Golf clubs and golf club heads

• US 9,925,433 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2016
• Issued: 03/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute, Nike, Inc., Nike USA (Nike, Inc.), Priority Designs Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Boggs, Joshua M., Hatton, Philip J., Kammerer, Brian, Lafortune, Mario A., Wallans, Michael, Boyd, Robert M., Hadden, Jeffrey A., Jones, Sherry L., Kramer, Gregory S., Lua, James H., Stites, John T., Thornton, Douglas A., Wisniewski, Daniel F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Laneau, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US15/194,150
• Publication Number:
  US 20160303443A1
• Time in Patent Office: 638 Days
• Field of Search: 473222-226
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/10 Athletes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2505/09 Rehabilitation or training
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1122 of movement trajectories
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6895 Sport equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0063 Shock absorbers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0647 Visualisation of executed movements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/068 Input by voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/18 Baseball, rounders or similar games
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/24 Ice hockey
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/16 Angular positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• 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 2220/803 Motion sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/15 with identification means that can be read by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/54 : Transponders, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 49/035 : with easily dismountable parts, e.g. heads, shafts or grips
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 49/08 : with special construction of the handle
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 : Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 : with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0437 : with special crown configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 : wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 : iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 : for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/10 : Non-metallic shafts
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/14 : Handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 59/20 : having means, e.g. pockets, netting or adhesive type surfaces, for catching or holding a ball, e.g. for lacrosse or pelota
• 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 59/70 : with bent or angled lower parts for hitting a ball on the ground, on an ice-covered surface, or in the air, e.g. for hockey or hurling
• 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 60/50 : with through-holes A63B60/18 takes precedence; for stringing purposes A63B49/00
• 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: A63B 69/3685 : Putters or attachments on putters, e.g. for measuring, aligning A63B69/3614 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0619 : Displays, user interfaces and indicating devices, specially adapted for sport equipment, e.g. display mounted on treadmills
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 : Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/19 : Sporting applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 : Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 : with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 : Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/23 : Recognition of whole body movements, e.g. for sport training

Abstract

Golf clubs according to at least some example aspects of this disclosure may include a golf club head and a shaft configured to engage with the golf club head which includes a grip engaged with the shaft. Further, the golf club may include a monitoring device, which includes a sensor and a transmitter. Additionally, the monitoring device may be configured to determine data related to the characteristics of a golf swing. Further, the monitoring device may be configured to transmit the data related to the characteristics of a golf swing to a remote computer.

Claims

1. An assembly comprising:

a golf bag comprising;

a golf bag base having a first induction coil connected to a first power source;

a container attached to the golf bag base wherein the container is configured to retain a golf club;

a cartridge having a second induction coil, the cartridge engaged with a grip end of the golf club; and

a monitoring device having a second power source, the monitoring device engaged with the cartridge;

wherein when the grip end of the golf club is inserted into the container, a first electrical current flows in the first induction coil to induce a second electrical current into the second induction coil of the cartridge to charge the second power source.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the first power source is a battery contained within the golf bag.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the first power source comprises a plug connected to the golf bag that is connected to an external power source.

4. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the external power source is contained on an apparatus for transporting the golf bag, the apparatus for transporting a golf bag having a platform for supporting the golf bag.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the cartridge comprises a first pair of electrical contacts that are in contact with a second pair of electrical contacts on an exterior of the monitoring device when the monitoring device is secured within the cartridge.

6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the cartridge has an upper portion having a substantially cylindrical shape, and wherein the upper portion contains the second induction coil.

7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein when the second electrical current is induced into the second induction coil of the cartridge, the first induction coil is substantially parallel to the second induction coil.

8. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the golf bag further comprises a sensor configured to detect when the golf club is inserted into the golf bag and wherein the first electrical current in the first induction coil is configured to activate once the sensor detects the golf club has been inserted into the golf bag.

9. An assembly comprising:

a golf club having golf club head end and a grip end;

a golf bag comprising;

a golf bag base having a first induction coil connected to a first power source;

a container attached to the golf bag base, the container configured to engage the golf club; and

a monitoring device engaged with the grip end of the golf club, the monitoring device having a second induction coil and a second power source;

wherein when the grip end of the golf club is inserted into the container, a first electrical current may flow in the first induction coil and induce a second electrical current into the second induction coil to charge a second power source within the monitoring device.

10. The assembly of claim 9, wherein the first power source is a battery contained within the golf bag.

11. The assembly of claim 9, wherein the first power source is an external power source that is connected to the first induction coil through a cable connected to the golf bag at a first end and connected to an external power source at a second end.

12. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the external power source is contained on an apparatus for transporting the golf bag, the apparatus for transporting the golf bag having a platform for supporting the golf bag and a plug configured to engage a socket on the golf bag.

13. The assembly of claim 9, wherein when the second electrical current is induced into the second induction coil of the monitoring device, the first induction coil is substantially parallel to the second induction coil.

14. The assembly of claim 9, wherein the golf bag further comprises a sensor configured to detect when the golf club is inserted into the golf bag, and wherein the first electrical current in the first induction coil is configured to activate once the sensor detects the golf club has been inserted into the golf bag.

15. An assembly comprising:

an apparatus for transporting a golf bag comprising a platform to support the golf bag, and a first induction coil connected to a first power source;

wherein the golf bag comprises a golf bag base containing a second induction coil; and

wherein when the golf bag base is positioned adjacent the platform, a first electrical current in the first induction coil induces a second electrical current in the second induction coil of the golf bag base to charge a second power source within the golf bag.

16. The assembly of claim 15, wherein the second induction coil is positioned near a bottom surface of the golf bag base, and the golf bag base further comprises a third induction coil positioned near an upper surface of the golf bag base;

and the assembly further comprises;

a monitoring device including a fourth induction coil, wherein the monitoring device engages a grip end of a golf club; and

wherein when the grip end of the golf club is inserted into the container of the golf bag, a third electrical current in the third induction coil induces a fourth electrical current into the fourth induction coil of the monitoring device to charge a third power source within the monitoring device.

17. The assembly of claim 15, wherein the second induction coil is positioned near a bottom surface of the golf bag base, and the golf bag base further comprises a third induction coil positioned near an upper surface of the golf bag base;

and

the assembly further comprises;

a cartridge having a fourth induction coil;

a monitoring device carried by the cartridge, wherein the cartridge engages a grip end of a golf club; and

wherein when the grip end of the golf club is inserted into the container of the golf bag, a third electrical current in the third induction coil induces a fourth electrical current into the fourth induction coil of the cartridge to charge a third power source within the monitoring device.

18. The assembly of claim 17, wherein the golf bag further comprises a sensor configured to detect when the golf club is inserted into the golf bag, and wherein the third electrical current in the third induction coil is configured to activate once the sensor detects the golf club has been inserted into the golf bag.