GB2200234A

GB2200234A - Whistle for sports implements

Info

Publication number: GB2200234A
Application number: GB08728845A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Roland Becker
Original assignee: LEISURE IDEAS FOR EVERYONE
Current assignee: LEISURE IDEAS FOR EVERYONE
Priority date: 1986-12-10
Filing date: 1987-12-10
Publication date: 1988-07-27
Also published as: DE3741927A1; GB8728845D0

Description

1 1 WHISTLE FOR SPORTS IMPLEMENTS 2','/'-00234

This invention relates to a whistle for sports implements and more particularly to a whistle for those sport implements which in use are swung through the air to strike a ball or the like. The invention will be described with specific reference to racquets and golf clubs but it will be appreciated that there are many sports implements with which the invention can be used and such description is thus not intended to limit the.ambit of the invention to a whistle for use with those implements.

An important aspect of hitting a ball in a controlled manner with most sports implements is to have the implement correctly orientated and travelling at optimum speed at the point of impact with the ball. These aspects of a stroke are however difficult to control due to the fast speed at which impact generally takes place. Sports players generally spend long hours in practice repeatedly striking balls to improve the repeatability of their strokes and thereby their competitive game.

The difficulty in adjusting a stroke to achieve optimum results arises because the ball is in contact with the striking face of the implement for such a short time. A player is thus not easily able to receive timely feedback of his stroke and adjust it accordingly.

With many sports it is also desirable to angle the striking face of the implement relative to the direction of movement thereof to thereby impart a spin to a ball struck by the implement. Examples of this are to impart a top-spin to a tennis ball, or a fade or draw on a golf ball. Thus, not only must the. sports implement be travelling at the correct speed at impact but the angular orientation of the implement must be correct in order to achieve a preferred shot. In golf, for example, an angular variation of one or two degrees of the club face at the point of impact can result in a thirty or forty meter variation in the golf ball's terminal position. Control of the angle of the club face at impact with a ball is hus vitally important in order to maintain a repeatable, good golf shot.

It has been suggested that building a whistle into a 2 practice implement will enable a player to practice his stroke. and thereby set up a whistling sound in the implement when a stroke is correctly executed. This whistling sound will enable a player to achieve some form of muscular/audible coordination during practice. U.S. Patent Nos 4,635,935 and 4,283,057 disclose such practice implements. However, most players wish to practice their game with the racquets or clubs they will be using in actual games. Sports implements are also expensive and thus many players will resist purchasing special practice implements which they will not be allowed or able to use in actual games or competitions.

Prior art whistles have also not been particularly suitable for angular adjustment. Although U.S. Patent No. 4,635,935 discloses whistle which is angularly adjustable, the ball and socket nature of the whistle disclosed makes fine angular adjustment very difficult. Clearly, where angular variations of one or two degrees are significant the angular variation system proposed in unsatisfactory.

It is an object of this invention to provide a whistle for sports implements which does not suffer, at least to the same extent, from the aforementioned disadvantages.

According to the invention there is provided a whistle for affixing to sports implements of the type which in use are through air to strike a ball, the whistle comprising:

a body having a passage therethrough and an inlet to and an outlet from said passage, a formation in said passage for creating a whistling sound as a result of air f low between said inlet and said outlet, and retaining means on said body being cooperable with said sports implement so as to releasably connect said body to said sports implement in an orientation with said inlet at least to some extent transverse to the direction movement said sports implement will take when swung in a stroke playing arc in use.

The whistle is preferably symmetrical about a plane which is transverse to the passage, and the whistling sound will 'preferably occur in the event of the passage of air through the passage in either direction.

that Patent is quite 3 i 1 -1 The essential features of the invention, and further optional features, are described in detail in the following passages of the specification which refer to the accompanying drawings. The drawings however, are merely illustrative of how the invention might be put into effect, so that the specific form and arrangement of the features (whether they be essential or optional features) shown is not to be understood as limiting on the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a cross-secitonal side view of a whistle according to the invention, Figure 2 shows a plan view of the whistle of Figure 1 fixed in position on the strings of a racquet, Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional side view of a second embodiment of whistle according to the invention, Figure 4 shows a plan view of the whistle of Figure 3 fixed in position on the strings of a racquet, Figure 5 shows a plan view of a tennis racquet with a whistle secured to the strings thereof, Figure 6 shows a plan view of a part of a racquet having a third embodiment of whistle affixed thereto, Figure 7 shows a cross-sectional view along line A - A of Figure 6, Figure 8 shows a side view of a whistle affixed in position on a golf club, and Figure 9 shows a view of a bracket for fitting a whistle to the shaft of a golf club.

