Patent Publication Number: US-9409075-B2

Title: Golf practice device

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a practice device for practicing a golf swing, in particular a back swing of a golf swing. A correct golf swing, in particular a correct back swing or a correct takeaway, respectively, can be trained or practiced, respectively, by means of the practice device according to the invention. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Various golf practice apparatuses or golf practice devices, respectively, by means of which a golf swing can be learned or practiced, respectively, are known from the prior art. 
     For example, a golf practice apparatus, by means of which an interactive guiding of a golf club is made possible when practicing a golf swing, is known from DE 20 2013 006 560 U1. This golf practice apparatus has a guide arm, by means of which the golf club can be guided interactively. For this purpose, the golf club is fastened to the guide arm. However, this type of golf practice apparatuses have the disadvantage that, on the one hand, they can only be used in a stationary manner and that, on the other hand, the purchase thereof is expensive. A free golf swing is furthermore not possible, because the golf club is fastened to the guide arm. When learning the golf swing, the guide arm can even be a hindrance, because it is not possible to swing the golf club freely. 
     A golf practice apparatus, which has a simpler design and which can be transported, is known from DE 103 29 920 A1. The training apparatus for golf swings shown therein consists of at least one guide ring, which is arranged through a holder in a plane, which runs vertically inclined by means of a holder, wherein two guide rings are present, which are arranged almost in a plane and which are accommodated in a holder at least partially at a distance to one another, wherein the two guide rings are embodied so as to be almost elliptical. It is to be possible through this that the golf player can apply his golf club along both guide rings and can carry out the swing. Due to a friction contact between the golf club and the guide rings, the golf player can control at any time, whether the golf club is in contact with the guide rings. However, it is disadvantageous here that a free golf swing is also almost impossible here, without touching the guide rings so that even though the golf player can learn a virtually ideal golf swing, the golf swing is nonetheless hindered by the training apparatus. 
     It is a disadvantage in the case of both known golf practice apparatuses that a “real” drive cannot be made therewith. Only the golf swing or the correct swing plane can be practiced without driving the golf ball. 
     OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 
     It is thus the object of the instant invention to provide a practice device for learning or for practicing, respectively, a golf swing, in particular a back swing, or for improving the golf swing plane, respectively, in response to the takeaway or in response to a back swing, by means of which it is ensured that the back swing is performed in the ideal swing plane, without the practice device hindering the golf swing, in particular the downswing. 
     SUMMARY 
     This object is solved according to the invention by means of a golf practice device according to the independent claim. Advantageous embodiments and further development of the invention follow from the dependent claims. 
     Accordingly, provision is made for a golf practice device, in particular for practicing the back swing of a golf swing or the takeaway, respectively, having
         a folding device, which can be arranged so as to be inclined against the horizontal about a predetermined angle, wherein the angle is preferably the angle of inclination of the swing plane of the back swing, and   a trigger device, which cooperates with the folding device, wherein the trigger device is adapted   to lock the folding device in the predetermined angle in a locked mode and   to release the locking of the folding device in a trigger mode, wherein the folding device can be folded downwards about a pivot axis in response to releasing the locking.       

     By means of the trigger device, it is attained in an advantageous manner that the locking of the folding device can be released in response to the back swing of the golf swing, so that the folding device folds downwards prior to the downswing or during the downswing, respectively, of the golf swing and thus does not hinder the downswing or does not stand in the way in response to the downswing, respectively. 
     By suitably arranging the folding device, wherein the inclination of the folding device corresponds to the angle of inclination of the swing plane, it is ensured that the back swing of the golf swing is performed in the ideal swing plane. If the golf club is located too far away from the folding device during the golf swing, the locking of the folding device is not released. If the golf club is located behind the (imaginary) swing plane during the back swing, the back swing cannot be carried out completely, because the folding device prevents the complete back swing. In addition, a release of the locking is not possible. 
     It is thus ensured through this that the back swing and thus preferably also the subsequent downswing are performed in the swing plane, which is defined by means of the folding device. 
     It is advantageous, if the folding device comprises a flat surface, the imaginary extension of which forms the swing plane. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the trigger device can comprise a pole, which can be arranged to as to be pivotable relative to the folding device and the free end section of which can be releasably fastened to a free end section of the folding device, so as to lock the folding device in a predetermined angle. By pivoting the pole, the locking is released, so that the folding device folds downwards independently. Advantageously, the release of the locking takes place in that the pole is pushed slightly upwards by means of the golf club, in particular by means of the shaft of the golf club, during the back swing. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the folding device has a recess on the free end, with which the trigger device can be engaged. 
