APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR EMPLOYING MINIATURE INERTIAL MEASUREMENT UNITS FOR DEDUCING FORCES AND MOMENTS ON BODIES

• US 20130073248A1
• Filed: 09/20/2011
• Published: 03/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Michigan (University of Michigan)
• Original Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Michigan (University of Michigan)
• Inventors: Perkins, Noel, King, Kevin, McGinnis, Ryan
• Application Number:
  US13/236,728
• Publication Number:
  US 20130073248A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/141
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/10 Athletes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2505/09 Rehabilitation or training
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1114 Tracking parts of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/112 Gait analysis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1122 of movement trajectories
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4528 Joints A61B5/4533, A61B5/4538 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6828 Leg
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6895 Sport equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7239 using differentiation including higher order derivatives
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/18 Baseball, rounders or similar games
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/182 Softball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/34 Angular speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0095 Volleyball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0001 Balls with finger holes, e.g. for bowling
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0003 : Golf balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 39/00 : Hollow non-inflatable balls , i.e. having no valves rigid balls A63B37/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/00 : Hollow inflatable balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/00 : Balls with special arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/14 : Handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 59/50 : Substantially rod-shaped bats for hitting a ball in the air, e.g. for baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/06 : Handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/08 : characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/10 : with means for indicating correct holding positions A63B60/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/16 : Caps; Ferrules
• 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 65/02 : Spears or the like ; Javelins
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 65/10 : Discus discs; Quoits
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 67/14 : Curling stone; Shuffleboard; Similar sliding games
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0026 : for ice-hockey
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/56 : Turn-sensitive devices using vibrating masses, e.g. vibratory angular rate sensors based on Coriolis forces
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/00 : Measuring acceleration; Measuring deceleration; Measuring shock, i.e. sudden change of acceleration

Abstract

An apparatus for analyzing movement of equipment. The apparatus includes an inertial measurement unit continuously measuring six rigid body degrees of freedom of the equipment and outputting data representative thereof, wherein the inertial measurement unit defines a planar substrate having a single common plane. The inertial measurement unit further includes at least one angular rate gyro and at least one accelerometer sufficient to measure the six rigid body degrees of freedom and each being mounted on the single common plane. The apparatus further includes a processing unit determining the acceleration of the mass center of the equipment, the angular velocity and the angular acceleration of the equipment through a single derivative operation.

Claims

1. An apparatus for analyzing movement of equipment, said apparatus comprising:

an inertial measurement unit continuously measuring six rigid body degrees of freedom of the equipment and outputting data representative thereof, said inertial measurement unit having a planar substrate define a single common plane, said inertial measurement unit further comprising at least one angular rate gyro and at least one accelerometer sufficient to measure said six rigid body degrees of freedom and each being mounted on said single common plane; and

a processing unit determining the acceleration of a mass center of the equipment, an angular velocity and an angular acceleration of the equipment through a single derivative operation.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said at least one angular rate gyro and said at least one accelerometer comprises a three-axis angular rate gyro and a three-axis accelerometer.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said at least one angular rate gyro and said at least one accelerometer comprises three single-axis angular rate gyros each defining an axis orthogonal to the other two and three single-axis accelerometers each defining an axis orthogonal to the other two.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said at least one angular rate gyro comprises a dual-axis angular rate gyro and a single-axis angular rate gyro.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said at least one accelerometer comprises a dual-axis accelerometer and a single-axis accelerometer.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said communication device comprising a wireless transmission device for transmitting said data wirelessly.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said communication device comprising a wired transmission device for transmitting said data via wire.

8. A sporting apparatus comprising:

a sports device;

an inertial measurement unit continuously measuring six rigid body degrees of freedom of said sports device and outputting data representative thereof, said inertial measurement unit having a planar substrate define a single common plane, said inertial measurement unit further comprising at least one angular rate gyro and at least one accelerometer sufficient to measure said six rigid body degrees of freedom and each being mounted on said single common plane; and

a processing unit determining the acceleration of a mass center of the equipment, an angular velocity and an angular acceleration of the equipment through a single derivative operation.

9. The sporting apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said at least one angular rate gyro and said at least one accelerometer comprises a three-axis angular rate gyro and a three-axis accelerometer.

10. The sporting apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said at least one angular rate gyro and said at least one accelerometer comprises three single-axis angular rate gyros each defining an axis orthogonal to the other two and three single-axis accelerometers each defining an axis orthogonal to the other two.

11. The sporting apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said at least one angular rate gyro comprises a dual-axis angular rate gyro and a single-axis angular rate gyro.

12. The sporting apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said at least one accelerometer comprises a dual-axis accelerometer and a single-axis accelerometer.

13. The sporting apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said sports device is a ball and said inertial measurement unit is disposed within an internal volume of said ball.

14. The sporting apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said sports device is a puck and said inertial measurement unit is disposed within an internal volume of said puck.

15. The sporting apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said sports device is an elongated member and said inertial measurement unit is disposed within an internal volume of said elongated member.

16. The sporting apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said sports device is an elongated member and said inertial measurement unit is disposed on said elongated member.