Golf training device

Abstract

Disclosed are embodiments of a golf training device which may be used to assist golfers in training muscles to perform a proper golf swing. One embodiment of the device provides a bar member and first and second arm bands connected with the bar member. The arm bands are configured to be secured around a user's arms at approximately the user's elbows to substantially maintain a predetermined separation distance between the elbows and thereby assist the user in maintaining the predetermined separation distance during a golf swing.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/637,830, filed Dec. 21, 2004, and titled “Golf Training Device,” which is incorporated herein by specific reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to golf. More specifically, the present invention relates to devices for facilitating a golfer's development of a proper golf swing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Understanding that drawings depict only certain preferred embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, the preferred embodiments will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a golf training device.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a golf training device.

FIGS. 3A-3H depict a golfer using an embodiment of a golf training device in sequential stages of a full golf swing.

FIGS. 4A-4B depict a golfer using an embodiment of a golf training device in sequential stages of a chip golf swing.

FIGS. 5A-5C depict a golfer using an embodiment of a golf training device in sequential stages of a putt golf swing.

FIG. 6A is a perspective view of yet another embodiment of a golf training device.

FIG. 6B is an elevation view of the golf training device depicted in FIG. 6A shown with one arm band in an open configuration.

FIG. 6C is an elevation view of the golf training device depicted in FIGS. 6A and 6B shown with both arm bands closed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Described herein are embodiments of a golf training device. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided for a thorough understanding of the various embodiments of the invention. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, etc.

In addition, in some cases, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail in order to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention. Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

Various embodiments of the golf training device described herein may be used to assist golfers in training muscles to perform a proper golf swing by, among other things, keeping the golfer's elbows together, promoting a one-piece takeaway, and promoting balance, timing, posture, and tempo. In exemplary embodiments of the invention, this is accomplished by providing the ability to substantially maintain a predetermined separation distance between the user's elbows and thereby assist the user in maintaining the predetermined separation distance during his or her golf swing. Certain preferred embodiments and implementations will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

One embodiment of the device is shown in FIG. 1 at 100. Golf training device 100 includes a rigid or semi-rigid bar member 110 and two arm bands 120 and 130. First arm band 120 and the second arm band 130 are configured to be secured around a user's arms at approximately the user's elbows, as demonstrated in FIGS. 3A through 5C, to substantially maintain a predetermined separation distance between the elbows and thereby assist the user in maintaining the predetermined separation distance during a golf swing.

Bar member 110 may be comprised of any of a number of suitable materials, such as wood, plastic, metal, etc. Bar member may also be covered or coated with a secondary material to, for example, make the bar softer, smoother, and/or more slick, such as padding material making up a padding surface 212 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2.

Arm bands 120 and 130 may be comprised of any of a number of suitable materials, such as cloth, synthetic fabrics, plastics, etc. Arm bands 120 and 130 are attached to bar member 110 at three different regions via attachment pieces 140, 142, and 144 to form first and second loops 123 and 133, respectively. As can be seen from the figure, attachment pieces 140 and 142, along with arm band 120 and a portion of bar member 110, define first loop 123. First loop 123 is adapted to receive a user's arm. Likewise, attachment pieces 142 and 144, in combination with arm band 130 and another portion of bar member 110, define second loop 133, which is adapted to receive the user's other arm.

In golf training device 100, arm bands 120 and 130 are comprised of a single piece of material. Of course, this need not be the case. Two separate pieces of material could be used, which could be attached to the bar member with a single attachment piece, or two separate attachment pieces. Attachment pieces 140, 142, and 144 in FIG. 1 comprise clamps. However, any of a variety of structures or other means may be used to attach one or more arm bands to a bar member, as one having ordinary skill in the art, and having the benefit of the present disclosure, will appreciate. For example, staples, rivets, screws, nails, adhesives, or fabric created with a hooked surface to adhere to other fabrics may be used. Alternatively, the structure comprising the bar member may also comprise the arm bands, as will be described in more detail with regard to another embodiment of the invention.

It should also be understood that numerous embodiments of the invention are possible. To illustrate, a second embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 2 at 200. Golf training device 200 includes bar member 210. Note that whereas bar member 110 has a rounded cross section, bar member 210 has a substantially flat cross section. Golf training device 200 also includes padding material making up a padding surface 212, which is configured to contact and provide cushion to the user's arms during use of the device.

