FITTING SYSTEM FOR A GOLF CLUB

• US 20130260909A1
• Filed: 12/10/2012
• Published: 10/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Margoles, Ryan, Johnson, Gregory D., Morin, John
• Application Number:
  US13/710,307
• Publication Number:
  US 20130260909A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/223
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0694 Visual indication, e.g. Indicia
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2213/002 Infrared
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/58 Measurement of force related parameters by electric or magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 Video cameras
• 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 69/36 for golf
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3623 for driving A63B69/3608, A63B69/3658, A63B69/3661, A63B69/3667 and A63B69/3691 take precedence
• 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 relating to an improved fitting system for a golf club shaft is disclosed herein. More specifically, the present invention utilizes specific data gathered from the golfer'"'"'s golf swing itself to determine the best performing golf club shaft for this particular golf swing. Even more specifically, the present invention relates to the utilization of infrared motion capturing cameras to record the location data of a golf club shaft throughout a swing. Based on the location data captured, one or more dynamic behavioral characteristics can be calculated to determine one or more preferred shaft characteristics. Using the preferred shaft characteristics, a shaft can be recommended for the golfer having this particular golf swing. The current inventive fitting methodology is preferred to the archaic fitting method of using data gathered from the result orientated ball flight data together with a tedious process of having to try numerous different shafts.

Claims

1. A method of fitting a golfer to a recommended shaft comprising:

positioning a plurality of sensors on a golf club;

capturing a plurality of linear and rotational velocity data using at least one of said plurality of sensors as a golfer performs a golf swing;

determining a swing force profile of said golfer'"'"'s golf swing;

determining a plurality of shaft profiles based on a static shaft test for a plurality of shafts;

simulating a plurality of shaft responses based on a combination of said swing force profile and said plurality of shaft profiles; and

simulating a plurality of performance results for each one of said plurality of shafts based on said plurality of shaft responses,

wherein said static shaft test further comprises;

simulating a force exerted by said golfer by adding a weight to a tip end of a shaft.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said static shaft test further comprises;

securing a grip end of said shaft;

attaching said weight to a tip end of said shaft at different angles via a hook; and

recording the deflection of said shaft for each of said different weights at two or more different angles.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said plurality of performance results comprises at least one of a club head speed, a ball speed, a launch angle, a descent angel, a spin rate, an attack angle, a club path, a carry distance, a total distance, and a dispersion distance.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said force profile of said golfer comprises a centrifugal force and a deflection force.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said plurality of shaft responses comprises a shaft tip outward angle, a shaft tip downward angle, a torque angle, and an amount of deflection.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said plurality of sensor further comprises a high range gyroscope having a measurement range of greater than about 2,000°

/sec.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said high range gyroscope has a measurement range of greater than about 3,000°

/sec.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said high range gyroscope has a measurement range of greater than about 5,000°

/sec.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein a linear velocity data of said plurality of sensors are calculated from a data gathered from said high range gyroscope based on the equation

V=w*r,

wherein V equals said linear velocity data, w equals said gyroscope data, and r equals a radius of rotation.

10. The golf club of claim 6, wherein said plurality of sensors further comprises;

an accelerometer;

a magnetometer;

a memory storage device; and

an antenna.

11. The golf club of claim 6, wherein said plurality of sensors are located within a sensor box, wherein said sensor box is located less than about 10 mm away from a face center in either x-direction, between about 1.0 mm and about 25.0 mm from said face center along a y-direction, and between about 55 mm and 110 mm from said face center along a z-direction.

12. A method of fitting a golfer to a recommended shaft comprising:

positioning a plurality of sensors on a golf club;

capturing a plurality of linear and rotational velocity data using at least one of said plurality of sensors as a golfer performs a golf swing;

determining a swing force profile of said golfer'"'"'s golf swing;

determining a plurality of shaft profiles based on a static shaft test for a plurality of shafts;

simulating a plurality of shaft responses based on a combination of said swing force profile and said plurality of shaft profiles; and

simulating a plurality of performance results for each one of said plurality of shafts based on said plurality of shaft responses,

wherein said static shaft test further comprises;

securing a grip end of said shaft;

attaching said weight to a tip end of said shaft at different angles via a hook; and

recording the deflection of said shaft for each of said different weights at two or more different angles.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said plurality of shaft responses comprises a shaft tip outward angle, a shaft tip downward angle, a torque angle, and an amount of deflection.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said plurality of sensor further comprises a high range gyroscope having a measurement range of greater than about 2,000°

/sec.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said high range gyroscope has a measurement range of greater than about 3,000°

/sec.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said high range gyroscope has a measurement range of greater than about 5,000°

/sec.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein a linear velocity data of said plurality of sensors are calculated from a data gathered from said high range gyroscope based on the equation

V=w*r,

wherein V equals said linear velocity data, w equals said gyroscope data, and r equals a radius of rotation.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein said plurality of sensors are located within a sensor box, wherein said sensor box is located less than about 10 mm away from a face center in either x-direction, between about 1.0 mm and about 25.0 mm from said face center along a y-direction, and between about 55 mm and 110 mm from said face center along a z-direction.

19. A method of fitting a golfer to a recommended shaft comprising:

positioning a plurality of sensors on a golf club;

capturing a plurality of linear and rotational velocity data using at least one of said plurality of sensors as a golfer performs a golf swing;

determining a swing force profile of said golfer'"'"'s golf swing;

determining a plurality of shaft profiles based on a static shaft test for a plurality of shafts;

simulating a plurality of shaft responses based on a combination of said swing force profile and said plurality of shaft profiles; and

simulating a plurality of performance results for each one of said plurality of shafts based on said plurality of shaft responses,

wherein a linear velocity data of said plurality of sensors are calculated from a data gathered from said high range gyroscope based on the equation

V=w*r,

wherein V equals said linear velocity data, w equals said gyroscope data, and r equals a radius of rotation.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said determination of said plurality of shaft profiles further comprises;

securing a grip end of said shaft;

attaching said weight to a tip end of said shaft at different angles via a hook; and

recording the deflection of said shaft for each of said different weights at two or more different angles.