Measuring device for measuring hitting parameters of a golf club and associated calibration device

• US 8,142,301 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2008
• Issued: 03/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: HGM GmbH - Haag Golf Messtechnik
• Original Assignee: HGM GmbH - Haag Golf Messtechnik
• Inventors: Haag, Hans-Joachim A., Godde, Josef
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Peter Dungba
• Assistant Examiner(s): WONG, JEFFREY KEITH
• Application Number:
  US12/079,099
• Publication Number:
  US 20080200274A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,463 Days
• Field of Search: 473/222, 473/223, 473/198, 273/186.1, 463/3
• US Class Current: 473/222
• 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 69/3632 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: G01P 3/68 using optical means, i.e. using infrared, visible, or ultraviolet light G01P3/80 takes precedence ; by reflection of waves G01S17/58
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/58 Velocity or trajectory determination systems; Sense-of-movement determination systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/04 Systems determining the presence of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/497 Means for monitoring or calibrating
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4972 Alignment of sensor

Abstract

A measurement setup to determine hitting parameters of a golf club includes a group of reflectors with at least two strip-shaped reflectors with retroreflective surfaces applied to the golf club shaft. The group of reflectors is attached to the club shaft with a detachable, yet tight clamp-connection. At least three retroreflective areas are arranged in a determined geometry at the club shaft and/or at the group of reflectors. At least one first reflective light barrier sends its beam at a right angle to the ideal swing path of the club head near the tee and/or the golf ball at the group of reflectors. During the penetration of the beam the three strip-shaped retroreflective surfaces elicit temporally staggered pulse-shaped signals that the receiver of the first reflective light barrier receives and which it transmits to the data acquisition device. A calibration setup is also provided.

Claims

1. A measuring system for measuring hitting parameters of a golf club, the measuring system comprising:

a measurement device equipped with a first reflective light barrier having a first receiver, the first reflective light barrier being horizontally directed and able to send a first beam,

a data acquisition device integrated into the measurement device,

at least three reflectors having respective retroreflective surfaces, corresponding functionally to the first reflective light barrier, having a defined geometry, and comprising at least three strip-shaped reflectors,

an information output- and storage unit, the data acquisition device being able to forward acquired measured data to the information output- and storage unit, and

a clamp-connection device connected to the at least three reflectors, the clamp-connection device being attachable to a shaft of a golf club with a tight, but detachable clamp-connection, wherein the measuring system is arranged such that;

the first beam produced by the measuring device projects at a right angle to a swing path of a club head of the golf club near at least one of a tee and a golf ball when a golfer opposite to the measurement device swings the golf club, and

the three retroreflective surfaces upon crossing the first beam elicit temporally staggered pulse-shaped measuring data, the first receiver of the first reflective light barrier receiving the temporally staggered pulse-shaped measuring data and forwarding the temporally staggered pulse-shaped measuring data to the data acquisition device as the acquired measured data.

2. The measuring system according to claim 1, wherein the measurement device further comprises a side wall and a second reflective light barrier,

wherein the first reflective light barrier is arranged in the side wall,

wherein the second reflective light barrier is arranged in the side wall with a lateral distance with respect to the first reflective light barrier, and

wherein the second reflective light barrier sends a second beam, the second beam crossing the first beam of the first reflective light barrier at an acute angle.

3. The measuring system according to claim 2, wherein the measurement device further comprises a third reflective light barrier in the side wall and above the first reflective light barrier, the third reflective light barrier being able to send a third beam paralleling the first beam of the first reflective light barrier, and

wherein the measurement device further comprises a fourth reflective light barrier in the side wall and above the second reflective light barrier, the fourth reflective light barrier being able to send a fourth beam paralleling the second.

4. The measuring system according to claim 3, wherein the measurement device further comprises a fifth reflective light barrier in the side wall and mounted above the third reflective light barrier, the fifth reflective light barrier being able to send a fifth beam,

wherein the measurement device further comprises a sixth reflective light barrier in the side wall and mounted above the fourth reflective light barrier, the sixth reflective light barrier being able to send a sixth beam,

wherein a distance of the first reflective light barrier from the fifth reflective light barrier is at least 7 cm, and

wherein a distance of the second reflective light barrier from the sixth reflective light barrier is at least 7 cm.

