Method and apparatus for an assistive energy type golf club

• US 7,731,602 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2006
• Issued: 06/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Donald R. Cage
• Original Assignee: Donald R. Cage
• Inventors: Cage, Donald R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol; Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEICHLITER, CHASE E
• Application Number:
  US11/530,163
• Publication Number:
  US 20090029793A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,369 Days
• Field of Search: 473/221, 473/222, 473/223, 473/224, 473/234, 473/324, 473/333, 434 1- 10, 434/252
• US Class Current: 473/324
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0031 at the starting point
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0053 for locating an object, e.g. a lost ball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0495 moving on impact, slidable, spring or otherwise elastically biased
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/00 Balls with special arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/08 with special arrangements for obtaining a variable impact
• 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 69/3614 using electro-magnetic, magnetic or ultrasonic radiation emitted, reflected or interrupted by the golf club
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0009 for handicapped persons
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 7/00 Measuring speed by integrating acceleration measuring travelled distance by double integration of acceleration G01C21/16
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/88 Sonar systems specially adapted for specific applications seismic or acoustic prospecting or detecting G01V1/00

Abstract

Apparatus and a method that enables an assistive energy type golf club to sense the approach of the club face toward a golf ball, and to trigger the release of the assistive energy at the optimum time to achieve the desired golf ball velocity and distance.

Claims

1. Apparatus adapted to control the operation of an assistive energy golf club head during a swing;

said apparatus including;

sensor apparatus adapted to sense the travel of said golf club head relative to a golf ball;

signal processing apparatus effective during said swing and prior to the impact of a face of said golf club head with said golf ball to generate a firing command under control of an approach parameter;

velocity generating apparatus including said golf club head responsive to said generation of said firing command to apply assistive energy from said golf club face to said golf ball;

said assistive energy is effective to apply incremental velocity to said golf ball;

said apparatus further including an assistive energy source for applying said assistive energy;

said signal processing apparatus is effective during said swing to determine a pretrigger time at which said firing command should be to applied to said assistive energy source;

said signal processing apparatus is further effective at said determined pretrigger time to generate said firing command;

said assistive energy source is responsive to the generation of said firing command to apply assistive energy to said velocity generating apparatus;

said velocity generating apparatus is responsive to the receipt of said assistive energy to impart said incremental velocity to said golf ball upon impact of said golf ball with said golf club face; and

said pretrigger time is a function of club head performance information;

said club head performance information includes golf ball velocity as a function of a delta-t time, where said delta-t time is the time interval in advance of said time of impact to generate said firing command.

2. Apparatus adapted to control the operation of an assistive energy golf club head during a swing;

said apparatus including;

sensor apparatus adapted to sense the travel of said golf club head relative to a golf ball,

signal processing apparatus effective during said swing and prior to the impact of the face of said golf club head with said golf ball to generate a firing command under control of an approach parameter;

velocity generating apparatus including said golf club head responsive to said generation of said firing command to apply assistive energy from said golf club face to said golf ball;

said assistive energy is effective to apply incremental velocity to said golf ball;

said sensor apparatus is effective to determine the approach velocity of said golf club face toward said golf ball;

said signal processing apparatus is effective to determine a predicted time of impact of said golf club face with said golf ball;

said signal processing apparatus is further effective to determine a delta-t time; and

said signal processing apparatus is further effective to generate said firing command at said delta-t time interval prior to said ball impact.

3. A method of operating apparatus adapted to control the operation of an assistive energy golf club head during a swing;

said method including the steps of;

operating sensor apparatus to sense the travel of said golf club head relative to a golf ball;

operating signal processing apparatus to generate a firing command under control of an approach parameter during said swing and prior to the impact of the face of said golf club head with said golf ball;

applying assistive energy from said golf club face to said golf ball responsive to said generation of said firing command;

said assistive energy is effective to apply incremental velocity to said golf ball;

operating said signal processing apparatus during said swing to determine a pretrigger time at which said firing command should be applied to an assistive energy source prior to the impact of said golf club face with said golf ball;

applying said firing command to said assistive energy source at said pretrigger time;

applying said assistive energy to a velocity generating apparatus; and

imparting incremental velocity to said golf ball upon impact with said club face responsive to the said generation of said firing command.

4. A method of operating apparatus adapted to control the operation of an assistive energy golf club head during a swing;

said method including the steps of;

operating sensor apparatus to sense the travel of said golf club head relative to a golf ball;

operating signal processing apparatus to generate a firing command under control of an approach parameter during said swing and prior to the impact of the face of said golf club head with said golf ball;

applying assistive energy from said golf club face to said golf ball responsive to said generation of said firing command;

said assistive energy is effective to apply incremental velocity to said golf ball;

operating sensor apparatus during said swing to determine said present distance between said club face and said golf ball;

operating signal processing apparatus during said swing to determine a prescribed distance at which said firing command should be applied to said assistive energy source prior to the impact of said golf club face with said golf ball;

applying said firing command to said assistive energy source when said golf club face is at said prescribed distance;

applying said assistive energy to a velocity generating apparatus;

responsive to said application of said firing command; and

imparting incremental velocity to said golf ball responsive to said application of said assistive energy.