US20030190973A1

US20030190973A1 - Golf club

Info

Publication number: US20030190973A1
Application number: US10/118,021
Authority: US
Inventors: Chin-Chu Chiang
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-04-09
Filing date: 2002-04-09
Publication date: 2003-10-09

Abstract

The invention provides a golf club that comprises a club head connected to a club shaft. Within the club head is formed a hollow chamber to pivotally receive an indicator. The indicator can be outwardly turned to assist the practicer in targeting a golf hole. The club shaft and a rear side of the club head are respectively provided with inclination indicator devices to assist the practicer in evaluating the ground inclination.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a golf club and, more particularly, a golf club that is configured in such a manner to be capable of assisting the practicer in targeting and ground inclination evaluating operations.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

When playing golf, the practicer traditionally uses a golf club to push a golf ball into a golf hole. However, depending on whether the ground is substantially planar or presents protruded bosses, the intensity and direction of the force applied to hit the golf ball substantially varies. On a horizontal ground, the practicer usually targets the golf hole along a direct line to push the golf ball in the golf hole. However, when the ground presents a slight inclination, the intensity and direction of the hitting force should be determined depending on the position of the golf ball with respect to the inclination, as known by the basic golf amateur. However, an accurate evaluation of the ground inclination only by the practicer's sight perception may be particularly difficult, the angle of view of the practicer's eyes with respect to the golf hole being different from the actual distance between the club head and the golf hole. Hence visual misjudgment often let the practicer think that the golf hole is close to the golf ball, but after the golf ball is actually hit, it does not reach the golf hole.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide a golf club that can assist the practicer in adequately target the golf hole and apply the adequate force to hit the golf ball.

To accomplish the above and other objectives, a golf club of the invention, provided with a club shaft connected to a club head, further comprises an indicator that pivotally mounted to the club head in a manner to be outwardly extendable. When not used, the indicator is received in the club head. To use the indicator, the practicer manually turns the indicator outwardly out of the club head so that the indicator can assist the practicer in targeting the golf hole. The club shaft is further provided with an inclination indicator device to assist the practicer in evaluating the inclination of the ground.

