KR20100061710A - Apparatus and method for controlling the hitting accuracy in the case of a golf glub - Google Patents

Abstract

The apparatus is used to control the accuracy with which the striking surface (16) of a golf club hits a golf ball. It has a plate-type sensor (18) which can be fastened to the striking surface (16) and can be used to locate the point of impact. The sensor (18) is connected, by means of signal lines (26), to a measuring and computation circuit (30) which can be releasably fastened to the shaft (12) or the rear side of the head of the golf club, is mounted in a housing (28) together with an electrical voltage source and carries out a measuring operation for each stroke in order to determine coordinates of the point of impact relative to the position of a predetermined reference point (22). A radio module (34) which is connected to the measuring and computation circuit (30) transmits the measurement results to an evaluation device (36) in the form of a mobile phone or the like for the program-controlled evaluation and display of the measurement results on the screen (40) thereof.

Description

Apparatus and method for controlling the hitting accuracy of a golf club {APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE HITTING ACCURACY IN THE CASE OF A GOLF GLUB}

The present invention is directed to an apparatus and method for controlling accuracy in which the striking face of a club head of a golf club strikes a golf ball.

Specifically, it is important that the putter used for the blow is accurately guided, hitting the golf ball to the ideal spot of the hitting face, called a sweet spot, which is considered the center of gravity. This situation is similar for chipping and pitching.

In general, it can only be detected from the results of a large number of putts as to whether a golfer has acquired a putting technique and consistently hits the sweet spot. Sometimes cameras are used as tools to optimize a series of movements, but taking pictures and evaluating film can be time-consuming and expensive, and can only be considered as a temporary step. Before each putt, it is also possible to apply a foil that changes color when pressure is applied to the face of the putter and subsequently evaluate the series of foils. This method is also very cumbersome to be carried out over a long period of time.

Finally, the possibility of selectively securing the weight of the housing corresponding to such a unit or the housing comprising the accelerometers, the electronic evaluation device and the flat image screen, in an exchangeable manner, behind the club head. The golf club, referred to as "DiXX Digital Instruction Putter", which provides the web site of Alan Electronics GmbH, Dreiieich 63303, at the Internet address www.dixxgolf.de. Sold by). Acceleration sensors are also suitable for detecting some parameters of the golf club's movement during the club swing process, among other things, the location of the impact point on one side or the other side of the sweet spot. However, an accurate determination of the actual point on the hitting face at which the golf ball is hit is impossible with this measurement method.

Therefore, the object of the present invention can be attached to a conventional golf club without substantially changing its characteristics, and does not require an interference operation only for measurement purposes during play, and more accurately golf so far. It is to provide a device of the type mentioned earlier that records the impact point of the ball and shows the measurement results recorded in a form available at any time after being evaluated according to the program.

The above purpose,

A plate-type sensor which can be separably fixed at a designated position on the striking face and which allows the exact position of the impact point to be localized in the course of hitting the golf ball,

Electronic measuring circuitry and electrical, operating with the plate-shaped sensor via a signal line such that a measuring process for determining the coordinates of the impact point relative to the position of a predetermined reference point can be performed during each golf ball impact process. A housing including a voltage source, the housing being detachably secured behind the head or the shaft of the golf club, and

A wireless connection to the measurement calculation circuit for wireless transmission of the measurement results to the evaluation device, having the property of a mobile phone, a smartphone or a PDA, for displaying the measurement results on its display screen and for performing a program controlled evaluation. It is achieved by the present invention by a device comprising a radio module.

The plate-like sensor is so light and thin that it can't actually feel when the stroke is performed. Since they are mounted on the striking face of the golf club, not on the back, each impact point is recorded very accurately. The measurement calculation circuit, which may preferably be fixed to the shaft of the golf club, merely performs the functions necessary to control the measurement process and determine the coordinates of the impact point, for example by wireless communication with a mobile phone or smartphone. Since the measurement results only need to be transmitted, the weight is increased to a minimum. The measurement results can be stored in a mobile phone or smartphone and evaluated by a suitable program. In most cases, cell phones or smartphones are available anyway and are usually taken to the golf course. Appropriate programs for evaluating measurement results can be made available for download to mobile phones or smartphones via the Internet. Thus, immediately after the stroke, it is possible to read on the display of the cellular phone the point on the striking face that has been in contact with the golf ball. Then, the player can already try in the next stroke process to correct any mistakes that may occur in holding and guiding the club. Furthermore, the player can pick up the mobile phone at any time, for example during a train trip or at a restaurant, and can review the level of accuracy of the hits, collected and evaluated over a long period of time, diagrammatically, alone or with other golfers, For example, you can compare the strike with other players, and discuss the strike.

