Golf club head customization

• US 10,463,924 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2018
• Issued: 11/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Inventors: Dolezel, Keith, Nivanh, Dan, Ripp, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Steven B
• Application Number:
  US16/023,239
• Publication Number:
  US 20180311538A1
• Time in Patent Office: 494 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/0008 for batting
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/065 Visualisation of specific exercise parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/14 Lacrosse
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/00 Measuring of physical parameters relating to sporting activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/00 Golf clubs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/42 Devices for measuring, verifying, correcting or customising the inherent characteristics of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like, e.g. measuring the maximum torque a batting shaft can withstand
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/50 with through-holes A63B60/18 takes precedence; for stringing purposes A63B49/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0024 for hockey
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3632 Clubs or attachments on clubs, e.g. for measuring, aligning A63B69/3614 takes precedence; clubs for swinging exercises in general A63B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/38 for tennis A63B61/006, A63B69/0073 and A63B69/0097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/20 Analysis of motion motion estimation for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals H04N19/43, H04N19/51

Abstract

A method of customizing a golf club, wherein the method includes generating operating data representative of a user operating a mechanical device. The operating data is generated by a first sensor sized and configured to be removably positioned in a mounting port formed on the mechanical device during operation of the mechanical device. The sensor is interchangeably positionable in the mounting port with at least one mass insert, the at least one mass insert being adapted to be interchangeably positioned in the mounting to provide at least two different mass configurations. The method further includes determining a recommended configuration of the at least one mass insert specific to the user based on the operating data generated by the sensor, and transmitting information representative of the recommended mass insert.

Claims

1. A golf club customization method comprising:

providing a golf club head having a mounting port formed therein;

removably inserting into the mounting port a sensor insert;

generating, by the sensor insert, sensor data corresponding to a user'"'"'s golf club swing of the golf club head;

transmitting the sensor data from the sensor insert to a computing device;

correlating the sensor data to a preferred mass insert among at least two mass inserts with predetermined relationship information between golf club swing characteristics and optimal club head mass distribution, the at least two mass inserts comprising;

a first mass insert including a first recess configuration defining a first mass distribution such that, when the first mass insert is inserted in the mounting port, the golf club head comprises a first center of gravity location; and

a second mass insert including a second recess configuration defining a second mass distribution such that, when the second mass insert is inserted in the mounting port, the golf club head comprises a second center of gravity location that is different from the first center of gravity location; and

selecting the preferred mass insert.

2. The golf club customization method of claim 1, wherein:

the first mass insert has a first mass; and

the second mass insert has a second mass different from the first mass.

3. The golf club customization method of claim 1, wherein the golf club head is a wood-type golf club head.

4. The golf club customization method of claim 1, wherein the golf club head is an iron-type golf club head.

5. The golf club customization method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a golf club shaft extending from a hosel portion of the golf club head, the golf club shaft including a secondary sensor.

6. The golf club customization method of claim 5, wherein generating the sensor data includes generating the sensor data by the sensor insert of the golf club head and by the secondary sensor of the golf club shaft.

7. The golf club customization method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting information identifying the preferred mass insert to a display device; and

displaying the identifying information on a display screen of the display device.

8. The golf club customization method of claim 7, wherein the display device is a mobile communication device.

9. The golf club customization method of claim 1, further comprising:

removing the sensor insert from the mounting port; and

inserting the preferred mass insert into the mounting port.

10. A golf club customization method comprising:

providing a golf club head having a mounting port formed therein;

providing a golf club shaft extending from a hosel portion of the golf club head, the golf club shaft including a secondary sensor;

removably inserting into the mounting port a sensor insert;

generating, by the sensor insert, sensor data corresponding to a user'"'"'s golf club swing of the golf club head;

transmitting the sensor data from the sensor insert to a computing device;

correlating the sensor data to a preferred mass insert orientation relative to a first axis among at least two mass insert orientations with predetermined relationship information between golf club swing characteristics and values representative of optimal recommendations, the at least two mass insert orientations comprising;

a first mass insert orientation such that, when a mass insert is oriented according to the first mass insert orientation, the golf club head comprises a first center of gravity location; and

a second mass insert orientation such that, when the mass insert is oriented according to the second mass insert orientation, the golf club head comprises a second center of gravity location that is different from the first center of gravity location; and

selecting the preferred mass insert orientation.

11. The golf club customization method of claim 10, wherein the preferred mass insert orientation is relative to the first axis and a second axis different from the first axis.

12. The golf club customization method of claim 10, wherein the golf club head is a wood-type golf club head.

13. The golf club customization method of claim 10, wherein the golf club head is an iron-type golf club head.

14. The golf club customization method of claim 10, wherein generating the sensor data includes generating the sensor data by the sensor insert of the golf club head and by the secondary sensor of the golf club shaft.

15. The golf club customization method of claim 14, further comprising:

transmitting information identifying the preferred mass insert orientation to a display device; and

displaying the identifying information on a display screen of the display device.

16. The golf club customization method of claim 15, wherein the display device is a mobile communication device.

17. The golf club customization method of claim 10, further comprising:

removing the sensor insert from the mounting port; and

inserting the mass insert oriented according to the preferred mass insert orientation into the mounting port.

18. A golf club customization method comprising

providing a golf club head having a mounting port formed therein;

providing a golf club shaft extending from a hosel portion of the golf club head, the golf club shaft including a secondary sensor;

removably inserting into the mounting port a sensor insert;

generating, by the sensor insert, sensor data corresponding to a user'"'"'s golf club swing of the golf club head;

transmitting the sensor data from the sensor insert to a computing device;

correlating the sensor data to a preferred mass insert among at least two mass inserts with predetermined relationship information between golf club swing characteristics and optimal club head mass distribution, the at least two mass inserts comprising;

a first mass insert having a first mass distribution such that, when the first mass insert is inserted in the mounting port, the golf club head comprises a first center of gravity location; and

a second mass insert having a second mass distribution such that, when the second mass insert is inserted in the mounting port, the golf club head comprises a second center of gravity location that is different from the first center of gravity location; and

selecting the preferred mass insert.

19. The golf club customization method of claim 18, wherein generating the sensor data includes generating the sensor data by the sensor insert of the golf club head and by the secondary sensor of the golf club shaft.