Abstract:
The combination set of tools comprising a slope reading tool and rotary clip head and angle plate is designed to build putting confidence and shave strokes off every golfer&#39;s game. The slope reading tool is a high accuracy “bubble level” device that provides actual slope angle around the golf cup to give golfer a quick and accurate reading of the green&#39;s contours. The set of rotary clip head and angle plate which is attached to the putter shaft can be rotated to the angle indicated on the slope reading tool to make the adjustment to achieve a more accurate putting. This combination set is intended to help golfers on putts with subtle or confusing breaks and works best on putts within 12 feet of the hole.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/690,215 filed on Jun. 21, 2012, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to golf putting on the putting green, and relates more particularly to the tools to read the slope around the golf hole on the green and the attached rotary clip head with angle plate that can be rotated to a desired angle to improve accuracy of the putting stroke. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0005]    Putting is an important stroke in a golf game. There is a saying “Drive is for the show, putt is for the dough”. This can tell how important putting is for the game of golf. However, putting is not an easy stroke due to uneven level around the golf hole on the putting green. It is difficult to read the slope with the naked eyes and golfers would always miss the putt due to misreading the break or by just guessing the break without actual measurement. In addition, if the hole is not the target, it is very difficult to line up the putter head with the “virtual” target. Therefore tools that could read the slope correctly, and a rotary clip head with angle plate is clipped on the putter shaft that could be rotated to make necessary adjustment accordingly on the putting stroke angle would be helpful to improve the scores. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, there is disclosed a combination set of tools for improving accuracy of the putting stroke. 
         [0007]    The combination set of tools comprising a slope reading tool and rotary clip head with angle plate is designed to build putting confidence and shave strokes off every golfer&#39;s game. The slope reading tool is a high accuracy “bubble level” device that provides actual slope angle around the golf cup to give golfer a quick and accurate reading of the green&#39;s contours. The rotary clip head with angle plate which is attached to the putter shaft can be rotated to the angle indicated on the slope reading tool to make the adjustment to achieve a more accurate putting. This combination set is intended to help golfers on putts with subtle or confusing breaks and works best on putts within  12  feet of the hole. 
         [0008]    Using the rotary clip head with angle plate alone can also improve the putting accuracy since there is an actual target for the putting. Even without using the slope reading tool, the rotary clip head with angle plate can be rotated to an angle that would produce the best putting direction after using the rotary clip head with angle plate over time. 
         [0009]    The combination set can be used as follows: 
         [0010]    1. Place the slope reading tool (a bubble level) in front of the hole on line with putt. When the bubble level is placed horizontal to the hole, it measure the break left to right or right to left depending on the bubble position with respect to the zero degree line. When the bubble level is placed perpendicular to the hole, it measures whether it is uphill or downhill to the hole dependent on the bubble position with respect to the zero degree line. 
         [0011]    2. When placing the bubble level horizontal to the hole, if the bubble lies in a position left to the zero degree line, it indicates the break is from left to the right. If the bubble lies in a position right to the zero degree line, it indicates the break is from right to left. The number on the bubble level represents the severity of the break, larger the number, the more severe is the break and vice versa. When placing the bubble perpendicular to the hole, if the bubble lies above the zero degree line, it indicates it is uphill to the hole. If the bubble lies below the zero degree line, it indicates it is downhill to the hole. The number on the bubble level represents the severity of the uphill or downhill slope. 
         [0012]    3. When using the rotary clip head with angle plate that is attached to the shaft of a regular putter, rotate the clip head to make the angle plate aligned with the degree of the break indicated on the bubble level and make the putt in this direction. 
         [0013]    The details of instructions will be described in the other section. After just a few holes, golfers will learn to rely on this combination set of slope reading tool and rotary clip head with angle plate to make their putts. Using the slope reading tool will also speed up play as players spend less time circling the hole or crouching behind their ball to read their line. 
         [0014]    The more important features of the invention have thus been outlined in order that the more detailed description that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may better be appreciated. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter and will form the subject matter of the claims that follow. 
