Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B53/00—Golf clubs
  • A63B53/04—Heads
  • A63B53/0487—Heads for putters
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B53/00—Golf clubs
  • A63B53/04—Heads
  • A63B53/0416—Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B53/00—Golf clubs
  • A63B53/04—Heads
  • A63B53/0445—Details of grooves or the like on the impact surface
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B53/00—Golf clubs
  • A63B53/04—Heads
  • A63B53/0458—Heads with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B60/00—Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
  • A63B60/50—Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like with through-holes

Definitions

• the invention relates to a device and a method for eliciting improved accuracy for directional forward movement of a projectile such as a ball, particularly but not exclusively, a golf ball, by means of a movable striking face of a striking means such as a golf putter head.
• Games whether played indoors or as outdoor games comprise individual player(s) using specially designed sticks or clubs to propel a hard ball over a course or links.
• the object of such games is to advance said ball around a course or links using a minimal number of strokes.
• Croquet, golf or pitch- and-putt are good examples of such games. For convenience only the invention will be described hereinafter with particular reference to the game of golf.
• the golf ball itself is constructed of a rubber core enclosed in gutta-percha which is a whitish rubber substance derived from the coagulated milky latex of tropical trees.
• the pitted surface of modern golf balls acts to stabilise flight.
• Specifications for golf balls differ from country to country, the British governing body recommend a ball of 45.93 gms (1.62 oz) weight with a diameter of not less of 4.11 cm (1.62 inches).
• a typical golf course comprises eighteen holes.
• the standard course is about 5900 to 6400 metres (about 6500 to 7000 yards); individual holes may vary in length from 90 to 550 metres (from 100 to 600 yards).
• a tee At one end of each individual hole is a starting point, known as a tee.
• the tee is typically embedded in the ground.
• a cup or cylindrical container also called a hole
• the golf ball must be propelled into said cup/container/hole in order to complete play at each hole.
• the cavity in the green is usually lined with metal and/or plastic and is 10.8 cm (4.2 inches) in diameter, and at least 10 cm (4 inches) deep.
• tee which is generally a level area of turf, that is slighted raised above the surrounding terrain. From here each player successively tries to drive a ball onto the fairway which is a carefully tended strip of grass approximately 27 to 90 metres (30 to 100 yards) wide on which the grass has been trimmed so as to provide a good playing surface for the ball.
• the fairway On either side of the fairway is the rough, which are areas covered with long untended grass, bushes, trees or the like and occasionally comprises obstacles such as sand filled bunkers, water hazards or the like. The purpose of said obstacles is to test the skill and judgement of a player's strokes.
• the smooth surface of the putting green is designed to facilitate the progress of a ball into the hole subsequent to the ball receiving a gentle tap or stroke known as a putt.
• Putting is often purported to be the most difficult aspect of the game and the stroke requiring the greatest degree of skill.
• the putt is a specialised stroke used on the green, and generally at least two of said shots are required by competent players in order to hole a golf ball. It will be appreciated that those less skilled in the art of golf may require many more shots in order to achieve holing the ball.
• Shots of various lengths are played with different clubs, according to the distance to be covered.
• a standard set of golf clubs comprises fourteen, which is also the maximum number which may be carried in tournament play.
• Clubs are broadly divided into two main types: those with heads made of wood which are termed “woods”; and those with heads made of forged steel, usually chromium plated and are termed "irons".
• the shafts of both types are usually constructed of metal and sometimes fibre glass.
• Woods are generally numbered 1 to 5 and “irons” numbered 1 through to 9.
• the putter, an iron has retained its name and is generally referred to specifically. It should be noted that there are a number of irons that are specific for certain conditions, such as sand wedge and/or pitching wedge.
• Different clubs are selected in order to achieve distance, height or accurate placement of the ball.
• the angle at which the striking surface is set on a shaft of the club determines the trajectory of the ball.
• the putter is normally only used on the green itself or the immediate area of less smooth grass adjacent the green.
• the present invention presents a most elegant way of overcoming the difficulties associated with the prior art, and advantageously presents a device and a method for eliciting accurate forward directional movement of a golf ball upon strike in an inventive and novel way.
