GOLF SWING RESISTANCE DEVICE

Abstract

A golf swing resistance device that secures to a golf club to provide increased aerodynamic drag during a golf swing. The device includes disk-shaped plates with a through-bore in the center of the plates. The plates are secured to the golf club by passing the grip end of the golf club through the through-bore of the plates. The plates align along the golf shaft of the golf club and abut against the golf club clubhead during a golf swing. Multiple plates can be stacked along the length of the golf shaft. The plates have a larger span (or diameter) than the golf shaft thereby increasing the cross-sectional area of the golf club and thus increasing the aerodynamic drag on the golf club during a golf swing. The plates can vary in size and quantity to provide variable amounts of aerodynamic drag.

Description

BACKGROUND

This invention generally relates to golf training equipment devices, and more particularly to golf swing resistance training devices.

It is desirable for golfers to be able to swing a golf club fast so that they can hit a golf ball far. During a golf swing the golf club follows a multidirectional movement pattern that results from a golfer exerting a complex sequence of kinetic forces. To improve the strength and speed of their golf swing, golfers may practice and train. Resistance training is a method of training that many athletes use in many sports to improve their strength and speed for a particular movement. It is thus desirable for golfers to be able to train the strength and speed of their golf swing by adding resistance to the motion of a golf club during a golf swing.

Training devices that are intended to increase the aerodynamic drag of a golf club differ in principle from training devices that are intended to increase the mass of a golf club, such as weighted-golf-clubs or weighted-rings. Increasing the mass of a golf club makes the golf club more difficult to swing by providing a greater resistance to lifting the golf club in the upward direction due to gravity and by increasing the moment of inertia of the golf club which opposes acceleration of the golf club. However increasing the mass of a golf club does not provide an increase in resistance to the velocity of the golf club through air during a golf swing.

Known weighted-ring training devices that slide over the grip end of a golf club inadvertently and minutely increase the aerodynamic resistance on a golf club as a result of the device occupying a physical volume (and thus presenting a cross-sectional area) that displaces air. Such weighted-ring devices are typically made of a dense metal and are less than 2 inches in the thickness dimension and less than 4 inches in diameter or span. Alternatively, it will become evident that devices that are intended to increase the aerodynamic resistance on a golf club are typically made to be light weight and intentionally occupy a significantly larger volume (or have a significantly larger cross-sectional area) than devices intended to increase the mass of a golf club.

Increasing the aerodynamic drag of a golf club makes it more difficult to swing by increasing the resistance to velocity of the golf club when the golf club is moving. At any given moment during a golf swing, the aerodynamic drag is in the opposite direction to the direction of velocity of the golf club. Thus increasing the aerodynamic drag of a golf club makes it more difficult to move through air in any direction. A golf club with increased aerodynamic drag is thus an effective method of resistance training for the golf swing because a golfer is required to overcome resistive forces that are trying to slow the golf club down as it moves through the air. This enables the golfer to add resistance to the complex sequences of kinetic forces that they exert during a golf swing.

In order to add resistance to a golf swing while maintaining the feel and weight of a conventional golf club it desirable to increase the aerodynamic drag of a golf club while minimizing any increase in mass to the golf club.

Increasing the aerodynamic drag on a golf club during a golf swing can be achieved by increasing the cross-sectional area that is perpendicular to the direction of motion of the golf club. During a golf swing a golf club predominantly moves in a direction that is perpendicular to the axis of the shaft. Thus one means to increase the cross sectional area of a golf club is to attach a device with a larger span (or diameter) than a conventional golf shaft to the golf shaft of a conventional golf club. There are many known devices that are intended to increase the aerodynamic resistance of a golf club. Unfortunately, the known devices have significant deficiencies.

For example, some known devices require complicated connection means to secure the device to a golf club or golf shaft. Such means include snap-on-clamps or threaded-clamps designed to secure the device to the golf shaft. However the construction of such clamps can be complicated because they are required to secure to a golf shaft that is tapered and not a constant diameter at all points along its length. Additionally, securing these devices to a golf shaft can be tedious and cumbersome for the golfer. It is therefore desirable to have a device with a simple and quick means of attachment to a golf club.

