Vertical jump measuring device

• US 6,181,647 B1
• Filed: 11/16/1998
• Issued: 01/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: University of Tulsa
• Original Assignee: University of Tulsa
• Inventors: Tipton, Steven M., Hackworth, Matt, Willson, Kelly
• Primary Examiner(s): Miska, Vit
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOODWIN, JEANNE M
• Application Number:
  US09/192,970
• Time in Patent Office: 806 Days
• Field of Search: 368/10, 368/12, 368/109, 368/113, 36/132, 36/136, 36/137, 36/114, 482/1, 482/8, 482/79, 482/909, 482/901, 482/902, 73/379.01, 73/379.04, 73/379.06
• US Class Current: 368/10
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2244/081 High jumping
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2244/087 without take off run
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/00 Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of preceding groups; Controlling or monitoring of exercises, sportive games, training or athletic performances
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 5/16 Training devices for jumping; Devices for balloon-jumping; Jumping aids A63B25/02, A63B25/10 take precedence

Abstract

A method to measure height of a vertical jump of a jumper. At least one switch is deactivated by the jumper stepping thereon. The switch is initially activated by the jumper jumping upward therefrom and thereafter deactivated upon return. A time period is measured while the switch is activated. The square of the activated time period is calculated and thereafter the result is multiplied by a constant to derive vertical jump height. Finally, the resultant vertical jump height of the jump is displayed.

Claims

1. A method to measure vertical jump height of a jumper, which method comprises:

measuring both take-off impulse force over a period of time and landing impulse force over a period of time of a jump of said jumper;

measuring a time period between take-off and landing;

converting said impulse force and time periods measurements into upward and downward velocities by integrating force over said time measurements;

calculating vertical jump height from said velocities; and

displaying said vertical jump height.

2. A method to measure vertical jump height of a jumper as set forth in claim 1 including the additional step of measuring said time period with a plurality of transducers.

3. A vertical jump measuring device, which comprises:

at least one normally open transducer adapted to deliver a signal and deactivated in response to a jumper stepping thereon;

a timer connected to said transducer and adapted to receive said signal to measure a time period said transducer is activated while said jumper is in the air;

a table which derives vertical height jumped from impulse force and time period measurements;

means to display the resultant vertical height jumped from said table; and

an output device connected to said means to display the resultant vertical jump height of said jumper obtained from said table.

4. A vertical jump measuring device as set forth in claim 3 wherein said table is stored in a microprocessor database.

5. A vertical jump measuring device as set forth in claim 3 wherein said table is empirically developed.

6. A vertical measuring device, which comprises:

at least one normally closed transducer adapted to deliver a signal and activate response to a jumper stepping thereon;

a timer connected to said transducer and adapted to receive said signal to measure a time period said transducer is deactivated while said jumper is in the air;

a table which derives vertical height jumped from impulse force and time period measurements;

means to display the resultant vertical height jumped; and

an output device connected to said means to display the resultant vertical jump height of said jumper obtained from said table.

7. A vertical jump measuring device as set forth in claim 6 wherein said table is stored in a microprocessor database.

8. A vertical jump measuring device as set forth in claim 6 wherein said table is empirically developed.

9. A vertical jump measuring device, which comprises:

at least one normally open transducer adapted to deliver a signal and deactivated response to a jumper stepping thereon;

at timer connected to said transducer and adapted to receive said signal to measure time period said transducer is activated while said jumper is in the air;

a table which derives vertical height jumped by calculating the square of the time period the jumper is in the air and thereafter multiplying the result by a constant;

means to display the resultant vertical height jumped from said table; and

an output device connected to said means to display the resultant vertical jump height of said jumper obtained from said table.

10. A vertical jump measuring device, which comprises:

at least one normally closed transducer adapted to deliver a signal and activated in response to a jumper stepping thereon;

a timer connected to said transducer and adapted to receive said signal to measure a time period said transducer is deactivated while said jumper is in the air,

a table which derives vertical height jumped by calculating the square of the time period the jumper is in the air and thereafter multiplying the result by a constant;

means to display the resultant vertical height jumped; and

an output device connected to said means to display the resultant vertical jump height of said jumper obtained from said table.