Forearm Crutch Putter

Abstract

A forearm crutch putter integrating the utility of a golf putter and a forearm crutch for senior golfers. The forearm rest and grip handle provide support for the user to walk with the present invention being used as a crutch, while the putting grip and putter provide functionality of the present invention as a club. A shock absorber is also present on the shaft of the invention to dissipate vibrations generated from hitting a golf ball.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for golf. More specifically, the present invention is a golf putter which also serves as a load bearing crutch. The objectives of this invention are to help an elderly golfer's mobility around the putting green and to reduce the physical stresses associated with playing golf.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Transportation is the key to keeping the elderly and handicapped golf players in the game of golf. However, it is a common problem that the main source of transportation for these aforementioned groups of people, “the golf cart”, cannot drive onto the putting greens. This forces the elderly and handicapped players to walk a considerable amount of distance. In this situation the golfers are unable to use an effective mobility aid to help them on their walk because they must also carry their heavy golf equipment. This invention caters to this audience by providing a portable device that ensures their safety as well as enhances their golf playing ability.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a magnified view of the forearm rest of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a magnified view of the putter of the present invention.

DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION

The forearm crutch putter is an invention which combines the functionality of both a crutch and a golf club. As shown in FIG. 1, the present invention comprises of a shaft 10, a putting grip 11, a shock absorber 12, a forearm rest 20, a grip handle 30, and a putter 40. The forearm rest 20 and the grip handle 30 are the main components of the crutch system, and the putting grip 11 and putter 40 are the primary components of the golf club. The shaft 10 is an integral component for both of these systems and contributes to the functioning of the crutch and the golf club. The shaft 10 is the central component of the invention, providing structural support for the entire embodiment, with all the other components attached to it.

In reference to FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 3, the shaft 10 is a cylinder that is positioned longitudinally and vertical to the ground when the invention is upright. Along the upper portions of the shaft 10 are a plurality of evenly spaced holes 13 which pass through the entirety of its thickness. The shaft 10 is elongated and longer than other conventional golf clubs because it also functions as a crutch, requiring it to support the upper limbs of the user whereas a golf club is held by the hands below the waist. The shaft 10 is the medium through which users are able to translate their body motions into hitting a golf ball with the club or supporting their weight on the ground with the crutch. In the current design, the shaft 10 is manufactured from steel. The strength of steel ensures that the weight of the user can be supported while using the invention as a crutch, as well as enabling components to be securely fastened to the shaft 10. Steel is also capable of withstanding the rigors of long term use, resisting bending and deformation. An important attribute, as any deformation to the shaft 10 would greatly diminish the invention's functionality as a load bearing crutch and its effectiveness as a golf club. While the shaft 10 must be strong enough to support the weight of the user, it must also be lightweight. The weight of the shaft 10 must not inhibit the user's ability to swing the invention fluidly, or prevent the user from lifting it up while using it as a crutch. The invention is targeted towards senior golfers, and it must be light enough for them to use the invention to its fullest capacity. Steel offers a good medium between both strength and weight, offering portability yet an assurance of support and stability.

The forearm rest 20, detailed in FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and FIG. 4 is attached near the top of the shaft 10. The forearm rest 20 comprises of a cuff 21, a plurality of fasteners 22, and a plurality of support pieces 23. The cuff 21 is a hollow cylinder. In its standard position, the forearm rest 20 is oriented so that the flat top and bottom surfaces of the cuff 21 are perpendicular to the shaft 10. This makes it so when users place their arms through the forearm rest 20, their arm is parallel to the shaft 10 and thus can grasp other components connected to lower sections of the shaft 10. On the front surface of the cuff 21 is a slit 24. The slit 24 allows users to slide their arm in and out of the cuff 21, providing several different methods to enter and exit the cuff 21 by either sliding their arm through the slit 24 or through the top. The slit 24 is small enough to prevent an arm from mistakenly slipping out. To use the slit 24, one must consciously apply a force to the slit 24 so that it slightly enlarges, providing a large enough area for the arm to pass through. This is a precaution that limits the chance of injury when using the crutch. The design could incorporate alternative types of cuffs for the forearm rest 20 which fulfill the same purposes. A fully enclosed cuff or half cuff are conceivable, however, the current design of the cuff 21 with the slit 24 provides both flexibility and support. The support pieces 23 are attached near the top of the cuff 21 and on its back surface. The support pieces 23 are trapezoidal protrusions which are spaced wide enough apart to allow the shaft 10 to slide in between them. Each support piece 23 also has one hole of matching diameter to the plurality of holes 13. The plurality of holes 13 are designed to accommodate the plurality of fasteners 22. In the current design, the fasteners 22 take the form of bolts.

