Alignment aid for golf clubs

Abstract: The invention provides a simple alignment device which is mounted on the golf club and which enables the golfer to determine when the club face is properly aligned without the assistance of another person. The alignment device comprises a linearoptic or lenticular screen (28) which provides a three-dimensional visual image of an indicating mark below the surface of the screen. When the position of the screen changes relative to the golfer's eyes, the position of the indicating mark (34) changes at a magnified rate, thereby providing a readily apparent indication of the position of the club face. In one embodiment of the alignment device the screen provides the image of a line (34) which is aligned with lines (35,36) on the club above and below the screen when the club face is aligned square to the target. When the club shaft and club face are rotated slightly out of alignment, the line on the screen moves out of alignment with the lines on the club. In another embodiment of the alignment device no image is visible on the screen when the club face is properly aligned, but an indicating mark or color becomes visible if the club is rotated out of alignment in either direction.

Description: This invention relates to a golf club with an alignment device - for indicating when a golf club is properly aligned. A golf club, for example, an iron type of golf club, includes a hitting face for striking a golf ball. If the golf club is to hit the golf hall accurately, the hitting face must be properly aligned with the intended line of flight of the ball. For a straight shot, i.e., a shot for which the player does not intend to impart draw or fade spin to the ball, the club face must be aligned square to the target line. The club face of an iron is square to the target line when the plane of the face is perpendicular to a vertical plane along the target line. The face of a wood type of golf club conventionally includes bulge and roll curvature, and a wood club is square to the target line when a plane which is tangent to the center of the face is perpendicular to a vertical plane along the target line. Many golfers, particularly beginning golfers, have difficulty in determining when a golf club is properly aligned. Even accomplished golfers periodically experience problems with alignment. Because a player is standing to one side of the target line and cannot look down the target line when he addresses the golf ball, it is difficult to determine when the club face is square. If the player intends to "work" the ball by closing or opening the face of the club at address, it is difficult to determine the degree to which the club face is closed or open relative to the target line. The problem of alignment is such that many golfers cannot be sure that the club face is properly aligned without the assistance of another person who stands behind the player along the target line and observes the position of the club face. An alignment element for a golf putter formed of a transparent material as a cylindrical disk having a diameter approximately the height of the putter, having first and second references marks, is known from US-A-4.749.196. The reference marks are oriented upon the cylindrical sidewall of the disk so that when the element is affixed to the putter, the second reference mark is magnified when the first reference mark is oriented between the viewer and the second reference mark. Preferably the second reference mark is a contrasting color, lighter than the first reference to give the appearance, when viewed from above, of a darker line superimposed on a lighter magnified line. When affixed to a golf club, the alignment of the first reference mark with the magnified second reference mark is used to assist in positioning when addressing the ball. In the knowledge of this prior art, the aim of the invention is to apply an improved alignment aid which has a simple structur and allows an uncomplicated handling. This problem is solved by the teaching according to claim 1. Particular developments are given in the dependent claims. The invention provides a simple alignment device which is mounted on the golf club and which enables the golfer to determine when the club face is properly aligned without the assistance of another person. The alignment device comprises a linearoptic or lenticular screen which provides a three-dimensional visual image of an indicating mark below the surface of the screen. When the position of the screen changes relative to the golfer's eyes, the position of the indicating mark changes at a magnified rate, thereby providing a readily apparent indication of the position of the club face. In one embodiment of the alignment device the screen provides the image of a line which is aligned with lines on the club above and below the screen when the club face is aligned square to the target. When the club shaft and club face are rotated slightly out of alignment, the line on the screen moves out of alignment with the lines on the club. In another embodiment of the alignment device no image is visible on the screen when the club face is properly aligned, but an indicating mark or color becomes visible if the club is rotated out of alignment in either direction. The invention will be explained in conjunction with illustrative embodiments shown in the accompanying drawing, in which -- Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a