Golf clubs and golf club heads

• US 8,668,595 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2011
• Issued: 03/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Boyd, Robert, Stites, John, Lafortune, Mario A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Laneau, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US13/250,051
• Publication Number:
  US 20120277015A1
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 473222-226
• US Class Current: 473/223
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0647 Visualisation of executed movements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/16 Angular positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/53 Force of an impact, e.g. blow or punch
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/803 Motion sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/15 with identification means that can be read by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• 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 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/00 Golf clubs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/005 Club sets
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0475 with one or more enclosed cavities
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/10 : Non-metallic shafts
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/14 : Handles
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3685 : Putters or attachments on putters, e.g. for measuring, aligning A63B69/3614 takes precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 : with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 : with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors

Abstract

Golf clubs according to at least some example aspects of this disclosure may include a golf club head and a shaft configured to engage with the golf club head which includes a grip engaged with the shaft. Further, the golf club may include a monitoring device, which includes an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer and a transmitter. Additionally, the monitoring device may be configured to determine data related to the characteristics of a golf swing. Further, the monitoring device may be configured to transmit the data related to the characteristics of a golf swing to a remote computer.

Claims

1. A system for providing feedback regarding aspects of a golf game, comprising:

a golf club including;

a golf club head;

a shaft configured to engage with the golf club head, including a grip engaged with the shaft; and

a monitoring device, comprising;

an accelerometer;

a gyroscope;

a magnetometer; and

a transmitter,

wherein the monitoring device is engaged with the golf club and is configured to be removable from the golf club and engaged with a second golf club, such that the monitoring device is interchangeable between the golf club and the second golf club; and

a remote computer configured to receive data from the monitoring device,

wherein the monitoring device is configured to determine data related to at least one characteristic of a golf swing and also configured to transmit the data related to the at least one characteristic of a golf swing to the remote computer, and

wherein the data transmitted by the monitoring device includes an identification code associated with the monitoring device,

wherein when the monitoring device is engaged with the golf club, the remote computer is configured to coordinate the identification code with the golf club, such that data transmitted from the monitoring device is associated with the golf club, and

wherein when the monitoring device is removed from the golf club and engaged with the second golf club, the remote computer is configured to coordinate the identification code with the second golf club, such that data transmitted from the monitoring device is associated with the second golf club.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristic of the golf swing is one of:

a velocity of the golf club or club head during a golf swing, an acceleration of the club or club head during a golf swing, an angle of the golf club or club head during a golf swing, a swing tempo, an impact of the ball with the golf club head during a golf swing, a swing path of the golf club during a golf swing.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring device includes a memory for storing the data.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is configured to wirelessly transmit data to the remote computer.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring device includes a microprocessor configured to calculate one or more golf metrics based on the data determined by the sensor.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the transmitter is configured to wirelessly transmit the golf metrics to the remote computer.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote computer includes a microprocessor configured to calculate one or more golf metrics based on the data received from the remote monitoring device.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the remote computer includes a memory configured to store the golf metrics.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the remote computer includes an audio or video means configured to communicate the golf metrics to the user.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the golf metrics include a graphical representation of the swing path of the golf swing from which the data was determined.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the transmission reception system of the remote computer is configured to transmit the golf metrics.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the identification code is stored on the remote computer.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising the second golf club configured to receive the monitoring device.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a second monitoring device, comprising;

an accelerometer;

a gyroscope;

a magnetometer; and

a second transmitter,

wherein the second monitoring device is configured to determine data related to at least one characteristic of a golf swing,

wherein the second transmitter is configured to transmit, to the remote computer, the determined data related to the at least one characteristic of the golf swing.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the golf club head is configured to receive and secure the first monitoring device, wherein the shaft is configured to receive and secure the second monitoring device at the grip of the shaft.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the golf club head is configured to receive and secure the first monitoring device and the golf club head is configured to receive and secure the second monitoring device.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein a toe end of the golf club head is configured to receive the first monitoring device and a heel end of the golf club head is configured to receive the second monitoring device.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the second monitoring device includes a memory for storing the data.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the second transmitter is configured to wirelessly transmit data to the remote computer.

20. A method for providing feedback regarding aspects of a golf game, comprising:

providing a golf club which includes;

a golf club head;

a shaft configured to engage with the golf club head, including a grip engaged with the shaft; and

a monitoring device engaged with the golf club, comprising;

an accelerometer;

a gyroscope;

a magnetometer; and

a transmitter,

wherein the monitoring device is configured to be removable from the golf club and engaged with a second golf club, such that the monitoring device is interchangeable between the golf club and the second golf club,

wherein the monitoring device is configured to determine data related to at least one characteristic of a golf swing,

wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit, to a remote computer, the determined data related to the at least one characteristic of the golf swing, and an identification code associated with the monitoring device; and

electronically receiving at the remote computer the determined data related to the at least one characteristic of the golf swing and the identification code associated with the monitoring device,

wherein when the monitoring device is engaged with the golf club, the remote computer coordinates the identification code with the golf club, such that data transmitted from the monitoring device is associated with the golf club, and

wherein when the monitoring device is removed from the golf club and engaged with the second golf club, the remote computer coordinates the identification code with the second golf club, such that data transmitted from the monitoring device is associated with the second golf club.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising calculating at the monitoring device, based on the data determined by the sensor, one or more golf metrics.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising wirelessly transmitting the golf metrics to the remote computer.

23. The system of claim 20, further comprising calculating at the remote computer, based on the data received from the transmitter, one or more golf metrics.

24. The system of claim 23, further comprising storing at the remote computer one or more of the calculated the golf metrics.

25. The system of claim 24, further comprising presenting, at the remote computer, the golf metrics to a user.