WO1997014478A1

WO1997014478A1 - Sports aid

Info

Publication number: WO1997014478A1
Application number: PCT/GB1996/002547
Authority: WO
Inventors: Robert Edward Lee
Original assignee: Robert Edward Lee
Priority date: 1995-10-17
Filing date: 1996-10-17
Publication date: 1997-04-24
Also published as: GB9521223D0

Abstract

There is described the use of a finely divided powder able to be delivered from suspension when under pressure for coating the face of a club prior to a swing to be made by a player at a ball in order to show the position on the club face where the ball has been struck. A composition and method for the same purpose are also described. The invention is of particular value to golfers who seek when practising to identify where on a club face they are striking the ball so that appropriate adjustments to improve their accuracy might be made.

Description

Sports Aid

This invention relates to a sports training aid. More particularly it relates to a way of helping a sportsman, and particularly a golfer, improve his accuracy in striking a ball, such as a golf ball.

When golfers practice, their aim is to develop a rhythmical, repeating swing and to strike the ball consistently and squarely. Often, when a golfer has hit a shot that is not perfect, he has no way of knowing whether this is because of some swing fault, or simply because of some alignment or striking fault. A fault from which many golfers suffer is an inability consistently to hit the ball in the centre, or "sweet spot" of the club face.

Occasionally, particularly if practising on relatively lush grass or damp soil, the golfer can see a mark of blades of grass or of earth on a particular spot on the club face caused by the sandwiching of some of the blades of grass or earth between the club face and the ball on impact . This does give him an indication under these conditions of where on the club face the ball was struck, but it does not happen every time, or may not be perfectly localised. With very short grass or under dry conditions, such marks are infrequently left. When practising on a mat, which is increasingly the situation at many driving ranges or other practice facilities, such marks are practically never left behind. It would be useful to a golfer to have some means of being able to tell under such circumstances, whenever or wherever he plays a practice shot, just where on the club face impact occurs, so that he can make suitable adjustments to improve his consistency or accuracy.

I have now devised a method by which this may be achieved.

There exist on the market a number of aerosol products in which a fine or micronised powder is suspended in an aerosol propellant for delivery to a particular locus for a particular purpose. Such products exist, for example, for use as developers in identifying hairline fractures in metals, or in some dry cleaning preparations for absorbing a greasy stain or spot from clothing. I have found that such powder preparations, if sprayed onto the face of a golf club before a shot is played, can provide a relatively even, smooth thin powder film which shows, after the golf ball has been struck, exactly where contact between the ball and the club face has occurred. Repeated use of this together with appropriate swing or alignment adjustments by a golfer could lead to a considerable improvement in striking accuracy and, hence, general play. This clearly is also of possible application to other sports where a ball is struck from a club, bat, or the like such as cricket or hockey.

In one aspect, therefore, my invention comprises the use of a finely divided powder able to be delivered from suspension in a liquid when under pressure, e.g. from an aerosol or atomiser, to coat the face of a golf club or the like prior to a swing to be made by a player at a ball in order to show the position on the club face where the ball has been struck.

In a further aspect, I provide a composition comprising a finely divided powder suspended in a liquid capable of being delivered or expelled from a nozzle under pressure to coat the face of a club for use as a sports, particularly a golf, training aid. In a preferred embodiment such a composition will be in the form of an aerosol with a suitable propellant, though use of a volatile liquid and suitable hand-actuated pressurising means may also suffice as propellant means.

It will be realised that the possibilities that exist for the type or composition of the powder, its colour and the chemical nature and properties of the volatile delivery liquid or aerosol propellant are many. Any powder that is inert in relation to the liquid in which it is to be suspended, which is of a size able to be delivered or expelled via an aerosol or atomiser-type nozzle and which is not injurious either to health or to the surface of the club is capable of being used. The powder will desirably be light in colour e.g. white, off-white or beige but provided that sufficient contrast between the powder and the club face exists almost any colour can be used.

The powder material may for example be based on talc and would normally include fumed silica or a similar suspending agent, e.g. bentonite. A suitable powder material comprises a blend of iron oxides, which give a light beige colouring, mixed with talc and fumed silica. Fluorescent pigments or titanium dioxide could be used as alternative colouring agents. Typical mixtures will contain from 10-20% by weight iron oxides, and from 2-10% by weight fumed silica, the balance being talc. All such materials may be sieved before mixing, or else the mixture may be sieved after mixing.

