Golf club with directional based graphic

• US 8,545,340 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2009
• Issued: 10/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cobra Golf Company (Puma SE)
• Original Assignee: Cobra Golf Company (Puma SE)
• Inventors: Roach, Ryan L., Soracco, Peter L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US12/556,608
• Publication Number:
  US 20110059808A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,482 Days
• Field of Search: 473219-257, 473/316
• US Class Current: 473/219
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/00 Golf clubs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0441 with visual indicators for aligning the golf club
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/36 for golf
• 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 69/3685 Putters or attachments on putters, e.g. for measuring, aligning A63B69/3614 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B44F 1/10 Changing, amusing, or secret pictures
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0037 characterized by the distribution or form of lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 19/14 displaying different signs depending upon the view-point of the observer
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 23/02 the advertising matter being displayed by the operation of the article

Abstract

A golf club having at least one directional based graphic on the golf club it disclosed. More specifically, the golf club in accordance with the present invention will have at least one directional based graphic that will only be visible when the golf club is oriented in a desirable direction while staying invisible in all other undesirable directions.

Claims

1. A golf club comprising:

a grip at a proximal end of the golf club;

a head at a distal end of the golf club; and

a shaft connected between the grip and the head, the shaft having a shaft axis,

wherein the shaft or club head comprises at least one mechanical or electrical structure that selectively controls viewing of a directional based graphic on a portion of the surface of the shaft or club head, the at least one mechanical or electrical structure configured to cause the directional based graphic to be invisible to a golfer at a viewing angle when the golfer is in an address position holding the golf club and viewing the portion of the surface of the shaft or club head, and configured to cause the directional based graphic to become visible to the golfer at least when the golfer is viewing the portion of the surface of the shaft or club head at a viewing angle substantially perpendicular to the shaft axis, and further wherein the at least one mechanical or electrical structure comprises;

a plurality of lenticular lenses having a convex external surface at an external portion of the at least one mechanical or electrical structure, and

an underlying graphic panel attached to an internal surface of the plurality of lenticular lenses, wherein the convex external surface of the plurality of lenticular lenses determines whether the underlying graphic panel may be visible.

2. The golf club of claim 1, wherein said convex external surface of said plurality of lenticular lenses leaves a viewer'"'"'s line of sight unaltered when viewed from a desirable angle.

3. The golf club of claim 2, wherein said convex external surface of said plurality of lenticular lenses alters said viewer'"'"'s line of sight when viewed from an undesirable angle that is not substantially perpendicular to said shaft axis.

4. A golf club comprising:

a grip at a proximal end of the golf club;

a head at a distal end of the golf club; and

a shaft connected between the grip and the head, the shaft having a shaft axis,

wherein the shaft or club head comprises at least one mechanical or electrical structure that selectively controls viewing of a directional based graphic on a portion of the surface of the shaft or club head, the at least one mechanical or electrical structure configured to cause the directional based graphic to be invisible to a golfer at a viewing angle when the golfer is in an address position holding the golf club and viewing the portion of the surface of the shaft or club head, and configured to cause the directional based graphic to become visible to the golfer at least when the golfer is viewing the portion of the surface of the shaft or club head at a viewing angle substantially perpendicular to the shaft axis, and further wherein the at least one mechanical or electrical structure comprises;

a clear fluid chamber encompassing the shaft;

an opaque fluid within the fluid chamber; and

an underlying graphic panel attached to an internal surface of the clear fluid chamber;

wherein the opaque fluid'"'"'s position within the clear fluid chamber determines whether the underlying graphic panel may be visible.

5. The golf club of claim 4, wherein said opaque fluid covers up said underlying graphic panel when viewed from an undesirable angle that is not substantially perpendicular to said shaft axis.

6. The golf club of claim 5, wherein said opaque fluid moves away from said underlying graphic panel when viewed from said desirable angle.

7. A golf club comprising:

a grip at a proximal end of the golf club;

a head at a distal end of the golf club; and

a shaft connected between the grip and the head, the shaft having a shaft axis,

wherein the shaft or club head comprises at least one mechanical or electrical structure that selectively controls viewing of a directional based graphic on a portion of the surface of the shaft or club head, the at least one mechanical or electrical structure configured to cause the directional based graphic to be invisible to a golfer at a viewing angle when the golfer is in an address position holding the golf club and viewing the portion of the surface of the shaft or club head, and configured to cause the directional based graphic to become visible to the golfer at least when the golfer is viewing the portion of the surface of the shaft or club head at a viewing angle substantially perpendicular to the shaft axis, and further wherein the at least one mechanical or electrical structure further comprises;

a clear fluid chamber encompassing the shaft;

a clear fluid within the clear fluid chamber;

an underlying graphic panel attached to an internal surface of the clear fluid chamber; and

a sleeve within the clear fluid chamber gliding within the clear fluid chamber between a visible position and an invisible position.

8. The golf club of claim 7, wherein said invisible position is achieved when said sleeve glides over and completely covers said underlying graphic panel when viewed from an undesirable angle that is not substantially perpendicular to said shaft axis.

9. The golf club of claim 8, wherein said visible position is achieved when said sleeve glides away from and completely exposes said underlying graphic panel when viewed from said desirable angle that is substantially perpendicular to said shaft axis.

10. A golf club comprising:

a grip at a proximal end of the golf club;

a head at a distal end of the golf club; and

a shaft connected between the grip and the head, the shaft having a shaft axis,

wherein the shaft or club head comprises at least one mechanical or electrical structure that selectively controls viewing of a directional based graphic on a portion of the surface of the shaft or club head, the at least one mechanical or electrical structure configured to cause the directional based graphic to be invisible to a golfer at a viewing angle when the golfer is in an address position holding the golf club and viewing the portion of the surface of the shaft or club head, and configured to cause the directional based graphic to become visible to the golfer at least when the golfer is viewing the portion of the surface of the shaft or club head at a viewing angle substantially perpendicular to the shaft axis, and further wherein the at least one mechanical or electrical structure comprises an accelerometer configured to determine the visibility of the at least one directional based graphic based on a desirable angle.