Abstract:
A golf swing training apparatus that stretches and strengthens the precise parts of the body used in the golf swing while providing a tool to make swing changes. The apparatus employs a swing guide track, which is mounted on a base in such a manner that the track follows the golfer&#39;s normal golf swing, accommodating any type of swing. The swing track is maneuverable by the golfer, consciously or unconsciously, to more precisely accord to the special stylistic features of the golfer&#39;s unique swing, and wherein a consistent pull or resistance is provided and is attached to a golf handle, which the golfer swings on a movable swing plane while the plane is in motion.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE OF RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   Not Applicable 
   FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
   Not Applicable 
   SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM 
   Not Applicable 
   BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
   1. Field 
   This invention relates to golf swing training, generally, a device used by a player to train for a game or sport using a tangible projectile, the invention specifically stretches the parts of the body used for the backswing and follow-thru, strengthens the muscles used for the downswing and is a teaching aid to correct many swing flaws. 
   2. Prior Art 
   Golf training through exercise is a comparatively new field for such an old game. Up until the last 20 years or so golfers generally avoided most physical training exercises for fear of losing their swing from physical body changes. As training techniques have progressed, golfers have worked more on physical fitness and golf specific muscles. 
   Although there have been some golf swing casualties in the professional ranks from body changes due to physical workouts, younger pros have achieved more promising results. Up until the present time, stretching and strengthening golf muscles has been achieved by improving overall physical fitness and using specific exercises for golf muscle groups. 
   Spending so much time exercising is a noble goal for those who have the time like the pros, but working amateurs with families cannot usually find the time. Many training aids have been developed that have not been widely accepted. Others, that have been widely sold, rarely fulfill their advertised claims. Some current exercise training products involve a belt around the torso with an elastic cord attached to the club handle. Although they claim to stretch and strengthen the golf swing, these products usually do the opposite. They provide resistance on the backswing and follow-thru where stretching is actually required and elastic pulling on the downswing where resistance is required. 
   Other golf training products that haven&#39;t made it to market include the use of pivotal resistance with the resistance mechanism in front of the golfer and some form of arm to rotate by the golfer for exercising the swing such as Lee and Leadbetter in U.S. Pat. No. 5,284,464 and Hundley in U.S. Pat. No. 5,242,344. These are very rigid devices for swing training and often resist backswing motion where pull is actually required. Also, a golfer&#39;s backswing and downswing is normally on different swing planes and swing circumferences have odd shapes that are not rigid. The prior devices do not accommodate such variations in golf swings and can create problems associated with undesirable swing alterations. 
   Other devices employ vertical resistance through pulleys, guides, weights and springs to offer resistance for a portion of the downswing such as Bickford in U.S. Pat. No. 3,966,203, Masters in U.S. Pat. No. 4,229,002 and Kim in U.S. Pat. No. 6,537,184. U.S. Pat. No. 6,537,184 offers some origin movement using a sliding pulley on a trolley connected to springs, but offers no real improvement over the other inventions, particularly since pulleys do not work on such angles, especially when resistance is decreased and increased. Also, the club never gets close to the top of the backswing and the club handle is pointed away from the golfer at the so-called top causing the wrists to start down without being cocked. Just like U.S. Pat. No. 3,955,203 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,229,002, U.S. Pat. No. 6,537,184 fails to solve the problem of providing resistance for the whole downswing or even accommodating the whole backswing and downswing. Of course stretching in these devices isn&#39;t even addressed. 
   Still other devices involve railed or guided golf swing planes, which force the golfer to swing on some predetermined swing path. Hurley in U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,942, Beckish in U.S. Pat. No. 4,071,251, and Higginson in U.S. Pat. No. 5,467,993 are examples of these types of devices. These path guides assume swings are or should be on one flat plane, which they normally are not, and there is no pull or resistance exercise provided. 
   The challenges of golf swing training equipment are many and result from real life factors such as that the golf swing is 3-dimensional; golfers&#39; height, limb length, flexibility, swing type and other physical aspects make each swing different; a player&#39;s backswing is not on one plane and is rarely on the same plane as the downswing; and by exercising specific groups of muscles on different non-golf apparatus, the golf muscles do not always proportionately remain the same and coordination and feel can suffer. 
   OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
   Objects therefore of the present invention are:
     (a) to provide adjustable pull or resistance to a golfer&#39;s swing to stretch both the entire backswing and follow-thru and to strengthen the muscles used for the downswing;   (b) to provide a swing plane track with means for adjusting same to different swing diameters and heights;   (c) to provide for an adjustable swing plane angle of said track accommodating very upright to very flat swing planes;   (d) to provide a swing plane track that rotates so that the track follows the normal or natural swing path of the golfer and also to serve as a platform so that the golfer can work on changing his or her swing plane;   (e) to provide for a lateral movement of said track for golfers who start their downswing with lateral movement;   (f) to provide a training device that will teach golfers not to cast, release the club early, come over the top, swing from outside to in, or reverse weight shift; and   (g) to provide a relatively compact golf swing training apparatus which can readily be used at home.   

