Test range for determining the aerodynamic characteristics of a ball in flight

• US 5,682,230 A
• Filed: 11/01/1995
• Issued: 10/28/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: United States Golf Association
• Original Assignee: United States Golf Association
• Inventors: Thumm-Borst, Henry, Zagarola, Mark, Anfinsen, Leonard F., Soriano, Bernard C., Chrapowicki, Stanley E., Tygar, Robert A., Lieberman, Burton B., Thomas, Frank W., Smits, Alexander J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Buczinski, Stephen C.
• Application Number:
  US08/548,311
• Time in Patent Office: 727 Days
• Field of Search: 356/28, 473/131, 473/190, 473/219, 473/152
• US Class Current: 356/28
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0034 during flight
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/02 Testing, calibrating or measuring of equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3658 Means associated with the ball for indicating or measuring, e.g. speed, direction
• 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

The test range is provided with a calibration system for calibrating the exact position of a light curtain formed by a ballistic screen. The calibration system uses a model ball which can be moved through a light screen at high speed in order to simulate the actual passage of a driven golf ball through the light screen. Positioning of the model golf ball at a point at which the golf ball just contacts the light screen serves to determine the exact location of the light screen. A laser ranging device is used to locate the calibration system relative to a launch point. Thus, the precise distance of the curtain of light from the launch point can be readily determined. The calibration system may also be used to determine if a ballistic screen is mounted in a true vertical plane.

Claims

1. In a test range for determining the velocity of a golf ball in flight, said test range comprising

a frame defining an elongated path;

launch means at one end of said frame for propelling a golf ball into and through said path;

at least one pair of spaced apart ballistic screens adjustably mounted on said frame longitudinally of said path, each said screen having means for forming a curtain of light transversely of said path for passage of a propelled golf ball therethrough and sensing means for emitting a pulse in response to passage of a propelled golf ball therethrough at high speed;

a calibration system mounted on said frame for establishing an exact position of said curtain of light of at least one of said screens relative to a point on said system; and

a ranging device adjacent said launch means for measuring the distance from said launch means to said point on said calibration system as a measure of the distance of said curtain of light of said one screen from said launch means.

2. A test range as set forth in claim 1 wherein said calibration system calibrates the position of said curtain of light to one-thousandths of a foot.

3. A test range as set forth in claim 1 wherein said calibration system includes a model ball, a shaft mounting said model ball thereon and means for moving said shaft at high speed to propel said model ball through said respective curtain of light.

4. A test range as set forth in claim 3 wherein said calibration system includes a mounting plate mounting said shaft thereon and being mounted on said frame, a horizontally adjustable means for moving said mounting plate horizontally relative to said frame and a vertically adjustable means for moving said mounting plate vertically relative to said frame.

5. A test range as set forth in claim 1 wherein said launch means includes a pair of endless belts defining an elongated longitudinally disposed passage and being spaced apart along said passage a distance sufficient to engage a golf ball in said passage on opposite sides thereof and means for moving said belts at different rates of speed to impart a spin on a ball engaged therebetween prior to propelling the ball into said path defined by said frame.

6. A test range as set forth in claim 5 wherein said launch means includes means for moving said endless belts simultaneously relative to a horizontal plane to adjust an angle of inclination of a golf ball launched from said belts relative to said horizontal plane.

7. A test range as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for forming a curtain of light includes a plurality of light emitting devices for establishing a curtain of light perpendicular to said path for passage of a launched golf ball therethrough and said sensing means includes a plurality of detectors, each detector being disposed opposite a respective light emitting device to receive emitted light therefrom and to emit a pulse in response to an interruption of emitted light thereon for a preset time as an indication of the passage of a high speed golf ball through said light curtain.

8. A test range as set forth in claim 7 which further comprises means connected to said detectors of each ballistic screen to receive said pulses therefrom and to determine the velocity of the golf ball in passing between said ballistic screens based on the distances between said curtains of light of said screens and the time intervals between said pulses.

9. A test range as set forth in claim 8 which further comprises a third ballistic screen on said frame for establishing an angularly disposed light curtain between said pair of ballistic screens for passage of a launched ball therethrough, said third ballistic screen having light emitting devices to establish a curtain of light and detectors to sense the passage of a golf ball through said angularly disposed light curtain as an indication of the height of the golf ball between said pair of ballistic screens.

10. A test range as set forth in claim 1 wherein said ranging device is a laser ranging device.

11. In a test range for determining the velocity of a ball in flight, said test range comprising

a frame defining an elongated path;

launch means at one end of said frame for propelling a ball into and through said path;

a plurality of vertically disposed ballistic screens adjustably mounted on said frame along said path, each ballistic screen having means for forming a curtain of light across said path for passage of a propelled ball therethrough and sensing means for emitting a pulse in response to passage of a propelled ball therethrough at high speed;

a calibration system mounted on said frame for establishing an exact position of said curtain of light of each said ballistic screen relative to a point on said system; and

a ranging device adjacent said launch means for measuring the distance from said launch means to said point on said calibration system as a measure of the distance of each curtain of light relative to said launch means.

12. A test range as set forth in claim 11 wherein said calibration means includes a model ball, a shaft mounting said model ball thereon and means for moving said shaft at high speed to propel said model ball through said respective curtain of light.

13. A test range as set forth in claim 12 wherein said calibration system includes a mounting plate for mounting on said frame and having said shaft mounted thereon, a horizontally adjustable means for moving said mounting plate horizontally relative to said frame and a vertically adjustable means for moving said mounting plate vertically relative to said frame.

14. A test range as set forth in claim 11 wherein said means for forming a curtain of light includes a plurality of light emitting devices for establishing a curtain of light perpendicular to said path for passage of a launched ball therethrough and said sensing means includes a plurality of detectors, each detector being disposed opposite a respective light emitting device to receive emitted light therefrom and to emit a pulse in response to an interruption of emitted light thereon for a preset time as an indication of the passage of a high speed ball through said light curtain.

15. A test range as set forth in claim 14 which further comprises a processor connected to said detectors of each ballistic screen to receive an emitted pulse therefrom and to calculate the velocity of a propelled ball between each pair of consecutively disposed ballistic screw.

16. A test range as set forth in claim 15 which further comprises a plurality of angularly disposed ballistic screens disposed in said frame along said path, each angularly disposed ballistic screen being positioned between a pair of said vertically disposed ballistic screens and having means for forming a curtain of light across said path for passage of a propelled ball therethrough and sensing means for emitting a pulse in response to passage of a propelled ball therethrough at high speed;

said processor being connected to said sensing means of each angularly disposed ballistic screen to receive an emitted pulse therefrom and to calculate the height of a propelled ball passing therethrough.

17. In a calibration system for establishing the position of a curtain of light of a ballistic screen, the combination comprising

a model ball;

a shaft mounting said ball on one end thereof; and

means for moving said shaft at high speed to propel said model ball through a curtain of light of a ballistic screen, said speed being sufficient to simulate the speed of a driven golf ball.

18. A calibration system as set forth in claim 17 wherein said means includes a rotary solenoid articulated with an opposite end of said shaft from said model ball for reciprocating said shaft.

19. A calibration system as set forth in claim 17 which further comprises a mounting plate and a sleeve mounted on said plate and slidably receiving said shaft therein.

20. A calibration system as set forth in claim 19 which further comprises horizontally adjustable means for moving said plate horizontally and vertically adjustable means for moving said plate vertically.