Other known devices employ a parachute or similar fabric panel attached to the golf shaft with flexible cables. Such devices do not offer a constant cross-sectional area. This is because the cables and fabric panel are flexible and thus are not pulled tight until a sufficient golf club speed is achieved to direct enough airflow to fill the fabric panel and extend the cables. Thus at the beginning of a golf swing when the golf club speed is lower, the cables and fabric panel may not be tight and the device may not provide the intended resistance to motion of the golf club. Similarly at the top of a golf swing where the golf club changes directions from backswing to downswing, the cables and fabric panel may not be tight and the device may not provide the intended resistance to motion of the golf club. It is thus desirable to have a device that offers a constant cross-sectional area so that increased aerodynamic drag to the golf club is provided at the beginning and top of a golf swing.

Other known devices employ fans or vanes that attach to the golf shaft. These fans or vanes do not provide a constant cross-sectional area that is perpendicular to the golf shaft. For example, a device with four equally spaced and equally sized vanes along the golf shaft will have a different distance between the tips of adjacent vanes compare to the distance between the tips of opposite (diagonal) vanes. This means that such a device has a different cross-sectional area as it is rotated about the axis of the golf shaft. Given the multidirectional movement of a golf club during a golf swing, which includes rotation about the axis of the golf shaft, such devices can provide different amounts of aerodynamic drag in different planes of motion. It is thus desirable to have a device with a radial symmetry about the axis of the golf shaft.

Known devices do not have a stackable means of selecting and varying the cross-sectional area. Similar to how other forms of resistance training for sports employ different quantities and/or different sizes of stackable weighted plates/disks or elastic bands for varying resistance, it is desirable to have a device with a stackable means of varying the cross-sectional area on a golf club in order to vary the amount of aerodynamic drag on the golf club during a golf swing.

Therefore, there is a need in the art for a device that overcomes the noted problems in the art. The invention provides such a device. These and other advantages of the invention, as well as additional inventive features, will be apparent from the description of the invention provided herein.

SUMMARY

A golf swing resistance device that secures to a golf club to provide increased aerodynamic drag on the golf club during a golf swing. The device includes one or more disk-shaped plates. Each plate includes a through-bore located in the center of the plate and sized so that the grip end of a golf club can pass through the through-bore. The through-bore is also sized so that the clubhead of the golf club cannot pass through the through-bore. The device secures to the golf club by passing the grip and shaft of the golf club through the through-bore of the plates. The through-bore in the plates restricts the plates from moving perpendicular to the axis of the golf shaft once the plates are slipped over the grip end of the golf club. The plates align along the golf shaft of the golf club and abut against the golf clubhead due to the centrifugal force during a golf swing or due to gravity when the golf club is positioned right-side-up (i.e. with clubhead down and grip end up). Each plate has a span (or diameter) that is larger than the span (or diameter) of a conventional golf shaft so that the plates provide increased cross-sectional area to the golf club and thus provide increased aerodynamic drag during a golf swing.

Multiple plates can be stacked onto a golf club along the length of the golf shaft. The size of different plates can vary in cross-sectional area and thickness. The device includes all plates that are secured to a golf club. By stacking different size plates and/or quantities of plates onto a golf club, the cross-sectional area of the golf club can be adjusted and thus the aerodynamic drag on the golf club during a golf swing is adjustable.

The plates are compatible with most existing golf clubs. This is because the size of golf club grips are somewhat standardized in the golf industry and thus the grips on most golf clubs are similar in size. Additionally, a typical golf shaft is thinner than a typical golf grip. Therefore as long as the through-bore in the plates is larger than the diameter of a typical golf club grip and the through-bore is smaller than the size of a typical golf club head, then the plates will be able to slide over the grip end of the golf club and abut against the golf club head.

The device is intended to meaningfully increase the cross-sectional area of a golf club, and thus meaningfully increase the aerodynamic resistance on a golf club during a golf swing for training purposes. As such, the device preferably includes plates that are larger than 2 inches in the thickness dimension and larger than 4 inches in span (or diameter). Plates of at least these dimensions can be considered to meaningfully increase the aerodynamic resistance of a golf club during a golf swing for training purposes.

The device is intended to allow for multiple plates to be stacked along the length of the golf shaft. Most golf clubs are less than 48 inches in length. As such, the device preferably includes plates that are less than 20 inches in the thickness dimension.

