PROJECTILE LAUNCHING DEVICE

Abstract

A golf ball launcher including a head installed on an elongate shaft. The head is a unitary cup that releasably captures a standard golf ball with a friction fit insertion. When the launcher is accelerated in an arc in the manner of a lacrosse throw, the ball is released with a slight deceleration or snap at the point of release and with backspin.

Claims

1. A golf ball launcher head, comprising: an elongate shaft having a lower end and an upper end; a grip disposed on said lower end of said shaft; a launching head disposed on said upper end of said shaft, said launching head including coupling structure to connect said head to said shaft, a shoulder extending upwardly through a neck portion of said head to an open cup portion having a truncated front and truncated right and left sides defining a partial spherical interior volume with a front opening to releasably capture a golf ball.

2. The golf ball launcher of claim 1, wherein said cup portion is spherical

3. The golf ball launcher of claim 1, wherein said coupling structure comprises a ferrule with a cylindrical receiving hole for insertion of said upper end of said shaft.

4. The golf ball launcher of claim 1, wherein said cup portion includes an upper jaw which flares laterally at a terminal end into an upper lip and a lower jaw which flares laterally into a lower lip.

5. The golf ball launcher of claim 1, wherein said upper and lower lips each angle slightly outwardly at said opening of said truncated open front so as to facilitate centering a ball in said opening.

6. The golf ball launcher of claim 1, further including a tapered dorsal rib extending downwardly from said upper jaw along said neck to provide structural support during outward flexion of said upper jaw portion during ball capture and release.

7. The golf ball launcher of claim 6, further including a tapered ventral rib extending downwardly from said lower lip and along said neck to flex during capture and release.

8. The golf ball launcher of claim 1, wherein the material from which said golf ball launcher is fabricated, the resilience of said upper jaw, the radius of said spherical interior volume, and the distance between said upper and lower lips, cooperate to provide a capturing force sufficient to retain a ball regardless of the attitude of the head, and a release force that controls a captured ball before release but which also allows a release of said ball with a deceleration of said head after an acceleration of said head.

9. The golf ball launcher of claim 8, wherein said front opening has a height that is a distance between said upper and lower lips and is less than the diameter of a golf ball.

10. The golf ball launcher of claim 1, wherein said launcher head imparts a backspin to a golf ball launched from said launcher head when said launcher is accelerated and decelerated on a generally vertical plane.

11. The golf ball launcher of claim 1, wherein said neck portion includes right and left side recesses for placement of weights to adjust head weight to user preferences.

12. A projectile launcher, comprising: a shaft; a grip disposed on a first end of said shaft; a launcher head disposed on a second end of said shaft, said launcher head defining a generally spherical interior volume sized to accommodate a golf ball with right and left side openings and a front opening to said interior spherical volume, said front opening having a height dimension less than that of the circumference of a golf ball.

13. The projectile launcher of claim 12, wherein said front opening and said right and left side openings define an upper jaw and a lower jaw.

14. The projectile launcher of claim 13, wherein said upper and lower jaws each flare outwardly toward said front opening.

15. The projectile launcher of claim 13, wherein said upper jaw and said lower jaw each have lips angled outwardly toward said front opening.

16. The projectile launcher of claim 12, wherein said upper jaw flexes.

17. The projectile launcher of claim 16, wherein when a ball is releasably captured in said head and said head is accelerated in an arc and then decelerated, centrifugal force urges the ball against said upper jaw and toward said front opening so as to last touch said upper jaw when leaving said front opening, thereby causing said ball to spin.

18. The projectile launcher of claim 12, wherein said upper jaw includes a reinforcing rib disposed on its outer surface.

19. The projectile launcher of claim 12, wherein said head includes right and left recesses for adding weight with a heavy material.

20. The projectile launcher of claim 12, wherein said shaft is between 36 inches and 50 inches in length.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

[0026] FIG. 1 is an upper front left perspective view showing the throw golf launcher head of the present invention, seen here attached to the shaft of a launcher (with the grip not shown) and with a golf ball shown immediately in front of the launcher head and poised for insertion or, alternatively, just having been thrown;

[0027] FIG. 2A is the same view showing more detail of the launcher head;

[0028] FIG. 2B is a lower left front perspective view showing detail of the launcher head, here shown with the head removed from the launcher shaft;

[0029] FIG. 3A is a front view in elevation showing a golf ball captured in the launcher head;

[0030] FIG. 3B is the same view with the golf ball removed;

[0031] FIG. 4 is a side view in elevation thereof;

[0032] FIG. 5 is a rear view in elevation thereof.