     The trigger device or the pole, respectively, can be capable of being releasably fastened to the folding device by means of a fastening device. 
     Advantageously, the golf practice device has a base frame, wherein the folding device is articulated to the base frame so as to be pivotable about the pivot axis and/or wherein the trigger device is articulated pivotably to the base frame. 
     In an advantageous embodiment of the golf practice device, the angle of the folding device can be capable of being adjusted. 
     In a further embodiment of the golf practice device according to the invention, the latter can have a pivotable aligning pole, which facilitates an alignment of the golf practice device relative to the golf player. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the trigger device can have an electrically, magnetically or pneumatically actuatable fixing means and a sensor device, which operatively cooperates with the fixing means, wherein
         the fixing means is adapted to lock the folding device in the predetermined angle,   the sensor device is adapted to detect a back swing of the golf swing or a takeaway, respectively, and   the fixing means is adapted to release the locking in response to a back swing, which is detected by the sensor device.       

     In this embodiment of the invention, the pole can be foregone in an advantageous manner. It is advantageous hereby, if the sensor device detects the back swing or the takeaway, respectively, in a contact-free manner. The back swing as well as the downswing can be performed thereby, without the golf club touching the golf practice device. The golf club also does not need to touch the practice device in response to the back swing so as to release the locking of the folding device. 
     It is advantageous hereby, if the sensor device is arranged on the folding device, in particular on the front surface of the folding device. 
     It is furthermore advantageous, if provision is made for at least two sensor devices. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Further details and features of the invention follow from the description below in connection with the drawing. 
         FIG. 1  shows a first embodiment of a golf practice device according to the invention in a perspective view and in a side view; 
         FIG. 2  shows a golf practice device according to the invention in a view from the front; 
         FIG. 3  shows an alternative embodiment of a golf practice device according to the invention in a view from the front and in a side view; and 
         FIG. 4  shows the use of the golf practice device according to the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The instant invention relates to a device for improving the golf swing plane in the first moment of the takeaway. The device enables the golf players to backswing in the correct plane, so as to avoid a steep or flat takeaway. 
     A significant advantage as compared to common practice devices is that the device according to the invention collapses in response to the correct takeaway of the club by means of a trigger and does not hinder the player in response to downswing. 
     The device according to the invention is placed laterally and parallel to the shaft of the club in the address position. Depending on the club selection, the inclination of the plane can be adapted arbitrarily. The device according to the invention is suitable for right-handers as well as for left-handers. 
       FIG. 4  shows the use of a golf practice device  10  according to the invention. 
     Initially, the golf practice device  10  is arranged laterally next to the golf player. As is shown in illustration (a), the folding device  30  of the golf practice device is folded upwards, so that the plane of the folding device  30  runs substantially parallel to the shaft  70  of the golf club. The virtual plane, which is defined by the plane of the folding device  30 , hereby defines the swing plane SE (see also  FIG. 1( a ) ) in which the back swing is performed or in which the golf club is guided during the back swing or during the takeaway, respectively. During the back swing or during the takeaway, respectively, the shaft  70  of the golf club runs largely parallel to the swing plane SE. The folding device  30  is locked in a certain angle by means of a pole  40 , wherein this angle corresponds to the angle of inclination of the swing plane SE. 
     In response to a back swing or in response to the takeaway, respectively, the shaft  70  of the golf club is guided in front of the folding device  30  and parallel to the folding device  30 , wherein the shaft  70  should preferably be guided past the folding device  30  as closely as possible, as is shown in illustration (b) of  FIG. 4 . 
     In response to the back swing, the locking of the folding device  30  is released by means of the shaft  70 , in that the shaft  70  is pressed against the pole  40 . The pole  40  thereby releases from the folding device  30  and tilts backwards, so that the folding device  30  can tilt downwards, as is shown in illustration (c) of  FIG. 4 . The downswing, which follows the back swing, can now be performed without the golf practice device  10  hindering the downswing. It is not only possible to practice the golf swing through this. Even a “real” drive can be performed with a golf ball. 
       FIG. 1  shows a golf practice device  10  according to the invention in a perspective view and in a side view. 
     The golf practice device  10  has a base frame or a base plate  20 , respectively, a folding device  30  and a trigger device  40 . 
