Automatic Club Setting and Ball Flight Optimization

• US 20130184095A1
• Filed: 01/13/2012
• Published: 07/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Rauchholz, William F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,636,603 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/223
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0691 Maps, e.g. yardage maps or electronic maps
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0694 Visual indication, e.g. Indicia
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• 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 2220/806 Video cameras
• 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 53/005 Club sets
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/02 Joint structures between the head and the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/022 allowing adjustable positioning of the head with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/023 adjustable angular orientation
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0454 Strengthening ribs on the rear surface of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/06 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/14 Handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/22 : Adjustable handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/26 : with adjustable stiffness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/42 : Devices for measuring, verifying, correcting or customising the inherent characteristics of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like, e.g. measuring the maximum torque a batting shaft can withstand
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 67/02 : Special golf games, e.g. miniature golf or golf putting games played on putting tracks; putting practice apparatus having an elongated platform as a putting track
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3605 : Golf club selection aids informing player of his average or expected shot distance for each club
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3623 : for driving A63B69/3608, A63B69/3658, A63B69/3661, A63B69/3667 and A63B69/3691 take 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 71/0669 : Score-keepers or score display devices

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer readable media for changing and controlling settings for adjustable golf clubs are described. Such setting adjustment systems may alter one or more of: lie angle, loft angle, face angle, shaft stiffness, shaft kickpoint location, weighting, weight positioning, face flexibility, maximum face flex location, etc. These systems and methods may use various types of information to determine the appropriate settings, such as: ball launch monitor data, swing path data, weather input data, course condition input data for a location of play, course design input data for a location of play, daily course layout input data for a location and a time of play, golfer past performance data (e.g., recent past performance, past performances at the location of play, past performance during an ongoing round of golf (i.e., on earlier played holes), etc.), current adjustable club setting information, and information indicating specific holes to be played.

Claims

1. A golf club, comprising:

a golf club head;

a shaft engaged with the golf club head;

a grip member engaged with the shaft;

a computer processing system engaged with at least one of the golf club head, the shaft, or the grip member, wherein the computer processing system performs at least one function selected from the group consisting of;

receiving input data regarding swing path of the golf club during a swing, receiving input data regarding a first change to an adjustable golf club parameter, generating data regarding swing path of the golf club during the swing, and generating data regarding the first change to the adjustable golf club parameter, and wherein the computer processing system additionally transmits golf club parameter change information based on the data regarding the swing path or the data regarding the first change; and

a golf club parameter adjustment system included with at least one of the golf club head, the shaft, or the grip member wherein the golf club parameter adjustment system receives the golf club parameter change information from the computer processing system and changes at least a first parameter of the golf club such that the first parameter is at a first setting at a beginning of the swing and at a second setting different from the first setting at a ball strike time during the swing.

2. A golf club according to claim 1, further comprising:

a sensor system engaged with at least one of the golf club head, the shaft, or the grip member, wherein the sensor system produces input data regarding the swing path of the golf club during the swing, and wherein the computer processing system receives the input data from the sensor system and generates the data regarding the first change to the adjustable golf club parameter.

3. A golf club according to claim 2, wherein the sensor system includes an accelerometer.

4. A golf club according to claim 1, wherein the computer processing system further includes an input system for receiving input data regarding the swing path of the golf club during the swing from an external source.

5. A golf club according to claim 1, wherein the computer processing system further includes an input system for receiving input data regarding the first change to the adjustable golf club parameter from an external source.

6. A golf club according to claim 1, wherein the golf club parameter adjustment system includes a first movable weight member, and wherein a position of the first movable weight member is controlled during at least a portion of the swing based on the golf club parameter change information received from the computer processing system.

7. A golf club according to claim 6, wherein the position of the first movable weight member is changed during the swing to move closer to a heel area of the golf club head.

8. A golf club according to claim 6, wherein the position of the first movable weight member is changed during the swing to move closer to a toe area of the golf club head.

9. A golf club according to claim 6, wherein the position of the first movable weight member is changed during the swing to move closer to a rear of the golf club head.

10. A golf club according to claim 6, wherein the position of the first movable weight member is changed during the swing to move closer to a front of the golf club head.

11. A golf club according to claim 1, wherein the golf club parameter adjustment system includes a first movable weight member and a second movable weight member, wherein a position of the first movable weight member is controlled during at least a portion of the swing based on the golf club parameter change information received from the computer processing system, and wherein a position of the second movable weight member is controlled during at least a portion of the swing based on the golf club parameter change information received from the computer processing system.

12. A golf club according to claim 11, wherein the relative position of the first and second movable weight members is changed during the swing to move the first and second movable weight members closer together.

13. A golf club according to claim 11, wherein the relative position of the first and second movable weight members is changed during the swing to move the first and second movable weight members farther apart.

