US20040166949A1

US20040166949A1 - Golf club rain ring

Info

Publication number: US20040166949A1
Application number: US10/371,649
Authority: US
Inventors: Bret Smith; Robert Smith
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-02-24
Filing date: 2003-02-24
Publication date: 2004-08-26

Abstract

A ring approximately 1¾″ outside diameter×⅞″ inside diameter×⅜″ wide that can be placed on a golf club shaft where it will engage the grip material and form a snug fit. The ring will help prevent the golf club from slipping or twisting out of the hands of a golfer when executing a swing in wet weather conditions. The ring is removable from the grip and shaft when it is not required.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The need for a device to help prevent a player's hands from slipping off a golf club grip while executing a golf swing in wet weather conditions was evident from listening to players' complaints. It is well known in the golfing industry that a player's hand grip on the golf club shaft grip must be light rather than strong which will allow the wrists of the player to rotate freely through the swing and squares the clubface to the ball at the point of impact and maximizes the club head speed which controls both distance and the proper direction of the ball. If a player strengthens his handgrip during wet weather conditions to prevent slippage of the club, the result will impede the wrist rotation and therefore prevents the squaring of the clubface at impact resulting in misdirection of the golf ball as well as decreasing the distance the ball traveled.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A ring that can be placed onto a golf club shaft and moved to just below the largest diameter of the handgrip where the ring has a smaller inside diameter dimension which prevents the ring from slipping off the large diameter shaft grip while executing a golf swing during wet weather conditions. This ring can be removed from the golf club grip and shaft when not required. This patent file contains one (1) drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

Drawing [0003] 1
1. Top view—a view looking down at the top of the rain ring. [0004]
2. Elevation—a view looking at the side of the rain ring. [0005]
3. FIG. 1—shows rain ring in the playing position on the grip end of a golf club shaft. [0006]
[0007] Drawing 2
1. Top view—A view looking down at the top of an open gap designed rain ring. [0008]
2. Elevation—a view looking at the side of the rain ring including composite material as stated in [0009] claim 5.
3. FIG. 1—shows rain ring in the playing position on the grip end of a golf Club shaft.[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This invention is a ring that can be placed onto a golf club shaft and located at the top of the handgrip just below the largest diameter and compressed to the grip material for a snug fit. The inside diameter of the ring is slightly smaller than the outside diameter of the top of the grip which prevents the ring from sliding off the end of the grip. This ring device would embody all design concepts of the ring including; open-gap design (See Drawing [0011] 2) or closed-gap design (See Drawing 1), materials of construction, shapes, dimensions, colors and closure of the ring gap with a variety of fastener mechanisms such as: hinged, sliding, spring, etc. Should the golfing public require a ring device with no open gap, a suitable fastener would be designed and incorporated into the ring to close the open gap. Any material of construction could be utilized for this device so long as the rigidity of the material would not allow the inside dimension of the ring to expand large enough to slip off the grip. The ring can be made using a variety of standard manufacturing methods such as: molding, machining, casting to name a few. The shape and color are not essential elements of the effectiveness of the ring in preventing the player's hands from slipping off the grip in wet weather conditions. Exact dimensions are not shown on drawings for the following reasons: Dimensions “W”,“Y” and “Z” are not critical to the effectiveness of the ring and therefore can vary; dimension “X” will vary dependent on golf club manufacturer's final grip dimensions.

Claims

1. A circular ring that is placed on a golf club shaft and located at the top of the handgrip shaft just below the largest diameter where it would engage and slightly compress the grip material for a snug fit. The ring then acts as a device which helps prevent a player's hands from slipping or twisting off the handgrip in wet weather conditions.

2. The same ring as cited in claim 1 where a small gap is opened for installation on the shaft handgrip and then closed utilizing one of a variety of existing designed fastener devices such as; hinged, sliding or spring type, after the ring has been placed on the shaft. The fastener is then retracted or unlatched to open the gap for ring removal when required.

3. The same ring as cited in claims 1, 2 and 3 where the ring device has a permanent open gap that is not opened or closed by a fastener device and is installed on the shaft at the smallest diameter of the shaft just above the club head and slid upwards to the top of the handgrip where it will engage the grip material for a snug fit. The inside diameter of the ring is slightly smaller than the top outside diameter of the handgrip which prevents the ring from slipping off the shaft.

4. The same rings cited in claims 1 and 2 can be used during dry weather conditions as a training or teaching aid to assist a golfing player to grip lightly with his hands, which allow the player's wrists to rotate properly through the swing that allows the clubface to square up to the golf ball at impact and maintain the proper direction and distance the golf ball should travel.

5. The same ring as cited in claims 1, 2, 3, and 4 where the bottom portion of the ring that the players hand presses against, has a rubber or composite material bonded to it which helps prevent the golf club from twisting when impact with the golf ball occurs.