text: Patent US5688183 - Velocity monitoring system for golf clubs - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign in<nobr>Advanced Patent Search</nobr>PatentsA golf club head velocity monitor is disposed at or near the golfer's hands. The monitor is preferably detachably securable to the golfer's hands or a golf glove, so that a single monitor can easily be used with any club selected by the golfer. An inferential determination of club head velocity may be...http://www.google.com/patents/US5688183?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US5688183 - Velocity monitoring system for golf clubsAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS5688183 APublication typeGrantApplication numberUS 08/409,883Publication dateNov 18, 1997Filing dateMar 21, 1995Priority dateMay 22, 1992Fee statusPaidPublication number08409883, 409883, US 5688183 A, US 5688183A, US-A-5688183, US5688183 A, US5688183AInventorsJoseph Sabatino, Adelbert M. Gillen, Amir MakkiOriginal AssigneeSabatino; Joseph, Gillen; Adelbert M., Makki; AmirExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (15), Non-Patent Citations (2), Referenced by (53), Classifications (20), Legal Events (3) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetVelocity monitoring system for golf clubsUS 5688183 AAbstract A golf club head velocity monitor is disposed at or near the golfer's hands. The monitor is preferably detachably securable to the golfer's hands or a golf glove, so that a single monitor can easily be used with any club selected by the golfer. An inferential determination of club head velocity may be made from the output of a single accelerometer disposed to measure centripetal acceleration in the direction of the golf club shaft. The monitor may provide other functions such as timekeeping or scorekeeping functions.
  What is claimed is: 1. Apparatus for determining the velocity in the Z-plane of a golf club swung by a golfer, said club having a club head and a grip interconnected by a shaft, at the time of club head impact with a golf ball, comprising:at least one acceleration sensor having an output responsive to its acceleration, said output being computed by a measurement taken before an impact time of the club head with the golf ball, said impact of said club head with said golf ball generating a noise reading which is used to determine a time of impact, a means for detachably securing said sensor to the hands or wrists of said golfer, to a golf gove worn by said golfer, to said grip, or to said shaft adjacent to said grip, and arranged to measure radial acceleration in the Z-plane; and a means utilizing the sensor output for computing and displaying an output representing said club head impact velocity based upon said sensor output, said means defining Rh as the radius of the club head from the center of rotation C, defining Rs as the radius of the sensor from C, and As as the output from the sensor, whereby the angular velocity of the club head is ω and is determined by the formula ω=√(As /Rs), and the speed of the club head (Vh) is determined by the formula Vh =ωRh =(Rh /√Rs)√As and Vh is displayed as the sensor output. 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, including a plurality of acceleration sensors, each of which is responsive to acceleration in a different direction.
  FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to determination of characteristics of a sporting implement, such as a golf club, when swung. More particularly, this invention relates to a method and apparatus for monitoring the velocity of a golf club head by means which need not be permanently associated with the golf club. This invention also relates to accessories which may be secured to a golf glove during play.
  BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is known that the flight of a struck golf ball is determined in part by the velocity of the golf club head at the time of impact between the club head and the ball, as well as the characteristic of the club head and the ball, the orientation of the club head with respect to the ball, and factors operating on the ball in flight such as wind. Of these factors, essentially three are variable under control of the golfer--the club head characteristics, determined by the club selected by the golfer, and the club head velocity and orientation at impact. Upon selection of an appropriate club and stance for a particular shot, the success of the golfer in executing the shot is largely a matter of controlling the club head velocity at impact.
  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a system for golf club head velocity monitoring, and for monitoring the motion of other sporting implements, which avoids the aforementioned drawbacks of prior art systems. Instead of instrumenting the club head of each golf club in a set, the present invention employs a sensor which may be temporarily associated with each club in a set while it is in use. In order to facilitate use of the system and avoid interference with the swinging characteristics of each golf club, the sensor of the present invention is disposed near the golfer's hands during swinging. The sensor provides an output which is responsive to its movement, from which an inferential determination of golf club head velocity may be made. By using the method and apparatus of the present invention, the same means may be used to determine club head velocity for any club selected, and standard clubs may be used without any modification being necessary to enable the determination. Club head velocity may be determined in the ordinary course of the golfer's play.
  BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective illustration of a golf club, indicating the direction conventions used in the description and drawings.
  DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIG. 1 is a perspective illustration of a golf club, indicating direction conventions used in the description and drawings. A golf club 2 includes a shaft 6 having a club head 4 secured at one end thereof and a grip 8 secured at the other end thereof. A Z axis lies in the direction of the golf club handle 6. A pair of mutually perpendicular X and Y axes define an X-Y plane which is generally perpendicular to the Z axis. The Y axis as illustrated is the axis of movement of the golf club head during normal swinging.
  A variety of methods may be employed to inferentially determine club head velocity using a system as shown in FIG. 6. As has been described, a single accelerometer may be disposed to measure centripetal acceleration along the Z axis shown in FIG. 1. A sensor may be disposed to measure movement along the Y axis; if it is an accelerometer, its output may be integrated over the swing period until impact, and if it is a velocity sensor its output may be directly used to determine club head velocity. A pair of sensors may be used. For instance, an acceleration or velocity sensor may measure motion along the Y axis, and a centripetal accelerometer may measure acceleration along the Z axis as described, and their outputs averaged or otherwise combined to reduce measurement error. A pair of sensors may also be used to determine the club direction at impact. For instance, a pair of acceleration or velocity sensors may be disposed to measure in the X-Y plane, for instance at Y+45� and Y-45�. Their outputs may be combined to determine the club head speed at impact, and the difference in their outputs may be used to determine motion in the X direction at impact, i.e. whether the ball will be pushed (inside-out swing) or pulled (outside-in swing). Such a determination may also be made directly by a pair of sensors, one measuring in the X direction and one measuring in the Y direction. An array of three sensors may be disposed to measure in the Z direction and in the X-Y plane to enable virtually complete information regarding club head movement to be inferentially determined. Any such information derived from the sensors may be displayed.
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