WO1996009779A1

WO1996009779A1 - Shoe having a golf club head cleaning device

Info

Publication number: WO1996009779A1
Application number: PCT/US1994/010917
Authority: WO
Inventors: Daniel E. Hage; Michael J. Zurakowski
Original assignee: Hage Daniel E; Zurakowski Michael J
Priority date: 1994-09-27
Filing date: 1994-09-27
Publication date: 1996-04-04
Also published as: AU7959194A

Abstract

A shoe (3) having a golf club head cleaning device which includes a panel (2, 2a, 4, 6) secured to the outer surface of shoes worn while playing golf.

Description

SHOE HAVING A GOLF CLUB HERD CLEANING DEVICE

echn cal Field

This invention relates to footwear worn while playing golf. More specifically, this invention pertains to the application of a golf club head cleaning device, in the form of a panel, to the surface, and preferably the upper, of footwear worn while playing golf. This invention further pertains to the application of a golf ball marker to the golf club head cleaning device.

Background Art

In playing the game of golf, the heads of the golf clubs often become coated with moisture, grass and earth. With all golf clubs, but most particularly with putters, the presence of moisture, grass or earth on the club head interferes with the accuracy of a golfer's shots. Therefore, moisture, grass and earth must be removed repeatedly from the golf club heads. In the past, golfers have normally utilized a piece of cloth or their clothing to clean golf club heads. Utilizing clothing to clean golf club heads soils and often stains the clothing. Utilizing a piece of cloth to clean golf club heads requires the golfer to handle a cloth which becomes more soiled with use. The pieces of cloth are also easily lost or misplaced. Therefore, locating and using the cloth can be time consuming and distracting. U. S. Patent No. 4,122,577, issued to

Catania, is prior art relating to golf club head cleaning devices of which the applicant is aware. Catania discloses a plate worn on a right or left golf shoe which is held by the standard pointed shoe spikes on the soles of golf shoes. The plate, which extends outward from the shoe sole, carries a wiping element for cleaning golf club heads. The device disclosed by Catania is necessarily limited to use on spiked shoes. As the Catania device extends away from the surface of the shoe, there is also a risk that the device will catch or snag something thereby tripping the wearer or reducing the wearer's mobility in getting into and out of a golf cart. As the Catania device is a rigid member, it can also reduce the flexibility of the shoe to which it is attached. U. S. Patent No. 4,697,362, issued to Wasserman, is prior art relating to the application of tabs to footwear of which the applicant is aware. Wasserman discloses the removable application of a tab containing identifying indicia or colors to various components of a shoe for the purpose of identifying product source.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a golfer's shoe having a golf club head cleaning device secured to the shoe which does not interfere with the shoe's flexibility, which does not extend appreciably from the surface of the shoe, which can be easily cleaned and which can be utilized on any substantially enclosed shoe the golfer chooses to wear while playing golf. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a golfer's shoe having a golf club head cleaning device secured to the upper of the shoe for ready access in the cleaning of the golf club head. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a golf club head cleaning device which is removably secured to the golfer's shoe so that it can be removed from one shoe and secured to another. It is a further object of this invention to provide a very small pad or tab, to be utilized as a golf ball marker, which can be removably secured to the golf club head cleaning device.

Disclosure of the Invention

The shoe having a golf club head cleaning device of the present invention includes a panel which is secured to the outer surface of shoes worn while playing golf. The panel can be constructed of any material, not damaging to golf clubs heads, which has a friction producing or roughened surface to facilitate the removal of moisture, grass and earth from golf club heads. The panel can be secured at various locations on the outer surface, and preferably the upper, of the shoe. The panel can be permanently secured to the shoe's upper by various conventional methods. The panel can also be secured removably to the shoe's upper by various conventional methods, to facilitate easy cleaning and replacement. The panel can be secured to the shoe during the manufacturing process. Specifically, the panel can be secured to an indentation on the shoe's upper designed to receive the panel, thereby causing said panel to be flush with the shoe's upper. The panel can also be manufactured and sold separately for application to shoes which the golfer already owns. The panel should be of a size which will facilitate easy cleaning of golf club heads. The shape of the panel will vary depending on the style of the shoe to which it is secured and the location on the shoe at which it is secured. This invention also includes a small substantially flat pad or tab removably secured to the golf club head cleaning device which is to be utilized as a golf ball marker.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The above mentioned features of the invention will become more clearly understood from the following detailed description of the invention read together with the drawings in which: Figure 1 illustrates a top plan view of a golfer's shoe having golf club head cleaning devices constructed in accordance with various features of the present invention showing cleaning devices carried by the shoe's upper, cleaning devices carried by the sides of the shoe's upper, a cleaning device carried by the toe region of the shoe's upper and a cleaning device carried by the heel region of the shoe's upper;

