Abstract:
A golf putting training device is configured for attachment to a golf putter for use during practice sections. The putting training device includes aiming rods configured to be mounted on the putter so the rods are perpendicular to the ball striking surface of the putter.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of Provisional Patent Application 61/801,879; titled “Shaft Mounted Golf Putting Training Apparatus”; Robert L. Feistel, Jr. inventor; filed Mar. 15, 2013. Applicant hereby relies on that filing date as the priority date for this application. The aforementioned Provisional Patent is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    A golf putting training device is configured for attachment to a putter for use during practice sections. The device is useful in training a golfer to line up putts square to the face of the golfer&#39;s putter. The putting training device is attached to a golfer&#39;s putter, preferable the same putter that the golfer will use when playing an upcoming round of golf, during the player&#39;s warm up routine or when she is practicing putting on a practice putting green or in a similar putting practice environment. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Known Art 
         [0005]    There are many golf putting training devices that have been offered to the golfing community. As putting is one of the more impactful events in a round of golf it is believed that any putting improvements a player can make will give the golfer an improved chance in getting a better score for a round of golf. In the simplest form of putting alignment aids there will be index marks, either indentations, protrusions or painted on marks on the putter blade or body to assist the player in lining up a putt. Beyond that there are devices that affect the players position over her golf ball on the green and the position of her body in a preferred position to generate a consistent stroke when putting. 
         [0006]    Applicant believes that the material incorporated above is “non-essential” in accordance with 37 CFR 1.57, because it is referred to for purposes of indicating the background of the invention or illustrating the state of the art. However, if the Examiner believes that any of the above-incorporated material constitutes “essential material” within the meaning of 37 CFR 1.57(c)(1)-(3), applicants will amend the specification to expressly recite the essential material that is incorporated by reference as allowed by the applicable rules. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention provides, among other things, a golf putting training device that is removably attachable to the shaft of a golf putter for putting practice. The device provides a straight-line reference perpendicular from the putting face of a golf putter that is useful in learning how to properly line up a putt with a target hole in golf. 
         [0008]    Unlike sighting a rifle or pool cue, which are lined up with a target from behind the sights on a rifle or along the stick of a pool cue, a golfer stands over a golf ball on a green when in the act of putting. The golfer&#39;s eye may be several feet above the blade of the golfer&#39;s putter when the golfer is lining up a putt. This arrangement has led to the manufacture of putters with some sort of aiming system built-in to the putter. Put aiming systems are as simple as dots, dimples, lines, arrowheads, and similar features cast into or otherwise configured as part of the head of the putter. These aiming systems are positioned on the top surface or on the backside, the surface that doesn&#39;t contact the golf ball, of the putter. The position of the aiming aids on the top or on the backside of the putter do not easily allow for forward putter motion aiming. 
         [0009]    Two reasons contributing to a bad putt are; first, the golfer&#39;s failure to line up the ball striking face of the putter square to the hole; and second, failure of the golfer to envision a location several inches in front of the putter club face before striking the ball. The putting training device presented herein addresses both of these problems by providing a training device that teaches lining up the face of the putter square to the target hole and teaching the technique of picking a spot a few inches in front of the ball before the putting stroke is initiated. 
         [0010]    The device presented here overcomes the disadvantages of known putting aid devices by having an extending element of the putting training device extending forward beyond the face of the putter and rearward from the face of the putter. 
         [0011]    One object of this invention is to provide a putting training device that is easily installed on the shaft of a golf putter. 
         [0012]    Another object of the invention is to provide a putting training device that can be attached to and fits all putters. The embodiment presented here fulfills that objective. 
         [0013]    It is also an object to provide a golf putting training device that assists in training a golfer to perceive a straight line from the face of a putter to a target golf hole. The straight line to the hole is perpendicular to the golf ball-striking surface or the face of a putter. 
         [0014]    It is also an object of this invention to provide a device that is temporarily attachable to the shaft a golf putter for practice sessions and is easily removed from the shaft of the putter and stored when the putter is not being used for practice. 
         [0015]    Another object of the invention is to provide a lightweight and compact device that can be attached to a putter without significantly changing the putting dynamics of the putter. 
         [0016]    It is also an object of the invention to provide a golf putting training device that is attached to the shaft of a putter. 
         [0017]    One advantage of a preferred embodiment of the device is that it can be held securely to the putter shaft by using a “thumb screw” tensioning device. 
         [0018]    Another advantage of other versions of the attachment device is that they attach the device to the shaft of a putter by having the device snap on the putter shaft and may be further secured in place by magnetic attraction. 
         [0019]    A further advantage is that the device is fully adjustable for top viewing sight line where a reference line can be perpendicular to the ball contacting face of the host putter. 
         [0020]    One advantage to the use of this device is that the user has the opportunity to train the eye/brain perception of what is “square” to/from the club face, normally the face of a golf putter club, to the target, normally a target hole on a putting surface of a green of a golf course. 
         [0021]    Another advantage of this device is that the device assists a golfer in learning how to pick a spot a few inches in front the ball as he is “setting up” to make a putt. By practicing and developing the ability to focus a few inches in front of a ball before putting there is a better chance of the putt being lined up square to the face of the putter and thus giving a better chance of hitting the putt in a straight line to the target hole. 
         [0022]    Another advantage of the invention is that it can be easily stored in a golfer&#39;s golf bag. 
         [0023]    A further advantage of the device is that it can be attached to a golfer&#39;s putter without it the use of tools and can be easily removed without the use of special tools. 
         [0024]    Aspects and applications of the invention presented here are described below in the drawings and detailed description of the invention. Unless specifically noted, it is intended that the words and phrases in the specification and the claims be given their plain, ordinary, and accustomed meaning to those of ordinary skill in the applicable arts. The inventors are fully aware that they can be their own lexicographers if desired. The inventors expressly elect, as their own lexicographers, to use only the plain and ordinary meaning of terms in the specification and claims unless they clearly state otherwise and then further, expressly set forth the “special” definition of that term and explain how it differs from the plain and ordinary meaning Absent such clear statements of intent to apply a “special” definition, it is the inventors&#39; intent and desire that the simple, plain and ordinary meaning to the terms be applied to the interpretation of the specification and claims. 
         [0025]    The inventor is also aware of the normal precepts of English grammar. Thus, if a noun, term, or phrase is intended to be further characterized, specified, or narrowed in some way, then such noun, term, or phrase will expressly include additional adjectives, descriptive terms, or other modifiers in accordance with the normal precepts of English grammar. Absent the use of such adjectives, descriptive terms, or modifiers, it is the intent that such nouns, terms, or phrases be given their plain, and ordinary English meaning to those skilled in the applicable arts as set forth above. 
         [0026]    Further, the inventor is fully informed of the standards and application of the special provisions of 35 U.S.C. §112, ¶ 6. Thus, the use of the words “function,” “means” or “step” in the Detailed Description or Description of the Drawings or claims is not intended to somehow indicate a desire to invoke the special provisions of 35 U.S.C. §112, ¶ 6, to define the invention. To the contrary, if the provisions of 35 U.S.C. §112, ¶ 6 are sought to be invoked to define the inventions, the claims will specifically and expressly state the exact phrases “means for” or “step for, and will also recite the word “function” (i.e., will state “means for performing the function of [insert function]”), without also reciting in such phrases any structure, material or act in support of the function. Thus, even when the claims recite a “means for performing the function of . . . ” or “step for performing the function of . . . ,” if the claims also recite any structure, material or acts in support of that means or step, or that perform the recited function, then it is the clear intention of the inventors not to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. §112, ¶ 6. Moreover, even if the provisions of 35 U.S.C. §112, ¶ 6 are invoked to define the claimed inventions, it is intended that the inventions not be limited only to the specific structure, material or acts that are described in the preferred embodiments, but in addition, include any and all structures, materials or acts that perform the claimed function as described in alternative embodiments or forms of the invention, or that are well known present or later-developed, equivalent structures, material or acts for performing the claimed function. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
         [0027]    A more complete understanding of the present invention may be derived by referring to the detailed description when considered in connection with the drawing figures. 
