A DEVICE FOR LIMITING THE MOVEMENT OF A PLAYER'S ARM DURING A SPORTING ACTION

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention is related to devices for assisting sports players with practising a sporting action. In particular, the present invention is related to devices for limiting the movement of a player's arm during a sporting action.

The device of the present invention can be used in relation to sporting actions including a golf swing, a cricket bowling action, a roll in lawn bowls or ten pin bowling, archery or any other sporting action that requires. the player's arm to be substantially straight during at least a portion of the action. The present invention is particularly related to devices for limiting the movement of a player's arm during a golf swing.

BACKGROUND ART

Many devices have been developed to assist sports players with practicing sporting actions. Particularly, due to the popularity of golf, many devices have been developed for assisting golf players in improving their swing technique.

U.S. Patent 3,900,199 by Mike Gonagol, for example, discloses a rigid brace that is attached to both the forearm and the upper arm of the leading arm of a golf player to prevent the arm from bending during a golf swing. The disclosed device is both uncomfortable and restrictive since the arm is kept straight all the time and the only way for a user to bend his arm is by removing the device from the arm.

A somewhat similar restraining device is disclosed in U.S. Patent 4,504,054 by E Jackson and B Myers. This device may be slightly more comfortable since it includes a pliable member that is wrapped around a user's elbow. It also includes an elongated

reinforcing member which is removably housed in an open-ended casing within the pliable member. However, even if the reinforcing member is removed, the remaining pliable member would still offer resistance to the arm's movement, thus making the device somewhat inconvenient.

Substantial improvements to such devices are disclosed in patents U.S. 5,048,837, U.S. 5,076,587 and U.S. 5,472,206 by M Manley et al. The disclosed device includes a forearm brace and an upper arm brace connected in a pivotal point. When the pivot is locked, the golfer cannot bend his upper arm and elbow beyond the locked angle. However, unlocking the pivot allows a golfer to freely bend the arm. The pivot is selectively lockable by way of a stop pin which enters into a butting engagement with a corresponding surface. A sensor and an actuator can be used to move the stop pin at an appropriate time so that the golfer may simulate a professional swing, in which the elbow is locked until the ball is addressed, but is able to freely bend thereafter.

Similar arrangements have been adapted for attaching to the golfer's lead arm (U.S. 5,048,837) and the golfer's following arm (U.S. 5,076,587 and U.S. 5,472,206). One disadvantage with the disclosed device is that it is relatively complex and, therefore, more difficult to manufacture and maintain. In addition, while the device is able to unlock the golfer's arm during the golf swing, it seems less suitable for providing the opposite function, i.e. allowing the user to start a golf swing with a bended arm and, once the user's arm is stretched, to lock it into a stretch configuration. Such functionality may be particularly useful for less advanced golfers.

In US 3,339,926 (Coupar) a golf-wing correcting device is described that includes a brace formed of a pair of elongated telescopically arranged members and means to fasten the brace to a user's wrist and biceps so that it extends across the inside of the elbow.

Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide an improved device for limiting the movement of a player's arm during a golf swing. This would overcome at least some of the disadvantages of previously known approaches in this field, or would provide a useful alternative.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a device for limiting the movement of a player's arm during a sporting action, the device comprising a forearm brace, configured to be removably attached to the player's forearm; an upper arm brace, configured to be removably attached the player's upper arm; and a connecting tongue extending between the forearm brace and the upper arm brace wherein the connecting tongue is slidingly engaged with a respective one of the forearm brace and the upper arm brace, and fixedly attached to the other one of the forearm brace and the upper arm brace, so that bending or straightening of the arm slides the connecting tongue relative to the respective brace and varies the extension length of the connecting tongue extending between the braces; and said connecting tongue is sufficiently flexible to slidingly engage with said respective one of the forearm brace and the upper arm brace and is sufficiently resistant to bending such that straightening the player's arm causes said connecting tongue to lockingly engage with an abutting surface of one of said braces and thereby prevents bending of the player's arm.

Preferably, said connecting tongue is a thermoplastic polymer or a similar material. Even more preferably, said connecting tongue is polypropylene or a similar material. In another embodiment said connecting tongue is selected from the group consisting of polystyrene, PET plastic and carbon fibre.

Preferably, the connecting tongue comprises an elongate body and the respective brace comprises a sleeve formation arranged for receiving and guiding the body of the tongue so as to allow its sliding movement within the sleeve formation during bending and straightening of the arm.

