Force Or Direction Indicator Associated With Projectile Moving Around A Horizontal Axis Patents (Class 473/145)
  • Patent number: 8210958
    Abstract: A golf practice and exercise device has an elevated arm from which an impact object is suspended for swinging movement. The object is positioned with a clubhead impact target in position for striking by the clubhead of a golf club swung by a golfer. The resistance to the impact of the golf club is adjustable. A sensor detects the magnitude and velocity of the striking force, and a display displays an indication as to how far a golf ball would have gone after being struck with a force and velocity of the detected magnitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Inventor: Christopher K. Prater
  • Publication number: 20110306433
    Abstract: A golf swing practice apparatus is provided including a rotating drum, a plurality of laser generating means mounted on the rotating drum, an elongated cord including a proximal end secured to the rotating drum and a distal end secured to a golf ball whereby the golf ball is tethered to the rotating drum, a base member having an impact area over which a user may swing a golf club, and a frame structure secured to the base member and to the rotating drum whereby the frame structure holds the rotating drum in an elevated position above the base member. The rotating drum rotates with the golf ball when the golf ball is struck by the user. At least one of the plurality of laser generating means generates a laser beam which propagates substantially along the path of the golf ball. Additionally, at least one of the plurality of laser generating means generates a laser beam which propagates parallel to a theoretical path of a fairway.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2010
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Inventor: David E. Brantingham
  • Patent number: 7214136
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for practicing a golf swing. The apparatus includes a rotationally mounted golf ball, the movement of which is slowed by movement of a piston against a spring and through a liquid. A valve mechanism incorporated in the apparatus facilitates movement of the piston in one direction and retards movement of the piston in an opposite direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Inventors: Jasper Perry, Timothy M. Crawley
  • Patent number: 7104900
    Abstract: A golf mat similar to the type used at a driving range, including a hole for inserting a golf tee, with the addition of a pressure sensor (transducer) embedded in one corner of the mat, sandwiched between a top artificial grass and a bottom rubber backing of the mat, for use in activating an alarm when the golf club head strikes the area just behind the ball, above the pressure sensor, before striking the ball. When the golf club strikes the area above the sensor, an electrical signal is sent to the input of a timer circuit, which then provides a signal of a few seconds in time to the input of a visible alarm. Lines are included on the top surface of the mat to mark off the boundaries directly above the pressure sensor so a golfer will not step in this area and set off a false alarm. In use, when the golfer makes a good swing with the club head striking the ball solidly, without hitting the ground first, then the alarm will not flash a light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Inventor: Marc Finley
  • Publication number: 20040192455
    Abstract: The ball detection apparatus is for detecting when a golf ball is hit off a golf tee of an automatic golf ball teeing machine. The detection apparatus comprises a radar device for producing a first signal in response to detecting movement of a golf club towards the tee, a directional microphone for producing a second signal in response to detecting the sound of a golf club striking a golf ball and monitoring means for detecting a coincidence between the first and second signals. An automatic golf ball teeing machine including such ball detection apparatus is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2004
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Inventor: Martin Wyeth
  • Publication number: 20040072624
    Abstract: A mobile device for practising golf ball strokes resting on a base (1), onto which a cabinet (3) is attached by means of a mounting (2), the said cabinet (3) housing a reel (4) provided with brake (5), cord (6) and switch lever (7) connected with a control and guiding rod (8), the said reel (4) being equipped with a motor (9) connected to the control unit (10) incorporating a source (11) and a display (12), with the cord (6) passing at the exit from the (3) through a sensing (13) connected with the control unit (10), with the ball (14) being attached in a rotary manner at the end of the cord (6).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2003
    Publication date: April 15, 2004
    Inventor: Zdenek Pribyl
  • Patent number: 6656063
    Abstract: Practice ball hitting device with a hollow housing made of molded rigid plastic material having a parallel pair of spaced apart triangular side planes joined at their perimeter by a flat plane that forms a bottom and inwardly angled sides, the flat sides having a removed U shaped section at the apex portion of the triangular planes, an S shaped low mass arm having an integral, horizontally disposed shaft, the shaft being slip fit into sockets on the inside face of said U shaped cut out section, said S shaped arm terminating at each end in a ball shape, and said lower section of said housing capable of retaining water which acts as a stabilizing element. An optical encoder on the end of the shaft interacts with a photo diode to measure number of rotations of the shaft. A microprocessor translates the number of rotations into distance the ball is hit. A numeric display or an audible sound tells the distance the ball has been hit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Inventor: Robert Prichard