In the embodiment of whistle shown in Figure 1- and 2 of the drawings a whistle 1 is shown comprising a body 2 of substantially circular plan form having an air flow passage 3 therethrough. The passage 3 is shaped such that 'air flowing through the passage 3 at a predetermined flow velocity will cause a whistling sound to be set up by the whistle 1. Various different forms of passage 3 are possible which will have this effect, but in one preferred form, as -shown in Figure 1, the passage 3 has an inlet funnel 4 which leads through an inlet throat 5, a sound chamber 6, and an outlet throat 7 to an outlet funnel 8. The inlet funnel 4 and outlet funnel 8 are symmetrical so that, where the air flow direction is reversed, the outlet funnel 8 will serve as an inlet, and 1 1 4 the inlet funnel 4 will serve as an outlet. This feature is important as will become apparent here below.

The whistle preferably has formations 9 by means of which it can be affixed to a sports implement. The formation 9 may be shaped differently where the whistle 1 is to be affixed to different types of sports implements. In the embodiment of whistle shown in Figures 1 and 2 the formations 9 comprise an annular groove 10 which extends around the periphery of the whistle and has an axis 11 which is perpendicular to the plane of symmentry 12 of the whistle and substantially coincident with the passage 3. The groove 10 may be dimensioned to receive the strings 13 of a racquet. As is clearly shown in Figure 2, the whistle is adapted to be fitted into the square opening defined between strings 13 of a strung racquet. The whistle will clip into this square opening and will be retained in position by the strings 13 during play. Other formations by means of which the whistle 1can be secured in position are possible. Such alternative arrangements may include fingers, brackets or the like which may be integral with or separate from the whistle. It is preferable that the securing formation does not damage the sports implement in any way at the point of attachment to the sports implement in order that whistles may be temporarily secured to implements for the purpose of practice, and thereafter removed for competitive play.

As previously mentioned, it is preferred that the whistle 1 be symmetrical and adapted to cause a whistling sound as a result of air flow in either direction through the passage 3. This will result in a whistling sound being caused on both a back swing and a hitting stroke of the sports implement, or both backhand and forehand strokes. ' The configuration of the passage 3 will determine: at least to some extent, the air flow condition under which a whistling sound will emit. It is important that the whistle is small and light so as to be unobtrusive and have minimal effect on the sports implement to which it is attachedi in use. It has been found that a sound chamber 6 having a disc like shape with dimensions of about 14mm diameter and,74mm depth, coupled with inlet and outlet throats with a diameter of about 2.5mm serves to produce a whistling sound at air flow z f velocities which will be set up by swinging a tennis racquet in a shot hitting arc. - Clearly the configuration of the inlet/outlet funnels 4 and 8 will also effect the whistling sound. Each inletloutlet funnel 4, 8 may be of truncated conical configuration having a 0 cone angle of about 60. A whistle 1 having a funnel 4, 8 hav ing a diameter of about 14mm at its widest point coupled with a sound chamber 6 and throats 5,7 with dimensions referred to above will be suitable for affixing to a tennis racquet. However, a whistle 1 having a different cone angle for its inlet/outlets may also be used and such a whistle will have different characteristics to a whistle dimensioned with the abovementioned dimensions.

It has accordingly been found that a whistle 1 with a sound chamber 6 having a volume of between 0.25 and -1.5 cubic centimeters - will be satisfactory for most applications provided the inlet and outlet appertures are dimensioned to correspond with the form and volume of the sound chamber 6.