   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   A golf swing training apparatus which stretches and strengthens the precise parts of the body used in the golf swing while providing a tool to make swing changes. The apparatus fully accommodates all variations of the entire backswing and downswing thru the hitting area and further provides pull during the backswing and follow-thru, and resistance during the downswing. These gainful aspects are attained thru the use of a swing guide track, provided with a swing pull-resistance mechanism, and which is mounted on a base in such a manner that the track follows the swing path of the golfer and is maneuverable by the golfer, consciously or unconsciously, to more precisely accord to special stylistic features of the golfers unique swing. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention, it&#39;s objects and advantages will be understood further from the drawings herein and description of preferred embodiments, wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a side perspective view of the present golf swing training apparatus. 
       FIG. 1A  is a schematic of the overall curvature dimension of the swing guide track. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a portion of the swing track, drawn out of scale, with the wall sections broken away to show the pull-resistance connecting cords and the cord connecting cars. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a cord connecting car with connecting car eyelets. 
       FIG. 4  is a cross-section of a swing track with an end view of a cord connecting car mounted thereon as in  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 5  shows a cross-section for the variation of the track&#39;s curved portions with a cord connecting car mounted thereon and with cord support rollers underneath the cord connecting car&#39;s wheels, and also connecting cord positions when the cars are not present. 
       FIG. 6  is a double swing bearing mount support structure connecting the swing track to an overhead beam of a base structure. 
       FIG. 7  is a rear perspective view of the invention showing the track plane adjustment mechanism with an attached weight support and also the track diameter adjustment mechanism connected to the lower portion of the swing guide track. 
       FIG. 7A  shows the track diameter adjustment mechanism with cotter pin, cotter bolt and the diameter adjustment holes on the vertical member of the track plane adjustment mechanism. 
       FIG. 8  is a front view of the present apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view of duel pulleys mounted to the overhead beam of the base structure at the proximal end of the swing track and includes duel cords. 
       FIG. 10  shows the track roller sections and the placement of the roller sections on the swing track&#39;s curved portions over the track channel punch-outs. 
       FIG. 10A  is a perspective view of a track roller section and the cord support rollers attached at the lower channel of the roller section. 
       FIG. 10B  is a portion of a track roller section with the wall broken away to show the cord support rollers attached in the lower channel. 
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 Drawings—Reference Numerals 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 12 
                 Base Structure 
               
               
                   
                 14 
                 Support Structure 
               
               
                   
                 16 
                 Swing Guide Track 
               
               
                   
                 17 
                 Curvature Dimension 
               
               
                   
                 18 
                 Swing Plane 
               
               
                   
                 20 
                 Track Follower (car) 
               
               
                   
                 22 
                 Handle 
               
               
                   
                 24 
                 Motion Resistance Structure 
               
               
                   
                 26 
                 1 st  Base Foot 
               
               
                   
                 28 
                 2 nd  Base Foot 
               
               
                   
                 30 
                 Stanchion 
               
               
                   
                 32 
                 Horizontal Beam 
               
               
                   
                 33 
                 Stanchion Overlap 
               
               
                   
                 34 
                 Upper Stanchion 
               
               
                   
                 36 
                 Lower Stanchion 
               
               
                   
                 38 
                 Stanchion Pin 
               
               
                   
                 40 
                 Floor 
               
               
                   
                 43 
                 Upper Bearing 
               
               
                   
                 44 
                 Lower Bearing 
               
               
                   
                 46 
                 Bearing Loop 
               
               
                   
                 48 
                 Upper Bushing 
               
               
                   
                 50 
                 Lower Bushing 
               
               
                   
                 52 
                 1 st  Track Channel Member 
               
               
                   
                 54 
                 2 nd  Track Channel Member 
               
               
                   
                 56 
                 Track Cross Member 
               
               
                   
                 58 
                 Lead Cord Connecting Car 
               
               
                   
                 60 
                 2 nd  Cord Connecting Car 
               
               
                   
                 61 
                 Connecting Car Eyelet 
               
               
                   
                 62 
                 Connecting Cords 
               
               
                   
                 64 
                 Duel Cords 
               
               
                   
                 65 
                 Car Stop Pin 
               
               
                   
                 66 
                 Proximal Track End 
               
               
                   
                 68 
                 1 st  Track End Pulley 
               
               
                   
                 70 
                 2 nd  Track End Pulley 
               
               
                   
                 72 
                 Duel Pulleys 
               
               
                   
                 74 
                 Duel Weight Pulleys 
               
               
                   
                 76 
                 Cord Fixture 
               
               
                   
                 78 
                 Resistance Weights 
               
               
                   
                 79 
                 Track Plane Adjustment Mechanism 
               
               
                   
                 80 
                 Vertical Plane Adj. Member 
               
               
                   
                 82 
                 Diagonal Plane Adj. Member 
               
               
                   
                 84 
                 Horizontal Plane Adj. Member 
               
               
                   
                 86 
                 Stabilizing Rod 
               
               
                   
                 87 
                 Stabilizing arm 
               
               
                   
                 88 
                 Weight Support 
               
               
                   
                 90 
                 Diameter Adjustment Holes 
               
               
                   
                 91 
                 Cotter Pin 
               
               
                   
                 92 
                 Cotter Bolt 
               
               
                   
                 93 
                 Track Diameter Adj. Mechanism 
               
               
                   
                 95 
                 Track Roller Section 
               
               
                   
                 97 
                 Cord Support Rollers 
               
               
                   
                 99 
                 Channel Punch-outs 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring to the drawings and with particular reference to the claims herein, a preferred embodiment of the present apparatus comprises a base structure generally designated  12  and a support structure  14  for attaching a generally upright swing guide track  16  to the base ( FIGS. 1 and 8 ). The track has an overall curvature of at least 90 degrees ( FIG. 1A ) within a swing plane  18  ( FIG. 8 ), wherein the base is stationary and wherein the support is flexible to allow the track limited freedom of motion relative to the base. The overall curvature dimension  17  ( FIG. 1A ) consists of three sides with preferred ranges of d 1 =60″ to 80″, d 2 =40″ to 60″, and d 3 =32″ to 42″. 
   A track follower  20  engages the track for movement there along throughout the curvature dimension  17 , and a handle  22  (most clearly in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 ) is affixed to the follower for being gripped by a golfer for movement of the follower  20  by the golfer. 
   A motion resistance structure  24  ( FIG. 1 ) is connected to the base  12  and the follower  20  to provide a back force f 1  to forward motion M 1  of the handle  22  and the follower  20  through the curvature dimension  17 , whereby the golfer&#39;s swing muscles become strengthened against the back force, and said muscles become stretched with backward motion of the handle  22  by said back force, and whereby the swing thus becomes stronger and longer with regard to a desired trajectory. 
   Base  12  can of course be structurally varied widely depending on available space or the like and the base structure shown is well suited for a free standing compact training unit for home use. The base shown comprises of foot sections  26  and  28  ( FIGS. 1 and 8 ) rigidly affixed to a stanchion  30  which is affixed at the upper end to a generally horizontal beam  32 . Stanchion  30  preferably is formed in sections  34  and  36  wherein section  34  can slide upwardly at stanchion overlap  33  for adjusting the height of beam  32  above the floor  40  ( FIG. 1 ) and is affixed with the stanchion pin  38 . The stanchion  30  height adjustment of one section sliding and being affixed in place onto the other section can be provided in many ways. 
   Support  14  preferably comprises the dual bearing mount ( FIG. 6 ) wherein upper bearing  43  is attached to beam  32  and lower bearing  44  is attached to track  16 . Bearing loop  46  is pivotally mounted in upper bushing  48  and lower bushing  50  affixed to bearings  43  and  44  respectively. The bearing mount gives the desired universal type freedom of motion to the track whereby the golfer during the swing does not feel uncomfortably restrained. 
   The swing track structure can be widely varied but preferably comprises a pair of laterally spaced track channel members  52  and  54  attached to a track cross member  56  ( FIGS. 4 and 5 ). 
   The arrangement of the track follower  20  shown in  FIG. 2  is a preferred one and comprises of dual cord connecting cars  58  and  60  connected together at connecting car eyelets  61  (also in  FIG. 3 ) on the cord connecting cars by connector cords  62 , wherein the golf handle  22  is flexibly attached to the lead cord connecting car  58  ( FIG. 3 ). This arrangement gives a smooth ride of the cord connecting cars around the track  16 , however a single track follower  20  may alternatively be employed. Attachment of the golf handle  22  with a flexible tether line is preferred, allowing the golfer freedom to hold the handle in proximity to the track at address where the golfer feels most comfortable. 
   The motion resistance structure  24  comprises dual cords  64  slidably in channels  52  and  54  as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  and mounted around duel track end pulleys  68  and  70  ( FIGS. 8 and 9 ) adjacent the proximal end  66  of the swing track  16  ( FIGS. 1 and 8 ). Duel pulleys  72  are similarly mounted at the other end of the beam  32  and cords  64  run the length thereof and also around hanging duel weight pulleys  74  and then are affixed at cord fixture  76  to the beam ( FIG. 1 ). Various sized resistance weights  78  can be hung from hanging duel weight pulleys  74  to vary the resistance or back force f 1  on the cords  64  leading back to the handle  22 . 
   The bottom of channels members  52  and  54  at both the top and lower curves of the swing track  16  are punched out at channel punch-outs  99  and covered with track roller sections  95  where the duel cords  64  would normally drag in the channels as shown in  FIG. 10 . The top curve of said swing track is completely punched out up to 90 degrees and the lower curve is partially punched out as both curves are covered with track roller sections  95  ( FIG. 10 ). The cord support rollers  97  are affixed to the channel portion of the track roller sections  95  ( FIGS. 5 ,  10 A and  10 B). The duel cords fall through the punched out portions of the track and onto the cord support rollers  97  (seen best in  FIG. 5 ). The punched out portions of the swing track are narrower than the wheels on the cord connecting cars  58  and  60  shown in  FIG. 5 . 
   A track plane adjustment mechanism, generally designated  79  ( FIGS. 1 ,  7  and  8 ), comprises a generally triangular frame of members  80 ,  82 , and  84 , affixed to the track  16  at the top half of d 2  ( FIG. 1A ) using vertical member  80  (seen best in  FIG. 7 ) and having a weight support  88  on which weights can be placed to vary the angle of the track swing plane  18  ( FIG. 8 ) by pivoting the track on the support structure  14 . 
   At vertical segment d 2  of the overall swing track curvature dimension ( FIG. 1A ) the lower half of the track  16  is slidable into the top half of the track to adjust the swing track diameter. The lower track half is variously affixed at the track diameter adjustment mechanism  93  to the track plane adjustment mechanism  79  shown in  FIG. 7  using the diameter adjustment holes  90  of vertical member  80 , a cotter bolt  92  and cotter pin  91  ( FIG. 7A ). 
   The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications will be effected with the spirit and scope of the invention. 
   Operation— FIGS. 1 ,  1 A,  7 ,  7 A, and  8   