The particle sizes of the powder materials may also be varied. Typically a maximum particle size of any ingredient will be 60μ, so as not to lead to blockage, delivery or coating problems, though lower sizes e.g. less than 40μ are preferred. The talc may have a particle size of from 0.5-60μ, preferably from 2-10μ. The fumed silica will desirably be from 1 to 40μ, preferably 15-20μ. The iron oxides will desirably be from 0.1 to lOμ, preferably 0.2 to 0.5μ.

Any suitable propellant and/or delivery liquid may be used, though this will desirably comply with prevailing safety and environmental controls. Obviously the loading, i.e. the amount of powder suspended in a given volume of delivery liquid, may vary and this will affect the amount of powder deposited on the face of the club per unit time 'squirt¹. From 1-15% powder by weight of total composition, preferably around 5%, may be used.

Typical liquids with which each component or a powder mixture may be blended include hydrocarbons, typically C₅ or above, or mixtures of one or more thereof. These may optionally be combined with other suitably volatile delivery liquids, such as lower boiling alkanols, e.g. methanol, ethanol, or isopropanol. Such a blend or blends may then be introduced into the can which is then sealed with a valve and pressurised with a propellant, e.g. liquefied petroleum gas, petroleum ether gas or a fluorocarbon.

A combination involving n-pentane, ethanol and liquefied petroleum gas in respective amounts of from 2-10%, 6-25% and 65-85% by weight of the final composition is an example of what may be used in the invention, though suitable combinations and loadings can readily be determined by experiment or will be evident to those skilled in aerosol formulation. The formulation may be varied, of course, to include liquids of higher or lower boiling point depending on the ambient temperature in the region where the product is expected or intended to be used.

The delivery liquid may also contain a silicone or similar emollient. Such materials are well known in e.g. the hair preparation industry. This may not only assist flow of the liquid and powder out of the container but also may assist 'key' of the powder to the face of the club on delivery. A volatile silicone having a viscosity of e.g. 10-300 centipoise, preferably 50-100 centipoise, is a readily obtainable material that may be used.

After application of the delivery liquid and powder to the surface of the club, the liquid will desirably evaporate rapidly leaving a thin and even coating of powder sufficiently keyed to the club face. When the strike at the ball is made, a mark is left by disturbance of the powder at the position of contact with the ball and the position of the contact can be inspected. The surplus or residue of the powder can then simply be wiped off with a cloth or brushed off and further layer applied for a further shot.

An example of a composition for use in the invention comprises (all percentages are by weight of final composition )

5% powder mixture comprising 14% iron oxide, 6% fumed silica and 80% fine talc 4% n-pentane

10.6% industrial methylated spirit 0.4% emollient silicone fluid blended together, and introduced into a can, which is sealed and then pressurised with

80% liquefied petroleum gas. The delivery pressure is approximately 3 bar.

In addition, other products that have been found to give useful results are a white powdery developer suspended in a halohydrocarbon propellant sold under the name Ardrox 9D6F by Brent Europe Limited, of Iver, Buckinghamshire, England, and a white dry cleaning powder in the form of an aerosol propellant sold under the name K2r made by Chemiro A.G. of St. Gallen, Switzerland and distributed in the U.K. by Dylon

International Ltd, London, also gives similar results, though the loading is greater and less has to be used.

In each case after application, a clear imprint of the ball is left on the surface of the club face after a shot which contacts the ball is taken.

Claims

CLAIMS :

1) The use of a finely divided powder able to be delivered from suspension when under pressure for coating the face of a club prior to a swing to be made by a player at a ball in order to show the position on the club face where impact with the ball has occurred.

2) The use as claimed in claim 1 wherein the powder is suspended in an aerosol propellan .

3) A composition comprising a finely divided powder suspended in a liquid capable of being delivered or expelled from a nozzle under pressure to coat the face of a club for use as a sports training aid.

4) A method for assisting a sportsman who uses a club to strike a ball to identify where on said club the ball has been struck, which comprises coating the face of said club with a finely divided powder delivered from suspension under pressure whereby when the ball is struck, a mark is left in the powder on the club face to identify the position of impact .