The formations 9 which affix the whistle 1 to a sports implement will preferably lie in a plane 14 and affix the whistle 1 so as to lie with that plane 14 coincident with a plane which includes or is parallel to a ball hitting surface of a sports implement. Thus, for example, a ball hitting surface of a tennis racquet is defined by the strings of the racquet. Said plane 14 will thus preferably be coincident with or parallel to the plane defined by the strings of the racquet. The inlet/outlet funnels 4, 8 each have an axis numbered 15 and 16 respectively, and said axes 15 and 16 may be perpendicular to said plane 14, or may be inclined at an angle to the perpendicular. In the configuration shown in Figures 1 and 2 said axes 15 and 16 are both perpendicular to said plane 14. Thus, for example, where a tennis racquet, is swung in an arc in which the plane defined by the strings of the racquet is perpendicular to the direction of movement of the racquet the cone axes 15 and 16 will both be parallel to the direction of movement of the racquet, and, compressed air will thus be forced through the passage 3, causing a 'whistling sound to be set up. For a straight tennis shot this, square on" orientation of the racquet is the preferred orientation and thus, when correctly played, a whistling sound will emit, 6 provided the shot is also played at the preferred velocity..

The whistle 1 may also be adapted to produce a sound only when the velocity of the air flow through the passage 3 is within a certain range. Thus, in the example of the whistle being secured to a tennis racquet, if the racquet head speed is too fast or too slow, no whistle sound will emit, even if the orientation of the racquet is correct.

The configuration of the inlet/outlet funnels 4, 8 will at least to some extent effect the extent to which the whistle must be annularly aligned with the direction of movement of the sports implement to which the whistle is secured. With the reasonably wide and shallow dish shaped funnels depicted in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings the angular alignment is not critical and a whistling sound will emit from the whistle even when the entrance to the funnel is not square on to the direction of movement. However, by providing an inlet passage of more confined configuration having, possibly, parallel internal walls, the alignment becomes more critical. In this case any angle out of alignment with the direction of movement will prevent the whistle sounding. Thus, the skill necessary to swing a sports implement to cause a whistle to sound will be greater than would be the case with a whistle having a wider and more dished inlet funnel. The person wishing to practice a sport will accordingly select the whistle having an inlet configuration suitable for his level of play. Because the whistles are replaceable it will be a simple matter to replace one whistle with another where this becomes necessary.

It is not always desirable that the hitting surface be "square on" to the direction of movement of the sports implement at the point of impact with a -ball. Thus, for example, where it is desired to play a top spin shot in tennis, it is necessary to advance the upper edge of the racquet and retard the lower edge of the racquet to thereby present an angled surface to a ball and thereby impart a spin onto the ball. The whistle 20 shown in Figures 3 and 4 will produce a whistling sound when a racquet to which it is attached is orientated at an optimum top spin angle. The said whistle 20 is symmetrical about a plane 21 which plane 21 will be coincident with the plane defined by the strings of a racquet to. which it is attached in use. Inlet/outlet funnels A 1 1 1 7 22 have cone axes which are angled to the perpendicular to said plane 21 at an angle W which may be approximately 300. The actual angle W will depend on the desired stroke angle, and clearly various whistles may be produced having different offset angles, and a player may then select a whistle with the offset angle which will suit the shot he is attempting to produce.

Optionally a whistle 20 may be mounted to a sports implement in a manner such that the whistle is rotatable in its mountings relative to. the sports implement. If, as is shown in Figures 3 and 4, the inlet and outlet funnels are at an angle to the mounting plane of the whistle, rotation of the whistle relative to the sports implement will vary the angle at which the implement must be aligned.to the direction of movement of the implement in order to create a whistling sound in use.

One distinct advantage of the whistle being removably affixable to its sports implement is that the position of the whistle relative to the implement can be varied. If reference is made to Figure 5, a tennis racquet 25 is shown having a head 26 and a handle 27. In executing a tennis stroke, a tennis racquet is swung in an arc, and thus, the further away from the handle 27 a whistle is affixed to the head 26, the greater will be the velocity at which the whistle travels through the ambient air. In Figure 5, two possible whistle positions are shown. A first position 28 is near the periphery of the head 26 remote from the handle 27. A second position 29 is nearer the handle 27. The more advanced a player is, the faster will be his stroke, and accordingly, the nearer to the handle will he position the whistle. It will of course be possible to affix more' than one whistle to a sports implement.

