Abstract:
A detachable laser pointer is constructed to include a mounting base, the mounting base having a smoothly arched rear coupling groove for coupling to the shaft of a golf putter and a locating plate of C-shaped cross section upwardly extended from the smoothly arched coupling groove for plugging in between the shaft and grip of the golf putter and a front receiving groove, a joint rotatably coupled to the receiving groove, a laser module pivoted to the joint and adapted for emitting a laser beam to aim the putter head of the golf putter to the hole.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a training device of golf and, more specifically, to a detachable laser pointer adapted for use with a golf putter to aim the putter head at the hole. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Golf putters with laser pointer (sight) means are known. Exemplars are seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,227,983; 6,066,052; 5,964,668, etc. According to U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,227,983 and 6,066,052, the laser pointer is directly installed in the putter head, and controlled to emit a laser beam (or two laser beams) perpendicular to the striking face of the putter head. Because the laser pointer is directly installed in the putter head, it is not detachable for use with a regular golf putter without laser pointer means. Another drawback of these designs is that the user may not be able to see the laser beam clearly when looked at the ground because the laser beam extends from the front side of the striking face of the putter head. Furthermore, because the switch of the laser pointer is provided at the putter head, the user must stop the action of aiming the putter head at the hole when switching the switch. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,668 disclosed a laser pointer which is mounted on the shaft of the golf putter near the grip of the golf putter by means of a clamp. The laser pointer is controlled to emit a laser beam to aim the striking face of the putter head to the hole, which can be seen by the user clearly. However, this clamp and laser pointer assembly is bulky and heavy. When installed in a golf putter, the clamp and laser pointer assembly destroys the sense of beauty of the golf putter and, affects the smoothness of the user&#39;s action in operating the golf putter. In addition, it is complicated when installing the laser pointer on the golf putter. Furthermore, the regular golf putter has various diameters which may not be fit for the clamp such that the emitted laser beam may be vibrational or oscillatory when in use. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a detachable laser pointer for golf putter, which is compact and convenient for carrying by hand. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a detachable laser pointer for golf putter, which can easily and positively be installed in any of a variety of golf putters to emit a clear laser beam onto the ground to aim the putter head at the hole. 
     To achieve these objects of the present invention, a detachable laser pointer comprises a mounting base, a joint, a laser module, and a power switch. The mounting base has a smoothly arched coupling groove disposed in one side thereof, a locating plate upwardly extended from the coupling groove, and a receiving groove disposed in one side thereof opposite to the coupling groove. The joint has a coupling block disposed at one end thereof and detachably mounted in said receiving groove, and a pivot portion disposed at an opposite end thereof. The laser module has a housing provided with a pivot portion pivoted to the pivot portion of the joint for enabling said housing to be turned upward/downward relative to said joint, a laser diode and circuit board assembly installed in the housing and adapted for emitting a laser beam out of said housing, and a power source installed in the housing and adapted for providing electricity to the laser diode and circuit board assembly. The power switch is electrically connected to the power source of the laser module and adapted for switching on/off the laser diode and circuit board assembly. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a detachable laser pointer for golf putter according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a top view of the detachable laser pointer for golf putter according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a sectional view in an enlarged scale taken along line  3 — 3  of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 4 is an installed view showing the installation of the detachable laser pointer for golf putter in the shaft of a golf putter according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a schematic drawing showing an application example of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 is an exploded view of a detachable laser pointer for golf putter according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to FIGS. from  1  through  4 , a detachable laser pointer  2  is shown comprised of a mounting base  20 , a joint  30 , a laser module  40 , and a switch  50 . 
     Referring to FIGS. from  1  through  3  again, the mounting base  20  comprises a semicircular positioning groove  21  disposed in one vertical peripheral side, namely, the rear vertical peripheral side and vertically extended to the top and bottom sides, a locating plate  22  of C-shaped cross section vertically upwardly extended from the top side in line with the semicircular coupling groove  21 , a coupling groove, for example, a dovetail groove  23  disposed in another vertical peripheral side, namely, the front vertical peripheral side, a stop member  24  in the dovetail groove  23  near the bottom side of the mounting base  20 , two jaws  25  integral with the front vertical peripheral side at two sides of a front opening  231  of the dovetail groove  23 , and two holding down screws  26  respectively installed in the jaws  25 . The holding down screws  26  are aimed at each other and rotated in and out of the front opening  231  of the dovetail groove  23  at two sides. By means of press-fitting the locating plate  22  into the gap between the shaft  10  and the grip  11  and attaching the semicircular positioning groove  21  to the periphery of the shaft  10 , the mounting base  20  is fastened to the shaft  10  of the golf putter. 
     Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 again, the joint  30  comprises a coupling block  31  fitting the dovetail groove  23 , a neck  311  perpendicularly backwardly extended from the back of the coupling block  31  and received in the front opening  231  of the dovetail groove  23 , a shoulder  32  connected to one end of the neck  311  remote from the coupling block  31  and adapted for stopping at the front vertical peripheral side of the mounting base  20  when the coupling block  31  engaged into the dovetail groove  23 , and a pivot portion which is a connecting arm  33  in this embodiment perpendicularly backwardly extended from the shoulder  32  opposite to the neck  311  and adapted for coupling to the laser module  40 . When the coupling block  31  is received in the dovetail groove  23 , it can be rested on the stop member  24  so as to fix the coupling block in position. The coupling block  31  has a dimension larger than that of the front opening  231 , thereby preventing the coupling block  31  from escaping from the front opening  231 . 
     Referring to FIG. 2 again, after the coupling block  31  engaged into the dovetail groove  23 , the holding down screws  26  are fastened tight and stopped against the neck  311  at two sides to hold down the joint  30 , and at the same time the jaws  25  are stretched outwards by the joint  30 , thereby causing semicircular positioning groove  21  to contrast and to narrow the opening  211 , and therefore the peripheral wall of the semicircular positioning groove  21  is firmly stopped at the periphery of the shaft  10 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 again, the laser module  40  comprises a housing  41 , a pivot portion which is two coupling arms  42  in this embodiment perpendicularly extended from the periphery of the housing  41  and bilaterally pivoted to the connecting arm  33  of the joint  30  by a bolt  421  and a wing nut  422 , a lens  44  in (a laser firing hole) in one side, namely, the bottom side of the housing  40 , a laser diode and circuit board assembly  43  installed in the housing  41  behind the lens  44  and adapted for emitting a laser beam out of the housing  41  through the lens  44 , a battery holder  45  mounted in the housing  41  in the other side, namely, the top side to hold a set of battery cells  451  and adapted for providing the necessary working voltage to the laser diode and circuit board assembly  43 , and a cap  452  fastened to the top side of the housing  41  to hold the battery holder  45  in position. When loosened the wing nut  422 , the laser module  40  can be turned about the bolt  421  relative to the joint  30  (the shaft  10 ) to the desired angle. 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3 again, the switch  50  comprises a signal line  51  fastened to the cap  452  of the laser module  40  and electrically connected to the circuit between the battery holder  45  and the laser diode and circuit board assembly  43  for on/off control. 
     Referring to FIG. 4 again, before use, the locating plate  22  of the mounting base  20  is press-fitted into the gap between the shaft  10  and the grip  11  of the golf putter to secure the mounting base  20  to the shaft  11  of the golf putter, and then the coupling block  31  of the joint  30  is engaged into the dovetail groove  23 , and then the holding down screws  26  are fastened tight to fix the joint  30  in position, and then the wing nut  422  is fastened up to fix the laser module  40  in the desired angular position. After use, the user can detach the laser module  40  with the joint  30  from the mounting base  20 , keeping the mounting base  20  secured to the shaft  10  of the golf putter. 
     Referring to FIG. 5, a fastening belt  52  may be used to fix the switch  50  to the grip  11  of the golf putter. After the laser module  40  has been adjusted to the desired angle, the switch  50  is switched to drive the laser module  40  to emit a laser beam  431  for aiming the striking face of the putter head of the golf putter at the hole. Further, before fastening up the holding down screws  26 , the user can rotate the coupling block  31  in the dovetail groove  23  clockwise/counterclockwise to adjust the angular position of the laser module  40 , that is, adjust the position of the laser beam  431  emitted. 
     In the aforesaid embodiment as shown in FIG. 1, the locating plate  22  is formed integral with the mounting base  20  (injection molded with the mounting base from plastics). Alternatively, the mounting base and the locating plate can be separately made and then fastened together. 
     FIG. 6 shows an alternate form of the present invention. According to this embodiment, the mounting base  60  of the laser pointer  3  comprises a semicircular coupling groove  62  for the positioning of a locating plate  63 , which can be pre-inserted in between the grip and the shaft of the golf putter when installed, adapted for securing the mounting base  60  to the shaft of a golf putter.