Abstract:
A golf swing training guide device for training a golfer&#39;s golf swing. This golf swing training guide includes a stand, a telescoping arm coupled to the stand, an extending arm and a flexible swing guide member which can be selectively coupled to the extending arm. This device can be formed in at least two different embodiments. In both of the embodiments, the device can be stored in a compact manner before putting the device in use.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention relates to a golf swing training device. This device can be in the form of a guide for a swing plane of a user&#39;s golf swing. Other golf swing training guides are known in the art. For example the following U.S. patents are known golf swing training guides: U.S. Pat. No. 6,390,930 to Gauer; U.S. Pat. No. 1,854,392 issued on April, 1932 to Bambrick; U.S. Pat. No. 3,375,010 issued on March, 1968 to Panza; U.S. Pat. No. 3,460,837, issued on August, 1969 to Cassa, Jr.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,554,555 issued on January, 1971 to Maori; U.S. Pat. No. 3,942,802 issued on March, 1976 to Wright; U.S. Pat. No. 3,975,024 issued on August, 1976 to Stephan; U.S. Pat. No. 4,082,287 issued on April, 1978 to Berkey; U.S. Pat. No. 5,069,456 issued on December, 1991 to Bellagamba, U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,719 issued on November, 1993 to Bunn; U.S. Pat. No. 5,346,220 issued on September, 1994 to Cooper et al; U.S. Pat. No. 5,433,445 issued on July, 1995 to Melancon; U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,395 issued on April, 1996 to Cook; U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,842 issued on May., 1996 to Fuss. U.S. Pat. No. 5,899,816 issued on May., 1999 to Pearson; U.S. Pat. No. 5,961,393 issued in October, 1999 to Heller et al; wherein all of the disclosures of these references are incorporated herein by reference. 
   In addition, other references are known, such as Great Britian patent GB 2197210 issued on May., 1988; and PCT application WO 85/00295 published in January, 1985. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention relates to a device for golf instruction comprising a base, at least one telescoping arm coupled to the base, at least one bracket, and at least one selectively adjustable hinge coupling the bracket to the telescoping arm. This selectively adjustable hinge is for selectively adjusting the bracket to at least two different angles. There is at least one extending arm coupled to the bracket and at least one flexible swing guide member which can be selectively coupled to the extending arm wherein a user can swing a golf club along a swing path to avoid these flexible swing guide members to follow a particular swing path. 
   There can also be an additional extending arm coupled to bracket extending out from an opposite side of the bracket. In addition, as an option, the device can further comprise at least one additional rotatable hinge coupled to the telescoping arm opposite the first hinge. This additional hinge can be for coupling the telescoping arm to the base. In addition the device is for selectively adjusting an angle at which the arm is coupled to the base. 
   In one optional embodiment, the device can further comprise a level coupled to the bracket for determining the position of the extending arm with respect to a substantially horizontal surface. 
   The flexible guide members can be connected such that there can be multiple guide members such as four guide members on each extending arm extending out from the bracket. In this way the guide members can provide a substantially continuous guide for a golf club. 
   There can also be a holding element coupled to the stand, wherein the holding element is for coupling the flexible swing guide to the stand before attaching the flexible swing guide to an extending arm. 
   There can also be a swing trainer which can be in the form of a vertically extending swing guide comprising a base and a substantially vertically extending arm. This vertically extending swing guide can be placed adjacent to the flexible swing guide member to guide a user&#39;s swing in a substantially vertical manner until it extends underneath the swing guide. 
   One optional feature of this design, is that the vertically extending arm can be in the form of a telescoping arm that extends up from the base. 
   In addition, to adjust the angle of this vertically extending guide, there can be a hinge coupling the arm to the stand. This hinge allows the arm to be adjusted to a position off from an exact vertical position. 
   In one embodiment, there can also be a connecting extending arm, and a folding hinge, wherein the folding hinge connects the connecting extending arm to the extending arm. This allows the device to have a wider reach then would otherwise be available. 
   Other optional features are that these flexible guide members can be in the form of flexible rods or in the form of flexible slats which can be made from any known flexible material such as rubber or plastic. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings which disclose at least one embodiment of the present invention. It should be understood, however, that the drawings are designed for the purpose of illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the invention. 