14. A golf club according to claim 11, wherein the position of at least one of the first movable weight member and the second movable weight member is changed during the swing to move closer to a toe area of the golf club head.

15. A golf club according to claim 11, wherein the position of at least one of the first movable weight member and the second movable weight member is changed during the swing to move closer to a heel area of the golf club head.

16. A golf club according to claim 11, wherein the position of at least one of the first movable weight member and the second movable weight member is changed during the swing to move closer to a rear of the golf club head.

17. A golf club according to claim 11, wherein the position of at least one of the first movable weight member and the second movable weight member is changed during the swing to move closer to a front of the golf club head.

18. A golf club according to claim 1, wherein the golf club parameter adjustment system includes a first movable face support member for controlling a flexibility of a face of the golf club head, and wherein a position of the first movable face support member is controlled during at least a portion of the swing based on the golf club parameter change information received from the computer processing system.

19. A golf club according to claim 18, wherein the position of the first movable face support member is changed during the swing to allow increased flexibility of a heel portion of the face.

20. A golf club according to claim 18, wherein the position of the first movable face support member is changed during the swing to allow increased flexibility of a toe portion of the face.

21. A golf club according to claim 18, wherein the position of the first movable face support member is changed during the swing to allow increased flexibility of a central portion of the face.

22. A golf club according to claim 18, wherein the position of the first movable face support member is changed during the swing to provide a face flex backstop when a golf club head swing speed exceeds a threshold value.

23. A golf club according to claim 1, wherein the golf club parameter adjustment system includes a first movable face support member and a second movable face support member for controlling a flexibility of a face of the golf club head, wherein a position of the first movable face support member is controlled during at least a portion of the swing based on the golf club parameter change information received from the computer processing system, and wherein a position of the second movable face support member is controlled during at least a portion of the swing based on the golf club parameter change information received from the computer processing system.

24. A golf club according to claim 23, wherein relative positioning of the first movable face support member and the second movable face support member is changed during the swing to allow increased flexibility of a heel portion of the face.

25. A golf club according to claim 23, wherein relative positioning of the first movable face support member and the second movable face support member is changed during the swing to allow increased flexibility of a toe portion of the face.

26. A golf club according to claim 23, wherein relative positioning of the first movable face support member and the second movable face support member is changed during the swing to allow increased flexibility of a central portion of the face.

27. A golf club according to claim 23, wherein the position of at least one of the first movable face support member and the second movable face support member is changed during the swing to provide a face flex backstop when a golf club head swing speed exceeds a threshold value.

28. A golf club according to claim 1, wherein the golf club parameter adjustment system includes a face angle adjustment member, and wherein a setting of the face angle adjustment member is controlled during the swing to change the face angle of the golf club based on the golf club parameter change information received from the computer processing system.

29. A golf club according to claim 28, wherein the setting of the face angle adjustment member is changed during the swing to close the face angle of the golf club head.

30. A golf club according to claim 28, wherein the setting of the face angle adjustment member is changed during the swing to open the face angle of the golf club head.

31. A golf club according to claim 1, wherein the golf club parameter adjustment system includes a loft angle adjustment member, and wherein a setting of the loft angle adjustment member is controlled during the swing to change the loft angle of the golf club based on the golf club parameter change information received from the computer processing system.

32. A golf club according to claim 31, wherein the setting of the loft angle adjustment member is changed during the swing to increase the loft angle of the golf club head.

33. A golf club according to claim 31, wherein the setting of the loft angle adjustment member is changed during the swing to decrease the loft angle of the golf club head.

34. A golf club according to claim 1, wherein the golf club parameter adjustment system includes a shaft flexibility adjustment member, and wherein a setting of the shaft flexibility adjustment member is controlled during the swing to change the shaft flexibility of the golf club based on the golf club parameter change information received from the computer processing system.

35. A golf club according to claim 34, wherein the setting of the shaft flexibility adjustment member is changed during the swing to increase flexibility of the shaft during the swing.

36. A golf club according to claim 34, wherein the setting of the shaft flexibility adjustment member is changed during the swing to decrease flexibility of the shaft during the swing.

37. A golf club according to claim 1, wherein the golf club parameter adjustment system includes a shaft kickpoint adjustment member, and wherein a setting of the shaft kickpoint adjustment member is controlled during the swing to change the kickpoint location of the shaft of the golf club based on the golf club parameter change information received from the computer processing system.

38. A golf club according to claim 37, wherein the setting of the shaft kickpoint adjustment member is changed during the swing to move the shaft kickpoint closer to the golf club head.

39. A golf club according to claim 37, wherein the setting of the shaft kickpoint adjustment member is changed during the swing to move the shaft kickpoint closer to the grip member.