Preferably, the body is of a generally planar rectangular shape with longitudinal side edges that are substantially thicker than the middle section of the body.

Preferably, at least a portion of the cross-sectional profile of the body is of a concave shape.

Preferably, one of said braces comprises an opening having an abutment surface, and the body of the tongue comprises a locking tab that is resiliently biased so that during sliding of the body within the brace, when said tab is aligned with said opening, the tab flexes out of the plane of the body and into locking engagement with the abutment surface of the opening, to facilitate the locking of the body and the respective brace with respect to each other.

Preferably, said body of the tongue comprises an opening having an abutment surface, and one of said braces comprises a locking tab that is resiliently biased so that during sliding of the body within the brace, when said tab is aligned with said opening, the tab flexes out of the plane of said brace and into locking engagement with the abutment surface of the opening, to facilitate the locking of the body and the respective brace with respect to each other.

Preferably, said locking tab further includes a resilient member that facilitates the tab flexing out of the plane of said brace. Even more preferably, said resilient member is a spring.

Preferably, the connecting tongue and the respective brace each comprise a corresponding abutting surface, the abutting surfaces being arranged to lockingly engage with each other, upon the extension length of the connecting tongue reaching a predetermined length, thereby disallowing sliding of the connecting tongue in at least one direction relative to the respective brace, thus limiting a predetermined movement of the arm associated with the disallowed sliding direction and wherein the connecting tongue is configured to extend at the back of the elbow and is, at least partially, flexible to conform to the shape of a bent elbow, the arrangement being such that opening of the arm reduces the extension length of the connecting tongue until, when the arm is substantially fully open, the abutting surfaces lockingly engage with each other to prevent any increase of the extension length of connecting tongue, thus preventing the arm from bending.

Preferably, the braces are substantially elongate and are arranged so that, when the user's arm is fully extended, the connecting tongue and the braces are axially aligned.

Preferably, the device is adapted for limiting the movement of a player's arm during a golf swing. Even more preferably, the device is configured for use on a top arm of a golf player, to prevent the top arm from bending, once it is straightened during any part of the swing.

In another embodiment, the device is adapted for limiting the movement of a player's arm during a sporting action selected from the following group cricket, lawn bowls, ten pin bowling and archery.

Preferably, once effected, the locking engagement prevents sliding of the connecting tongue in any direction with respect to the respective brace, thus preventing any further bending or straightening of the arm.

Preferably, the two abutting surfaces are moved out of locking engagement by depressing a release surface associated with one of the abutting surfaces.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a sports training device for limiting the movement of a player's arm during a sporting action, the device comprising a first brace, configured to be removably attached to the player's upper; a second brace, configured to be removably attached to the player's forearm wherein the first brace comprises a connecting tongue which is sufficiently flexible to slidingly engage with the second brace so that bending or straightening of the arm slides the connecting tongue within the second brace and varies the extension length of connecting tongue extending between the braces; and said connecting tongue and said second brace comprise a respective locking portion such that when the connecting tongue moves further into the second brace, the extension length of the connecting tongue reaches a predetermined length and the locking portions lockingly engage with each other to prevent withdrawal of the connecting tongue from the second brace, the

connecting tongue is sufficiently resistant to bending such that when the locking portions are lockingly engaged, the connecting tongue prevents bending of the arm.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided A sports training device of variable length, the device being arranged for attaching to a player's arm for limiting the movement of the arm during a sporting action, said device comprising a first brace, configured to be removably attached to the upper arm of the arm and a second arm brace, configured to be removably attached to the forearm of the arm wherein the upper arm brace comprises a connecting tongue which is sufficiently flexible to slidingly engage with the second brace so that bending or straightening of the arm slides the connecting tongue within the second brace and varies the extension length of connecting tongue extending between the braces, said length of the device being defined by the length of the connecting tongue extending between the braces; and said connecting tongue and said second brace comprise a respective locking portion such that when the connecting tongue moves further into the second brace, the extension length of the connecting tongue reaches a predetermined length and the locking portions lockingly engage with each other to prevent withdrawal of the connecting tongue from the second brace, the connecting tongue is sufficiently resistant to bending such that when the locking portions are lockingly engaged, the connecting tongue prevents bending of the arm.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided a golf swing training device for limiting the movement of an arm of a player, the device comprising a brace mechanism adapted to be secured to the arm, the brace mechanism having a releasable locking mechanism; during a golf swing, the brace mechanism allows the forearm of the arm to move relatively towards the player's upper arm, until the brace mechanism reaches a predetermined spatial configuration, in which the locking mechanism lockingly engages to maintain the brace mechanism in the predetermined configuration; the brace mechanism comprises first and a second parts that move slidingly with respect to each other during the swing; the locking mechanism comprises an opening in the first part of the brace and a locking tab associated with the second part, the locking tab is resiliently biased so that during sliding of the first part with respect to the second part, when the brace mechanism reaches said predetermined

