bats.
Clarifications
[0061] In this specification, where a document act or item of
knowledge is referred to or discussed, this reference or discussion
is not an admission that the document, act or item of knowledge or
any combination thereof was at the priority date:
[0062] part of common general knowledge; or
[0063] known to be relevant to an attempt to solve any problem with
which this specification is concerned.
[0064] It is to be noted that, throughout the description and
claims of this specification, the word `comprise` and variations of
the word, such as `comprising` and `comprises`, is not intended to
exclude other variants or additional components, integers or
steps.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0065] In order to enable a clearer understanding, embodiments of
the technology will now be further explained and illustrated by
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0066] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a first embodiment of the
practice club from a distal end, with a variable-mass stopper shown
in an extended position and a bit loose, only for the purposes of
clarity. That is, in the rest or the swing position, the stopper
would be under tension and either hard against the mounting stop
cup (rest position) or extended therefrom, and under greater
tension;
[0067] FIG. 2 is a left side view of the practice club shown in
FIG. 1;
[0068] FIG. 3A is an underside view of the practice club;
[0069] FIG. 3B is a plan view of the practice club;
[0070] FIG. 4 is a cutaway isometric view of the practice club of
FIG. 1, showing the variable mass stopper;
[0071] FIG. 5 is a detail view of the variable-mass stopper;
[0072] FIG. 6 is a detail view of the handle which mounts the
resilient element which extends all the way down to the
variable-mass stopper (not shown);
[0073] FIG. 7 is an isometric view of the embodiment shown in FIG.
1, (essentially this picture is the same as shown in FIG. 1);
[0074] FIG. 8 is an isometric view of another embodiment of the
practice club, this embodiment including a tension adjusting
assembly in the handle;
[0075] FIG. 9 is a detail view of the handle showing the tensioning
assembly disposed therein;
[0076] FIG. 10 is a detail cutaway view of the stopper of the
second embodiment, which is not tunable as to weight;
[0077] FIG. 11 is an isometric view of the distal end of a third
embodiment, which is unable as to cord tension;
[0078] FIG. 12 is an isometric view of the distal end of the third
embodiment, is an extended disposition during a good stroke;
[0079] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the distal end of the third
embodiment, showing the inner workings of a cord tensioning
apparatus in the stopper;
[0080] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the distal end of the third
embodiment, slightly exploded for clarity, to show the inner
workings of the cord tensioning apparatus;
[0081] FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the distal end of the third
embodiment, with the cord tensioning apparatus showing in a fully
tense position (as in FIGS. 13 and 14);
[0082] FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the distal end of the third
embodiment, the tensioning device shown in a slack position;
[0083] FIG. 17A is another embodiment of a tensioning device in a
tense position, the tensioning device shown disposed in a handle
and including a carriage and a threaded screw to tune the tension
in the cord;
[0084] FIG. 17B is a section view, similar to FIG. 17A, with the
carriage in a loose position;
[0085] FIG. 17C is an isometric, semi exploded view of the tension
adjuster in FIGS. 17A and 17B;
[0086] FIG. 18 is a cutaway view of another embodiment of
tensioning device, in the form of a rotating;
[0087] FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a tensioning indicator
gauge mounted on the handle which may be used with any of the
embodiments of tensioners;
[0088] FIG. 20 is a section view of the distal end of the practice
club showing an embodiment of elastic cord support which includes a
collar to reduce wear; and
[0089] FIG. 21 is a section view of the distal end of the practice
club showing another embodiment of elastic cord support which
includes a collar with flanges extending radially therefrom;
[0090] FIG. 22 is an isometric view of a distal end of a fourth
embodiment of practice club, with a grip shown in a deployed
position;
[0091] FIG. 23 is an exploded view of the distal end of the fourth
embodiment of practice club;
[0092] FIG. 24 is a section view of the fourth embodiment shown in
FIGS. 22 and 23, with the cord removed for clarity;
[0093] FIG. 25 is a section view of the fourth embodiment, with an
axle clutch in a disengaged position and the cord removed for
clarity;
[0094] FIG. 26 is an isometric view of the fourth embodiment, with
the axle clutch shown in a disengaged position for tensioning or
release;
[0095] FIG. 27 is a section view of the distal end of the fourth
embodiment, clutch engaged, with cord shown in a tensioned position
around the axle;
[0096] FIG. 28 is a section view of the distal end of the fourth
embodiment, clutch engaged, with the cord shown in a release
position on the axle;
[0097] FIG. 29 is a section view of the distal end of the fourth
embodiment, axle clutch disengaged, showing grip elements on the
exposed axle end to facilitate tensioning of the cord;
[0098] FIG. 30 is section view of the distal end of the fifth
embodiment of the present technology, showing clutch ratchet in an
engaged position and cord omitted for clarity;
[0099] FIG. 31 is section view of the distal end of the fifth
embodiment with the cord shown in a release position on the
axle;
[0100] FIG. 32 is section view of the distal end of the fifth
embodiment with the cord shown in a tensioned position on the
axle;
[0101] FIG. 33 is an exploded view of the distal end of the fifth
embodiment, with the cord omitted for clarity; and
[0102] FIG. 34 is an isometric view of the distal end of the fifth
embodiment, showing the stopper and clutch ratchet in a disengaged
position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EXAMPLE EMBODIMENT
[0103] Referring to the drawings there is shown a practice club for
providing feedback on a player's swing, the practice club generally
indicated at 10.
