AU2021107120A4

AU2021107120A4 - Weighted training ball

Info

Publication number: AU2021107120A4
Application number: AU2021107120A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Brett Arnold
Original assignee: Arnolds Innovations Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Arnolds Innovations Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2021-08-25
Filing date: 2021-08-25
Publication date: 2021-12-02
Anticipated expiration: 2029-08-25

Abstract

A ball is provided comprising an internal threaded aperture. A grub screw is provided in the internal threaded aperture. The grub screw is movable along the length of the internal threaded aperture to change the centre of gravity of the ball. 10 1/3 10 A 00002 16 A FIGUREI1A 10 12. 0 12 A 6 - - - - - - - - ( - --- A' 14 FIGURE 1B 18' 2 24 18 18 FIGURE 1C 18

Description

1/3 10 A

00002

16 A 12. 0 12 FIGUREI1A 10

A 6- - - - - - - - ( - - A'

14

FIGURE 1B

18' 2

24 18 18 FIGURE 1C 18

Weighted Training Ball

Technical field

The present invention relates to sports balls. In particular, sports balls modified to improve a simulated training experience. In an embodiment, the sports ball is a golf ball. Embodiments of the invention may find particularly application in the area of golf putting training.

Background

In the sports game golf, players use various clubs to strike a ball (or balls) into a series of holes in as few strokes as possible. When the golf ball is brought close to the hole, the player typically uses a putter to put the golf ball into the hole. Once the ball is in the hole, the player moves to the next part of the course. Putting is generally gentle and is intended to get the ball on the green into the hole using skill and dexterity. The player can become skilled at estimating the amount of force that is required and, over time, the player can become expert at determining where on the ball to hit, to get the ball into the hole with one strike.

The green of the golf course is covered in grass and may include natural undulations and slopes. The player can be adept at analysing how much force to apply to the ball to cause the ball to roll uphill or around a gently sloping feature in order to get into the hole. The more the player practices, the more the player's body and brain is able to intuitively work with the ball and the surrounding landscape to achieve the desired outcome. The player can practice on the green, but other locations for practice might also be desirable due to time and or weather constraints.

It is not uncommon for players to practice putting in their own homes or in the office. Putting training aids are of assistance but have a focus on perfectly flat terrain. Practising putting on flat artificial surfaces can only teach the player how to put on flat ground. If the player wants to improve their overall game, they need to work with deviations from flat ground where the ball does not always behave as one might expect following a hit. It may be possible to create sloping terrain in a person's backyard or office or garage, but it is not very practical, and those practical limits are tested when trying to create different slopes over a session or even over a week or a month.

The present invention seeks to provide a means for assisting training a player of a sports game that uses small balls such as golf. Embodiments of the present invention may provide a useful alternative to other means for training that are presently available.

Summary of invention

In a first aspect there is provided a ball comprising an internal threaded aperture, wherein a grub screw is provided in the internal threaded aperture, the grub screw movable along the length of the internal threaded aperture to change the centre of gravity of the ball.

The grub screw in the ball can be movable to change the centre of gravity of the ball. Once the ball has a biased weight in one part of it, the ball does not behave as it normally would on a flat surface. Instead, upon hitting the ball, the ball will roll to one side or the other as if it were on a slope. When the player practices putting with the present biased ball, the feedback that they get from the ball allows them to determine how to change their striking pressure on the ball to manipulate it. Furthermore, when the player hits the biased ball at various locations on its surface, the ball will move in unpredictable ways due to the changed centre of gravity. Over time, the player is able to learn how the ball moves. As the player learns how to work with unpredictable balls, the skill and dexterity of the player when playing on sloping ground can be improved. The player can use the biased ball to increase their putting expertise.

Advantageously, embodiments of the technology provide a golf ball which can respond on flat ground such as a flat putting practice mat as if it were on a slope. Providing an internal bias mass affects the centre of mass of the golf ball so that the ball curves or swings or breaks. That is, it travels in an arc to simulate sloping putting green.