To provide a further understanding of the invention, the following detailed description illustrates embodiments and examples of the invention, this detailed description being provided only for illustration of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings included herein provide a further understanding of the invention. A brief introduction of the drawings is as follows: [0006]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a golf club according to a first embodiment of the invention; [0007]
FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the assembly of a golf club according to the first embodiment of the invention; [0008]
FIGS. [0009] 2A˜2C are various schematic views illustrating different configuration of an inclination indicator device mounted to the golf club according to the first embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a golf club according to a second embodiment of the invention; [0010]
FIGS. [0011] 3A˜3C are various schematic views illustrating different configurations of a circular inclination indicator device mounted to the golf club according to the second embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a golf club according to a third embodiment of the invention; and [0012]
FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a golf club according to a fourth embodiment of the invention. [0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Wherever possible in the following description, like reference numerals will refer to like elements and parts unless otherwise illustrated. [0014]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a golf club according to an embodiment of the invention. The golf club of the invention comprises a [0015] golf club head 10 that has a hole 11 at an upper surface to attach a golf club shaft 20. On a rear side of the club head 10 is defined a hollow chamber 12 that sidewise opens on one transverse side of the club head 10. A hole 13 is further vertically formed through the club head 10 to enable the insertion of a bolt 14. Through the hole 13, the bolt 14 further passes through a hole 151 of a mounting portion of an indicator 15, a pad 16, and a resilient element such as spring 17 capable of axially extending, to then engage a recessed port 131 below the hole 13. On a sidewall of the rear side of the club head 10 is further fixed a cover 18. An outer peripheral portion of the indicator 15 extends out of the hollow chamber 12 so that a user using his/her hand can pivotally turn the indicator 15 out of the club head 10 around the axis of the bolt 14. On the indicator 15 is marked an arrow 152 that indicates the front of the club head 10.
The mount of the [0016] pad 16 between the indicator 15 and the spring 17 enables to prevent the spring 17 from backward rotating the indicator 15 a certain angle to an incorrect position once it is manually released, after the indicator 15 is outwardly extended at 90 degrees. The outer contour of the pad 16 matches the hole 13 through the club head 10, and the indicator 15 is placed in superposition on the pad 16 without being attached thereto. To allow the indicator 15 to be manually turned outward to a precise position of 90 degrees, the mounting portion of the indicator 15 is provided with an abutment portion 153. The abutment portion 153 protrudes in a direction that forms an angle of 90 degrees with the axis of the indicator 15. Therefore, once the indicator 15 is completely outwardly turned 90 degrees, a side periphery of the abutment portion 153 abuts against an inner side of the hollow chamber 12, corresponding to an proper orientation of the arrow 152 properly indicating the front of the club head 10. As a result, the user is aided to target the golf hole with respect to the club head 10.
Referring to FIG. 2, a perspective view schematically illustrates the [0017] club shaft 20 provided with a window 21 where is mounted an inclination indicator device 22 according to an embodiment of the invention. An end of the club shaft 20 is further connected to a handle shaft 23. The handle shaft 23 is mounted to the club shaft 20 in such a manner that the inclination indicator device 22 mounted to the club shaft 20 indicates the horizontal when both shafts 20, 23 are placed on a standard horizontal surface. When the practicer wants to estimate the inclination of the ground, he/she disposes transversally the handle shaft 23 on the ground and can evaluate the inclination between the right and the left end of the handle shaft 23 via the level indicator device 22. The user is therefore assisted in the control of the direction and the force to apply to hit the golf ball. As shown in FIG. 2A, the position of the bubble of the level indicator device 22 in a left zone indicates the level of the ground at the left side is higher. Oppositely, the position of the bubble in a right zone indicates the level of the ground at the right side is higher, as shown in FIG. 2B. The position of the bubble in the central zone indicates the ground is horizontal, as shown in FIG. 2C.
Referring now to FIG. 3, a perspective view schematically illustrates a second embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, a circular [0018] inclination indicator device 24 is mounted on the rear side of the golf club head 10 to evaluate the ground inclination according to plural directions. The cover 18 hence is provided with a window 181 to expose the circular inclination indicator device 24. To use the circular inclination indicator device 24, the practicer disposes the golf club head 10 on the ground in a manner to have the circular inclination indicator device 24 turned upside. As shown in FIG. 3A, in the circular inclination indicator device 24, the position of the bubble at 180° indicates that the ground on the left side is higher. In FIG. 3B, the position of the bubble at 135° indicates the ground on the left front side is higher. In FIG. 3C, the position of the bubble at 90° indicates the ground is higher at the front side than at the rear side.
Referring now to FIG. 4, a perspective view schematically illustrates a third embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the [0019] club head 10 is provided with the circular inclination indicator device 24, meanwhile the club shaft 20 is also provided with the inclination indicator device 22. Depending to the situations, the practicer thus can either use the indicator 22 or the indicator 24.
As described above, the provided [0020] indicator 15 can be concealed within the hollow chamber 12, and therefore protected from accidental shocks. When its use is required, the practicer can simply turn outwardly the indicator 15 so that its arrow 152 can assist the practicer in targeting the golf hole. Such a disposition thus provides an effective assistance to the practicer while not affecting the aesthetic aspect of the club head 10.
As shown in FIG. 5, a variant example of the golf club of the invention may only include the circular [0021] inclination indicator device 24 on the rear side of the club head 10 and the inclination indicator device 22 to assist the practicer in evaluating the ground inclination.
It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the above description is only illustrative of specific embodiments and examples of the invention. The invention should therefore cover various modifications and variations made to the herein-described structure and operations of the invention, provided they fall within the scope of the invention as defined in the following appended claims. [0022]

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A golf club, comprising a club head at one side of which is connected a club shaft, wherein the club head inwardly includes a hollow chamber that opens on a rear side of the club head, the hollow chamber being capable of receiving an indicator that is vertically pivotally mounted to the club head, thereby the indicator is allowed to pivotally turn outward to assist a user in targeting a golf hole, or pivotally turn inward to be received within the hollow chamber.

2. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the indicator is pivotally connected to the club head by means of a bolt that inserts through the club head and respectively through a mounting portion of the indicator, a pad, and a spring capable of axially extending and retracting, the indicator being received in the hollow chamber with a portion thereof partially extending outward, the mounting portion of the indicator further being shaped in a manner to define an abutment portion that abuts against one inner side of the hollow chamber when the indicator is outwardly turned 90°, the abutment portion thereby ensuring a positioning function.

3. The golf club of claim 1, wherein a rear side of the club head and the club shaft (20) are respectively provided with an inclination indicator device.

4. A golf club, comprising club head at one side of which is connected a club shaft enabling a user to handle the golf club, wherein the club shaft and a rear side of the club head are respectively provided with an inclination indicator device.