Visual impact detection golf teaching system

• US 6,248,021 B1
• Filed: 06/25/1999
• Issued: 06/19/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Zivota Ognjanovic
• Original Assignee: Zivota Ognjanovic
• Inventors: Ognjanovic, Zivota
• Primary Examiner(s): Martin-Wallace, Valencia
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kim T.
• Application Number:
  US09/338,852
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 473/218, 473/131, 473/140, 473/151, 473/192, 473/154, 473/195, 473/199, 473/252, 473/285, 473/329-330, 473/342, 473/337
• US Class Current: 473/131
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/362 electrical or electronic
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3685 Putters or attachments on putters, e.g. for measuring, aligning A63B69/3614 takes precedence

Abstract

Teaching golf clubs that signal a golf ball/club face impact location comprising a putter having a head with an elastomer or thin hard material face cover protecting piezoelectric sensors electrically connected to an electrical circuit provided with light emitting diodes (LEDs) arranged to visually indicate the impact location, the electrical circuit printed on a circuit board tightly inserted into a golf club head cavity or embedded in a plastic matrix and an iron and a “wood” golf clubs having elastomer or thin hard materials coated on plates inserted into piezoelectric sensors electrically connected to an electrical circuit on a circuit board inserted into a club head cavity or embedded in a plastic matrix with LEDs indicating a golf ball/club face impact location. Each teaching club has a matching Profession Golf Association approved club for golf course play.

Claims

1. A teaching putter golf club comprising

a club head having a club face and a club top surface;

more than one piezoelectric sensor element embedded in said club face surface so that a flat, planar club face surface results said sensor elements parallel to said club face and arranged so that at least one sensor element covers a club face preferred impact center;

an elastomer cover having a smooth outer surface designed to make contact with a golf ball and a grooved inner surface, said grooves defining shapes large enough to cover underlying piezoelectric sensor elements, said elastomer cover designed to cover and protect said club face surface;

an electrical circuit printed on a circuit board placed within said club head;

said printed circuit enabled with means for detecting a golf ball impact location on said club face;

said electrical circuit having light emitting diode (LED) visual output means, each piezoelectric sensor element similarly wired to an individual LED so that a golf ball impact on a single piezoelectric sensor results in a single corresponding LED colored output signal and a golf ball simultaneously impacting on more than one piezoelectric sensor results in more than one simultaneous corresponding LED output signal;

said piezoelectric sensor element wired to said LED comprising a voltage regulator controlling an electrical circuit transistor to transistor voltage, an operational amplifier connected in a differential mode open loop for high sensitivity, resistors limiting current input from said sensor element and from a power supply, resistors and a voltage divider that adjust inverting voltage input when said sensor element is undisturbed so that said operating amplifier voltage is high enough to maintain a chip logical HI of a first NAND gate and a set/reset latch, with a reset pin that is HI so that said latch output is LOW and said LED is turned off until said operating amplifier provides an output in a range of logical LOW that results in an output of said set/reset latch to turn HI which, limited by a resistor, turns on a transistor and said LED, said electrical circuit remaining latched in said HI position so that said LED remains on without said sensor element stimulation until a user presses a reset button and said latch is reset,

more that one aperture in said club top surface;

said LEDs received by said apertures;

said number of apertures equaling said number of LEDs and said number of piezoelectric sensor elements, said apertures arranged in a pattern the same as said piezoelectric sensor elements'"'"' pattern;

a resilient elastomer material having a grid pattered surface for said sensor element adhesion forming a sensor grid assembly with said piezoelectric sensor elements and said elastomer cover;

a resilient, foam like material placed behind said sensor grid assembly which minimizes vibrations and intensifies an electrical signal generated by said club face impacting a golf ball; and

a shaft having a distal end grip portion having a grip cap top with on off switch means and a grip cap side with reset switch means.

2. The teaching putter golf club of claim 1 wherein there are two horizontal rows of three sensor elements positioned so that center sensor elements overlie said golf club preferred impact center and apertures in said club head top surface correspond in position to said two horizontal rows of three sensor elements, said apertures containing LEDs that provide more than one color visual output information indicating a golf ball impact position on said putter face.

3. The teaching putter golf club of claim 1 wherein there is one horizontal row of six sensor elements positioned so that center sensor elements overlie said golf club preferred impact center and apertures in said club head top surface correspond in position to said one horizontal row of six sensor elements, said apertures containing LEDs that provide more than one color visual output information indicating a golf ball impact position on said putter face.