golf club equipped with an alignment device in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of the golf club of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the golf club rotated clockwise; Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the golf club rotated counterclockwise; Fig. 5 is a plan view of the alignment device; Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the alignment device; Fig. 7 illustrates a modified embodiment of the alignment device wherein the alignment device is mounted within the grip of the golf club; Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is another embodiment of the alignment device in which the alignment device is mounted on the hosel of the club head; Fig. 10 is a plan view of an alignment device in which no indicating mark is visible when the club is properly aligned; Fig. 11 illustrates the alignment device of Fig. 10 which is rotated clockwise from the Fig. 10 position, thereby bringing an indicating mark into view; Fig. 12 illustrates the alignment device of Fig. 10 in which the alignment device is rotated counterclockwise from the Fig. 10 position, thereby bringing an indicating mark into view; Fig. 13 is an elevational view of a putter which is equipped with an alignment device on the grip; and Fig. 14 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 14-14 of Fig. 13. Referring to Figs. 1-4, a conventional iron-type golf club 15 includes an elongated shaft 16 and a club head 17 mounted on the lower end of the shaft 16. A grip 18 is mounted on the upper end of the shaft 16. The club head 17 includes a front face or striking face 20, a rear face 21, a sole 22, a toe 23, and a heel 24. The front face 20 is provided with grooves or square lines 25 (see also Fig. 9). The particular club head 17 illustrated also includes a hosel 26 which is connected to the shaft 16. An alignment device 28 is mounted on the shaft 16 just below the grip 18. The particular alignment device 28 illustrated is a linearoptic or lenticular screen. Such devices are well known and provide a three dimensional image which changes position and/or color depending upon the angle at which the screen is viewed. Linearoptic screens are available from Optigraphics Corp., 924 Avenue J East, Grand Prairie, Texas 75050 under the name Magic Motion and are described in U.S. Patent Nos. 2,833,176, 3,225,457, 3,538,632, 3,520,588, 3,582,329, and 3,775,110. Briefly, a linearoptic screen which consists of numerous tiny lenses which are laminated in register to a film which is imprinted with multiple images. Each of the lenses focuses on a different portion of the printed image, and as the angle of view of the screen changes, the position of the image changes. The linearoptic screen 28 is flat and includes a top surface 29 (Figs. 5 and 6) which faces away from the shaft 16 of the golf club 15, a bottom surface 30 which faces toward the golf club 15, and a generally rectangular side surface 31. The screen 28 is adhesively mounted on a strip of adhesive tape 32, and the adhesive tape 32 is wrapped around the shaft 16. The graphics of the linearoptic screen 28 provides the image of a straight line 34 when the sight line from the observer to the screen is perpendicular to the top surface 29. A pair of straight lines 35 and 36 are imprinted on the tape 32 above and below the screen 28. The screen 28 is mounted on the shaft 16 so that when a golfer holds the club 15 at address, he sees the indicating line 34 aligned with the lines 35 and 36 when the club face 20 is square to the target line (see Fig. 2). If the club face 20 is rotated out of the square position, the indicating line 34 moves out of alignment with the lines 35 and 36 (see Figs. 3 and 4). The lenses of the linearoptic screen 28 provide a three dimensional depth to the image of the line 34, and the line appears to be below the plane of both the top surface 29 and bottom surface 30 of the screen 28 and also below the level of the lines 35 and 36 on the tape 32. The lenses of the linearoptic screen 28 also magnify the movement of the indicating mark 34 relative to the movement of the screen 28 so that a small movement of the screen 28 relative to the viewer causes a greater movement of the indicating line 34 relative to the viewer. Even a small movement of the club 15 out of the square position is therefore readily apparent by movement of the indicating line 34 away from the lines 35 and 36. The indicating line 34 can be used not only to indicate to the golfer when the club face 20 is square to the target line at address but also to provide an indication of the degree to which the club face 20 is open or closed at address. If the golfer desires to leave the club face 20 open or closed at address in order to spin the ball, the degree to which the club face 20 is open or closed is indicated by the degree of misalignment of the indicating mark 34 and the lines 35 and 36. Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate the linearoptic screen 28 mounted on a club shaft 16 underneath a grip 18. The screen 28 can be adhesively secured to the shaft 16, and the grip 18 is provided with an opening 40 which exposes the front face of the screen 28. Lines 35a and 36a are imprinted on the grip 18 and are aligned with the indicating line 34 of the screen 28 when the club face 20 is square to the target line. In Fig. 9 the linearoptic screen 28 is mounted on the hosel 26 of the club head 17. Straight lines 35b and 36b are imprinted or etched on the hosel 26 and are aligned with the indicating line 34 of the linearoptic screen 28 when the club face 20 is square to the target line. Figs. 10-12 illustrate a linearoptic screen 46 which is similar to the linearoptic screen 28 except that the screen 46 does not provide an image when the observer views the screen 46 perpendicularly to the front face 47 of the screen 46 as illustrated in Fig. 10. When the screen 46 is rotated slightly clockwise as illustrated in Fig. 11, an indicating line 48 moves into view from the left edge of the screen 46. When the linearoptic screen 46 is rotated counterclockwise slightly from its Fig. 10 position, an indicating line 49 moves into view from the right edge of the screen 46. Fig. 13 illustrates the linearoptic screen 46 mounted on a putter 50. The putter includes a shaft 16, a putter head 52, and a grip 18. The linearoptic screen 46 is adhesively mounted on the lower portion of the grip 18, although the screen 46 could be mounted on the shaft 16 or the hosel 26. When the face 54 of the putter head 52 is perpendicular to the target line, the golfer does not see any indicating line in the linearoptic screen 46. However, if the face of the putter 50 is rotated slightly out of line, one of the lines 48 and 49 will come into view and indicate to the golfer that the face is out of alignment. The printed sheet of the linearoptic screen 46 can be printed to provide other indicating images to the golfer. For example, the linearoptic screen 46 can provide one color, for example, green, when the club face 54 is properly aligned and another color, for example, red, when the club face 54 is out of alignment. Even if the alignment aid is not allowed to be used by the rules which are applicable to a particular golf event, the alignment aid is useful as a practice and training device. By using the alignment device, a golfer can become accustomed to the proper position of the club face 20, 54 when the club face 20, 54 is aligned. He can thereafter rely on that position of the club face 20, 54 as assurance that the club face 20, 54 is properly aligned even when the alignment device is not mounted on the club 15, 50. While in the foregoing specification a detailed description of specific embodiments of the invention was set forth for the purpose of illustration, it will be understood that many of the details herein given may be varied considerably by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims

Claims: A golf club with an alignment device mounted on the golf club, the golf club (15, 50) having an elongated shaft (16) having upper and lower ends, a grip (18) on the upper end of the shaft, and a club head (17, 52) attached to the lower end of the shaft, the club head having a face (20, 54) for striking a golf ball, the alignment device comprising a screen (28, 46) viewable by a golfer while addressing a golf ball and which provides indicating means for indicating when the face of the club head is aligned with the direction in which the ball is intended to be struck, and said screen having a bottom surface (30) which faces toward the golf club and a top surface (29, 47) which faces away from the golf club, said alignment device providing a three-dimensional image of said indicating means so that the indicating means appears below the top surface of the screen, in which the screen (28, 46) is flat and comprises lenses providing a three dimensional depth and an image behind the lenses for providing said indicating means. The golf club of claim 1 in which the club (15) includes an alignment mark (35, 36) adjacent the screen (28), said indicating means comprising a line (34) which is aligned with said mark when the face (20) is properly aligned and which is offset from the mark when the face is not properly aligned. The golf club of claim 1 in which said indicating means comprises a mark which is visible when the face is not properly aligned and which is not visible when the face is properly aligned. The golf club of claim 1, in which said alignment device comprises a linearoptic screen (28, 46) having a plurality of lenses. The golf club of one of the claims 1 to 4, in which the graphic of the screen (28) provides the image of a straight line (34) and a pair of straight lines (35, 36) is fixed above and below the screen. The golf club of one of the claims 1 to 5, in which the screen (28) is adhesively mounted on a strip of adhesive tape (32), on which are fixed the straight lines (35, 36) above and below the screen. The golf club of one of the claims 1 to 4, in which two lines (48, 49) are related to the screen (46). The golf club of one of the claims 1 to 7, in which said screen (28) is mounted on the shaft (16) adjacent the grip (18). The golf club of one of the claims 1 to 8, in which said grip (18) is provided with an opening (40) and said screen is mounted on the shaft (16) and is exposed by the opening in the grip (18). The golf club of one of the claims 1 to 9, in which said screen (28, 46) is mounted on the grip (18). The golf club of one of the claims 1 to 6, in which said club head (17, 52) includes a hosel (26) which connects the club head to the shaft (16), said screen being mounted on the hosel.

Inventors: MEYER DEAN E, MEYER, DEAN E.
Applicants: WILSON SPORTING GOODS, WILSON SPORTING GOODS COMPANY
Application year: 1993
Main classification: A63B69
IPC codes: A63B53, A63B69