Abstract:
A collapsible golf swing training tool employs a plurality of elliptical blades, attached to a weighted shaft, to capitalize on air resistance, to aid in developing the muscle memory and strength required for a smooth and consistent golf swing. Cylindrical weights can be added or removed to meets the user&#39;s needs and may be positioned such that their linear axis is parallel or perpendicular to the linear axis of the tool. For convenience the blades are collapsible for easy storage within a golfer&#39;s golf bag.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Paramount to a good golf game is developing and maintaining a good golf swing. The swing should be completed in one smooth, fluid motion. This is not easily accomplished. Many golfers have quick, jerky movements or take the backswing up too quickly, resulting in a loss of control of the direction of the ball as well as a loss in distance. In an attempt to correct these bad habits, golf instructors will advise their students to slow down their backswing and mindfully focus on creating a fluid movement from the backswing to the downswing and finally the follow through. Unfortunately, it is simply hard for people to “feel” their own swing and develop the muscle memory needed to consistently produce a smooth swing. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The air resistance training tool for improved golf swing of the present invention has a plurality of extendable elliptical shaped blades radially disposed around the tool shaft. At the proximate end of the tool shaft is a handgrip similar to a conventional golf club grip and at the distal end are removable and stackable cylindrical weights. When a user practices his swing the elliptical blades catch the air and provide the user with immediate biofeedback as to the path of his/her swing. The user can now “feel” the lag” in his/her swing, and can determine if there are “casting” or not. Should the user&#39;s movements be jerky, the user experiences a pronounced jerky feel (in comparison to practicing with a golf club), since the surface area of the blades is catching more air. Now that the user can “feel” his/her swing, he/she can take corrective actions to minimize the blade generated turbulent flow. The air resistance training tool of the present invention also allows the user to add weight to the distal end of the tool shaft not only allowing the user to develop the muscles used to swing a golf club, but also shortening the time required for the muscles to learn the proper swing. An equatorial band affixed to the approximate midpoint of each blade further stabilizes the extended or deployed position of the elliptical blades. The blades are collapsible via a sliding mechanism, making the air resistance training tool for improved golf swing easily storable in one&#39;s golf bag. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0003]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the golf swing training tool in an extended configuration; 
           [0004]      FIG. 2  is a left-side view of the golf swing training tool in an extended configuration; 
           [0005]      FIG. 3  is a back view of the golf swing training tool in an extended configuration; 
           [0006]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the golf swing training tool in an extended configuration; 
           [0007]      FIG. 5  is a bottom view of the golf swing training tool in an extended configuration; 
           [0008]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the golf swing training tool in a collapsed configuration with the fabric webbing removed for visual clarity; 
           [0009]      FIG. 7  is a top view of the golf swing training tool in a collapsed configuration with the fabric webbing removed for visual clarity; 
           [0010]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view taken an A-A on  FIG. 6  of the golf swing training tool in a collapsed configuration with the fabric webbing removed for visual clarity; 
           [0011]      FIG. 9  is a left-side view of the golf swing training tool in a collapsed configuration with the fabric webbing removed for visual clarity; 
           [0012]      FIG. 10  is a back view of the of the golf swing training tool in a collapsed configuration with the fabric webbing removed for visual clarity; 
           [0013]      FIG. 11  is a side view of the weight system utilized; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 12  is a side view of the perpendicular weight retention stud. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    The air resistance training tool  2  for improved swing of the exemplary embodiment is illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3  and generally comprises a shaft  4 , grip  6 , blade portion  8 , and weights  10 . Shaft  4  and grip  6  are generally designed to mimic the look and feel of a golf club. There are interchangeable grips, a golf grip and a training grip. These grips are well known in the industry and differ only in the depth of the finger grooves. Blade portion  8  includes blade ribs  12  (visible in  FIGS. 6 ,  9 - 10 ), a blade canopy  14 , and an equatorial band  18 . 