Golf training device 200 also includes arm bands 220 and 230, which are attached to bar member 210 via attachment pieces 240, 242, and 244. As in golf training device 100, golf training device 200 defines a first loop 223 and a second loop 233. It can be seen that in both golf training device 100 and golf training device 200, a flexible piece of material is attached to the rigid bar member at approximately the first end, at approximately the second end, and at a location between the first end and the second end so as to form the arm bands.

Attachment pieces 240 and 244 comprise loop structures which are connected with bar member 210 at openings 215 in bar member 210. In one embodiment, the attachment pieces may be integrally molded with the bar member. The other end of arm bands 220 and 230 is attached to bar member 210 at another attachment piece comprising rivet 242. In the embodiments depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2, one of the attachment locations for defining the first loop 223—i.e., the location at which rivet 242 attaches—is the same location as one of the attachment locations for defining the second loop 233, as can be seen from the aforementioned figures.

The opposite ends of arm bands 220 and 230 are fed through and wrapped around loop structures 240 and 244, respectively. These ends are then attached to arm bands 220 and 230 at attachment regions 225 and 235, respectively. Attachment regions 225 and 235 comprise a fabric created with a hooked surface to adhere to loops on another fabric. Attachment region 225 thereby allows a portion of first arm band 220 to be attached to itself at a plurality of locations to selectively adjust the size of the first loop 223. Similarly, attachment region 235 allows a portion of the second arm band 230 to be attached to itself at a plurality of locations to selectively adjust the size of the second loop 233. Golf training device 200 therefore provides for first and second loops—223 and 233, respectively—which are adjustable, such that their sizes can be selectively adjusted.

FIGS. 3A-3H sequentially depict a golfer taking a full swing with an embodiment of the device attached to his arms. The device assists golfers in training muscles to perform a proper golf swing by, among other things, keeping the golfer's elbows together, promoting a one-piece takeaway, promoting balance, timing, posture, and tempo, and promoting a straight left arm (for a right-handed golfer). As can be seen best in FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3F, golf training device 100 also assists the golfer in maintaining a triangle 50 between the golfer's hands and elbows during the backswing and forward swing. As shown in FIG. 4A-5C, the device may also be used to assist a golfer in chipping and putting.

Still another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 6A-6C. Golf training device 300 again includes arm bands 320 and 330, which define loops 323 and 333, respectively. However, in this embodiment, arm bands 320 and 330 are integrally formed from the same material that forms bar member 310. Bar member 310 includes bar member pieces 312 and 314. Bar member pieces 312 and 314 engage together at any of a plurality of fixed locations by locking teeth 324 with teeth 334. In another embodiment, the bar member may extend tangentially from the top or bottom surfaces of the arm bands, as opposed to perpendicular therefrom as in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6A-6C.

Teeth 324 and 334 allow the device to keep a golfer's elbows apart at any of a plurality of distances as desired. This allows for the device to be used by golfers of various shapes, sizes, and skill levels. Once teeth 324 and 334 have been engaged together in the desired location, bar member pieces 312 and 314 may then be locked together with attachment piece 342. Attachment piece 342 comprises a bolt and wing nut.

Arm bands 320 and 330 may further include locking pieces 322 and 332, respectively. Locking pieces 322 and 332 have teeth which may be used to engage a portion of bar pieces 312 and 314, respectively. This allows for the arm bands to be adjusted according to various arm sizes and tightness settings. Note that golf training device 300 also includes padding material 328 attached to the interior of arm band 320 and padding material 338 attached to the interior of arm band 330. In some embodiments, the padding material may be adapted to conform with the anatomical features of an arm and/or elbow. As can be seen in FIG. 6B, arm bands 320 and 330 may be opened or adjusted by releasing the arm band teeth from the corresponding bar piece. Locking pieces 322 and 332 may be flexibly biased towards being locked into place such that they must be flexed in order to be released for readjustment or opened to remove the device. Golf training device 300 therefore also provides for first and second loops—323 and 333, respectively—which are adjustable, such that their sizes can be selectively adjusted.

The above description fully discloses the invention including preferred embodiments thereof. Without further elaboration, it is believed that one skilled in the art can use the preceding description to utilize the invention to its fullest extent. Therefore the examples and embodiments disclosed herein are to be construed as merely illustrative and not a limitation of the scope of the present invention in any way.

It will be obvious to those having skill in the art that many changes may be made to the details of the above-described embodiments without departing from the underlying principles of the invention. The scope of the present invention should, therefore, be determined only by the following claims.

