Abstract:
A kit that may be housed in a compact storage container has separate components which interactively produce an assembled golf putting training assembly to be placed upon a substantially flat surface and having a donut shaped receiving ramp, a central aperture that receives a golf ball which rolls over the ramp, and an aiming post.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is based upon Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/965,946, filed Feb. 12, 2014, hereby incorporated herein by reference, and whose filing date is claimed as the filing date of the present Utility Patent Application. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to the game of golf, and more particularly concerns apparatus for practicing putting. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     In the game of golf, reducing an average score by merely one or two strokes is a significant achievement. Because the vast majority of strokes are spent while putting, many golfers search for ways to improve their putting proficiency in an effort to lower scores. Various putting training devices have heretofore been disclosed, some having moving components, or having bulky size, or being unsteady on smooth floors, or providing unrealistic operational factors. 
     It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a golf putting training apparatus involving no moving components amenable to wear and/or erratic performance. 
     It is another object of this invention to provide golf putting training apparatus of the aforesaid nature comprised of components which can be packaged in a very small size to facilitate easy storage when traveling or otherwise when not in use. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide apparatus of the aforesaid nature which will resist slipping on a smooth floor when contacted by a golf ball. 
     It is yet another object of this invention to provide apparatus of the aforesaid nature which closely simulates golf course conditions. 
     It is a still further object of the present invention to provide apparatus of the aforesaid nature having features which heighten the golfer&#39;s cognizance of factors requisite for accurate putting. 
     These objects and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The above and other beneficial objects and advantages are accomplished in accordance with the present invention by a kit comprising: 
     1. An annular ramp component of compliant monolithic structure having a donut shape with concentric interior and exterior circular perimeters spaced apart by about 25 millimeters (mm), said ramp component bounded in part by a slip-resistant flat bottom surface and an upper surface downwardly sloped from said interior perimeter toward said exterior perimeter, said interior perimeter being defined by a circular wall orthogonal to said bottom surface and having a diameter of about 58 mm and height of about 6 mm, causing said ramp component to have, in a radial direction, a uniformly varied thickness between 6 mm at said interior perimeter, and less than about 1 mm at said exterior perimeter,
 
2. a circular ring component removably emplaceable within said interior perimeter, bounded in part by flat top and lower parallel surfaces and having a centered circular aperture and an outer circular wall having a diameter that is one to two mm smaller than the interior perimeter of said ramp, said ring having a uniform thickness, measured between said top and bottom surfaces, equal to the height of the circular wall of the interior perimeter of said ramp, and
 
3. a flexible plastic aiming post component elongated between upper and lower extremities, defining a height of 4 to 4.5 inches, and having a uniform thickness between about 1 and 2 millimeters adapted to enable said lower extremity to fit snugly in the space between the interior perimeter of said ramp and the outer wall of said ring component, said upper extremity having a flag-like contour, and said lower extremity having laterally extending structure adapted to be bent to accommodate the circular contour of the interior perimeter of said ramp.
 