The ball can have a body with an outer skin and inside surface. The ball can have a diameter in the range of from about 40 mm to about 50 mm. The ball can have a mass in the range of from about 40 grams to about 50 grams. The ball can be a golf ball. A golf ball has mass of no more than 42 .93 grams, and a diameter not less than 42.67mm.

While golf balls are exemplified herein, it should be understood that any ball can be modified as described. The ball could be a billiard ball or a snooker ball used on a billiard table or a snooker table respectively. While such balls (billiard/snooker) are not typically used on sloped surfaces, it might be a novelty to have such a ball behave in an unexpected way. Having a ball behave in an unexpected way could provide fun and amusement, or it might provide for additional skill training to a very experience player looking for new and interesting ways to develop their skill sets.

The ball has an inherent centre point in the ball body which is equidistant from all points on the outer skin. In an embodiment, the internal threaded aperture extends along the entire length of the inside surface of the ball body. The threaded aperture can extend through the longest pathway in the ball body, passing through the centre point in the ball. Alternatively, the internal threaded aperture can extend only part way into the ball. The internal threaded aperture can extend in a direction towards the centre point of the ball.

The threads of the internal aperture are configured for mating with a screw. The screw can be a grub screw that resides completely inside the aperture. A grub screw is advantageous because it does not have a head part that would extend outside the ball pas the outer skin. If there was a head of a screw on the outside of the ball in use, this would affect the balls' ability to roll on a flat surface. The grub screw can be moved into and out of the internal threaded aperture using a tool. Typically, the grub screw has an end with an aperture into which the tool can be fitted to turn it. The tool can be a screwdriver or a hex or allen key. The player can insert the grub screw using the tool and then screw it into position along the aperture.

The grub screw is fully threaded and can be driven into the existing internal threaded aperture. The threads of the grub screw mate with the threads of the internal threaded aperture. The grub screw has an elongate body with two ends. The grub screw does not have a protruding head at either of its ends and instead is threaded along the entire length of its elongate body. The grub screw can be the same diameter all the way along its length, so that it sits flush in the ball. In an embodiment, the grub screw can have a diameter in the range of from about 4 to about 10 mm.

In an embodiment, the ball is provided with a single grub screw which can be moved along the threaded aperture to change the bias of the ball. Optionally, there can be markings on the tool used to adjust the grub screw, so the player knows how far in the ball the grub screw is located. These markings can be correlated to the type of slope that the ball will simulate. Alternatively, and in a slightly simpler embodiment, various lengths of grub screws can be provided e.g. A, B, C. When in use, a selected length grub screw (e.g. A) can be located in the internal threaded aperture so that one flat end is flush with the outer skin of the ball. When that type of simulated ball has been used and an alternative is required, the grub screw can be removed using the tool, and a further grub screw can be installed e.g. B. By aligning the flat end of the grub screw with the outer skin of the ball, the player does not need to estimate the distance by which the grub screw has been inserted. The player can be certain that the simulation provide by the ball will be different with each of grub screws A, B and C, since each will penetrate into the ball by a different length.

In an embodiment, the lengths e.g. A, B, C of the grub screws are A in the range of from about 5 to 10 mm. B in the range of from about 11 to about 16 mm; and C in the range of from about 17 to about 22 mm. The length of the internal threaded aperture can be modified so as to be able to accommodate the largest grub screw provided.

In an embodiment in which there is an aperture throughout the whole of the ball body there can be a grub screw locatable in each end of the aperture to provide for variation of the change in centre of gravity. Further optionally, there could be more than one aperture in the ball, each associable with a grub screw as desired. The number of apertures and locations of grub screws can be varied to provide a large number of variations and possibilities for the types of change in ball bias.

