System for detecting the presence of individual golf clubs in a golf bag

• US 6,774,792 B1
• Filed: 03/28/2002
• Issued: 08/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Preston Williams
• Original Assignee: Preston Williams
• Inventors: Williams, Preston
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US10/108,316
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: 340/568.6, 340/568.5, 340/571, 340/572.1, 340/572.8, 340/568.1, 206/315.3, 206/315.6
• US Class Current: 340/568.6
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2055/402 Warning devices for indicating missing golf clubs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 55/40 Bags with partitions or club holders
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1472 with force or weight detection

Abstract

A system for detecting the presence of individual golf clubs in a golf bag comprises a club monitoring device mountable in the interior of the golf bag that may include a pressure sensitive mat for positioning on the bottom of the interior of the golf club bag. The pressure sensitive mat may include pressure sensing apparatus for sensing pressure applied to the upper surface of the pressure sensitive mat by the weight of one or more golf clubs. A control unit assembly may be operatively coupled to the pressure sensing apparatus of the pressure sensitive mat for indicating when the pressure sensing apparatus senses a decrease in the pressure applied to the pressure sensitive mat by removal of a golf club from contact with the pressure sensitive mat.

Claims

1. An apparatus for detecting the presence of golf clubs in a golf club holding bag, the golf club holding bag having an interior with a bottom surface opposite an opening in the bag, the apparatus comprising:

a club monitoring device mountable in the interior of the golf bag for detecting the presence of at least one golf club in the interior of the golf bag, the club monitoring device comprising;

a pressure sensitive mat for positioning on the bottom of the interior of the golf club bag, the pressure sensitive mat having an upper surface for orienting upward toward the opening in the bag such that golf clubs inserted into the golf bag rest on the upper surface of the mat, the pressure sensitive mat including pressure sensing means for sensing pressure applied to the upper surface of the pressure sensitive mat by the weight of one or more golf clubs;

a control unit assembly for mounting on the golf bag, the control unit assembly being operatively coupled to the pressure sensing means of the pressure sensitive mat for indicating when the pressure sensing means senses a decrease in the pressure applied to the pressure sensitive mat by removal of a golf club from contact with the pressure sensitive mat.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pressure sensitive mat includes an upper panel having a top surface that forms the upper surface of the pressure sensitive mat and a bottom surface for orienting toward the bottom of the golf bag.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pressure sensing means comprises a plurality of pressure sensor units for detecting the pressure of a weight of a golf club applied to the upper surface of the pressure sensitive mat at discrete locations on the upper surface.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the pressure sensitive mat includes an upper panel having a top surface that forms the upper surface of the pressure sensitive mat and a bottom surface for orienting toward the bottom of the golf bag, the plurality of pressure sensitive units being located adjacent to the bottom surface of the upper panel at the discrete locations for sensing pressure applied to the upper surface of the upper panel by a golf club.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the discrete locations of the pressure sensor units being spaced from each other for positioning below ends of golf clubs placed in the interior of the golf bag and below lower ends of tubular inserts for holding golf clubs in the interior of the golf bag.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pressure sensing means comprises a pressure sensor assembly for detecting the pressure of a combined weight of golf clubs resting on the upper surface of the pressure sensitive mat.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the pressure sensitive mat includes an upper panel having a top surface that forms the upper surface of the pressure sensitive mat and a bottom surface for orienting toward the bottom of the golf bag, the pressure sensor assembly being located adjacent to the bottom surface of the upper panel, the pressure sensitive assembly comprising a grid of elements extending across the pressure sensitive mat.

8. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the pressure sensitive mat comprises a lower panel positioned adjacent to the upper panel with the pressure sensing means located between the upper and lower panels.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control unit assembly comprises:

at least one control unit connected to the pressure sensing means, the control unit indicating when the pressure sensing means does not sense pressure from weight of a golf club acting on the upper surface of the pressure sensitive mat;

a housing having the at least one control unit mounted thereon, the housing being mountable on the golf bag; and

at least one indicator being mounted on the housing and being operatively connected to the at least one control unit for being illuminated when the connected control unit and pressure sensing means senses the weight of one of the golf clubs on the pressure sensitive mat.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the pressure sensing means comprises a plurality of pressure sensor units for detecting the pressure of a weight of a golf club applied to the upper surface of the pressure sensitive mat at discrete locations on the upper surface, and wherein the at least one control unit comprises a plurality of control units, each of the control units being connected to one of the pressure sensor units, wherein the control unit has an indicator for indicating that the connected pressure sensor units does not detect the presence of a golf club in the associated club receiving member.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 additionally comprising a transmitter operatively connected to the control unit assembly, the transmitter transmitting a club down signal when the pressure sensing means associated with the control unit detects the removal of a golf club from the upper surface of the pressure sensitive mat;

and a portable unit for being worn by a golfer, the portable unit comprising a receiver being adapted to receive a transmission of the club down signal from the transmitter; and

notification means for notifying the golfer when the club down signal is received by the receiver.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the notification means is adapted to emit a sound in response to receipt of the club down signal by the receiver from the transmitter.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the notification means is adapted to create a vibration of a housing of the portable unit in response to receipt of the club down signal by the receiver from the transmitter.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 additionally comprising a golf bag insert mountable in the interior of the golf bag, the insert including an upper support positioned in the interior of the golf bag and a plurality of club receiving members mounted on the upper support.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the upper support has a collar mounted on a perimeter of the upper support and extending from the upper surface for positioning adjacent an inner surface of the perimeter wall of the golf bag.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein each of the club receiving members comprises a tubular member having a lumen for receiving a golf club, the tubular member having an upper end and a lower end.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the pressure sensing means comprises a plurality of pressure sensor units, each of the pressure sensor units being positioned below a lower end of one of the club receiving members for detecting the presence of one of the plurality of golf clubs in the club receiving member.

