Computer golf club

• US 4,940,236 A
• Filed: 07/26/1985
• Issued: 07/10/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Dillis V. Allen
• Inventors: Allen, Dillis V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coven, Edward M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Small, Dean
• Application Number:
  US06/759,358
• Time in Patent Office: 1,810 Days
• Field of Search: 273/181 G, 273/183 D, 273/184 R, 273/186 R, 273/186 C, 273/167 J, 273/173, 273/162 R, 273/162 A, 310/338, 310/318, 310/319, 310/800
• US Class Current: 473/223
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/51 Force
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/53 Force of an impact, e.g. blow or punch
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/56 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/62 Time or time measurement used for time reference, time stamp, master time or clock signal
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/801 Contact switches
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/00 Golf clubs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• 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: A63B 71/0622 Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user

Abstract

A golf ball distance computer built entirely into a golf club utilizing a molecularly polarized piezoelectric plastic film composite as a ball impact transducer.

Claims

1. A golf club assembly with a self-contained ball distance computing and indicating device, comprising:

a head having a forward wall generally perpendicular to an estimated line of ball flight after impact by the club head, a shaft connected to the head, a molecularly polarized flexible plastic piezoelectric film connected to the front of the forward wall that is compressed upon impact of the ball with the head and provides a signal proportional to the compression, an impact plate on the film attached to the forward wall and positioned to transmit substantially all of the impact force of a ball impacting the plate to the film as only a Z direction force, circuit means for sensing said compression signal and deriving a signal proportional to ball velocity leaving the head after impact, said circuit means deriving from said ball velocity signal a signal proportional to ball travel, and indicating means driven by the ball travel signal for providing a visual indication of ball travel.

2. A golf club assembly with a self-contained ball distance computing and indicating device as defined in claim 1, wherein the circuit means includes a holding circuit for storing the signal representing ball travel yards.

3. A golf club assembly with a self-contained ball distance computing and indicating device as defined in claim 2, including means for erasing the signal in the memory circuit after a predetermined time interval whereby the indicating means is automatically reset.

4. A golf club assembly with a self-contained ball distance computing and indicating device as defined in claim 1, wherein the circuit means for deriving a signal proportional to ball speed includes means for integrating the compression signal from the piezoelectric film whereby the ball speed signal is proportional in part to the time duration of impact of the ball and the head.

5. A golf club assembly with a self-contained distance computing and indicating device as defined in claim 1, wherein the circuit means is mounted within the shaft adjacent a distal end thereof, said shaft being constructed of an electrically conductive material, said head being constructed of an electrically conductive material, means grounding the piezoelectric film to the head, means grounding the circuit means to the shaft, and a conductor extending through the head and the shaft insulated from the head and shaft for conducting the compression signal from the piezoelectric film to the circuit means, whereby the conductor is electrically shielded by the head and the shaft.

6. A golf club assembly with a self-contained ball distance computing and indicating device, comprising:

a head having a forward wall generally perpendicular to an estimated line of ball flight after impact by the club head, said forward wall being curved in at least one orthogonal direction, a molecularly polarized flexible piezoelectric film mounted on a forward surface of the wall and conforming to the contour of the wall to provide a signal proportional to film compression, a face plate attached to the forward surface of the head wall carrying the piezoelectric film and conforming in contour to the head wall, said face plate having a ball striking surface, said face plate being positioned to transmit substantially all of the impact force of a ball on the plate to the film as only a Z direction force, a shaft connected to the head, and circuit means for receiving the compression signal and deriving therefrom a signal proportional to the velocity of the ball after impact with the head.

7. A golf club assembly with a self-contained ball distance computing and indicating device as defined in claim 6, wherein the face plate striking surface has a contour conforming to the contour of the head forward wall, the forward wall and the face plate each have uniform thickness.

8. A golf club assembly with a self-contained ball distance computing and indicating device as defined in claim 6, wherein the forward wall on the face plate is curved in both orthogonal directions producing vertical roll and horizontal bulge, said piezoelectric film conforming in contour to the forward wall and face plate.

