Abstract:
A golf club head includes a transparent cylinder with a sight on top and target on the bottom for indicating to the golfer when the club head is level and on line. An exemplary sight includes a centered disk surrounded by concentric rings; some rings being transparent. The target includes a larger central disk sounded by concentric rings of contrasting color or pattern. At the preferred club orientation, the center of the sight is vertically aligned with the center of the target and the vertical sight picture includes at least four concentric colored or patterned rings. In a second embodiment, the sight and target each include a swing stripe in the swing direction. The relative location of the sight and target centers and swing stripes show the golfer the position of the club head relative to the ball and aid in swing smoothness.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/532,813 titled “An Alignment Device to Assure Proper Alignment of a Golf Club Parallel to the Ground and Square to the Ball Prior to Striking the Ball” filed Dec. 29, 2003. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates in general to alignment devices for golf club heads and more particularly to a sighting device providing superior feedback to a golfer. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   A golfer must consider several important factors in making a putt. First, the golfer must take care to strike the ball with the club face at the center of percussion for the head; otherwise, force vectors may be imparted at a direction other then in the preferred path of the ball. Second, the golfer must maintain the club face at the desired vertical angle to control ball speed. Third, the golfer must also be able to accurately align the club face at right angles to the preferred path of the ball and swing with the face in this orientation. 
   There have been a number of designs of putter heads which have attempted to solve some of these problems, but none have been successful in the market place. Some are not easily implemented and none known which assist the golfer in overcoming all of the above mentioned problems. 
   Therefore, there has been a need for a golf club head that provides improved feedback to the golfer as to club face orientation. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention is golf club head, such as a putter head, including an alignment device for indicating to the golfer when the club head is level. Immediate, clear, simple, reliable feedback is provided the golfer to correct club misalignment. The club head includes a ball striking face having a predetermined ball-striking location thereon for striking a ball and defines a plane having a predetermined preferred vertical orientation. The alignment device includes a sight vertically disposed above a target. In a preferred embodiment, the target is on the top and the sight is on the bottom of a transparent cylinder, such as a plastic cylinder. 
   An exemplary sight includes a centered disk surrounded by concentric rings; some rings being transparent. The target includes a larger central disk sounded by concentric rings of contrasting color or pattern. The alignment device is attached to the club head such that, when the striking face is at the preferred vertical orientation, the center of the sight is vertically aligned with the center of the target such that the resulting vertical sight picture includes at least four concentric colored or patterned rings; each ring having a uniform width. 
   In a second exemplary embodiment, the sight has a means, such as a center disk or crossed stripes defining a center. Sight and target each include a swing stripe in the swing direction. The relative location of the centers and swing stripes show the golfer the position of the club head relative to the ball and aid in swing smoothness. 
   Other features and many attendant advantages of the invention will become more apparent upon a reading of the following detailed description together with the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded top, rear perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a golf club head in the form of a putter and alignment device according to the invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a front perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  in use by a golfer. 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded back elevation view of the exemplary putter and alignment device of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 4  is a toe end elevation view of the putter of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 5  is a top plan view of an exemplary sight of the alignment device. 
       FIG. 6  is a top plan view of an exemplary target for the sight of  FIG. 5 . 
       FIG. 7  is a top plan view of the sight picture of the sight of  FIG. 5  vertically aligned with the target of  FIG. 6 . 
       FIG. 8  is a view of the sight picture of the sight of  FIG. 5  not vertically aligned with the target of  FIG. 6 . 
       FIG. 9  is a top plan view of an alternate exemplary sight of the alignment device. 
       FIG. 10  is a top plan view of an exemplary target for the sight of  FIG. 9 . 
       FIG. 11  is a top plan view of the sight picture of the sight of  FIG. 9  vertically aligned with the target of  FIG. 10 . 
       FIG. 12  is a view of the sight picture of the sight of  FIG. 9  not vertically aligned with the target of  FIG. 10 . 
       FIG. 13  is a top plan view of the putter head of  FIG. 1  including the sight and target of  FIGS. 9 and 10  and in proper striking position for a ball. 
       FIG. 14  is a top view of the putter head of  FIG. 13  showing the putter in proper swinging alignment for striking the ball. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   With reference now to the drawings and more particularly first to  FIGS. 1–4  thereof, there is shown in  FIG. 1  an exploded top, rear perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a golf club head  10  in the form of a putter head  10 P including an alignment device  42  according to the invention.  FIG. 2  is a front perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  in use by a golfer  96 .  FIG. 3  is an exploded back elevation view of the exemplary putter head  10 P and alignment device  42  of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 4  is a toe end elevation view of the putter head  10 P of  FIG. 1 . 
