SWING ANALYSIS METHOD

• US 20130065711A1
• Filed: 09/07/2012
• Published: 03/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: Dunlop Sports Co. Ltd. (Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited), Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Inventors: UEDA, Masahiko, WATANABE, Kajiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,657,707 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/409
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/10 Athletes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1122 of movement trajectories
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6895 Sport equipment
• 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

An analysis method of the present invention includes the steps of: measuring a swing of a golf club to which a sensor capable of measuring accelerations in directions of three axes and angular velocities or angles about the three axes is attached; obtaining an index for classifying the swing based on a measuring result of the sensor; and classifying the swing based on the index. The index includes the following item (a) or (b):

(a) a grip angular velocity at least at one time during a downswing; and

(b) a grip velocity at least at one time during the downswing.

Preferably, times of an address, a top, and an impact are determined in the analysis method.

Claims

1. A swing analysis method comprising the steps of:

measuring a swing of a golf club to which a sensor capable of measuring accelerations in directions of three axes and angular velocities or angles about the three axes is attached;

obtaining an index for classifying the swing based on a measuring result of the sensor; and

classifying the swing based on the index,

wherein the index comprises the following item (a) or (b);

(a) a grip angular velocity at least at one time during a downswing; and

(b) a grip velocity at least at one time during the downswing.

2. The swing analysis method according to claim 1, wherein times of an address, a top, and an impact are determined.

3. The swing analysis method according to claim 1, wherein the index comprises at least two selected from the following items (c), (d), and (e):

(c) a grip angular velocity in a toe-down direction;

(d) a grip angular velocity about a shaft axis; and

(e) a grip velocity in a direction toward a golfer.

4. The swing analysis method according to claim 1, wherein the index comprises at least two selected from the following items (c), (d), and (f):

(c) a grip angular velocity in a toe-down direction;

(d) a grip angular velocity about a shaft axis; and

(f) a dynamic loft angle of a head.

5. The swing analysis method according to claim 1, wherein the index comprises at least two selected from the following items (c), (d), and (g):

(c) a grip angular velocity in a toe-down direction;

(d) a grip angular velocity about a shaft axis; and

(g) a grip attitude angle at an impact.

6. A method for fitting a golf club using the swing analysis method according to claim 1, wherein a recommended shaft is defined for each swing classification.

7. The swing analysis method according to claim 3, wherein the index comprises the items (c), (d), and (e).

8. The swing analysis method according to claim 4, wherein the index comprises the items (c), (d), and (f).

9. The swing analysis method according to claim 5, wherein the index comprises the items (c), (d), and (g).

10. The swing analysis method according to claim 1, wherein the index comprises the item (b),

an attitude matrix is used in the calculation of the grip velocity,

acceleration of a centrifugal component and gravitational acceleration are removed in the calculation of the grip velocity, and thereafter the acceleration is integrated.