Swing feedback device

• US 8,758,152 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2011
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Blair Christian Hall
• Original Assignee: Blair Christian Hall
• Inventors: Hall, Blair Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): LEGESSE, NINI F
• Application Number:
  US13/700,052
• Publication Number:
  US 20130085008A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,126 Days
• Field of Search: 473/219, 473/221, 473/222, 473/223, 473/224, 473/226, 473/228, 473/229, 473/231, 473/238, 473/266, 473/269
• US Class Current: 473/224
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/08 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/58 Measurement of force related parameters by electric or magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• 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 69/3635 with sound-emitting source

Abstract

A swing feedback device, including (a) a body moveable relative to an apparatus, said apparatus having a strike face moveable by a user along a swing path for striking an object, said body being pivotable about a pivot axis to align itself to said swing path when moving with said apparatus; (b) one or more sensors attached to said body, said sensors for generating swing data including a detected position of a reference marker relative to said sensors, said reference marker being fixed relative to said strike face, the relative position of said reference marker and said sensors being determined based on an offset angle formed between said strike face and said body on a plane perpendicular to said pivot axis; and (c) a sound generator for generating auditory feedback for said user based on the swing data generated by said sensors.

Claims

1. A swing feedback device, including:

(a) a body attachable to an apparatus, said apparatus having a strike face moveable by a user along a swing path for striking an object, said body being pivotable about an axis that extends along a support portion of said apparatus;

(b) one or more sensors attached to said body, said sensors being adapted to generate swing data including an offset angle formed between said strike face and said swing path during travel of said strike face along said swing path; and

(c) a sound generator for generating auditory feedback for said user based on the swing data generated by said sensors,

wherein the sound generator generates said auditory feedback based on said swing data during a swing of the apparatus and prior to striking the object with the strike face to provide guidance to the user prior to striking the object.

2. The swing feedback device according to claim 1, wherein said body is only pivotable about said pivot axis during initial attachment of said body to said apparatus.

3. The swing feedback device according to claim 1, wherein said swing data and/or said auditory feedback are generated in real time.

4. The swing feedback device according to claim 1, wherein during attachment of said body to said apparatus, said body is pivotally aligned within a predefined tolerance angle range about a plane extending perpendicular to said strike face.

5. The swing feedback device according to claim 4, wherein said predefined tolerance angle range comprises a deviation of up to 45 degrees either side of said plane.

6. The swing feedback device according to claim 1, further including an analysis module adapted for processing said swing data from said one or more sensors to perform one or more of the following:

i) generate, based on said swing data, audio data representing an audio signal for said sound generator;

ii) generate, based on said swing data, audio data representing an audio signal for a line out component;

iii) generate, based on said swing data, audio data representing an audio signal for an external sound generator remote from said device;

iv) generate results data, including said swing data and other ancillary data representing one or more of a date, time, practice session identifier, device sensitivity, rank, score and rating, and store the results data into a data store; and

v) generate, based on said swing data, control data for manipulating the position, movement or other characteristics a user interface component displayed to a user via a display.

7. A swing feedback device according to claim 6, wherein said swing data is provided to said analysis module by at least one of a wired or wireless communication link.

8. A swing feedback device according to claim 6, wherein said sound generator receives said audio signal from said analysis module and generates said auditory feedback for said user based upon said audio signal.

9. A swing feedback device according to claim 6, wherein said analysis module and/or said sound generator are located within said body.

10. A swing feedback device according to claim 6, wherein said analysis module is located external to said body, and receives data from said sensors by a wireless communication link.

11. A swing feedback device according to claim 6, wherein said feedback includes at least one of:

i) producing sound of a predefined pitch when said offset angle is within a predetermined response angle range, and not producing sound when said offset angle is not within said predetermined response angle range;

ii) producing sound of a predefined pitch when the offset angle is not within a predetermined response angle range, and not produce sound when the offset angle is within the predetermined response angle range;

iii) producing sound of varying pitch based on changes in said offset angle within said predetermined response angle range;

iv) producing sound of varying pitch based on changes in the offset angle when outside of the predetermined response angle range;

or

v) producing sound of different intensity based on a swing velocity of said apparatus moving with said body along said swing path.

12. A swing feedback device according to claim 11, wherein said predetermined response angle range is adjustable by a user.

13. A swing feedback device according to claim 1, wherein said swing data also includes one or more of:

i) data representing a swing velocity of said apparatus moving with said body along said swing path;

ii) data representing a position on said strike face that is impacted by said object during said swing path;

iii) data representing a swing plane angle of the apparatus during said swing path;

or

iv) data representing swing frequency of the apparatus.

14. A swing feedback device according to claim 1, wherein said sensors include one or more of optical sensors, magnetic sensors, shaft encoders, linear position sensors, displacement sensors, accelerometers, gyroscopes, and tilt switches.

15. A sporting apparatus for use by a user in a sporting activity including a device as claimed in claim 1.

16. The sporting apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said device is integrally formed with said apparatus.

17. A swing feedback device, including:

(a) a body attachable to an apparatus, said apparatus having a strike face moveable by a user along a swing path for striking an object, said body being attachable to a support portion of said apparatus and aligned within a predefined tolerance angle range about a plane extending perpendicular to said strike face;

(b) one or more sensors attached to said body, said sensors being adapted to generate swing data including an offset angle formed between said strike face and said swing path during travel of said strike face along said swing path; and

(c) a sound generator for generating auditory feedback for said user based on the swing data generated by said sensors,

wherein the sound generator generates said auditory feedback based on said swing data during a swing of the apparatus and prior to striking the object with the strike face to provide guidance to the user prior to striking the object.

18. The swing feedback device according to claim 17, wherein said body is only pivotable about said pivot axis during initial attachment of said body to said apparatus.

19. The swing feedback device according to claim 17, wherein said swing data and said auditory feedback are generated in real time.

20. A swing feedback device, including:

(a) a body moveable relative to an apparatus, said apparatus having a strike face moveable by a user along a swing path for striking an object, said body being pivotable about a pivot axis for alignment relative to said swing path;

(b) one or more sensors attached to said body, said sensors for generating swing data including an offset angle formed between said strike face and said swing path during travel of said strike face along said swing path; and

(c) a sound generator for generating auditory feedback for said user based on the swing data generated by said sensors,

wherein the sound generator generates said auditory feedback based on said swing data during a swing of the apparatus and prior to striking the object with the strike face to provide guidance to the user prior to striking the object.