The device can optionally include a stopper-mechanism that secures to the golf shaft above the plates to prevent the plates from sliding down the golf shaft towards the grip if the golf club is held upside-down. The device can optionally include a stopper-mechanism that secures to the golf shaft below the plates or secures to the clubhead so that the plates abut against this stopper-mechanism instead of the clubhead. This allows the distance between the device and the golf club grip to be adjustable, and thus provides another means of adjusting the aerodynamic drag on the golf club during a golf swing.

The device is intended to be secured to a golf club to provide increased aerodynamic drag on the golf club during a golf swing. The device may also be used to increase the aerodynamic drag on a golf club for any movement of the golf club, such as swinging the golf club like a baseball bat or like a tennis racket. The device may also be secured to another object that is intended to replicate a golf club and/or golf swing. For example, such an object can include a rod with similar diameter to a conventional golf club grip and a base to prevent the plates from sliding off due to the centrifugal force during a golf swing.

The device is intended to be repeatably securable to and removable from a golf club. The device is not intended to be permanently secured to a golf club.

The plates are preferably made from a light-weight material such as foam. The reason that light-weight plates are preferred is so that the cross-sectional area of the golf club can be increased while minimizing the amount of mass added to the golf club. The plates can be made of other materials such as polymers. The plates can also be fabricated hollow to reduce weight. The plates can also have additional off-center through-bores or cut-outs to reduce weight. The plates can also be inflatable and made from a fabric or polymer material that can be inflated with air.

The plates are preferably made into a disk-shape (circular shape) or conical-shape. The preferred shapes of the plates have cylindrical symmetry. This enables a constant cross-sectional area irrespective of how the plates are rotated about the axis of the shaft. A ripple or dimple pattern can be imparted onto faces of the plates to increase the surface area of the plates. The span of the plates can be constant or varied (such as tapered or bulged) along the thickness of the plates. The plates can be squared or beveled at the edges. The plates can also be made without cylindrical symmetry (i.e. a square-shaped-plate).

The stopper-mechanism(s) is preferably quick and simple to secure to the golf shaft, and preferably does not utilize complicated snap-on-clamps, threaded-clamps, straps, or buckles as a means of securement. An exemplary stopper-mechanism can be made of a flexible material such as a foam or a soft polymer, with a slit that is thinner than the diameter of a golf shaft. This enables a stopper-mechanism to secure onto a golf shaft by pushing the golf shaft through the slit in the stopper-mechanism. The elastic forces of the flexible material tightly secure the stopper-mechanism to the golf shaft.

Although it is possible to hit golf balls with a golf club that has the device secured to it, hitting golf balls once the device is secured to a golf club is not the primary intention of the device. The device is intended to allow golfers to train by replicating a golf swing without hitting a golf ball while having increased aerodynamic drag during the golf swing.

The device can be used on a golfers existing golf clubs. This enables a golfer to train with golf clubs that they are familiar with and accustomed to using for a round of golf. This means that the length, weight, and grip of the golf clubs are familiar to a golfer.

The device works equally well for right-handed and left-handed golfers. A right-handed golfer can use the device on right-handed golf clubs to train the strength and speed of both their right-handed golf swing and left-handed golf swing. The vice-versa is true for a left-handed golfer. Thus, it is intended that a golf club with the device secured to it can be swung in the left-handed or right-handed convention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a typical golf club.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the device shown to include multiple disk-shaped plates of differing size.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectioned view of an exemplary embodiment of the device shown to include a single disk-shaped plate.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the device (shown to include a single disk-shaped plate) shown secured to a golf club.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the device (shown to include multiple disk-shaped plates of differing size) shown secured to a golf club.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the device shown to include multiple disk-shaped plated of differing sizes, and an exemplary embodiment of a stopper-mechanism above the device.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a stopper-mechanism.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the device (shown to include multiple disk-shaped plates of differing size) shown secured to a golf club, and an exemplary embodiment of a stopper-mechanism shown above the device secured to the golf club.

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the device shown to include multiple disk-shaped plated of differing sizes, and an exemplary embodiment of a stopper-mechanism above the device and an exemplary embodiment of a stopper-mechanism below the device.

