Golf swing muscle articulator and rehabilitation device

• US 5,599,021 A
• Filed: 05/08/1995
• Issued: 02/04/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Banning K. Lary, William M. Stevens
• Original Assignee: Banning K. Lary, William M. Stevens
• Inventors: Stevens, William M., Lary, Banning K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Grieb, William H.
• Application Number:
  US08/436,654
• Time in Patent Office: 638 Days
• Field of Search: 273/26 B, 273/193 R, 273/193 A, 273/193 B, 273/194 R, 273/194 A, 273/194 B, 273/186.7, 482/92, 482/93, 482/109, 482/110, 482/121, 482/131, 482/94
• US Class Current: 473/219
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 15/00 Clubs for gymnastics or the like , e.g. for swinging exercises
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/0081 Substantially flexible shafts; Hinged shafts
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3632 Clubs or attachments on clubs, e.g. for measuring, aligning A63B69/3614 takes precedence; clubs for swinging exercises in general A63B15/00

Abstract

A sports swing exercise device composed of a weight attached to a shaft by means of a spring. When the shaft is swung, the muscles used in the swing are not only strengthened with repeat use, they are stretched toward full articulation with the spring as it eases the transition of momentum and inertia at the ends of the swing from one direction to its opposite.

Claims

1. A golf swing muscle articulation device for use in minimizing the potential for muscle and skeletal injury at the top of the backswing and end of the follow-through, or for use in rehabilitating damaged or injured muscles or skeletal parts, such as the spine, caused by previous overexertion or improper application of the golf swing or related exercise devices, comprising in combination:

a standard hollow golf shaft with a standard golf grip attached thereto at the upper end;

a coiled spring fastened inside the lower end of the shaft at one end and inside a solid ball at the other end, whereby when the device is gripped with the hands at the upper end and swung in the typical arc of a golf swing, the coiled spring acts as a shock absorber at the top of the back swing and end of the follow-through, thereby easing the transition of momentum imposed by the movement of the ball at the ends of its arc, thus minimizing the potentially damaging effect of the momentum upon the muscles and spine.

2. The device of claim 1 whereby the spring:

is attached to the solid ball on one end by a pin inserted through a hole of slightly larger diameter of the pin, securing the curved open end of the spring within a channel cut or cast within the ball into which epoxy of other adhesive is added to make the end of the spring, the pin and the ball a cohesive unit; and

on the other end is secured within the lower end of the golf shaft by a pin or rivet, further secured by epoxy or other adhesive material such that when the device is swung as intended, the spring flexes according to its design allowing the momentum at the end of the swing arc to be embodied within the path of the ball, its transition softened by the spring at the ends of the arc where the direction of the momentum reverses (back swing) or ceases (follow-through).