1. A golf club comprising:
an elongate shaft having a grip at a first longitudinal end thereof;
a club head coupled to a second longitudinal end of the elongate shaft, the club head comprising a sole and a ball striking face; and,
an elongate marker comprising a longitudinal axis orientated such that, when the sole of the golf club lies substantially parallel to the plane of the ground, the longitudinal axis of the elongate marker extends in a plane defined by a first vector in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the ground and a second vector substantially parallel to a normal of the face of the club head.
2. A golf club as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shaft of the golf club is at an angle that is between 0 and 30 degrees to said plane when the longitudinal axis of the elongate marker lies in said plane.
3. A golf club as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the elongate marker is orientated such that, when the sole of the golf club lies substantially parallel to the plane of the ground, the longitudinal axis of the elongate marker is substantially parallel to the player’s line of sight.
4. A golf club as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the longitudinal axis of the elongate marker is arranged to extend in a direction substantially parallel to the first vector when the angle of the shaft within said plane relative to the first vector is between approximately 3 degrees and approximately 30 degrees.
5. A golf club as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the club head is coupled to the second longitudinal end of the elongate shaft by a shaft connection member.
6. A golf club as claimed in claim 5, wherein the elongate marker is located at least partially on the shaft connection member.
7. A golf club as claimed in claim 6, wherein the elongate marker is located on a leading side of the shaft connection member so that the marker is easily visible when the golf club is inclined to the first vector within said plane.
8. A golf club as claimed in claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the ball striking face comprises a leading edge and a trailing edge, defined in terms of the direction of swing of the golf club, the longitudinal axis of the elongate marker being directed towards the leading edge of the ball striking face.
9. A golf club as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the ball striking face is positioned with respect to the shaft at an angle of between 0 degrees to 65 degrees.
10. A golf club as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the elongate marker comprises a mark from the range of; painted, forged, milled, cast, scored, dyed and molded.
11. A golf club a claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the golf head comprises a sole angle of at least 0 to 30 degrees, when the measurement is taken whilst the shaft centreline is in said plane.
12. A golf club according to any preceding claim, wherein the golf club is a training club comprising a curved shaft.
13. A golf club according to claim 12, wherein the shaft is configured to curve outwardly away from the direction of the target when in use.
14. A golf club substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
15. A method for modifying a golf club to assist in training, the method comprising:
a) providing a golf club comprising a club head coupled to a longitudinal end of an elongate shaft, the club head comprising a sole and a substantially planar face;
b) aligning the sole of the golf club with a first plane; and,
c) marking the golf club with an elongate marker having a longitudinal axis in a plane comprising a first vector in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the ground and a second vector substantially parallel to the normal of the face of the club head.
16. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein step (c) comprises marking a shaft connection member configured to couple the second longitudinal end portion of the shaft with the club head.
17. A method as claimed in claim 15 or claim 16, wherein:
the method further comprises identifying a line of sight of a player stood on said first plane and holding the club such that the sole is aligned with the first face; and,
step (c) comprised marking the golf club with an elongate marker having a longitudinal axis substantially parallel to the player’s line of sight to the head of the golf club when in said optimal address position.
18. A method for manufacturing a golf club, the method comprising:
a) connecting a club head to a longitudinal end of an elongate shaft, the club head comprising a sole and a substantially planar face;
b) aligning the sole of the golf club with a first plane;
c) marking the golf club with an elongate marker having a longitudinal axis in a plane comprising a first vector in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the ground and a second vector substantially parallel to the normal of the face of the club head.
19. A method as claimed in claim 18, wherein:
the method further comprises identifying a line of sight of a player stood on said first plane and holding the club such that the sole is aligned with the first face; and,
step (c) comprises marking the golf club with an elongate marker having a longitudinal axis substantially parallel to the player’s line of sight to the head of the golf club when in said optimal address position.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for monitoring and testing, during operation, the serviceability of a transmission part (4) arranged for transmission of torque between an electric motor (2) and a load (6), said method comprising the steps of:
A) monitoring (308), during normal operation, the torque of the electric motor (2),
B) initiating at least one test sequence if the monitored torque fall below a predetermined value (312), said test sequence comprising the steps of:
setting a rotation speed of the electric motor (2) at a test rotation speed that differs from the rotation speed of the electric motor (2) immediately prior to said setting (504, 512), and
at least logging the torque of the electrical motor (2) within a period starting from the setting of the rotation speed of the electric motor (2) and ending when the rotation speed of the electric motor (2) has reached the test rotation speed (506, 514), and
C) sending a signal indicating an error (522) if no further test sequences are to be performed and if said at least one test sequence indicates that said logged torque is below a predetermined value. least one test sequence indicates that said registered time is less than a predetermined value.
2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of decreasing the rotation speed of the motor to a low rotation speed (502, 510; 602, 612) prior to the step of setting the rotation speed at the test rotation speed (504, 512; 604, 614), wherein the test rotation speed is higher than the low rotation speed.
3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the low rotation speed is zero, i.e. the motor (2) is stopped.
4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of halting the rotation speed of the electric motor to a stop (510; 612) prior to the step of setting the rotation speed of the electric motor at the test rotation speed(512; 614), wherein the test rotation speed is a rotation speed that makes the electric motor (2) rotate in the reverse direction in respect of normal operation.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the test rotation speed of the step of setting the rotation speed is lower than the rotation speed immediately prior to said setting.
6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of stopping (520; 622) the motor (2) if the step of performing at least one measurement indicates that the serviceability of the transmission part (4) is not acceptable and if no further test steps are to be performed.
7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising at least one further test sequence to be performed if the previous test sequence indicated (516; 618) that the serviceability of the transmission part (4) is not acceptable and if the previous test sequence is not the last test sequence (518; 620).
8. A control device (8) for electric motors (2) comprising means (82, 92) for sensing the torque of an electric motor (2) during operation, said control device (8) being characterised in that it comprises:
A) means (82, 92) for monitoring whether the torque of the electric motor (2) fall below a predetermined value,
B) means (82, 88, 92) for performing at least one test sequence, said means (82, 88, 92) being arranged to perform said at least one test sequence if said means (82, 92) for monitoring indicates that the torque of the electric motor (2) fall below said predetermined value, wherein said means (82, 88, 92) for performing at least one test sequence comprises:
means (88) for setting a rotation speed of the electric motor (2) at a test rotation speed, which differs from the rotation speed of the electric motor (2) immediately prior to said setting, and
means (82, 92) for logging the torque of the electric motor (2) within a time period starting from the setting of the rotation speed of the electric motor (2) to the test rotation speed and ending when the rotation speed of the electric motor (2) has reached the test rotation speed, and
C) means (90, 92) for sending a signal indicating an error if no further test sequences are to be performed and if said at least one test sequence indicates that the logged torque is below a predetermined value.
9. The control device (8) according to claim 8, wherein the means (88, 92) for setting the rotation speed is arranged to set the test rotation speed at a speed that is higher than the speed immediately prior to said setting.
10. The control device (8) according to claim 8, wherein the means (88, 92) for setting the rotation speed is arranged to set the test rotation speed at a speed in a reverse direction in respect of the direction of the motor (2) during normal operation.
11. The control device (8) according to claim 8, wherein the means (88, 92) for setting the rotation speed is arranged to set the test rotation speed at a speed that is lower than the speed immediately prior to said setting.
12. The control device (8) according to claim 8, wherein the means (82, 92) for logging the torque of the electric motor (2) includes a current meter (82) for measuring the torque.