Measuring device for measuring hitting parameters of a golf club and associated calibration device

• US 20080200274A1
• Filed: 03/25/2008
• Published: 08/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HGM GmbH - Haag Golf Messtechnik
• Original Assignee: HGM GmbH - Haag Golf Messtechnik
• Inventors: Haag, Hans-Joachim A., Godde, Josef
• Granted Patent: US 8,142,301 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/222
• 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 69/3632 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: G01P 3/68 using optical means, i.e. using infrared, visible, or ultraviolet light G01P3/80 takes precedence ; by reflection of waves G01S17/58
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/58 Velocity or trajectory determination systems; Sense-of-movement determination systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/04 Systems determining the presence of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/497 Means for monitoring or calibrating
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4972 Alignment of sensor

Abstract

A measurement setup to determine hitting parameters of a golf club includes a group of reflectors with at least two strip-shaped reflectors with retroreflective surfaces applied to the golf club shaft. The group of reflectors is attached to the club shaft with a detachable, yet tight clamp-connection. At least three retroreflective areas are arranged in a determined geometry at the club shaft and/or at the group of reflectors. At least one first reflective light barrier sends its beam at a right angle to the ideal swing path of the club head near the tee and/or the golf ball at the group of reflectors. During the penetration of the beam the three strip-shaped retroreflective surfaces elicit temporally staggered pulse-shaped signals that the receiver of the first reflective light barrier receives and which it transmits to the data acquisition device. A calibration setup is also provided.

Claims

1. Measuring device for measuring hitting parameters of a golf club, with the measuring system comprising:

a) a measurement device, equipped with at least one horizontally directed reflective light barrier,

b) a data acquisition device which is integrated into the measurement device,

c) reflectors with retroreflective surfaces at the golf club which correspond functionally to the reflective light barrier,

d) an information output- and storage unit to which the data acquisition device forwards the acquired measured data,

e) whereas the measurement device (3) is arranged opposite to the golfer (9), wherein

f) a group of reflectors (7, 7a) is attached to the shaft (25) of the golf club (1) with a tight, but detachable clamp-connection and the group of reflectors (7, 7a) comprises at least two strip-shaped reflectors with retroreflective surfaces (8) and at least three retro-reflective areas (8) are arranged with defined geometry at the golf club shaft (25) and/or at the group of reflectors (7, 7a),

g) at least one first reflective light barrier (4) points with its beam (10) at right angle to the ideal swing path (11) of the club head (12) near the tee (13) and/or the golf ball (14) and the three strip-shaped retro-reflective surfaces (8) upon crossing the beam (10) elicits temporally staggered pulse-shaped measuring data, which the receiver of the reflective light barrier (4) receives for forwarding to the data acquisition device (6).

2. Measuring device according to claim 1,

wherein

in the front side wall (64) of the measuring device (3) at some lateral distance to the first reflective light barrier (4) at least one second reflective light barrier (5) is arranged, the beam (15) of which crosses the beam (10) of the first reflective light barrier (4) at an acute angle (16).

3. Measuring device according to claim 1,

wherein

in the front side wall (64) of the measuring device (3) above the first reflective light barrier (4) a third reflective light barrier (45) and above the second reflective light barrier (5) a fourth reflective light barrier (55) are arranged, the beams (78, 79) of which parallel the beams (10, 15) of the first and second reflective light barriers (4, 5).

4. Measuring device according to claim 1,

wherein

the group of reflectors (7, 7a) comprises an intrinsically stable basic body made of sheet metal or carbon or another material which is dimensionally stable and flexurally rigid at speeds of up to 230 km/h, with a clamp-connection that ensures a captive, slip-proof, yet detachable fixing to the club shaft (25) above the club head (12) and in that the distance of the lower edge (71, 96, 101) of a group of reflectors (7, 7a) amounts to about 1 cm plus the height of a golf ball (14) plus the height of a long tee (13).