In a further aspect there is provided a system for changing the centre of gravity of a ball, the system comprising: a ball having a body and an outer skin, the ball having an internal threaded aperture in the body; a plurality of grub screws each having an elongate body with a first end and a second end, each grub screw having threads around the outside surface of the elongate body mateable with the threads of the internal threaded aperture of the ball to hold the grub screw in place in the body of the ball in use, wherein the plurality of grub screws are of different lengths; wherein in order to change the centre of gravity of the ball, a grub screw is selected and inserted by its first end into the internal threaded aperture of the ball, the grub screw is screwed into the body of the ball until the second end of the grub screw is flush with the outer skin of the ball.

In yet a further aspect there is provided a kit of parts comprising: (a) a ball having a body and an outer skin, the ball having an internal threaded aperture in the body; (b) a plurality of grub screws of different lengths, each grub screw having an elongate body with a first end and a second end, each grub screw having threads around the outside surface of the elongate body; (c) a tool for engaging with the first and or second ends of the grub screw to screw the grub screw into the internal threaded aperture of the ball; (d) instructions for use.

The kit could be a golf putting training kit. The kit could include a case for housing the golf ball and the plurality of grub screws and the tool.

The description according to the first aspect applies equally to any other aspects unless the context makes clear otherwise.

In operation a user (most likely a player) takes the ball and inserts the grub screw (or takes a ball which already has the grub screw inserted). Optionally, the player consults the instructions and determines which grub screw to insert and to which distance to simulate the slope they wish to practice. For example, the instructions might state in order to simulate a 5 degree slope, insert a 7 mm grub screw to a depth of 5mm (the depth can be measurable using the tool). Alternatively, the instructions may indicate to insert a 12 mm grub screw until the flat end is flush with the outer skin of the ball. In embodiments, the grub screws can be colour coded for ease of reference with the instructions. A 7mm grub screw can be yellow, a 12 mm grub screw can be blue and so on. Once the grub screw is inserted, the player can putts the ball along a flat mat or green at a selected angle away from the hole so that the bias will curve the ball back toward the hole and...in!

Brief Description of the Figures

Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings which are not drawn to scale and which are exemplary only and in which:

Figure 1A is a perspective view of a ball according to an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 1B is a cross-section along line A-A' of the ball of Figure 1A.

Figure 1C shows grub screws for use in the ball of Figure 1A or Figure 1B.

Figure 2A and 2B are cross-sections of balls according to embodiments in which the internal threaded aperture extends through the whole ball (A) or into a part of the ball (B).

Figure 3A, 3B and 3C show cross-sections of three different sized grub screws in an exemplary ball according to an embodiment.

Detailed Description of Embodiments of the Invention

As can be seen in Figure 1A, there is a ball 10 comprising in internal threaded aperture 12. The internal threaded aperture 12 can extend throughout the entire ball 10 as shown in the cross-section of Figure1BandFigure 2A. Alternatively, the internal threaded aperture 12 can extend only partway into the ball 10 as shown in Figure 2B. If the ball has a diameter of 44 mm the internal aperture can extend about 22 mm into the ball. The ball 10 can have a body 14 with an outer skin 16.

As shown in Figure 1C, a plurality of grub screws 18 can be locatable in the internal threaded aperture 12. Once inserted, the grub screw 18 can be movable along the length of the internal threaded aperture 12 to change the centre of gravity of the ball.

In the embodiment of Figure 2A, the internal threaded aperture 12 extends along the entire length of the inside surface of the ball body 14. The threaded aperture 12 can extend through the longest pathway in the ball body 14, passing through the centre point 20 in the ball. Alternatively, the internal threaded aperture 12 can extend only part way into the ball 10 (not shown) e.g. the passageway can be remote from the centre point. The internal threaded aperture 12 can extend in a direction towards the centre point 20 of the ball as shown in Figure 2B. In some embodiments the passageway can extend into the ball in a direction away from the centre point 20, however this may not be preferred if there is too much disruption in rolling and erratic nature of the resultant ball.

