Sports cue training aid

Abstract

The present invention provides a sports cue for improving the consistency of a player's shot. The sports cue includes a tapered length of material having a longitudinal axis therethrough, wherein the density of material above the longitudinal axis is less than that below the longitudinal axis to form a “bottom-heavy” cue.

1 . A sports cue, comprising:
 a tapered rod having a longitudinal axis extending therethrough; and   wherein, the weight of the rod above the longitudinal axis is less than the weight of the rod below the longitudinal axis.   
   
   
       2 . The sports cue of  claim 1 , further comprising weights disposed in the lower half of the rod. 
   
   
       3 . The sports cue of  claim 1 , wherein at least a part of the rod comprises a cavity, a heavy weight material being disposed in the cavity below the longitudinal axis and a light weight material being disposed above the longitudinal axis. 
   
   
       4 . The sports cue of  claim 3 , wherein the heavy weight material comprises lead. 
   
   
       5 . The sports cue of  claim 3 , wherein the light weight material comprises foam. 
   
   
       6 . The sports cue of  claim 1 , wherein the rod comprises a heavy material in substantially half of the length of the rod, the heavy material being disposed at a wide end of the rod. 
   
   
       7 . A sports cue, comprising:
 a tapered body having a longitudinal axis extending therethrough; and   wherein, a greater density material is disposed below the axis and a lesser density material is disposed above the axis.   
   
   
       8 . The sports cue of  claim 7 , wherein the body tapers along its length from a wide end to a tip, substantially half of the length of the body comprising the greater density material near the wide end of the body and the tip comprising the lesser density material. 
   
   
       9 . The sports cue of  claim 7 , wherein the greater density material comprises 50%-75% of the length of the body. 
   
   
       10 . The sports cue of  claim 9 , wherein the greater density material comprises 60%-70% of the length of the body. 
   
   
       11 . The sports cue of  claim 7 , wherein the ratio of the densities of the two materials comprises 1.2:1-1.8:1. 
   
   
       12 . The sports cue of  claim 11 , wherein the ratio of the densities comprises 1.5:1-1.7:1. 
   
   
       13 . The sports cue of  claim 7 , wherein the greater density material and lesser density material comprise wood. 
   
   
       14 . The sports cue of  claim 13 , wherein the lesser density material comprises a softwood and the greater density material comprises a hardwood. 
   
   
       15 . The sports cue of  claim 7 , wherein the lesser density material comprises about 670 kg/m 3  and the greater density material comprises about 1120 kg/m 3 . 
   
   
       16 . The sports cue of  claim 7 , wherein the greater density material comprises more than 60% of the total weight of the body. 
   
   
       17 . The sports cue of  claim 16 , wherein the greater density material comprises 65%-75% of the total weight of the body. 
   
   
       18 . The sports cue of  claim 7 , further comprising an additional weight disposed in the body. 
   
   
       19 . The sports cue of  claim 18 , wherein the additional weight is disposed within the portion of the body comprising the greater density material. 
   
   
       20 . The sports cue of  claim 18 , wherein the additional weight is disposed below the longitudinal axis of the body. 
   
   
       21 . The sports cue of  claim 7 , wherein the body comprises at least two removably coupled parts. 
   
   
       22 . The sports cue of  claim 7 , wherein the total weight of the body comprises about 15 oz-20 oz. 
   
   
       23 . The sports cue of  claim 7 , wherein 55%-95% of the total weight of the body is disposed below the longitudinal axis. 
   
   
       24 . The sports cue of  claim 7 , wherein 70%-90% of the total weight of the body is disposed below the longitudinal axis. 
   
   
       25 . The sports cue of  claim 7 , wherein 75%-85% of the total weight of the body is disposed below the longitudinal axis. 
   
   
       26 . The sports cue of  claim 7 , further comprising an extension having a means for attaching to a wider end of the body, the extension including at least two materials of different densities that correspond to the greater density material and lesser density material of the body. 
   
   
       27 . An extension for attaching to a sports cue, comprising:
 a body having a longitudinal axis extending therethrough;   a means for attaching the body to the sports cue; and   wherein, the weight of the body above the longitudinal axis is less than the weight of the body below the axis.   
   
   
       28 . An extension for attaching to a sports cue, comprising:
 a body having a longitudinal axis extending therethrough;   a means for attaching the body to the sports cue; and   wherein, the density of the material above the axis is less than the density of the material below the axis.   
   
   
       29 . A sports cue training aid, comprising:
 a rod having a wide end and a narrow end, a longitudinal axis extending through the rod from the wide end to the narrow end;   a first portion of the rod including a heavier weight material and a second portion of the rod including a lighter weight material; and   wherein, the first portion of the rod is substantially below the axis and the second portion of the rod is substantially above the axis.   
   
   
       30 . The sports cue training aid of  claim 29 , wherein the first portion of the rod is disposed near the wide end. 
   
   
       31 . The sports cue training aid of  claim 29 , wherein the narrow end comprises the lighter weight material. 
   
   
       32 . The sports cue training aid of  claim 29 , wherein the first portion comprises approximately two-thirds of the length of the rod. 
   
   
       33 . The sports cue training aid of  claim 29 , further comprising an additional weight disposed in the first portion of the rod. 
   
   
       34 . The sports cue training aid of  claim 29 , further comprising an extension for coupling to the rod. 
   
   
       35 . The sports cue training aid of  claim 34 , wherein the extension comprises a heavy material and a light material. 
   
   
       36 . The sports cue training aid of  claim 35 , wherein, when the extension is coupled to the rod, the heavy material of the extension is aligned with the heavier weight material of the rod and the light material of the extension is aligned with the lighter weight material of the rod. 
   
   
       37 . The sports cue training aid of  claim 29 , wherein the rod comprises a first piece removably coupled to a second piece, the first piece and second piece including the heavier weight material and ligher weight material. 
   
   
       38 . The sports cue training aid of  claim 37 , wherein, when the first piece is coupled to the second piece, the heavier weight material in the first piece aligns with the heavier weight material in the second piece and the lighter weight material in the first piece aligns with the lighter weight material in the second piece.