5. Measuring device according to claim 1,

wherein

a first high/narrow group of reflectors (7a) according to the invention comprises three reflectors (97, 98, 99) with retro-reflective surfaces (8) whereupon the first reflector (97) and the second reflector (98) have different lengths and are arranged vertically and paralleling each other but in different planes and

the third reflector (99), is arranged with its lower end (101) preferably at the lower end (96) of the first reflector (97) at an acute angle and

the second reflector (98) is arranged offset forwardly or backwardly with respect to the plane of the first and third reflectors (97, 99) and

the lower end (103) of the second reflector (98) is linked to the upper end (105) of the third reflector (99) by a joining piece (91) at a defined distance and

the upper end (107) of the first reflector (97) is linked to the upper end (109) of the second reflector (98) by the angled joining pieces (92, 93) in a stabilizing way.

6. Measuring device according to claim 1,

wherein

one reflector, namely the first reflector (97) or the second reflector (98) of the high/narrow group of reflectors (7a) may be replaced by a retroreflective strip (8) that is directly glued on the club shaft (25) arranged at a defined distance to the other two reflectors (97, 99 or 98, 99).

7. Measuring device according to claim 1,

wherein

a second low/wide group of reflectors (7) according to the invention comprises five reflectors (19, 20, 21, 22, 23) wherein three reflectors (19, 21, 23) are arranged parallel each other in one plane and in a well defined distance from each other in which the first reflector (19) and the third reflector are joint by the second reflector (20) in a way, that they constitute an “

N”

or a mirror-imaged “

N” and

in which the fourth reflector (22) is arranged outside the plane of, but running parallel and at equal distance to the third reflector (21) and the fifth reflector (23) so that in top view on the group of reflectors a triangle between the third reflector (21) the fourth reflector (22) and the fifth reflector (23) is discernible.

8. Measuring device according to claim 1,

wherein

the group of reflectors (7, 7a) is mounted to the golf club (1) in a way that the reflectors (19, 21, 22, 23, 97, 98) stand vertically with respect to the playing surface (18) when the golf club (1) is held inclined in the addressing position.

9. Measuring device according to claim 1,

wherein

the group of reflectors (7, 7a) is mounted to the golf club (1) in a way that the reflectors (19, 21, 22, 23, 97, 98) run in parallel with the club shaft (25) of the golf club (1).

10. Measuring device according to claim 1,

wherein

in the front side wall (64) of the measuring device (3) a fifth reflective light barrier (56) with beam (65) is mounted above the third reflective light barrier (45) and a sixth reflective light barrier (57) with beam (66) is mounted above the fourth reflective light barrier (55)

and wherein the distance of the first reflective light barrier (4) from the fifth reflective light barrier (56) within the vertically tiered first group of reflective light barriers (4, 45, 56) and the distance of the second reflective light barrier (5) from the sixth reflective light barrier (57) within the second group of reflective light barriers (5, 55, 57) should be at least 7 cm.

11. Measuring device according to claim 1,

wherein

the reflective light barriers (4, 5, 45, 55, 56, 57) are fast responding reflective laser light barriers and their beams (10, 15, 78, 79, 65, 66) high-frequency-pulsed laser beams and in that the reflectors (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 97, 98, 99) have at least the same width, better twice the width of the beams (10, 15, 78, 79, 65, 66).

12. Measuring device according to claim 1,

wherein

in the measuring device (3) an additional optical line laser (26) points horizontally at an angle of 90°

to the golf ball (14) in a way that its beam (27) meets the surface (28) of the golf ball (14) opposite to the balls direction of flight (29) where the surface (28) constitutes the ideal contact point (2) for the club head.

13. Measuring device according to claim 1,

wherein

the measuring device (3) is designed L-shaped and wherein to the transverse wall (54) of the measuring device (3) a second optical line laser (68) or multi-line-laser is mounted, which sends its beam (87) or its beams, respectively, at an angle of ≦

45°

to the golf ball (14) where the intersection of the beams (26, 68) serve to align the golf ball (14) and/or the tee (13).