[0104] In use, the practice club provides haptic feedback to a user
during the user's swing, by giving the player a feeling of the
downswing experience of a desirable "lag" of a club head during the
downswing. Thus, the player experiences the actual physical
dynamics of the desired downswing. Accordingly, all the muscles of
the golfer involved in the downswing experience the desired
physical dynamics and this experience is stored in the player's
muscle memory. Furthermore, this experience does not need to be
interpreted by the player in the same way that an instructor's
verbal advice needs to be interpreted.
[0105] There may also be an additional experience of giving the
player a bump from the return of an extensible stopper 20 assembly
against a club shaft 30 during deceleration of the club shaft.
[0106] The arrangement is such that in use the player swings the
club shaft 30 on the downswing, with the aim of accelerating it,
thereby extending the extensible stopper 21, so that it leaves a
mounting stop 22 on which IT no an ally resides under the
centrifugal force of the downswing. A resilient cord element 26
facilitates the extension of the stopper 21 from the mounting stop
22 during the downswing, and allows the stopper 21 to extend
longitudinally away from, and in a trailing direction from, the
club shaft 30. The lag is partly due to the air resistance
experienced by the stopper 21, and the cord 26 extension.
[0107] During the follow through, in which the club slows down, the
stopper 20 snaps back into the mounting stop 22 at a selected
angular position. The user feels the angular location of the lag
and/or the bump, and can modify the swing next time accordingly,
refining the swing so that a particular angular range from vertical
is selected for the lag or the bump. This provides direct
instruction on stroke technique which the body feels, rather than
hears.
[0108] The extensible element 20 is in the form of a stopper 21,
which itself is part of an extendible stopper assembly 25. The
extendible stopper assembly 25 is configured such that the stopper
21 is movable between a rest or relaxed position in which it rests
against the mounting stop 22, and an extended position in which the
stopper 21 extends a selected distance from the mounting stop 22.
The extendible stopper assembly 25 includes a resilient element 26
on which is mounted the stopper 21 which gives it the extendible
function, snapping back on deceleration.
[0109] The club shaft 30 is a stub shaft 32, and resembles a
shortened golf club, missing the typical golf club head that might
be expected of a golf club. This provides an advantage that the
club 10 is portable, but can still instruct and allow practice at
convenient times, perhaps in indoor areas when a player cannot, for
example, leave the office because of other life
responsibilities.
[0110] The club shaft 30 is hollow, to receive and/or mount a
portion of the resilient element 26. The resilient element is a
cord, such as may be found on an octopus strap.
[0111] The arrangement of the resilient element 26 is such that the
tension therein may be varied or supplemented, and one such
arrangement can be seen in FIGS. 8 and 9. A tension adjuster 40 is
provided and shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. The tension adjuster 40 varies
the resting distance between a handle anchor 52 and a stopper
anchor 50 by mounting the handle anchor 52 on a carriage 51. The
carriage 51 can be selectively mounted on one of a plurality of
rungs or steps or catches or hooks or the like, indicated at 41 on
a tensioning insert 42. The rungs 41 are spaced along the insert
42, for to be caught by a cooperating hook 43 disposed on the
carriage 51, which in turn has the resilient element 26 fastened
thereto.
[0112] The mounting stop 22 is provided at a distal end 33 of the
shaft. The mounting stop 22 is shown as a cup 27 for receiving the
stopper 21. The mounting stop 22 is convex to receive the stopper
21 on a broad surface area, to provide a secure platform for
receiving the stopper 21, and/or to make a loud sound and a
confident bump during the follow through.
[0113] The mounting stop 22 is oriented to face longitudinally
outward from the club shaft, to facilitate fast retraction along
the centripetal plane for strong bump and noise.