         [0016]    In  FIG. 6 ,  9 - 10  blade canopy  14  has been removed for visual clarity. The cross-section shown in  FIG. 8  illustrates how eight blade ribs  12  are grouped together in pairs to form the four distinct blades  16  of tool  2 . Blade ribs  12  are made of fiberglass for durability and flexibility, but could be made from any suitable material such as a durable, flexible polymer. It has been found that pairing blade ribs  12  to form one blade backbone  20  (see  FIGS. 8 ) provides a unique combination of strength and flexibility, while keeping the blade diameter reduced; thus, a thinner profile when compacted. It also accommodates the attachment of the coupler  30 . The dual rib  12  construction of backbone  20  also allows for the failure of a singe blade without compromising the entire tool  2 . In order to form blade backbone  20 , two blade ribs  12  are secured together via stop sheath  22  at the distal end of tool  2  and stop sheath  22  is hingedly coupled to rib stop  24 , and at the proximate end of tool  2 , blade ribs  12  are secured via slide sheath  26 , which is in turn hingedly or pivotally coupled to slider  28 . Rib stop  24  as illustrated is comprised of a cylindrical body affixed about shaft  4  and is made from a durable polymer. Rib stop  24  is further comprised of a circular, metal ring affixed about its perimeter to which stop sheaths  22  are hingedly coupled, allowing stop sheaths  22  to pivot about the metal ring as slider  28  is moved along shaft  4 , towards rib stop  24 , so as to compress and deform the blade backbone in a semi elliptical configuration. (As the slider  28  is moved along shaft  4  away from rib stop  24  so as to uncompress the blade backbone  20 , the stop sheaths also pivot about the metal ring as the blade backbone returns to its uncompressed linear configuration.) Slider  28  is also comprised of a cylindrical body formed about shaft  4  to allow sliding movement along shaft  4 . Slider  28  is further comprised of a metal ring about its perimeter to which slide sheaths  26  are handedly coupled. Slider  28  slides along shaft  4  to deploy or collapse blade backbones  20  and draw taut blade canopy  14  by compressing or decompressing blade backbones  20  about their proximate end which is fixed by the rigid attachment of the rib stop  24  to the proximate end of the shaft  4 . Shaft  4  additionally comprises a slider lock (not illustrated) for releasably fixing slider  28  for maintaining a deployed or compressed state of the blade portion  8 . The slider lock could be a simple retractable fin that is spring loaded within shaft  4 , such that the retracted fin can reside both inside and outside shaft  4 , as is well known in the art. As slider  28  passes over the retractable fin, the fin moves into shaft  4  allowing slider  28  to pass over the fin. Once slider  28  has moved over the fin, the fin returns to its default position outside of shaft  4  preventing the movement of the slider  28  toward the distal end of the shaft  4 . To fix slider  28  in a deployed state with the blade backbone compressed, slider  28  further comprises an orifice to allow the fin to reside outside shaft  4  but inside slider  28 , blocking movement of slider  28  along shaft  4 . To return tool  2  to its collapsed or storing (non-compressed) position the user can push inward (towards shaft  4 ) on the fin, while moving slider  28  towards the proximate end of tool  2 . The fin will move inside shaft  4 , until slider  28  has passed over it. In an alternate embodiment (not illustrated) the slider lock may be constructed with a spring-loaded projection that extends normally from the shaft  4  under spring pressure and fits into a matingly conformed detent formed in the slider  28  as is well known in the art. In an alternate embodiment the slider lock could be a flexible first tooth employed on the slider  28  that would engage on a matingly conformed second tooth on the shaft  4 . The flexibility of the first tooth would allow it to be elastically deformed about its midpoint upon the application of finger force so as to disengage and engage the teeth to lock the tool  2  into its open configuration. This type of design would prevent the twisting engagement of the slider  28  thereby maintaining the blades when taut, in a planar configuration. 
         [0017]    In addition to being coupled at the proximate and distal ends of tool  2 , blade ribs  12  of each backbone  20  are coupled together about their approximate midpoint via equatorial strap coupler  30  as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 8 . In the illustrated embodiment equatorial strap coupler  30  is a cylindrical sheath with an elliptical cross section, allowing two ribs to reside side-by-side within coupler  30 , while providing a relatively flat surface for riveting said equatorial strap  18  thereto, as is illustrated in  FIG. 8 . 
         [0018]    To move blade portion  8  from a collapsed state to a deployed (or compressed) state, the user simply moves slider  28  along shaft  4  towards rib stop  24  located at the distal end of tool  2 . As slider moves towards rib stop  24 , a compressive force is exerted upon the then linear blade backbones  20 , forcing them to deform away from the linear axis of the shaft  4  so as to form a semi elliptical configuration that extends normally from said shaft  4 . As this happens, slide sheaths  26  are forced to pivot about the metal ring of slider  28 , away (out) from shaft  4  simultaneously with the stop sheaths  22  pivoting about the metal ring of the rib stop  24 , also away (out) from shaft  4 . This continues until the blade backbones  20  form a semi elliptical configuration about the linear axis of the shaft  4  and the blade canopy  14  is drawn taut. 
