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Golf club and practice arrangementRelated Patent Categories: Games Using Tangible Projectile, Golf, Practice Swingable Implement Or Indicator Associated With Swingable Implement, With Lighting (e.g., Laser, Etc.) Means Attachable To Or Integral With ImplementGolf club and practice arrangement description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060135277, Golf club and practice arrangement. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] The present application is related to and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/283,488, filed Nov. 18, 2005 and U.S. application Ser. No. 10/659,648, filed Sep. 10, 2003, both entitled "Golf Club and Practice Arrangements" and to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/409,463, filed Sep. 10, 2002, entitled "Laser Putt II," and to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/447,593, filed on Feb. 14, 2003, entitled "Laser Putt III," and to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/457,804, filed on Mar. 26, 2003, entitled "Laser Putt IV," and to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/471,953, filed on May 20, 2003, entitled "Laser Putt V." The subject matter disclosed in those applications are hereby expressly incorporated into the present application. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention related generally to golf, and more particularly to a golf club and practice arrangement utilizing same. More specifically, the invention relates to a golf club, and practice arrangement utilizing same, that facilitates development of proper club head aiming technique. It will be apparent to those of skill in the relevant arts that variations in the specific designs disclosed may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0003] One element of a proper golf shot is proper orientation or aim of the club head. It is important that the club head be properly oriented relative to the ball during set up. A proper golf swing or stroke will return the club head to the ball at substantially the same orientation adopted by the player during set up. Thus, it is important that the club head be properly oriented or aimed relative to a target along the desired line of ball flight or roll. [0004] The most used club in golf is the putter. The most important and difficult task to accomplish with a putter is proper aim. In one embodiment, the present invention facilitates the development and practice of proper putter aim, one of the most important fundamentals in putting and one of the most difficult to master. [0005] In certain embodiments, the present invention is intended primarily as a practice device which may be used both indoors and outdoors. However, the golf club of the present invention may be used in actual play on a course. This is desirable in that it eliminates the need to transfer learning from a practice device to an alternative club used in regulation play. In certain embodiments, the practice device/golf club of the present invention is well suited for both purposes, and may be used both to learn proper aim and alignment of the club, as well as in actual playing of the game of golf. [0006] In one embodiment, the present invention includes a golf club comprising a shaft, a head attached to the shaft, a light-producing insert, and a non-light producing insert. The head has a ball-striking surface, an aperture formed in the ball-striking surface for allowing light to pass therethrough and a cavity formed in the head adjacent the aperture. The light-producing insert is configured so as to be operably and removably received within the cavity. The nonlight-producing insert is configured so as to be selectively received with the cavity in place of the light-producing insert. In one embodiment, the nonlight-producing insert is substantially equal in weight to the light producing insert and, in certain embodiments, may be substantially the same size and weight, and have substantially the same weight distribution, as the light-producing insert. [0007] In certain embodiments, the ball striking face of the head comprises a translucent material disposed over the aperture. A prism, or lens, may be disposed in the aperture for transmitting light produced by the light-producing insert. The prism columnates a light beam produced by the light-producing insert such that the light beam forms a line on a surface, a portion of the light beam may be projected onto a surface of a target. In certain embodiments, the prism may be formed as part of the light-producing insert. In these or other embodiments, the aperture is located in an approximate midpoint of the ball-striking surface. [0008] A switch may be provided to allow a use to selectively activate the light-producing insert. [0009] The light-producing insert preferably includes a battery-powered laser device. The nonlight-producing insert may be formed of any material having an appropriate size, weight and weight distribution. [0010] In a practice arrangement particularly well-suited for putting, the invention includes the combination of a golf club and a target. The subject golf club includes a shaft, a putter head attached to the shaft, a light-producing insert, and a nonlight-producing insert. The putter head includes a ball-striking surface, an aperture formed in the surface for allowing light to pass therethrough and a cavity formed in the putter head adjacent to the aperture. The light-producing insert is configured so as to be operably and removably received within the cavity in place of the light-producing insert. [0011] The target includes a surface for reflecting at least a portion of a light beam produced by the light-producing insert to provide a visual indication of orientation of the putter head relative to the target. The target may include a surface which extends transversely to a target line defined by the light-producing insert. The surface may have a plurality of regularly-spaced marks thereon. A portion of the target may be configured so as to extend into a golf hole to secure the target in position relative to the hole. In one embodiment, a prism is provided to columnate a light beam produced by the light-producing insert such that the light beam forms a line on a putting surface between the putting head and the putting target. A portion of the light beam may also be projected directly to, and reflected by, a surface of the target. [0012] The concepts disclosed are not limited to use with a golf club of the exact type illustrated in the drawings, but may be used with clubs of many shapes, sizes, or dimensions. [0013] Additional embodiments, features and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following description of the illustrated embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0014] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of one embodiment of a golf club constructed in accordance with the present invention. [0015] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of one embodiment of a golf club and practice arrangement constructed in accordance with the present invention. [0016] FIG. 3 shows a front view of a portion of one embodiment of a golf club constructed in accordance with the present invention. [0017] FIG. 4 shows a side view of a portion of one embodiment of a golf club constructed in accordance with the present invention. [0018] FIG. 5 shows a top, cross-sectional view of a portion of one embodiment of a golf club constructed in accordance with the present invention. [0019] FIG. 6 shows an illustrative example of a nonlight-producing insert used with the embodiment of FIG. 5. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Continue reading about Golf club and practice arrangement... Full patent description for Golf club and practice arrangement Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Golf club and practice arrangement 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 club and practice arrangement or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Peripheral weighted golf ball for putting training Next Patent Application: Apparatus for practicing golf putting Industry Class: Games using tangible projectile ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Golf club and practice arrangement patent info. 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