Patent Publication Number: US-6699138-B1

Title: Golf swing indication device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a continuation-in-part patent application of Ser. No. 09/736,556 filed on Dec. 13, 2000 now abandoned. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to golf clubs and more specifically to a golf swing indication device which is attached to a shaft of a golf club to indicate the smoothness of a particular chipping swing. 
     2. Discussion of the Prior Art 
     It appears that no device exists to show whether a golfer has a correct chipping swing. A smooth swing is necessary for properly hitting a golf ball with a golf club. 
     Accordingly, there is a clearly felt need in the art for a golf swing indication device which indicates whether a golfer has made a proper swing for hitting a chip shot with a golf club. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a golf swing indication device which provides feedback to a golfer about their chipping swing. The golf swing indication device includes a base plate, a rotary tilt switch unit, an indication device, and a mounting device. The rotary tilt switch unit includes a rotary base, a tilt switch, and a dial knob. The rotary base includes a rotary mounting plate, a tilt switch housing, and a shaft. The shaft extends from a bottom of the rotary mounting plate. A wire opening is formed through the rotary base and shaft. The tilt switch housing is formed on a top of the rotary mounting plate. A switch bore is preferably formed through the tilt switch housing which is sized to receive the tilt switch. A center line of the switch bore preferably passes through a center line of the shaft. 
     A shaft bore is formed through the base plate to receive the shaft. Preferably, a blind bore is formed in a top of the base plate at one end which is sized to rotably receive the rotary base. An on-off switch is preferably mounted to a top of the base plate at the other end. A battery cavity is preferably disposed on the top of the base plate adjacent the on-off switch. The battery cavity retains at least one battery. The indication device is preferably mounted on a front of the base plate, adjacent the blind bore. The indication device may be a light indication device or an sound indication device. 
     The dial knob is mounted to a top of the rotary base. The dial knob has a pointer line. The periphery of the blind bore is marked with a dial. Preferably, one lead of the tilt switch is connected to one terminal of the battery and the other lead of the tilt switch is connected to one terminal of the indication device. The other terminal of the indication device is connected to one terminal of the on-off switch. The other terminal of the on-off switch is connected to the other terminal of the battery. 
     The base plate is attached to a shaft of a golf club with the mounting device. The mounting device is preferably a pair of clamp halves. A first clamp half is attached to a bottom of the base plate with any suitable attachment method. A first groove is formed on a bottom of the first clamp half which is sized to receive a golf club shaft. Preferably, at least two threaded holes are formed through the first clamp half. A second groove is formed on a top of a second clamp half which is sized to receive a golf club shaft. At least two clearance holes are formed through the second clamp half. A single thumb screw is threaded into each threaded hole to retain the first and second clamp halves against a golf club shaft. 
     The golf swing indication device is set for distance by adjusting the dial knob such that the pointer line aligns with an angle on the dial. The greater the distance of the shot, the higher the value of angle that should be selected. The smaller the angle, the more sensitive the tilt switch becomes to being closed. As the golfer takes a swing, the indication device should not emit light or sound at any point during the swing. If the indication device does emit light or sound during the entire swing, it means that the angle should be increased. If the indication device intermittently emits light or sound, the golfer&#39;s swing is too jerky or not smooth and consistent. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a golf swing indication device which indicates whether a golfer is making a proper swing for hitting a chip shot with a golf club. 