         [0015]    Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
         [0016]    As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
         [0017]    The foregoing has outlined, rather broadly, the preferred feature of the present invention so that those skilled in the art may better understand the detailed description of the invention that follows. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter that form the subject of the claims of the invention. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they can readily use the disclosed conception and specific embodiment as a basis for designing or modifying other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention and that such other structures do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0018]    Other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description, the appended claim, and the accompanying drawings in which similar elements are given similar reference numerals. 
           [0019]      FIG. 1  is a top view of a Bubble Level type of Slope Reading Tool; 
           [0020]      FIG. 2  is a top view of the slope reading tool of  FIG. 1  wherein the bubble stays at 0 degree line indicating no break; 
           [0021]      FIG. 3  is a top view of the slope reading tool of  FIG. 1  wherein the bubble stays at 2 degree line on the left of zero degree line indicating breaking from left to right; 
           [0022]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the slope reading tool of  FIG. 1  wherein the bubble stays at 2 degree line on the right of zero degree line indicating breaking from right to left; 
           [0023]      FIG. 5  is a top view (in transparency) of the rotary clip head and angle plate which is detached from the clip head; 
           [0024]      FIG. 6  is a top view (in transparency) of the rotary clip head and angle plate which is removably attached or permanently attached to the clip head; 
           [0025]      FIG. 7  is a side view of a clip head and angle plate on putter shaft; 
           [0026]      FIG. 8  is an isometric view of a clip head according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0027]      FIG. 9A and 9B  are top views of an angle plate according to a few embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0028]      FIG. 10A and 10B  is a side view and isometric view of the clip head clipped to a shaft right above the putter head; 
           [0029]      FIG. 11  is an isometric view of the angle plate attached clip head clipped to a shaft; 
           [0030]      FIG. 12  is top view of the putter head with a rotary clip head with angle plate illustrating the angle plate attaching to the clip head with 0 degree line in perpendicular to the target line and lining up with the alignment line of the putter head; 
           [0031]      FIG. 12A  is a top view of the putter head showing that the putter head edge is used as an alignment line which lines up with the zero degree line on the angle plate; 
           [0032]      FIG. 12B  is a top view of the putter head showing a black tape adhered on the putter head as an alignment line which lines up with the zero degree line on the angle plate; 
           [0033]      FIG. 13A  is a top view of the putter head showing that the putter head edge is used as an alignment line which lines up with the desired degree line on the angle plate; 
           [0034]      FIG. 13B  is a top view of the putter head showing a black tape adhered on the putter head as an alignment line which lines up with the desired degree line on the angle plate; 
           [0035]      FIG. 14  is top view showing the putter is placed in a position where the 0 degree line is perpendicular to the center line of the golf ball. 
           [0036]      FIG. 14A  is a top view showing the putter is placed in a position where the 0 degree line is perpendicular to the center line of the golf ball in the case that the putter face edge is used as an alignment line. 
           [0037]      FIG. 14B  is a top view showing the putter is placed in a position where the 0 degree line is perpendicular to the center line of the golf ball in the case that the black tape adhered on the putter head as an alignment line. 
           [0038]      FIG. 15  is a top view showing the central line of the golf ball lines up with the target line of the putter head and then make the putt in this direction. 
           [0039]      FIG. 15A  is a top view showing that the putter head edge is used as an alignment line and the central line of the golf ball lines up with the target line of the putter head and then make the putt in this direction; 
           [0040]      FIG. 15B  is a top view showing a black tape adhered on the putter head as an alignment line and the central line of the golf ball lines up with the target line of the putter head and then make the putt in this direction; 
           [0041]      FIG. 15C  is a top view of the putter head with a rotary angle plate 1.5 degree lined up with the black tape alignment line on the putter head. 
           [0042]      FIG. 16  is conceptual view of golf ball path when making the putt without making any adjustment on the putting angle; 
           [0043]      FIG. 17  is a conceptual view of the golf ball path using the combination set of slope reading tool and rotary clip head with angle plate to execute the putting stroke; 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0044]    The combination set of golf tools designed to build putting confidence and shave strokes off every golfer&#39;s game according to the present invention comprises a slope reading tool and rotary clip head with angle plate. 
