Golf swing analysis apparatus and method

• US 20100093458A1
• Filed: 12/24/2008
• Published: 04/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Golf Impact, LLC
• Original Assignee: Golf Impact, LLC
• Inventors: Reynolds, Paul, Davenport, Roger
• Application Number:
  US12/317,435
• Publication Number:
  US 20100093458A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/223
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/063 Spoken or verbal instructions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/56 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• 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

Abstract

A method and integrated golf club apparatus for directly measuring physical parameters of the golf club head motional acceleration swing forces, golf club head face, golf ball impact forces, and subsequent calculations of other metrics useful to a golfer'"'"'s understanding of the effectiveness of his or her golf swing and impact result in totality. The physical parameters that are directly measured include three dimensional motion force vectors of club head prior to, during and after impact and full impact pressure force profiles across the golf clubface with respect to time. The sensors are connected to electronics which condition, record and store the time varying sensors information electronically, then process and translate the information into one of several forms for delivery to a human interface function.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising at least one internal three dimensional motional acceleration force sensor, and at least one internal impact pressure force sensor.

2. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising a golf club head face, wherein said at least one internal impact pressure force sensor is embedded in a monolith within said face.

3. The golf club head of claim 1, further comprising electronic circuitry internal to said head, and connected to said sensors.

4. A golf club comprising, in combination, a golf club shaft and a golf club head, the head further comprising at least one internal three dimensional motional acceleration force sensor, and at least one internal impact pressure force sensor.

5. The combination of a golf club and a human interface interactive with said club, said club comprising

a golf club shaft;

a golf club head connected to said shaft wherein said head comprises at least one internal three dimensional motional acceleration force sensor, and at least one internal impact pressure force sensor;

electronic circuitry internal to said head and connected to said sensors wherein the said circuitry captures golf swing dynamics data from said sensors relative to said golf club striking a golf ball; and

means of transmitting said data to said human interface.

6. The golf club and human interface combination of claim 5, wherein the human interface further comprises a group consisting of audio, visual, thermal and vibratory signals.

7. A golf club having a head comprising at least one internal three dimensional acceleration force sensor for measuring motional forces of said head relative to the striking of a golf ball.

8. A method of capturing golf swing dynamics data from swinging a golf club and transmitting said data to a human interface, the steps comprising:

providing a golf club having a golf club shaft, and a golf club head connected to said shaft, such that said head has at least one internal three dimensional motional acceleration force sensor;

connecting said sensor to electronic circuitry internal to said head wherein the said circuitry captures golf swing dynamics data from said sensor relative to swinging said golf club; and

providing means for transmitting said data to said human interface.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said club head further comprises a club head face, said steps further comprising:

providing at least one impact pressure force sensor embedded within said face of said golf club head;

connecting said circuitry to both types of sensors wherein the said circuitry captures golf swing dynamics data from said sensors relative to striking a golf ball with the said golf club, and;

providing means for transmitting said data to said human interface.

10. The method of claim 9, said steps further comprising providing means for storing of said data after the transmission of said data.

11. The method of claim 9, said steps further comprising providing means for calibrating said at least one pressure force sensor relative to its location within said face.

12. A golf club comprising, in combination,

a golf club head;

a shaft connected to said head;

at least one internal acceleration force sensor having spatial dimensionality comprising at least one dimension, and;

electronic circuitry comprising data collection and processing means for display through a human interface.

13. The golf club of claim 12, comprising two internal acceleration force sensors having at least one dimension of spatial measurement.

14. The golf club of claim 12, wherein said human interface is disposed on said shaft.

15. A golf club comprising an attachable and detachable system having at least one club head attachment module external to said club head wherein the said attachment module comprises one or more acceleration g-force sensors, and electronics for wired or wireless transmission of sensor data to a receiver module human interface.