   Putter head  10 P has a heel  12 , a toe  14 , a bottom  16 , a back  18 , a top  25 , and face  20 . Face  20  for striking a ball  98  has a predetermined ball-striking location  21  thereon for striking ball  98 . Face  20  defines a plane  22  having a predetermined preferred vertical orientation for striking ball  98 . A face angle of 3.00 to 4.25 degrees back from vertical is preferred. Head  10 P, with face  20  in the preferred vertical orientation, has a defined horizontal plane  11  that is parallel to ground  99 . Back  18  is opposite face  20  such that the front-back direction defines the swing direction of head  10 P. Head  10 P includes a vertical plane, not shown, normal to face plane  22 . Indicia, such as a marked groove  26 , is located in top  25  of head  10 P directly above ball striking location  21  so as to be visible to golfer  96 . 
   Putter head  10 P is attached, such as by hosel  95 , to the lower end of a shaft  92  to form a club  90 . The upper end of shaft  92  includes a gripping surface  93  for gripping by golfer  96 . 
   Head  10 P includes alignment means  40  for indicating to golfer  96  if face  20  is at the preferred vertical orientation to ball  98  for striking ball  98 . In the exemplary embodiment, alignment means  40  generally includes an alignment device  42 , such as a rod or cylinder  43 , and mounting means  30  for cylinder  43 , such as vertical cylindrical cavity  30  in head  10 P, for attaching device  42  to head  10 P. 
   Cylinder  43  is made of plastic, glass or similar material so as to be transparent from top  44  to bottom  47 . Top  44  of cylinder  43  includes a flat face  45  having a sight  50  thereon. Bottom  47  of cylinder  43  includes a flat face  48  having a target  60  thereon. Although in the exemplary embodiment, alignment device  42  is a solid cylinder  43 , it should be understood that it may be any means for holding a sight  50  and a target  70  in vertical spaced relationship with a transparent medium therebetween. A target diameter in the range of 1.25 to 1.5 inches has been found to be large enough to convey the desired information. Smaller targets are difficult to read. 
   Cavity  31  is formed in head  10 P for receiving cylinder  43  such that top face  45  and bottom face  48  are parallel to horizontal plane  11 . Alternately, of course, target  70 , instead of being disposed on bottom  47  of cylinder  43 , could be placed in bottom  35  of cavity  31  before insertion of cylinder  43 . In which case, bottom  35  of cavity  31  is parallel with horizontal plane  11 . Preferably, cavity  31  is centered directly behind ball-striking location  21 . 
   Adding  FIGS. 5 and 6 ,  FIG. 5  is a top plan view of an exemplary sight  50 A of alignment device  42  and  FIG. 6  is a top plan view of an exemplary target  70 A for sight  50 A of  FIG. 5   
   Sight  50 A is symmetrical about a center  51  and includes a first centered figure, such as disk  52 , and a spaced concentric ring  55 ; the areas between disk  52  and ring  55  and outside ring  56  being transparent. Alternately, sight can be described as having a first centered disk  52 , having a perimeter and a color or pattern, a first concentric ring  53  surrounding disk  52  and being transparent, a second concentric ring  55  having a pattern or color and an inside perimeter radially outwardly spaced from the perimeter of disk  52  and an outside perimeter, and a third concentric ring  57  surrounding second concentric ring  55  and being transparent. Although disk  52  is shown, first centered figure could be another shape, such as a ring, triangle, or square, for example. 
   Target  70  is symmetrical about a center  71  and includes a second centered figure, such as disk  72 , having a shape similar to the first centered figure and having a perimeter larger than the perimeter of the first centered figure, such as of first disk  52 , and distinguishable in color or pattern the first centered figure, such as from first disk  52 , and a fourth concentric ring  73  having an inside perimeter smaller than said inside perimeter of second concentric ring  55  and an outside perimeter larger than the outside perimeter of second concentric ring  55  and distinguishable in color or pattern from second concentric ring  55 . 
   Typically, centered disk  52  is black and second disk  72  is a white or other light color, such as fluorescent yellow. The other rings are contrasting colors and/or patterns. 