5. The measuring system according to claim 4, wherein the first, third, and fifth reflective light barriers are mounted at an angle of 90 degrees to the side wall in a way that the first, third, and fifth beams run parallel to each other,

wherein the second, fourth, and sixth reflective light barriers are mounted to the side wall in a way that the second, fourth, and sixth beams run parallel to each other, and

wherein the measuring system is arranged such that:

the first, third, and fifth beams run parallel to a playing surface and point towards the at least three reflectors above a lie point for golfing without the golf ball,

the second, fourth, and sixth beams run parallel to the playing surface, and

the second, fourth, and sixth beams cross the first, third, and fifth beams maximally 10 cm behind the lie point and behind the swing path.

6. The measuring system according to claim 4, wherein the measuring device further comprises a seventh reflective light barrier able to produce a seventh beam paralleling the first, third, and fifth beams,

wherein the measuring device further comprises an eighth reflective light barrier pointing at an angle of 90°

and mounted at the side wall left or right of the first reflective light barrier,

wherein the measuring device further comprises a ninth reflective light barrier pointing at 90°

placed beside the third reflective light barrier and above the eighth reflective light barrier,

wherein the measuring device further comprises a tenth reflective light barrier pointing at 45° and

mounted left or right of the fourth reflective light barrier, and

wherein a lateral distance of at least one set of reflective light barriers selected from the group consisting of;

the first and eighth reflective light barriers, the third and ninth reflective light barriers, and the fourth and tenth reflective light barriers corresponds to a width of the at least three reflectors or to twice a width of the at least three reflectors.

7. The measuring system according to claim 4, wherein the measuring device is designed symmetrically with respect to a horizontal midplane of the measuring device such that the fifth reflective light barrier is mounted to the measuring device in a mirror inverted way with respect to the first reflective light barrier and the sixth reflective light barrier is mounted to the measuring device in a mirror inverted way with respect to the second reflective light barrier, and

wherein the measuring device further comprises an integrated position sensor, the integrated position sensor ensuring that the fifth reflective light barrier takes over a function of the first reflective light barrier when the measuring system is switched for an opposite-handed user and ensuring that the sixth reflective light barrier takes over a function of the second reflective light barrier when the measuring system is switched for the opposite-handed user.

8. The measuring system according to claim 4, wherein the measuring device further comprises a seventh reflective light barrier able to produce a seventh beam paralleling the first, third, and fifth beams, and

wherein a first reflector of the at least three reflectors is extended by a reflector pin or by tagging a retroreflective surface above the of at least three reflectors directly to the shaft when the at least three reflectors are attached to the shaft.

9. The measuring system according to claim 8, further comprising a folding mechanism,

wherein the seventh reflective light barrier is mounted pivotably to an upper side or a lower side of a main body of the measuring device by the folding mechanism, or

wherein the seventh reflective light barrier comprises an accessory attachable to a main body of the measuring device by plug-type connector.

10. The measuring system according to claim 4, wherein the measuring device is designed L-shaped and has a transverse wall,

wherein the measuring device further comprises a high speed radar transceiver mounted in a front face of the transverse wall, the high speed radar transceiver being able to send a radar beam, and

wherein the measuring system is arranged such that when the at least three reflectors are attached to the shaft of the golf club:

the high speed radar transceiver is directed towards at least one of the golf ball and the tee,

the radar beam interacts with a reflector of the at least three reflectors to measure by Doppler frequency analysis a hitting parameter comprising a club head speed of the club head of the golf club,

the high speed radar transceiver measures the club head speed as a function of time while the club head sojourns in reach of a lobe of the radar beam, and

exploiting a temporal relation to pulses of the first, third, and fifth reflective light barriers formed from the at least three reflectors, the information output- and storage unit calculates the club head speed as a function of a position of the club head.

11. The measuring system according to claim 10, wherein the measuring device further comprises a microprocessor or a signal-processor for triggering an actual measuring process, and

wherein the measuring system is arranged such that when the at least three reflectors are attached to the shaft of the golf club:

the microprocessor or the signal-processor calculates the club head speed of the club head, and

the high speed radar transceiver distinguishes by radar analysis with an inphase/quadrature mixer oscillating movements of the golf club and a direction of the movement and starts the forwarding of the acquired measured data to the data acquisition device only when the club head speed exceeds a preset speed during a downswing of the golf club.

12. The measuring system according to claim 4, wherein at least one of the first, third, and fifth reflective light barriers issues an impulse able to trigger further, external analysis devices.