         [0045]    (A) Slope Reading Tool: a Bubble Level (Spirit Level Available in the Market) 
         [0046]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is disclosed a slope reading tool  10  which is a bubble level (spirit level in the market). However, the slope reading tool may be of other type. The bubble level has angle measuring capability as shown in  FIG. 1 . Each degree on the bubble level type of slope reading tool  10  is separated by a width (W). In one embodiment of the slope reading tool, each degree is separated by the width (W) of 4 mm. Each scale of 4 mm length stands for 1 degree. To measure the slope around the golf hole  400 , the slope reading tool  10  is placed in front of the hole  400 . When the bubble stays at zero, it indicates there is no break on the putting surface; it means the green is horizontally leveled without slope around golf hole  400  ( FIG. 2 ). If the bubble of the bubble level slope reading tool  10  on a putting surface in front of the hole  400  stays at 2 degree on the left of zero degree line indicating a 2 degree slope breaking from left to right. ( FIG. 3 ). On the other hand, if the bubble of the bubble level slope reading tool  10  on a putting surface in front of the hole  400  stays at 2 degree on the right of zero degree line indicating a 2 degree slope breaking from right to left. ( FIG. 4 ). 
         [0047]    (B) Rotary Clip Head with Angle Plate 
         [0048]    Referring to  FIGS. 5-6 , there is disclosed a set of rotary clip head  21  and angle plate  27  according to one embodiment of the present invention. A rotary clip head  21  consists of a claw clip  22 , and a Velcro™ hook plate  23  (a Velcro™ hook  24  adhered on a plastic plate  25  in  FIG. 7 ). The angle plate  27  with the Velcro™ loop  28  on the bottom can be detached from or attached to the Velcro™ hook  24  on the Velcro™ hook plate  23  in the clip head  21 . Alternatively the angle plate can be fixed to the clip head permanently when the black tape adhered on the putter head is used as alignment line. The angle plate  27  has the degree mark lines  32  on the top of the angle plate  27 . The zero degree line  33  is located in the center of the angle plate  27  for use to align with the central line of the putter head  220  ( FIG. 10A ). The rotary clip head  21  with angle plate  27  can be clipped to a regular putter (non-rotary head) shaft  210  as illustrated in  FIG. 7 . The clip head  21  can be rotated around the putter shaft  210  to a desired degree on the angle plate  27  as indicated in the slope reading tool  10 . The combination set of golf tool may further comprise a tape for marking an alignment line  61  along about the midline of the putter head pointing to the center of the shaft. The target line  62  is perpendicular to the alignment line. 
         [0049]    Referring to  FIG. 8  for the clip head  21  according to one embodiment of the present invention. The clip head  21  further comprise foam  26  within the plastic claw clip  22  to secure the fastening of the putter head  220 . 
         [0050]    Referring to  FIG. 9A and 9B , there are disclosed a few embodiments of the angle plate  27  according to the present invention. The angle plate  27  may be made of plastic plate. It may be non-transparent  9 A or transparent  9 B. Moreover, there are two types of angle plate  27  with different sizes. The smaller angle plate is used for center or near center shaft putter. The large angle plate is used for heel shaft putter. The curvature of the angle plate is the curvature of a circle of 90 mm diameter. The length of the radial between two numbers is 4 mm, the same length of the length between 2 numbers in the bubble level. 
         [0051]    Clip the clip head  21  to the shaft  210  right above the putter head  220  ( FIGS. 10A , B) and attach the angle plate  27  to the Velcro™ hook plate  23  on the clip head  21  using the Velcro™ loop  28  on the bottom of the angle plate  27  ( FIG. 11 ). If the angle plate  27  is already attached to the clip head  21  permanently, clip the clip head  21  to the shaft  210  and align the zero degree line  33  on the angle plate to the alignment line  61  on the putter head. 
         [0052]    (C) Method for Using the Rotary Clip Head and Angle Plate 
         [0053]    The methods for using the rotary clip head and angle plate  20  together with a regular putter  220  are illustrated in the following sections. 
