US20150209634A1

US20150209634A1 - Golf club face wipe

Info

Publication number: US20150209634A1
Application number: US14/166,334
Authority: US
Inventors: William R. McMahon; Leonard Doup
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2014-01-28
Filing date: 2014-01-28
Publication date: 2015-07-30

Abstract

A golf club face wipe to be removably attached to one side of a golf shoe. The golf club face wipe includes a brush for wiping the face of a golfer's club and removing loose debris therefrom and a brush anchor for attaching the club face wipe to the golfer's shoe. The brush is detachably connected to the brush anchor so that the brush can be removed therefrom and replaced by a different brush having a different color. The brush includes a triangular array of flexible bristles which vary in height from one end of the array to the other to enable the brush to wipe clean the face of a variety of golf clubs having a variety of different loft angles. The golfer may swipe the face of his golf club over the brush without interfering with his play, interrupting his concentration, or dirtying his hands.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a golf club face wipe to be carried on the shoe of a golfer to enable the golfer to wipe loose debris from the face of his golf club without interfering with the golfer's play or interrupting his concentration while addressing his golf ball. The golf club face wipe includes a club face wiping brush and a brush anchor that are detachably connected to one another.
2. Background Art
Golfers prefer to have a clean and dry golf ball and golf club face prior to hitting the ball on a fairway or a putting green. That is to say, having loose debris clinging to the golf ball or the club face can interfere with the path of the ball and/or its rate of spin moving towards its target. In a majority of cases, the golfer can simply remove the debris with his hand or clean his ball or club face with a towel or brush positioned near his golf bag. In the case of a putt, the ball is then returned to its prior location on the green to be hit towards the hole.
A different problem arises as the golfer addresses his ball before taking a shot. In this case, the golfer will typically take a few practice swings or strokes immediately prior to striking the ball. As the golfer's club head moves through grass during the practice swings/strokes, it may collect additional debris (e.g., such as blades of grass, leaves or the like). Once the practice swings/strokes are completed and the golfer takes his stance ready to strike his golf ball, it is neither practical nor advantageous for the golfer to then interrupt his play and lose his concentration by having to wipe the club face (e.g., with his hand or on his pant leg) in order to remove the debris therefrom.
Accordingly, what would be desirable is an easy-to-access, convenient-to-carry tool to be used by the golfer by which to enable him to clean the face of his golf club after addressing his golf ball and immediately prior to striking his ball but without his hands becoming dirty or wet and without interfering with his play or interrupting his concentration.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Briefly, a golf club face wipe is disclosed to be carried on a shoe worn by a golfer to enable the golfer to wipe the face of his golf club and thereby remove any loose debris therefrom. The golf club face wipe herein disclosed will be readily available to the golfer so that he can swipe his club face across the face wipe without interrupting his play or losing his concentration as might otherwise occur had the golfer been required to clean the face of his club with a towel, his pant leg or his hand. Thus, the golf club face wipe has particular application for use by a golfer who has completed his practice swings/strokes and has assumed a stance ready to strike his golf ball.
According to a preferred embodiment, the golf club face wipe includes a brush for wiping the club face and a brush anchor for attaching the club face wipe to a side of the golfer's shoe. The brush is detachably connected to the brush anchor so that different brushes having different colors are interchangeable with one another to match the color of the golfer's shoe or other clothing. The brush anchor includes a retention clip having a flexible U-shaped bend. The retention clip is removably attached to the golfer's shoe by pushing the clip downwardly against one side of the shoe until the top edge of the shoe is received within and retained by the clip. The brush anchor has a curved configuration so as to match the contour of the golfer's shoe when the golf club face wipe is attached to a side thereof. The brush anchor also includes an upstanding cuff guard adapted to engage and hold the bottom of the golfer's pant leg off the brush.
A pair of attachment slots are formed in the brush anchor. A corresponding pair of retaining ribs are formed on the brush. The retaining ribs are slidably and removably received by the attachment slots, whereby the brush is detachably connected to the brush anchor. The brush includes a plurality of upstanding bristle posts that are arranged in a triangular array. Each of the bristles posts carries a set of thin, flexible bristles projecting therefrom in order to sweep away debris when the golfer swipes his club face across the brush. As a result of the triangular array of bristle posts, a greater number of bristles are located at the top of the brush than at the bottom. Moreover, the bristle posts located at the top of the brush are higher than the bristle posts located at the bottom. By virtue of the foregoing, the brush of the golf club face wipe is capable of reliably wiping away debris from a variety of golf club faces having a variety of loft angles or pitches.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a golf club face wipe according to a preferred embodiment of this invention to be removably attached to one side of a golfer's shoe;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the front and one side of the golf club face wipe of

FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the golf club face wipe shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the front of the golf club face wipe showing a brush to be detachably connected to a brush anchor;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the rear of the golf club face wipe showing the brush to be detachably connected to the brush anchor;

FIG. 6 is a front view of the golf club face wipe of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 7 is a cross-section of the golf club face wipe taken along lines 7-7 of FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A preferred embodiment for a convenient-to-use, easily-transportable golf club face wipe 1 is disclosed while referring concurrently to FIGS. 1-7 of the drawings. As will be described in greater detail hereinafter, the golf club face wipe 1 is carried by the golfer on his golf shoe so as to be readily accessible for use in wiping the face of a golf club without the golfer having to stop his play or interrupt his concentration after setting himself immediately prior to striking his golf ball. As will also be described, the golf club face wipe 1 is adapted to be used with a variety of different golf clubs having a corresponding variety of loft angles or pitches.
More particularly, the golf club face wipe 1 of this invention has particular application once a golfer has completed one or more practice swings or strokes and has approached his ball on a fairway or putting green. Prior to striking his ball with his golf club, it may be desirable for the golfer to remove any loose grass or similar debris that has been collected by the club face during the practice swings/strokes. The club face wipe 1 herein disclosed permits the golfer to easily wipe such debris off the club face without resetting his stance, moving his eyes, or losing his concentration prior to striking the golf ball. That is to say, the golf club face wipe 1 will be located in easy reach of the golfer at a convenient location (i.e., on his golf shoe) to permit the club face to be wiped clean without affecting the golfer's game.
The golf club face wipe 1 includes a brush 5 and a brush anchor 7 that are detachably (i.e., slidably) connected together to lie one against the other. The brush anchor 7 of club face wipe 1 is preferably manufactured from polycarbonate or a similar material. The brush anchor 7 has a base 9 and a flexible retention clip 10 which depends from one end of the base 9. The opposite end of the base 9 includes a slightly curved tail 12 by which to enable the golf club face wipe 1 to conform to the curvature along the side of the shoe 3 to which the club face wipe 1 will be attached. At the same time, the curved base 9 spreads out the brush 5 and increases the surface area thereof to enhance wiping the face of a golf club. A locking notch 14 is formed (e.g., molded) in the tail 12 of brush anchor 7 for a purpose that will soon be explained.
The flexible retention clip 10 of brush anchor 7 projects upwardly from the base 9 and then turns back upon itself to establish a U-shaped bend 16 at the top of the clip. The retention clip 10 also includes a tongue 18 which projects downwardly from the bend 18 so that the tongue 18 lies in generally spaced, parallel alignment with the base 9 (best shown in FIGS. 3 and 7). The tongue 18 of the flexible retention clip 10 has a spring memory so as to be normally biased in its spaced, parallel alignment with the base 9, as shown.
The retention clip 10 of brush anchor 7 enables the golf club face wipe 1 to be removably attached (i.e., clipped) to a side of the golfer's shoe 3 (best shown in FIG. 1). Although the club face wipe 1 is shown in FIG. 1 attached to one side of the shoe 3, it is to be understood that the wipe 1 can also be attached to the opposite side depending upon the golfer's preference.
To this end, the golf club face wipe 1 is removably attached to the golfer's shoe 3 by wrapping the retention clip 10 around a top edge of the shoe. In particular, the retention clip 10 is pushed downwardly until the top edge of the shoe is received within the bend 16 at the top of the clip 10. The tongue 18 is adapted to flex and rotate at the bend 16 in a first direction moving away from the base 9 to enable the bend 16 to accommodate the side of the shoe 3 therewithin. Thus, the side of the shoe 3 at which the golf club face wipe 1 is attached and carried is held between the tongue 18 and base 9 of flexible retention clip 10.
To detach the golf club face wipe 1 from the shoe 3, the retention clip 10 is pulled upwardly and out of its former engagement with the shoe. The tongue 18 may once again flex and rotate at the bend 16 to permit the brush anchor 7 to be separated from the shoe 3. By virtue of its spring memory, the tongue 18 will now automatically rotate in an opposite direction towards the base 9 to return to its initial relaxed position shown in FIGS. 3 and 7.
