Patent Application
20070093310
1. Field of the Invention
The objective of this invention is to provide new arm braces that will maintain the users' arms straight and fully extended and are comfortable to wear even in hot weather. The main potential applications of this invention is in the field of golf playing, where embodiments of this invention can be used by golfers as golf swing training devices that are comfortable to wear even in hot weather and maintain the their lead arms straight and fully extended during their golf swing, in order to achieve an optimum swing and consequently an optimum golf stroke.
2. Technical Background
The lead arm is the arm that leads the golfer's swing. It is the left arm for a right-handed golfer or the right arm for a left-handed golfer.
Golf instructing literature, including those published by renown golf instructors and players, identifies the need of maintaining the lead arm straight and fully extended during the golf swing, as one of the most important requirements for achieving an optimum golf swing that will result in a golf stroke with maximum efficiency and accuracy. Most of the golfers, especially beginners but also advanced golfers have difficulty in their attempt to maintain their lead arm straight and fully extended during the golf swing. There is a need for golf swing training devices that will aid the golfers to maintain their lead arm straight and fully extended during their golf swing and that are also comfortable to wear even in hot weather.
3. Description of the Prior Art
A search of the prior art patent search have revealed several patents which proposed golf swing training devices that are relevant to this invention, such as U.S Pat. Nos.: 802,623, 1,414,012, 2,468,580, 3,074,723, 3,658,345, 3,884,478, 3,900,199, 3,990,709, 4,070,027, 4,504,054, 4,582,325, 5,048,837, 5,069,457, 5,150,901, 5,303,927, 5,425,539, 5,445,385, 5,704,846, 5,743,806, 5,788,582, 6,645,084.
The reviewed prior art patents that are most relevant to this invention are as follows:
The following are some of the most important deficiencies of the prior art's devices:
Based on the above-described background and prior art description, a need has been identified for new golf swing training devices that must be efficient in preventing all sections of the arm on which they are applied including the forearm from pivoting inside the device, preventing the bending of the arm at the elbow, and consequently maintaining the golfer's lead arm straight and fully extended during the golf swing. Also, these devices have to be comfortable to wear even in hot weather and therefore they need to be provided with special means to prevent the arm from overheating, such as ventilating channels that will penetrate throughout their walls in order to allow air to circulate directly between the user's arm and outside the device. It is desirable that these devices will be also: light weight, non-bulky, simple to attach and remove, easy to use, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, etc.
The objective of this invention is to provide new arm braces that will maintain the arm straight and fully extended and are comfortable to wear even in hot weather.
This invention proposes three new methods to make these arm braces. In the first method, the arm braces of this invention are made by being provided with an outer layer and an inner cushioning lining layer whose thickness is nonuniform and its inside surface is contoured in order to prevent all sections of the arm on which they are applied including the forearm from pivoting inside the device, to prevent the arm from bending at its elbow, and consequently being able to maintain the arm straight and fully extended. In the second method, the arm braces of this invention are made by being provided with ventilating holes that penetrate throughout the arm brace's walls to make them comfortable to wear even in hot weather. The brace has a plurality of holes penetrating through its inner cushioning liner which are aligned with a plurality of holes penetrating through its outer layer to create direct ventilating channels that will allow air to circulate directly between the user's arm and outside the device in order to prevent the arm from overheating and from being uncomfortable in hot weather.
In the case that additional covering layers are placed over the outside of the outer layer and/or over the inside of the cushioning layer, the plurality of holes in the inner cover is aligned with the plurality of the holes penetrating through the inner cushioning layer and with the plurality of holes penetrating through the outer layer and also with the plurality of holes in the outer cover, in order to provide ventilating holes that penetrate throughout the walls of the device that will allow air to circulate directly between the user's arm and outside the device to prevent the arm from overheating and therefore to be comfortable even in hot weather.
