Swing measurement method, golf swing analysis method, and computer program product

• US 6,793,585 B1
• Filed: 10/18/2000
• Issued: 09/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yokohama Rubber Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Yokohama Rubber Company Limited
• Inventors: Saegusa, Hiroshi, Miyamoto, Masahiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrison, Jessica
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, BINH AN DUC
• Application Number:
  US09/690,474
• Time in Patent Office: 1,434 Days
• Field of Search: 473/150-156, 473/131, 473/138, 473/140, 473/409, 702/141, 702/142, 702/150-153, 700/90-92, 463/1-3, 463/49-54, 273/317, 273/317.1, 273/317.2, 273/108, 273/108.1, 273/108.2, 273/120.R, 273/120.A, 273/118.A
• US Class Current: 473/151
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 Video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/807 Photo cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0003 Analysing the course of a movement or motion sequences during an exercise or trainings sequence, e.g. swing for golf or tennis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/06 Handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/42 Devices for measuring, verifying, correcting or customising the inherent characteristics of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like, e.g. measuring the maximum torque a batting shaft can withstand
• 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 69/3632 Clubs or attachments on clubs, e.g. for measuring, aligning A63B69/3614 takes precedence; clubs for swinging exercises in general A63B15/00

Abstract

A swing measurement method of directly measuring a swing behavior without being influenced by flexure of an impact implement, such as a golf club or baseball bat is provided. In addition, a golf swing analysis method and computer program product having computer program code for a simple and effective model of the behavior of a grip portion during a golf swing is provided. A three dimensional magnetic sensor capable of measuring position and direction is fixed to a grip portion of the impact implement within magnetic fields in which the magnetic field distribution of intensity and direction are known, and the behavior of the swing is directly measured. In addition, the path of the grip portion is approximated as an arc within a swing plane using the three dimensional position coordinates of the grip portion obtained in this measurement, and thus an arm angle, a wrist angle, and an angle of shaft rotation are found. The time sequence data of the wrist angle and the time sequence data of the shaft rotation angle, with respect to the time sequence data of the arm angle are plotted and the swing behavior is analyzed.

Claims

1. A swing measurement method for measuring a swing behavior during a swing with an impact implement grasped on a grip portion thereof, comprising the steps of:

fixing a three dimensional magnetic sensor to the grip portion of the impact implement;

forming magnetic fields, each distribution of intensity and direction thereof being known, within a range of motion of the grip portion, so that the three dimensional magnetic sensor senses magnetism of each of the formed magnetic fields for outputting signals corresponding to three dimensional position of the grip portion with respect to a predetermined point, and to pointing direction of the grip portion with respect to a predetermined direction; and

acquiring at least one of three dimensional position coordinates data of the grip portion and pointing direction data of the grip portion from the output signals, wherein;

the impact implement is a golf club; and

the three dimensional position coordinates data and the pointing direction data, are acquired during the swing of the golf club; and

further wherein;

the three dimensional magnetic sensor fixed to the grip portion has three mutually orthogonal axes for sensing;

one direction of an axis from among the three mutually orthogonal axes being aligned with a direction of an axis of a shaft of the golf club; and

one direction of an axis from among the other two axes being aligned with an impact direction of the golf club.

2. The swing measurement method according to claim 1, wherein the three dimensional position coordinates data and the pointing direction data, represent the swing behavior of the grip portion at least from a top state to an impact state of the swing.

3. The swing measurement method according to claim 1, wherein the three dimensional magnetic sensor is fixed to the end of the grip portion.

4. A golf swing analysis method for analyzing a swing behavior of a golf club, comprising the steps of:

receiving time sequence data of three dimensional position coordinates of a grip portion of the golf club, and time sequence data of pointing direction of the grip portion during a golf swing from a data acquisition means;

calculating a swing plane, on which a swing path of the grip portion is approximated, from the time sequence data of the three dimensional position coordinates;

projecting the swing path of the grip portion on the swing plane and approximating the projected swing path as an arc to obtain the arc as a swing path arc of the grip portion; and

obtaining;

arm angle time sequence data of an arm angle showing a position of the grip portion on the swing plane from the time sequence data of three dimensional position coordinates and the swing path arc; and

at least one time sequence data from the group consisting of;

wrist angle time sequence data of a wrist angle found based on a shaft direction angle obtained from the pointing direction of the grip portion and showing a shaft direction of the golf club on the swing plane, and

rotation angle time sequence data of a shaft rotation angle, around a shaft axis of the golf club, from the pointing direction.