     In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views: 
       FIG. 1  shows a top view of the device in a closed form; 
       FIG. 2  shows a side view of the device in its expanded form; 
       FIG. 3  shows a top view of the device in its expanded form; 
       FIG. 4  is a partial view of a second embodiment of the invention; and 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention wherein this embodiment shows a user swinging a club. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Turning now in detail to the drawings,  FIG. 1  shows a side view of a device  5 , having a base  10  which can be a substantially rectangular shaped base having at least two arms extending out therefrom. Arms  11  can be used to secure two separate swing trainers  30   a  and  30   b  to base  10 . In addition, extending out from base  10  is an extension arm  12 , which includes a preliminary extension arm  14 , and rotatable hinge  15  which allows extension arm  12  to rotate. In addition, coupled to rotatable hinge  15  is a second extension arm  16  which is formed as a telescoping extension arm having an inner arm  16   a  and an outer arm  16   b ; wherein inner arm  16   a  slides within outer arm  16   b . An additional rotatable hinge  17  is coupled to second extension arm  16 . Coupled to rotatable hinge  17  is a bracket  18 . 
   Bracket  18  is a substantially flat extending bracket which allows a guide  20  to be attached thereto. Guide  20  comprises extension arms  22   a  and  22   b , coupled to bracket  18 . Laterally extending arms  22   a  and  22   b  extend laterally out on either side of a central region associated with extension arm  12 . Coupled to laterally extended arms,  22   a  and  22   b , are hinges  23   a  and  23   b.    
   Coupled to hinges  23   a  and  23   b , respectively, are additional or intermediate extending or coupling arms  24   a  and  24   b . Arms  24   a  and  24   b  are rotatably secured to arms  22   a  and  22   b , respectively. Coupled to arms  24   a  and  24   b  are hinges,  27   a  and  27   b , respectively. Coupled to hinges  27   a  and  27   b  are outer extending arms,  26   a  and  26   b , respectively. In addition, coupled to guide  20  is a guide means such as flexible guide arms  28  which are coupled to these laterally extending arms  22   a ,  22   b ,  24   a ,  24   b ,  26   a  and  26   b  via coupling elements  29 . These guide elements are flexible to allow a golf club to pass there through. In addition, these guide elements help guide the user&#39;s golf club below a particular level to guide the user into following a particular swing path. 
   In addition, disposed adjacent to base  10  and guide  20  are two swing trainers  30   a  and  30   b . Essentially swing trainers  30   a  and  30   b  comprise associated bases  32   a  and  32   b , and hinges  34   a  and  34   b , coupled to bases  32   a  and  32   b , respectively. Coupled to hinges  34   a  and  34   b  are arms  36   a  and  36   b , respectively. Essentially, hinge  34   a  and  34   b  allow the swing trainer to be adjustable such that these swing trainers can extend out at a particular angle relative to bases  32   a  and  32   b , respectively. There is also an additional coupling element or coupler,  38   a  and  38   b , coupled to arms  36   a  and  36   b , respectively. Couplers  38   a  and  38   b  allow additional extending arms,  39   a  and  39   b  to be optionally coupled to these swing trainers. 
   Swing trainers are essentially created to keep the user&#39;s golf club in a particular swing path such that, as long as the user&#39;s golf club extends along this swing path, the user will automatically learn the proper golf swing. In addition, there is also a level  40  coupled to bracket  18  wherein level  40  is used to show the user the precise positioning of this golf swing training device relative to a horizontal surface. 
     FIG. 2  shows a side view of the device shown in  FIG. 1 . In this view, there is shown guide  20  which extends substantially horizontally out from base  12 . Guide  20  is adjustable with regard to its position in two ways. First, guide  20  is adjustable via rotatable hinge  15  and also second hinge  17 . Rotatable hinge  15  allows second extension arm  16  to rotate up from a substantially horizontal position to a substantially vertical position. This rotation causes guide  20  to move up and also towards base  10 . In addition, the angle at which guide  20  is in relation to a horizontal surface can be adjusted via second rotatable hinge  17 . This rotatable hinge can be used to rotate guide  20  from a substantially horizontal position to a substantially vertical position in relation to a horizontal hitting surface. In this view, guide elements  28  are shown extending out from the inner, middle and outer arms thereby helping to define a swing path for a golf club. 