  • Patent number: 6579191
    Abstract: The present invention entails a laser guided golf putting system. A laser is mounted into a golf ball mechanism. The golf ball mechanism is comprised of a golf ball mounted on a shaft and supported by a support ball. When a golfer strikes the golf ball, the ball, securely connected to the shaft, falls forward. When the ball falls forward, the laser mounted in the golf ball mechanism shines forward and indicates on a target where the golf ball is projected to go. The laser is activated when the golf ball mechanism is in the fallen position, and deactivated when the golf ball mechanism is upright and ready for a golfer to strike.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Inventor: Todd E. Hambly
  • Patent number: 6551194
    Abstract: Golf practice apparatus, comprising two sphere segments of a simulated golf ball mounted on opposing sides of a pivotal structure, strain gauges mounted on the structure to measure strains caused by a strike force to the simulated ball, an electronics unit for digitally encoding voltages resulting from the strains, and software for determining a three-dimension strike force, torque content thereof, and strike force duration. Strain gauges mounted on the structure between the ball segments determine one component of the strike force and torque about both horizontal and vertical axes. Strain gauges mounted on a support column of the pivotal structure determine the remaining strike force components. Additional software is disclosed for deriving an initial three-dimension velocity vector and spin rates about both horizontal and vertical axes of a free ball similarly struck whereby a three-dimension trajectory of a free golf ball may be computed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Inventor: Earl Leon Hammerquist
  • Publication number: 20010009870
    Abstract: Golf practice apparatus, comprising two sphere segments of a simulated golf ball mounted on opposing sides of a pivotal structure, strain gauges mounted on the structure to measure strains caused by a strike force to the simulated ball, means to digitally encode voltages resulting from the strains, and software for determining a three-dimension strike force, torque content thereof, and strike force duration. Strain gauges mounted on the structure between the ball segments determine one component of the strike force and torque about both horizontal and vertical axes. Strain gauges mounted on a support column of the pivotal structure determine the remaining strike force components. Additional software is disclosed for deriving an initial three-dimension velocity vector and spin rates about both horizontal and vertical axes of a free ball similarly struck whereby a three-dimension trajectory of a free golf ball may be computed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2001
    Publication date: July 26, 2001
    Inventor: Earl Leon Hammerquist
  • Patent number: 6196932
    Abstract: An instrumented sports apparatus includes a closely spaced array of discrete sensor elements coupled to a contact surface thereof for converting a contact force between the contact surface and an object into a plurality of discrete output signals. The signals are processed and information based thereon generated, which is representative of one or more parameters of interest. In an exemplary embodiment, as instrumented golf club displays information such as club head speed, club head angle, and club head elevation upon impact with a golf ball, permitting the golfer to adjust his swing on the next stroke. Since the instrumentation and display are entirely self-contained in the club, a golfer is not constrained in the use of the club and may enjoy the benefits thereof during play on a golf course.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Inventors: Donald James Marsh, Andrew John Marsh
  • Patent number: 6146283
    Abstract: A golf training device is provided to assist a golfer in practicing their respective putting stroke by accurately indicating the distance a practice putt would have traveled upon a simulated green having a selected stimp value. The golf training device includes a putting target, a sensor for measuring the putting force applied to the putting target, a variable stimp selector enabling the golfer to select a specific stimp value representative of a putting green having the correlating stimp value, a microprocessor which calculates an respective putting distance based on the putting force and selected stimp value; and a display for displaying the respective putting distance to the golfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Inventor: Joseph M. Ferguson, III
  • Patent number: 6129637
    Abstract: A golf practice device comprised of a base having on the top surface a section of artificial turf and a positioning support. A rod is pivot mounted to the front end of the positioning support and the leading end of the rod is pivot mounted to a ball to form the directional control mount. The rod of the directional control mount is inserted such that the ball enters a threaded section, at the bottom end of which is the connection rod of a swivel mount having an internal spherical-shaped space, and until the threaded section is situated laterally against the ball of the direction control mount. This enables assembly to the swivel mount so that the ball of the direction control mount is contained in the swivel fitting of the swivel assembly. The swivel mount and the connection rod at the top and bottom ends of the swivel assembly are structurally coordinated with a golf ball at the bottom end of another rod forming the golf ball assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2000
    Inventors: Chih-Chiang Wang, Chih-Neng Wang
  • Patent number: 5989129
