BAT SPEED SENSING DEVICE AND METHODS
First Claim
1. An apparatus for determining the velocity of a bat swung by a batter comprising:
- a housing with at least one motion responsive sensor having an output responsive to its acceleration, said output being computed by a measurement taken before an impact time of the bat with the ball or at the location of impact in a bat swing, a means for detachably securing the housing to the hand of a user at a position above the wrist of the user, wherein at least one motion responsive sensor is arranged to measure radial acceleration along the bat'"'"'s longitudinal axis; and
a processor utilizing the sensor output for computing an output representing the bat face impact velocity based upon the sensor output, said means defining Rh as the radius of the bat from the center of its rotation C, defining Rs as the radius of the sensor from C, and As as the output from the sensor, whereby the angular velocity of the bat is ω and
is determined by the formula ω
=√
(As/Rs), and the speed of the bat barrel or head (Vh) is determined by the formula Vh=ω
Rh=(Rh/√
Rs)√
As and Vh is provided as the sensor output, with the determined velocity of a swing selectively displayed on a display associated with the housing;
wherein the processor allows for computing and displaying an output representing the ratio of last bat swing speed compared to a prior bat swing speed.
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Abstract
The invention provides for baseball bat velocity sensing apparatus and method, which employs at least one sensor that may be selectively attached to a batting glove. To facilitate use of the system and avoid interference with the batters swing, swinging or hitting characteristics of the bat, the apparatus of the present invention is selectively positioned in association with the batter'"'"'s hands during his/her swing. The apparatus provides an output that is responsive to swing movement, and measures the velocity of the swing and bat speed for display to a user. The method and apparatus of the present invention may be employed with any type of bat and regular bats may be used without any required modification or attachments. Thus, for example, bat velocity may be determined in the ordinary course of a baseball game. The invention is easily and conveniently used without materially altering or interfering with the batter'"'"'s ordinary swings. Accordingly, the bat speed measuring apparatus of the present invention embodied as a separate, small, lightweight, self-contained device. Such a device is selectively secured in association with a batter'"'"'s hands, such as by selective securance with a standard batting glove.
57 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus for determining the velocity of a bat swung by a batter comprising:
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a housing with at least one motion responsive sensor having an output responsive to its acceleration, said output being computed by a measurement taken before an impact time of the bat with the ball or at the location of impact in a bat swing, a means for detachably securing the housing to the hand of a user at a position above the wrist of the user, wherein at least one motion responsive sensor is arranged to measure radial acceleration along the bat'"'"'s longitudinal axis; and
a processor utilizing the sensor output for computing an output representing the bat face impact velocity based upon the sensor output, said means defining Rh as the radius of the bat from the center of its rotation C, defining Rs as the radius of the sensor from C, and As as the output from the sensor, whereby the angular velocity of the bat is ω and
is determined by the formula ω
=√
(As/Rs), and the speed of the bat barrel or head (Vh) is determined by the formula Vh=ω
Rh=(Rh/√
Rs)√
As and Vh is provided as the sensor output, with the determined velocity of a swing selectively displayed on a display associated with the housing;
wherein the processor allows for computing and displaying an output representing the ratio of last bat swing speed compared to a prior bat swing speed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 19)
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9. (canceled)
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17. An apparatus for determining the velocity of a bat swung by a batter comprising:
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a housing with at least one motion responsive sensor having an output responsive to velocity of the swung bat, said output being computed by a measurement taken before an impact time of the bat with the ball or at the location of impact in a bat swing, a means for detachably securing the housing to the hand of a user at a position above the wrist of the user above the wrist of the user, a processor utilizing the sensor output for computing an output representing the bat face impact velocity based upon the sensor output with the determined velocity of a swing selectively displayed on a display associated with the housing; and
wherein the processor and sensor are ruggedized to withstand the impact vibrations of hitting a baseball with the bat when the housing is attached in the desired position by selective attachment to a batting glove worn by the user.
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18. An apparatus for determining the velocity of a bat swung by a batter comprising:
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a housing with at least one motion responsive sensor having an output responsive to its acceleration, said output being computed by a measurement taken before an impact time of the bat with the ball or at the location of impact in a bat swing, a means for detachably securing the housing to the hand of a user at a position above the wrist of the user, wherein the velocity of the bat is calculated at a position in a range of eight inches about a point positioned approximately twelve inches from the top of a bat; and
a processor utilizing the sensor output for computing an output representing the bat face impact velocity based upon the sensor output with the determined velocity of a swing selectively displayed on a display associated with the housing. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification