Golf club with impact display

• US 20030032494A1
• Filed: 08/05/2002
• Published: 02/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tru-Line Golf, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tru-Line Golf, Inc.
• Inventors: Patterson, Charles C., McGinty, Joseph R.
• Granted Patent: US 6,923,729 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/222
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/805 Optical or opto-electronic sensors
• 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 69/362 electrical or electronic
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3623 for driving A63B69/3608, A63B69/3658, A63B69/3661, A63B69/3667 and A63B69/3691 take precedence

Abstract

A golf training club apparatus is disclosed having impact sensors and a display to show where on the club face the ball was struck for providing immediate visual feedback by electronic means to the golfer. The golf club includes a shaft having a grip end and a tip distal from the grip end. The golf club also has a club head affixed to the shaft adjacent the tip of the shaft and having a face for striking a golf ball. The club has a plurality of optical sensors adjacent the face for detecting contact between the face and the golf ball and electronics mounted within the head for processing signals from the sensors for analyzing at least the location of the contact between the face and the golf ball. The club further includes a display for displaying to the golfer at least the location of the contact between the face and the golf ball. The electronics also analyze whether the ball is tending to slice or hook by detecting lateral movement of the ball during contact with the club face.

Claims

1. A golf training club for use by a golfer, comprising:

a shaft having a grip end and a tip distal from the grip end;

a club head affixed to the shaft adjacent the tip of the shaft and having a face for striking a golf ball;

a plurality of sensors adjacent the face for detecting contact between the face and the golf ball;

electronics mounted within the head or the shaft for processing signals from the sensors for analyzing at least the location of the contact between the face and the golf ball; and

a display for displaying to the golfer at least the location of the contact between the face and the golf ball.

2. A golf training club as claimed in claim 1 wherein the plurality of sensors comprises an array of optical sensors.

3. A golf training club as claimed in claim 1 wherein the display is mounted adjacent the grip end of the shaft.

4. A golf training club as claimed in claim 1 wherein the electronics are operative further to analyze the existence and extent of side spin resulting from ball contact on the face.

5. A golf training club as claimed in claim 1 wherein the electronics are housed within the club head.

6. A golf training club as claimed in claim 1 wherein the electronics are operative for sensing, in conjunction with the sensor array, whether any of the individual sensors has been covered, indicating a hit, to begin recording data.

7. A golf training club as claimed in claim 1 wherein the electronics are operative for storing data from more than one hit and displaying an image representing more than one hit.

8. A golf training club as claimed in claim 7 wherein the electronics are operative for displaying an image of an average hit taken over a previous collection of hits.

9. A golf training club as claimed in claim 8 wherein the electronics are operative for displaying a composite image of numerous prior hits to show the pattern of contact location.

10. A golf training club as claimed in claim 1 wherein the electronics are operative for calculating an estimated distance the ball would travel based at least in part on measurements made at the club face at impact with the ball.

11. A golf training club for use by a golfer, comprising:

a shaft having a grip end and a tip distal from the grip end;

a club head affixed to the shaft adjacent the tip of the shaft and having a face for striking a golf ball;

at least one sensor adjacent the face for detecting contact between the face and the golf ball;

electronics for processing signals from the at least one sensor for analyzing at least one characteristic of the contact between the face and the golf ball; and

a display for displaying to the golfer the at least one characteristic of the contact between the face and the golf ball.

12. A golf training club as claimed in claim 11 wherein the at least one sensor comprises a sensor array.

13. A golf training club as claimed in claim 11 wherein the at least one sensor comprises an array of optical sensors.

14. A golf training club as claimed in claim 11 wherein the display is mounted adjacent the grip end of the shaft.

15. A golf training club as claimed in claim 11 wherein the at least one characteristic comprises the location of the contact on the face.

16. A golf training club as claimed in claim 15 wherein the at least one characteristic further comprises the existence and extent of side spin resulting from ball contact on the face.

17. A golf training club as claimed in claim 15 wherein the at least one characteristic further comprises the extent of ball compression resulting from ball contact on the face.

18. A golf training club as claimed in claim 11 wherein the electronics are housed within the club head.

19. A golf training club as claimed in claim 12 wherein the electronics are operative for sensing, in conjunction with the sensor array, whether any of the individual sensors has been covered, indicating a hit, to begin recording data.

20. A golf training club as claimed in claim 12 wherein the electronics are operative for storing data from more than one hit and displaying an image representing more than one hit.

21. A golf training club as claimed in claim 20 wherein the electronics are operative for displaying an image of an average hit taken over a previous collection of hits.

22. A golf training club as claimed in claim 20 wherein the electronics are operative for displaying a composite image of numerous prior hits to show the pattern of contact location.

23. A golf training club as claimed in claim 11 wherein the electronics are operative for calculating an estimated distance the ball would travel based at least in part on measurements made at the club face at impact with the ball.