           [0028]      FIG. 1  is a depiction of one embodiment of the device carried on the shaft of a putter as the putting training device would be used in a practice environment. 
           [0029]      FIG. 2  is a close-up view of the putting training device of  FIG. 1  taken from a front quarter of the device. 
           [0030]      FIG. 3  is a close-up view of the putting training device of  FIG. 1  taken from a rear quarter of the device. 
           [0031]      FIG. 4  is a close-up view of the attachment portion of the putting device attached to the shaft of a putter. 
           [0032]      FIG. 5  is an expanded view of the components of the putting training device expanded away from each other. 
       
    
    
       [0033]    Elements and acts depicted in the figure are illustrated for simplicity. They are presented to illustrate the invention to assist in an understanding thereof. The figures are not necessarily rendered according to any particular sequence, size, scale or embodiment. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0034]    In the following description, and for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the various aspects of the invention. It will be understood, however, by those skilled in the relevant arts, that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, known structures and devices are shown or discussed more generally in order to avoid obscuring the invention. In many cases, a description of the operation is sufficient to enable one to implement the various forms of the invention, particularly when the operation is to be implemented in software. It should be noted that there are many different and alternative configurations, such as, but not limited to the disclosed devices in provisional application noted above. The full scope of the invention is not limited to the preferred embodiment described below. 
         [0035]    Turning to  FIGS. 1-5 , one embodiment of the putting training device is shown. A putter, generally  10 , includes a shaft to which the putting training device, generally  12 , is attached. 
         [0036]    The putting training device  12  is attached to a putter shaft  14  using the attachment bracket  16 . The attachment bracket is also called the “insert.” The attachment bracket will clip on the putter shaft in one embodiment. In a second embodiment one or more magnets will be carried in the main attachment housing to hold the main attachment housing to the shaft of the host putter. In another embodiment, the preferred embodiment show in  FIGS. 1-5 , a threaded fastener connection is used to hold the device to the shaft of a putter. 
         [0037]    The attachment bracket  16  is a formed plastic piece having an interior cavity, which may be lined with a friction improving material, such as but not limited to, a rubber element that will accept the shaft of the putter. At the upper end of the attachment bracket  16  there are two extending tabs or fins, one on each side of the interior cavity. These tabs or fins have through bores to accept a thumbscrew or shaft tightening screw  18 . In one embodiment of the invention a nut  20  ( FIGS. 3 and 5 ) is carried in the second of the two tabs or fins, one on each side of the interior cavity of the attachment bracket  16 . The nut  20  is aligned with the thumbscrew threaded shaft and has a compatible thread. When the attachment bracket is positioned over and partially around the putter shaft the thumb screw will be tightened to firmly bring the tabs or fins toward each other to hold the attachment bracket on the putter shaft. 
         [0038]    The nut  20  will be held captive in one of the tabs so that it stays with the attachment bracket when the thumbscrew  18  is released to allow disengagement of the attachment bracket from the putter shaft. 
         [0039]    The attachment bracket  16  casting is, in a preferred embodiment, cast or formed of a plastic material. It could be formed of any material that can hold its shape and is deflectable enough to be urged into firm contact with the putter shaft, such as but not limited to aluminum. 
         [0040]    The attachment bracket  16  is provided with two longitudinal slots, one identified as  22 . These slots extend from the upper end of the bracket  16  to a barrier  24  at the bottom of the bracket  16 . The slots will accommodate the sidewalls  26  of the upper arm structure, also referred to as a “shell,” generally  28 . The upper arm structure  28  will be accommodated in these two slots  22 . The barrier  24  will prevent the upper arm structure from sliding downwardly from the upper end of the bracket  16 . 
         [0041]    An upper arm stiffening beam  30  is also formed in the attachment bracket  16 . The stiffening beam  30  is located between the two longitudinal slots  22  on the front side of the bracket. This stiffening beam projects outwardly and downwardly. It will fit into a receiving cavity  32  in the upper arm structure  28  ( FIG. 3 ). 