14. Measuring device according to claim 1,

wherein

the reflective light barriers of the first group of reflective light barriers (4, 45, 56) are mounted at an angle of 90°

to the side wall (64) in a way that their beams (10, 78, 65) run parallel to each other and to the playing surface (18) pointing towards the group of reflectors (7, 7a) above the lie point (47) for golfing without ball and that the reflective light barriers of the second group of reflective light barriers (5, 55, 57) are mounted to the side wall (64) preferably at an angle of 45°

in a way that their beams (15, 79, 66) run parallel to each other and to the playing surface (18) and wherein they cross the beams (10, 78, 65) of the first group of reflective light barriers maximally 10 cm behind the lie point (47) and behind the ideal swing path (11)

and/or

wherein—

seen from the golfer (9)—

the tee (13) is placed left from the potential lie point (47) at a distance, that corresponds at least to half the width of the group of reflectors (7, 7a), and

wherein the club head 12 hits the golf ball (14) that is lying on the tee (14) immediately after the group of reflectors (7, 7a) has left the region of the beams (10, 78, 65) of the first group of reflective light barriers (4, 45, 56).

15. Measuring device according to claim 13,

wherein

for an exact electronic orientation of the measuring device (3), both in the side wall (64) and in the front face of the cross side wall (54) additional adjustment lasers (129, 130) are mounted whereupon, whenever the measuring device is properly aligned in the position that is required for exact measurements, their beams (131, 132) intersect on a specific line on a template that is pulled over the tee (13).

16. Measuring device according to claim 1,

wherein

an eights reflective light barrier (104), pointing at an angle of 90°

, is mounted at the side wall (64) of the measuring device (3) left or right of the first reflective light barrier and wherein a ninth reflective light barrier (102)—

also pointing at 900—

is placed beside the third reflective light barrier (45) and above the eights reflective light barrier (104) with their beams (108, 110) and wherein a tenth reflective light barrier (100)—

pointing at 45°

—

is mounted on the left or right side of the fifth reflective light barrier (55) and wherein the lateral distance of the reflective light barriers (4, 104, and/or 45, 102 and/or 55, 100) corresponds to the width of the low/wide type group of reflectors (7) which consists of 5 reflectors (19, 20, 21, 22, 23) or to twice the width of the high/narrow type group of reflectors (7a) which comprises three reflectors (97, 98, 99).

17. Measuring device according to claim 1,

wherein

during the golf swing, the data acquisition unit (6) captures the temporal pattern of the reflections from the group of reflectors (7, 7a), forwards it to the information output- and storage unit (17), which is preferably a customary PC or notebook, and wherein from the raw data of the golf swing a determination of the hitting parameters

a) club head speed

b) club face position as angle open/closed A_oc

c) sweet spot vertical as vertical deviation from the sweet spot

d) sweet spot horizontal as horizontal deviation from the sweet spot

e) horizontal angle of approach in/out A_io, and under certain conditions

f) dynamic loft W_dl

all or part is done, depending on requirement or on purpose of training.

18. Measuring device according to claim 1,

wherein

the measuring device (3) is designed symmetrically with respect to the horizontal midplane and wherein it is suitable both for right- and left-handers, whereupon an intelligent position sensor ensures that for instance the mirror-invertedly mounted fifth reflective light barrier (56) takes over the function of the first reflective light barrier (4) and wherein the mirror-invertedly mounted sixth reflective light barrier (57) takes over the function of the second reflective light barrier (5).

19. Measuring device according to claim 1,

wherein

in the measuring device (3) an additional seventh reflective light barrier with a beam (81) that parallels the beams (10, 78, 65) of the first group of reflective light barriers (4, 45, 56) may be mounted, whereupon one of the reflectors (19, 21, 23) of the low/wide type group of reflectors (7), preferably the third reflector (21), is extended by a longer reflector pin (82) or by tagging a retroreflective surface (8) above the group of reflectors (7) directly to the club shaft (25).

20. Measuring device according to claim 19,

wherein

the seventh reflective light barrier may be mounted pivotably to the upper side (73) or lower side (74) of the measuring device (3) by a folding mechanism, or wherein it may constitute an accessory that may be attached by a plug-type connector.