Figure 2 illustrates a top plan view of a golfer's shoe having a golf club head cleaning device showing the cleaning device secured in a position across the top of the shoe's upper defined by a first end proximate the sole on one side of the shoe and a second end proximate the sole on the other side of the shoe;

Figure 3 illustrates a side elevation view of a golfer's shoe having a golf club head cleaning device showing the cleaning device removably secured to an indentation in the side of the shoe's upper designed to receive the panel;

Figure 4 illustrates a side elevational view of a golfer's shoe having a golf club head cleaning device showing the golf ball marker removably secured to the cleaning device which is secured to the side of the shoe's upper;

Figure 5 illustrates a perspective view of a golfer's shoe having a golf club head cleaning device showing the golf ball marker removably secured to the cleaning device which is secured to the side of the shoe's upper; and Figure 6 illustrates a perspective view of a golfer utilizing a shoe having a golf club head cleaning device by wiping the golf club head across the cleaning device which is secured to the outer side of the upper of the golfer's right shoe.

Best Mode for Carrying out the Invention

This invention contemplates a shoe to which a golf club head cleaning device, in the form of a panel, is applied at one or more selected locations on the outer surface of shoes worn while playing golf as shown at 2, 2A, 4 and 6 in Figure 1, at 8 in Figure 2, at 10 in Figure 3, at 12 in Figure 4 and at 16 in Figure 5. The outer surface of shoes includes the upper, as shown at 3 in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, and the sole, as shown at 5 in Figures 3, 4 and 5, with the cleaning panels preferably secured exclusively to the shoe's upper or to the upper with the bottom edge of the panel slightly overlapping the shoe's sole. The panel can be of loop fabric, hook fabric or other types of material not damaging to golf club heads, which have a friction producing or roughened surface to facilitate the removal of moisture, grass and earth from golf club heads.

As shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, the panel can be secured at various locations on the shoe's upper, depending upon the preferred method of wiping the golf club head across the panel and upon the style of shoe which the golfer prefers. Specifically, the panel can be secured to the sides of the shoe's upper as shown at 2 and 2A in Figure 1, at 10 in Figure

3 and at 12 in Figure 4. The panel can also be secured to the toe region of the shoe's upper as shown at 4 in Figure 1. The panel can also be secured to the heel region of the shoe's upper as shown at 6 in Figure 1. The panel can also be secured in a position over the top of the shoe's upper defined by a first end proximate the sole, at 5 in Figures 3, 4 and 5, on one side of the shoe and a second end proximate the sole on the other side of the shoe thereby giving the shoe the appearance of a saddle oxford shoe as shown at 8 in Figure 2.

The panel can be permanently secured to the shoe by stitching it to the shoe's upper, as shown at 13 in Figure 4, or through use of a permanent adhesive. The panel can also be secured removably to the shoe's upper, as shown at 10 in Figure 3, by various conventional methods to facilitate easy cleaning and replacement. Specifically, the panel can be snapped on the shoe's upper. The panel can also be removably secured to the shoe's upper with a light adhesive. The panel can also be removably secured to the shoe's upper with hook and loop type fasteners.

The panel can be secured to the shoe during the manufacturing process. Specifically, the panel can be secured to an indentation on the shoe's upper designed to receive the panel, as shown at 11 in Figure 3, thereby causing said panel to be flush with the shoe's upper. The panel can also be manufactured and sold separately, if the shoes the golfer already owns are not in need of replacement or if the brand or style of shoes the golfer prefers are not offered with the panel already applied to the shoe. The panel should be of a size which will facilitate easy cleaning of golf club heads. The shape of the panel will vary depending on the style of the shoe to which it is secured and the location on the shoe at which it is secured.

This invention also contemplates removably securing to the cleaning panel a small substantially flat pad or tab to be utilized as a golf ball marker as shown at 14 in Figures 4 and 5. In order to removably secure the ball marker to a panel constructed of loop fabric or some other type of material securable to the hook portion of a hook and loop type fastener, a hook fastener is permanently secured to the surface of the ball marker which is in contact with the panel. In order to removably secure the ball marker to a panel constructed of hook fabric, a loop fastener is permanently secured to the surface of the ball marker which is in contact with the panel.