         [0019]    Equatorial band  18  is designed to fit tautly around each backbone  20  of blades  16  as illustrated in  FIGS. 4-5 , when blade portion  8  is in its deployed or extended configuration and the blade canopy  14  is taut , in its fully extended position. Equatorial strap  18  provides lateral support to all blades  16 , minimizing movement of the blades  16  during swing practice with tool  2 . Minimizing the movement of blades  16  creates more air-resistance, adding stress to the muscles used to swing tool  2 , and hence strengthening the swing muscles. Additionally, the biofeedback the user feels is maximized; the user simply “feels” the torque resulting from a jerky swing of tool  2 , the “lag: effect as well as the “casting” effect. Equatorial strap  18  can be made of any pliable, yet durable material such as nylon rope. When the tool  2  is fully deployed and the blade canopy  14  fully extended and taut, the equatorial strap  18  is a circular continuous band of fabric that is also taut. 
         [0020]    Blade canopy  14  can be constructed of any lightweight, wind proof, durable fabric such as nylon. Blade canopy  14  is designed to fit over all blade ribs  12  and is stitchedly affixed to itself along the longitudinal axis of shaft  4  to create four distinct blades  16 , while also making a tubular or cylindrical pocket  23  within which shaft  4  resides, and allowing canopy  14  to slide up or down shaft  4  as the tool  2  is deployed or collapsed. Canopy  14  is also stitched along its outer peripheral edge or perimeter so as to create a backbone pocket  21 , to house each backbone  20 . The backbone pockets  21  do not extend fully over the blade backbones  20  between the blade backbones proximate and distil ends, but rather end short of the blade backbone  20  and rib stop/slider connections so as to allow the canopy  14  to slide over the flexing blade backbones  20  as the canopy slides up and down the shaft  4 . 
         [0021]    In assembly, the flexible fabric blade canopy&#39;s central cylindrical pocket  23  is fitted over the shaft  4  before the rib stop  24  and slider  28  are mounted onto to the shaft  4 , and the blade backbones  20  are fitted through the backbone pocket  21  before connection to the slide sheaths  26  and stop sheaths  22 . To increase the weight of tool  2 , cylindrical weights  10  can be added at the distal end of shaft  4 . Weights  10  allow the user to increase or decrease the weight of tool  2  thereby shortening or lengthening the time to increase his/her swing strength. The first weight  10  has a threaded boss  38  that threadingly engages a matingly conformed first recess ( FIG. 11 ) formed on the distal end of shaft  4 . Subsequent weights  10  have a threaded boss on one end and a matingly conformed second recess  40  formed therein the opposite end. In this way additional weights  10  may be connected by threaded engagement to increase the swing resistance. There is also an optional perpendicular weight retention stud  32  that has a body  42  threaded member  34  on one end and a threaded orifice  36  formed therein that lies perpendicular to the linear axis of the tool  2 . This threaded orifice  36  is matingly conformed to accept the threaded boss  38  on the weights. In this way the weights can also be attached to the tool  2  in a perpendicular fashion. Used in this way, the tool can be used to promote the proper “club head release” when the linear axis of the perpendicular mounted weights on the tool  2  are aligned with the linear axis of the golfer&#39;s body. ( FIG. 12 ) 
         [0022]    To use the air resistance training tool of the present invention, the user simply practices his/her golf swing with tool  2  with blade section  8  in its deployed configuration. During swing practice the blades  16  will catch the air. Since blades  16  are immobile the user will immediately notice how his swing is slowed, and any non-fluid or jerky movement is magnified such as “casting”. The increased “feel” of the user&#39;s swing allows him/her to focus on specific movements to decrease the drag of tool  2  and any torque generated by non-fluid movement, overcoming his/her bad form such as “casting”, and it also helps to reinforce good form such as one with proper “lag”, therein developing a smooth swing. 
         [0023]    The thin profile provide by the collapsible feature of the tool  2  allows it to be compactly stored in a golf bag aside the clubs. 
         [0024]    Although a specific embodiment has been illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that a wide variety of alternate and/or equivalent implementations calculated to achieve the same purposes may be substituted for the specific embodiment shown and described without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, it is intended that this invention be limited only by the claims and the equivalents thereof.