Golf Clubs and Golf Club Heads

• US 20120277018A1
• Filed: 09/30/2011
• Published: 11/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: BOYD, Robert, STITES, John, LAFORTUNE, Mario A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,186,547 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/224
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0647 Visualisation of executed movements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/16 Angular positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/53 Force of an impact, e.g. blow or punch
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/803 Motion sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/15 with identification means that can be read by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• 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 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/00 Golf clubs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/005 Club sets
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0475 with one or more enclosed cavities
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/10 : Non-metallic shafts
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/14 : Handles
• 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 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 69/3685 : Putters or attachments on putters, e.g. for measuring, aligning A63B69/3614 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0619 : Displays, user interfaces and indicating devices, specially adapted for sport equipment, e.g. display mounted on treadmills
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 : Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 : with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 : with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors

Abstract

Golf clubs according to at least some example aspects of this disclosure may include a golf club head and a shaft configured to engage with the golf club head which includes a grip engaged with the shaft. Further, the golf club may include a monitoring device, which includes a sensor and a transmitter. Additionally, the monitoring device may be configured to determine data related to the characteristics of a golf swing. Further, the monitoring device may be configured to transmit the data related to the characteristics of a golf swing to a remote computer.

Claims

1. A system for determining aspects related to a golf swing, comprising:

a golf club comprising;

a golf club head;

a shaft configured to engage with the golf club head, including a grip engaged with the shaft; and

a monitoring device configured to be engaged with the golf club, comprising;

at least one sensor configured to determine data related to at least one characteristic of a golf swing; and

a remote computer configured to receive the data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor includes at least one of an accelerometer, a gyroscope and a magnetometer.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the monitoring device includes a transmission module and the remote computer includes a transmission reception system,

wherein the transmission module is configured to wirelessly transmit the data related to the characteristics of a golf swing to the transmission reception system of the remote computer.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the monitoring device includes a microprocessor configured to calculate one or more golf metrics based on the data determined by the sensor.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the transmission module is configured to wirelessly transmit the golf metrics based on the data determined by the sensor.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the remote computer includes a memory configured to store the golf metrics.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the remote computer includes an audio or video means configured to communicate the golf metrics to the user.

8. The system of claim 4, wherein the golf metrics include a graphical representation of the swing path of the golf swing from which the data was determined.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein the transmission reception system of the remote computer is configured to transmit the golf metrics.

10. The system of claim 3, wherein the monitoring device includes a microprocessor configured to calculate kinematics based on the data determined by the sensor.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the transmission module is configured to wirelessly transmit the kinematics.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the remote computer is configured to process the kinematics received from the transmission module of the monitoring device and calculate one or more golf metrics based on the kinematics.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the remote computer includes a memory configured to store the golf metrics.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the remote computer includes an audio or video means configured to communicate the golf metrics to the user.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the kinematics includes computed acceleration data from the golf swing from which the data was determined.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the transmission module is configured to wirelessly transmit the kinematics during a golf swing.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the monitoring device includes a memory configured to store the kinematics.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the transmission module is configured to wirelessly transmit the kinematics after a golf swing.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the transmission module is configured to wirelessly transmit the kinematics for more than one golf swing stored in the memory.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the transmission reception system of the remote computer is configured to transmit the golf metrics.

21. The system of claim 3, wherein the monitoring device includes a microprocessor configured to process electrical signals determined by the sensor.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the transmission module is configured to wirelessly transmit the processed electrical signals.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the remote computer is configured to process the processed electrical signals received from the transmission module and calculate one or more golf metrics based on the processed electrical signals.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the remote computer includes a memory configured to store the golf metrics.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the remote computer includes an audio or video means configured to communicate the golf metrics to the user.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein the transmission module is configured to wirelessly transmit the processed electrical signals during a golf swing.

27. The system of claim 21, wherein the monitoring device includes a memory configured to store the processed electrical signals.

28. The system of claim 21, wherein the transmission module is configured to wirelessly transmit the processed electrical signals after a golf swing.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the transmission module is configured to wirelessly transmit the kinematics for more than one golf swing stored in the memory.

30. The system of claim 23, wherein the transmission reception system of the remote computer is configured to transmit the golf metrics.

31. The system of claim 3, wherein the transmission module is configured to wirelessly transmit electrical signals which are determined by the sensor and contain the data related to the characteristics of a golf swing.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the remote computer is configured to process the electrical signals received from the transmission module and calculate one or more golf metrics based on the processed electrical signals.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the remote computer includes a memory configured to store the golf metrics.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein the remote computer includes an audio or video means configured to communicate the golf metrics to the user.

35. The system of claim 31, wherein the transmission module is configured to wirelessly transmit the electrical signals during a golf swing.

36. The system of claim 32, wherein the transmission reception system of the remote computer is configured to transmit the golf metrics.

37. The system of claim 31, wherein the remote computer includes:

a transceiver configured to receive the electrical signals received from the transmission module;

a microprocessor configured to process the electrical signals and calculate one or more golf metrics based on the processed electrical signals;

a memory configured to store the golf metrics; and

at least one of an audio and a video means configured to communicate the golf metrics to the user,

wherein the golf metrics include a graphical representation of the swing path of the golf swing from which the data was determined.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the transceiver is configured to receive the electrical signals from the transmission module from the during the golf swing.

39. The system of claim 37, wherein the a microprocessor configured to recognize the electrical signals from the transmission module an coordinate the electrical signals with a particular golf club or set of golf clubs based on an identification code stored in the memory of the remote computer or received from the monitoring device.