The cuff 21 is attached to the shaft 10 with a plurality of fasteners 22 which thread through the holes on the support pieces 23 and the plurality of holes 13 on the shaft 10. This securely fastens the cuff 21 to the shaft 10 and restricts the motion of the forearm rest 20 except when rotating it up or down. This allows the user to rotate and adjust the angle of the forearm rest 20 to find the most comfortable orientation. Additionally, the cuff 21 is mounted a distance away from the shaft 10, providing it room to rotate without contacting the shaft 10. The plurality of holes 13 along the shaft 10 allows the user to adjust the height of the forearm cuff 20. Users are able to unscrew and detach the cuff 21 and support pieces 23 from the shaft 10 and reattach it in the unused holes 13. This allows the user to move the forearm rest 20 up or down the shaft 10. These features allow the forearm crutch putter to accommodate users of varying arm lengths, making it customizable depending on the user's physical needs.

The other major component of the crutch system is the grip handle 30. The grip handle 30 is attached to the shaft 10 approximately one forearms length down from the forearm rest 20. It is also attached to the shaft 10 at the top of the putting grip 11. The grip handle 30 is a cylinder, and its orientation is such that it is perpendicular to the shaft 10. Unlike the forearm rest 20 it is permanently welded on to the shaft 10. Both the forearm rest 20 and the grip handle 30 extrude outwards in the same direction from the shaft 10, so that when the invention is being held in a putting position, these components point away from the user's body and do not interfere with the putting motion.

One of the primary functions of the invention is as a crutch. To operate the invention as a crutch, the user slides their arm into the forearm rest 20 and grasps the grip handle 30. Both of these components are vital to the functionality of the crutch as they both support different parts of the upper extremities. The forearm rest 20 supports the user's upper forearms near the elbow, and the grip handle 30 supports the hand. By grasping the grip handle 30, the user is able to lift up the invention and place it in front of them to support them as they walk, aiding in the general mobility of a senior golfer on the putting green. This crutch is designed to assist users during transitionary periods when going to and from the putting green. The invention is not designed for prolonged durations of walking because the invention serves as a single crutch for only one arm. As a result, the crutch can be held in either arm, and its performance does not deteriorate in the hands of either a left or right handed user. Due to the presence of only one crutch, it operates in a similar fashion to a cane. However, the forearm crutch putter offers improved stability, and the reduction of lower-limb loading due to the two load transfer points at the forearm rest 20 and the grip handle 30, whereas a cane only has one at the handle. Consequently, this allows the forearm crutch putter to withstand larger loads. It is therefore more effective than a cane or simply using a golf club as a walking device.

In reference to FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 3, the putting grip 11 is located directly below the grip handle 30 on the shaft 10. The putting grip 11 is a typical grip used on golf clubs, and its surface is grooved to provide a comfortable grip which provides maximum control while putting. The putting grip 11 is large enough to accommodate the placement of two hands along its surface. However, the design of the invention does not require the user to hold the putting grip 11 with two hands when swinging. Users can use a combination of the putting grip 11 and the perpendicularly oriented grip handle 30 to find the most stress free grip and swinging motion. The positioning of the putting grip 11 also allows for seamless transitions from the inventions use as a crutch to a golf club and vice versa. The proximity of the grip handle 30 and putting grip 11 provides optimum efficiency by allowing the user to quickly slide their hand between the grips.

In reference to FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 5, the putter 40 is attached to the bottom of the steel shaft 10. The putter comprises of a club head 41 and a hosel 42. The shape and face of the club head 41 is consistent with conventional putters. The hosel 42 is a thin cylinder, and is attached to the top surface of the club head 41 and is partially off center. The hosel 42 acts as an extension of the shaft 10 and attaches the shaft 10 to the top surface of the club head 41 at an angle. The angle created by the intersection of the hosel 42 and club head 41 is known as the angle of connection 43. The forearm crutch putter is designed such that the there is a reduced angle of the connection 43 between the hosel 42 and club head 41 compared to conventional putters. The resulting angle of connection 43 makes the shaft 10 more perpendicular with the ground when putting, compared to conventional putters which have a pronounced angle back to the user.

