Golf Club with Self-Adjusting Face

Abstract

A golf club having a self-adjusting face. The club face is not firmly fixed to the club head in a single plane, but a hollow part within the club head holds the face by an attachment. A measuring device is attached to the back of the face to read the axis' of the face and changes over further readings. A processor calculates the initial axis' and changes. Based on the changes in readings during the club swing, the processor signals mechanical devices attached to the back of the face to change the axis' of the face to compensate for changes from desired angles. At ball strike, as much as mechanically possible, the face will match the initial axis' reading.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS

Patent Number	Date	Name
10,881,905	Oct. 26, 1982	DOYLE D. JERNIGAN
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7,169,057	Jan. 30, 2007	Wood; David A.
6,196,936	Mar. 6, 2001	Meckel; Nathan K.
5,492,327	Feb. 20, 1996	Biafore, Jr.; John J.
5,290,036	Mar. 1, 1994	Fenton; Frank
4,355,808	Oct. 26, 1982	Jernigan; Doyle D.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a self-adjusting golf club. The face of the club automatically adjusts to compensate for a number of factors affecting the golf swing. Secondly, a built in memory will record the swing dynamics for download to software that can compare to ideal swings.

Golf can be a frustrating game. In golf you have a number of clubs for different purposes. In relation to the ball you can stand a number of ways. In the actual swing of the club many body parts work to make the club face strike the ball at a particular spot. Each of these variables affects the ball strike and thus the direction of the ball, speed, lift, spin and distance. Beginners of the game have a tough time learning these variables. Wouldn't it be nice to have a club that adjusts, within limits, the striking face of the club to match the desired angle? Secondly, wouldn't it be nice to be able to review golf swings and compare to ideal swings, thereby offering analysis on how to improve the golf swing.

The United States Golf Association has proscribed the limits of adjustments to clubs. One major stipulation is that clubs cannot be adjusted during play. Thus this club is not USGA, nor Professional Golf Association (PGA) conforming.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

It is the intention of the invention to provide clubs for those learning the game and those desiring to play for fun and sport and, not professionally, nor for rewards. It is the object of the invention to provide golf clubs that will improve a players ability through actual adjustments during play, and provide analysis of swings for review later. This review will provide hints as to corrections that can be made to the swing of a particular club.

The pieces required are a battery power source, a processing unit, a memory unit, a device for measuring change from an initial reading, devices for changing the angle of the face, an on/off switch, swivel attachments to the face, and a port for data extraction.

Upon turning on, the initial reading will measure the face axis' and maintain this as the desired position for ball strike. The reading will be by a gyroscope or accelerometer. During the swing, the gyroscope or accelerometer will take readings as prescribed intervals, according to the speed of the gyroscope/accelerometer in nanoseconds, from the initial reading. The processor will calculate the expected ball strike with the changed coordinates. The processor will send signals to the devices to change the face angle so that ball strike will be at initial reading. The current configuration is that the devices are microsteppers attached to pins ending in ball joints attached to the back of the face. Two microsteppers can control two planes. Those planes are left and right of center and up and down from center. At ball strike the face will be adjusted as much as mechanically possible to the desired axis'. After ball strike and turning off, the face will reset to the initial reading. Memory is maintained of the swing in sequential order of swings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Drawing 1 is an exploded view of the back of the club face with the present invention's components that would be enclosed within the club head;

Drawing 2 is a view of the invention from the rear of the club head;

Drawing 3 is a view from the left angle from the rear of the club head;

Drawing 4 is a view of the club head with movable face;

Drawing 5 is a view from the front of the club face looking through the movable head to the invention;

Drawing 6 is a view of the club handle with USB port on the processor, battery pack, on/off button and wiring through the club handle to the invention;

Drawing 7 is a complete view of the golf club in putter version.

Drawing 8 is a split view of the entire invention with club handle and club face.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

The golf face 1, is attached to the golf club by a ball joint 2 attached to the back of the hollow space behind the face. Attached to the back of the face are two smaller ball joints, 3 and 4, one above or below joint 2, and one to the left or right of joint 2. Ball joints 3 and 4 are not secured. 3 and 4 have extensions with cogs that microsteppers 5 and 6 are matched to. The microsteppers are secured to the inside. A gyroscope 7 is attached to the back of the face. Wiring 8 connects the microsteppers and gyroscope to the processor 9 in the handle. The battery pack 10 on/off switch 11, and USB port 12 in the handle complete the invention.

Claims

1. A golf club having a self-adjustable face with a configuration similar to: club head has a hollow space behind the face, with the face attached at a pivot point (the pivot point may be a ball joint); the pivot point is attached to the back and/or sides of the hollow part; the back of the face is attached to two screw rods, with the rods going through microsteppers; the microsteppers are attached to the club head with small ball joints and the microsteppers are connected to the processing unit that receives power from a power unit (may be a battery pack); the back of the face has a gyroscope and/or accelerometer attached, also powered by the power unit, that send readings to the microprocessor on movement of the club face throughout the swing of the club with the processor's initial reading taken by turning on the system, and then accepting the face direction and angle with another button, or click of the same button followed by the swing motion during which the gyroscope/accelerometer sends readings to the processor, that calculates the projected face angles at projected impact and therefore the processor sends signals to the microsteppers to adjust to the projected desired face angles.

2. The same club configuration of claim 1, except the pivot ball joint is removed and the microsteppers attached to the face by ball joints or, back of the face is round with the microsteppers attached to rubber wheels touching the round section of the back of the face so that as the microsteppers adjust, the wheels spin moving the face up or down and left or right.

3. The same configuration of claim 1, except the microsteppers are replaced by other micro adjustable parts such as pneumatic or air pressure pistons, or a system of gears and/or wheels; or the pivot ball joint pin is in screw form rather than cog form to allow finer adjustments as the microsteppers are in screw form.

4. The same configuration of claim 1, but now to decrease movement of the face at, and after moment of impact, an impact sensor is placed in the face so that the sensor signals the release of clips surrounding the back of the face; the clips snap against the back of the face and hold it more securely though the impact and follow through and then the clips are reset by pushing against the face in a specified manner.

5. The same configuration of claim 4, with improvement to decrease movement of the face at, and after the moment of impact, by adding an impact sensor to the face so the clips or bars are touching the perimeter of the back of the face and when the sensor signals the release of a tension spring that pulls the clips/bars at their pivot point, preventing further movement of the clip/bar, thus restraining further movement of the face.

6. The same configuration as claim 4 but, the clip/bars may be held against the back of the face by pneumatic pressure released by the signal from the impact sensor.

7. The same configuration of claim 4 but, the clips/bars may be set to grab or hold the face front and rear, preventing movement at impact and follow through.

8. The same configuration of claim 4, except the impact sensor is not used, instead the processor determines when ball strike will occur and at that time signals the clip/bars to lock the face in place.

9. The configuration of the club with the data from the swing stored in the processor, or storage medium, that can be downloaded wirelessly, connected with a transfer cable, or removed from the club head or shaft, and used in a swing analysis program.