18. A system for detecting the presence of golf clubs in a golf club holding bag, comprising:

a golf bag having an interior, the golf bag having opposite ends with a perimeter wall extending between the ends, a first one of the ends being an open end and a second one of the ends being a closed end, the golf bag having a substantially cylindrical shape with the open end being substantially circular;

a golf bag insert mounted in the interior of the golf bag, the insert comprising;

an upper support positioned in the interior of the golf bag, the upper support having an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper support having a collar mounted on a perimeter of the upper support and extending from the upper surface for positioning adjacent an inner surface of the perimeter wall of the golf bag, a control panel being formed on a portion of the upper surface of the upper support, the control panel being located adjacent the collar on the upper support, the upper support having a plurality of apertures formed therein;

a plurality of club receiving members, each of the club receiving members being adapted to receive a golf club therein, each of the club receiving members being mounted on the upper support, each of the club receiving members comprising a tubular member having a lumen for receiving a golf club, the tubular member having an upper end and a lower end, the upper end of the tubular member being mounted on the upper support such that the lumen of the tubular member is in communication with one of the plurality of apertures in the upper support, the lower end of the tubular member being free;

a positioning plate for positioning portions of the club receiving members with respect to each other, the positioning plate being spaced from the upper support, the positioning plate having a plurality of apertures, each of the apertures receiving one of the club receiving members;

club monitoring means for detecting the presence of golf clubs in the club receiving members, the club monitoring means being mounted on the golf bag, the club monitoring means comprising;

a pressure sensitive mat for positioning on the bottom of the interior of the golf club bag, the pressure sensitive mat having an upper surface for orienting upward toward the opening in the bag such that golf clubs inserted into the golf bag rest on the upper surface of the mat, the pressure sensitive mat including pressure sensing means for sensing pressure applied to the upper surface of the pressure sensitive mat by the weight of one or more golf clubs, the pressure sensitive mat having a perimeter, the perimeter being substantially circular, the pressure sensitive mat comprising;

an upper panel having a top surface that forms the upper surface of the pressure sensitive mat and a bottom surface for orienting toward the bottom of the golf bag;

a lower panel positioned adjacent to the upper panel with the pressure sensing means between the upper and lower panels;

a control unit assembly for mounting on the golf bag, the control unit assembly comprising;

a plurality of control units, each of the control units being connected to each of the pressure sensor units, the control unit indicating when the connected one of the sensor units does not sense pressure from weight of a golf club acting on the upper surface of the pressure sensitive mat, wherein the control unit has an indicator for indicating that the connected pressure sensor units does not detect the presence of a golf club in the associated club receiving member;

a housing having each of the plurality of control units mounted thereon, the housing being mountable on the golf bag;

a plurality of indicators mounted on the housing, each of the indicators being operatively connected to one of the control units for being illuminated when the connected control unit and pressure sensor unit senses the weight of one of the golf clubs on the pressure sensitive mat;

a plurality of wires connecting each of the pressure sensor units to one of the control units;

a transmitter operatively connected to the control unit assembly, the transmitter transmitting a club down signal when one of the sensor units associated with the control unit assembly does not detect the presence of a golf club in the associated club receiving member; and

a receiver for being worn by a golfer, the receiver being adapted to receive a transmission of the club down signal from the transmitter, wherein the receiver is adapted to emit a sound in response to receipt of the club down signal from the transmitter, wherein the receiver is adapted to create a vibration of a housing of the receiver in response to receipt of the club down signal from the transmitter.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the pressure sensing means comprises a plurality of pressure sensor units for detecting the pressure of a weight of a golf club applied to the upper surface of the pressure sensitive mat at discrete locations on the upper surface, the plurality of pressure sensitive units being located adjacent to the bottom surface of the upper panel at the discrete locations for sensing pressure applied to the upper surface of the upper panel by a golf club, the discrete locations of the pressure sensor units being spaced from each other for positioning below ends of golf clubs placed in the interior of the golf bag and below lower ends of tubular inserts for holding golf clubs in the interior of the golf bag.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the pressure sensing means comprises a pressure sensor assembly for detecting the pressure of a combined weight of golf clubs resting on the upper surface of the pressure sensitive mat, the pressure sensor assembly being located adjacent to the bottom surface of the upper panel, the pressure sensitive assembly comprising a grid of elements extending across the pressure sensitive mat.