   The settings that each golfer makes on the swing training apparatus are extremely important. No two people have the same swing so the settings will be only for that person. The settings would be duplicated each time the person uses the apparatus and would be easy to perform. 
   The height is set by adjusting the overlapping stanchion  30  sections  34  and  36  in  FIG. 1  and affixing them with the stanchion pin  38  at stanchion overlap  33  so that the top of the swing track  16  is just higher than the golfer&#39;s hands at the top of the backswing. The diagonal  82  and horizontal  84  segments of the track plane adjustment mechanism  79  should be moved to the side of the swing track that the person intends to stand as shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  7  and  8 . Weights would be fastened on top of the weight support  88  until the swing track has achieved the desired swing plane angle  18  in  FIG. 8 . The bearing unit support structure  14  in  FIG. 1  allows the swing track to move to any swing plane  18  and to freely rotate to follow the golfer&#39;s swing and for a limited amount of lateral movement. 
   The desired swing diameter is set by adjusting the overlapping vertical portion of the swing track  16  in  FIG. 7  (d 2  in  FIG. 1A ), so that the golfer&#39;s hands are just above the lower horizontal swing track portion (d 3  in  FIG. 1A ) at address. The golfer lines up the diameter adjustment holes  90  on the vertical plane adjustment segment  80  with the holes on the track diameter mechanism  93  and slides a cotter bolt  92  thru the holes. The bolt is secured by a cotter pin  91  as shown in  FIGS. 7 and 7A . With resistance weights  78  shown in  FIG. 1  in the down position, additional weight units can be added, with only 5 to 15 lbs. of weight being all that is usually needed. 
   An additional optional piece, a stabilizing rod  86 , may be wedged between the lower horizontal portion d 3  ( FIG. 1A ) of the swing track  16  and the horizontal plane adjustment segment  84  as shown in  FIG. 7 . The stabilizing rod gives the swing-track a little more stability and more importantly puts the lower swing track d 3  in an inside-out position which may help golfer obtain a better swing path image even though the swing track will follow the golfer&#39;s swing path. When the stabilizing rod is utilized, a stabilizing arm  87  is attached to the top portion of diagonal member  82  and to the top of the swing track at d 1  to keep the track plane adjustment mechanism  79  perpendicular to the swing track  16  in  FIG. 7 . 
   With resistance weights  78  in the down position, the golf handle  22  will be at the top horizontal swing track portion d 1  in  FIG. 1A . The golfer now just pulls the golf handle down into the address position and the resistance weights are lifted up in the air. The golfer takes his/her normal stance so the golfer&#39;s hands on the backswing do not come in contact with the vertical portion d 2  in  FIG. 1A  of the swing track  16 . The golfer can now repeat the backswing, downswing and hitting area using his/her normal swing and working on parts of the swing that need stretching, strengthening or improved technique. The golf handle  22  can be pulled all the way past the end of the swing track  16  as the lead cord connecting car  58  will be halted by the car stop pin  65  in  FIG. 2 . If the golfer starts the downswing with lateral movement, the swing track  16  will move laterally automatically, using the support structure  14 . The swing track will freely rotate during training to match the path of the golfer&#39;s swing. 
   If the golfer chooses to work on stretching the follow-thru of the swing, the horizontal  84  and diagonal  82  segments of the track plane adjustment mechanism  79  in  FIGS. 1 ,  7  and  8 , would be moved to the opposite side of the swing track  16 . The golfer would then switch sides and reverse address direction in order to let the weights pull or stretch the parts of the body used in the follow-thru. 
   CONCLUSION, RAMIFICATIONS AND SCOPE 
   The reader will see that the golf swing training apparatus solves the problem of how to accommodate the entire backswing, downswing and hitting area, providing consistent pull or resistance throughout a movable swing plane while the swing plane is in motion. Furthermore, the present invention has additional advantages in that it allows golfers to just perform their normal swing to stretch and strengthen the golf muscles;
         it provides training in the minimum amount of time for maximum results;   it allows older golfers to maintain, recapture or generally expand and strengthen their golf swings;   it provides instant feedback for stretching, strengthening and making swing changes;   it allows golfers to stretch and strengthen golf muscles in a proportionate manner so that coordination remains the same.       

   Although the description above contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but rather as an illustration of the preferred embodiment of the invention. For example, the base structure could have 2 or 3 legs or even  4  legs such as most swing sets. The base could also be ceiling studs from which the swing track is hung. The track could be low friction tubing or have an I-beam cross-section shape or the channels could be affixed back-to-back with the connecting cars underneath. Variable motion resistance could be supplied by springs, bowed flexible material or a wound spring mechanism. Support structures allowing swing track motion might include universal joints, an axle and bearing, chain links or some other flexible material. The track plane adjustment mechanism could comprise of adjustable springs or counter weights hung by pulley attached to the base and track. The swing track could of course be shortened by excluding the lower horizontal portion—d 3 . To adjust the diameter of the swing track, telescopic elements could be employed or just a thumb screw to affix the slidable track sections. The base structure height adjustment could be performed with a side crank, jack, telescopic elements or inner strut and lock screw. Depending on such factors as the weight of the swing track or the size of the support structure, a bumper cushion may be affixed at the proximal end of the swing track to keep the track from moving too far upward during lateral movement, causing the track to hit the beam or the cords above the track.