Diagnostic golf club system

• US 20020107085A1
• Filed: 06/25/2001
• Published: 08/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: Matthewson, Peter, Simmons, Nigel, Lee, Nathan J., Ansell, Ian, Houshar, Jan N., Linsdau, Aaron
• Granted Patent: US 6,638,175 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/221
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/24 Angular displacement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/34 Angular speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/35 Spin
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/51 Force
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/54 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/62 Time or time measurement used for time reference, time stamp, master time or clock signal
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 Video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/807 Photo cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0003 Analysing the course of a movement or motion sequences during an exercise or trainings sequence, e.g. swing for golf or tennis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/10 Non-metallic shafts
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/12 Metallic shafts
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/002 Resonance frequency related characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/06 Handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/08 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/10 with means for indicating correct holding positions A63B60/12 takes 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 69/0002 for baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3614 : using electro-magnetic, magnetic or ultrasonic radiation emitted, reflected or interrupted by the golf club
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/362 : electrical or electronic
• 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 71/0619 : Displays, user interfaces and indicating devices, specially adapted for sport equipment, e.g. display mounted on treadmills
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 : Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user

Abstract

A diagnostic golf club system having a diagnostic golf club, an interface means and a computing means is disclosed herein. The diagnostic golf club includes a plurality of strain gauges, an internal power supply, and a non-volatile memory for capturing data relating to a golf swing. The interface means is capable of transferring data from the diagnostic golf club to the computing means for processing the data and presenting the data in a useful and informative format. The data may be used to determine a shaft flex profile for a particular golfer.

Claims

1. A diagnostic golf club system comprising:

a diagnostic golf club comprising a shaft and a club head, the shaft attached to the club head, a plurality of attached to the shaft, each of the plurality of strain gauges capable of measuring data related to the golf club during a golf swing, an internal memory device capable of receiving and storing data from the plurality of strain gauges, the internal memory device disposed within the shaft;

a computer for processing the data from the internal memory device; and

an interface mechanism capable of providing communication between the diagnostic golf club and the computer.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein the shaft further comprises a circuit board positioned within a hollow interior of the shall, the circuit board comprising a power control circuit, a signal conditioning circuit for the plurality of strain gauges, and a serial communication circuit.

3. The system according to claim 1 wherein the golf club is selected from the group consisting of a driver, a fairway wood, an iron and a putter.

4. The system according to claim 1 wherein the golf club head is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of plies of pre-preg material, titanium, stainless steel, bi-metal material and persimmon.

5. The system according to claim 1 wherein the interface mechanism comprises a connection plug and a serial interface device, the connection plug having a plurality of pins for connection to a plurality of receptors within the shaft for electronically communicating data from the diagnostic golf club to the computer.

6. A system for determining the shaft flex profile of the golfer, the system comprising:

a golf club head;

a shaft attached to the golf club head, the shaft having a wall defining a hollow interior, the wall having an exterior surface and an interior surface, the shaft having a tip end in proximity to the golf club head and a butt end opposite thereto, the shaft having an opening to the hollow interior at the butt end;

a first plurality of strain gauges for providing strain measurements during a golf swing mounted on the exterior surface at the tip end of the shaft, and a second plurality of strain gauges for providing strain measurements during a golf swing mounted on the exterior surface at the butt end of the shaft;

a circuit board positioned within the hollow interior of the shaft, the circuit board comprising a memory circuit for storing the strain measurements, a power control circuit, a first signal conditioning circuit for the first plurality of strain gauges, a second signal conditioning circuit for the second plurality of strain gauges, and a serial communication circuit;

a power source positioned within the hollow interior of the shaft for providing power to the circuit board, the first plurality of strain gauges and the second plurality of strain gauges;

a first plurality of wires connecting the first plurality of strain gauges to the circuit board, and a second plurality of wires connecting the second plurality of strain gauges to the circuit board;

a grip mounted on the butt end of the shaft;

a processor for processing the strain measurements from the first plurality of strain gauges and the second plurality of strain gauges to provide a shaft flex profile for a golfer; and

an interface mechanism for transferring the measurement data from the memory circuit to the processor.

7. The system according to claim 6 wherein the first plurality of strain gauges consists of six strain gauges and the second plurality of strain gauges consists of six strain gauges.

8. The system according to claim 6 wherein the golf club is selected from the group consisting of a driver, a fairway wood, an iron and a putter.

9. The system according to claim 6 wherein the golf club head is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of plies of pre-preg material, titanium, stainless steel, bi-metal material and persimmon.

10. The system according to claim 6 wherein the shaft is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of graphite, steel, titanium and a metal graphite composite.

11. The system according to claim 7 wherein the nine strain gauges of the first plurality of strain gauges are paired, with each pair approximately one-hundred twenty degrees apart from any other pair on the shaft, and the nine strain gauges of the second plurality of strain gauges are paired, with each pair approximately one-hundred twenty degrees apart from any other pair on the shaft.

12. The system according to claim 6 wherein the power source is a battery, and the shaft farther comprises a protective casing for placement of the battery therein.

16. The method according to claim 15 wherein swinging the golf club comprises swinging and striking a golf ball.

13. A system for determining the shaft flex profile of the golfer, the system comprising:

a golf club head;

a shaft attached to the club head;

means for measuring the swing loads of a golfer during a golf swing, the load measuring means disposed on the shaft;

means for storing swing load measurements generated by the load measuring means;

means for generating a shaft flex profile for a golfer from the swing load measurements; and

means for transferring the swing load measurements to the generating means.

14. A system for determining the shaft flex profile of the golfer, the system comprising:

a golf club head;

a shaft attached to the club head;

means for measuring the axial force on a shaft during a golf swing, the axial force measuring means disposed on the shaft;

means for measuring the transverse shear forces on a shaft during a golf swing, the transverse shear force measuring means disposed on the shaft;

means for measuring the bending moments on a shaft during a golf swing, the bending moments measuring means disposed on the shaft;

means for measuring the torsion on a shaft during a golf swing, the torsion measuring means disposed on the shaft;

means for storing the measurements generated by the axial force measuring means, the transverse shear force measuring means, the bending moments measuring means, and the torsion measuring means;

means for generating a shaft flex profile for a golfer from the measurements; and

means for transferring the measurements to the generating means.

15. A method for determining a shaft flex profile for an individual golfer, the method comprising:

activating a golf club having an on-board diagnostics comprising a plurality of strain gauges mounted on an exterior surface of a shaft of the golf club;

swinging the golf club;

measuring a plurality of strains on- the shaft;

downloading the strain measurements to a processor;

calculating a plurality of forces and moments from the swing; and

determining the shaft flex profile for an individual golfer based on the calculations.