Golf clubs and golf club heads Having a plurality of sensors for detecting one or more swing parameters

• US 20170312609A1
• Filed: 05/02/2016
• Published: 11/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Thornton, Douglas A., Hadden, Jeffrey A., Glenn, Bradley C.
• Granted Patent: US 10,226,681 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/0204 Standing on the feet
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• 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 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 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: G09B 19/0038 Sports

Abstract

A golf club having a sensor that is releasably connected is disclosed, where the sensor comprises a plurality of inertial measurement units. Each inertial measurement unit is able to measure linear accelerations along three orthogonal axes and angular rates of rotation along the same three orthogonal axes. Each inertial measurement unit is positioned such that at least two of the axes of each inertial measurement unit are oriented differently. Additionally, a process may be implemented by a processor to expand the measurement range of the sensor.

Claims

1. A golf club comprising:

a shaft having a first end connected to a golf club head and a second end connected to a grip;

a sensor connected to the golf club comprising a first inertial measurement unit and a second inertial measurement unit;

wherein the first inertial measurement unit is capable of measuring linear accelerations in a first axis, a second axis, and a third axis and angular rates of rotation about the first axis, the second axis, and the third axis, wherein the first axis, the second axis, and the third axis are orthogonally oriented;

wherein the second inertial measurement unit is capable of measuring linear accelerations in a fourth axis, a fifth axis, and a sixth axis and angular rates of rotation about the fourth axis, the fifth axis, and the sixth axis, wherein the fourth axis, the fifth axis, and the sixth axis are orthogonally oriented; and

wherein the first axis and the second axis of the first inertial measurement unit are oriented at an angle to the fourth axis and the fifth axis of the second inertial measurement unit.

2. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the first axis and the second axis of the first inertial measurement unit are oriented at an angle of 45 degrees from the sixth axis of the second inertial measurement unit.

3. The golf club of claim 1, wherein at least one axis of the first inertial measurement unit is oriented in the same direction as at least one axis of the second inertial measurement unit.

4. The golf club of claim 3, further comprising a second sensor comprising a plurality of inertial measurement units positioned near the golf club head of the golf club.

5. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the sensor is positioned near the grip of the golf club.

6. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the sensor is connected to the golf club head.

7. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the sensor is releasably connected to the golf club.

8. The golf club claim 1, wherein the first inertial measurement unit is mounted to a first circuit card assembly and the second inertial measurement unit is mounted to a second circuit card assembly.

9. The golf club of claim 8, wherein the first circuit card assembly is perpendicularly oriented to the second circuit card assembly.

10. The golf club of claim 8, wherein the first circuit card assembly further comprises a processor and a power source.

11. The golf club of claim 8, further comprising a housing having a first mounting surface, and a second mounting surface oriented perpendicular to the first mounting surface,

wherein the first circuit card assembly is connected to the first mounting surface and the second circuit card assembly is connected to the second mounting surface.

12. A golf club comprising:

a shaft and a golf club head, the shaft having a first end connected to the golf club head and a second end connected to a grip;

a sensor connected to the golf club, the sensor comprising a first inertial measurement unit, a second inertial measurement unit, and a processor;

a non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to at least;

receive angular rate of rotation measurements about a first axis, a second axis, and a third axis from the first inertial measurement unit;

wherein the first inertial measurement unit is capable of measuring linear accelerations in the first axis, the second axis, and the third axis and angular rates of rotation about the first axis, the second axis, and the third axis, wherein the first axis, the second axis, and the third axis are orthogonally oriented;

compare the angular rate of rotation measurements from the first inertial measurement unit to a predetermined set of parameters;

receive angular rate of rotation measurements about a fourth axis, a fifth axis, and a sixth axis from the second inertial measurement unit;

wherein the second inertial measurement unit is capable of measuring linear accelerations in the fourth axis, the fifth axis, and the sixth axis and angular rates of rotation about the fourth axis, the fifth axis, and the sixth axis, wherein the fourth axis, the fifth axis, and the sixth axis are orthogonally oriented;

calculate angular rate of rotation measurements about a first virtual axis, a second virtual axis, and a third virtual axis, wherein the first virtual axis, the second virtual axis, and the third virtual axis are the same orientation as the first axis, the second axis and the third axis of the first inertial measurement unit; and

output the angular rate of rotation measurements of the first virtual axis, the second virtual axis, and the third virtual axis.

13. The golf club of claim 12, wherein the first axis and the second axis of the first inertial measurement unit are oriented at an angle of 45 degrees from the sixth axis of the second inertial measurement unit.

14. The golf club of claim 12, wherein at least one axis of the first inertial measurement unit is oriented in the same direction as at least one axis of the second inertial measurement unit.

15. The golf club of claim 12, wherein the predetermined set of parameters include a saturation limit for the angular rate of rotation measurement.

