WO1999015247A1

WO1999015247A1 - Projectile driving apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO1999015247A1
Application number: PCT/AU1998/000780
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hugh Stump
Original assignee: Nearest The Pin Pty Limited
Priority date: 1997-09-19
Filing date: 1998-09-18
Publication date: 1999-04-01
Also published as: AUPO930997A0

Abstract

The invention provides a golfing figure (10) which is shaped to resemble the stance of a golfer when addressing a golf ball. A preferred embodiment of the invention provides a figure (10) which is formed from spring wire (22a, 22b) to define the legs (28), torso (30) and arms (32) of the figure and which is fastened to a supporting base (12). The figure is resilient to both torsional and bending stresses. The combination of the torsional and bending resilience of the figure allows the head (20) of a miniature golf club (14) to achieve a complex motion closely approximating that of an actual golf swing.

Description

TITLE: PROJECTILE DRIVING APPARATUS

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to games and in particular to games which involve the

driving of a projectile such as a ball.

The invention has been developed primarily for use as a reduced scale golfing

game and will be described hereinafter with reference to this application. However, it

will be appreciated that the invention may not limited to this particular field of use and

may be equally applicable to other sporting games including cricket, baseball and the

like.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

The prior art discloses a variety of games which involve the striking of a projectile

such as a ball.

For example. United States Patent No. 4,279,419 (Barnes, et. al.) discloses a

golfing figure which is shaped to resemble the stance of a human golfer when addressing

a golf ball and which is designed to duplicate an "ideal" golf swing. The figure

comprises upper and lower body portions which are interconnected by opposite ends of a

torsion spring. When the upper body member is rotated rearwardly and released, the

torsion spring acts to rotate the upper body member forwardly to thereby swing a

miniature golf club. The design and construction of the figure is relatively mechanically

complex insofar as it requires a rotatable connection between the upper and lower body

sections and a coil torsion spring interposed between the two sections to provide for

rotation of the upper body portion relative to the fixed lower body portion. Similarly, UK Patent Application No. GB 2,256,592 (Bennett et. al.) discloses an

animated golf game which relies upon a two piece figure of a player, the figure

comprising upper and lower body portions which are rotatable with respect to each other.

A torsion mechanism is interposed between the two parts of the player to enable rotation

of the upper portion to swing a miniaturised golf club and thereby strike a ball.

However, the configuration of the player provides for only relatively simple rotational

movement to swing the golf club through a single plane.

United States Patent No. 4,322.081 (Terry, Jr. et. al.) discloses a scaled-down golf

game which employs one or more figures resembling a golfer. The figures include a

length of wire which extends through the body of the figure to form the club and the

actuator for swinging the club. Whilst this arrangement is relatively simple and would

be inexpensive to manufacture, it does not provide for any complex motion of the golf

club.

United States Patent No. 5,449,171 (Makhoulian) discloses a miniature golf figure

having pivotally attached upper and lower body parts. The figure includes a torsion

spring to provide for the rotation of the upper portion of the body upon release of a

ratchet mechanism, thereby striking the ball. Again, this arrangement is relatively

mechanically complex and also provides only limited degrees of movement in the

player. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate at

least one of the disadvantages of the prior art, or to provide a useful alternative. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention there is provided a projectile driving apparatus

comprising:

a base;

projectile striking means;

means to connect said projectile striking means to said base; and

resilient biasing means for providing both torsional resilience and bending

resilience, said biasing means disposed intermediate said projectile striking means and

said base to bias said projectile striking means toward a rest position adjacent a projectile

striking position, whereby said projectile striking means can be withdrawn against the

bias of said resilient means to an energised position such that upon release said projectile

striking means is driven through said rest position into engagement with a projectile

disposed at said striking position.

Advantageously, the present invention provides an apparatus which permits a

complex motion of the projectile striking means. In this way the motion of the striking

means may replicate the motion which occurs in a real game, be it golf, cricket, baseball

or the like. This introduces the need for an added degree of skill when playing a game

with the apparatus.

Preferably, the connection means forms or includes the resilient biasing means.

Preferably also, the connection means is configured to at least approximately

resemble the body of a person. The body desirably includes legs rigidly connected to the

base, arms extending to the projectile striking means and a torso intermediate the legs and arms. The body may be suitably attired and/or equipped to resemble a particular

sportsperson including golfers, cricketers or baseball players etc.

In a preferred embodiment the structure, or frame, of the body is constructed from

spring wire or other material having suitable properties so as to simultaneously form

both the connection means and the resilient biasing means.

Preferably also, the projectile striking means includes a shaft or handle terminating

in a striking head. In a preferred form the projectile striking means is configured to

resemble a golf club. Alternative embodiments include miniaturised forms of cricket

bats, baseball bats, hockey sticks and other forms of sporting implements.