The plate-shaped sensor has a rectangular support plate, which is mounted in front of its own, with respective printed strip conductors connected to the signal line and a first electrically conductive layer connected along two oppositely located edge regions. And a second electrically conductive layer connected along each of the two oppositely positioned edge regions with respective print strip conductors extending transverse to the strip conductor connected to the first electrically conductive layer and connected to a signal line. It is equipped with a flexible protective plate mounted behind it, and the electrically conductive layers are provided by elastic spacers having a restoring force selected in such a way that there is a temporary contact between the conductive layers when a golf ball hits the impact point. It is desirable to be configured in a separate computer touchpad manner.

Such touch pads are described, for example, in US Pat. No. 6,238,790 B1, which is mentioned for simplicity with reference to the description of the function of the sensor specified above. However, it should be noted here that, for example, a computer touchpad on a laptop is intended to be firmly mounted in the housing of the computer and is relatively light and slow to touch by a finger. In contrast, the sensor of the measuring device according to the invention is mechanically pressed to a much greater extent when hitting a hard golf ball. Furthermore, as opposed to computer touchpads, they are easily detachable from the support surface, which places different requirements on the sensor.

Despite the greater shock-like pressurization compared to touchpads, when the same material is used, the solution of problems due to different conditions is not in the design of a thicker or stronger sensor, but vice versa. It seemed surprising that there was a reduction in the thickness of the plate. In the touchpad of the type mentioned, the support plate is generally about 1.6 mm thick, while the support plate of the new sensor is supported over the entire surface of the golf club's striking face and does not require a thicker thickness. It can be about half the thickness.

At the same time as the thickness of the support plate is reduced, the support plate and the plate-shaped sensor with it become more flexible and thus the support plate can be more easily removed if the support plate is fixed on the striking face of the golf club by the foil with adhesive sides. , Advantage is achieved.

A further difference between the sensor of the proposed measuring device and the computer touchpad is that the support plate of the touchpad is provided with strip conductors behind or below it and supports the electronic components. In contrast, the sensor electronics of the proposed sensor are located in the housing of the measurement calculation circuit, which is preferably attached to the shaft of the golf club. The movement of the thinner support plate and sensor electronics to the club shaft allows the entire plate-shaped sensor to have a thickness of only approximately 1 to 2 mm, thus allowing the golf club's striking face to be moved forward only minimally. This should have additional beneficial consequences.

Sensors in new devices are more exposed to temperature changes and moisture than computer touchpads. Therefore, the protective plate is adhesively bonded in a material-to-material manner with the support plate in the edge region, for example with the support plate except for the air inlet and outlet opening, and tightly and sealingly connected. It is beneficial to be. The air inlet is covered by a waterproof but air-permeable foil, for example, such as in a labyrinth seal, so that the sensor is protected from dust and splashing water at least according to the IP 54 (Internatinal protection 54) standard. Can be sealed by a cover.

Testing has shown that the active sensor face only needs to be approximately 45-55 mm wide, approximately 16-20 mm high for putters and 20-30 mm high for pitching and chipping clubs. Preferably, the sweet spot is centered.

Furthermore, it would be advantageous to have a plug connection structure in which the signal lines between the sensor and the measurement calculation circuit can be separated. This allows for independent mounting and replacement of two separate units on the golf club. Preferably, half of the plug connection structure is securely attached to the housing of the measurement calculation circuit or fixed to the support plate while the other half of the plug connection structure is arranged at the free end of the cable. Many variations are available for securing such a housing to the shaft of a golf club. It may already be sufficient to secure the housing in a frictionally connected manner by at least one clamp or one clamping strip, where a rubber-like contact face or intermediate layer is present. This will be beneficial.

An exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the drawings.
1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of a proposed apparatus;
2 is a simplified cross-sectional view across the sensor,
3 is an equivalent circuit diagram of a sensor,
4 shows the essential components of the sensor electronic component attached to the club shaft, FIG.
5 is a simplified cross-sectional view of the housing of the club shaft and sensor electronics in the attachment position.

