Golf swing training apparatus

• US 4,306,722 A
• Filed: 08/04/1980
• Issued: 12/22/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Thomas L. Rusnak
• Original Assignee: Thomas L. Rusnak
• Inventors: Rusnak, Thomas L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marlo, George J.
• Application Number:
  US06/175,005
• Time in Patent Office: 505 Days
• Field of Search: 273/186 R, 273/186 RA, 273/186 A, 273/186 B, 273/186 C, 273/DIG. 26, 273/DIG. 28, 273/181 H, 273/183 E
• US Class Current: 473/221
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/805 Optical or opto-electronic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3623 for driving A63B69/3608, A63B69/3658, A63B69/3661, A63B69/3667 and A63B69/3691 take precedence

Abstract

A golf practice apparatus for indication of the face angle of the impact face on the head of a golf club at the time of ball impact when making a practice swing. The golf club is provided with a light-reflective surface, preferably the ball impact face itself, and a concentrated beam of light coming from a source spaced from the point of ball impact is positioned to direct the beam of light in a path adjacent the point of ball impact for reflection off of the reflective surface on the club head, as it is approaching the point of impact. A lens system is provided to focus the light as reflected off of the club to a given focal area on a light-diffusing surface such that the reflected light is focused at positions on the light-diffusing surface relative to the club face angle at the point of ball impact and a light sensor system is provided to sense light from these respective positions on the light-diffusing surface and correspondingly an indicator is coupled to the sensor system to indicate the golf club face angle at the point of ball impact. The apparatus is further adaptable to indicate club face angle for alignment during preliminary club head swings when addressing the golf ball prior to the actual golf club swing for ball impact.

Claims

1. A golf practice apparatus, comprising in combination, a base housing structure defining a normal point of impact of a golf club head during a practice swing,

a golf club having a club handle with a head at the end thereof and a vertical light-reflective ball impact face on the head thereof,

a source of light mounted on said base spaced from said point of impact and positioned to direct a concentrated beam of light in a generally horizontal path adjacent said point of impact for reflection off of said club face when approaching said point of impact during a practice swing,

lens means on said base positioned to focus light from said source as reflected from said club face to light-sensing means,

and indicating means coupled to said light-sensing means and responsive thereto to correspondingly indicate the golf club face angle at said point of impact.

2. The golf practice apparatus of claim 1, wherein said lens means is adapted to focus all light which it receives as reflected from said club face to a narrow predetermined horizontal focal area strip on said light-sensing means such that light is focused at horizontal positions thereon relative to the club face angle at the point of impact.

3. The golf practice apparatus of claim 2, wherein said predetermined focal area strip on said light-sensing means is a light-diffusing surface positioned to receive focused light from said lens means.

4. The golf practice apparatus of claim 3, wherein said light-sensing means includes a plurality of light sensors positioned in a horizontal array to sense light from said respective horizontal positions of said light-diffusing surface for relative energization of said sensors.

5. The golf practice apparatus of claim 4, wherein said light-diffusing surface is a translucent plate, and said sensors are positioned therebehind.

6. The golf practice apparatus of claim 5, wherein said translucent plate is ground glass.

7. The golf practice apparatus of claim 2, wherein said lens means includes a lens having a cylindrical surface on one side facing away from said strip and with the axis thereof horizontally aligned with said strip and the other side of said lens being a substantially flat vertical surface facing and in parallel alignment with said strip area.

8. The golf practice apparatus of claim 1, including club head speed detection means in said base to detect a predetermined minimum velocity of said club head upon approaching said point of impact, and thereupon activate said indicating means to indicate club face angle only when said minimum velocity is attained.

9. The golf practice apparatus of claim 8, including second indicating means coupled to said light-sensing means and responsive thereto to correspondingly indicate the golf club face angle on approach to said point of impact during approach swings of said club head at velocities less than said predetermined minimum.

10. The golf practice apparatus of claim 1, said base structure further defining a normal path of swing for a golf club head on correct approach to asaid point of impact, and sight means attachable to said base at a predetermined aligned position to permit sight alignment of said normal path with a golf ball target spaced from said base.

11. The golf practice apparatus of claim 1, wherein said lens means is adapted to focus all light which it receives as reflected from said club face to a predetermined focal area on said light-sensing means such that light is focused at horizontal and vertical positions thereon relative to the club face angle at the point of impact.

12. The golf practice apparatus of claim 11, wherein said predetermined focal area on said light-sensing means is a light-diffusing surface positioned to receive focused light from said lens means.

13. The golf practice apparatus of claim 12, wherein said light-sensing means includes a plurality of light sensors positioned in a horizontal array and a plurality of light sensors positioned in a vertical array to sense light from said respective horizontal and vertical positions of said light-diffusing surface for relative energization of said sensors.

14. The golf practice apparatus of claim 13, wherein said light-diffusing surface is a translucent plate and said sensors are positioned therebehind.

15. The golf practice apparatus of claim 14, wherein said translucent plate is ground glass.

16. A golf practice apparatus, comprising in combination a base having structure defining a normal point of impact of a golf club head during a practice swing,

a golf club having a club handle and head and a vertical ball impact face on the head thereof,

a light-reflective surface affixed on said club at a predetermined position such that light reflected therefrom will be indicative of the angle of said club face when approaching said point of impact,

a source of intense light mounted on said base spaced from said point of impact and positioned to direct a concentrated beam of light in a path adjacent such point of impact for reflection off of said light-reflective surface when said face is approaching said point of impact during a practice swing,

lens means on said base positioned to focus light from said source as reflected from said light-reflective surface to a predetermined focal area on a light-diffusing surface such that light is focused at positions thereon relative to the club face angle at the point of impact,

a plurality of light sensors positioned in an array to sense light from said respective positions on said light-diffusing surface for relative energization of said sensors,

and indicating means coupled to said sensors and responsive to their respective relative energization to indicate the golf club face angle at said point of impact.

17. The golf practice apparatus of claim 16, wherein said light-diffusing surface is a translucent plate and said sensors are positioned therebehind.