It will be appreciated that all or part of either the body or projectile striking means

may be rigid so long as at least one region of resilience exists between the base and the

striking head to provide the head with the required driving force when it is released from

an energised position acting against the bias.

In an embodiment of the invention where the body resembles a golfer, a releasably

securable joint may be disposed intermediate the shaft and striking head to allow for

adjustment of the position of the striking head in relation to the shaft and provide one or

more degrees of freedom. In this way, the adjustability of the position of the striking

head may permit the head to be rotated about a generally vertical axis such that the

projectile striking means can incorporate fade or draw into the trajectory of the projectile

and/or be rotated about a generally horizontal axis to simulate a range of golf clubs. The

simulated clubs may range from a pitching wedge (approximately 60° loft angle) to a

one-iron (approximately 10° loft angle). In another embodiment of the invention where the body resembles a cricketer or

baseball player, a releasably securable joint may be disposed intermediate the arms and

the shaft allowing adjustment of the position of the shaft in relation to the arms in one or

more degrees of freedom. This embodiment permits realistic positioning of the cricket

or baseball bat in relation to the arms.

The base preferably includes projectile locating means to support the projectile at

the projectile striking position. Desirably, the projectile supporting means is resiliently

deformable so as to accommodate possible impact between the projectile supporting

means and the projectile striking means during engagement with the projectile. In a

preferred embodiment of the invention the projectile supporting means is configured to

resemble and act as a golf tee to support a ball. In such an embodiment it is further

preferred that the tee is positioned behind the club head when the playing figure is in a

rest position.

In embodiments of the invention where the projectile is not required to be

stationary for striking, such as cricket or baseball, projectile delivery means may be

substituted for the projectile support means. In this way the projectile can be bowled or

pitched at the body in a realistic manner suited to the sport being imitated.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the body is structured so

as to be torsionally resilient about its longitudinal axis. Further, the body is preferably

also resilient in a fore and aft direction in the plane coincident with both the longitudinal

axis and the striking head. This combination of torsional and fore and aft resilience of

the body allows the projectile striking means to achieve a complex motion closely

approximating a golf swing and is achieved by the wire construction of the preferred form wherein longitudinally extending spring wire, or the like, defines the legs, arms and

torso of the body.

In a preferred form, the apparatus according to the invention further includes a

scoring mat that is positioned near the apparatus.

The mat is preferably configured to resemble a sporting field suitable for use with

the sportsperson the apparatus is depicting. Contemplated configurations of the mat

include a golfing green or fairway, a baseball diamond or a cricket field.

The projectile used in conjunction with the mat is preferably provided with

external portions of a hook and loop "Velcro" style fastener. Correspondingly, the

scoring mat is made from a material which is prone to attach to the fastener carried on

the projectile. For example, the projectile may include portions of the more extensive

"hook" type fasteners and the mat made partly or in its entirety from a compatible "loop"

material. Preferably also, the mat includes different regions each assigned a particular

scoring value, the different regions being identified by either colour or pattern etc. The

regions may be fixed or in the form of selectively movable patches.

In this way a user of the apparatus can be assigned a score in a game when the

projectile is driven into a particular region by the apparatus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of

example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a projectile driving apparatus according to the

invention configured to resemble a golfer and including a replica golf green scoring mat; Figure 2 is a skeletal view of a first preferred embodiment of the apparatus shown

in Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a skeletal view of a second preferred embodiment of the apparatus

shown in Figure 1 ; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring in particular to Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings, the

preferred embodiment of the projectile driving apparatus 10 comprises a base 12, a

projectile striking means in the form of a reduced scale golf club 14. and a means to

connect the projectile striking means to the base in the form of a figure 16 shaped to

resemble the stance of a golfer when addressing a golf ball. The golf club 14 includes a

shaft 18 and a striking head 20.

In the preferred embodiments depicted in Figures 2 and 3, the reinforcing structure,

or frame, of the golfing figure 16 is formed from spring wire. A suitable type of spring

wire is known as "Range 2" spring wire, manufactured by Broken Hill Proprietary Ltd

(BHP), Australia. The golfing figure 16 is formed from wires 22a and 22b embedded in

the base 12 at ends 24a and 24b respectively. In the embodiment depicted in Figure 2,

the wires 22a and 22b are joined approximately midway along their length at a position

approximating the waist or torso 30 of the figure by a binding of wire 26. Other methods

such as welding or brazing could also be used to provide this join. It should be noted

that this join is only required if it is desired to provide additional rigidity to the figure.

The spring wire is bent into a shape approximately resembling a human body,

including legs 28, torso 30 and arms 32. The arms 32 may be welded or brazed to the shaft 18 projectile striking means 14 at 34. However a mechanical connection such as a

crimped join is preferred because of manufacturing considerations.