4. The teaching putter golf club of claim 1 wherein said cover is a thin hard material.

5. The teaching putter golf club of claim 1 wherein said electrical circuit printed on said circuit board is inserted in a molded plastic matrix forming part of said club head.

6. The teaching putter golf club of claim 1 wherein said teaching putter golf club has a weight, flexibility;

balance, size, shape, construction materials and general appearance that is duplicated in a Professional Golf Association (PGA) approved putter golf club for golfer use after said golfer attains a correct golf swing that becomes part of said golfer'"'"'s muscle memory as a result of practice with said teaching putter golf club.

7. The Professional Golf Association (PGA) approved putter golf club of claims 6 having an elastomer face cover affixed to a solid, flat, planar face plate and having a presently known conventional top wall, side wall and club head construction.

8. The Professional Golf Association (PGA) approved putter golf club of claim 7 having a thin, hard material face cover.

9. A teaching iron golf club and “

wood”

golf club each one comprising

a club head having a club face and a club top surface;

more than one piezoelectric sensor element embedded in said club face so that a flat, planar club face surface results, said each piezoelectric sensor element defining a centrally located stepped down aperture;

more than one elastomer covered plate, each plate having a back surface with centrally located U-shaped flexible projections extending perpendicular to said plate back surface, said flexible projections received by said stepped down apertures so that said plate is snapped against said piezoelectric sensor element;

an electrical circuit printed on a circuit board within said club head;

said electrical circuit comprising said piezoelectric sensor element which has a 450 pF capacitance when not disturbed and changes up to 40% of its nominal value when said elastomer cover plate is impacted by golf ball contact allowing positive voltage to pass through said elastomer cover plate to said piezoelectric sensor where a small amount of additional voltage is added to a power supply voltage in order to turn on a transistor and then make a pin of an electronic chip HI in order to turn on an LED corresponding to said piezoelectric sensor element, said HI state maintained through another pin feedback until a rest button is pressed by a user;

more that one aperture in said club top surface;

more than one LED received by said apertures;

said number of apertures equaling said number of LEDs and said number of piezoelectric sensor elements, said apertures arranged in a pattern the same as said piezoelectric sensor elements'"'"' pattern; and

a shaft having a distal end grip portion having a grip cap top with on off switch means and a grip cap side with reset switch means.

10. The teaching iron golf club and “

wood”

golf club of claim 9 wherein there are two parallel horizontal rows of three sensor elements positioned so that center sensor elements overlie said golf club preferred impact center and apertures in said club head top surface correspond in position to said two parallel rows of three sensor elements, said apertures containing LEDs that provide visual output information indicating a golf ball impact position on said putter face.

11. The teaching iron golf club and “

wood”

golf club of claim 9 wherein there is one horizontal row of four sensor elements positioned so that center sensors overlie said golf club preferred impact center and apertures in said club head top surface corresponding in position to said one horizontal row of four sensor elements'"'"' said apertures containing LEDs that provide visual output information indicating a golf ball impact position on said putter face.

12. The teaching iron golf club and “

wood”

golf club of claim 9 wherein said U-shaped flexible projections have leg portions with outwardly bent distal ends for secure placement into said stepped down apertures.

13. The teaching iron golf club and “

wood”

golf club of claim 9 wherein said electrical circuit printed on said circuit board is inserted and held by friction force in a club head cavity.

14. The teaching iron golf club and “

wood”

golf club of claim 9 wherein said electrical circuit printed on said circuit board is inserted in a molded plastic matrix forming part of said club head.

15. The teaching iron golf club and “

wood”

golf club of claim 9 wherein said teaching iron golf club and “

wood”

golf club have a weight, flexibility;

balance, size, shape, construction materials and general appearance that is duplicated in a Professional Golf Association (PGA) approved iron golf club and a PGA approved “

wood”

golf club for a golfer'"'"'s use after said golfer attains a correct golf swing that becomes part of said golfer'"'"'s muscle memory as a result of practice with said teaching iron golf club and “

wood”

golf club.

16. The Professional Golf Association (PGA) approved iron golf club and PGA approved “

wood”

golf club of claim 15 reach having a solid, flat, planar face, a spheroidal top wall, spheroidal side walls and a sole plate of conventional iron and “

wood”

golf club construction.