IP Library Granted Patent US 8,956,239
Granted Patent B2
US 8,956,239 · App. 13/590,520 · Granted Feb 17, 2015

Golf ball holding structure

Inventor: William Parks (Black Mountain, NC)
Assignee: Swing Sensei, LLC
A63B69/36A63B65/122A63B69/3632A63B69/0002A63B69/3623A63B55/02A63B2220/51A63B2220/80A63B53/06A63B2069/0008
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,956,239
App. No.
13/590,520
Granted
Feb 17, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

An apparatus which uses a club having a head portion and a shaft. Integrated with the head portion is a golf ball holder. The golf ball holder is capable of gripping and holding a golf ball with a predetermined force requirement for release, which requires the user to execute a proper golf swing to release the ball. The predetermined force requirement may be adjustable. The user also may vary the angle of the club face on various planes relative to the shaft, thereby changing the swing required to release the ball.

Claims (50)

1. A golf club assembly, comprising:

a club head comprising a holder receiver and a hosel;

a first projectile holder, wherein said first projectile holder is operable to couple to and decouple from said holder receiver;

wherein said hosel includes a proximal hosel end and a distal hosel end;

wherein said first projectile holder includes first, second, third, and fourth holding elements for a projectile;

wherein a first geometric line runs through said first and said second holding elements;

wherein a second geometric line runs through said third and fourth holding elements;

wherein a third geometric line runs through the center of said proximal hosel end and the center of said distal hosel end; and

wherein said first, second, and third geometric lines are substantially parallel to one another when said first projectile holder is coupled to said holder receiver.

2. The golf club assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a second projectile holder,

wherein said second projectile holder includes fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth holding elements; and

wherein said second projectile holder is operable to couple to and decouple from said holder receiver.

3. The golf club assembly of claim 2 , wherein said first, second, third and fourth holding elements exert a first holding force upon said projectile when said projectile is placed between said first, second, third and fourth holding elements;

and wherein said fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth holding elements exert a second holding force upon said projectile where said projectile is placed between said fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth said holding elements; and

wherein said second holding force is greater than said first holding force.

4. The golf club assembly of claim 3 , wherein said first projectile holder includes a first spine, and wherein said second projectile holder includes a second spine, and wherein said second spine is thicker than said first spine in at least one dimension.

5. The golf club assembly of claim 1 , wherein said assembly further comprises a whistle cap;

wherein said whistle cap is between said holder receiver and said first projectile holder, and wherein said whistle cap is coupled to said holder receiver and said first projectile holder, and wherein said whistle cap includes a whistle cap aperture.

6. The golf club assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a spacer, wherein said spacer is operable to couple to and decouple from said first projectile holder, and wherein said spacer is operable to couple to and decouple from said holder receiver;

wherein said first, second, third, and fourth holding elements contact said projectile at different locations when said spacer is coupled to said first projectile holder than when said spacer is decoupled from said first projectile holder, when said projectile is fully inserted into said first projectile holder.

7. A golf club assembly, comprising:

a club head comprising a holder receiver;

a golf club shaft, wherein said golf club shaft is coupled to said club head;

wherein said golf club shaft includes a gripping portion, and wherein said gripping portion includes a proximal end and a distal end;

a first projectile holder, wherein said first projectile holder is operable to couple to and decouple from said holder receiver;

wherein said first projectile holder includes first, second, third, and fourth holding elements for a projectile;

wherein a first geometric line runs through said first and said second holding elements;

wherein a second geometric line runs through said third and fourth holding elements;

wherein a third geometric line runs through the center of said proximal gripping portion end and the center of said distal gripping portion end; and

wherein said first, second, and third geometric lines are substantially parallel to one another when said first projectile holder is coupled to said holder receiver.

8. The golf club assembly of claim 7 , further comprising a second projectile holder,

wherein said second projectile holder includes fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth holding elements; and

wherein said second projectile holder is operable to couple to and decouple from said holder receiver.

9. The golf club assembly of claim 8 , wherein said first, second, third and fourth holding elements exert a first holding force upon said projectile when said projectile is placed between said first, second, third and fourth holding elements;

wherein said fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth holding elements exert a second holding force upon said projectile where said projectile is placed between said fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth said holding elements; and

wherein said second holding force is greater than said first holding force.

10. The golf club assembly of claim 9 , wherein said first projectile holder includes a first spine, and wherein said second projectile holder includes a second spine, and wherein said second spine is thicker than said first spine in at least one dimension.

11. The golf club assembly of claim 7 , wherein said assembly further comprises a whistle cap;

wherein said whistle cap is between said holder receiver and said first projectile holder, and wherein said whistle cap is coupled to said holder receiver and said first projectile holder, and wherein said whistle cap includes a whistle cap aperture.

12. The golf club assembly of claim 7 , further comprising a spacer, wherein said spacer is operable to couple to and decouple from said first projectile holder;

wherein said first, second, third, and fourth holding elements contact said projectile at different locations when said spacer is coupled to said first projectile holder than when said spacer is decoupled from said first projectile holder, when said projectile is fully inserted into said first projectile holder.

13. A method for detecting when a golf swing has been executed properly, said method comprising:

providing a club head comprising a holder receiver and a hosel;

providing a first projectile holder, wherein said first projectile holder is operable to couple to and decouple from said holder receiver; wherein said hosel includes a proximal hosel end and a distal hosel end;

providing a projectile, wherein said first projectile holder includes first, second, third, and fourth holding elements for said projectile; wherein a first geometric line runs through said first and said second holding elements; wherein a second geometric line runs through said third and fourth holding elements; wherein a third geometric line runs through the center of said proximal hosel end and the center of said distal hosel end; herein said first, second, and third geometric lines are substantially parallel to one another when said first projectile holder is coupled to said holder receiver;

providing a whistle cap, wherein said whistle cap is between said holder receiver and said first projectile holder, and wherein said whistle cap is coupled to said holder receiver and said first projectile holder, and wherein said whistle cap includes a whistle cap aperture;

attaching a golf club shaft to said hosel, wherein said golf club shaft includes a gripping portion;

placing said projectile in said first projectile holder, wherein said first, second, third, and fourth holding elements are exerting said first holding force upon said projectile, and wherein said projectile is positioned such that air cannot continuously flow through said whistle cap aperture;

gripping said gripping portion and swinging said golf club assembly; and

releasing said projectile from said projectile holder, whereby air passing through said whistle cap aperture creates a whistling sound during a portion of said swing.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 20, 2014
From: PARKS, WILLIAM
To: SWING SENSEI, LLC
Reel/Frame 032261/0077 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation In Part 12847210 · Jul 30, 2010
Continuation In Part 12578994 · Oct 14, 2009
Provisional Application 61166457 · Apr 3, 2009
Related Publication 20130130820A1 · May 23, 2013