Importantly, there is a rigid connection between the base 12 and the frame of the

figure 16. Preferably a mechanical connection secures the ends 24a and 24b of the wires

to the base 12. It has been found that by mechanically crimping the ends 24a and 24b of

the wires and inserting the crimped ends into corresponding apertures in the base 12 a

sound connection can be obtained.

In accordance with a preferred aspect of the invention the wire construction

simultaneously connects the base 12 to the club 14 and also provides the necessary

torsional and bending resilience to supply the projectile driving force. A further

important aspect of the invention is that when the club is withdrawn prior to striking a

ball the torsional and bending stresses in the frame are transferred through the wires to

their respective connection points in the base.

In a further particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the structure is

formed by a pair of wires, preferably spring wire, wherein one wire is bent to form the

right hand side leg, torso and arm sections of the figure, whilst the second wire is bent to

form the left hand side leg, torso and arm sections of the figure.

Reference is made to Figure 3 which depicts a particularly preferred embodiment

of the invention. For the sake of consistency, those features of the embodiment of

Figure 3 which are common with the features of the embodiment depicted in Figure 2

have been given the same reference numerals. The figure resembles the stance of a right

handed golf player when addressing a golf ball. In the embodiment depicted, a first

length of spring wire is bent to form the right hand side leg, torso and arm sections of the figure. A second length of spring wire is bent to form the right hand side leg, torso and

arm sections. In a further preferred feature, the wire which forms the leading arm 32b of

the playing figure (that is. the left arm of the right handed figure shown in the

accompanying drawings) continues to form the shaft section 18 of the miniaturised golf

club. The first length of spring wire is joined at a junction with the second length of

spring wire at a position representing the hands of the playing figure. Preferably a

mechanical connection, such as a crimping connection, joins the two lengths of spring

wire at junction 34. Similarly, if the figure is configured to resemble a left handed

player, the wire forming the right arm of the figure also forms the shaft section of the

miniaturised golf club.

In another golfing embodiment of the invention a releasably securable joint may be

disposed at 40 to allow adjustment of the position of the striking head in relation to

shaft 18.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention resembling a cricket or baseball

player, with a bat. a similar releasably securable joint may be substituted intermediate

the arms and bat for joint 34 to allow adjustment of the position of the bat in relation to

the arms.

The provision of these joints allows the golf club head or cricket or baseball bat to

be realistically positioned.

The base 12 includes projectile loading means in the form of tee 42 to support a

projectile 44, which in the preferred form illustrated resembles a golf ball. Preferably

the tree is located at a position which lies behind the club head 20 when the figure is in

its rest position. This ensures that the club head strikes the ball when the golf club is released from a withdrawn position. Preferably the base 12 is manufactured from

moulded plastic, although it should be appreciated that other materials may be used. A

scoring mat 50 is also provided for use with the apparatus 10. In figure 1 there is shown

a mat resembling a golfing green and fairway. However other embodiments include a

baseball diamond or cricket field.

In one form the ball is provided with external areas of one component of a hook

and loop fastener 46 and the mat 50 includes regions 52 assigned a particular scoring

valve that are either divided by lines 54 of the complementary component of the hook

and loop fastener or the mat in its entirety is made from the complementary component

material. The hook and loop fastener component on the mat also allows the adhesion of

extra movable features such as replica bunkers 56, tree obstacles 58 and water traps 60.

Referring in particular to Figures 1 and 4, in order to play a game using the

apparatus a ball 44 is placed on the tee 42 and the club head 20 is withdrawn (as shown

in phantom in Figure 4). A movable stay 48 may be provided to hold the club head in a

withdrawn position. In the preferred embodiment shown, the stay 48 takes the form of

an elongate member pivotably connected at one end to the base and which can be moved

between a first, retracted position which does not impede the motion of the club head

and a second position (as shown in phantom in Figure 4) where it holds the club head in

a withdrawn position. When the club head is released the resilience in the wire structure

of the figure 16 propels the club head into engagement with the projectile, thus driving it

towards the golf green represented by mat 50. Scores are assigned to players dependent

on how close the projectile lands to the region representing the hole 62. In a similar fashion, the apparatus can resemble a cricketer or baseball player and

the projectile can be driven into regions that would represent runs and the like.

Although the invention has been described with reference to a specific example, it

will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in

many other forms.

Claims

1. A projectile driving apparatus comprising:

a base;

projectile striking means;

means to connect said projectile striking means to said base; and

resilient biasing means for providing both torsional resilience and bending

disposed at said striking position.

2. The projectile driving apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the connection

means forms or includes the resilient biasing means.

3. The projectile driving apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the connection

means is configured to at least approximately resemble the body of a person.

4. The projectile driving apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the structure, or

frame, of the body is constructed from spring wire so as to simultaneously form both the

connection means and the resilient biasing means.

5. The projectile driving apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the connection

means resembles the stance of a golfer when addressing a golf ball.