     This invention further embraces the assembly formed by the interaction of said components. In a preferred embodiment, said kit further includes a customized golf ball having features which indicate the direction of the putt and perpendicular alignment of the face of a golf club with the direction of the putt. 
     In a still further embodiment, said ring component may have incorporated therein magnets which enable the ring to have additional value to the golfer in retrieving ferromagnetic golf ball marks as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,810,345. In such application, the 25 mm diameter of the centered aperture of the ring is of critical importance. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
       For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawing. 
         FIG. 1  is a top and front perspective view of an embodiment of the assembled golf putting training kit of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of the assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a side view thereof. 
         FIG. 4  is a top view thereof. 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded front view of the assembly as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional view taken in the direction of the arrows upon line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7  is a top view of a golf ball customized for use as a component of the kit of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a top perspective view of a merchandising package containing the kit of the present invention, portions being broken away to show interior details. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1-6 , an embodiment of the golf putting training kit of this invention is shown and described in terms of its separate components and assembled apparatus. 
     The assembly  10  is comprised of: (a) a donut-shaped annular ramp component  11  having concentric interior and exterior circular perimeters  12  and  13  respectively, (b) circular ring component  14  removably emplaced within said interior perimeter, and (c) aiming post  15  frictionally held between ring component  14  and interior perimeter  12  of said ramp component. 
     Ramp component  11  is preferably a monolithic structure fabricated of a compliant plastic, and wherein the diameter of said interior perimeter is about 58 millimeters (mm), and the diameter of said exterior perimeter is about 103 mm, which is the standard diameter of a regulation golf hole. Said ramp component is bounded in part by flat bottom surface  16 , and upper surface  17  downwardly sloped from interior perimeter  12  toward exterior perimeter  13 . The slope angle, shown as angle A in  FIG. 6  is 12+/−2 degrees. Interior perimeter  12  is defined by circular wall  18  orthogonal to bottom surface  16 , and having a height of about 6 mm. Such dimensional configuration causes ramp component  11  to have, in a radial direction, a uniformly varied thickness between 6 mm at interior perimeter  12 , and less than about 1 mm at exterior perimeter  13 . Suitable compliant plastics include silicone and other soft polymers having Shore Durometer Hardness in the range of 65 to 85. Such compliant plastics cause bottom surface  16  to engage an underlying surface in a manner to produce resistance to slipping. 
     Ring component  14  is bounded in part by parallel flat top and bottom hard surfaces  19  and  20 , respectively, defining centered circular aperture  21  which is intended to seat a golf ball. Said ring component is further bounded by outer circular wall  22  having a diameter that is one to two mm smaller than interior perimeter  12  of ramp component  11 , thereby enabling said ring component to be easily seated within said perimeter  12 . The thickness of ring component  14 , measured between said top and bottom surfaces, is equal to the height of circular wall  18  of said ramp component. In a preferred embodiment, small permanent magnets  24  may be located within said ring component in diametrically opposed positions. In such embodiment, and wherein the diameter of aperture  21  is 25 mm, the ring component serves the further purpose for the golfer of securing ferromagnetic golf ball marks, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,810,345. 
     Aiming post  15  is an integral piece of bendable thin plastic of about 1 mm thickness, and extending a length of about 105 mm between an upper extremity  25  having a flag-like contour and a lower extremity  26 . Laterally extending shoulders  27  emergent from extremity  26  serve to provide secure seating of the aiming post in the curved space between the outer circular wall  22  of ring component  14  and the circular wall  18  of ramp component  11 . Shoulders  27  further serve as a backstop to prevent over ride of golf balls which might tend to travel past aperture  21 . 
     Because of their specialized configurations and above-noted dimensions, the components of assembly  10  can be confined within a small merchandising box  30  as shown in  FIG. 8  measuring about 110 mm square with a thickness of about 9 mm, thereby facilitating storage for travel or office or in-pocket carry. 
     In use, ramp component  11  is placed on a reasonably flat surface. The ring and post components are then emplaced. Because of the combined effects of the slip-resistant bottom surface and critical slope angle of the ramp component, the assembly will resist slipping displacement when a golf ball is caused to roll onto said ramp component and into seated engagement upon aperture  21  of said ring component. This advantageous feature facilitates use on floor surfaces which may have imperceptible or designed irregularities or coatings of wax or dust-like debris. A beginning user of the kit of this invention has the option of employing the ramp component alone, without the ring component, thereby presenting a larger target. 
     In a further embodiment of the kit of the present invention, there may be provided, in addition to the components for assembly  10 , a customized golf ball as shown in  FIG. 8  having a direction-pointing line  29  perpendicular to an alignment line  31  which may be a simple line or a line of lettering, forming a meaningful word or words. In practicing his putting accuracy, the golfer will use line  29  to point toward the target, namely aperature  21  of the ring component. At the same time, he causes the face of his golf club to be parallel with alignment line  31 . It is only when such aiming and alignment factors are observed that an accurate putt can be made. 
     While particular examples of the present invention have been shown and described, it is apparent that changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention in its broadest aspects. The aim of the appended claims, therefore, is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.