     These and additional objects, advantages, features and benefits of the present invention will become apparent from the following specification. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a golf swing indication device in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a golf swing indication device mounted to a shaft of a golf club in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a rotary tilt switch unit of a golf swing indication device in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a top perspective view of a base plate of a golf swing indication device in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective view of a base plate of a golf swing indication device in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a first clamp half of a golf swing indication device in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a second clamp half of a golf swing indication device in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a golf swing indication device mounted to a shaft of a golf club in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 9 is a front cutaway view of a tilt switch retained in a rotary base at a position of 90 degrees in a base plate of a golf swing indication device in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 9 a  is an electrical schematic of an indication circuit of a golf swing indication device in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 10 is a front cutaway view of a tilt switch retained in a rotary base at a position of 45 degrees in a base plate of a golf swing indication device in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 11 is a side view of a tilt switch as thereof is being swung of a golf swing indication device in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 12 is a side view of a tilt switch of a golf swing indication device at the instant of a jerk during the swing of a golf club in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     With reference now to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown an exploded perspective view of a golf swing indication device  1 . With reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, the golf swing indication device includes a base plate  10 , a rotary tilt switch unit  12 , an indication device  14 , and a mounting device. The rotary tilt switch unit  12  includes a rotary base  18 , a tilt switch  20 , and a dial knob  22 . The rotary base  18  includes a rotary mounting plate  24 , a tilt switch housing  26 , and a shaft  28 . The tilt switch housing  26  is formed on a top of the rotary mounting plate  24 . A switch bore  30  is preferably formed through the tilt switch housing  26  which is sized to receive the tilt switch  20 . The tilt switch  20  may be retained in the switch bore  30  with adhesive, a press fit, or any other suitable method. A center line  33  of the switch bore  30  preferably passes through a center line  29  of the shaft  28 . 
     The shaft  28  extends from a bottom of the rotary mounting plate  24 . A wire opening  32  is formed through the rotary mounting plate  24  and the length of the shaft  28 . The wire opening  32  allows the leads of the tilt switch  20  to pass therethrough. Preferably, a ring groove  34  is formed in a perimeter of the shaft  28  to receive a snap ring  31 . Preferably, a limit pin  36  extends from a bottom of the rotary mounting plate  24 . Preferably, at least one anti-rotation hole  38  is formed through the rotary mounting plate  24 . Preferably, at least one anti-rotation pin  40  extends from a bottom of the dial knob  22 . Each anti-rotation hole  38  sized to receive a single anti-rotation pin  40 . Each antirotation pin  40  may be retained in a single rotation hole  38  with adhesive, a press fit, or any other suitable method. A pointer line  42  is formed on a top of the dial knob  22 . Preferably, if the pointer line  42  were extended across a top of the dial knob it would pass through the shaft center line  29 . 
     With reference to FIG. 4, a shaft bore  46  is formed through the base plate  10 . The shaft bore  46  is sized to rotatably receive the shaft  28 . Preferably, a blind bore  44  is formed in a top of the base plate  10  at one end which is sized to rotatably receive the rotary base  18 . The shaft bore  46  is concentric with the blind bore  44 . The periphery of the blind bore  44  is marked with a dial  48 . The dial  48  is preferably gradated into two half scales which each have an angular range from 0-90 degrees. A rotary limiting slot  50  is preferably formed in a bottom of the blind bore  44 , concentric with the blind bore  44 . The rotary limiting slot  50  is sized and located to slidably receive the limit pin  36 . The limit pin  36  prevents the dial knob  22  from being rotated pass the angular limits of the dial  48 . The shaft  28  is inserted into the shaft bore  46  and rotatably retained relative to the base plate  10  by attaching the snap ring  31  to the ring groove  34 . The pointer line  42  is capable of pointing to one of the angle gradations on the dial  48 . 
     An on-off switch  52  is preferably mounted to a top of the base plate  10  at the other end thereof. A battery cavity  54  is preferably formed in the top of the base plate  10  adjacent the on-off switch  52 . The battery cavity  54  retains at least one battery  55 . A battery plate  56  is removably attached to the base plate  10 . A pair of screws  58  may be used to retain the battery plate  56  relative to the base plate  10 , but other removable retention methods may also be used. With reference to FIG. 5, the indication device  14  could be a light emitting device or a sound emitting device. The light emitting device may be an LED, incandescent bulb, or any other suitable light emitting device. The sound emitting device may be an audio transducer or any other sound emitting device. It is preferable that the sound emitting device make the sound of a “beep” when “turned-on.” A hole  61  is formed in the base for electrical leads of the indication device  14 . 