The threads 12' of the internal aperture 12 are configured for mating with a screw 18. Once in place, the grub screw 18 resides completely inside the aperture 12. A grub screw 18 is advantageous because it does not have a head part that would extend outside the ball 10 past the outer skin 16. The grub screw 18 can be moved into and out of the internal threaded aperture using a tool 21. Typically, the grub screw 18 has an end 22 with an aperture 24 into which the tool 20 can be fitted to turn it. The tool 21 can be a screwdriver or a hex or allen key. The player or another person assisting them can insert the grub screw 18 using the tool 21 and then screw the grub screw 18 into position along the aperture 12 by turning the tool thereby moving the grub screw along the passageway by means of the engaged screw threads 12', 18'.

In an embodiment, the ball 10 is provided with a single grub screw 18 which can be moved along the threaded aperture 12 to change the bias of the ball 10. Optionally, as shown in Figure 2A there can be markings 23 on the tool 21 used to adjust the grub screw 18, so the player knows how far in the ball 10 the grub screw 18 is located. These markings can be correlated to the type of slope that the ball will simulate.

As shown in Figure 3, various lengths of grub screws can be provided e.g. A (6mm), B (11mm), C (18mm). When in use, a selected length grub screw (e.g. 6mm) can be located in the internal threaded aperture 12 so that the end 22 is flush with the outer skin 16 of the ball 10. With the grub screw in place the ball becomes a simulated ball 10'. When that simulated ball 10' has been used and an alternative is required, the grub screw 18 can be removed using the tool 21, and a further grub screw 18 can be installed e.g.11mm.

In operation a user (most likely a player) takes the ball 10 and inserts the grub screw 18 (or takes a ball which already has the grub screw 18 inserted). Optionally, the player consults instructions and determines which grub screw 18 to insert and to which distance to simulate the slope they wish to practice. For example, the instructions might state in order to simulate a 5 degree slope, insert a 7 mm grub screw to a depth of 5mm (the depth can be measurable using the tool 21). Once the grub screw 18 is inserted, the player can putts the simulated ball 10' along a flat mat or green.

It is to be understood that, if any prior art publication is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the publication forms a part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or any other country.

In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" is used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.

Any promises made in the present description should be understood to relate to some embodiments of the invention and are not intended to be promises made about the invention as a whole. Where there are promises that are deemed to apply to all embodiments of the invention, the applicant/patentee reserves the right to later delete them from the description and does not rely on these promises for the acceptance or subsequent grant of a patent in any country.

Claims

1. A ball comprising an internal threaded aperture, wherein a grub screw is provided in the internal threaded aperture, the grub screw movable along the length of the internal threaded aperture to change the centre of gravity of the ball.

2. A system for changing the centre of gravity of a ball, the system comprising: a ball having a body and an outer skin, the ball having an internal threaded aperture in the body; a plurality of grub screws each having an elongate body with a first end and a second end, each grub screw having threads around the outside surface of the elongate body matable with the threads of the internal threaded aperture of the ball to hold the grub screw in place in the body of the ball in use, wherein the plurality of grub screws are of different lengths; wherein in order to change the centre of gravity of the ball, a grub screw is selected and inserted by its first end into the internal threaded aperture of the ball, the grub screw is screwed into the body of the ball until the second end of the grub screw is flush with the outer skin of the ball.

3. The ball or system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the internal threaded aperture extends across the entire length of the ball.

4. A kit of parts comprising (a) a ball having a body and an outer skin, the ball having an internal threaded aperture in the body, (b) a plurality of grub screws of different lengths, each grub screw having an elongate body with a first end and a second end, each grub screw having threads around the outside surface of the elongate body; (c) a tool for engaging with the first and or second end of the grub screw to screw the grub screw into the internal threaded aperture of the ball; (d) instructions for use.

5. A ball, system or kit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the ball is a golf training ball.