• the device comprises a stick or club adapted to make contact with a projectile so as to impart motion thereto, which stick or club comprises at least one striking face having at least one groove or channel or cavity provided therein, and further housed in said groove or channel or cavity at least one support means having additionally associated therewith or attached thereto at least one rotatable means, said rotatable means having a surface at least a part of which is flush with, or over flush with, a surface of the striking face.
• said groove or channel or cavity is sized and shaped so as to be accommodated within the confines of a striking face of a putter head.
• said support means is provided horizontally or ideally vertically, or in other direction so as to provide an axis about which rotation of said rotatable means can occur.
• said support means is constructed of a material so as to be durable and impact resistant.
• said support means is fixedly attached at both a first and second end to an inner surface of said groove or channel or cavity.
• a plurality of support means in one instance horizontally/longitudinally positioned support means are positioned so as to be parallel to one another additionally in the instance of vertically positioned support means said support means are positioned so as to be adjacent a neighbouring support means.
• said rotatable means comprises a plurality of discs and/or rods and/or beads and/or ball bearings and/or any other means that can present a rotatable construct about a specified and selected axis.
• said rotatable means are impact resistant, resilient, and spaced in a manner so as to provide minimal space therebetween and/or thereabove and ideally are evenly spaced therebetween and/or thereabove
• said rotatable means are concentrically arranged.
• a golf putter comprising a movable strike face comprising at least one support means housed within at least one groove or channel or cavity positioned in a putter head and furthermore associated or integral with said support means there is provided a plurality of rotatable means.
• said support means is provided horizontally and/or vertically or indeed in any direction so as to provide an axis about which rotation of a rotatable means can occur.
• said rotatable means comprise a plurality of discs/rods/beads/ball bearings or any other means that may provide a rotatable construct about at least one specified and selected axis.
• said rotatable means are concentrically arranged.
• a method of striking a projectile such as a ball so as to elicit a straight, predictable and accurate path subsequent to contact with a movable strike face head of a stick or club such as a putter wherein said rotatable means upon contact with said projectile absorbs backspin and said rotatable means rotates about a given axis.
• said rotatable means are concentrically arranged.
• Figure 1 represents a diagrammatic illustration of a front elevation view of a golf putter head with a jointed shaft cut-off;
• Figure 2 represents a diagrammatic illustration of a front elevation view of a golf putter head with an angled shaft cut-off;
• Figure 3 represents a diagrammatic illustration of a preferred embodiment of the invention of a front elevation view of a golf putter head, exposing a movable striking face comprising longitudinally arranged/threaded spheres;
• Figure 4 represents a diagrammatic illustration of a preferred embodiment of the invention of a front elevation view of a golf putter head, exposing a movable striking face comprising longitudinally arranged/threaded discs;
• Figure 5 represents a diagrammatic illustration of a preferred embodiment of the invention of a side sectional view of horizontally arranged/threaded spheres
• Figure 6 represents a diagrammatic illustration of a preferred embodiment of the invention of a side sectional view of horizontally arranged/threaded discs
• Figure 7 represents a diagrammatic illustration of a preferred embodiment of the invention of a front elevation view of a golf putter head, exposing a movable striking face comprising longitudinally a ⁇ anged/threaded cylindrical rods;
• Figure 8 represents a diagrammatic illustration of a preferred embodiment of the invention of a front elevation view of a golf putter head, exposing a movable striking face comprising horizontally a ⁇ anged/threaded cylindrical rods;
• Figures 9A to C represents a diagrammatic illustration of a sequence of events comprising striking a golf ball, causing forward directional travel of said golf ball and further illustrating absorption of kinetic energy by rotational movement by a movable strike face of a putter head.
• FIG. 1 represents a diagrammatic illustration of a front perspective view of a golf putter head with a jointed shaft cut off, there is shown a heel portion 3 A of a striking face 2, a toe portion 3B of a striking face 2, an outer perimeter 4 of a striking face 2 and a cavity/groove/channel 5.
• a straight shaft of a putter handle 6A in which a joint 7 provides connection to an angled shaft portion 6B.