16. A golf club comprising:

a shaft and a golf club head, the shaft having a first end connected to the golf club head and a second end connected to a grip;

a sensor connected to the golf club, the sensor comprising a first inertial measurement unit, a second inertial measurement unit, and a processor;

a non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to at least;

receive angular rate of rotation measurements about a first axis, a second axis, and a third axis from the first inertial measurement unit;

wherein the first inertial measurement unit is capable of measuring linear accelerations in the first axis, the second axis, and the third axis and angular rates of rotation about the first axis, the second axis, and the third axis, wherein the first axis, the second axis, and the third axis are orthogonally oriented;

receive angular rate of rotation measurements about a fourth axis, a fifth axis, and a sixth axis from the second inertial measurement unit;

wherein the second inertial measurement unit is capable of measuring linear accelerations in the fourth axis, the fifth axis, and the sixth axis and angular rates of rotation about the fourth axis, the fifth axis, and the sixth axis, wherein the fourth axis, the fifth axis, and the sixth axis are orthogonally oriented;

calculate angular rate of rotation measurements about a first virtual axis, a second virtual axis, and a third virtual axis, wherein the first virtual axis, the second virtual axis, and the third virtual axis are the same orientation as the first axis, the second axis and the third axis of the first inertial measurement unit; and

calculate a divergence of the angular rate of rotation about the first axis, the second axis, and the third axis of the first inertial measurement unit and the angular rate of rotation about the first virtual axis, the second virtual axis, and the third virtual axis;

calculate a gyroscopic bias drift of the angular rate of rotation measurement about the first axis, the second axis and the third axis of the first inertial measurement unit; and

output the gyroscopic bias drift of the first axis, the second axis and the third axis of the first inertial measurement unit.

17. The golf club of claim 16, wherein the first axis and the second axis of the first inertial measurement unit are oriented at an angle of 45 degrees from the sixth axis of the second inertial measurement unit.

18. The golf club of claim 16, wherein at least one axis of the first inertial measurement unit is oriented in the same direction as at least one axis of the second inertial measurement unit.

19. A golf club comprising:

a shaft and a golf club head, the shaft having a first end connected to the golf club head and a second end connected to a grip;

a sensor connected to the golf club, the sensor comprising a first inertial measurement unit, a second inertial measurement unit, and a processor; and

a non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to at least;

receive linear acceleration and angular rate of rotation measurements about a first axis, a second axis, and a third axis from the first inertial measurement unit;

wherein the first inertial measurement unit is capable of measuring linear accelerations in the first axis, the second axis, and the third axis and angular rates of rotation about the first axis, the second axis, and the third axis, wherein the first axis, the second axis, and the third axis are orthogonally oriented;

receive linear acceleration and angular rate of rotation measurements about a fourth axis, a fifth axis, and a sixth axis from the second inertial measurement unit;

wherein the second inertial measurement unit is capable of measuring linear accelerations in the fourth axis, the fifth axis, and the sixth axis and angular rates of rotation about the fourth axis, the fifth axis, and the sixth axis, wherein the fourth axis, the fifth axis, and the sixth axis are orthogonally oriented;

calculate linear acceleration and angular rate of rotation measurements about a first virtual axis, a second virtual axis, and a third virtual axis, wherein the first virtual axis, the second virtual axis, and the third virtual axis are the same orientation as the first axis, the second axis and the third axis of the first inertial measurement unit; and

calculate a first noise value about the linear acceleration and the angular rate of rotation measurements about the first axis, the second axis, and the third axis of the first inertial measurement unit;

calculate a second noise value about the linear acceleration and angular rate of rotation measurements about the first virtual axis, the second virtual axis, and the third virtual axis; and

output an average noise of the first noise value and the second noise value about the linear acceleration and the angular rate of rotation measurements.

20. The golf club of claim 19, wherein the first axis and the second axis of the first inertial measurement unit are oriented at an angle of 45 degrees from the sixth axis of the second inertial measurement unit.

21. The golf club of claim 19, wherein at least one axis of the first inertial measurement unit is oriented in the same direction as at least one axis of the second inertial measurement unit.

22. A golf club comprising:

a shaft and a golf club head, the shaft having a first end connected to the golf club head and a second end connected to a grip;

a sensor connected to the golf club, the sensor comprising a first inertial measurement unit, a second inertial measurement unit, and a processor;

wherein the first inertial measurement unit is capable of measuring linear accelerations in a first axis, a second axis, and a third axis and angular rates of rotation about the first axis, the second axis, and the third axis, wherein the first axis, the second axis, and the third axis are orthogonally oriented;

wherein the second inertial measurement unit is capable of measuring linear accelerations in a fourth axis, a fifth axis, and a sixth axis and angular rates of rotation about the fourth axis, the fifth axis, and the sixth axis, wherein the fourth axis, the fifth axis, and the sixth axis are orthogonally oriented;

wherein the first axis and the second axis of the first inertial measurement unit are oriented at an angle to the fourth axis and the fifth axis of the second inertial measurement unit; and

a non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to at least;

receive angular rate of rotation measurements about a first axis, a second axis, and a third axis from a first inertial measurement unit;

compare the angular rate of rotation measurements from the first inertial measurement unit to a predetermined set of parameters;

receive angular rate of rotation measurements about a first axis, a second axis, and a third axis from a second inertial measurement unit;

calculate angular rate of rotation measurements about a first virtual axis, a second virtual axis, and a third virtual axis, wherein the first virtual axis, the second virtual axis, and the third virtual axis are the same orientation as the first axis, the second axis and the third axis of the first inertial measurement unit; and

output the angular rate of rotation measurements of the first virtual axis, the second virtual axis, and the third virtual axis.