In the third and the preferred method of this invention, the arm braces are made by combining the two above-described methods. They comprise an outer layer and an inner cushioning lining layer whose thickness is nonuniform and its inside surface is contoured, and they are also provided with ventilating holes that penetrate throughout the arm brace's walls to allow air to circulate directly between the arm and outside the device. They prevent all sections of the arms on which they are applied including the forearm from pivoting inside the device, prevent the arms from bending at the elbow and consequently maintain the arms straight and fully extended, and are also comfortable to wear even in hot weather.
The principal potential application of the arm braces made by the new methods proposed by this invention is the field of golf playing, where golfers can apply them on their lead arms and use them as golf swing training devices. The preferred embodiments of this invention are comfortable to wear even in hot weather and maintain the golfers' lead arms straight and fully extended during their golf swing in order to achieve an optimum swing and consequently an optimum golf stroke by preventing all sections of the arm on which they are applied including the forearm from pivoting inside the device and preventing the lead arm from bending at its elbow. The golfers place theses devices on and around their lead arms positioned straight, from below the armpit to above the wrist and then fasten them on the arms using fastening systems.
This invention's devices are light and not bulky and therefore do not have a negative effect on the smoothness of the golf swing. They are also easy to use and golfers will have an easy task to attach these devices on their arms, as well as removing them.
There are three main embodiments of the arm braces made by the methods proposed by this invention that can be used as golf-training devices. These golf-training devices can be made by using any of the three methods that were described above.
Other objectives, advantages and salient features of this invention will become apparent from the following descriptions, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses several embodiments of the invention, including some preferred.
The golf training devices embodiments of this invention can be made using any of the three methods that were described above in details. The golf swing training devices made by using the first method comprise an outer layer and an inner cushioning lining layer whose thickness is nonuniform and its inside surface is contoured. The golf swing training devices made by using the second method of this invention are provided with ventilating holes that penetrate throughout the arm brace's walls to make them comfortable to wear even in hot weather. Golf swing training devices can also be made using the third and the preferred method of this invention that is a combination of the first two approaches described before. They comprise an outer layer and an inner cushioning lining layer whose thickness is nonuniform and its inside surface is contoured, and are also provided with ventilating holes that penetrate throughout the arm brace's walls to allow air to circulate directly between the arm and outside the device.
The golf training devices of this invention's embodiment can be made by using any of the three methods of this invention that were described above in details:
The devices that are made by using the first method comprise an outer layer and an inner cushioning lining layer whose thickness is nonuniform and its inside surface is contoured. The devices that are made by using the second method are provided with ventilating holes that penetrate throughout the arm brace's walls to allow air to circulate directly between the arm and outside atmosphere. Golf swing training devices can also be made using the third and the preferred method of this invention which is a combination of the first two method described above. They comprise an outer layer and an inner cushioning lining layer whose thickness is nonuniform and its inside surface is contoured, and are also provided with ventilating holes that penetrate throughout the arm brace's walls and allow air to circulate directly between the arm and outside the device.
The golf training devices of this invention's embodiment can be made using any of the three methods of this invention that were described before in details. The devices that are made by using the first method comprise an outer layer and an inner cushioning lining layer whose thickness is nonuniform and its inside surface is contoured. The devices that are made by using the second method are provided with ventilating holes that penetrate throughout the arm brace's walls to allow air to circulate directly between the arm and outside atmosphere. Golf swing training devices of this embodiment can also be made using the third and the preferred method of this invention which is a combination of the first two methods described above. They comprise an outer layer and an inner cushioning lining layer whose thickness is nonuniform and its inside surface is contoured, and are also being provided with ventilating holes that penetrate throughout the arm brace's walls to allow air to circulate directly between the arm and outside the device.
The golf training devices of this invention's embodiment can be made using any of the three methods of this invention that were described before in details. The devices that are made by using the first method comprise an outer layer and an inner cushioning lining layer whose thickness is nonuniform and its inside surface is contoured. The devices that are made by using the second method are provided with ventilating holes that penetrate throughout the arm brace's walls to allow air to circulate directly between the arm and outside the device. Golf swing training devices of this embodiment can also be made using the third and the preferred method of this invention which is a combination of the first two methods described above. They comprise an outer layer and an inner cushioning lining layer whose thickness is nonuniform and its inside surface is contoured, and are also provided with ventilating holes that penetrate throughout the arm brace's walls to allow air to circulate directly between the arm and outside atmosphere.