• FIG. 2 represents a diagrammatic illustration of a front perspective view of a golf putter head with an angled shaft cut-off, there is shown a heel portion 3A of a strike surface 2, a toe portion 3B, an outer perimeter 4 of a strike surface 2, a cavity /groove/channel 5 and associated with or attached to putter head 1 is an angled shaft handle 8.
• FIG 3 represents a diagrammatic illustration of a preferred embodiment of the invention of a front perspective view of a golf putter head, exposing a movable stiiking face comprising longitudinally arranged/threaded spheres, there is shown a straight shaft handle 6A, an outer perimeter casing 4 of strike surface 2, a curved lower surface 9 of outer perimeter 4, a plurality of spheres 10 concentrically threaded about shaft 11 which is fixedly attached at either end 12A and 12B to an inner surface 4A of outer perimeter casing 4.
• FIG 4 represents a diagrammatic illustration of a preferred embodiment of the invention of a front perspective view of a golf putter head, exposing a movable striking face comprising longitudinally arranged/threaded discs, there is shown shaft 11 which is fixedly attached to an inner surface 4A of groove/cavity/channel 5 at positions 12A, 12B, 13 A and 13B.
• Discs 14 are concentrically threaded about shaft 11 in a coaxial manner.
• FIG. 5 represents a diagrammatic illustration of a preferred embodiment of the invention of a side sectional view of horizontally arranged/threaded spheres, there is shown, a rear surface 15, of cavity/groove/channel 5, a sphere 10 concentrically and coaxially threaded about shaft 11 which is fixedly attached to an inner surface 4 A of perimeter 4 via attachment points 12 A and 12B. Additionally a rear space 16 of cavity/groove channel 5 is provided with sufficient space so as to accommodate rotation of sphere 10 therein.
• FIG. 6 represents a diagrammatic illustration of a preferred embodiment of the invention of a side sectional view of a horizontally arranged/threaded discs
• FIG. 6 there is shown two rows of discs but it will be understood by those skilled in the art to represent one embodiment of the invention and that the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to specific numbers of rows or rotatable means attached thereto.
• Figure 7 represents a diagrammatic illustration of a preferred embodiment of the invention of a front perspective view of a golf putter head exposing a movable striking face, comprising longitudinally arranged/threaded cylindrical rods, there is shown within cavity/groove/channel 5 of outer perimeter 4 concentrically threaded coaxially arranged elongate cylinder rods 17 and threaded therethrough by shaft 11 which is fixedly attached via points 18A and 18B.
• FIG 8 represents a diagrammatic illustration of a preferred embodiment of the invention of a front perspective view of a golf putter head exposing a movable striking face comprising horizontally arranged/threaded cylindrical rods, there is shown a plurality of rods/cylinders 19. Attached to an inner surface 4A of outer perimeter 4 via attachment points 12A and 12B, are a plurality of shafts 11 which are threaded through rods/cylinders 19.
• FIG. 9 represents a diagrammatic illustration of a sequence of events comprising striking a golf ball, causing forward directional travel of said golf ball and further illustrating absorption of kinetic energy by rotational movement on a movable stiike face of a putter head, there is shown a golf ball 20 and golf putter stiike face 2 comprising a plurality of spheres 10 concentrically and coaxially orientated about shaft 11 which is fixedly attached to an inner surface 4A of outer perimeter 4 via attachment points 18A and 18B.
• the invention as hereinbefore described and the method of striking a golf ball therefore represents a novel and inventive means of providing accurate forward motion of a golf ball on a putting green principally by absorbing backspin movement and hence energy in rotational movement of a rotatable means provided in a striking face of a putter.
• the invention therefore provides a most elegant and inventive means of improving putting play for players of all levels of skill.

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• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Physical Education & Sports Medicine (AREA)
• Golf Clubs (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=10802641

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

Families Citing this family (2)

Family Cites Families (6)

• 1996
  • 1996-11-08 GB GB9623282A patent/GB2304592B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 1997
  • 1997-10-28 JP JP52225998A patent/JP2001505452A/ja active Pending
  • 1997-10-28 WO PCT/GB1997/002967 patent/WO1998020941A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1997-10-28 AU AU47874/97A patent/AU4787497A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1997-10-28 EP EP97910524A patent/EP0948378A1/de not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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