     FIG. 3  discloses the embodiment as shown in  FIG. 1  wherein, in this view, the device is shown in an expanded form such that hinges  23   a ,  23   b ,  27   a  and  27   b  have been opened or expanded out to create the look and feel of an entire swing path. In this view, the device is shown expanded such that outer elements  28  are shown spread out across a substantially semi-circular guide path for a golf club. 
     FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention. With this view, there is shown a base  110  which includes two legs and a coupling bracket  112  which is coupled to the two legs of the base. In this case, there is also a shaft  116  which can be coupled to coupling bracket  112  wherein this shaft  116  extends substantially vertically up to a bracket  118  which serves as a cross bracket. In one embodiment shaft  116  can be formed as a telescoping shaft, wherein in this case, shaft  116  is shown in its fully retracted position. Alternatively, shaft  116  can be fixed in height. 
   In at least one embodiment there can also be a hinge (not shown) which is used to couple shaft  116  to bracket  118 . Alternatively, bracket  118  can be directly coupled to shaft  116 . Bracket  118  is adapted to receive a shaft  122  wherein shaft  122  can be inserted into a front end hole  119 . There is also a flexible swing guide  128 , wherein flexible swing guide  128  can be used to guide a user&#39;s swing. Flexible swing guide can be coupled to shaft  122  by securing via a notch in shaft  122 . A level  40  can be coupled to a top portion of bracket  118  wherein level  40  can be used to position the guide in place. 
     FIG. 5  shows a user using this swing trainer shown in  FIG. 4  wherein the user is shown with a golf club  62  which includes a golf club head  60  which passes below flexible swing guides  128 . In this case, there are also a plurality of swing trainers  130   a  and  130   b  disposed on either side of the central device, wherein these swing trainers  130   a  and  130   b  are free standing, substantially vertically extending swing trainers which guide or force a user to move his club head in a substantially vertical manner either before or after it has cleared the central device. These swing trainers  130   a  and  130   b  can be formed as telescoping elements that extend up from a base section  131   a  and  131   b  respectively. 
   In this view as well, there is also another shaft or arm  123  wherein this shaft or arm  123  extends out from bracket  118  in an opposite direction. In this view there are shown a plurality of swing guides  128  which are each coupled to arm or shaft  122  or  123  wherein for example there are four swing guides  128  on each side. The outermost swing guides  129   a  and  129   b  extend out at a different angle relative to the arms than the remaining inner swing guides. 
   These outer swing guides  128   a  and  128   b  are used to guide the user&#39;s swing in a more vertical manner so that the arc of the user&#39;s swing is particularly steep at a beginning portion of the swing, bottoming out early in the swing and then extending across in a substantially horizontal manner to sweep across a ball. 
   There is also a swing guide  90  that rests flat on a ground surface wherein this swing guide  90  includes two substantially straight extending arms or extending elements  91 , and  93  which can be connected to each other via a hinge (not shown) wherein these arms extend out in opposite directions from each other. In addition there is shown a curved arm  94  which is coupled to at least one of the arms via a hinge  96 . This visual swing guide  90  displays a swing path for a club along the curved arm section  94  wherein this curved arm is for guiding the club head. The two substantially straight extending arms are used to guide a user&#39;s hands such that as a golfer&#39;s body turns towards the user&#39;s backswing, the user&#39;s hands would follow the path of arm  93 . When the user swings forward, the golf club head follows the path of the curved arm  94 , while the user&#39;s hands would follow guide arm  91 . At the same time the golf club head would remain below guides  129   a ,  128  and  129   b  and avoid swing trainers or guides  130   a  and  130   b . Thus, this design provides a complete guide to a user&#39;s swing. 
   Accordingly, while at least one embodiment of the present invention have been shown and described, it is to be understood that many changes and modifications may be made thereunto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.