Diagnostic golf club system

• US 7,264,555 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2003
• Issued: 09/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Inventors: Lee, Nathan J., Lindsau, Aaron, Houshar, Jan N., Matthewson, Peter, Ansell, Ian, Simmons, Nigel
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones; Scott
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hsu; Ryan
• Application Number:
  US10/605,785
• Publication Number:
  US 20040106460A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,408 Days
• Field of Search: 473/131, 473/198, 473201-202, 473/219, 473221-226, 473231-233, 473/407, 473/409
• US Class Current: 473/223
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/24 Angular displacement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/34 Angular speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/35 Spin
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/51 Force
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/54 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/62 Time or time measurement used for time reference, time stamp, master time or clock signal
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 Video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/807 Photo cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• 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 53/10 Non-metallic shafts
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/12 Metallic shafts
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/002 Resonance frequency related characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/06 Handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/08 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/10 with means for indicating correct holding positions A63B60/12 takes precedence
• 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 69/0002 for baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3614 : using electro-magnetic, magnetic or ultrasonic radiation emitted, reflected or interrupted by the golf club
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/362 : electrical or electronic
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0619 : Displays, user interfaces and indicating devices, specially adapted for sport equipment, e.g. display mounted on treadmills
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 : Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user

Abstract

A diagnostic golf club system having a diagnostic golf club, an interface means and a computing means is disclosed herein. The diagnostic golf club includes a plurality of sensors, an internal power supply, and a non-volatile memory for capturing data relating to a golf swing. The interface means is capable of transferring data from the diagnostic golf club to the computing means for processing the data and presenting the data in a useful and informative format. The data may be used to determine a shaft flex profile for a particular golfer.

Claims

1. A diagnostic golf club system comprising:

a diagnostic golf club comprising a club head, a shaft attached to the club head, a plurality of strain gauges attached to the shaft, the strain gauges capable of measuring data related to the golf club during a golf swing, and an internal memory device including a non-volatile flash buffer memory capable of receiving and storing data from the strain gauges;

a computer located separate and spaced apart from the diagnostic golf club for processing the data stored in the internal memory device; and

an interface mechanism removably coupled to the diagnostic golf club for providing communication between the diagnostic golf club and the computer, the interface mechanism including a connection plug having a plurality of pins for connection to a plurality of receptors on the diagnostic golf club,

wherein the internal memory device is capable of storing data for multiple swings of the diagnostic golf club until the data is uploaded to the computer via the interface mechanism, and

wherein the computer uses the data related to the diagnostic golf club during a golf swing to calculate six independent forces and moments, the six independent forces and moments including axial force, transverse shear forces, bending moments, and torsion.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein the diagnostic golf club further includes a circuit board positioned within a hollow interior of the shaft, the circuit board including the internal memory device, a power control circuit, a signal conditioning circuit for the plurality of strain gauges, and a serial communication circuit.

3. The system according to claim 1 wherein the diagnostic golf club is selected from the group consisting of a driver, a fairway wood, an iron and a putter.

4. The system according to claim 1 wherein the interface mechanism further includes a serial interface device.

9. The system according to claim 1 wherein the computer processes the six independent forces and moments to determine an appropriate shaft flex profile for an individual golfer.

5. A diagnostic golf club system comprising:

a diagnostic golf club comprising a club head, a shaft attached to the club head, means for measuring swing loads of a golfer during a golf swing, the swing load measuring means disposed on the shaft, and an internal memory device including a non-volatile flash buffer memory capable of receiving and storing swing load measurements generated by the swing load measuring means;

a computer located separate and spaced apart from the diagnostic golf club for processing the swing load measurements stored in the internal memory device; and

means for transferring the swing load measurements to the computer,

wherein the internal memory device is capable of storing multiple swing load measurements indicative of multiple golf swings until the measurements are transferred by the transferring means to the computer, and

wherein the computer uses the swing load measurements to calculate six independent forces and moments, the six independent forces and moments including axial force, transverse shear forces, bending moments, and torsion.

6. The system according to claim 5 wherein the golf club is selected from the group consisting of a driver, a fairway wood, an iron and a putter.

7. The system according to claim 5 wherein the non-volatile flash buffer memory is a ring buffer memory.

8. The system according to claim 5 wherein the transferring means includes a connection plug and a serial interface device, the connection plug having a plurality of pins for connecting to a plurality of receptors within the shaft for transferring the swing load measurements from the diagnostic golf club to the computer.

10. The system according to claim 5 wherein the computer processes the six independent forces and moments to determine an appropriate shaft flex profile for an individual golfer.