Apparatus for simulating play on a golf course or driving range
First Claim
1. A golf simulator comprising:
- a movable ball means comprising a stem having a simulated golf ball connected to an outer end thereof,means supporting said movable ball means for rotation about an axis from a first position to a second position in response to impact between said simulated golf ball and the head of a golf club being swung by a user, a plane of movement being defined by an imaginary plane which is normal to said axis and in which plane the simulated ball is located when in the first position;
at least one of (a) said movable ball means and (b) said means supporting said movable ball means being sufficiently resiliently deformable or deflectable that said simulated golf ball can be momentarily deviated to one side or the other of said plane of movement in response to at least the angle of impact of said club head with the simulated golf ball relative to said plane of movement,sensor means including a first sensor and a second sensor,said first sensor including means for sensing movement of the movable ball means away from the first position,said second sensor including means for sensing impact thereon of the movable ball means on arrival at the second position and any deviation of the simulated golf ball from the plane of movement,and means for computing distance and direction of ball travel from outputs of the first and second sensors.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A golf simulating apparatus is capable of simulating play on a golf course and/or a driving range. A pivotally mounted resilient ball member (38) is arranged to be impacted with the head of a golf club as the club is swung by the player. Special sensors are associated with the ball member (38) to sense its velocity and any lateral deviation from a fixed plane of movement (Y-Y) thereby to provide signals representing a probable distance and direction of ball travel. These signals are applied to the input ports of a computer (80) which is programmed to provide output signals to a monitor (20) so that it displays a simulated golf course or driving range, with the simulated path of ball travel and/or landing position being displayed on the golf course or driving range. The program provides the golf course or driving range with selected hazards (water, sand, trees etc.). Provision is made for counting and displaying the number of strokes, for averaging distances, assessing penalties and the like thereby to provide a simulation of conditions likely to be encountered during actual play of a game of golf.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A golf simulator comprising:
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a movable ball means comprising a stem having a simulated golf ball connected to an outer end thereof, means supporting said movable ball means for rotation about an axis from a first position to a second position in response to impact between said simulated golf ball and the head of a golf club being swung by a user, a plane of movement being defined by an imaginary plane which is normal to said axis and in which plane the simulated ball is located when in the first position; at least one of (a) said movable ball means and (b) said means supporting said movable ball means being sufficiently resiliently deformable or deflectable that said simulated golf ball can be momentarily deviated to one side or the other of said plane of movement in response to at least the angle of impact of said club head with the simulated golf ball relative to said plane of movement, sensor means including a first sensor and a second sensor, said first sensor including means for sensing movement of the movable ball means away from the first position, said second sensor including means for sensing impact thereon of the movable ball means on arrival at the second position and any deviation of the simulated golf ball from the plane of movement, and means for computing distance and direction of ball travel from outputs of the first and second sensors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification