Abstract:
The invention involves sporting goods, and namely an improved golf putter having a roller which allows a golfer to make contact with the ball by pushing the putter while in direct visual alignment of the hole.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED  
       [0001]     This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 120 to U.S. Ser. No. 11/161,637 entitled PUSH PUTTER filed Aug. 10, 2005.  
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The field of the invention involves sporting goods, and namely an improved golf putter.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Historically, golf putters have been designed along the lines of a pendulum, wherein a golfer is required to stand over his or her golf ball and swing his arms at the shoulders. Using traditional equipment, golfers who wished to be good at putting are required to learn to keep their head still, to keep a good “frame” by avoiding bending their arms at the wrist or elbows, and to correctly judge both the speed and direction of the putt. However, judging speed and direction is complicated by the design of existing putters, namely, requiring golfers to stand over the ball instead of behind the ball and to learn how to properly strike a ball using an offset piece of equipment. The offset in traditional designs is caused by having a “leaning L” shaped putter which adds an unnecessary source of variability to a golfers putting stroke. In golfers who become successful putters, an investment of literally thousands of hours is required in order to achieve “muscle memory” and to reduce the variability caused, in part, by the difficulties inherent in the traditional design.  
         [0004]     The prior art discloses various attempts to reduce the variability caused by the inability of golfers to maintain a smooth stroke during the pendulum-like swing of a traditional putter. Some prior art patents have included a roller mechanism within their design in order to avoid any arc-like swinging motion and instead to keep the club face in constant contact with the ground, thereby achieving a more linear stroke motion while minimizing the traditional up-and-down component of an arc-like pendulum motion.  
         [0005]     Some patents include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,577,965; 5,603,665; 6,066,053; 4,688,799; and 5,527,035. All of these describe an offset, “leaning L” putter design along with a roller feature. The &#39;965 patent includes a roller within the putter head wherein the contact face of the putter is the roller itself which runs the length of the club head, i.e. the roller feature is at the front for contact with the ball. The &#39;665 patent includes a removable roller held on the bottom of a traditional putter by brackets for contact with the ground. The &#39;053 patent describes a putter head wherein the entire head rolls around a central shaft. The &#39;799 patent has a rolling disc attached to the heel of a traditional putter. The &#39;035 patent describes a putter head where the roller feature runs length-wise to contact the ground and provide re-alignment feedback and is located behind the putter clubface. However, putters of this design still require a golfer to stand over the ball and to use an offset design.  
         [0006]     Another patent in the prior art which discloses a roller feature is U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,535. The &#39;535 patent discloses a centrally disposed roller wheel directly behind the center portion of the club face, or “sweetspot”, to aid putting alignment. However, it does not appear to be disclosed where the roller maintains contact with the ground throughout the stroke.  
         [0007]     There is also in the prior art various disclosures of golf clubs with markings on the head for aligning the head with the ball and for indicating the direction of the swing, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,199,873 and 3,680,868 mentioned above as well as U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,781,197 and 2,865,635. However, the problem of putting alignment is well known among both professional and amateur golfers, especially for putts wherein the target destination, i.e. hole or cup, is located beyond the peripheral field of vision of the golfer.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     The Push Putter™ golf club is designed for a right or left-handed golfer to putt the ball while standing behind the ball, providing a direct view to the hole. The golfer pushes the putter forward to make contact with the ball. The player may stand or kneel down for the best view to the hole.  
         [0009]     Some of the advantages of the golf club include improving a golfers putting game. In operation, a player stands behind the ball to provide the direct view to the hole. As he putts, his putter is pointing directly to the target. The player only needs to use one of his arms to push the putter; this reduces unnecessary movement. The golfer does not have to lift the putter off the ground. Further, the putter shaft is adjustable for various positions.  
         [0010]     In contrast, traditional putters suffer the following disadvantages. The player doesn&#39;t have the direct view to the target. The top view on the ball does not provide an accurate ‘line’ alignment or distance determination. Players are forced to putt with both hands and shoulder movement. This creates more variables to putt accurately. The player is required to elevate the club while making a backward and forward swing. The push putter only requires a forward push.  
         [0011]     Accordingly, one preferred embodiment of the golf club comprises a club shaft having an upper portion, a lower portion, and a hosel, said upper portion having a top end and a bottom end, said lower portion being formed in an “S” shape and having a proximal end and a distal end wherein the bottom end of the upper portion is attached to the proximal end of the lower portion, said hosel having a first end and a second end wherein the distal end of the lower portion is attached to the first end of the hosel, a roller mounted on the lower portion of the club shaft by one or more fasteners, and a club head attached to the second end of the hosel in alignment with the roller and forming a sighting line lining up the desired path of a golf ball struck by said club head.  
         [0012]     In another preferred embodiment, the roller is a cylinder with a central axially extending bore having the lower portion of the club shaft disposed therein, said roller having an external surface for engaging the ground to assist putting alignment.  
         [0013]     In another preferred embodiment, the roller further comprises bearing means operatively engaged between the lower portion of the club shaft and the roller, wherein the bearing means comprises one or more bearings disposed within the central axially extending bore of the cylinder.  
         [0014]     In another preferred embodiment, the roller is removable from the lower portion of the club shaft.  
         [0015]     In another preferred embodiment, the roller is mounted for rotation on the lower portion of the club shaft by one or more fasteners, said roller having an external surface for engaging the ground to assist putting alignment and said roller having an axle operatively attached to the one or more fasteners.  
         [0016]     In another preferred embodiment, the roller further comprises bearing means operatively engaged between the axle and the roller.  
