Swing speed trainer

• US 8,540,584 B1
• Filed: 12/27/2010
• Issued: 09/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: James W. Sorenson
• Original Assignee: James W. Sorenson
• Inventors: Sorenson, James W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chiu, Raleigh W
• Application Number:
  US12/930,067
• Time in Patent Office: 1,002 Days
• Field of Search: 473/219, 473/226, 473/256
• US Class Current: 473/256
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 15/00 Clubs for gymnastics or the like , e.g. for swinging exercises
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 15/005 with a weight movable along the longitudinal axis of the club due to centrifugal forces
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/0008 for batting
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/04 Movable ballast means A63B15/005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0002 for baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/36 for golf
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/38 for tennis A63B61/006, A63B69/0073 and A63B69/0097 take precedence

Abstract

An athletic swing trainer permits an athlete to swing a trainer at speeds far in excess of the athlete'"'"'s conventional swing speeds and to confirm to the athlete that the practice swings made with the trainer at these extremely high speeds have been technically properly executed. Armed with this experience, the athlete is then able to swing the athlete'"'"'s own conventional club, bat or racquet at speeds which, though lower than the athlete'"'"'s trainer swing speeds, are significantly higher than the athlete'"'"'s conventional club swing speeds. After six or seven trainer swings, an athlete'"'"'s swing speed at point of contact of a conventional golf club, bat or racquet with a corresponding ball is typically increased in a range of 5 to 15%.

Claims

1. A golf swing speed trainer comprising:

a straight shaft having a golf grip on an upper end of said shaft, said shaft being sufficiently rigid to maintain its straightness with a slight static bow when the trainer is held by said grip in a stationary horizontal position and sufficiently flexible to elastically deform to a greater dynamic bow when the trainer is held by said grip and swung;

a cap on a lower end of said shaft;

a spherical weight slidable on said shaft between said grip and said cap; and

means for holding said weight in an upper position on said shaft and for releasing said weight from said upper position to centrifugal force generated during a downswing of the trainer to strike against said cap at substantially a ball striking position of the trainer.

2. A trainer according to claim 1, said static bow having a deflection in a range of 1.75 to 2.75% of a length of said shaft.

3. A trainer according to claim 1, said dynamic bow having a maximum deflection in a range of 30-40% of a length of said shaft.

4. A trainer according to claim 1, said static bow having a deflection in a range of 1.75 to 2.75% of a length of said shaft and said dynamic bow having a maximum deflection in a range of 30-40% of said length of said shaft.

5. A trainer according to claim 1, said shaft elasticity and said weight being coordinated to produce a “

swoosh”

sound when the trainer is swung with a correct golf swing at a high speed.

6. A trainer according to claim 1, said holding means comprising a first member fixed on the trainer proximate a lower end of said grip and a second member fixed to said weight, said member having a force of magnetic attraction therebetween holding said weight in said upper position.