13. The measuring system according to claim 4, wherein the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth reflective light barriers are not arranged as compact units directly in the side wall of the measurement device,

wherein the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth reflective light barriers comprise optical fibers and send the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth beams, respectively, via the optical fibers to defined arranged respective apertures in the side wall,

wherein diameters of the defined arranged respective apertures match diameters of the optical fibers, and

wherein the measuring system is arranged such that ends of the optical fibers are fixed in the defined arranged respective apertures in a way that the first, third, and fifth beams exit the optical fibers at a right angle with respect to the swing path of the club head and the second, fourth, and sixth beams exit the optical fibers at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the swing path of the club head near at least one of the tee and the golf ball.

14. The measuring system according to claim 13, wherein the first reflective light barrier further comprises a first transmitter,

wherein the second reflective light barrier further comprises a second receiver and a second transmitter,

wherein the third reflective light barrier further comprises a third receiver and a third transmitter,

wherein the fourth reflective light barrier further comprises a fourth receiver and a fourth transmitter,

wherein the fifth reflective light barrier further comprises a fifth receiver and a fifth transmitter,

wherein the sixth reflective light barrier further comprises a sixth receiver and a sixth transmitter,

wherein the optical fibers are alotted to each of the first transmitter, the second transmitter, the third transmitter, the fourth transmitter, the fifth transmitter, and the sixth transmitter, and

wherein the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth receivers are arranged in the side wall of the measuring device adjacent to or in the defined arranged respective apertures.

15. The measuring system according to claim 13, wherein the measuring device further comprises at least one light transmitter, and

wherein a number of the light transmitters of the at least one light transmitter is smaller than six.

16. The measuring system according to claim 4, wherein the measuring system is arranged such that:

when the measurement device is opposite to the golfer, the tee is placed left, as seen from the golfer, from a potential lie point at a distance, the distance corresponding at least to half of a width of the at least three reflectors, and

when the at least three reflectors are attached to the shaft of the golf club and when the golf ball lies on the tee, the club head hits the golf ball lying on the tee immediately after the at least three reflectors have left a region of the first, third, and fifth beams.

17. The measuring system according to claim 4, wherein the measuring device further comprises optical fibers comprising first optical fibers and second optical fibers,

wherein the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth reflective light barriers send their respective first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth beams via the optical fibers to defined arranged respective apertures in the side wall of the measuring device,

wherein the first optical fibers and the second optical fibers are arranged in each aperture of the defined arranged respective apertures,

wherein the second reflective light barrier comprises a second receiver,

wherein the third reflective light barrier comprises a third receiver,

wherein the fourth reflective light barrier comprises a fourth receiver,

wherein the fifth reflective light barrier comprises a fifth receiver,

wherein the sixth reflective light barrier comprises a sixth receiver,

wherein the first optical fibers and the second optical fibers are allocated to each of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth receivers, and

wherein the measuring system is arranged such that ends of the optical fibers are fixed in the defined arranged respective apertures in a way that the first, third, and fifth beams exit the optical fibers at a right angle with respect to the swing path of the club head and the second, fourth, and sixth beams exit the optical fibers at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the swing path of the club head near at least one of the tee and the golf ball.

18. The measuring system according to claim 1, wherein each reflector of the at least three reflectors comprises an intrinsically stable basic body made of a material, the material being dimensionally stable and flexurally rigid at speeds of up to 230 km/h,

wherein the clamp-connection device ensures a captive, slip-proof, yet detachable fixing to the shaft above the club head when the at least three reflectors are attached to the shaft, and

wherein the measuring system is arranged such that a distance of a lower edge of the at least three reflectors from a playing surface amounts to about 1 cm plus a height of the golf ball plus a height of a long tee.

19. The measuring system according to claim 1, wherein the at least three reflectors comprise a high/narrow group of reflectors comprising a first reflector haying a first length, a second reflector having a second length, and a third reflector,

wherein the first length is different from the second length,

wherein the first reflector and the second reflector are arranged vertically and paralleling each other,

wherein the second reflector is arranged offset forwardly or backwardly with respect to a plane of the first and third reflectors,

wherein a lower end of the second reflector is linked to an upper end of the third reflector by a first joining piece such that a defined distance is formed between the second reflector and the third reflector, and

wherein an upper end of the first reflector is linked to an upper end of the second reflector by second and third angled joininq pieces in a stabilizing way.

20. The measuring system according to claim 1;

wherein the at least three reflectors comprise a high/narrow group of reflectors comprising a first reflector, a second reflector, and a third reflector, and

wherein the first reflector is directly glueable on the shaft arranged at a defined distance to the second and third reflectors when the at least three reflectors are attached to the shaft via the clamp-connection device.

