Golf swing training and practice device
First Claim
1. A golf swing practice device including means for measuring the speed at which a golfer swings his club through a measuring zone, said practice device comprising:
- at least two optical detectors, the respective optical axes of which defining opposite ends of the measuring zone, the first of said optical detectors being activated when the golfer'"'"'s club enters the measuring zone and the second of the optical detectors being activated when the golfer'"'"'s club exits the measuring zone,means by which to supply said optical detectors with respective beams of light,computational means interfaced with said optical detectors to measure the elapsed time between the respective activations thereof, said computational means being adapted to provide an indication of the speed at which the golfer swings his club through the measuring zone depending upon said elapsed time and distance between the optical axes of said detectors,display means interfaced with said computational means for displaying the indication of the measured speed at which the golfer swings his club through the measuring zone,switch means interfaced with said computational means by which a golfer can select a particular speed to achieve when swinging his club through the measuring zone, andcomparator means by which to compare the golfer'"'"'s selected club speed with his measured club speed, so that an indication can be provided by which to inform the golfer as to whether or not his measured club speed has surpassed his selected club speed.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A golf swing training and practice device by which a golfer may ascertain various characteristics, such as clubhead speed and elapsed swing time, regarding the swing of his golf club. The present training and practice device comprises a portable, battery or AC powered apparatus for accurately measuring, computing, and displaying both the elapsed time to complete the golfer'"'"'s swing and the speed by which a golfer'"'"'s clubhead is moved through a measuring zone. The measuring zone is established by the optical axes of a pair of photodetectors or the like, that are mounted within a detector head. Unlike conventional golf training or practice apparatus, the photodetectors of the present invention are responsive to ambient light. The photodetectors are disposed in parallel alignment with one another, so as to receive respective horizontal and parallel beams of light, whereby to define the measuring zone therebetween. The present device includes both a digital speed setting by which a golfer may set a target clubhead speed to achieve and a digital readout display for reporting the actual speed at which the clubhead is moved through the measuring zone. A pair of achievement lights provides the golfer with a momentary visual indication whether or not his actual clubhead speed has surpassed his desired or target clubhead speed. A printer may also be associated with the present device, so as to provide the golfer with a permanent indication of his clubhead speed and the elapsed time in which to complete his swing.
62 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A golf swing practice device including means for measuring the speed at which a golfer swings his club through a measuring zone, said practice device comprising:
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at least two optical detectors, the respective optical axes of which defining opposite ends of the measuring zone, the first of said optical detectors being activated when the golfer'"'"'s club enters the measuring zone and the second of the optical detectors being activated when the golfer'"'"'s club exits the measuring zone, means by which to supply said optical detectors with respective beams of light, computational means interfaced with said optical detectors to measure the elapsed time between the respective activations thereof, said computational means being adapted to provide an indication of the speed at which the golfer swings his club through the measuring zone depending upon said elapsed time and distance between the optical axes of said detectors, display means interfaced with said computational means for displaying the indication of the measured speed at which the golfer swings his club through the measuring zone, switch means interfaced with said computational means by which a golfer can select a particular speed to achieve when swinging his club through the measuring zone, and comparator means by which to compare the golfer'"'"'s selected club speed with his measured club speed, so that an indication can be provided by which to inform the golfer as to whether or not his measured club speed has surpassed his selected club speed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A golf swing practice device including means for measuring the speed at which a golfer swings his golf club, said device comprising:
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a first optical detector to receive a first beam of light, a second optical detector to receive a second beam of light, said first and second optical detectors supplying respective output signals in a particular order when the golfer'"'"'s club is swung in front thereof during a downswing so as to interrupt the receipt of the first and second beams of light, first timer means interfaced with said first and second optical detectors and adapted to measure the time between the generation of the respective output signals therefrom, second timer means also interfaced with said first and second optical detectors and adapted to measure the total elapsed swingtime including a sum of the time to complete the backswing past one of said detectors so as to interrupt a first of said beams of light and the time to complete the downswing past each of said detectors so as to interrupt the first and second of said beams of light, and computational means interfaced with said first timer means to provide an indication of the speed at which the golfer swings his club past said optical detectors, said indication being dependent upon said measured time and the distance between said first and second optical detectors. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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Specification