As an important advantage offered by the golf club face wipe 1, a cuff guard 20 stands upwardly from an end of the base 9 of brush anchor 7 that is opposite the end at which the curved tail 12 is located. The cuff guard 20 lies in spaced, opposite alignment with the retention clip 10 such that a cuff cavity 21 (best shown in FIGS. 3 and 7) is created between the upstanding cuff guard 20 and the clip 10. Thus, when the golf club face wipe 1 is attached to the golfer's shoe 3, the bottom of the golfer's pant leg can be received within the cuff cavity 21. By virtue of the foregoing, the golfer's pant leg will be restrained and kept out of the way of the brush 5 so that the brush is readily accessible to the golfer when it becomes necessary to wipe clean the face of his golf club.
A pair of attachment slots 22 are formed in and run laterally across the base 9 of the brush anchor 7. The attachment slots 22 are sized and shaped to slidably and removably receive respective ones of a pair of retaining ribs 24 from the brush 5.
The brush 5 includes a flat and flexible bristle support 26 extending longitudinally therealong. The aforementioned pair of retaining ribs 24 run laterally across one side of the bristle support 26 to be pushed inwardly through the attachment slots 22 formed in the base 9 of brush anchor 7, whereby to detachably connect the brush 5 and the brush anchor 7 together. In this same regard, the retaining ribs 24 can be pulled out of the attachment slots 22 to disconnect the brush 5 from the brush anchor 7. By virtue of the foregoing, the brush 5 is interchangeable with other brushes having different colors (e.g., which match the color of the golfer's shoes, socks or pants) so that different brushes can be substituted one for the other.
Located at the bottom of the flexible bristle support 26 of the brush 5 is a locking tab 27. The locking tab 27 stands upwardly from and then bends over the bristle support 26 to create a space therebetween. In the assembled configuration of the golf club face wipe 1 illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3, 6 and 7, the locking tab 27 from the bristle support 26 of brush 5 is snapped into receipt by the locking notch 14 formed in the slightly curved tail 12 of the base 9 of brush anchor 7. The flexible bristle support 26 is thusly bent against and around the curved tail 12, whereby to complete the detachable connection of the brush 5 to the brush anchor 7 and preserve the curved configuration of the club face wipe 1 to conform to that of the golfer's shoe.
A plurality of (e.g., thermo-plastic rubber) bristle posts 28 stand upwardly from the opposite side of the bristle support 26 of the brush 5. A set of (e.g., three) thin, flexible bristles 30 project from each bristle post 28 in order to bend and conform to the face of the golfer's club to be able to wipe away any loose debris from the club face which is swiped across the brush 5. As is best shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, the plurality of bristle posts 28 are arranged in a triangular array running longitudinally along the bristle support 26 from the top thereof to the bottom. What is more, the height of each row of bristle posts 28 is progressively less (e.g., by 0.0001 inch) from the widest top of the array having the most posts to the narrowest bottom of the array having the fewest posts. By virtue of the triangular array and the progressively varying height of the plurality of bristle posts 28, the brush 5 of the golf club face wipe 1 is adapted to wipe the faces of most modern golf clubs regardless of their loft angle, whether the golfer is left or right handed, and whether the club face wipe 1 is attached to one side of the golfer's shoe or the other.
FIG. 1 shows the golf club face wipe 1 being removably attached to the outside of the golfer's shoe 3. More particularly, the flexible retention clip 10 of the brush anchor 7 is wrapped around a top edge at one side of the shoe 3 such that the shoe edge is received within the bend 16 at the top of clip 10 and held between the opposing base 9 and tongue 18 thereof. In FIG. 1, the brush 5 faces outwardly from the shoe 3 to enable the golfer to easily swipe the face of his golf club over the sets of bristles 30 that are carried on the plurality of upstanding bristle posts 28. By choosing a color for a replaceable brush 5 which matches the color of the golfer's shoe, the golf club face wipe 1 can be made substantially undetectable. Moreover, and as previously explained, the club face wipe 1 can be used without interfering with the golfer's play or interrupting his concentration while addressing his golf ball.

Claims

1. A golf club face wipe to be attached to the shoe of a golfer to enable the golfer to wipe debris off the face of a golf club, said golf club face wipe comprising:

a brush having a plurality of bristles projecting therefrom so as to engage and remove the debris from the club face when the club face is swiped across the brush; and

a brush anchor detachably connected to said brush, said brush anchor being removably attached to the golfer's shoe, whereby said golf club face wipe is correspondingly attached to the shoe.

2. The golf club face wipe recited in claim 1, wherein said brush anchor includes a retention clip to be wrapped around a portion of the golfer's shoe, whereby said brush anchor is removably attached to the shoe.

3. The golf club face wipe recited in claim 2, wherein the retention clip of said brush anchor includes a flexible bend within which to receive and retain the portion of the golfer's shoe when said retention clip is wrapped around the shoe portion.

4. The golf club face wipe recited in claim 2, wherein said brush anchor also includes a cuff guard lying opposite said retention clip such that a cuff receiving cavity is established therebetween, said cuff receiving cavity being sized to receive the bottom of a pant leg worn by the golfer to hold the pant leg away from said brush.

5. The golf club face wipe recited in claim 1, wherein said brush anchor has at least one attachment slot formed therein and said brush has at least one retaining rib, said retaining rib being removably received by said attachment slot, whereby said brush anchor is detachably connected to said brush.

6. The golf club face wipe recited in claim 5, wherein said brush includes a bristle support, said plurality of bristles projecting from one side of said bristle support and said at least one retaining rib extending across the opposite side of said bristle support, said retaining rib being slidably and removably received by said at least one attachment slot, whereby said brush anchor is detachably connected to said brush.

7. The golf club face wipe recited in claim 1, wherein said brush has a locking tab located at one end thereof and said brush anchor has a locking notch formed at one end thereof, said locking tab being removably received by said locking notch, whereby said brush anchor is detachably connected to said brush.

8. The golf club face wipe recited in claim 1, wherein said plurality of bristles projecting from said brush are arranged thereon in a triangular array, such that there is a greater number of bristles located across a first end of said brush than the number of bristles located across the opposite end of said brush.

9. The golf club face wipe recited in claim 8, wherein the height of the bristles located in said triangular array across the first end of said brush is greater than the height of the bristles located in said triangular array across the opposite end of said brush.

10. The golf club face wipe recited in claim 8, wherein the plurality of bristles projecting from said brush are carried by and connected to said brush by a plurality of upstanding bristle posts, each of said plurality of bristle posts having at least two of said plurality of bristles extending therefrom.

11. The golf club face wipe recited in claim 1, wherein said brush anchor has a curved configuration to conform to the shape of the shoe to which said club face wipe is to be attached.

12. The golf club face wipe recited in claim 11, wherein said brush has a flexible bristle support from which said plurality of bristles project, said flexible bristle support bending over and matching the curved configuration of said brush anchor when said brush anchor is detachably connected to said brush.

13. A golf club face wipe to be attached to the shoe of a golfer to enable the golfer to wipe debris off the face of a golf club, said golf club face wipe comprising:

a brush having a plurality of bristles projecting therefrom so as to engage and remove the debris from the club face when the club face is swiped across the brush, said plurality of bristles being arranged in a triangular array, such that there is a greater number of bristles located across a first end of said brush than the number of bristles located across the opposite end of said brush; and

a brush anchor connected to said brush and having a flexible clip to be wrapped around and removably attached to a portion of the golfer's shoe, whereby said golf club face wipe is correspondingly attached to the shoe, said brush anchor also having a cuff receiving cavity within which to receive the bottom of a pant leg worn by the golfer to hold the pant leg away from the bristles of the brush.

14. The golf club face wipe recited in claim 13, wherein said brush is detachably connected to said brush anchor and adapted to be separated therefrom to be replaced by a different brush.