Different formations by means of which the whistle is secured to its sports implement are envisaged. In the embodiment shown in Figures 6 and 7 the whistle 29 is provided with edge formations 30 adapted to secure the whistle to both the frame 31 and the strings 32 of a racquet. This arrangement will provide a more secure attachment and will ensure the whistle 29 does not inadvertently become detached or vibrate in use.

1 i 8 Figures 8 and 9 of the drawings depict a whistle 40, and bracket 41 by means of which the whistle 40 can be secured to the shaft 42 of a golf club 43. The bracket includes a band 44, which locates in a peripheral edge groove 45 of the whistle 40, and a mounting strap 46 for releasably securing the whistle 40 to the shaft 42. A nut and bolt assembly 47 passes through an edge formation 48 on the strap 46 and is used to clamp the mounting strap 46 to the shaft 42 to thereby fix the position, both longitudinally and radially, of the strap 46 relative to the shaft 42. Once again, the nearer the whistle 40 is affixed to the head 49 of the golf club 43 the greater will be the speed of the whistle relative to the ambient air as a golf shot is played in use. Thus, because golf shots played with different clubs are often played with different club head speeds, the position at which the whistle 40 is attached to the club will differ for different clubs.

1 C i 1? 1 i 1 k 1 f 9

Claims

CLAIMS:

A whistle for affixing to sports implements of the type which in use are swung through air to strike a ball, the whistle comprising:

a body having a passage therethrough and an inlet to and an outlet from said passage, a formation in said passage for creating a whistling sound as a result of air flow between said inlet and said outlet, and retaining means on said body being cooperable with said sports implement so as to releasably connect said body to said implement in an orientation with said inlet at least to some extent transverse to the direction movement said sports implement will take when swung in a stroke playing arc in use.
2. A whistle as claimed in claim 1 wherein the whistle has a plane of symmetry extending through the body with the inlet and outlet on opposite sides of said plane of symmetry.
3. A whistle as claimed in claim 2 wherein said retaining means for affixing the body to a sports implement are adapted to affix the body with its plane of symmetry parallel with the plane of a ball or other striking surface on said sports implement.
4. A whistle as claimed in claim 2 or 3 wherein said retaining means for affixing said body to a sports implement comprises a. groove extending around the pe riphery of the body, the groove lying in the plane of symmetry.
5. A whistle as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the retaining meansfor attaching the whistle to a sports implement further- includes a bracket adapted to attach to both said sports implement and said body.
6. A whistle as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the inlet to and outlet from the passage are in the f orm of frusto-conical recesses.
7. A whistle, as claimed in claim 6 wherein the conical forms are of right circular configuration.
8. A whistle as claimed in claim 7 where appended to claim 2 in which the cone axis is perpendicular to the plane of symmetry of the body.
9. A whistle as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the 1 passage through the whistle is adapted to produce a whistling sound in the event of air passing through the passage in either direction.
10. A whistle as claimed in claim 9 wherein said passage comprises a centrally located sound chamber and said inlet and outlet communicate with said sound chamber through respective inlet and outlet throats.
11. A whistle as claimed in claim 1.1 wherein the inlet and outlet throats are symmetrical.
12. A whistle as claimed in claim 10 or 11 in which the sound chamber is of disc shape having a diameter of between 10mm and 15mm and a depth of between 3mm and 5mm.
13. A whistle as claimed in claim 12 wherein said throats have a circular cross-sectional form and a diameter of between 1mm and 3mm.
14. A whistle as claimed in claim 10 wherein said sound chamber has a volume of between 0.25 and
1.5 cubic centimeters. 15. A whistle as claimed in claim 1 wherein said passage comprises an inlet, a sound chamber, and an outlet, the inlet and -outlet both having an axis, the two axes being out of angular alignment with each other.
16. A whistle as claimed in claim 15 wherein a plane of symmetry extends through the whistle and the inlet and outlet are on opposite sides of the plane of symmetry.
17. A whistle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2, 3 and 4, 6 and 7, or 8 and 9 of the accompanying drawings.

Published 1988 at The Patent Office, State House, 66.71 High Holborn, London WC1R 4TP. Further copies MaY be obtained from The Patent Office. Sales Branch, St Mary Cray,_OrPington, Kent BR5 3RD. Printed by Multiplex techniques ltd. St Mary Cray, Kent. Con. 1187.

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