5. The golf swing analysis method according to claim 4, wherein the wrist angle is found by subtracting the arm angle from the shaft direction angle.

6. The golf swing analysis method according to claim 4, wherein the swing plane of the grip portion is calculated using the swing path of the grip portion including the swing behavior at least from a top state of the golf swing to an impact state.

7. The golf swing analysis method according to claim 4, wherein the swing path arc of the grip portion is calculated using the projected swing path including the swing behavior at least from a top state of the golf swing to an impact state.

8. The golf swing analysis method according to claim 4, wherein the arm angle time sequence data, and at least one of the wrist angle time sequence data and the rotation angle time sequence data, represent the swing behavior at least from a top state of the golf swing to an impact state.

9. The golf swing analysis method according to claim 4, wherein the swing behavior of the grip portion is analyzed by plotting at least one time sequence data, from among the wrist angle time sequence data and the rotation angle time sequence data, against the arm angle time sequence data.

10. The golf swing analysis method according to claim 4, wherein:

the data acquisition means, which has

a three dimensional magnetic sensor and

a means for forming magnetic fields, each distribution of intensity and direction thereof being known, so that the three dimensional magnetic sensor corresponding to three dimensional position of the three dimensional magnetic sensor with respect to a predetermined point, and to pointing direction of the three dimensional magnetic sensor with respect to a predetermined direction,

acquires the time sequence data of the three dimensional position coordinates and the time sequence data of the pointing direction, by fixing the three dimensional magnetic sensor to the grip portion and forming the magnetic fields within a range of motion of the grip portion during the golf swing.

11. A computer program product, comprising a computer readable medium having computer program code embodied for an analysis of swing behavior of a golf club,

the computer program code including:

computer program code configured to cause a computer to receive time sequence data of three dimensional position coordinates of a grip portion of the golf club and time sequence data of pointing direction of the grip portion during a golf swing from a data acquisition means;

computer program code configured to cause a computer to compute a swing plane, on which a swing path of the grip portion is approximated, from the time sequence data of the three dimensional position coordinates;

computer program code configured to cause a computer to project the swing path of the grip portion on the swing plane and approximate the projected swing path as an arc to obtain the arc as a swing path arc of the grip portion; and

computer program code configured to cause a computer

to obtain;

arm angle time sequence data of an arm angle showing a position of the grip portion on the swing plane from the time sequence data of the three dimensional position data and the swing path arc; and

at least one time sequence data from the group consisting of;

wrist angle time sequence data of an wrist angle found based on a shaft direction angle obtained from the time sequence data of the pointing direction and showing a shaft direction of the golf club on the swing plane, and

rotation angle time sequence data of a shaft rotation angle, around a shaft axis of the golf club, from the pointing direction.

12. The computer program product according to claim 11, wherein the wrist angle is found by subtracting the arm angle from the shaft direction angle.

13. The computer program product according to claim 11, wherein the swing plane is computed using the swing path of the grip portion including the swing behavior at least from a top state of the golf swing to an impact state.

14. The computer program product according to claim 11, wherein the swing path arc of the grip portion is computed using the projected swing path including the swing behavior at least from a top state of the golf swing to an impact state.

15. The computer program product according to claim 11, wherein the arm angle time sequence data, and at least one of the wrist angle time sequence data and the rotation angle time sequence data, represent the swing behavior at least from a top state of the golf swing to an impact state.

16. The computer program product according to claim 11, wherein the computer program code also includes computer program code configured to cause a computer to plot at least one time sequence data, from among the wrist angle time sequence data and the rotation angle time sequence data, against the arm angle time sequence data.