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Golf ball marking systemRelated Patent Categories: Games Using Tangible Projectile, Golf, Practice ProjectileGolf ball marking system description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060293113, Golf ball marking system. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] This application claims priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C. .sctn.119 based on U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/421,749 filed Oct. 28, 2002, and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/476,792 filed Jun. 6, 2003, the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference. [0002] This invention relates to golf. More particularly, this invention relates to a system for marking golf balls and/or putters so as to help a golfer align putts in a particular direction, and then determine whether the ball was struck properly (initially rolled in that direction) when it was putted. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Golfers continuously struggle to improve the quality of their putting. Innumerable putters have been designed over the years to improve putting accuracy. Many different training aids have also been designed with a view toward improving the putting stroke and/or the golfer's alignment. [0004] Accurate putting depends in the first place on the putter's skill in "reading" a green. That is, the putter must calculate the extent, if any, to which a ball will curve when struck, the speed of the green, and the force that must be applied to the ball to reach the hole. Even if the golfer has accurately "read" the green and aimed his or her ball and putter accurately along the proper initial starting line, it is necessary that the ball be struck squarely (with a square strike) so that it starts rolling in that proper direction at the proper speed, for good putting. Small errors in alignment between 1) the face of the putter and ball at impact, 2) the direction of motion of the putter relative to the proper starting line, or 3) the impact point relative to the location of the center of mass or percussion center of the putter, will, cause the struck ball to rotate (spin sideways), and to initially move away from the desired path. Said another way, if any of the above mentioned three errors cause, or combine to cause the putter face to not deliver a "square-strike" to the ball, then side spin is initially imparted to the ball and the ball will veer from the proper path in one direction or the other depending on the direction and magnitude of the stroke error(s). [0005] The object of this invention is to provide an improved marking system for golf balls whereby the golfer can determine immediately whether or not the ball has been struck properly along the direction it was aimed and, if not, to enable the golfer to assess the extent to which the ball has been mis-stroked. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0006] In accordance with the invention, a golf ball is marked by placing two highly visible circumferential O-rings (circular stripes) around the ball close to the equator of the ball, and two markings on the polar regions of the ball. The polar markings are almost invisible to the golfer who is putting the ball when the ball is properly aligned with its intended starting line. The O-rings are precisely parallel to each other and capable of being aligned parallel to the desired direction of initial motion of the putt. If the ball is struck improperly (in any way other than with a precisely "square-strike"), the circumferential o-rings (stripes) will then appear to wobble as the putt rolls (due to initial side spin imparted by the non-square strike), and the rotating polar markings will become more visible to the golfer (pulsating into and out of the golfers view), with the extent of their visibility indicating the extent to which the ball was improperly struck. [0007] A putter in accordance with the invention includes a central region (top tray) on its upper surface which contains two lines that converge from back to front. At the forward face of the putter these two lines align precisely with the equatorial O-rings on the ball. The outside edges of such top tray converge into alignment with the outside white edges of the ball to be putted (and in the golfer's mind, with the ball's outside two polar markings, although the polar markings are not readily visible to the golfer), and run over the front top line of the puffer and down along the putter face, to connect most closely to the ball. In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the upper top tray surface of the putter has the same color and dimpled configuration of a conventional golf ball, with the remaining upper surfaces of the putter colored to imitate (and disappear from the golfer's attention into the) grass. THE DRAWINGS [0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a golf ball marked in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention; [0009] FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a golf ball marked in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention; [0010] FIGS. 2B and 2C are views face-on to the polar regions of a golf ball marked in accordance with the second embodiment of the invention; [0011] FIG. 3 is an illustration showing how the markings appear when a ball marked in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention) rolls after being struck properly; [0012] FIG. 4 is an illustration showing how the markings appear when the ball shown in FIG. 3 is struck improperly, with sidespin imparted to the ball at impact; [0013] FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C are top perspective views of different putter constructions showing how a putter can be marked to enhance alignment of the putter and ball marked as shown in FIG. 1 or 2; [0014] FIGS. 5D, 5E and 5F are side cross sectional views of the putters shown in FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C, respectively, showing the top tray inserts; and [0015] FIGS. 6A and 6B are top plan views of ball markers containing alignment markings in accordance with another feature of the invention; DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0016] In the specification and claims, the terms "equator" and "polar regions" are used to define relative positions on a golf ball. The "equator" as its name implies, is the circumference of the ball at its midpoint, i.e., its largest diameter, or a great circle. The "polar regions" refer to the regions of the ball which lie on and around the intersection of the ball and an axis of the ball perpendicular to the plane in which the equator lies. [0017] The principles of the invention are explained with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2 which illustrate a golf ball marked in accordance with two embodiments of the invention. [0018] In FIG. 1 a golf ball 8 includes two closely spaced equatorial O-rings (circumferential stripes) 10 and 12 equally offset from an equator of the ball. In accordance with this embodiment of the invention, a marking in the shape of a circle or polar o-ring 14 is printed in each polar region of the golf ball (only one circle 14 is shown in FIG. 1). The polar o-rings 14 are essentially invisible to a golfer when positioned to putt, with his or her eyes vertically above the line along which the equatorial o-rings are aligned. [0019] In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C, two equatorial O-rings (circumferential stripes) 10 and 12 as shown in FIG. 1 are also included, but in this case each polar region is marked with a pair of lobes 16 and 18. Each lobe may be circular although the shape is not critical. The lobes on one pole are offset by 90.degree. from the lobes on the other pole. [0020] When a golfer addresses a putt, his or her eyes are directly over the ball which means that if the ball is correctly aligned before the putting stroke, the golfer sees the two equatorial O-rings clearly as they cross the upper surface of the ball, but almost none of the two polar o-rings, which appear only at the outer edges of the ball. The golfer's eyes from this position are also in an ideal position to observe the rotation of the markings, as the ball rolls along the green after being putted. Surface friction eliminates side spin from putts shortly after impact, so the amount of side-spin (or turn) imparted to a ball at impact determines how much of the polar o-rings become periodically visible to the golfer, as the putt rolls. The equatorial O-rings (circumferential stripes) 10 and 12 on the ball enable the golfer to align the ball with a precise direction (anticipated initial path). The golfer can then ascertain whether the ball was properly or improperly struck by his or her putting stroke, by watching the roll of the ball along the green. During this roll, the apparent wobble shown by the equatorial o-rings, and the extent of appearance (or non-appearance) of the polar markings, as explained below, provide a quantitative indication of the quality of the putting stroke. Continue reading about Golf ball marking system... Full patent description for Golf ball marking system Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Golf ball marking system patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Golf ball marking system or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Golf club head including level and alignment indicators Next Patent Application: Tri-weight correlated set of iron type golf clubs Industry Class: Games using tangible projectile ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Golf ball marking system patent info. 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