     The folding device  30 , which is embodied as flat plate here, is articulated on the base frame  20 , which is embodied as base plate here, about a pivot axis SA. For setting up the golf practice device, the folding device  30  is folded upwards about an angle α, wherein the angle is chosen in such a manner that the angle of inclination of the folding device  30  corresponds to the angle of inclination of the (imaginary or desired, respectively) swing plane SE. The angle of inclination of the swing plane SE is thereby chosen in such a manner that the swing plane SE runs substantially parallel to the shaft  70  of the golf club (see  FIG. 4( a ) ). 
     In response to the back swing, the golf club is guided in such a manner that the shaft  70  thereof swings in front of the folding device  30  substantially parallel and at a slight distance to the folding device  30 . It is ensured therewith that the back swing is performed in the (ideal) swing plane SE, if the golf player has positioned himself correctly next to the golf practice device  10  and if the angle α is set correctly. In the alternative, the shaft  70  can also contact the front surface of the folding device  30  slightly in response to the takeaway, so that the locking is also released through this and the folding device  30  folds downwards. 
     The trigger device  40 , which is formed as pole here, is furthermore arranged on the base plate  20 . In the case of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , the base plate has fastening means  50 , which are embodied as blind holes. The lower end of the pole  40  can be introduced into one of the blind holes  50 . The upper end of the pole is introduced into a recess  31 , which is provided on the folding device  30 , and is releasably fastened at that location by means of a fastening means  41 , which is not shown here. 
     The fastening means  41  can be a magnet, a sleeve, a clamp, a plug or the like. It is only important that the folding device  30  is locked securely in the desired angle α by means of the fastening means  41  and that the trigger device or the pole  40 , respectively, can be released easily from the folding device  30 . 
     The length of the pole  40  is thereby chosen such that said pole protrudes on the front side of the folding device  30 . In addition, the length of the pole  40  is chosen in such a manner that said pole protrudes on the front side of the folding device  30  by no more than a certain length, so that the golf player is forced to guide the golf club or the shaft  70  thereof, respectively, as closely as possible past the folding device  30  in response to the back swing, so as to touch the section of the pole, which protrudes in the front. When the golf club touches the pole  40  during the back swing (see  FIG. 4( b ) ), the pole  40  is released from the fastening means  41  and is pushed upwards or pivot rearwards, respectively, by the golf club, so that the folding device  30  is no longer locked and can thus fold rearwards or downwards, respectively, independently (see  FIG. 4( c ) ). This means that the folding device  30  folds downwards after the rear swing or prior to the downswing, respectively, so that the folding device  30  no longer stands in the way in response to the downswing. An unhindered downswing is made possible through this, wherein it is also ensured that said downswing is performed in the swing plane SE. 
     By providing a number of blind holes  50 , the angle of the trigger device  40  can be adjusted. The length of the section of the pole, which protrudes on the front side of the folding device, can furthermore be adapted through this. 
     Instead of the blind holes  50  shown in  FIG. 1 , the pole  40  can also be arranged on the base plate  20  so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis. It is advantageous hereby, if the position of the pivot axis can be changed, that is, can be shifted forwards or rearwards, respectively. 
     Instead of the recess  31  shown in  FIG. 1 , provision can also be made for other fastening devices for fastening the trigger device  40  to the folding device  30 . For example, provision can be made on the folding device  30  for a laterally protruding pin, on which the trigger device or the pole  40 , respectively, can bear, so as to lock the folding device  30 . It is only important that the folding device  30  and the trigger device  40  are embodied and are arranged relative to one another in such a manner that the trigger device  40  can be folded away with the help of the golf club in response to the back swing, so that the locking of the folding device  30  is released and the folding device  30  can fold downwards in an unhindered manner. 
       FIG. 2  shows a further development according to the invention of the golf practice device  10  shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     In addition, the golf practice device has an aligning pole  60  here, which is pivotably arranged on the base frame  20  or pivotably on the folding device  30 , respectively. The aligning pole is hereby pivotably arranged in such a manner that it can be folded laterally downwards towards the bottom. The alignment of the golf practice device can be supported relative to the golf player with the help of the aligning pole  60 . After aligning the golf practice device relative to the golf player, the aligning pole can be folded upwards again. In an embodiment of the invention, the aligning pole  50  can also be folded rearwards, so that it runs substantially parallel to the base frame  20  and does not hinder the golf player when performing a downswing. 
       FIG. 3  shows a further embodiment of a golf practice device  10  according to the invention. 