     FIG. 7  is a top plan view of a sight picture  80 . A sight picture  80  is what is seen when looking at target  70  through sight  50 . Sight picture  80 , such as aligned sight picture  80 A, is of sight  50 A of  FIG. 5  vertically aligned with target  70 A of  FIG. 6 . Sight picture  80 A is the visual picture golfer  96  of  FIG. 2  would see when looking vertically down at alignment device  42  in head  10 P with striking face  20  in the preferred vertical orientation. It is seen that sight picture  80 A provides multiple feed back signifying proper alignment. There is a central disk and five surrounding concentric rings. 
     FIG. 8  is a view of sight picture  80 , such as non-aligned sight picture  80 N, of sight  50 A of  FIG. 5  not vertically aligned with target  70 A of  FIG. 6 . This is an example of a sight picture  80  with golfer  96  looking downward with striking face  20  not aligned to strike ball  98 . It is very easily seen from non-aligned sight picture  80 N from the multiple non-symmetries that adjustment must be made. In this example, it is obvious the head  10 P is not level as target  50 A is too far forward (left). To correct this, golfer  96  must alter the angle of shaft  92 , either by altering the position of his hands or by altering his stance such that the top of shaft  72  moves rearward (right) to level head  10 P. Thus, sight  50 A and target  70 A provide excellent feedback to golfer  96  to adjust position of head  10 P. 
     FIGS. 9 and 10  illustrate an alternate embodiment of sight  50 B and target  70 B intended to more specifically aid in fine alignment of the swing of head  10 P.  FIG. 9  is a top plan view of alternate exemplary sight  50 B of alignment device  42 .  FIG. 10  is a top plan view of an exemplary target  70 B for sight  50 B of  FIG. 9 . 
   Sight  50 B includes means, such as first disk  51 B or crossed stripes, such as swing stripe  60  and lateral stripe  65 , to define a center  51 B. First centered disk  52 B has a perimeter and a color or pattern. Swing stripe  60  has a length in a front-back direction and a width in the lateral direction. Preferably, swing stripe  60  or a projection thereof passes through center  51 B. Lateral stripe  65  is orthogonal to first stripe  60  and has a length in heel-toe direction and a width. Preferably, lateral stripe  65 , or a projection thereof, passes through center  51 B. The remainder of the area of sight  50   b  may be clear, that is transparent. 
   Target  70 B has a center  71 B and includes a second centered disk  72 B having a perimeter larger than the perimeter of first disk  52 B and distinguishable in color or pattern therefrom, a swing stripe  75  and a lateral stripe  76 . Swing stripe  75  has a length in a front-back direction in the vertical plane normal to face  20  and a lateral width wider than the width of swing stripe  60  and distinguishable in color or pattern therefrom. Lateral stripe  76  is orthogonal to swing stripe  75  and has a length in the heel-toe direction and a width. Preferably, lateral stripe  76 , or a projection thereof, passes through center  71 B. 
     FIG. 11  is a top plan view of the sight picture  80 , such as sight picture  80 B, of sight  50 B of  FIG. 9  vertically aligned with target  70 B of  FIG. 10 .  FIG. 12  is a view of sight picture  80 C of sight  50 B of  FIG. 9  not vertically aligned with target  70 B of  FIG. 10 . From  FIG. 12  it is seen that head  10 P in not aligned laterally or in the swing direction in that the center  51 B of target  50 B is to the left and away. This visual feedback makes it quickly seen that golfer  96  must alter the angle of the shaft  92  toward him and rearward by changing stance or hand position or both.  FIG. 13  is a top plan view of putter head  10 P of  FIG. 1  with sight  50 B and target  70 B of  FIGS. 9 and 10  aligned such that the resulting vertical sight picture  80 B includes first disk  52 B surrounded by a halo of said second disk  72 B and includes swing stripe  60  having equal width lateral borders of swing stripe  75 . Head  10 P is in proper striking position for ball  98 .  FIG. 14  is a top view of putter head  10 P of  FIG. 13  showing putter head  10 P in proper swinging alignment for striking ball  98  in that swing stripe  60  has equal width lateral borders of swing stripe  75 . The swing line  100  of head  10 P is proper, that is it is co-linear with the preferred path of movement  110  of ball  98 . 
   It is seen from  FIG. 14  that alternate sight  50 B and target  70 B provide additional feedback to golfer  96  regarding the direction of swing. Should head  10 P move laterally out of alignment with the proper swing line  100 , then the visible borders of target swing stripe  75  will differ in width. 
   Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, various changes may be made in the form, composition, construction, and arrangement of the parts herein without sacrificing any of its advantages. Therefore, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in any limiting sense, and it is intended to cover in the appended claims such modifications as come within the true spirit and scope of the invention.