A golf club is shown in FIG. 1 in which the club head is identified by reference numeral 10, the shaft by reference numeral 12, and the grip by reference numeral 14. The sensor 18, which will be described in more detail below, is fixed to the striking face 16 of the club head, whose active sensor face is identified by reference numeral 20. Here, the directions of the coordinates x, y and z used subsequently are also shown. The origin common to these coordinates is located at the sweet spot 22 of the striking face 16.

The sensor 18 is a protective housing 28 attached to the shaft 12 by an easily detachable fixing structure 32 via a plug connection 24 and a signal line 26 coupled to form a cable. Corresponding wireless communication module 40 identified with reference 38, via a wireless communication module 34 mounted within and having a measurement calculation circuit 30 and preferably Bluetooth, And a mobile evaluation device 36 having the characteristics of a mobile phone, a smartphone or a PDA, having a flat panel display screen and a keyboard identified with reference 42. If desired, a laptop can also be used as the evaluation device 36.

The x- and y-coordinates of the golf ball impact point for the sweet spot 22, accurately recorded at the point by the sensor 18 and determined by the measurement calculation circuit 30, are the impact points of other golf ball strikes. Along with the coordinates of, the evaluation device 36 is evaluated and graphically displayed by program control.

The sensor 18 is of the structure shown in FIG. The sensor consists of a support plate 48, which can be fixed on the striking face 16 by a double-sided adhesive foil 46, and a protective plate 50, which is arranged outside the front of the support plate 48. For example, the support plate 48 may be made of glass fiber reinforced epoxy resin (preferably FR 4 (Frame Retadent 4) or FR 5). The protective plate 50 may be made of a plastic material (preferably polyester). Foils commercially marketed under the trademark Tesa, Herrma or Scotch may be considered for use on foils 46 with adhesives on both sides, in which case the adhesion may be It is preferred to be slightly larger at the side connected with the support plate 48 than at the side to be connected.

The supporting plate 48 and the protective plate 50 are provided to have the electrically conductive layers 52 and 54 inside, respectively, facing each other. These may be semiconductor layers according to US Pat. No. 6,239,790 B1, having a specified linear resistance. The electrically conductive layers 52 only if sufficient size and sufficiently distributed spacers 56 are hit, for example by a golf ball, when sufficient pressure is applied to a certain area or points on the flexible protective plate 50. , 54 are arranged between the two electrically conductive layers 52, 54. As indicated by reference numeral 58, the protective plate 50 is firmly glued together with the support plate 48 along the edge regions, but here, although not shown, with the at least one air entrance open Retained and designed with labyrinth seals, the sensor is protected from dust and splashing water according to IP 54.

There are also two print strip conductors, which are not shown, extending along the edge regions located opposite each other of the support plate 48 and electrically connected over the entire length with the electrically conductive layer 52. The support plate 48 extends along the edge regions located therein at right angles to the firstly mentioned strip conductors and with the electrically conductive layer 54 on the protective plate 50 in the assembled state. It is provided to have two additional printed strip conductors that are in contact over the entire length. Optionally, strip conductors in electrical connection with the electrically conductive layer 54 may also be printed on the protective plate 50. The four strip conductors are individually connected to the measuring circuit 30 via signal lines extending in the cable 26.

If the flexible protective plate 50 is bent sufficiently large in one position so that the electrically conductive layer 54 touches the other electrically conductive layer 52 on the support plate 48, it is connected to one of the two electrically conductive layers. Subsequent application of the reference voltage specified to the strip conductors results in a voltage between strip conductors that are individually connected to other electrically conductive layers, rising or falling in proportion to the change in distance from the strip conductors charged with the reference voltage to the impact point. It is possible to measure, and with subsequent calibration, it is also possible to determine the x- and y-coordinates.

With respect to the computer touchpad of US Pat. No. 6,239,790 B1, the distances of the pressing points from strip conductors arranged at right angles to each other are required by the current to charge the specified capacitors connected to the strip conductors. It is calculated based on the length of time. The path of increased current through one of the electrically conductive layers corresponds to increased resistance, ie reduced current strength and thus the longer period of time required to charge the individual capacitor.

