Apparatus for measuring parameters relating to the trajectory and/or motion of a moving article

• US 20050130755A1
• Filed: 01/31/2005
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1996
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Norman Matheson Lindsay
• Original Assignee: Norman Matheson Lindsay
• Inventors: Lindsay, Norman Matheson
• Application Number:
  US11/046,914
• Publication Number:
  US 20050130755A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/151
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0031 at the starting point
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• 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 69/3658 Means associated with the ball for indicating or measuring, e.g. speed, direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/68 using optical means, i.e. using infrared, visible, or ultraviolet light G01P3/80 takes precedence ; by reflection of waves G01S17/58

Abstract

An apparatus comprising one or more light sources (18, 15) for providing light emitted from or reflected by the moving article and one or more light sensing mechanisms (15, 12, 50, 51) arranged to provide a signal when illuminated by the light, at least one of the light sensing mechanisms (15, 12, 50, 51) being arranged to detect when the moving article intercepts a known detection plane (19, 20, 21, 64, 65, 66, 67) wherever the article intercepts the plane. The sensing mechanism may comprise a slit aperture (10, 11, 12, 23, 60, 61) and/or cylindrical lens to define a detection plane. The apparatus may be used to measure the pre-impact and post-impact position and/or motion of a golf clubhead (7) and/or of a golf ball (1) during execution of a golf shot.

Claims

1. Apparatus for measuring parameters relating to the trajectory and/or motion of a moving article, the apparatus comprising one or more light sources for providing light emitted from or reflected by the moving article in a known shape or pattern and one or more light sensing means, each light sensing means comprising one or more discrete sensors arranged to provide a signal when illuminated by said light, wherein the field of view of each light sensor or the illumination field of each light source defines a detection plane across the path of the moving article and narrower than the moving article and at least one of the light sensors is arranged to detect when the moving article intercepts a given detection plane, wherever the article intercepts the detection plane, and is arranged to sense variations in the said signal as the article passes through the detection plane and light from or reflected by different parts of the said known shape or pattern is detected, the arrangement being such that the position and orientation of the detection plane relative to a reference point is known or can be deduced from the signal provided by the said at least one light sensor and the position and/or orientation of the article relative to the detection plane can be determined from said variations in the said signal.

2-34. -34. (canceled)

35. Apparatus for measuring the pre-impact and post-impact position and/or motion of a golf clubhead and/or of a golf ball during execution of a golf shot, the apparatus comprising light sensing means having a field of view which comprises at least one detection plane and arranged to sense light reflected from or emitted by the clubhead and/or the ball as it passes through said detection plane.