         [0054]    In use, first, the user should align the 0 degree line  33  with the alignment line  61  or the putter head edge  222 .  FIGS. 12 and 12B  illustrates the angle plate  27  using clip head  21  attaching to the putter shaft  210  with 0 degree line  33  on the angle plate  27  perpendicular to the target line  62  and lining up with the alignment line  61  (using a black tape or a marked line) of the putter head  220 . Alternatively, the 0 degree line on the angle plate  27  can line up with the putter head edge  222  ( FIG. 12  A).  FIG. 12A  is a top view of the putter head showing that the putter head edge  222  is used as an alignment line which lines up with the zero degree line on the angle plate.  FIG. 12B  is a top view of the putter head showing a black tape adhered on the putter head as a black tape made alignment line  61  which lines up with the zero degree line on the angle plate; 
         [0055]    After measuring the slope around the hole  400  using the slope reading device  10 , next, rotate the rotary clip head to the position where the degree line  32  is at the desired corresponding degree on the angle plate  27  and this desired degree line lines up with alignment line  61  of the putter head  220  as illustrated in  FIG. 13B  or with the putter head edge  222  lining up with the corresponding degree line  32  as indicated in  FIG. 13A .  FIG. 13A  is a top view of the putter head  220  showing that the putter head edge  222  is used as an alignment line which lines up with the desired degree line  32  on the angle plate  27 .  FIG. 13B  is a top view of the putter head  220  showing a black tape adhered on the putter head as an alignment line  61  which lines up with the desired degree line  32  on the angle plate  27 . 
         [0056]    Then, hold the putter  200  on the ground in a position to make 0 degree line  33  perpendicular to the center line  35  of the golf ball  401 .  FIG. 14  is a top view showing the putter is placed in a position where the zero degree line is perpendicular to the central line of the golf ball.  FIG. 14A  is a top view of the putter head  220  showing that the putter head edge  222  is used as an alignment line which lines up with the desired degree line on the angle plate  27 , and then by holding the putter  200  in a position such that the zero degree line is perpendicular to the central line of the golf ball  35 .  FIG. 14B  is a top view of the putter head  220  showing a black tape made alignment line  61  which lines up with the desired degree line  32  on the angle plate  27 , and then by holding the putter  200  in a position that the zero degree line is perpendicular to the central line of the golf ball  35 ; 
         [0057]    Then, Rotate the golf ball  400  so that the center line of the ball  35  lines up with the target line  62  of the putter head  220  and then make the putt in this direction.  FIG. 15  is a top view showing the central line of the golf ball lines up with the target line of the putter head forming a straight line and then make the putt in this direction.  FIG. 15A  is a top view of the putter head showing that the putter head edge  222  is used as an alignment line and the central line of the ball  35  lines up with the black tape made alignment line  61  and then make the putt in this direction.  FIG. 15B  is a top view of the putter head showing the black tape made alignment line  61  and the central line of the ball  35  lines up with the target line  62  of the putter head and then make the putt in this direction. When the bubble lies between two numbers in the bubble level, e.g. between 1 and 2 as illustrated in  FIG. 15C , estimate the position of the bubble center, for example, as 1.5 as indicated in the diagram, then rotate the clip head so that the 1.5 degree on the angle plate  27  aligns with the edge of putter face  222  or with the black tape  61  as shown in the diagram.  FIG. 15C  is a top view of the putter head  220  having a angle plate  27  with 1.5 degree line aligned with the black tape made alignment line  61  on the putter head  220 . 
         [0058]      FIG. 16  is conceptual view of a golf ball path when making the putt without making any adjustment on the putting angle. The golfer would miss the putt as illustrated in the  FIG. 16 .  FIG. 17  is a conceptual view of the golf ball path when the golfer uses the combination set of slope reading tool  10  and rotary putting head  40  to execute the putting stroke for more confident and accurate putting. 
         [0059]    While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to the preferred embodiments, it will be understood that the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention and not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments discussed were chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are entitled.