Portable swing speed analyzer

• US 20060052173A1
• Filed: 09/09/2004
• Published: 03/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telford Golf Enterprises LLC
• Original Assignee: Telford Golf Enterprises LLC
• Inventors: Telford, Kenneth N.
• Granted Patent: US 7,771,263 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/131
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/0008 for batting
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0658 Position or arrangement of display
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0663 worn on the wrist, e.g. wrist bands
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• 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 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 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 60/46 Measurement devices associated with golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like for measuring physical parameters relating to sporting activity, e.g. baseball bats with impact indicators or bracelets for measuring the golf swing
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations
• 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: A63B 71/0622 Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/023 for acceleration measuring devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/00 Measuring acceleration; Measuring deceleration; Measuring shock, i.e. sudden change of acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/22 transferred to the indicator by electric or magnetic means

Abstract

Provided is a swing speed analyzer for mounting on a swinging implement and comprising a first accelerometer, a processor and a shock attenuator. The processor uses an output from the first accelerometer to compute a swing speed of the swinging implement. The shock attenuator is comprised of a material that is sized and dimensioned to dampen an impact shock wave by more than 50% at 125 Hz. The material is preferably sized and dimensioned to dampen the impact shock wave from more than 1000 g to less than 500 g. Suitable attenuators can include viscoelastomeric materials such as foam. The swing speed analyzer can advantageously include any of a releasable attachment mechanism, a liquid crystal or other visual display, a second accelerometer, and a strain gauge. The analyzer can advantageously be attached to a golf club, a tennis racket, a baseball bat, or a hockey stick.

Claims

1. A swing speed analyzer for mounting on a hand-held sporting implement, comprising:

a first accelerometer;

a processor that uses an output from the first accelerometer to compute a swing speed; and

a shock attenuator having a material sized and dimensioned to dampen an impact shock wave by more than 50% at 125 Hz.

2. The swing speed analyzer of claim 1, wherein the material is sized and dimensioned to dampen the impact shock wave from more than 1000 g to less than 500 g.

3. The swing speed analyzer of claim 1, wherein the material is sized and dimensioned to dampen the impact shock wave from more than 1000 g to less than 400 g.

4. The swing speed analyzer of claim 1, wherein the material is sized and dimensioned to dampen the impact shock wave from more than 1000 g to less than 300 g.

5. The swing speed analyzer of claim 1, wherein:

during swinging of the hand-held sporting implement, frequencies below about 6 Hz may be generated prior to occurrence of the impact shock wave;

the material is sized and dimensioned to limit magnification of accelerations as measured by the analyzer at all frequencies below 6 Hz by less than 6%.

6. The swing speed analyzer of claim 1, further comprising a threaded attachment mechanism that releasably couples the analyzer to a shaft of the hand-held sporting implement.

7. The swing speed analyzer of claim 1, further comprising a non-threaded attachment mechanism that releasably couples the analyzer to a shaft of the hand-held sporting implement.

8. The swing speed analyzer of claim 7, wherein the non-threaded attachment mechanism comprises a suction cup.

9. The swing speed analyzer of claim 1, further comprising a visual display.

10. The swing speed analyzer of claim 9, wherein the display comprises a liquid crystal display.

11. The swing speed analyzer of claim 1, further comprising a second accelerometer that provides a second input used by the processor to compute the swing speed.

12. The swing speed analyzer of claim 1, wherein the shock attenuator comprises a viscoelastomeric material having a material stiffness and a material thickness.

13. The swing speed analyzer of claim 12, wherein the viscoelastomeric material comprises a foam.

14. The swing speed analyzer of claim 1, wherein the processor further computes at least one of an acceleration, a velocity, a time period and a distance traveled during a swing.

15. The swing speed analyzer of claim 1, wherein the processor is operative to distinguish between a practice swing and a striking swing.

16. The swing speed analyzer of claim 1, further comprising a wireless transmitter that transmits data from the processor.

17. The swing speed analyzer of claim 1, wherein the hand-held sporting implement includes a shaft, and further comprising a strain gauge oriented to measure bending of a portion of the shaft.

18. A golf club having a shaft coupled to a club head, and a swing speed analyzer according to claim 1 mounted along the shaft in general alignment with the plane of swing.

19. The swing speed analyzer of claim 18, wherein the shock attenuator comprises a layer of viscoelastomeric material interposed between the swing speed analyzer and the golf shaft.

20. The swing speed analyzer of claim 19, wherein:

the material has a material thickness and a material stiffness;

the swing speed analyzer is mounted on the shaft in general alignment with the plane of swing;

the material stiffness being such that when the material thickness is compressed by about 30%, pressure is generated between the swing speed analyzer and the golf shaft;

the pressure generating a static friction force sufficient to substantially maintain the alignment between the swing speed analyzer and the golf shaft during swinging of the golf club.

21. The swing speed analyzer of claim 18, wherein the swing speed analyzer has a housing with an aerodynamic shape configured to reduce aerodynamic drag of the shaft during a period of maximum velocity to no more than aerodynamic drag of a portion of the shaft which is covered by the housing when the swing speed analyzer is substantially aligned with the plane of swing.

22. A hand-held sporting implement having a shaft coupled to a head and a swing speed analyzer according to claim 1 mounted along the shaft, wherein the hand-held sporting implement is selected from the group consisting of a tennis racket, a baseball bat and a hockey stick.