Patent Application
20070270233
The present invention is a novelty and sport training projectile, and in one embodiment more specifically is an indoor training golf ball.
There have been numerous attempts to improve golf balls e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,230,053; 7,230,045; and 7,229,364, but these balls are for outdoor usage. Indoor usage (employing full power non-putt golf swings) would undoubtedly break glass and slice through plaster and wood without difficulty. Golfers cannot use these balls indoors to practice and develop their full-force non-putt golf swings.
Indoor golf balls like “whiffle” balls (hollow lightweight plastic balls defining numerous circular openings) and indoor simulators like laser or computer simulators lack accurate feedback (a whiffle ball does not fly or behave like a real golf ball; laser and computer simulators provide guesses based on force of impact and are highly inaccurate). Using a net indoors to stop an outdoor golf ball is possible, but the net is an unsightly distraction and affects a golf player's sense of freedom when making indoor non-putt swings. These indoor golf aides do not help golfers develop better full-force non-putt swings.
In a preferred embodiment the present invention is a practice golf ball that allows golfers to practice full-force non-putt swings indoors without breaking glass, plaster, wood, or the like. A golfer has the freedom to hit this ball against a wall, a wooden door, or any glass pane as hard as he desires, without causing any appreciable damage. Hit properly, the ball will hit the wall (or other such object) and bounce back to within approximately one foot (or less) of the golfer.
The present invention is a ball comprising a core and a plurality of fingers projecting from the core. The fingers are bendable when exerted upon and rigidly extending when not exerted upon.
The fingers (18) preferably project orthogonally from the core (14), and should preferably be of uniform construction (height, weight, material consistency, etc.), when attempting to mimic a regulation golf ball. Novelty or joke balls could be comprised of non-orthogonally projecting fingers (18), and non-uniform fingers (18) (for example, a ball (10) could have a spheroid (or non spheroid) core and overall cuboid shape). When exerted upon by an external force, the fingers (18) must bend (
In mimicking a regulation golf ball, the ball (10) is preferably constructed entirely (core (14) and fingers (18)) of thermoplastic rubber, with identically constructed (height, weight, material consistency, overall dimension, etc.) fingers (18), projecting orthogonally from the core (14), of equal length, and 126 in number. The core (14) is preferably spheroid and 18 mm in diameter. The resulting ball (10) should be generally spheroid, weigh about 10 g, and be 43 mm in diameter. A ball with a 42 mm diameter is also possible, but is not identical in size to a regulation golf ball. The making of other balls may be accomplished by altering these specifications as required.
In use (
A novelty projectile such as the above described may be used in bat-based sports, club-based sports, racquet-based sports, and the like, examples of which include golf, baseball, tennis, croquet, cricket and polo.
Specific embodiments of novelty and sport training projectile according to the present invention have been described for the purpose of illustrating the manner in which the invention is made and used. It is understood that other variations and modifications of the invention and its various aspects will be apparent to one skilled in the art, and that the invention is not limited by the specific embodiments described. It is contemplated to cover the present invention including any and all modifications, variations, or equivalents that fall within the true spirit and scope of the basic underlying principles disclosed and claimed herein.