[0033] FIG. 6A is a cross-sectional side view in elevation as taken along section line 6 of FIG. 3B;

[0034] FIG. 6B is the same view showing the launcher head with a ball held by the head.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0035] Referring to FIGS. 1 through 6B, wherein like reference numerals refer to like components in the various views, there is illustrated therein a new and improved throw golf launcher head, generally denominated 10 herein.

[0036] In an embodiment, the throw golf launcher head of the present invention is installed on the end of a shaft 12, having a grip disposed on the lower end of the shaft (not shown in the views, but well known in the art). The head 10 includes a ferrule portion 14 having a cylindrical hole 16 for insertion of the upper end 18 of the shaft, a tapered shoulder 20 extending upwardly through a neck portion 22 of the head to a truncated (or cut) spherical cup portion 24, or mouth. The cuts in the spherical cup portion number three and include: (1) a truncated front 26, thus defining the principal front opening 28 for inserting and releasably capturing a ball B within a generally (partial) spherical interior volume 30 of the mouth 24; and (2) truncated (cut) right and left sides 32, 34, respectively, wherein the right and left truncations are in generally parallel planes. Collectively, the cuts define the partial spherical interior volume 30 into which a ball is releasably captured, as shown in FIGS. 3B and 6B. The side cuts provide side openings 36, 38 to provide side access for user fingers to insert or remove a ball from the mouth.

[0037] As will be appreciated, in the full and partial side views (FIGS. 1-2B, 4, and 6A-6B) the spherical cup portion describes a C when viewed from the left (FIGS. 1-2B, 6A-6B) and a reverse C when viewed from the right (FIG. 4). This C-shape design thus includes an upper jaw portion 40 which flares laterally at a terminal end into an upper lip 42, and a lower jaw portion 44 which flares laterally into a lower lip 46. The upper and lower lip portions angle slightly outwardly from the arc defining the C-shape so as to facilitate centering a ball in the opening 28. A tapered dorsal rib 48 provides added structural support that tolerates the repeated outward flexion of the upper jaw portion during ball capture and release. It will be noted that the material characteristics of the head as well as the dimensions of the jaw and side cuts provides for a degree of resilience in the upper jaw to enable the selective ball capture and release. A tapered ventral rib 50 on the throat portion 52 of the neck has the same purpose for the lower lip 46, which flexes nominally during capture and release.

[0038] The launcher head is preferably manufactured by injection molding using a thermoplastic material that enables a fully monolithic (entirely integral) construction, and thus no need of any assembly of separate parts. Material dimensions for all structural features are tailored to the strength and flexibility characteristics of the material so as to allow an optimal amount of flexion during performance, whereby a golf ball is easily placed into the receptacle, is retained without effort, no matter the attitude of the head, yet easily and readily releases upon execution of a proper launch technique. Specifically, the physical characteristics of the plastic molded material, the width 54 of the jaws 40, 44, the width 56 of the lips, the size (measured as a height) 58 of the front opening 28 (see FIG. 6A), which is less than the diameter of a standard U.S. golf ball, and the radius 60 of the spherical interior volume 30 as measured from its geometric center 62, cooperate to provide a capturing force tailored to an optimal release force that controls a captured golf ball before release, but which also allows the upper jaw to flex upon deceleration for an easy release of the ball. The deceleration required is minimal, but in practice the motion imparted to the device is a flicking kind of motion, with rapid overhead acceleration of the launcher followed by rapid deceleration.

[0039] The head is also designed to impart a backspin to the ball on release, much as that provided by the angled face of a golf club, when the launch arc is described on a generally vertical plane. This is caused by centrifugal force, which urges the captured ball against the upper jaw when the head is swung in an arc, and then by the ball as it engages the upper jaw leaving the front opening, wherein it last touches the upper jaw. Thus, it is effectively spun backwardly as it leaves the launcher head. Accordingly, those skilled in the game are able to impart side spins by launching the ball at varying angles, thereby mimicking fades, draws, hooks, and slices. The versatility of the launch is thereby dramatically enhanced.

[0040] Furthermore, the neck portion of the head includes right and left side recesses 64, 66, into which customized weights can be placed and secured (by using lead tape, for instance), thus enabling users to finely tune head weight to their personal preferences.

[0041] In this way there is provided a novel and improved throw golf launcher head that achieves all of the objects and advantages set forth above.

[0042] The above disclosure is sufficient to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to practice the invention, and provides the best mode of practicing the invention presently contemplated by the inventor. While there is provided herein a full and complete disclosure of the preferred embodiments of this invention, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction, dimensional relationships, and operation shown and described. Various modifications, alternative constructions, changes and equivalents will readily occur to those skilled in the art and may be employed, as suitable, without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. Such changes might involve alternative materials, components, structural arrangements, sizes, shapes, forms, functions, operational features or the like.

[0043] Therefore, the above description and illustrations should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, which is defined by the appended claims.