9. A golf club assembly with a self-containing ball distance computing and indicating device, comprising:

a head having a forward wall generally perpendicular to an estimated line of ball flight after impact by the club head, said forward wall being curved in at least one orthogonal direction, a molecularly polarized flexible piezoelectric film mounted in a forward surface of the wall and conforming to the contour of the wall to provide a signal proportional to film compression, a face plate attached to the forward surface of the head wall carrying the piezoelectric film and conforming in contour to the head forward wall, said face plate having a ball striking surface said face plate being positioned to transmit substantially all of the impact force of a ball on the plate to the film, a shaft connected to the head, and circuit means for receiving the compression signal and deriving therefrom a signal proportional to the velocity of the ball after impact with the head, the forward wall on the face plate being curved in both orthogonal directions producing vertical roll and horizontal bulge, said piezoelectric film conforming in contour to the forward wall and face plate, circuit means in the shaft for receiving said compression signal and deriving a signal proportional to the velocity of the ball leaving the head after impact, said circuit means deriving from said ball velocity signal a signal proportional to ball travel, and indicating means in the shaft driven by the ball travel yards signal for providing a visual indication of ball travel.

10. A golf club assembly with a self-contained distance computing and indicating device, comprising:

a head having a forward wall generally perpendicular to an intended line of ball flight after impact by the head, a transducer connected to the forward wall for providing a signal proportional to transducer compression produced by impact of a ball with the head, said transducer being constructed of two molecularly polarized flexible plastic piezoelectric films each having positive and negative sides with the positive sides facing one another, a shaft connected to the head, circuit means for receiving the compression signal and deriving therefrom a signal proportional to the ball distance travel after impact with the head, an elongated slot extending through the forward wall of the head adjacent the films, an "L" shaped plate conductor having one leg thereof sandwiched between the film in electrical contact with the positive sides thereof and another leg extending perpendicularly through the slot in the head, a flexible conductor connected to the other leg of the conductor plate for conducting the signal to the circuit means, and a post in the head for holding and supporting the conductor in the

11. A golf club assembly with a self-contained ball distance computing and indicating device as defined in claim 10, wherein the flexible conductor is a coax cable having an annular ground sheath, said post being electrically conductive and engaging the cable ground sheath to ground the cable on the head, said head being electrically conductive, said films having their negative sides in electrical contact with the head whereby the head provides a shield for the transducer and conductor.

12. A golf head assembly with a self-contained ball distance computing and indicating device, comprising:

a head having a forward wall generally perpendicular to the estimated line of ball flight after impact by the head, said head being constructed of stainless steel and the forward wall a thickness substantially less than 0.125 inches, a molecularly polarized flexible plastic piezoelectric film connected to the forward wall for detecting compression upon impact of the ball with the head, and providing a signal proportional to the compression, a face plate attached to the head forward wall carrying the piezoelectric film and having a forward wall striking surface whereby ball impact force is transmitted through the face plate to the piezoelectric film, said face plate extending substantially over the entire forward surface of the head forward wall, said face plate being constructed of a metal alloy having a density substantially less than the head and a thickness less than about 0.100 inches whereby the face plate strengthens and supports the head forward wall while offsetting the additional weight of other elements.

13. A golf club assembly with a self-contained ball distance computing and indicating device, comprising:

a head having a forward wall generally perpendicular to an estimated line of ball flight after impact by the club head, a shaft connected to the head, a molecularly polarized flexible plastic piezoelectric film connected to the forward wall that is compressed upon impact of the ball with the head and provides a signal proportional to the force of impact F between the forward wall and the ball, said film being mounted to receive only Z direction forces when compressed at ball impact, circuit means for receiving the signal F on a time base and integrating the signal F to provide a signal proportional to the integral ∫

Fdt, said signal ∫

Fdt being proportioned to the exit velocity of a ball leaving the club, and circuit means for computing ball distance responsive to and ∫

Fdt signal.