    Abstract: A golf practice aid is provided including a base and a ball swinging mechanism including an arm having a first end rotatable with respect to the base about a vertical axis. The ball swinging mechanism further includes a tether cord having a top end coupled to a second end of the arm and upper and lower compartments, including a central gear and a pinion gear mounted on an elastomeric friction element located in the upper compartment. A bottom end of the tether cord is equipped with a golf ball fixed thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Inventor: William T. O'Neill
  • Patent number: 5885164
    Abstract: This invention relates to a golf practice aid which allows the golfer to estimate the distance and direction of a struck ball, while using a limited space, not compromising the feel and rotation of the ball and allowing for the golf ball to come to rest near its original striking position. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, a mass freely rests upon a flat surface. A horizontal bar is inserted and secured through a hole through the mass, extending equidistantly from the center of gravity of the mass. A cord is secured to spaced-apart points on the bar, preferably at opposite ends of the bar. A golf ball is secured to the cord, by virtue of the cord passing through a hole through the center of the golf ball, with keepers to prevent the golf ball from sliding any significant distance along the cord. The hole through the golf ball preferably is large enough to allow the ball to spin on its axis around the cord when struck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1999
    Inventor: W. George Wheatley
  • Patent number: 5833555
    Abstract: A ball practice device including a base secured with a plurality of cushioning pads on the base, a telescopic post erected on the base having an elbow tube telescopically held on the post, and a practice ball and a counterweight ball having a weight slightly heavier than that of the practice ball with the two balls generally symmetrically disposed on opposite ends of a T-shaped connector which is rotatably engageable with a horizontal tube portion of the elbow tube, with the practice ball and the counterweight ball linearly aligned to be perpendicular to the horizontal tube portion of the elbow tube, whereby upon hitting of the practice ball, the practice ball and the counter weight ball will be rotated about the horizontal tube portion, and when stopped, the practice ball will be automatically restored upwardly ready for next hitting while the counterweight ball is gravitationally pendent downwardy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1998
    Inventor: Liaw Jer-Min
  • Patent number: 5827125
    Abstract: A golf putting practice device comprising a stroke panel and a stance panel, said stance panel adjustably connected to said stroke panel so that said panels are spaced apart in a predetermined relationship, a ball-bell resiliently mounted on the stroke panel and an aperture provided in said stroke panel, in front of said ball-bell, whereby when the ball-bell is struck by a putting stroke it is pushed into the aperture thereby not interfering with the follow-through of the putting stroke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1998
    Inventor: Do W. Lee
  • Patent number: 5762562
    Abstract: A golf practice device has an angled, curved or straight frame made of tubular steel on which two anchor points are formed between which a rope is tensioned. A golf-ball-like body is tracked along the rope by means of a flexible connector. A strike plate is located on the rope in the vicinity of an upper anchor point. The frame and the rope form a closed tensioning system which generates vibrations in the rope when the body hits the strike plate, where the magnitude and direction of the amplitudes of said vibrations are a function of the point of contact between the body and the strike plate. The vibrations of the rope affect the type of movement of the struck body during its return to the first anchor point such that the user can draw conclusions about the nature of his golf swing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1998
    Assignees: Dietor Hoch, Josef Kopf, Bernhard Kopf, Till Tiedge
    Inventor: Till Tiedge
  • Patent number: 5746667
    Abstract: A golf tee comprising a vertical member adapted to be struck into the ground, a transverse member pivotally engaged with the end of the vertical member and adapted to be adjustably moved angularly with respect to the vertical member and to retain its angular position therewith after such movement, and a string engaged at one end with the transverse member and engaged at the other end with a suction cup for engaging and supporting a golf ball above the ground. The transverse member may be pivotally moved to suspend the golf ball at the desired distance above the ground. When the golf ball is then struck with the head of a golf club, it encounters less impedance to true straight flight than a golf ball struck from a conventional tee. Longer driving distances can be achieved than when driving from a conventional tee. Moreover, there is less danger that the golf club will dig up a large divot of top soil than when the golf ball is struck from a conventional tee.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1998
    Inventors: Paul M. Fraser, Stanley Dwayne Proctor
  • Patent number: 5577964
    Abstract: A golf ball tee device includes a base unit, an inverted L-shaped support rod having a vertical lower end portion fixed on the base unit and a horizontal upper end portion, and a rotatable device mounted on the upper end portion of the support rod. The rotatable device includes a ball body secured on the upper end portion of the support rod, a casing which encloses rotatably the ball body, and a ball unit which includes a golf ball and a connecting rod that interconnects securely the ball body and the golf ball in such a manner that the golf ball is located at a level above the base unit in a spaced-apart relationship. When the golf ball is struck, the casing and the ball unit rotate about the ball body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1996
    Inventor: Ping Chen