The golf club head cleaning device is utilized by wiping the head of the club across the panel secured to the upper of the golfer's shoe. Figure 6 illustrates a golfer utilizing the device by wiping the golf club head across a panel secured to the outer side of the golfer's right shoe upper. As will be noted, the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure

6 allows the golfer to clean the golf club head without releasing his/her grip on the club or substantially altering his/her stance. Of course, the method of using the device will vary depending upon the location of the cleaning panel. Therefore, in deciding upon the location for the panel the individual golfer should consider the method of use which is most comfortable for him/her so that cleaning the head of the golf club will not cause a break in concentration or undue distraction. For example, the golfer might prefer the embodiment shown in Figure 6, inasmuch as it allows the golfer to clean the golf club head after he has approached the ball without the necessity of releasing his/her grip on the club or substantially altering his/her stance. Another golfer might prefer that the panel be located on the toe region of the shoe upper, so that he/she can simply tilt the toe of the shoe upward and quickly wipe the club head across it before approaching the ball. Further, if a golfer holds the club in the right hand before adopting his/her stance, the golfer might prefer that the panel be located on the inner side of the left shoe upper, so that he/she can extend the left foot forward or prop it across the right knee and quickly wipe the club head across the panel before approaching the ball. These are but a few examples of methods of using the present invention. Those skilled in the art will recognize that there are other methods, depending upon the location of the panel and the hand in which the golfer holds the club before adopting his/her stance.

The golf ball marker is utilized to mark the location of a golfer's ball when it must be temporarily removed from the golf course during play. When necessary, the golfer can readily remove the golf ball marker from the panel and utilize it to mark the location of his/her golf ball. Thereafter, when the golfer's ball is returned to its location on the course as marked by the golf ball marker, the golf ball marker is returned to the panel until it is again needed. From the foregoing description, it will be recognized by those skilled in the art that a shoe having a golf club head cleaning device offering advantages over the prior art has been provided. Specifically, the present invention eliminates the need to carry a cleaning cloth while golfing. It also provides a device for cleaning golf club heads which can be secured to the surface, and preferably the upper, of any substantially enclosed shoe. It further provides a device for cleaning golf club heads which does not extend appreciably from the surface of the shoe, eliminating the risk that the device will catch or snag something thereby tripping the golfer or reducing the golfer's mobility in getting into and out of the golf cart. It further provides a device for cleaning golf club heads which does not interfere with the flexibility of the shoe to which it is secured. Finally, by the structure of the cleaning device, it further provides a surface on which a small pad or tab can be carried for use as a golf ball marker. While a preferred embodiment has been shown and described, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the disclosure, but rather it is intended to cover all modifications and alternate methods falling within the spirit and the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

Having thus described the aforementioned invention,

1. A shoe having a panel, for cleaning golf club heads, secured thereto at a selected location on a surface of the shoe.

2. The shoe of Claim 1 wherein the panel is secured to a selected side surface of the shoe.

3. The shoe of Claim 1 wherein said panel is secured to a toe region of the shoe.

4. The shoe of Claim 1 wherein said panel is secured to a heel region of the shoe.

5. The shoe of Claim 1 wherein said panel is secured in a position across a top of the shoe, said panel being defined by a first end positioned proximate the sole of the shoe on one side and a second end positioned proximate the sole of the shoe on a second side.

6. The shoe of Claim 1 wherein said panel is permanently secured to the surface of the shoe.

7. The shoe of Claim 1 wherein said panel is removably secured to the surface of the shoe.

8. The shoe of Claim 7 wherein said panel is removably secured to the surface of the shoe with an adhesive.

9. The shoe of Claim 1 wherein said panel is secured to an indentation on the surface of the shoe designed to receive said panel.

10. The shoe of Claim 1 wherein said panel is constructed of a material securable to a hook portion of a hook and loop type fastener.

11. The shoe of Claim 10 wherein a golf ball marker is removably secured to said panel with the hook portion of the hook and loop type fastener.

12. A golf club head cleaning device comprising a panel for being secured to at least one selected location on a surface of a shoe worn by a golfer.

13. The golf club head cleaning device of Claim 12 wherein said panel is fabricated for permanent securement to the surface of the shoe.

14. The golf club head cleaning device of Claim 12 wherein said panel is fabricated to be removably secured to the surface of the shoe.

15. The golf club head cleaning device of Claim 14 wherein said panel is provided with an adhesive on one surface whereby said panel can be removably secured to the surface of the shoe.

16. The golf club head cleaning device of Claim 12 wherein said panel is constructed of a material securable to a hook portion of a hook and loop type fastener.

17. The golf club head cleaning device of Claim 16 wherein a golf ball marker is removably secured to said panel with the hook portion of the hook and loop type fastener.

18. A shoe having a panel, for cleaning golf club heads, removably secured thereto at a selected location on a surface of the shoe wherein said panel is constructed of a material securable to a hook portion of a hook and loop type fastener, and wherein a golf ball marker is removably secured to said panel with the hook portion of the hook and loop type fastener.