The objective of this invention is to provide new arm braces that will maintain the users' arms straight and fully extended and are comfortable to wear even in hot weather.
This invention proposes three new methods to make these kinds of arm braces. In the first method of this invention, the arm braces of this invention are made by being provided with an outer layer and an inner cushioning lining layer whose thickness is nonuniform and its inside surface is contoured in order to prevent all sections of the arm on which they are applied including the forearm from pivoting inside the device, to prevent the arm from bending at its elbow, and consequently being able to maintain the arm straight and fully extended. In the second method of this invention, the arm braces of this invention are made by being provided with ventilating holes that penetrate throughout the arm brace's walls to make them comfortable to wear even in hot weather. The brace has a plurality of holes penetrating through its inner cushioning liner, which are aligned with a plurality of holes penetrating through its outer layer to create direct ventilating channels that will allow air to circulate directly between the user's arm and outside the device in order to prevent the arm from overheating and from being uncomfortable in hot weather. Additional covering layers can be placed over the outside of the outer layer and/or over the inside of the cushioning layer to provide additional comfort and/or special visual effects, such as certain colors. In this case, the plurality of holes in the inner cover are aligned with the plurality of the holes penetrating through the inner cushioning layer and with the plurality of holes penetrating through the outer layer and also with the plurality of holes in the outer cover, in order to provide ventilating holes that penetrate throughout the walls of the device that will allow air to circulate directly between the user's arm and outside the device to prevent the arm from overheating and therefore to be comfortable even hot weather.
In the third and the preferred method of this invention, the arm braces are made by combining the two above-described methods. They comprise an outer layer and an inner cushioning lining layer whose thickness is nonuniform and its inside surface is contoured, and they are also provided with ventilating holes that penetrate throughout the arm brace's walls to allow air to circulate directly between the arm and outside the device. They prevent all sections of the arms on which they are applied including the forearm from pivoting inside the device, prevent the arms from bending at the elbow and consequently maintain the arms straight and fully extended, and are also comfortable to wear even in hot weather.
The principal potential application of the arm braces of this invention is the field of golf playing, where golfers can apply them on their lead arms and use them as golf swing training devices. It should be noted that this invention's golf swing training devices could be used by golfers whose lead arm is the left arm as well as by golfers whose lead arm is the right arm. The devices that are the preferred embodiments of this invention are comfortable to wear even in hot weather and maintain the golfers' lead arms straight and fully extended during their golf swing in order to achieve an optimum swing and consequently an optimum golf stroke by preventing all sections of the arm on which they are applied including the forearm from pivoting inside the device and preventing the lead arm from bending at its elbow. The golfers place theses devices on and around their lead arms positioned straight, from below the armpit to above the wrist and then fasten them on the arms using fastening systems. The devices proposed by this invention are not restricted dimensionally. However, this invention recommends the devices should be 3-7 inches shorter than the length of the lead arm as measured from armpit to the wrist, and they should be placed on the lead arm from 2-5 inches below armpit to 1-2 inches above the wrist.
The following text describes in details the attached drawings, which represent this invention's main embodiments that are golf training devices.
This invention's embodiments that can be used as golf training devices can be made using any of the following three methods. The golf swing training devices made by using the first method, comprise an outer layer and an inner cushioning lining layer whose thickness is nonuniform and its inside surface is contoured in order to ensure that the device fits snugly over the entire length of the arm on which they are applied, in order to prevent all sections of the arm on which they are applied including the forearm from pivoting inside the device, to prevent the arm from bending at its elbow and consequently able to maintain the arm straight and fully extended, and are also comfortable to wear. The golf swing training devices made by using the second method are provided with ventilating holes that penetrate throughout the arm brace's walls in order to make them comfortable to wear even in hot weather. The device has a plurality of holes penetrating through its inner cushioning liner which are aligned with a plurality of holes penetrating through its outer layer to create direct ventilating channels that will allow air to circulate directly between the user's arm and outside the device in order to prevent the arm from overheating and being uncomfortable. Additional covering layers can be placed over the outside of the outer layer and/or over the inside of the cushioning layer to provide additional comfort and/or special visual effects, such as certain colors. In this case, the plurality of holes in the inner cover are aligned with the plurality of the holes penetrating through the inner cushioning layer and with the plurality of holes penetrating through the outer layer and also with the plurality of holes in the outer cover, in order to provide ventilating holes that penetrate throughout the walls of the device, that will allow air to circulate directly between the user's arm and outside the device to prevent the arm from overheating and therefore being comfortable even in hot weather.
Golf swing training devices can be also made using the third and preferred method of this invention that is a combination of the first two approaches described before. They comprise an outer layer and an inner cushioning lining layer whose thickness is nonuniform and its inside surface is contoured, and are also provided with ventilating holes that penetrate throughout the arm brace's walls to allow air to circulate directly between the arm and outside atmosphere. These devices prevent all sections of the arms on which they are applied including the forearm from pivoting inside the device, prevent the arms from bending at the elbow and consequently maintain the arms straight and fully extended, and are also comfortable to wear even in hot weather.
The following figures describe the three main embodiments of this invention that can be used as golf swing training devices.
In the
In the
The longitudinal hinge where the two sections are joined and which allows the opening of the clamshell device is identified in the figures as part 4.
These devices are lined inside with a cushioning lining layer, identified in these figures as part 5 made of cushioning materials, such as: foams, felts, fleece, soft cloth, etc., in order to help the device to feel comfortable on the arm. The thickness of the inner cushioning lining layer is nonuniform and its inside surface is contoured in order to ensure that the device fits snugly over the entire length of the arm on which they are applied, including the forearm that is tapered in shape, in order to prevent all sections of the arm on which they are applied including the forearm from pivoting inside the device, preventing the arm from bending at its elbow and consequently maintaining the arm straight and fully extended.
After closing the two half sections together over his or her lead arm positioned straight inside the device, the golfer will use fastening systems to fasten and also to adjust and tighten the device around the arm in order to prevent the sliding of the device during the golf swing and from being uncomfortable on his or her arm. The device can be built with fastening systems containing various numbers and various types of fastening components, such as: straps, buckles, slides, etc. The figure exemplifies a system based on three “hooks and loops” type straps, identified in the
The devices proposed by this invention's embodiment are not restricted dimensionally. However, this invention recommends the devices should be 3-7 inches shorter than the length of the lead arm as measured from armpit to the wrist, and it recommends the golfer should follow this procedure to install the device:
These wrappable sheets are lined inside with a cushioning lining layer, identified in these figures as part 9 made of cushioning materials, such as: foams, felts, fleece, soft cloth, etc., in order to help the device to feel comfortable on the arm. The thickness of the inner cushioning lining layer is nonuniform and its inside surface is contoured in order to ensure that the device fits snugly over the entire length of the arm on which they are applied, including the forearm that is tapered in shape, in order to prevent all sections of the arm on which they are applied including the forearm from pivoting inside the device, preventing the arm from bending at its elbow, and consequently maintaining the arm straight and fully extended.
After finishing the wrapping the sheet around his or her straight lead arm, the golfer will fasten it using fastening systems, identified in these figures as part 10. The golfer can use the fastening systems to fasten the device and also to adjust and tighten the device around the arm in order to prevent the sliding of the device during the golf swing and from being uncomfortable on his or her arm. The device can be built with fastening systems containing various numbers and various types of fastening components, such as: straps, buckles, and slides. The figure exemplifies a fastening system that contains three “hooks and loops” type straps.