[0114] While it is not shown, the distal portion of the club shaft
may be configured to tilt. A joint may be provided to facilitate
the tilt. A known axle may provide the axis, and a pair of
cooperating scalloped plates may provide a selected number of
angular positions in which to mount the mounting stop 22 relative
to the club shaft: 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75,
80 or 85 or 90 degrees to the club shaft. The stopper 21 is in the
form of a ball 23 such as a baseball-shaped element, so that it
cannot retract up the handle through a mounting stop aperture 24.
There are also dimples in the stopper to affect the airflow around
the stopper.
[0115] Other dynamic adjusters or pseudo-tensioning adjusters 40
operate by varying the mass of the stopper 21. The mass of the
stopper 21 may be varied, so as to tailor the feel of the practice
club to suit the style and strength of a player. A player may want
to mimic the feel of a heavier head, or have a faster swing, and
adjust the mass of the stopper accordingly. The mass of the stopper
21 may be varied by providing mass receivers on or in the stopper
21. In the embodiment shown, the stopper 21 is hollow and includes
an access port 28 to receive one or more weights 29 inside. The
access port 28 in one embodiment includes a closure 35 in the form
of a hatch 36.
[0116] The weights 29 are held in place against one wall by a
spring or resilient element 39 to stop them rattling around inside
the ball 23. The spring can be arranged longitudinally to hold the
closure 35 against the threads to increase friction on the threads
to inhibit it being forced out of the end of the access port
28.
[0117] The resilient element is anchored at the top end of the
handle to provide a low frequency of resilience.
[0118] Another arrangement of tension adjuster 40 is shown in FIGS.
11 to 16. In the arrangement shown, rather than vary the relative
position between a stopper anchor 50 and a handle anchor 52 by
moving the handle anchor 52 with a carriage 51, the other end is
tensioned. That is, the stopper anchor 50 for the elastic cord 17
is variable in position inside the head relative to the handle
anchor 52 (FIG. 6). In this embodiment, the stopper includes one or
more guides to guide the cord 17 into and around the stopper 21 to
control the tension. The arrangement is rather like wrapping the
cord 26 horizontally about an axle. A first guide is at 54 which is
an inlet guide 55, which is in the form of an aperture 56. The
inlet guide 55 facilitates a radial turn in the cord 17 to a second
guide 57 which is in the form of a post 58 for facilitating a
tangential turn of the cord 17 so that it extends around a
peripheral pathway 59 in or on the stopper. In the case where the
stopper is a sphere, the peripheral path 59 is a circumferential
path 60, and where the stopper is, say, a square or other polygon,
the peripheral path 59 is a more angular path which may follow the
periphery of the stopper.
[0119] Drawing the stopper anchor 50 around the peripheral path 59
extends the cord 17 around the peripheral path 59, tensioning the
cord 17. The stopper anchor 50 is in the form of a stopper anchor
post 64, and is drawn around the peripheral path 59 by an anchor
driver 61 The anchor driver 61 can be moved relative to the stopper
21 by an actuator 70 mounted on the stopper wall 21. The actuator
70 in the Figures can be seen to be mounted on or in a stopper head
62. It can be seen that for ease of use, the stopper 21 is formed
in two hemispheres 72, 73, which are relatively rotatable to one
another. One tensioning actuator 70 is in the form of movable
hemisphere 72 and the anchor driver 61 is mounted under or inside
the movable hemisphere 72 of the stopper 21. The anchor driver 61
is in the form of a co-operating recess 63 to receive the stopper
anchor post 64. There is a lock 75 to lock the hemispheres 72, 73
together, and actuating hemisphere 72 has a plurality of lock
receivers 78 disposed around its circumference so that the user may
select the tension of the cord 17. There are five lock receivers 78
shown in the Figures.
[0120] To tighten the elastic cord, the lock 75 is released by
pressing a biased lock release 76 in the form of button 77 and then
turning the movable hemisphere 72 around to the next lock receiver
78. To loosen, release lock and rotate hemisphere 72 back the other
way.
[0121] FIG. 17 is a more user-friendly version of the tensioner
shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, wherein the carriage 51 can be drawn away
from the stopper 21 by mounting it on a threaded barrel, and with a
pin 79, drawing the carriage 51 linearly along the barrel when the
handle end 99 is rotated.