spatial configuration, the tab is aligned with the opening and flexes out of the second part and into locking engagement with an abutment edge of the opening to lock the brace mechanism into said predetermined spatial configuration; and wherein said second part is sufficiently flexible to slidingly engage with said second part and is sufficiently resistant to bending such that straightening the player's arm causes said second part to lockingly engage with an abutting surface of said first part and prevents bending of the player's arm.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein;

Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a training device for limiting movement, such as bending or flexing, of a user's arm, in accordance with one aspect of the invention, as applied to a user's arm. The figure illustrates consecutive configurations of the device as the user's arm straightens.

Fig. 2 is two perspective views of the training device of Fig. 1.

BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The training device 1 can be used in relation to sporting actions including a golf swing, a cricket bowling action, a roll in lawn bowls or ten pin bowling or any other sporting action that requires the arm to be substantially straight during at least a portion of the action.

Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 show a first embodiment of the training device 1, which is used for limiting the movement such as bending or flexing of a user's arm 2, during a golf swing. The device 1 comprises an upper arm brace 3 configured to be removably attached to upper arm 4 of the user's arm and a forearm brace 5 configured to be

removably attached to forearm 6 of the user's arm. Upper arm brace 3 comprises an elongate connecting member in the form of a connecting tongue 7, which is guidingly received within a sleeve formation 8 of the forearm brace 5 so that the tongue can slide within the formation during bending and straightening of the arm. Such sliding movement of the tongue 7 within the forearm brace 5 varies the extension length of the tongue. (The expression "extensive length" is used throughout this specification to refer to the length of the tongue 7 extending between the two braces 3, 5.) The arrangement is such that when the user's arm 2 is fully extended, the two elongate braces 3, 5 and the tongue 7 are axially aligned.

To facilitate this sliding movement, the tongue 7 has a substantially elongate rectangular shape. However, the two side edges 9 extending along the length of the tongue 7 are substantially thicker than the middle section of the tongue. While the tongue 7 is generally planar, its cross sectional profile is slightly concave. This feature is also intended to facilitate smooth, but torsion resistant sliding of the tongue 7 within the sleeve formation 8. In this way, the tongue 7 is sufficiently flexible to slidingly engage with one of the forearm braces 3, 5 and is sufficiently resistant to bending, such that straightening of the arm causes the tongue to lockingly engage with one of the braces. This engagement prevents movement, such as bending or flexing of the player's arm.

In this preferred embodiment of the device depicted in the accompanying drawings, the connecting tongue 7 is configured to extend at the back of the elbow 10.

Accordingly, the material of the tongue 7 has to be sufficiently firm, to offer torsion resistance, yet sufficiently flexible so as to conform to the shape of the bent elbow 10 at various angles of bending. This allows both flexion and extension of the player's arm 2.

The device 1 also has a locking arrangement designed to lock the tongue 7 with respect to the forearm brace 5 in at least one predetermined configuration. In particular, the forearm brace 5 comprises an opening 11 having an abutment surface 12, while the tongue 7 comprises a locking tab 13 that is axially aligned with the opening 11. During the sliding movement of the tongue 7 within the forearm brace 5, the locking tab 13 is pushed within the plane of the tongue. However, the tab 13 is resiliently biased and

when, during the sliding of the tongue 7 within the brace 5, the tab 13 aligns with the opening 11, the tab flexes out of the plane of the tongue and into a locking engagement with an abutment surface 12 of the opening . This locks the tongue 7 with respect to the forearm brace 5, defining a configuration of the device 1 that corresponds to the particular extension length of the tongue 7 for which the locking tab 13 is aligned with the opening 11. The locking tab 13 is a thermoplastic polymer such as polypropylene. However, other suitable materials having similar elastic and resilience properties, such as polystyrene, carbon fibre, PET plastic or the like may also be utilised.

