Multi function test method and station for golf club shafts
First Claim
1. A multi-function test station for golf club shafts, comprising:
- a housing having a lower portion joined to an inclined wall joined to an upper portion;
a rail extending along a length of the upper portion;
four towers mounted on the rail to move along at least a portion of the length of the rail, each tower having a shaft positioning device oriented to center a longitudinal axis of the shaft in a common, substantially vertical plane, each shaft positioning device being vertically adjustable in position;
a force detecting device in each of two of the towers, the force detecting device detecting the force exerted on the shaft positioning device in the substantially vertical plane;
a display device in electronic communication with at least one of the force detecting devices to visually display indicia reflecting the force detected by the at least one force detecting device;
a fastening mechanism on each tower releasably fastening the tower to the rail;
an end stop mounted to the rail or the upper housing portion and extending across a portion of the substantially vertical plane;
a pair of laterally spaced apart jaws, each jaw having an upper and lower jaw, each jaw having notch aligned along a longitudinal axis and sized to clamp onto the shaft during use of the test station; and
a mechanism actuating the jaws to open to receive a golf club shaft in the notches and to close on the golf club shaft to hold the shaft along the longitudinal axis during use.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A test station for testing golf clubs has a clamp on the lower portion holding a shaft extending along a first axis. Sensors along that axis detect shaft vibrations torsion vibrations. Four towers are movably connected to a rail extending along the top portion of the base. Two of the towers have a first vertically adjustable shaft positioner and a device to detect forces exerted on the first shaft positioners. The other two towers also have vertically adjustable shaft positioners. The towers are used to determine stiffness, center of gravity, swing point and other properties. A drawer in the base contains a scale to measure the club length, and a pivoted stop to measure head angle.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A multi-function test station for golf club shafts, comprising:
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a housing having a lower portion joined to an inclined wall joined to an upper portion; a rail extending along a length of the upper portion; four towers mounted on the rail to move along at least a portion of the length of the rail, each tower having a shaft positioning device oriented to center a longitudinal axis of the shaft in a common, substantially vertical plane, each shaft positioning device being vertically adjustable in position; a force detecting device in each of two of the towers, the force detecting device detecting the force exerted on the shaft positioning device in the substantially vertical plane; a display device in electronic communication with at least one of the force detecting devices to visually display indicia reflecting the force detected by the at least one force detecting device; a fastening mechanism on each tower releasably fastening the tower to the rail; an end stop mounted to the rail or the upper housing portion and extending across a portion of the substantially vertical plane; a pair of laterally spaced apart jaws, each jaw having an upper and lower jaw, each jaw having notch aligned along a longitudinal axis and sized to clamp onto the shaft during use of the test station; and a mechanism actuating the jaws to open to receive a golf club shaft in the notches and to close on the golf club shaft to hold the shaft along the longitudinal axis during use. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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5. A multi-function test station for golf club shafts, comprising:
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a housing having a lower portion joined to an inclined wall joined to an upper portion; a rail extending along a length of the upper portion; four towers mounted on the rail to move along at least a portion of the length of the rail, each tower having a shaft positioning device oriented to center a longitudinal axis of the shaft in a common, substantially vertical plane, each shaft positioning device being vertically adjustable in position; a force detecting device in each of two of the towers, the force detecting device detecting the force exerted on the shaft positioning device in the substantially vertical plane; a display device in electronic communication with at least one of the force detecting devices to visually display indicia reflecting the force detected by the at least one force detecting device; a fastening mechanism on each tower releasably fastening the tower to the rail; an end stop mounted to the rail or the upper housing portion and extending across a portion of the substantially vertical plane; and a pull-out drawer located below the lower portion of the housing and extendable away from the rail, the drawer containing a linear scale extending along a length of the drawer, the linear scale having a rotating stop at one end of the scale to align with an inclined portion of a club head mounted to the shaft, the linear scale having an alignment mechanism to align the shaft along the scale when the inclined portion of the club head is aligned with the rotating stop during use of the test station. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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12. A test station for testing golf clubs, comprising:
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an elongated base having a first lower portion and a top portion vertically and horizontally offset from the first portion; a clamp on the lower portion configured to releasably hold an end of a golf club shaft so the shaft extends along a first axis during use of the test station; a vibration sensor located along the first axis to detect vibration of a shaft positioned along that first axis, the vibration sensor in communication with a display on the base to display vibration information during use; a torsion sensor located on the base to detect torsion of a shaft positioned along that first axis, the torsion sensor in communication with a display on the base to display torsion information during use; a first, second, third and fourth towers sequentially located on and movably connected to a rail extending along the top portion of the base, the first and third towers each having a first vertically adjustable shaft positioner and each also having a device to detect forces exerted on the first shaft positioner along a vertical axis, the second and fourth towers each having a second vertically adjustable shaft positioner, with the devices to detect forces each being in communication with a display to display the forces detected during use; and an elongated drawer in the base, below the lower section, the drawer having a linear scale extending along a length of the drawer with an angular measurement device at one end of the scale to measure the length of the club shaft and the lie angle of a golf club head on that shaft, respectively. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A test station for testing golf clubs, comprising:
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an elongated base having a first lower portion and a top portion vertically and horizontally offset from the first portion; a clamp on the lower portion configured to releasably hold an end of a golf club shaft so the shaft extends along a first axis during use of the test station; a vibration sensor located along the first axis to detect vibration of a shaft positioned along that first axis, the vibration sensor in communication with a display on the base to display vibration information during use; a torsion sensor located on the base to detect torsion of a shaft positioned along that first axis, the torsion sensor in communication with a display on the base to display torsion information during use; a first, second, third and fourth towers sequentially located on and movably connected to a rail extending along the top portion of the base, the first and third towers each having a first vertically adjustable shaft positioner and each also having a device to detect forces exerted on the first shaft positioner along a vertical axis, the second and fourth towers each having a second vertically adjustable shaft positioner, with the devices to detect forces each being in communication with a display to display the forces detected during use; and wherein the stop has a releasable connection allowing the stop to rotate its position to avoid interference with a shaft extending along a length of the top during use of the test station.
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22. A multi-function test station for golf club shafts, comprising:
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a housing having a lower portion joined to an inclined wall joined to an upper portion; a rail extending along a length of the upper portion; four towers mounted on the rail to move along at least a portion of the length of the rail, each tower having a shaft positioning device oriented to center a longitudinal axis of the shaft in a common, substantially vertical plane, each shaft positioning device being vertically adjustable in position; a force detecting device in each of two of the towers, the force detecting device detecting the force exerted on the shaft positioning device in the substantially vertical plane; a display device in electronic communication with at least one of the force detecting devices to visually display indicia reflecting the force detected by the at least one force detecting device; a fastening mechanism on each tower releasably fastening the tower to the rail; an end stop mounted to the rail or the upper housing portion and extending across a portion of the substantially vertical plane; and wherein at least some of the shaft positioners comprise a pair of rollers on parallel axes spaced apart a distance sufficient to allow a shaft to rest on the rollers between the axes and freely rotate with the rollers and wherein, when the second and fourth towers are configured to support a golf club horizontally with a spacing of 14 inches between the supports on the second and fourth towers, the swing weight of the shaft is about 0.09 times the force detected by the force detection device on the second tower which device is located adjacent a grip end of the club.
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Specification