Golf club with which gravity rule is realized

• US 7,144,329 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2004
• Issued: 12/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kunihiro Tamura
• Original Assignee: Kunihiro Tamura
• Inventors: Tamura, Kunihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Legesse, Nini F.
• Application Number:
  US10/928,065
• Publication Number:
  US 20050026711A1
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• Field of Search: 473/219, 473221-226, 473/234, 473/422, 473/451, 473/453, 724/92, 724/93
• US Class Current: 473/223
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/24 Weighted handles
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3661 Mats for golf practice, e.g. mats having a simulated turf, a practice tee or a green area

Abstract

In order to stabilize golf swing motion of a player, downswing motion that is the most important but difficult part in golf swing is streamlined. A moving object is set in a golf club. When the club is in a vertical position in a flow of its movement from the top of the swing to downswing, the moving object starts to fall by the player'"'"'s kinetic energy and gravity. The player swings down the club while confirming the fall of the moving object and matching his/her motion to the vector of the object in a direction of the fall. This enables the player to perform an efficient downswing where the club is swung in a shortcut path. A more realistic club swing can be made when it is performed on a address mat where a stance and a distance of a ball are indicated. This can be achieved by a removable handle end portion.

Claims

1. A golf club enabling a down swing which allows a golfer to feel the force of gravity, comprising a shaft defined by a circumferentially closed sidewall surface, a head arranged at one end of the shaft, a stopper incorporated within the shaft near the head of the golf club, and a gravity-sensing bar positioned within the shaft and extending along the shaft so as to be freely movable along the length of the shaft by the force of gravity alone, wherein the gravity-sensing bar allows the golfer to become conscious of the feeling that the gravity-sensing bar is falling by the force of gravity at a timing immediately after the beginning of the down swing of the golfer, and wherein the gravity-sensing bar is provided with a sensor.

2. The golf club according to claim 1, wherein the shaft has a detachable grip end capable of opening and closing an end opening of the shaft.

3. A golf club enabling a down swing which allows a golfer to actually feel the force of gravity, comprising a shaft defined by a circumferentially closed sidewall surface, a head arranged at one end of the shaft, a stopper incorporated within the shaft near the head of the golf club, and a gravity-sensing bar inside the shaft so as to be freely movable along the length of the shaft by the force of gravity alone, wherein the gravity-sensing bar allows the golfer to become conscious of the feeling that the gravity-sensing bar is falling by the force of gravity when the shaft is standing in a series of actions from the back swing to the down swing of the golfer, wherein the gravity-sensing bar and the stopper are both magnetic and are positioned within the shaft such that like polarities are facing one another, and wherein the gravity-sensing bar is in contact with the stopper from the back swing to the top of the swing whereas the gravity-sensing bar separates from the stopper immediately at the start of the down swing by the force of gravity.