Patent Publication Number: US-8540585-B2

Title: Golf club handle support device

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a device for use with the hand grip of a golf club, such that it the hand grip does not come in contact with the ground. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     During play a golfer will often take more than one club out of the golf bag and walk towards the location of the golf ball. While one club is being used, the other club or clubs are put on the ground. However, the hand grip of the club will become wet due to rain, dew or watering of the course which normally includes chemical laden water, thereby affecting the golfer&#39;s ability to properly hold and use the club and inadvertently leaving chemical residue on the club handle. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,482,103 B1 (Nov. 19, 2002) to Vache Raymond, E., teaches a way to prevent the hand grip of a golf club from touching the surface of the grass by providing a complex and expensive to manufacture assembly for propping the golf club hand grip up off the ground. The telescoping assembly moves in and out of a retainer that fits within a vent hole in the golf club grip. However, this device has drawbacks of complexity, making it undesirable to use. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art. In particular, the present invention includes a golf club hand grip and a spring clip device for use therein which maintains the hand grip of the golf club up off the ground in an advantageous manner and which is easy to use. The invention includes a spring clip device that partly slides in and out of the club hand grip and splays open in a fork like manner on to the ground thereby supporting the golf club handle grip up off the ground. 
     In a broad aspect the invention seeks to provide a supporting device for use with a golf club having a proximate end and a distal end, at least one arm extending in a forward direction from the proximate end defining a mid-portion comprising at least one stop means; and a first leg and a second leg extending both extending in a forward direction from the stop means to the distal end. 
     A further aspect of the present invention provides for a supporting device for use in cooperation with a golf club shaft having a proximate end and a distal end, a first arm extending in a first direction from the proximate end and a second arm extending from the proximate end in a second direction offset from the first direction; a first leg and a second leg extending from the respective said first arm and second arm and at least one of said arms including a stop means at a juncture with the leg associated with said at least one arm. 
     Yet further still an aspect of the present invention provides for a supporting device for use in cooperation with a golf club shaft having a proximate end and a distal end with a first arm extending in a first direction from the proximate end and a second arm extending from the proximate end in a second direction offset from the first direction. A distal portion of the first arm and a distal portion of the second arm each defining a stop means. A first leg and a second leg of the device extending from their respective stop means of said first arm and second arm. 
     Another aspect of the present invention provides for a device supporting a handle of a golf club up off a ground surface, the device has at least two distal ends and a proximate end, the distal ends including retaining members thereon for releasably retaining the device inside the golf club handle when not in use or for supporting the handle of the golf club up off ground. 
     Yet further the invention also comprehends for a support device including a distal end and a proximate end, a first arm extending in a first direction from the proximate end and a second arm extending from the proximate end in a second direction offset from the first direction, both arms gradually extending outwards and apart from one another from the proximate end to the distal end; the first arm and second arm each defining a mid-portion comprising a first bend and a second bend. The first bend of the mid-portion bending upwards at a predetermined angle towards the second bend which extends downward at a predetermined angle into a curved first leg and a curved second leg terminating at the distal ends. An embodiment of the present invention provides for the distal ends having a contact retaining member thereon. The mid-portion can be used for releasably retaining the device within the golf dub handle. 
     In a preferred embodiment the present invention provides for the supporting device being constructed of wire and bends in the wire are preferably used as stop means. The configuration of the device being such as to prevent rattle when the device is in a retracted position in the shaft. 
     Another embodiment of the invention provides for a method for supporting the golf club handle up off the ground by partially retracting or pulling the device out from the golf club handle causing widening of a gap between the mid-portion and the respective first and second antis and legs; and placing the distal ends on the ground for supporting the golf club handle up off the ground. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention both as to its structure and method of use, together with further aspects and advantages thereof, may be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a device in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional side view of the invention of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional side view of the invention shown of  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2  inside a golf club handle. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional side view of the device in accordance with the present invention extending out from the golf club handle. 
         FIG. 5  is a top plan cross-sectional view of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is a forward elevation view of the device shown in  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional side view of the invention shown of  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2  inside a golf club handle illustrating a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional side view of the device in accordance with the present invention extending out from the golf club handle illustrating a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings in which preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown. 
     The invention may however, be embodied and applied and used in different articles where the need exists to keep hand held articles up off the ground for keeping those articles dry for ease of use. Accordingly, the present invention should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. 