FIG. 10 is a side-profile view of an exemplary embodiment of the device (shown to include multiple disk-shaped plates of differing size) shown secured to a golf club, and an exemplary embodiment of a stopper-mechanism shown above the device secured to the golf club, and an exemplary embodiment of a separate stopper-mechanism shown below the device secured to the golf club.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the device shown to include a single tapered plate.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the device shown to include a single bulged plate.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the device shown to include a single square-shaped plate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, FIG. 1 depicts a typical golf club 10 that the device (not shown) can be secured to. In FIG. 1, a golf club 10 is typically comprised of a clubhead 17, a shaft 15 secured into the clubhead 17, and a grip 13 secured onto the shaft 15. The clubhead 17 can be any type of club head including a driver club head, a woods club head, a hybrid club head, an irons club head, a wedge club head, or a putter club head. The clubhead 17 can be either right-handed (as shown) or left-handed.

Referring to FIG. 2, an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown as the device 50. As shown, the device 50 includes disk-shaped plates 51, 55, 59 of differing size. The device 50 can include varying quantities and sizes of plates of different shapes. In FIG. 2, three differing size disk-shaped plates 51, 55, 59 are shown to be included in the device 50 as an example. Plate 51 includes a through-bore 91. Plate 55 includes a through-bore 95. Plate 59 includes a through-bore 99. The through-bores 91, 95, 99 are sized large enough to allow a conventional golf club grip (not shown) to pass through. The through-bores 91, 95, 99 are also sized small enough to not allow a conventional golf clubhead (not shown) to pass through.

FIG. 3 depicts the device 50 including a single disk-shaped plate 59. In FIG. 3, the cross-sectioned view of the disk-shaped plate 59 shows the through-bore 99 located in the center of the disk-shaped plate 59. The hatched region of the cross-sectioned view of the plate 59 illustrates the constant cross-sectional area of the plate 59 regardless of how it is rotated about the axis of the through-bore 99.

FIG. 4 depicts the device 50 secured onto a typical golf club 10. In FIG. 4, the device 50 is shown as an example to include a single disk-shaped plate 59. The disk-shape plate 59 is secured to the golf club 10 by sliding the golf club grip 13 through the through-bore 99 in the disk-shaped plate 59. The disk-shaped plate 59 abuts against the clubhead 17. As shown, when the device 50 is secured onto a typical golf club 10, the shaft 15 is located within the through-bore 99 of the disk-shaped plate 59.

FIG. 5 depicts the device 50 secured onto a typical golf club 10. In FIG. 5, the device 50 is shown as an example to include three disk-shaped plates 51, 55, 59 of differing sizes. The disk-shape plates 51, 55, 59 are secured to the golf club 10 by sliding the golf club grip 13 through the through-bores in the disk-shaped plates. As shown, the bottom located disk-shaped plate 59 abuts against the clubhead 17. The plate 55 abuts against plate 59. The plate 51 abuts against plate 55.

FIG. 6 depicts an exemplary embodiment of the device 50 and an exemplary embodiment of a stopper-mechanism 60 located above the device. In FIG. 6, the device 50 is shown as an example to include three disk-shaped plates 51, 55, 59 of differing sizes.

FIG. 7 depicts an exemplary stopper-mechanism 60. The exemplary stopper-mechanism 60 is preferably made from a flexible and compressible material such as a foam or a soft polymer. The stopper-mechanism 60 includes a slit 62 that is thinner than the diameter of a typical golf shaft (not shown). The slit 62 runs through the thickness of the stopper-mechanism 60. The slit 62 runs from the outer edge of the stopper-mechanism 60 towards the center of the stopper-mechanism 60. The stopper-mechanism 60 is secured onto a golf shaft (not shown) by pushing the golf shaft through the slit 62 until the golf shaft (not shown) reaches the center of the stopper-mechanism 60. The flexibility of the material that the stopper-mechanism 60 is made from allows for the thinner slit 62 to be elastically stretched over the wider golf shaft (not shown) and thus apply an elastic force to the golf shaft (not shown) that secures the stopper-mechanism 60 to the golf shaft (not shown).

FIG. 8 depicts the device 50 and a stopper-mechanism 60 secured onto a typical golf club 10. In FIG. 8, the device 50 is shown as an example to include three disk-shaped plates 51, 55, 59 of differing size. The stopper-mechanism 60 is secured tightly to the shaft 15 so that the device 50 will remain abutted against the clubhead 17 if the golf club 10 is held upside-down.