         [0042]    The upper arm structure  28  is designed to fit into or onto the attachment bracket  16 . The upper arm structure  28  has a pair of sidewalls  26  that are a sliding fit into the longitudinal slots  22  of the attachment bracket. As the upper arm structure  28  is slid onto the attachment bracket the upper arm stiffening beam will fit into a receiving cavity  32  formed in the lower side of the upper arm structure, the part of the structure termed the upper arm  34 . The upper arm  34  is a portion of the upper arm structure that projects outwardly and downwardly from the upper end of the upper arm structure. The receiving cavity  32  is between two walls that surround the cavity. Near the terminal end of the upper arm  34  there is a through bore  36  and a compression slot  38 . The upper arm stiffening beam  30  does not block the through bore  36  from going from one side of the terminal end of the upper arm to the other side. This through bore will accommodate a second thumbscrew  40 . 
         [0043]    The lower arm  42  of the putting training device comprises an elongated body having a hole  44  at the upper end of the lower arm. The upper end of the lower arm  42  fits into the compression slot  38  of the upper arm  34 . The hole  44  is aligned with through bore  36  and the second thumb screw  40  is passed through the through bore and the hole to allow the lower arm  42  to be adjusted in a desired position before the second thumb screw  40  is tightly screwed into fastener  46 . The fastener  46  will be retained to or in the lower arm  42 . 
         [0044]    The lower end of the lower arm  42  includes projections  48  and  50 . These are bulbous structures that are each equipped with a blind hole such as hole  52  in  FIG. 5 . The blind holes will accommodate aiming rods  54  and  56 . 
         [0045]    The lead aiming rod  54  will be a snug but removable press fit into the blind hole of bulbous structure  50 . In operation the lead aiming rod  54  will be carried by the bulbous structure. Similarly the trailing aiming rod  56  will be snugly positioned in the blind hole of the bulbous structure  48 . Both of these blind holes are on the same axis so the leading and trailing aiming rods form a straight line that is perpendicular to the major axis of the lower arm  42 . 
         [0046]    A trailing arm tip  58  is attached to the proximate end of the trailing aiming rod and a leading arm tip  60  is attached to the proximate end of the leading aiming rod. These tips are colored in a highly visible color to provide contrast with the putting green and direct the eye&#39;s attention to the ends of the aiming rods. 
         [0047]    It should be noted that the putting training device shown in the figures could be used by either a right-handed player or a left-handed player. 
         [0048]    The aiming rods can be combined into a single long rod that is pressed into and at least part way out of a through bore in the bulbous structures rather than the pair of blind holes. 
         [0049]    In operation the putting training device  12  is positioned on to the shaft of the putter several inches above the head of the putter. Generally the top of the device will be along the shaft of the putter about a distance corresponding to the combined length of the upper and lower arm segments  34  and  42  of the device. The lower arm segment  42  is rotated outwardly from the shaft of the putter so that the aiming rods  54  and  56  are vertically aligned above the horizontal midpoint of the face of the putter or the designed “sweet-spot” of the face of the putter. The aiming rods are aligned to be perpendicular to the face of the putter by the user of the putting training device rotating the attachment bracket  16  around the shaft of the putter until the leading aiming rod  54  is perpendicular to the face of the putter. 
         [0050]    The putter is set up square to the direction of the target hole. The leading aiming rod  54  should point directly at the hole to assure that the putter face is perpendicular to the direction of travel desired to have the golf ball sink into the hole. The golfer will sight down from above the putter head and check that the aiming rod is aligned with the target hole. The object is to train the person using the putter to line the face of the putter up so that the direction of travel of the putted ball is perpendicular to the face of the putter. 
         [0051]    The style of the putter isn&#39;t critical to the invention and any putter that can accommodate the putting training device generally  12  can be used with this invention. In summary the invention presented herein is a golf putting training device that includes an attachment bracket that has an interior cavity. It has two extending fins, one on each side of the interior cavity, and the attachment bracket also has an upper arm stiffening beam formed on the front side of the attachment bracket. The upper arm stiffening beam projects outwardly and downwardly on the attachment bracket. The attachment bracket carries an upper arm structure. The upper arm structure also includes a receiving cavity for accommodating the upper arm stiffening beam and a lower arm pivotally carried on the upper arm. The lower arm has a projection with a hole formed in the projection. One other element of the device is a leading aiming rod supported in the hole of the projection of the lower arm. 