21. The measuring system according to claim 1, wherein the at least three reflectors comprise a low/wide group of reflectors comprising first, second, third, fourth, and fifth reflectors,

wherein the first, third, and fifth reflectors are arranged parallel to each other in a first plane,

wherein the first reflector and the third reflector are joined by the second reflector in a way that the first, second, and third reflectors form an “

N”

or a mirror-imaged “

N”

, and

wherein the fourth reflector is arranged outside the first plane but running parallel and at equal distance to the third reflector and the fifth reflector so that in top view on the low/wide group of reflectors a triangle between the third reflector, the fourth reflector, and the fifth reflector is discernible.

22. The measuring system according to claim 1, wherein the at least three reflectors are mountable to the golf club in a way that the at least three reflectors stand vertically with respect to a playing surface when the golf club is held inclined in an addressing position.

23. The measuring system according to claim 1, wherein the at least three reflectors are mountable to the golf club in a way that the at least three reflectors run in parallel with the shaft of the golf club.

24. The measuring system according to claim 1, wherein the first reflective light barrier is a fast responding reflective laser light barrier and the first beam is a high-frequency-pulsed laser beam, and

wherein the at least three reflectors have a first width at least as large as a beam width of the first beam.

25. The measuring system according to claim 1, wherein the measuring device further comprises a first optical line laser able to send a first optical line laser beam, and

wherein the measuring system is arranged such that the first optical line laser points horizontally at an angle of 90 degrees to the golf ball in a way that the first optical line laser beam meets at a meeting point a surface of the golf ball opposite to a direction of flight of the golf ball, the meeting point constituting an ideal contact point for the club head.

26. The measuring system according to claim 25, wherein the measuring device is designed L-shaped having a transverse wall and further comprises a second optical line laser mounted in the transverse wall, the second optical line laser being able to send a second optical line laser beam and

wherein the measuring system can be is arranged such that the second optical line laser beam is sent at an angle of 45 degrees to the golf ball and an intersection of the first optical line laser beam and the second optical line laser beam serves to align at least one of the golf ball and the tee.

27. The measuring system according to claim 26, wherein the measuring device further comprises:

a side wall,

a first adjustment laser mounted in the side wall and able to send a first adjustment beam, and

a second adjustment laser mounted in the transverse wall and able to send a second adjustment beam, and

wherein the measuring system is arranged such that whenever the measuring device is properly aligned in a position required for exact measurements, the first adjustment beam intersects the second adjustment beam on a specific line on a template pulled over the tee.

28. The measuring system according to claim 1, wherein the data acquisition unit, when the at least three reflectors are attached to the shaft of the golf club, captures, during a golf swing of the golf club, a temporal pattern of reflections from the at least three reflectors and can forward forwards the temporal pattern to the information output- and storage unit as raw data, and

wherein from the raw data the information output- and storage unit can determine determines at least one hitting parameter of the golf swing, the at least one hitting parameter being selected from the group consisting of:

a club head speed, a club face position as angle open/closed, a sweet spot vertical as vertical deviation from a sweet spot, a sweet spot horizontal as horizontal deviation from the sweet spot, a horizontal angle of approach in/out, and a dynamic loft.

29. The measuring system according to claim 1, wherein the data acquisition unit comprises a sound card or a multi-channel data acquisition- and processing unit, the sound card or the multi-channel data acquisition- and processing unit being equipped with software to interpret the acquired measured data,

wherein the measuring device is designed L-shaped, has a transverse wall, and has a battery integrated to the transverse wall, and

wherein the information output- and storage unit or the battery supplies the measuring device with power.

30. The measuring system according to claim 25, wherein the measuring device further comprises first and second wheels at a transverse axis of the measuring device,

wherein the measuring device further comprises a first handle above a longitudinal axis of the measuring device and a second handle below the longitudinal axis near the first optical line laser,

wherein the second and first handles serve as supporting stands for the measuring device in a right- or left-hander mode, respectively, and

wherein a height of the first and second handles and a diameter of the first and second wheels ensure horizontal orientation of the measuring device.

31. The measuring system according to claim 1, wherein the measuring device further comprises a plurality of optically or capacitively actuated switches mounted to a side wall of the measuring device, the plurality of optically or capacitively actuated switches being able to be activated by the club head and being able to launch or reset a program of the information output- and storage unit.

32. The measuring system according to claim 1, further comprising a wall and a folding or retractable mechanism,

wherein the measuring device is arranged stationarily and theft-proof in paneling of the wall, and

wherein a transverse axis of the measuring device may be brought via the folding or retractable mechanism to a position needed for playing.