FIG. 9 depicts an exemplary embodiment of the device 50, an exemplary embodiment of a stopper-mechanism 60 located above the device, and an exemplary embodiment of a separate stopper-mechanism 70 located below the device. In FIG. 9, the device 50 is shown as an example to include three disk-shaped plates 51, 55, 59 of differing sizes.

FIG. 10 depicts the device 50 and stopper-mechanisms 60, 70 secured onto a typical golf club 10. In FIG. 10, the device 50 is shown as an example to include three disk-shaped plates 51, 55, 59 of differing size. The stopper-mechanism 60 is secured tightly to the shaft 15 above the device 50. The stopper-mechanism 60 is intended to prevent the device 50 from sliding down the shaft 15 and towards the grip 13 if the golf club 10 is held upside-down. The stopper-mechanism 70 is secured tightly to the shaft 15 below the device 50. The stopper-mechanism 70 is intended to prevent the device 50 from sliding down the shaft 15 and towards the clubhead 17 during a golf swing. The stopper-mechanism 70 is thus intended to allow a user to adjust the distance that the device 50 is from the grip 13.

FIG. 11 depicts the device 50 to include a single plate 121. In FIG. 11, the device 50 is shown as an example to include a single plate 121 with a span that tapers along its thickness. The plate 121 includes a through-bore 141.

FIG. 12 depicts the device 50 to include a single plate 125. In FIG. 12, the device 50 is shown as an example to include a single plate 125 with a span that bulges along its thickness. The plate 125 includes a through-bore 145.

FIG. 13 depicts the device 50 to include a single plate 129. In FIG. 13, the device 50 is shown as an example to include a single plate 129 with a four-sided geometric shape. The plate 129 includes a through-bore 149.

Claims

1. A golf swing training device, for variably increasing the aerodynamic resistance of an associated golf club during a golf swing, comprising: a set of one or more plates adapted to be variably stackable and securable along the length of the shaft of the associated golf club to increase the aerodynamic resistance of the associated golf club,wherein each plate in the set includes a through-bore, the through-bore sized to be able to pass over the grip-end of the associated golf club for securing to the associated golf club, the through-bore sized to not be able to pass over the clubhead of the associated golf club, andwherein the size and shape of each plate in the set can be the same or different, the thickness dimension of one or more plates ranges between 2 inches and 20 inches, the span of one or more plates is greater than 4 inches.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein one or more plates are disk-shaped (circular-shaped).

3. The device of claim 1, wherein one or more plates are oval-shaped.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein one or more plates are geometrically-shape with three or more sides.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the span of one or more plates is constant, tapered, or bulged along the thickness of the plates.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein one or more edges of one or more plates are squared or beveled.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein one or more faces of one or more plates are flat, rippled, or dimpled.

8. A golf swing training device, for variably increasing the aerodynamic resistance of an associated golf club during a golf swing, comprising: a set of one or more plates adapted to be variably stackable and securable along the length of the shaft of the associated golf club to increase the aerodynamic resistance of the associated golf club; anda set of one or more mechanisms adapted to be secured tightly to the shaft of the associated golf club to restrict the relative motion of the plates and the associated golf club,wherein each plate in the set includes a through-bore, the through-bore sized to be able to pass over the grip-end of the associated golf club for securing to the associated golf club, the through-bore sized to not be able to pass over the clubhead of the associated golf club, the through-bore adapted to not be able to pass over one or more of the mechanisms, andwherein the size and shape of each plate in the set can be the same or different, the thickness dimension of one or more plates ranges between 2 inches and 20 inches, the span of one or more plates is greater than 4 inches.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein one or more plates are disk-shaped (circular-shaped).

10. The device of claim 8, wherein one or more plates are oval-shaped.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein one or more plates are geometrically-shape with three or more sides.

12. The device of claim 8, wherein the span of one or more plates is constant, tapered, or bulged along the thickness of the plates.

13. The device of claim 8, wherein one or more edges of one or more plates are squared or beveled.

14. The device of claim 8, wherein one or more faces of one or more plates are flat, rippled, or dimpled.