Curvilinear golf club-head path assisting indicator and method

• US 7,077,757 B1
• Filed: 10/18/2004
• Issued: 07/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Curvilinear LLC
• Original Assignee: Curvilinear LLC
• Inventors: Payne, Brian, Shaprow, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US10/967,495
• Time in Patent Office: 638 Days
• Field of Search: 473251-254, 473/238, 473/242, 473/409, 473/249, D21/746
• US Class Current: 473/238
• 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 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/50 with through-holes A63B60/18 takes precedence; for stringing purposes A63B49/00
• 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

Abstract

The present invention provides a novel visual golf club-head curvilinear path indicator and method of use. Specifically, the present invention provides a visual golf club-head curvilinear path guide in the form of one or more alignment lines or markings on putters and other club-heads that are curvilinear (instead of linear) and that curve toward the golfer'"'"'s body as he or she stands at address. The curvilinear line (or lines) and/or shape (or shapes) are intended to provide the golfer with a visual reminder to move the club-head back and through along a curvilinear path.

Claims

1. A golf club putter for use in putting to encourage a curvilinear swing path, comprising:

a shaft having a gripping end with a handle;

a putter head associated with the shaft, comprising;

a central body having a heel end, a toe end, and an upper surface;

a front striking surface of the central body extending from the putter-head between the front surfaces of the heel end and toe end; and

a curvilinear indicia of sufficient width to be viewed by the user, formed on the upper surface transverse to the striking surface arranged beginning substantially at or near the front striking surface and extending as an are having a single radius of curvature along all or part of the depth of the putter-head toward the back of the putter-head such that the curvilinear indicia curves toward the body of the user when standing at address and wherein said upper surface excludes any curvilinear indicia that curves away from the body of the user, the indicia effective to encourage a user to use a curvilinear swing path.

2. The golf club putter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the club-head is selected from the group of club-heads consisting of a plurality of putters.

3. The golf club putter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the curvilinear indicia functions as an aid to assist the user in visualizing and producing the proper swing path and is located above or in relation to an optimum target point on the front striking surface.

4. The golf club putter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the curvilinear indicia is used in conjunction with a linear alignment indicia also located on the upper surface of the central body.

5. The golf club putter as claimed in claim 2, wherein the curvilinear indicia is an arc that curves toward the body of the user when standing at address.

6. The golf club putter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the curvilinear indicia is a compound are comprised of two or more connected or unconnected arcs that curve toward the body of the user when standing at address having the same radius of curvature.

7. The golf club putter as claimed in claim 5, wherein a plurality of curvilinear indicia are arranged on the upper surface of the central body such that the curvilinear indicia curve toward the body of the user when standing at address.

8. The golf club putter as claimed in claim 7, wherein the plurality of curvilinear indicia are of the same or different lengths, of the same or different colors, of the same or different widths.

9. The golf club putter as claimed in claim 7, wherein the curvilinear indicia are selected from one or more of an arc, a compound arc, a curved representation of dots, a curved representation of dashes, a curved representation of triangles, a curved representation of circles or partial circles, a curved representation of spheres, a curved representation of arrows, or a carved representation of geometric shapes, all that arc toward the body of the user while standing at address.

10. The golf club putter as claimed in claim 7, wherein the plurality of indicia curve open toward the user in different degrees or have different radii of curvature.

11. The golf club putter as claimed in claim 7, wherein the curvilinear indicia may be formed by one or more of a raised portion, a sunken portion, an otherwise contoured portion able to visualized by the user.

12. The golf club putter as claimed in claim 7, wherein the curvilinear indicia are adjustable or removable.

13. The golf club putter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the curvilinear indicia results from the shape of the club-head itself such that the upper surface thereof is curvilinear such that the curvilinear indicia curves toward the body of the user when standing at address.

14. A golf club putter head for use in putting to encourage a curvilinear swing path, comprising:

a central body having a heel end, a toe end, and an upper surface;

a front striking surface of the central body extending from the club-head between the front surfaces of the heel end and toe end; and

a curvilinear indicia of sufficient width to be viewed by the user, formed on the upper surface transverse to the striking surface arranged beginning substantially at or near the front sinking surface and extending as an arc having a single radius of curvature alone all or pan of the depth of the putter-head toward the back of the putter-head such that the curvilinear indicia curves toward the body of the user when standing at address and wherein said upper surface excludes any curvilinear indicia that curves away from the body of the user, the indicia effective to encourage a user to use a curvilinear swine path.

15. The putter-head as claimed in claim 14, wherein the curvilinear indicia is used in conjunction with a linear alignment indicia also located on the upper surface of the central body.

16. The putter-head as claimed in claim 14, wherein the curvilinear indicia is an arc that curves toward the body of the user when standing at address.

17. The putter-head as claimed in claim 16, wherein a plurality of curvilinear indicia are arranged on the upper surface of the central body such that the curvilinear indicia curve toward the body of the user when standing at address.

18. The putter-head as claimed in claim 17, wherein the curvilinear indicia are selected from one or more of an arc, a compound arc, a curved representation of dots, a curved representation of dashes, a curved representation of triangles, a curved representation of circles or partial circles, a curved representation of spheres, a curved representation of arrows, or a curved representation of geometric shapes, all that arc toward the body of the user while standing at address.

19. The putter-head as claimed in claim 17, wherein the curvilinear indicia may be formed by one or more of a raised portion, a sunken portion, an otherwise contoured portion able to visualized by the user.

20. The putter-head as claimed in claim 17, wherein the curvilinear indicia are adjustable.

21. The putter-head as claimed in claim 17, wherein the curvilinear indicia are formed on the upper surface with one or more of a paint, a tape, by an etching operation, by placing a groove on the upper surface.

22. The putter-head as claimed in claim 14, further comprising a shaft having a first end with a handle and a second end associated with the club-head.

23. The putter-head as claimed in clam 14, wherein the club-head has surfaces that are curvilinear in shape and form the curvilinear indicia.

24. A method for using a golf club putter when putting to encourage a curvilinear swing path having a curvilinear indicia arranged on an upper surface of a putter-head beginning substantially at or near the front striking surface and extending as an arc having a single radius of curvature along all or part of the depth of the putter-head toward the back of the putter-head wherein the curvilinear indicia curves toward the body of the user when standing at address and wherein said upper surface excludes any curvilinear indicia that curves away from the body of the user, comprising;

setting up to a golf ball;

aligning the golf club with the golf ball and a target;

checking or conforming the set up alignment to the ball;

using the curvilinear indicia to guide the golfer in swinging the putter-head back and through on the desired curvilinear path.

25. The method as claimed in claim 24, wherein the golf club putter has a plurality of curvilinear indicia arranged on the upper surface of the putter-head such that the curvilinear indicia curve toward the body of the user when standing at address.