     Preferably, a recessed area  63  is formed on a bottom of the base plate  10  to provide clearance for running wires. Preferably, one lead of the tilt switch  20  is connected to one terminal of the battery  55  and the other lead of the tilt switch  20  is connected to one terminal of the indication device  14 . The other terminal of the indication device  14  is connected to one terminal of the on-off switch  52 . The other terminal of the on-off switch  52  is connected to the other terminal of the battery  55 . Other wiring schemes may also be used. When the on-off switch  52  is in the on-position, current flows from one terminal of the battery, through the on-off switch  52 , and one terminal the tilt switch  20 . If the tilt switch  20  is closed, current passes through the tilt switch  20  and the indication device to the other terminal of the battery which enables the indication device  14  to emit light or sound. 
     With reference to FIGS. 6-8, the mounting device is preferably a pair of clamp halves  16 . A first clamp half  62  is attached to a bottom of the base plate  10  with screws  64  or any other suitable fastening device or method. If screws  64  are used to fasten the first clamp half  62  to the base plate  10 , threaded holes  68  are formed through the base plate  10  and clearance holes  70  are formed through the first clamp half  62 . A first groove  66  is formed on a bottom of the first clamp half  62  which is sized to receive a shaft  102  of a golf club  100 . At least two threaded holes  72  are preferably formed through the first clamp half  62 . 
     A second groove  76  is formed on a top of a second clamp half  74  which is sized to receive the shaft  102 . At least two clearance holes  78  are formed through the second clamp half  74 . A single thumb screw  80  is inserted through each clearance hole  78  and threaded into each threaded hole  72  to retain the first and second clamp halves against the shaft  102 . Preferably, a pair of gaskets  82  are placed between the first and second clamp halves to prevent the shaft  102  from being crushed. Clearance holes  84  are formed through the pair of gaskets to provide clearance for the thumb screws  80 . 
     The golf swing indicator device  1  is set for a particular distance by adjusting the dial knob  22  such that the pointer line  42  aligns with the gradated angle on the dial  48 . The greater the distance of the chipping shot, the higher the value of angle that should be selected. With reference to FIG. 9, the rotary base  18  is positioned such that the tilt switch  20  is adjacent a 90 degree gradation on the dial  48 . The tilt switch  20  includes a first contact  23 , a second contact  25 , and a conductive ball  21 . The tilt switch  20  is normally open. Electrical current does not pass through the first and second contacts. However, when the conductive ball  21  makes electrical contact with both the first and second contacts, electrical current passes through the first and second contacts. The conductive ball  21  is commonly a glob of mercury, a conductively coated ball, or any other conductive device. 
     FIG. 9 a  shows an electrical schematic of an indication circuit  65 . The indication circuit  65  includes the battery  55 , the on-off switch  52 , the tilt switch  20 , and the indication device  14 . The battery  55  supplies electrical current to the on-off switch  52 . When the on-off switch  52  is closed electrical current is supplied to the first contact  23  of the tilt switch  20 . If the golfer makes a jerky swing, the conductive ball  21  will rise and make an electrical connection between the first and second contacts, which will allow the electrical current to be supplied to the indication device  14 . 
     The distance between a conductive ball  21  and the first  23  and second  25  contacts is dimension “A.” With reference to FIG. 10, the rotary base  18  is positioned such that the tilt switch  20  is adjacent a 45 degree gradation on the dial  48 . The distance between the conductive ball  21  and the first and second contacts is dimension “B.” Dimension “A” is greater than dimension “B.” The smaller the angle, the more sensitive the tilt switch  20  comes to being closed by the conductive ball  21  contacting the first and second contacts. 
     With reference to FIG. 11, as the golfer takes a smooth swing, the conductive ball  21  is forced away from the first and second contacts by centripetal force. FIG. 12 shows the conductive ball  21  in contact with the first and second contacts, due to a deceleration of a swing, which overcame the centripetal force. The deceleration in the swing resulted from a jerk during the swing. The indicator device  14  should not emit light or sound at any point during the swing. If the indicator device  14  emits light or sound during the entire swing, it means that the angle should be increased. If the indicator device  14  intermittently emits light or sound, the golfer&#39;s swing is too jerky or not smooth and consistent. The golfer must practice until they obtain a smooth and consistent swing. 
     While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects, and therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.