In contrast, because of the impact load, another faster measurement method is provided with respect to the action of the new sensor. For this purpose, the strip conductors identified as Yl and Yr are arranged at the left or right edge of the electrically conductive layer 52, respectively, and the strip conductors identified as Zo and Zu, respectively, for example. The fixed resistors, each arranged at the upper or lower edge and assigned to the respective strip conductors, are identified as Ryr Ryl, Rzo and Rzu, and are the k-range electrical conductors 52 between the impact point and the four strip conductors, respectively. Or a corresponding circuit diagram of FIG. 3, in which the resistances of each of the electrical conductors 54 are identified as Rya, Ryb, Rza and Rzb.

Without contact between the two electrically conductive layers 52, 54 at the impact point, the resistance between the strip conductor of the electrically conductive layer 52 and the strip conductor of the electrically conductive layer 54 is infinite because of the spacer 56. When a sufficiently large pressure is applied to the point on the protective plate 50, the two electrically conductive layers 52, 54 constitute a resistance network, as shown in FIG. 3. To determine the coordinates of the impact point of the golf ball, the specified reference voltage Vref is selectively applied during the striking, not only between the strip conductors Zo and Zu, but also between the strip conductors Yl and Yr, and at the same time The voltage drop is measured with high-inpedance at one end of the other electrically conductive layer. As can be seen, the measured voltage between the strip conductors Zu and Yr, Vz = Vref × (Rzb + Rzu) / (Rzo + Rza + Rzb + Rzu), and the measurement between the strip conductors Yl and Zo The voltage, Vy = Vref x (Rya + Ryl) / (Ryl + Rya + Ryb + Ryr), is proportional to the position in the Z and Y directions of the impact point on the sensor face, respectively.

Measure the voltages in the case of pressure on the recording mark 44, for example four, arranged symmetrically with respect to the origin 22 of the coordinate system, recorded at a specified interval in the area of the active sensor face on the support plate 50. By this, the correlation between the voltage and the interval can be determined and the sensor can be adjusted in this way, thus allowing the conversion of the voltage value from the position relative to the origin 22 of the coordinate system located on the sweet spot in mm. Do.

The measurement is continuous at a suitable scanning frequency of between 1 kH and 4 kH, preferably 2 kH, in order to be able to clearly determine the location of the impact point in both coordinate directions during the length of the pressure. Is performed. Furthermore, as valid measurements can be distinguished from zero volts by constant end resistances Ryr Ryl, Rzo and Rzu, the strike time and pressure length of the golf ball can be determined. The voltage that can be measured when pressure is applied is Vref × (Rzo + Rza + Rzb) / (Rzo + Rza + Rzb + Rzu) Volt and Vref × Rzu / (Rzo + Rza + Rzb + Rzu ) Between volts and between the y-axis, Vref x (Ryl + Rya + Ryb) / (Ryl + Rya + Ryb + Ryr) volts and Vref x Ryr / (Ryl + Rya + Ryb + Ryr) volts. Scanning is performed at 8 to 12 bits, preferably 10 bits.

In FIG. 4, the essential components of the measurement calculation circuit 30 are shown. They are attached to the board 60 in the housing 28 and connected to each other in a conventional manner.

Most importantly, the micro-computer identified by reference numeral 62, with RAM, flash memory, A / D converters, input / output devices (GPIOs) and serial interfaces, preferably UART and SPI. The micro-computer 62 controls the application of the reference voltage to the signal line connected with the electrically conductive layers 52, 54, records the voltage measured in the measurement process and the course of the associated time, and coordinates of the impact point. Calculate These are stored in the middle and move to the evaluation device 36 via a radio communication module 34 having a radio antenna, preferably a ceramic radio antenna 35. Battery 64 is used for current supply purposes, whose charging regulator is shown at 66. Charging takes place via a jack 68, preferably via a mini-B type USB jack or a 2.5mm jack bush. The micro-computer 62 may also be reprogrammed via this jack.