The pronounced angle of connection between the shaft and club head of a conventional putter forces the user to hit the ball by standing to the side of the ball and bending their back over the ball. The angle dictates how far away the user must stand, as a result the reduced angle of connection 43 allows the user to stand closer to the ball giving the club a more upright feel. The ability to stand closer to the ball minimizes the amount the user must bend their back when lining up and hitting a putt. As the invention is targeted towards senior golfers, many of whom suffer from some form of back pain, the reduced angle of connection 43 greatly reduces the amount of stress experienced by the user when putting. The reduced angle of connection 43 also allows the user to swing the invention like a pendulum, further reducing the strain on the users back. This design provides an improved and effective method for elderly golfers to swing the forearm crutch putter in a way that reduces stress but still maintains high performance. The reduced angle of connection 43 also helps remove the possibility of interference that the forearm rest 20 might have on the user while putting. This allows the invention to fully function as both a crutch and a golf club without the two systems hindering each other's performance.

The reduced angle of connection 43 is also crucial to the functioning of the forearm crutch putter as a crutch. The reduced angle of connection 43 allows the user to put their weight on the invention with confidence, transferring their weight directly to the ground. If the angle of connection 43 was not reduced, the user would be transferring their weight to the ground at a pronounced angle, this would increase the likelihood of the shaft 10 slipping out from underneath the user.

Just above the putter on the shaft 10 is the shock absorber 12. The shock absorber 12 is a thin band which is wrapped around the steel shaft 10. By encompassing the entire circumference of the shaft 10, the shock absorber 12 is positioned so that it is able to reduce the vibrations generated from hitting the golf ball by dissipating energy, adding to the comfort provided by the invention. The shock absorber 12 is also able to reduce the impact felt by the user at the forearm rest 20 and grip handle 30 when using the invention as a crutch. Currently, the shock absorber 12 is manufactured from silicon, a light yet durable material. The shock absorber 12 has no notable impact on the weight of the club or in the balancing of the club head 30, leaving the swinging motion of the club and portability unaffected. Alternative materials could be used but they must be both light weight and effective at dissipating energy generated from impact.

Overall, despite the addition of various new components to a conventional putter, the invention still maintains a compact size, suitable to carry and transport in a standard golf bag. Its design caters to seniors by being lightweight and reducing the stresses experienced while putting and being on the golf course. While the invention has been described in its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that a variety of possible modifications can be made to fulfill the purposes of the invention. It is intended that the present invention cover all other embodiments that are within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A forearm crutch putter comprises,

a forearm rest;

a grip handle;

a putter;

a shaft;

a reduced angle of connection;

the reduced angle of connection being formed by the shaft and the putter; and

the forearm rest, the grip handle, and the putter being mounted to the shaft.

2. The forearm crutch putter as claimed in claim 1 comprises,

the forearm rest comprises of a cuff, a plurality of fasteners, and a plurality of support pieces;

the forearm rest being positioned above the grip handle on the shaft; and

the cuff being cylindrically shaped and hollow.

3. The forearm crutch putter as claimed in claim 1 comprises,

the shaft comprises of a shock absorber, a putting grip, and a plurality of holes;

the shaft being cylindrically shaped;

the plurality of holes being located on the shaft near the forearm rest; and

the shaft being encompassed by the putting grip and the shock absorber.

4. The forearm crutch putter as claimed in claim 1 comprises,

the putter comprises of a club head and a hosel;

the hosel being cylindrically shaped and extending from the shaft;

the hosel being attached slightly angled on top of the club head;

the club head being below the shaft; and

the club head and the shaft being connected by the hosel.

5. The forearm crutch putter as claimed in claim 2 comprises,

the cuff being attached to the shaft with the plurality of support pieces; and

the plurality of fasteners being thread through the support pieces and the plurality of holes.

6. The forearm crutch putter as claimed in claim 3 comprises,

the grip handle being attached perpendicularly to the shaft; and

the grip handle being attached to the shaft just above the putting grip and below the forearm rest.

7. The forearm crutch putter as claimed in claim 3 comprises,

the shock absorber being a thin band; and

the shock absorber being attached above the putter on the shaft.