Abstract:
A golf exerciser in the form of a swingable tube containing a movable mass supported by an extension spring is provided with a shock absorber cooperating with a proximal end mount for the spring. This absorbs recoil movement of the mass, the spring, the connector, and reduces recoil impact shock that otherwise could be felt by the hands of the person exercising.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    A golf exerciser formed as a tube containing an extension spring and a weight so that when the tube is swung in a simulated golf swing the weight travels down the tube against the spring resistance. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The golf exercise that this invention improves upon, is described in my co-pending application Ser. No. 11/564,055, entitled Golf Swing Exerciser, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    I have discovered that stopping a simulated golf swing using my exerciser after passing a hitting region can cause a significant recoil. The weight that was moved by centrifugal force toward a distal end of the exercising tube becomes free to move toward the proximal end of the tube under the force of the extension of a spring connected to the weight. This can draw the weight, the extension spring, and a spring connector rapidly toward the proximal or handle end of the tube where these components can bang against an end stop. This can transmit a jarring effect to the hands of the person exercising, and it also hammers at the end stop and tends to break components. 
         [0004]    The solution proposed by this invention is a spring mount supported to be movable over a limited distance toward and away from an end stop, and a resilient shock absorber mounted between the spring connector and the end stop to serve as a recoil shock absorber. This improvement eliminates a jarring impact to the hands of the person exercising, and contributes to a smooth and satisfying movement of the exercising tube. The result, as experienced by a person exercising, is a comfortable and controlled motion enhancing product durability. 
     
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  is a partially schematic and partially cross-sectioned fragmentary view of a preferred embodiment of a recoil shock absorber according to the invention. 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  is a fragmentary view, similar to the view of  FIG. 1 , showing the shock absorber in action upon a recoil. 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  is a fragmentary view similar to the view of  FIG. 1  showing a spring form of recoil shock absorber. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0008]    My discovery of the need for a recoil shock absorber in my exercising device, such as more fully disclosed in my co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/564,055 entitled Golf Swing Exerciser occurred during instructional work with golfers using the exercising device. To achieve effective exercise, it is necessary to swing the exercising tube  10  with a sufficient velocity to drive a mass  15  to a distal end of the tube. When mass  15  reaches the distal tube end, it transfers its outward velocity to tube  10 , which gives the person swinging the tube a force to resist and helps improve a golfer&#39;s swing. 
         [0009]    This requirement results in mass  15  extending spring  20  as far as possible as exerciser  10  swings through a hitting region. As the swing is thereafter stopped, spring  20  pulls mass  15  back toward the proximal end of exerciser  10  in the region of hand grip  11 . Spring  20  can then retract to a coil-to-coil configuration that transmits the velocity of mass  15 , spring  20 , and spring connector  25  to a proximal end stop  30  in the region of hand grip  11 . This can deliver an unpleasant impact shock to the hands of the person exercising and can break parts of the exerciser when repeated. 
         [0010]    The remedy for this problem is a recoil shock absorber as shown in the drawings. This requires a spring connector  25  that is mounted for limited movement toward and away from end stop  30  to accommodate a recoil movement. It also requires a resilient recoil shock absorber arranged between end stop  30  and connector  25  to bring proximal movement of connector  25  to a gradually resisted stop that spreads out and therefore diminishes the impact of the recoil movement of spring mount  25  and mass  15 . 
         [0011]    The generally preferred way of arranging such a shock absorber is shown in  FIG. 1 . A nut  41  secures a bolt  40  to end stop  30  so that a bolt head  42  can limit the movement of spring connector or mount  25  away from end stop  30 . Between spring mount  25  and stop  30  is a resilient shock absorbing element  50  that preferably has a center bore  51  allowing it to be positioned on and held in place by bolt  40 . The complete arrangement is confined within tube  12 , which also holds extension spring  20  and mass  15 . For simplicity of illustration, the drawings eliminate details involving the length of tube  12  toward its distal end. Information on this is contained in my co-pending patent application. 
         [0012]    Shock absorber  50  is preferably an elastomeric device that can be deformed, as shown in  FIG. 2  when spring mount  25  recoils toward end stop  30 . Recoil element  50 , which is movably trapped between spring mount  25  and stop  30  elastically and radially expands as it absorbs the recoil motion of spring mount  25 . 
         [0013]    Bolt  40  provides a lost motion connection for spring mount  25 , which can rest against bolt head  42  during resistance to centrifugal force applied during a simulated golf swing, and can then move toward end stop  30  during a recoil. When this occurs, spring  20  can retract in a coil-to-coil configuration shown in  FIG. 2 . A few terminal coils of spring  20  are preferably threaded onto spring mount  25  to form a connection between spring  20  and mount  25 . End stop  30  is preferably well secured within the proximal end region of tube  12 , and this can be done with set screws or pins, adhesive, crimping, etc. 
         [0014]    The  FIG. 3  embodiment substitutes a compression spring  60  for elastomeric shock absorber  50 . Spring  60  and elastomeric element  50  have a similar effect by absorbing the recoil energy of mount  25 , spring  20 , and mass  15  moving toward a proximal end  13  of tube  12 . They each slow down such a recoil movement as they absorb recoil energy over a brief time interval, which reduces any impact shock that can be felt by the hands of a person exercising. 
         [0015]    The result makes exerciser  10  more comfortable to use and more durable in accommodating countless numbers of exercising swings and accompanying recoils. From the point of view of the person exercising, the recoil shock absorber makes exerciser  10  feel smoother and more comfortable to make the exercise both agreeable and effective in improving a golfer&#39;s swing.