CLUBHEAD VELOCITY METER

• US 3,685,909 A
• Filed: 12/10/1969
• Issued: 08/22/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Larry L. Schwartz
• Original Assignee: Larry L. Schwartz
• Inventors: Schwartz, Larry L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Borchelt, Benjamin A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Buczinski, S. C.
• Application Number:
  US04/883,977
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: 356/28 324/178,175 343/8
• US Class Current: 356/28
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/68 using optical means, i.e. using infrared, visible, or ultraviolet light G01P3/80 takes precedence ; by reflection of waves G01S17/58

Abstract

Velocity meter electronically reads out the velocity of a golf club at the point in the swing of its juncture with the golf ball by measuring the voltage build up occuring responsive to the interference of the club with a pair of light beams impinging on a pair of photosensitive detectors.

Claims

1. A velocity meter particularly useful for measuring the velocity of a golf club during the swing thereof, said velocity meter comprising:

position sensing means for sensing when said golf club is in first and second pOsitions during the swing, first pulse generating means for generating a first signal pulse responsive to said club being in said first position, second pulse generating means for generating a second signal pulse responsive to said club being in said second position, means responsive to said second pulse for generating a ramp signal, enabling means responsive to said first signal pulse for enabling the generation of said ramp signal for a fixed period of time determined by the length of said first signal pulse whereby the amplitude of said ramp signal is determined by the time duration between the initiation of said first pulse and said second pulse, and means for measuring the amplitude of said ramp signal to thereby obtain the velocity of the golf club.

2. The velocity meter of claim 1 wherein said position sensing means comprises a light source for generating a first and a second beam of light, and first and second photosensitive means in the path of said first and second beams respectively whereby the passage of said golf club through said beams causes a variation in the outputs of said photosensitive means.

3. The velocity meter of claim 2 wherein said first and second pulse generating means comprise first and second monostable multivibrators operated responsive to the change of output of said first and second photosensitive means respectively to provide box car output signals.

4. The velocity meter of claim 3 wherein said means for generating a ramp signal comprises integrator means coupled to the output of said second monostable multivibrator.

5. The velocity meter of claim 4 wherein storage means are provided for storing the signal amplitude of said integrator means at the end of said fixed period of time.

6. The velocity meter of claim 5 wherein said enabling means includes first switching means provided between said integrator and said storage means, and means for controlling said first switching means with the output of said first monostable multivibrator means.

7. The velocity meter of claim 6 wherein said first switching means comprises unijunction transistor means.

8. The velocity meter of claim 7 wherein said means for measuring the amplitude of said ramp signal comprises voltmeter means coupled across said storage means.

9. The velocity meter of claim 8 wherein said storage means comprises a capacitor, and shorting switch means for discharging said capacitors.