     In the case of the golf practice device shown in  FIG. 3 , the trigger device has an electrically, magnetically or pneumatically actuatable fixing means  42  and a sensor device  43 , which operatively cooperates with the fixing means, instead of a pole  40 . The sensor device  43  is arranged on the front side of the folding device  30 , preferably in an upper section of the folding device  30 . The back swing is detected by means of the sensor device  43 . The sensor device  43  is preferably adapted in such a manner that a rear swing is detected only if the golf club is guided past the folding device  30  below a certain maximum distance. 
     If such a back swing is detected, the electrically, magnetically or pneumatically actuatable fixing means  42  can release the locking of the folding device, so that the folding device  30  golfs downwards. For example, the fixing means  42  can pull a pin out of a pin accommodation after detecting a back swing, so that the folding device can fold downwards. Other electrically, magnetically or pneumatically actuatable fixing means are possible, wherein it only needs to be ensured that the fixing means can lock the folding device  30  in a desired angle α and can release the locking after detecting the back swing. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, provision can be made on the folding device  30  for a second sensor device  43   a , which is arranged spaced apart from the first sensor device  43  below the first sensor device  43 . Provision can hereby be made for a back swing to only be detected, if the golf club is guided past both sensor devices  43 ,  43   a  during the back swing within a predetermined minimum distance. For example, the detection of a rear swing can be omitted, if the golf club is only guided past one of the two sensor devices within the predetermined maximum distance during the back swing and is guided past the other sensor device at a distance, which is greater than the predetermined maximum distance. During the back swing, the golf player is thus forced to guide the golf club in such a manner that said golf club is actually guided in the “ideal” swing plane SE. 
     The embodiment of a golf practice device according to the invention shown with reference to  FIG. 3  has the advantage that the folding device  30  is folded away in a contact-free manner in the case of a correctly executed back swing, that is, the golf club does not touch the golf practice device in response to the back swing. The back swing as well as the subsequent downswing are thus not hindered by the golf practice device. 
     In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, provision can be made for the electrically or pneumatically actuatable fixing means to be additionally embodied in such a manner that it pivots the folding device  30  upwards up to a predetermined angle α. The angle α can be stored in a memory device of the fixing means. The angle α can also be the previously adjusted angle. The upwards pivoting of the folding device  30  can take place automatically after the downswing up to the predetermined angle α—for instance after a downswing was detected (for which provision is also made on the golf practice device for a sensor device) or after a predetermined period of time after the folding device  30  was golfed downwards. For example, the folding device  30  can be pivoted upwards automatically again, fifteen seconds after the locking was released. In the alternative, the electrical and/or pneumatic upwards pivoting can also be triggered manually, for instance by actuating a switch or a button. 
     In a further embodiment of the invention, provision can be made on the folding device  30  for a sensor device  44 ,  44   a , by means of which the angle of inclination of the shaft  70  of the golf club is detected. For this purpose, the sensor device can have two sensors  44  and  44   a , which are arranged on top of one another on the folding device. The sensors  44  and  44   a  are adapted to detect the angle of inclination of the shaft in a contact-free manner. Together with the electrically or pneumatically actuatable fixing means, the folding device can be pivoted upwards (or downwards, if applicable) automatically, namely until the angle of inclination a of the folding device  30  corresponds substantially to the angle of inclination of the shaft  70 . The golf player thus does not need to adjust the inclination of the folding device  30  by himself. 
     An advantage of the instant invention lies in that the latter can be produced in a simple manner with regard to the design thereof. A further advantage is that it cannot only be used in a stationary manner as a practice device, but can be used as mobile golf practice device. By collapsing it, the golf practice device can furthermore be stored in a space-saving manner and can be transported easily. 
     REFERENCE NUMERALS 
     
         
           10  golf practice device 
           20  base frame (e.g. base plate) 
           30  folding device (inclined, flat surface, e.g. plate) 
           31  recess on the free end of the folding device  30   
           40  trigger device 
           41  locking means for locking the trigger device  40  on the folding device  30   
           42  fixing means (preferably electrically actuatable) 
           43  sensor device 
           43   a  second sensor device 
           44 ,  44   a  sensor device for inclination detection 
           50  fastening means in/on the base frame  20   
           60  aligning pole 
           70  golf club or shaft of the golf club, respectively 
         α angle of inclination of the folding device  30   
         P 1  pivot direction of the folding device  30   
         P 2  pivot direction of the trigger device  40   
         P 3  adjusting direction of the trigger device  40  in/on the base frame  20   
         R rear side 
         SA pivot axis of the folding device  30   
         SE (imaginary) swing plane 
         V front side