       FIGS. 1-6  illustrate the present invention.  FIG. 1  shows a device  10  of the present invention. The device  10  includes a proximal end  20  and a distal end  30  defining therebetween a first arm  40  and a second arm  50  extending outwards from the proximal end  20  in a length-ways direction widening apart to a respective mid-portion defined by a first bend  60  and a second bend  70 . A first leg  80  and a second leg  90  extend outward from their respective bends  60  and  70  to their distal ends  30  defined by feet  100 . The device  10  can be made of man-made or natural materials, for example metal or carbon composites. Preferably, the material of the device  10  is a spring steel. The number and length of arms or legs used can vary and should not be restricted to just the two. The device  10  can be manufactured as a strip of resilient or spring like material having a predetermined length and folded at a mid point over a chosen range of non-limiting angles to two lengths in a splayed “V” shaped, the lengths are preferably equal in dimension. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the device  10  has a distinct curve from the first bend  60  and second bend  70  along a length of the legs  80  and  90  terminating at the distal end  30  whereon the feet  100  appear on the same plane as the proximate end  20  of the first and second arms  40  and  50 . As a consequence of the curvature of the legs  80  and  90  and a raised proximate end  20  and distal end  30 , the mid-portion is the highest point of the device  10  when viewed sideways. The curvature of the device  10  provides a resilient, flexibility for use in the environment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the device  10  is shown inside a golf club handle  110 , shown here with grip  120 , in and up against an inside of a golf club shaft  130 . The curvature and resilient flexible feature of device  10  is forced against the inside of the club shaft  130  to prevent unnecessary movement and distraction during a golf swing. The forced tight fit is relieved by pulling the device  10  outwards to a desired length via the feet  100 , through an aperture  140  of the grip  120 . 
     In use as shown in  FIGS. 3-6 , the golf club handle  110  including the handle grip  120  covering the shaft  130  of the golf club (partially shown) provides an environment within which the proximate ends  30  of the device  10  are pulled from the handle grip  120  dependent upon the varied environments encountered. The aperture  140  of the grip  120  prevents the feet  100  from easily entering in to the shaft  130 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the curvature of the device  10  provides the appropriate force against the narrow dimensioned shaft  130  and in doing so the flexible material of the device  10  forces the legs  80  and  90  up against an inside of the shaft  130  which in turn also forces down the first arm  40  and second arm  50  onto the shaft  130  interior. More force is exerted from the curvature of the flexible device  10  abutting up against the shaft  130  by having the distal end  30  releasably secured in the aperture  140  of the grip  120  end. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , from the retracted position, the device  10  is partially extended from the shaft  130  through the aperture  140  and on to the ground surface  200 . The first bend  60  acts as a stopper against any further outward directional movement of the shaft  130 . Preferably the first bend  60  through the aperture  140  acts as a pivotal point of the device  10  for allowing upward and downward directional movements about the inside of the shaft  130  as a means to uphold the golf club handle and club therefore up off the ground surface  200 . More preferably, as the feet  100  engage the ground surface  200  the legs  80  and  90  are forced upwards which in turn, forces the arms  40  and  50  downwards on to the interior of the shaft  130  via the pivotal action of the first bend  60  against the aperture  140  and the abutting action of the second bend  70  against the inside of the shaft  130 . 
     The top plan cross-sectional view of the device  10  shown in  FIG. 5 , in a extended position being partially pulled out of the golf club handle  110 , via the aperture  140 , thereby showing how the fork like first and second legs  80  and  90  respectively with their distal ends  30  with their feet  100  are splayed outwards and downwards onto the ground surface  200  for providing stable support for the club handle  110  of the club. Optionally, depending on the height of the grass or firmness of sand, the device  10  as pulled from the handle  110  can be varied in length to accommodate for the varied environments encountered, for example high grass or wet soaked areas. The feet  100  are preferably made of a predetermined size and shape for ease of use. For example, each foot  100  can be of a dimension and shape such as laterally outwardly directed feet so as to abut the other foot  100  to increase a contact area between each other when the device is retracted within the handle. As a preferred embodiment at least one of the feet  100  is magnetic and firmly engages the other foot  100  to further prevent “rattling”.  FIG. 6  shows the device  10  engaged within the golf club handle  110 , shown as an outline in dotted lines, to further emphasize the working of the mid-portion i.e. the first bend  60  and second bend  70  working around the aperture  140  and shaft  130 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 7 and 8  there is illustrated the support device  10  with a slightly varied configuration and profile wherein the device  10  functions similar to that shown in  FIGS. 1-6  but reflects an alternative to the configurations of the device  10  to enhance the functional contact with the interior  130  of the shaft and to prevent “rattle” of the device  10  when retracted into the shaft  130 . 
     The ease of use of the device  10  of the present invention is further apparent when taking into consideration the structure and function of existing devices which either appear to rely on only one small surface area for resting on the ground or in some instances for penetrating the ground surface. In contrast, the present invention applies at least a two pronged approach for providing the required stability not found elsewhere and with the ease and convenience of use and having proximate ends with retaining members of a design choice and function. 
     Although the invention has been described above by reference to certain embodiments of the invention, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. Modifications and variations of the embodiments described above will occur to those skilled in the art in light of the above identified teachings.