Athletic ball impact measurement and display device

• US 6,565,449 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2001
• Issued: 05/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kirk Alyn Buhler
• Original Assignee: Kirk Alyn Buhler
• Inventors: Buhler, Kirk Alyn
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIM T
• Application Number:
  US09/777,197
• Publication Number:
  US 20020107077A1
• Time in Patent Office: 834 Days
• Field of Search: 473/140-146, 473/151-154, 473/155-156, 473/198-199, 473/202, 473/213, 473/222, 473/225, 473/422, 473/450, 473/455, 473/458, 473/453, 473/459, 473/463-465, 473/570-571, 702/116, 702/141, 702/189, 702/199, 340/323.R, 273/317--31, 273/108.2
• US Class Current: 473/151
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0031 at the starting point
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0663 worn on the wrist, e.g. wrist bands
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/02 Tennis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/18 Baseball, rounders or similar games
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/32 Golf
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/46 Measurement devices associated with golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like for measuring physical parameters relating to sporting activity, e.g. baseball bats with impact indicators or bracelets for measuring the golf swing
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/362 electrical or electronic
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3658 Means associated with the ball for indicating or measuring, e.g. speed, direction
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/06 Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities

Abstract

Sports related self-contained impact detection and display device that allows the bat, racquet, club, or ball to determine the intensity of the impact and provide an estimate on the speed, force, direction or distance that would result from the impact. The device is self-contained and allows the device to be mounted within or on the bat, racquet, club or ball. In addition to estimation of speed, force, direction or distance the device can collect multiple impacts and provide minimum, maximum, average, sum and totals of the impacts. The user interface can also provide a graphical representation of the resulting trajectory or flight of the object being impacted.

Claims

1. A sports related impact intensity detection and display device wherein the device is integrated in a bat, club, or racket comprising;

a sensing means located in the bat, club or racket that generates an electrical signal proportional to the intensity of an impact with an object;

a converter means that converts the proportional electrical signal to a digital signal;

a computing means that uses a regression equation to convert the digital signal to an impact intensity value;

a power source means that provides electrical power to the converter means and the computing means; and

a user interface means that is connected to the computing means to provide a display of the impact intensity value.

2. The sensing means of claim 1 that includes a signal processing means.

3. The sensing means in claim 1 wherein the sensing means is a piezo electric device.

4. The sensing means in claim 1 wherein the sensing means is a strain gauge.

5. The signal processing means from claim 2 wherein the proportional electrical signal is processed with an amplifier prior to conversion to the digital signal.

6. The regression equation of claim 1 wherein the regression equation further converts the digital signal into distance, trajectory, direction, or ball speed.

7. The sports related impact intensity detection and display device of claim 1 in which multiple impact intensity values can be accumulated and a number of impacts, a maximum impact intensity value, a minimum impact intensity value, and an average impact intensity value can be determined.

8. The power source means of claim 1 wherein the power source is from batteries.

9. The power source means of claim 1 wherein the power source is from solar cells.

10. The power source means of claim 1 wherein the power source is from a storage capacitor.

11. The interface means from claim 1 wherein the interface is with buttons or knobs.

12. The interface means from claim 1 wherein the interface is with a display or sound.

13. The display from claim 12 wherein the display is LED or LCD.

14. The interface means from claim 1 wherein the interface is wrist mounted.

15. A sports related impact intensity detection device comprising:

a sensing means, located in a bat, club or racket that generates an electrical signal proportional to the intensity of an impact with an object;

an analog to digital converter that converts the proportional electrical signal to a digital signal;

a first computing means that uses a regression equation to convert the digital signal to a digital intensity value;

a data sender means that transmits the digital intensity value;

a first power supply means to supply power to the converter, to the first computing means and the data sender means, all integrated within the bat, club, or racket and is communicatively coupled to a separate user interface that is not integrated within the bat, club, or racket;

the separate user interface comprising;

a data receiver means that receives the digital intensity value;

a second computing means that converts the digital intensity value into an impact intensity value;

a user interface means to display the impact intensity value; and

a second power supply means to supply power to the data receiver means, the second computing means and the user interface means.

16. The separate user interface from claim 15 wherein the communicative coupling is wireless.

17. The separate user interface from claim 15 wherein the separate user interface comprises a display, button, speaker, and computer link.

18. The separate user interface from claim 15 wherein the separate user interface is wrist mounted.

19. A sports related self contained impact intensity measurement and display device that can be swapped externally to an existing bat, club or racket comprising:

a sensing means located within the device that upon impact of an object with the bat, club or racket generates an electrical signal that is proportional to the impact intensity;

a converter means that converts the proportional electrical signal to a digital signal;

a computing means that uses a regression equation to convert the digital signal to an impact intensity value;

a user interface means connected to the computing means to provide a display of the impact intensity value; and

a power source means that provides electrical power to the converter means, the computing means, and the user interface means.

20. The impact intensity measurement and display device in claim 19 wherein the display of the impact intensity represents intensity, distance, and speed.