21. Measuring device according to claim 1,

wherein

in the front face of the cross side wall (54) a high speed radar transceiver (51) is mounted and directed towards the golf ball and/or tee, which, interacting with one of the reflective light barriers of the first group of reflective light barriers (4, 45, 56) and the fifth reflector (98) of the low/wide group of reflectors (7) or the second reflector (98) of the high/narrow group of reflectors (7a) measures in an alternative way by Doppler frequency analysis the hitting parameter club head speed and wherein in addition, the high speed radar transceiver (51) measures the club head speed as a function of time while the club head (12) sojourns in the reach of the radar beam lobe, whereby, exploiting the temporal relation to the pulses of the first group of reflective light barriers (4, 45, 56), the club head speed as a function of the position can be calculated.

22. Measuring device according to claim 1,

wherein

the measuring device (3) may be equipped with a microprocessor or with a signal-processor for triggering the actual measuring process, whereupon the high speed radar transceiver (51) distinguishes by radar analysis with an inphase/quadrature mixer the oscillating movements of the golf club (1) and the direction of the movement and starts the measuring process only above a preset speed during the real downswing.

23. Measuring device according to claim 1,

wherein

the data acquisition unit (6) comprises a sound card or a multi-channel data acquisition- and processing unit which is equipped with the software that is necessary to interpret the data and that the information output- and storage unit (17) or a battery that is integrated to the transverse bar (54), supply the measuring device with power if no external power outlet is available.

24. Measuring device according to claim 1,

wherein

the measuring device (3) is equipped with wheels (58, 59) at its transverse axis (86) and with two handles (60, 61), one above and one below the longitudinal axis (63) near the optical line laser (26) and wherein the handles serve also as supporting stands for the measuring device (3) in the right- or left-hander mode, respectively, whereupon the height of the handles and the diameter of the wheels ensure the horizontal orientation of the measuring device (3).

25. Measuring device according to claim 1,

wherein

a plurality of optically or capacitively actuated switches (62) which can be activated by the club head (1) are mounted to the side wall (64) of the measuring device (3), which allow to launch or to reset a program without that this requires the player (9) to operate the information output- and storage unit (17) manually.

26. Measuring device according to claim 1,

wherein

one or several of the reflective light barriers of the first group of reflective light barriers (4, 45, 56) issues an impulse to trigger further, external analysis devices.

27. Measuring device according to claim 1,

wherein

the reflective light barriers 4, 5, 45, 55, 56, 57, 72 are not arranged as compact units directly in the side wall 64 of the measurement device 3

the reflective light barriers 4, 5, 45, 55, 56, 57, 72 send their beams 10, 15, 65, 66, 78, 79, 81 via optical fibers to the defined arranged respective apertures in the side wall 64,

the ends of the optical fibers are fixed in apertures in the side wall 64 which match the diameters of the optical fibers, in a way that the beams 10, 65, 78, 81 of the first, third, fifth, and if applicable of the seventh reflective light barriers 4, 45, 56, 72 exit the optical fibers at right angle and the beams 15, 66, 79 of the second, fourth and sixth reflective light barrier 5, 55, 57 at an angle of 45°

with respect to the ideal swing path 11 of the club head 12 near the tee 13 and/or the golf ball 14.

28. Measuring device according to claim 27,

wherein

a separate optical fiber is allocated to each of the receivers of the reflective light barriers 4, 5, 45, 55, 56, 57, 72, so that minimally two optical fibers are arranged in each aperture or

the receivers of the reflective light barriers 4, 5, 45, 55, 56, 57, 72 are arranged in the side wall 64 close to or in the apertures for the optical fibers of their respective transmitters.

29. Measuring device according to claim 27,

wherein

the number of the light transmitters is smaller than the number of reflective light barriers, whereas in the extreme case, a single light transmitter comprises a plurality of optical fibers and replaces the light transmitter in each of the reflective light barriers 4, 5, 45, 55, 56, 57, 72.

30. Measuring device according to claim 1,

wherein

the measuring device 3 or the whole measurement system pertaining to the invention may be arranged stationarily and theft-proof in the paneling of a wall, for instance in a partition wall of a driving range, wherein the transverse axis 86 may be brought to the position needed for playing by a folding or by a retractable mechanism.

31. Calibration setup for measuring angular deviations of a group of reflectors (7, 7a) which is mounted on the club shaft (25) of a golf club (1) at right angle to the club face (69) of the club head (12) with the calibration setup comprising

a) a calibrator (133) with minimally one rotating reflective light barrier (137),

b) a mechanical adjusting device (134), placed at a well defined distance from the calibrator (133), whereupon the adjusting device (134) is equipped with a stop 136 for the club face 69 of the club head 12, and

c) minimally two reflectors (138, 139) with retroreflective surfaces (8), which are placed behind and at some lateral distance to the right and to the left from the group of reflectors (7, 7a) that is to be calibrated.

32. Calibration setup according to claim 31,

wherein

the calibration setup is integrated to a measuring device (3) and wherein the calibrator is mounted approximately centrally to the side wall (64) of the measuring device (3) and wherein the adjusting device (134) is engaged skid-proof in a catch (135) at a defined position at the lower side of the measuring device 3 approximately midways between the calibrator (133) and the front face of the cross side wall (54) and wherein the two reflectors (138, 139) of the calibration setup are placed undetachably to the respective ends of the front face of the cross side wall 54.

33. Calibration setup according to claim 31,

wherein

the beam aperture of the rotating reflective light barrier 137 is <

0.10 to 0.2° and

wherein its beam 140 oscillates one or several times with a rotating movement of constant angular velocity between the two reference reflectors 138, 139 and wherein the club face (69) which is aligned at the stoppers (136) of the adjusting device (134), has an angle of approx. 900 with respect to the optimally to the club shaft (25) attached group of reflectors (7, 7a), whereupon, during the calibration process, the receiver of the calibrator (133) obtains from the rotating beam (140) readings from the reflectors (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 97, 98, 99) of the group of reflectors (7, 7a) about the real distances of the group of reflectors (7, 7a) from the sweet spot and about the real twist of the group of reflectors (7, 7a) around the vertical axis, a process in which the scanned readings get forwarded to the data acquisition device (6) and processed in the information output- and storage unit (17).

34. Calibration setup according to claim 31,

wherein

in the calibrator (133) at a defined vertical distance to the first rotating reflective light barrier (137), at least a second rotating reflective light barrier is applied and wherein the beams (140) of the reflective light barriers determine by laser distance measurement and/or by triangulation the respective distance in depth of the group of reflectors (7, 7a) and wherein in the information output- and storage unit (17) the static lie angle of the golf club is calculated.

35. Calibration setup according to claim 31,

wherein

at least one rotating reflective light barrier 137 of the calibration appliance may be replaced by at least one non-rotating reflective light barrier whose transmitter and receiver are arranged outside the calibrator 133 and connected with minimally two optical fibers, wherein a first optical fiber is connected to the light transmitter and a second optical fiber to the receiver of the reflective light barrier.

36. Calibration setup according to claim 31,

wherein

in the calibrator 133 minimally one moving unit is applied that lets the beam exit horizontally and which moves it at constant angular velocity around the vertical axis whereas the movement of the beam is brought about by moving the ends of the optical fibers together with the moving unit to which they are firmly attached.

37. Calibration setup according to claim 31,

wherein

one or a plurality of rotating mirrors on the moving unit, which may perform a rotatory movement in this case, cause the movement of the beam whereas the ends of the optical fibers are mounted in a motionless fix position.

38. Calibration setup according to claim 31,

wherein

the receivers of the reflective light barriers of the calibrator 133 are arranged stationarily in the calibrator under the condition that their horizontal optical aperture is sufficient to receive safely the reflections from the reflector 138, from the group of reflectors 7, 7a, and from the reflector 139 while the beam sweeps successively over them.