IMPACT DETECTION DEVICE

• US 20090176632A1
• Filed: 12/30/2008
• Published: 07/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Decathlon SA
• Original Assignee: Decathlon SA
• Inventors: WIBER, Laurent
• Granted Patent: US 8,011,222 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/84
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/0036 with fluorescent or phosphorescent parts
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/34 with electrical or electronic arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/53 Force of an impact, e.g. blow or punch
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/801 Contact switches
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2244/10 Combat sports
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2244/102 Boxing
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/26 attached to the human body
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/322 to instruct user where to strike
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/08 Body-protectors for players or sportsmen , i.e. body-protecting accessories affording protection of body parts against blows or collisions protective clothing or garments for sporting purposes A41D13/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/10 for the head A63B71/081 takes precedence ; in the form of caps or hats A42B1/08; helmets A42B3/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/141 in the form of gloves
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/284 for encapsulating mounted components H05K1/185 takes precedence

Abstract

This present invention concerns an impact detection device, as well as a system that includes such a device, and is employed particularly in electronic training systems for a combat sport, or for simulation of such a combat sport, such as boxing, karate, kendo, or fencing in particular, or more generally in a sport in which the user creates an impact by striking an adversary or a support, directly or by means of an object that is liable to transmit the impact.

This device includes a sensor that is designed to detect an impact and its intensity, which is mounted on a printed circuit, together with indicating means that are designed to be activated when the detector detects an impact and/or in order to indicate to a user that he must generate an impact, and which is imbedded in a protective covering so that it is located near the surface of this embedding material.

The indicating means are mounted directly on the printed circuit, so that the embedding material also covers the printed circuit and the sensor.

Claims

1. An impact detection device (1), intended in particular to be used in an electronic training system for a combat sport, that includes:

at least one sensor (2), preferably of the piezoelectric type, designed in particular to detect an impact, and the intensity of this impact, and to be mounted on a printed circuit (3),

indicating means (4, 6) that include at least one means (4, 6) for the emission of a light signal, preferably of the electroluminescent diode type (4, 6), and that are designed to be activated when the said sensor (2) detects an impact, and to indicate to a user that he should initiate an impact, with these said indicating means (4, 6) being mounted directly on the said printed circuit (3), embedded in a protective embedding material (5), and located close to the surface of the said embedding material (5), where the said embedding material (5) also encloses the said printed circuit (3) and the said sensor (2), characterised in that the said device also includes a channel (7) for transmission to the sensor (2) of the said light signal emitted by the said means (4, 6) for the emission of a light signal.

2. A device (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the said indicating means (4, 6) include at least one first indicating means (4) designed to be activated when the sensor (2) detects an impact, and at least one second indicating means (6), separate from the said first indicating means (4) and designed to be activated so as to tell a user that he should initiate an impact.

3. A device (1) according to either of claims 1 and 2, characterised in that the channel (7) includes a tunnel (7), preferably in a plastic material such as opaque silicone, close to the entrance (7a) of or inside which is placed the means (4, 6) for the emission of a light signal, and close to the exit (7b) of which is placed the sensor (2).

4. A device (1) according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the said indicating means (4, 6) include a large number of means (4, 6) for the emission of a light signal, preferably of the electroluminescent diode type (4, 6), distributed around the sensor (2).

5. A device (1) according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that it includes means (8) for the transmission and reception of a signal.

6. A device (1) according to claim 5, characterised in that the means (8) for the transmission and reception of a signal are designed to emit a signal when the said sensor (2) detects an impact, the said signal emitted being preferably a function of the intensity of the impact, and to receive a signal for activation of the indicating means (4, 6).

7. A device (1) according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the embedding material (5) is made from a material, of the silicone type for example, with a diffraction index such that the light signal emitted by the means (4) for the emission of a light signal is diffused so as to be visible from the outside of the said device (1).

8. A device (1) according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the embedding material (5) also constitutes the outer envelope of the said device (1).

9. A device according to any of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the embedding material (5) is of more-or-less cylindrical form.

10. A system, in particular for the practice of a combat sport or training for a combat sport, such as boxing, that includes a main body (9) that is intended to receive impacts on the part of a user, characterised in that the said main body (9) includes at least one impact detection device (1) according to any of claims 1 to 9.

11. A system according to claim 10, characterised in that it includes a control unit (10) with means for the transmission and reception of a signal, the said control unit (10) being designed to emit a signal that is intended for the impact detection device (1) in order to activate the indicating means (4, 6), and to receive a signal on the part of the said impact detection device (1) when an impact is detected by the latter.

12. A system according to claim 11, characterised in that the indicating means (4) include means (4, 6) for the emission of a light signal of variable colour and/or of variable intensity, the said control unit being designed to activate the means for the emission of a light signal of a given colour and/or with a given intensity, according to a given training sequence and/or a given action to be executed by the user.

13. A system according to any of claims 10 to 12, characterised in that the main body (9) constitutes a punchbag (9) that includes an outer envelope (11) that is at least partially filled with a padding (12).

14. A system according to claim 13, characterised in that the main body (9) includes an inner envelope (13) placed between the outer envelope (11) and the padding (12), and in that the impact detection device (1) is placed between these said outer (11) and inner (13) envelopes

15. A system according to any of claims 10 to 12, characterised in that the main body (9) constitutes a garment or part of a garment.

16. A system according to any of claims 10 to 12, characterised in that the main body (9) constitutes an accessory to be worn on the body, such as a helmet, a glove or a shoe, or part of the said accessory.