         [0017]     In another preferred embodiment, the club head further comprises a hosel receiving cavity.  
         [0018]     In another preferred embodiment, the club head has a heel portion, central portion, and toe portion, and said hosel receiving cavity located at the central portion of the club head or alternatively at the heel portion of the club head.  
         [0019]     In another preferred embodiment, the club head further comprises alignment indicia.  
         [0020]     In another preferred embodiment, the club head is centrally weighted or alternatively the club head is perimeter weighted. 
     
    
     FIGURES  
       [0021]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the golf club.  FIG. 1  shows a roller in a cylindrical embodiment wherein the club shaft is disposed within a central axially extending bore of a cylinder.  
         [0022]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the golf club.  FIG. 2  shows a roller wherein the roller is attached by fasteners and mounted to the outside of the club shaft.  
         [0023]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the roller and club head portion of the golf club.  FIG. 3  shows the club shaft attached to a centrally located portion of the club head.  
         [0024]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the roller and club head portion of the golf club.  FIG. 4  shows the club shaft attached to a off-center or heel portion of the club head.  
         [0025]      FIG. 5  is a front view of a roller and fastener assembly.  FIG. 5  shows a roller embodiment that is attached by fasteners and mounted to the outside of the club shaft.  
         [0026]      FIG. 6  is a top view of the lower portion of the club shaft.  FIG. 6  shows fasteners attached to the club shaft for the cylindrical embodiment of the roller.  
         [0027]      FIG. 7  is a side view of the cylindrical roller and club head.  FIG. 7  shows a ball-bearing mechanism within central axial extending bore for the cylindrical embodiment.  
         [0028]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the golf club.  FIG. 8  shows an embodiment having a perimeter weighted club head. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0029]     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , the golf club ( 10 ) comprises a club shaft ( 12 ) having an upper portion ( 14 ), a lower portion ( 16 ), and a hosel ( 18 ), said upper portion ( 14 ) having a top end ( 14   a ) and a bottom end ( 14   b ), said lower portion ( 16 ) being formed in an “S” shape and having a proximal end ( 16   a ) and a distal end ( 16   b ) wherein the bottom end of the upper portion ( 14   b ) is attached to the proximal end of the lower portion ( 16   a ), said hosel ( 18 ) having a first end ( 18   a ) and a second end ( 18   b ) wherein the distal end of the lower portion ( 16   b ) is attached to the first end of the hosel ( 18   a ), a roller ( 20 ) mounted on the lower portion of the club shaft ( 12 ) by one or more fasteners ( 22 ), and a club head ( 24 ) attached to the second end of the hosel ( 18   b ) in alignment with the roller ( 20 ) and forming a sighting line lining up the desired path of a golf ball struck by said club head ( 24 ).  
         [0030]     In  FIGS. 2 and 5 , the roller ( 20 ) is alternatively mounted for rotation on the lower portion of the club shaft ( 12 ) by one or more fasteners ( 36 ), said roller ( 20 ) having an external surface ( 28 ) for engaging the ground to assist putting alignment and said roller ( 20 ) having an axle ( 38 ) operatively attached to the one or more fasteners ( 36 ).  
         [0031]     In  FIGS. 3 , and  4 , the club head ( 24 ) itself can include a hosel receiving cavity ( 42 ).  FIG. 4  shows the club head ( 24 ) having an off-center hosel receiving cavity ( 42 ), the club head ( 24 ) has a heel portion ( 24   a ), central portion ( 24   b ), and toe portion ( 24   c ), and said hosel receiving cavity ( 42 ) can be located at the central portion of the club head ( 24   b ) as in  FIG. 3 , or alternatively, at the heel portion of the club head ( 24   a ), as in  FIG. 4 .  
         [0032]     As shown in  FIGS. 3 , and  4 , the club head ( 24 ) may also include alignment indicia ( 44 ).  
         [0033]      FIG. 4 , the roller ( 20 ) is shown as a cylinder ( 20   a ) with a central axially extending bore ( 26 ) having the lower portion of the club shaft ( 12 ) disposed therein, said roller ( 20   a ) having an external surface ( 28 ) for engaging the ground to assist putting alignment.  
         [0034]     In  FIG. 5 , the roller ( 20 ) is shown having bearing means ( 40 ) operatively engaged between the axle ( 38 ) and the roller ( 20 ).  
         [0035]     In  FIGS. 5 , and  6 , the roller ( 20  or  20   a ) may also be removable from the lower portion of the club shaft ( 12 ) by operation of fasteners ( 22  or  36 ).  
         [0036]      FIG. 7  discloses the roller as a cylinder ( 20   a ) having bearing means ( 30 ) operatively engaged between the lower portion of the club shaft ( 12 ) and the roller ( 20   a ), wherein the bearing means ( 30 ) comprises one or more bearings ( 32 ) disposed within the central axially extending bore ( 26 ) of the cylinder ( 20   a ).  
         [0037]     In  FIG. 8 , the club head can be perimeter weighted ( 48 ) as an alternative embodiment to  FIGS. 1-4 , where the club head ( 24 ) is shown as centrally weighted ( 46 ).  
         [0038]     In one example, the push putter has a plastic roller 1.5 inch in diameter and 3 inch in length. Both ends of the roller are cap with plastic barring. A rod, 0.25 inch diameter, is threaded through the center making an “S” shape. One end of the “S” is attached to a putter head and the other end is connected to the shaft. The shaft and the putter head are exactly center to the roller length&#39;s center. The shaft is adjustable for various heights. The shaft grip is same as traditional golf clubs.