         [0052]    Friction-improving material may be used to line the interior cavity of the attachment bracket. The device is held to the shaft of putter, at least in one embodiment, using a threaded fastener connection. The threaded fastener connection has two extended fins, each extended fin with a through bore. A shaft tightening screw is positioned through each of the through bores in each of the fins. The screw can screw into a nut. 
         [0053]    The attachment bracket may also include two longitudinal slots extending from the upper end of the attachment bracket. The upper arm structure may have two sidewalls dimensionally compatible with the longitudinal slots of the attachment bracket whereby the upper arm structure is fixedly retained to the attachment bracket by the interaction of the two sidewalls of the upper arm with the two longitudinal slots of the attachment bracket. 
         [0054]    Additionally, the upper arm has a terminal end with a compression slot and a through bore, the through bore extending from one side of the upper arm to the other side of the upper arm and crossing the compression slot. The lower arm will have a hole at the upper end thereof and a second thumbscrew may project through the through bore and the through the hole in the lower arm, whereby tightening of the thumbscrew compresses the upper arm into restraining tension with the lower arm to keep the lower arm in a fixed position relative to the upper arm when the thumb screw is tightened. 
         [0055]    The lower arm projection may also include two bulbous structures each having a blind hole, the blind holes aligned perpendicular to the major axis of the lower arm and sharing the same axis. The blind holes are provided so that the leading aiming rod is carried in one of the blind holes and the trailing aiming rod is carried in the second of the two blind holes. 
         [0056]    The leading aiming rod and the trailing aiming rod may also have a leading arm tip attached to the proximate end of the leading aiming rod, and a trailing arm tip attached to the proximate end of the trailing aiming rod. 
         [0057]    In an alternative structure the lower arm may have a hole in the projection that is a through bore formed in the projection, and a single aiming rod passes through the through bore from one side of the projection to beyond the other side of the projection. 
         [0058]    To further explain the device, it is a putting training device for removable attachment to the shaft of a putter, the putter having a golf ball contacting surface, the putting training device having an attachment bracket having an interior cavity for accepting the shaft of the putter whereby the putting training device is attached to the putter shaft. It also has an upper arm structure carried by the attachment bracket, a lower arm pivotally carried on the upper arm, and an aiming rod attached to the lower arm structure. Thus the putting training device includes upper and lower arms extending from attachment bracket positioned on the shaft of the putter to a position above the putter face and the aiming rod is held in position on the lower arm such that the aiming rod is perpendicular to the golf ball contacting putter face. 
         [0059]    To say it another way, the invention is a golf putting training device including at least an attachment bracket having an interior cavity and two extending fins, one on each side of the interior cavity, the attachment bracket also having an upper arm stiffening beam formed on the front side of the attachment bracket, the upper arm stiffening beam projecting outwardly and downwardly on the attachment bracket. It also includes at least an upper arm structure carried by the attachment bracket, the upper arm structure including a receiving cavity for accommodating the upper arm stiffening beam, and a lower arm pivotally carried on the upper arm, the lower arm having a projection having a hole formed in the projection. Finally, it may include an aiming rod supported in the hole of the projection of the lower arm. 
         [0060]    While the invention is described herein in terms of preferred embodiments and generally associated methods, the inventor contemplates that alterations and permutations of the preferred embodiments and methods will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings. For instance, the color of the various components may be selected to add interest to the device. Various color iterations have been prototyped and are believed to add interest to the presentation of the device in marketing evaluations. Accordingly, neither the above description of preferred exemplary embodiments nor the abstract defines or constrains the invention. Rather, the issued claims variously define the invention. Each variation of the invention is limited only by the recited limitations of its respective claim, and equivalents thereof, without limitation by other terms not present in the claim.