Golf clubs and golf club heads

• US 8,956,238 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2011
• Issued: 02/17/2015
• 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): CUFF, MICHAEL A
• Application Number:
  US13/250,085
• Publication Number:
  US 20120277017A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,236 Days
• Field of Search: 473/223
• 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 a sensor 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 determining aspects related to a golf swing, comprising:

a golf club, including;

a golf club head; and

a shaft;

a monitoring device configured to be engaged with the golf club and configured to determine data related to at least one characteristic of a golf swing, comprising;

an accelerometer;

a gyroscope;

a magnetometer;

a GPS device;

a transmitter; and

a remote computer configured to receive the data from the transmitter,

a monitoring device housing,

wherein the monitoring device housing is removably engaged with the golf club and wherein the monitoring device is removably engaged with the monitoring device housing;

wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the data related to the at least one characteristic of a golf swing to the remote computer; and

wherein the shaft is configured to removably engage and secure the monitoring device housing.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the golf club head is configured to removably engage and secure the monitoring device housing.

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 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.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote computer is configured to utilize the received data and provide feedback on at least one characteristic of a golf swing.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the feedback includes a graphical representation of a golf swing from which the data was determined.

8. The golf club of claim 1, further comprising:

a second monitoring device, comprising;

at least one sensor configured to determine data related to at least one characteristic of a golf swing; and

a second transmitter,

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

wherein the remote computer configured to receive the data from the second transmitter.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one sensor of the second monitoring device further comprises at least one of:

an accelerometer, a gyroscope and a magnetometer.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the second monitoring device includes a memory for storing the data.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the transmitter of the second monitoring device is configured to wirelessly transmit data to the remote computer.

12. The system of claim 8, 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.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the remote computer is configured to coordinate the data from the first sensor and the data from the second sensor in determining at least 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.

14. The system of claim 8, 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.

15. The system of claim 8, 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.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to identify the particular golf club in which the monitoring device is engaged based on the data transmitted by the monitoring device.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the monitoring device is associated with an identification code and the remote computer is configured to coordinate the identification code with a particular golf club, such that data transmitted from the monitoring device will be associated with the golf club in which the monitoring device is engaged.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the identification code is included in the data transmitted by the monitoring device.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the identification code is stored on the remote computer and the remote computer associates the data transmitted by the monitoring device with the particular golf club.

20. The system of claim 16, further comprising a second golf club configured to receive the monitoring device, wherein the monitoring device is configured to be interchangeable between the first golf club and the second golf club.

21. A system for determining aspects related to a golf swing, comprising:

a golf club;

a monitoring device configured to be engaged with the golf club and configured to determine data related to at least one characteristic of a golf swing, comprising;

an accelerometer;

a gyroscope;

a magnetometer;

a GPS device;

a transmitter; and

a remote computer configured to receive the data from the transmitter,

a monitoring device housing,

wherein the monitoring device housing is removably engaged with the golf club and wherein the monitoring device is removably engaged with the monitoring device housing;

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

wherein the remote computer contains computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause the remote computer to manipulate the data received from the transmitter to determine a first position on or within the golf club, by using a position of the monitoring device located on or within the golf club, which is different from the first position; and

wherein the shaft is configured to removably engage and secure the monitoring device housing.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the remote computer includes a transceiver configured to receive data from the at least one sensor, and a microprocessor configured to process the data from at least one sensor.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the remote computer is configured to utilize the determined first position in order to provide feedback on at least one characteristic of a golf swing.

24. The system of claim 23, 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.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the feedback includes a graphical representation of a golf swing from which the data was determined.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the first position is located at a ball striking face of the golf club.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein computer readable instructions include at least one transformation matrix which configures the computer to perform at least one calculation on the data received from the monitoring device in order to determine the first position.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the remote computer contains a look-up table which contains a plurality of transformation matrices.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein a first transformation matrix from the look up table is used to perform the at least one calculation and the first transformation matrix is dependent on the particular golf club with which the monitoring device is engaged.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the look up table includes data for each of plurality of different golf clubs within a set of golf clubs, wherein the data for each of the golf club within the set is different from the data from the other golf clubs in the set.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the look up table includes data for a plurality of different sets of golf clubs.

32. The system of claim 28, wherein the remote computer is configured to receive data from a second remote computer which includes the look up table.

33. The system of claim 21, wherein the remote computer is configured to identify the particular golf club with which the monitoring device is engaged based on the data transmitted by the monitoring device.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the monitoring device is associated with an identification code and the remote computer is configured to coordinate the identification code with a particular golf club, such that data transmitted from the monitoring device will be associated with the golf club in which the monitoring device is engaged.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the identification code is included in the data transmitted by the monitoring device.

36. The system of claim 34, wherein the identification code is stored on the remote computer and the remote computer associates the data transmitted by the monitoring device with the particular golf club.

37. The system of claim 33, further comprising a second golf club configured to receive the monitoring device, wherein the monitoring device is configured to be interchangeable between the first golf club and the second golf club.

38. The system of claim 23, wherein the first position is located in a grip of the golf club.

39. The system of claim 38, includes a transceiver configured to receive data from the at least one sensor, and a microprocessor configured to process the data from at least one sensor,

wherein the remote computer is configured to utilize the determined first position in order to provide feedback on at least 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.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein computer readable instructions include at least one transformation matrix which configures the computer to perform at least one calculation on the data received from the monitoring device in order to determine the first position,

wherein a first transformation matrix from the look up table is used to perform the at least one calculation and the first transformation matrix is dependent on the particular golf club with which the monitoring device is engaged.

41. A system for determining aspects related to a golf swing, comprising:

a golf club, including;

a golf club head; and

a shaft;

a monitoring device configured to be engaged with the golf club, comprising;

at least one sensor configured to determine data related to at least one characteristic of a golf swing; and

a first transceiver; and

a remote computer configured to receive the data from the transmitter,

a cartridge holding the monitoring device,

a monitoring device housing,

wherein the monitoring device housing is removably engaged with the golf club and wherein the cartridge is removably engaged with the monitoring device housing;

wherein the first transceiver is configured to transmit the data related to the at least one characteristic of a golf swing to the remote computer,

wherein the at least one sensor of the monitoring device further comprises;

an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a GPS device and a magnetometer,

wherein the system includes an activation system configured to selectively activate the monitoring device; and

wherein the shaft is configured to removably engage and secure the monitoring device housing.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the activation system includes a detector for detecting whether the golf club is moved over a predefined speed or length of time and is configured to activate the monitoring device upon detecting movement over the predefined speed or length of time.

43. The system of claim 41, wherein the activation system includes a detector for detecting an impact at a golf club head of the golf club and is configured to activate the monitoring device upon detecting the impact.

44. The system of claim 41, wherein the remote computer includes a second transceiver and is configured to transmit a signal to the monitoring device, wherein the activation system is configured to activate the monitoring device upon receiving the signal from the remote computer.