[0122] FIG. 18 shows an optional tensioning device, which is
similar to the tensioner described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,599 to
Hammerslag, the entirety of which is by this statement incorporated
herein by referring to it here. To summarise that system there is a
lace 81 provided, in the form of a cable 83, which extends through
a low-friction guide 82 disposed on one end of a carriage 84, and a
tensioning ratchet 85 disposed on the end of the handle 86. The
tension in the lace 81 can be increased by rotating the actuator 85
which is in the form of a dial 86, so as to wrap the lace 81 around
a spool. The low friction guide is a U-shape, to reduce friction
further.
[0123] The dial can release the tension on the ratchet by pulling
the dial outwards, disengaging the ratchet from a pawl.
[0124] FIG. 19 shows a tension indicator which includes a window 89
and a marking indicator 93 on the cord 26. The cord at this region
of the shaft may be relatively inextensible to provide more
accurate indication of tension. The cord 26 may be in two pieces:
one inextensible and another extensible/resilient, to facilitate
reproducible tension indication. The window may include graduations
87 at selected intervals to facilitate indication. The indicator
may be used in all the embodiments described herein, except perhaps
the one described and shown in FIGS. 1 to 7 where the tension is
varied by adjusting the mass of the stopper 21.
[0125] FIGS. 20 and 21 show a wear protector 90 in the form of a
cuff 91. In FIG. 21 the cuff 91 has flanges 92 to further reduce
wear on extension and retraction.
[0126] FIGS. 22 to 29 show another embodiment of tensioning device
incorporated into the stopper 21. When describing these other
embodiments it is to be understood that like numerals denote like
elements for example, stopper 21 is a similar element in other
embodiments as 121 and 221.
[0127] The arrangement in FIGS. 22 to 29 is such that there is a
stopper 121 which mounts, in a relaxed position, on mounting stop
122. The stopper 121 is a ball, and mounting stop 122 is a
cooperating concave flange to provide a secure seat for the stopper
121.
[0128] The distinctive part of the embodiment is the tensioning
mechanism 140. The tensioning mechanism 140 includes an axle 101
about which a resilient cord 126 can be wrapped in order to
increase the tension on the stopper 121.
[0129] A clutch 102 is provided which facilitates movement between
two axle positions lock and release. The locking position is shown
in FIGS. 22, 24, 27, and 28 while the release position is shown in
FIGS. 23, 25, 26 and 29.
[0130] The release position is wherein the axle is disposed in a
sideways position, where an axle actuator may be accessible. The
axle actuator is indicated at 103 and can include grips such as
flats 104 shown in FIG. 25, or a deployable pivoting handle 105
shown in FIG. 22. The grips in use facilitate turning the axle 101
under greater control for increasing or decreasing the tension in
the cord 126.
[0131] The clutch includes dog teeth 106 on an end portion which in
use cooperate with dog teeth on a bore 107 on the stopper 121. The
end of the axle 101 slides in and out of engagement with the teeth
107 to provide rotation of the axle when required. To disengage the
clutch, the player pushes the axle 101 from the tooth end 106 so
that the axle teeth 106 are disengaged from the bore teeth 107. The
player then grabs the other end of the axle by the handle or the
flats and turns the axle 101 in the desired direction to increase
or decrease the tension in the cord 126. The tension indicator from
FIG. 19 may be included in this embodiment to indicate the tension
being increased or decreased. This assists in telling the user
which way to turn the axle 101 to get the desired result: either an
increase or decrease in tension, when it may not be clear from the
tension on the axle 101.
[0132] The player holds the sideways pressure on the axle against
the force of the biasing element 108 so as to turn the axle, and
the biasing element then returns the axle teeth 106 to engagement
with the teeth 107 upon release of the sideways force by the
player.
[0133] The arrangement in FIGS. 30 to 34 is another embodiment, and
is similar to that described and shown in relation to FIGS. 22 to
29, but with a difference in actuation and clutch.
[0134] A clutch is shown at 202 which includes an axle 201 but the
axle cooperates with a ratchet cap 209 so as to turn in unison
therewith. The ratchet cap 209 includes teeth 206 which cooperate
with teeth on a bore 207 on the stopper 221. The axle 201 can be
shifted sideways by pressure on the ratchet cap, and the user
presses the axle 201 against the biasing spring 208, so that the
ratchet teeth 206 disengage from bore teeth 207 (shown basically in
the position of FIG. 34). The ratchet cap 209 then can be turned by
using the radial shoulders and then when the desired tension
(perhaps shown on tensioning indicator of FIG. 19) is reached, the
sideways force is released and the axle returns to the engaged
position under the biasing force of the spring 208.
Clarifications
[0135] Modifications and improvements to the invention will be
readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Such modifications
and improvements are intended to be within the scope of this
invention.
* * * * *