According to FIG. 1 it is preferably located on the side of the shaft 12 opposite the club head 10 or on the side opposite the striking face 16, the housing 28 of the measurement calculation circuit 30 being the shaft 12 of the golf club. A rapid-fastening mechanism is shown in FIG. 5 for releasably fastening onto the disk. As shown, the housing 28 is cut in a channel-like manner, with the side leaning against the shaft having a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the shaft. A rubber insert 70 is disposed between the housing 28 and the shaft 12, which may be adhesively bonded to the housing 28 and may help protect the housing from dust and splashing water according to IP 54 specifications. It became. The connection of the shaft and the housing is effected by a clamping strip 72, such as a flexible plastic shackle or, for example, a fabric strip, on which each inner side can be rubberized. One end of the clamping strip 72 is secured to a deflection pin 74 that connects with the housing 28. On the housing 28 side opposite the deflection pin, the clamping strip disposed around the shaft 12 engages with the cutout 78 of the housing 28 and in the course of the closing movement the clamping strip ( Engaging clamping or restraining lever 76, which clamps 72. For securing the housing 28 to the shaft 12, such as, for example, hooks on at least one side of the housing 28, in which a rubber clamping strip passed around the opposite side of the shaft 12 is caught. It will be appreciated that there are many different organizations.

The evaluation device 36 may be sent to the evaluation device 36 to store, evaluate and display the measurement data, for example, via Bluetooth or via a suitable transmission protocol, preferably SPP or HDI. It operates in master mode to receive the measurement data from the measurement calculation circuit 30 when necessary. In this way for two or four players it is possible to directly compare their evaluated data with one another, for example on a common curve diagram.

Claims (9)

In a device for controlling the accuracy with which the striking face 16 of a club head 10 of a golf club strikes a golf ball,
Plate-type sensor 18, which can be detachably fixed at a designated position on the striking face 16, and which allows the exact point of the position of the impact point to be localized in the course of striking the golf ball,
Work with the plate-shaped sensor 18 via the signal line 26 so that a measurement process for determining the coordinates of the impact point relative to the position of the predetermined reference point 22 can be performed during each golf ball impact process. A housing 28 comprising an electronic measurement circuit 30 and an electrical voltage source 64, detachably secured behind the head 10 of the golf club or on the shaft 12, and
In order to display the measurement results on its display screen 40 and wirelessly transmit the measurement results to the evaluation device 36 having the properties of a mobile phone, a smartphone or a PDA, for performing program controlled evaluation, the measurement calculation And a wireless communication module (34) coupled with the circuit (36). The method of claim 1,
The plate sensor 18,
A rectangular support plate 48 mounted in front of itself with respective print strip conductors connected to the signal lines and a first electrically conductive layer 52 connected along two oppositely located edge regions, and
A second electrically conductive layer connected along two oppositely located edge regions and respective print strip conductors extending transverse to the strip conductor connected to the first electrically conductive layer 52 and connected to a signal line; 54 is mounted on its rear side and has a flexible protective plate 50 arranged in front of the support plate 48,
The electrically conductive layers 52, 54 have a restoring force selected in such a way that there is a temporary contact between the electrically conductive layers 52, 54 when the golf ball strikes the impact point. Separated by
Apparatus for controlling the hitting accuracy of a golf club, characterized in that the touchpad. The method of claim 2,
The protection plate 50 is rigidly connected in a material-to-material manner with the support plate in the edge region, except for at least one air inlet, for controlling the accuracy of the hitting of a golf club. . The method of claim 2 or 3,
The support plate (48) has a thickness of up to 1 mm and is flexible for controlling the blow accuracy of a golf club. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 4,
The active sensor face of the plate-shaped sensor 18 has a width of 45 to 55 mm, and is 16 to 20 mm high for putters and 20 to 30 mm high for pitching and chipping clubs. Device for controlling. 6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The plate type sensor (18) can be detachably attached to the striking face (16) by means of a foil (46) that is bilaterally adhesive. The method of claim 1,
And said signal lines (26) have a plug connection structure which is separable between said plate sensor (18) and said measurement calculation circuit (30). The method of claim 1,
The housing 28 of the measurement calculation circuit 30 is characterized in that it can be fixed in a frictionally connected manner to the shaft 12 via a rubber insert 70 by a clamping strip 72. Device for controlling hit accuracy. A method for controlling the accuracy of a hit of a golf club by the device according to claim 2 to determine the position of the impact point of the golf ball on the hitting face 16 of the golf club.
During the contact time between the electrically conductive layers 52, 54 at the impact point, a voltage is selectively applied between the edge regions located opposite each other of one of the electrically conductive layers 52, 54, and the voltage The measurement is carried out in at least one of the edge regions of the other electrical conductor 54, 52, respectively, wherein the voltage value is converted into the coordinates of the impact point by a proportional factor. Way.

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