GB2268413A

GB2268413A - Golf club head cleaner.

Info

Publication number: GB2268413A
Application number: GB9314176A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Harper
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-07-11
Filing date: 1993-07-09
Publication date: 1994-01-12
Anticipated expiration: 2013-07-09
Also published as: GB9314176D0; GB9214786D0; GB2268413B

Abstract

A golf club head cleaning device comprising the combination of a sponge 26 and a brush 28, the sponge serving to release moisture when compressed during cleaning and to hold same at other times. <IMAGE>

Description

A GOLFING ACCESSORY This invention relates to accessories used by golfers and is particularly concerned with a device for cleaning the heads of golf clubs.

Golf club heads are generally formed with a front, or striking, face which is intended to make contact with a golf ball during a stroke, and a rear face. The front face is formed with grooves which lie substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the head. The grooves are intended to control the flight of the ball, in particular to impart back-spin to the ball in order to determine the amount of "run-on" by the ball as it lands on the green or fairway.

They thus form a vitally significant part of the design of the club head, and in order to be effective it is important that the grooves be clean and clear of any matter which could fill them and so detract from the gripping effect which they are intended to have on the ball as it is struck.

It is common practice in playing golf for a golfer to wipe his club head clean after each stroke before returning the club to the golf bag. The pointed tip of a golf tee is often put to good use in scraping out any unwanted matter from the grooves. Clearly this is a tedious operation, particularly when it is done whilst walking towards the lie of the ball either carrying a golf bag or pulling a golf trolley.

It is an object of the invention to provide a device which will simultaneously clean both front and rear faces of the golf club head and which includes particularly a device for clearing the grooves on the striking face, and/or provides improvements generally.

According to the invention there is provided a golf club head cleaning device as claimed in the accompanying claims.

In an embodiment of the invention there is provided a golf club head cleaning device comprising a container having a resilient sponge and a bristle brush therein and having a hingeable lid thereon, the container being substantially water-tight, at least part of the innermost faces of both the sponge and the bristles of the brush being in close proximity with each other.

The above and other features of the invention will come to light from the following description which is given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a golf club head cleaning device according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a vertical section view of the device of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a golf club head cleaner according to a further embodiment of the invention; and Figure 4 is a vertical section view of the device of Figure 3.

As seen in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings the cleaning device 2 comprises a container 4 having side walls 6 and 8, a lower wall 10, front and rear end walls 12, 14 respectively and a lid 16 hinged at 18 to the uppermost end of the wall 14.

A lip 20 on the lid 16 fits within a recess 22 and is latchable therein by a latch member 24.

Housed within the container 4 is a sponge 26 which is secured to the inside of the wall 6. A brush 28 is secured to the inside of the wall 8, both the sponge and the brush being affixed to their respective walls preferably by adhesive or other form of bonding. The end portions of bristles 30 of the brush lie closely adjacent the inner, operative, face 31 of the sponge as seen clearly in Figure 2. A further sponge 32 is secured to the inner face of the wall 8 as seen clearly in Figure 2 and is instrumental in washing the striking face of the club head.

Each sponge may, if so desired, incorporate an abrasive substance on its inner operative face 31. Such an abrasive material may extend either partly along the surface or along its full length.

In a further embodiment of the invention, seen in Figures 3 and 4, the sponges 26 and 32 of Figure 1 are replaced by a single sponge 27 which extends along side wall 6, lower wall 1 and partially along side wall 8.

The end 29 of sponge 27 is provided with an angled face 32 which acts as a guide to aid entry of the head of the club H into the cleaner 2, between the operative face 31 of the sponge 27 and the bristles 30.

The other end 33 of the sponge 27 may also be provided with an angled face 35. It has been found that provision of this angled face 35 also aids insertion of the head of the club H into the-cleaner 2 and this prevents tearing of the sponge 27.

In this embodiment of the invention, recess 22 of Figure 1 has been replaced ,by an internal notch (not shown).

In preparation for use, water is poured into the container and is absorbed by the sponge until it becomes saturated. Any excess water is emptied out before use. The lid is then firmly latched in closed position.

When the user needs to clean the club head he simply opens the lid 16 and inserts the head H of the club C between the sponge 26 and the brush 28. The back of the club compresses the sponge thereby releasing the water around the club head. The club head is passed to the fro between the sponge and the brush several times as a result of which the rear face of the club head is found to be cleared of any matter adhering thereto and, most importantly, the grooves G are cleaned of any soil, sand or grass present therein as a result of the last stroke played from either fairway, rough or bunker.

Thus the club head and, particularly the grooves on the striking face are cleaned ready for returning to the golf bag within a few seconds.

The container 4 may be conveniently made from a plastics material eg by an injection moulding process. The bristles 30 of the brush 28 may be of a stiff nylon filament, or alternatively of brass wire, ie of a material which is stiff enough to remove any deleterious matter from the grooves without scratching the face of the club head.

It has been found that a golf club head cleaner according to the present invention is substantially water-tight, even if it is turned upside down. This enables the cleaner to be carried in a jacket pocket or hung on a golf bag or trolley without fear of water leakage. If used in this way, the cleaner may be ready at hand for use at any time during play.

Claims

1 A golf club head cleaning device comprising a container having at least one resilient sponge and a bristle brush therein, the container being substantially water-tight, at least part of the innermost faces of both the sponge and the bristle brush being in close proximity with each other.

2 A golf club head cleaning device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the container is provided with a hingeable lid.

3 A golf club head cleaning device as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein an abrasive substance is provided on at least part of the innermost face of the sponge.

4 A golf club head cleaning device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the sponge is provided with an angled section to provide a guide to aid insertion of a club head into the cleaning device.

5 A golf club head cleaning device comprising a cleaning element such as a sponge or brush having a profiled portion providing a tapering lead-in or guide for a club head.

6 A golf club head cleaning device comprising the combination of a sponge and a brush, the sponge serving to release moisture when compressed during cleaning and to hold same at other times.

7 A golf club head cleaning device substantially as herein before described with reference to the drawings.