Claims

1. A golf training device, comprising:

a bar member;

a first arm band connected with the bar member; and

a second arm band connected with the bar member, wherein the first arm band and the second arm band are configured to be secured around a user's arms at approximately the user's elbows to substantially maintain a predetermined separation distance between the elbows and thereby assist the user in maintaining the predetermined separation distance during a golf swing.

2. The golf training device of claim 1, wherein the bar member is rigid.

3. The golf training device of claim 2, wherein the rigid bar member comprises a padding surface configured to contact and provide cushion to at least a portion of the user's arm during use of the device.

4. The golf training device of claim 1, wherein the bar member has a substantially flat cross-section.

5. The golf training device of claim 1, wherein the first arm band comprises a flexible piece of material attached to the bar member at two separate locations to define a first loop, and wherein the second arm band comprises a flexible piece of material attached to the bar member at two separate locations to define a second loop.

6. The golf training device of claim 5, wherein the first and second arm bands are both comprised of the same flexible piece of material.

7. The golf training device of claim 5, wherein one of the attachment locations for defining the first loop is the same location as one of the attachment locations for defining the second loop.

8. The golf training device of claim 1, wherein the first and second arm bands define first and second loops, and wherein the first and second arm bands are adjustable such that the size of the first and second loops can be selectively adjusted.

9. The golf training device of claim 8, wherein the first arm band comprises a first attachment region configured to allow a portion of the first arm band to be attached to itself at a plurality of locations to selectively adjust the size of the first loop, and wherein the second arm band comprises a second attachment region configured to allow a portion of the second arm band to be attached to itself at a plurality of locations to selectively adjust the size of the second loop.

10. The golf training device of claim 8, further comprising a first loop structure and a second loop structure, wherein the first and second loop structures are connected with the bar member, wherein the first arm band is configured to be fed through and wrapped around the first loop structure in order to allow the first arm band to be attached to itself, and wherein the second arm band is configured to be fed through and wrapped around the second loop structure in order to allow the first arm band to be attached to itself.

11. The golf training device of claim 9, wherein the first and second attachment regions both comprise a fabric created with a hooked surface configured to adhere to loops on another fabric.

12. The golf training device of claim 1, wherein the first arm band and the second arm band are integrally formed from the same material that forms the bar member.

13. The golf training device of claim 1, wherein the bar member comprises two separate bar member pieces, and wherein the two bar member pieces are connectable with one another.

14. The golf training device of claim 13, wherein the bar member pieces are configured to be engaged together at any of a plurality of fixed locations.

15. A golf training device, comprising:

a rigid bar member having a first end and a second end; and

a flexible piece of material attached to the rigid bar member at approximately the first end, at approximately the second end, and at a location between the first end and the second end such that first and second arm bands are formed, wherein the first and second arm bands are configured to substantially maintain a predetermined separation distance between a user's elbows during use of the golf training device and thereby assist the user in maintaining the predetermined separation distance during a golf swing.

16. The golf training device of claim 15, wherein the rigid bar member comprises a padding surface configured to contact and provide cushion to at least a portion of the user's arm during use of the device.

17. The golf training device of claim 15, wherein the first and second arm bands define first and second loops, and wherein the first and second arm bands are adjustable such that the size of the first and second loops can be selectively adjusted.

18. The golf training device of claim 17, wherein the first arm band comprises a first attachment region configured to allow a portion of the first arm band to be attached to itself at a plurality of locations to selectively adjust the size of the first loop, and wherein the second arm band comprises a second attachment region configured to allow a portion of the second arm band to be attached to itself at a plurality of locations to selectively adjust the size of the second loop.

19. A golf training device, comprising:

a rigid bar member comprising a padding surface configured to contact and provide cushion to at least a portion of a user's arm during use of the device;

a first arm band comprising a flexible piece of material attached to the bar member at two separate locations to define a first loop; and

a second arm band comprising a flexible piece of material attached to the bar member at two separate locations to define a second loop, wherein the first and second arm bands are adjustable such that the size of the first and second loops can be selectively adjusted, and wherein the first loop and the second loop are configured to receive the user's arms up to the user's elbows and substantially maintain a predetermined separation distance between the user's elbows during use of the golf training device to thereby assist the user in maintaining the predetermined separation distance during a golf swing.

20. The golf training device of claim 19, wherein the first arm band comprises a first attachment region configured to allow a portion of the first arm band to be attached to itself at a plurality of locations to selectively adjust the size of the first loop, and wherein the second arm band comprises a second attachment region configured to allow a portion of the second arm band to be attached to itself at a plurality of locations to selectively adjust the size of the second loop.