GOLF CLUB WITH DIRECTIONAL BASED GRAPHIC

• US 20130337929A1
• Filed: 08/22/2013
• Published: 12/19/2013
• 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.
• Granted Patent: US 9,302,167 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/223
• 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

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A golf club comprising:

a golf club head,

a shaft extending from the head,

a grip disposed on the shaft distal from the head,

a controllable graphic disposed on a surface of the golf club, and

an accelerometer mounted on the golf club and operable to control the controllable graphic.

22. The golf club of claim 21, wherein the accelerometer is operable to detect a waggle and respond to the waggle by making the controllable graphic disappear.

23. The golf club of claim 22, wherein the graphic aids in determining a loft angle of the club head.

24. The golf club of claim 22, wherein the graphic aids in determining a lie angle of the club head.

25. The golf club of claim 21, wherein the graphic comprises a directional based graphic.

26. The golf club of claim 25, wherein the directional based graphic is visible when the golf club is in a first orientation relative to a golfer and not visible when in a second orientation relative to the golfer.

27. The golf club of claim 26, wherein the directional based graphic comprises a polarized material that changes visibility based on an electrical signal.

28. The golf club of claim 27, wherein the electrical signal is provided by the accelerometer.

29. The golf club of claim 28, wherein the accelerometer turns the polarized material of the directional based graphic on and off depending on the orientation of the golf club.

30. The golf club of claim 21, wherein the graphic is disposed on a crown of the club head and is controlled by a waggle detected by the accelerometer.

31. The golf club of claim 30, wherein the graphic provides an alignment aid.

32. The golf club of claim 31, wherein graphic is, once activated, visible when the club head is misaligned and not visible when the club head is aligned.

33. The golf club of claim 21, further comprising an adjustable hosel, wherein the graphic aids in identifying orientations of the adjustable hosel, and further wherein a waggle activates the graphic.

34. A golf club comprising:

a grip at a proximal end of the golf club,

a head at a distal end of the golf club,

a shaft connected between the grip and the head, and

a graphic disposed on a surface of the golf club, wherein a visibility of the graphic is changed by a golfer waggling the golf club.

35. The golf club of claim 34, wherein the graphic is controlled by a signal processing apparatus that responds to the golfer waggling the golf club.

36. The golf club of claim 35, wherein the signal processing apparatus comprises an accelerometer operable to detect a specific command.

37. The golf club of claim 36, wherein the specific command detected by the accelerometer is a waggle.

38. The golf club of claim 36, wherein the waggle causes the graphic to disappear.

39. A golf club comprising:

a golf club head,

a shaft extending from the head,

a grip disposed on the shaft distal from the head, and

a directional based graphic on a surface of the club head, wherein the directional based graphic is only visible from a desirable angle while invisible from an undesirable angle, and further wherein waggling the golf club causes the directional based graphic to disappear.

40. The golf club of claim 39, further comprising an accelerometer to detect a waggle and further wherein the directional based graphic comprises a polarized material that changes visibility based on an electrical signal provided by the accelerometer in response to the waggle.