Golf Swing Measurement and Analysis System

• US 20120100923A1
• Filed: 10/13/2011
• Published: 04/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Golf Impact, LLC
• Original Assignee: Golf Impact, LLC
• Inventors: Davenport, Roger
• Granted Patent: US 10,207,171 B2
• 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 2220/00 Measuring of physical parameters relating to sporting activity
• 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 2220/56 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0006 Computerised comparison for qualitative assessment of motion sequences or the course of a movement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence
• 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 69/36 for golf
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3614 using electro-magnetic, magnetic or ultrasonic radiation emitted, reflected or interrupted by the golf club
• 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: G08B 13/14 by lifting or attempted removal of hand-portable articles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

An integrated golf club comprising standard golf club shaft and an integrated electronics system golf club head apparatus for directly measuring physical parameters of the golf club head motional acceleration swing forces and golf club head face and golf ball impact forces and further processing those measurements and transmitting the measurement data wirelessly to a user interface device. The integrated electronics system golf club head comprises several optimized assemblies that support electronic measurement, processing and wireless communication functions that are integrated with a customized golf club head shell and club face to provide a golf club head with physical properties that are substantially similar to that of a regulation play golf club head of same type. The user interface device that receives wirelessly transmitted data further processes the data and provides the golfer with useful golf swing and impact metrics in multiple different user selectable formats.

Claims

1. ) A golf club head comprising at least:

a) An electronics processing assembly that has inputs from one or more sensors and provides at least the processing functions of;

i) Sampling said sensor input(s) at sample rate(s) that are adaptable in real time or near real time based one or more sensor input values

2. ) The golf club head comprising at least an electronics processing assembly as recited in claim one, further comprising:

i) inputs from two or more categories of said sensors and

(1) first category has one or more sensor(s) of a first type

(2) second category has one or more sensor(s) of a second type

ii) further electronic processing functions that comprise at least

(1) sampling said sensors of first type of said first category at a first sampling rate, and

(2) sampling said sensors of second type of said second category at a second sampling rate and

(3) said first sampling rate and said second sampling rate are individually adaptable base on one or more said sensor(s) inputs from one or more said categories.

3. ) The golf club head of claim one further defining said sensor(s) as accelerometer(s) and or impact sensor(s)

4. ) A golf club head shell comprising at least

a) an outer surface with predetermined contour or shape made of a first material that is electrically conductive, and

b) a variable or non-uniform predetermined wall thickness profile defining a perpendicular depth from said outer surface at any given point on the said outer surface to an inner surface defining desired structural integrity with a desired weigh and mass distribution.

c) said wall is made of one or more predetermined materials that may be the same, similar or different than said first material

5. ) The golf club head shell of claim four further comprising of

a) said outer surface contour or shape that is predefined and fixed by any other requirements that may include an antenna system and or aerodynamics properties.

b) said predetermined wall thickness profile with areas of increased thickness further defining a ribbed structural pattern defining a structural integrity with a desired weight and mass distribution.

c) said wall is made of said predetermined material that has substantially similar properties to said first material.

6. ) The golf club head shell of claim four further comprising of

a) said outer surface contour or shape that is defined by other requirements such as an antenna system and or desired aerodynamics properties.

b) said predetermined wall thickness profile defining areas of increased thickness further defining an interconnected ribbed structural pattern defining a structural integrity with a desired weight and mass distribution.

c) said wall in areas of said increased thickness is made of said predetermined material that has different properties to said first material such as resin based carbon fiber composite or other material or material composite the offers high structural strength with a low mass density.

7. ) A golf club head comprising at least

a) A clubface with one or more impact sensors made of passive piezoelectric elements integrated into club face and said passive piezoelectric elements generate a signal when an impact force is applied to the club face

b) A rechargeable energy storage assembly that comprises at least a rechargeable battery and or super capacitor(s)

c) An energy harvesting assembly that comprises

i) a signal divider that has one input and two outputs, and said outputs provide a known ratio of a given input signal, and

(1) said signal divider input is electrically connected to one or more said piezoelectric elements, and

(2) first of said signal divider outputs is electrically connected to said rechargeable energy storage assembly

8. ) The golf club head of claim 7 further comprising

a) A acceleration measurement assembly capable of at least measuring three orthogonal acceleration axes comprising one or more acceleration sensors

b) An antenna system that has multiple electrically conductive elements and one of said electrically conducting elements is the golf club head surface.

c) An electronics assembly providing functionality for processing input signals form sensors that include:

sampling, digitizing, storing, formatting and further wireless transmission. Further said electronics assembly is electrically connected to;

second of said signal divider outputs of said energy harvesting assembly, said acceleration measurements assembly, said antenna system and said rechargeable energy storage assembly.

9. ) The golf club head of claim 7 further comprising

a) A acceleration measurement assembly capable of at least measuring three orthogonal acceleration axes comprising one or more acceleration sensors

b) An antenna system that has multiple electrically conductive elements and one of said electrically conducting elements is the golf club head surface.

c) An electronics assembly providing functionality for processing input signals form sensors that include:

sampling, digitizing, storing, formatting and further wireless transmission. Further said electronics assembly is electrically connected to;

second of said signal divider outputs of said energy harvesting assembly, said acceleration measurements assembly, said antenna system and said rechargeable energy storage assembly.

d) And golf club head has a weight similar to regulation play golf club head of the same type that is generally considered to provide good performance.

10. ) The golf club head of claim 7 further comprising

a) A acceleration measurement assembly capable of at least measuring three orthogonal acceleration axes comprising one or more acceleration sensors

b) An antenna system that has multiple electrically conductive elements and one of said electrically conducting elements is the golf club head surface.

c) An electronics assembly providing functionality for processing input signals form sensors that include:

sampling, digitizing, storing, formatting and further wireless transmission. Further said electronics assembly is electrically connected to;

second of said signal divider outputs of said energy harvesting assembly, said acceleration measurements assembly, said antenna system and said rechargeable energy storage assembly.

d) And golf club head has a center of gravity similar to regulation play golf club head of the same type that is generally considered to provide good performance.

11. ) The golf club head of claim 7 further comprising

a) A acceleration measurement assembly capable of at least measuring three orthogonal acceleration axes comprising one or more acceleration sensors

b) An antenna system that has multiple electrically conductive elements and one of said electrically conducting elements is the golf club head surface.

c) An electronics assembly providing functionality for processing input signals form sensors that include:

sampling, digitizing, storing, formatting and further wireless transmission. Further said electronics assembly is electrically connected to;

second of said signal divider outputs of said energy harvesting assembly, said acceleration measurements assembly, said antenna system and said rechargeable energy storage assembly.

d) And golf club head has a coefficient of restitution similar to regulation play golf club head of the same type that is generally considered to provide good performance.

12. ) The golf club head of claim 7 further comprising

a) A acceleration measurement assembly capable of at least measuring three orthogonal acceleration axes comprising one or more acceleration sensors

b) An antenna system that has multiple electrically conductive elements and one of said electrically conducting elements is the golf club head surface.

c) An electronics assembly providing functionality for processing input signals form sensors that include:

sampling, digitizing, storing, formatting and further wireless transmission. Further said electronics assembly is electrically connected to;

second of said signal divider outputs of said energy harvesting assembly, said acceleration measurements assembly, said antenna system and said rechargeable energy storage assembly.

d) A hosel that is adapted to attach and detach from a golf club shaft

e) And golf club head has a weight and center of gravity and coefficient of restitution similar to regulation play golf club head of the same type that is generally considered to provide good performance.