In the particular arrangement of the preferred embodiment depicted in the accompanying drawings, the opening movement of the arm 2 slides the tongue 7 further into the forearm brace 5 and reduces the extension length of the tongue 7. The locking tab 13 is arranged so that, when the arm is substantially fully opened, the tab 13 aligns with the opening 11 , moves out of the plane of the tongue and engages the abutment surface 12. This locks the device 1 and prevents any increase of the extension length of the tongue 7. Accordingly, the extended arm is locked in its strengthened configuration and cannot be bent or flexed.

The device 1 is intended for use on the top arm of a golf player to prevent the top arm from bending, after it has been straightened during any part of the swing. The top arm is the golf player's left arm if the player is performing a right-handed golf swing and is the golf player's right arm if the player is performing a left-handed golf swing. It is the top arm because it is located higher up on the golf club. The device 1 can be conveniently unlocked by simply pressing the external surface 14 of the locking tab 13. This pushes the tab 13 into the plane of the tongue 7 and out of the abutment engagement with the opening 11.

The means for attaching the braces 3, 5 to the upper arm and the forearm of the user's arm are conventional. Velcro type straps or ribbed straps and tightening arrangements similar to those used in swimming and protective goggles can be used for that purpose. Alternatively, elastic straps may also be used.

It is obvious from the above description that the device 1 of the preferred embodiment of the invention is relatively simple, reliable and easy to manufacture and maintain.

It should be appreciated that the disclosed golf swing training device is not limited to the particular preferred embodiment described here, but also covers other arrangements using similar concepts. For example, the tongue does not have to be an integral part of the upper arm brace and may be a separate item that is fixedly attached to the upper arm brace and slidingly movable with respect to the forearm brace. Alternatively, the tongue can be fixedly attached to the forearm brace and slidingly moveable with respect to the upper arm brace.

Similarly, while the locking means of the preferred embodiment provide an opening on the forearm brace and a corresponding locking tab on the connecting tongue, an alternative arrangement is also possible where the opening is on the connecting tongue and the locking tab is on the forearm brace. In addition, locking arrangement similar to the one described above can be implemented in any sliding direction of the tongue. Thus, by varying the orientation of the locking tab and the extension length, in which the locking tab engages the corresponding abutment opening, the device can be arranged so that the user's arm can only be straightened or bent within a limited angle and no further.

Furthermore, a configuration can be envisaged where the connecting tongue does not extend at the back of the elbow, but on one or both sides of the arm. Again, by varying the direction of locking and the extension length of the connecting tongue, various functionalities can be implemented which include locking the device in such configuration so as to allow bending or straightening the arm only within a predetermined range of angles.

In another embodiment not shown in the drawings, the locking tab 13 may further include a resilient member in the form of a coil or spring, that facilitates the tab flexing out of the plane of the body of the tongue.

The first embodiment of the training device 1, shown in the drawings and described in detail in the specification is directed towards a training device 1, which is used for limiting the movement of a player's arm 2 during a golf swing. However, it should be understood that in other embodiments, not shown in the drawings, the training device 1 can be used in any suitable sporting actions including a golf swing, a cricket bowling action, a roll in lawn bowls or ten pin bowling or any other sporting action that requires the arm to be substantially straight during at least a portion of the action.

For example, when playing cricket, the optimal delivery position is for the bowler to release the ball when the bowling arm is raised at a maximum height above the bowlers head and that the bowling arm is substantially straight when the ball is released.

The device 1 of the present invention is also configured to be worn on a cricket player's bowling arm. During the delivery of the ball, as the player's bowling arm is rotated about its respective shoulder, when the bowling arm becomes substantially straight the device 1 will lock and prevent the user's bowling arm from bending or flexing before the ball is delivered. In this way, the device 1 can be used to assist in the training of correct bowling delivery techniques.

In this specification, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the word "comprising" is not intended to have the exclusive meaning of the word (such as

"consisting only of), but rather has the non-exclusive meaning, in the sense of

"including at least". The same applies, with corresponding grammatical changes, to other forms of the word such as "comprise", etc.

It will be apparent that obvious variations or modifications may be made in accordance with the spirit of the invention that are intended to be part of the invention, and any such obvious variations or modification are therefore within the scope of the invention.