These golf swing-training devices are also provided with ventilating holes that penetrate throughout their walls with the goal of ensuring that they are comfortable to wear even in hot weather. The device has a plurality of holes penetrating through its inner cushioning liner which are aligned with a plurality of holes penetrating through its outer layer to create direct ventilating channels that will allow air to circulate directly between the user's arm and outside the device in order to prevent the arm from overheating and being uncomfortable. Additional covering layers can be placed over the outside of the outer layer and/or over the inside of the cushioning layer to provide additional comfort and/or special visual effects, such as certain colors. In this case, the plurality of holes in the inner cover are aligned with the plurality of the holes penetrating through the inner cushioning layer and with the plurality of holes penetrating through the outer layer and also with the plurality of holes in the outer cover, in order to provide ventilating holes that penetrate throughout the walls of the device, that will allow air to circulate directly between the user's arm and outside the device to prevent the arm from overheating and therefore being comfortable even hot weather. The holes are identified in these figures as part 11.
The devices proposed by this invention's embodiment are not restricted dimensionally. However, this invention recommends the devices' length should be 3-7 inches shorter than the length of the lead arm as measured from armpit to the wrist. Depending on the circumference of golfer's arm, the properties of the sheet's material and its thickness, this type of devices may need to be wrapped up to several times around the golfer's lead arm (preferably 1 to 2 times) until it becomes inflexible lengthwise of the arm.
This invention recommends the golfer should follow this procedure to install the device:
It consists of a device that comprises a bottom section, identified in these figures as part 12, that looks partial oval or partial circular (for instance semicircular) in a side cross sectional view (
This bottom section is inflexible lengthwise of the arm. It can be made of, but not limited to polymer based materials, such as: polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutylene, polyvinyl, and also fiber based composites, leather, wood, metals, etc. This bottom section is lined inside with a cushioning lining layer, identified in these figures as part 13 made of cushioning materials, such as: foams, felts, fleece, soft cloth, etc., in order to help the device to feel comfortable on the arm.
The thickness of the inner cushioning lining layer is nonuniform and its inside surface is contoured in order to ensure that the device fits snugly over the entire length of the arm on which they are applied including the forearm that is tapered in shape, in order to prevent all sections of the arm on which they are applied including the forearm from pivoting inside the device, preventing the arm from bending at its elbow, and consequently maintains the arm straight and fully extended.
The device also comprises a top section that consists of fastening systems. The fastening systems can contain various numbers and various types of fastening components, such as: straps, buckles, slides, etc. The golfer will use the fastening systems to fasten the bottom section of the device, to adjust and tighten the device on the lead arm in order to prevent the device from sliding during the golf swing and from being uncomfortable on the arm. The figures exemplify a system based on three “hooks and loops” type straps that is identified as part 14. These fastening straps can be lined inside with cushioning materials, in order to further help the arm to feel comfortable when the straps are tightened.
These golf swing-training devices are also provided with ventilating holes that penetrate throughout their walls with the goal of ensuring that they are comfortable to wear even in hot weather. The device has a plurality of holes penetrating through its inner cushioning liner which are aligned with a plurality of holes penetrating through its outer layer to create direct ventilating channels that will allow air to circulate directly between the user's arm and outside the device in order to prevent the arm from overheating and being uncomfortable. Additional covering layers can be placed over the outside of the outer layer and/or over the inside of the cushioning layer to provide additional comfort and/or special visual effects, such as certain colors. In this case, the plurality of holes in the inner cover are aligned with the plurality of the holes penetrating through the inner cushioning layer and with the plurality of holes penetrating through the outer layer and also with the plurality of holes in the outer cover, in order to provide ventilating holes that penetrate throughout the walls of the device, that will allow air to circulate directly between the user's arm and outside the device to prevent the arm from overheating and therefore being comfortable even hot weather. The holes are identified in these figures as part 15.
The devices proposed by this invention's embodiment are not restricted dimensionally. However, this invention recommends the devices should be 3-7 inches shorter than the length of the lead arm as measured from armpit to the wrist, and it recommends the golfer should follow this procedure to install the device:
