WO2009026951A1

WO2009026951A1 - Apparatus and method for controlling the hitting accuracy in the case of a golf club

Info

Publication number: WO2009026951A1
Application number: PCT/EP2007/007646
Authority: WO
Inventors: Richard Jaekel; Arnold Herp
Original assignee: Richard Jaekel; Arnold Herp
Priority date: 2007-09-01
Filing date: 2007-09-01
Publication date: 2009-03-05
Also published as: KR20100061710A; CA2696881A1; JP2010536514A; EP2183036B1; EP2183036A1; US20100222152A1

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 accuracy of a golf club

The invention relates to a device and a method for controlling the accuracy with which a golf club hits a golf ball with the club face of its club head.

Especially when putting, it is crucial that the putter used for this purpose is guided very precisely, so that he hits the goifbaii with the ideal point of the face, the so-called sweet spot, taking into account the center of gravity. The situation is similar when chipping and pitching.

Normally, it is only the result of a variety of puttings to detect whether a golfer masters the putting techniques and regularly hits the sweet spot. Occasionally, a camera is used to help optimize the movement, but shooting and evaluating the movies are time consuming and expensive, so they can only be considered as a temporary measure. It is also possible to apply a film that discolors under pressure on the face of the putter before each pile and then evaluate the sequence of the sheets. This procedure is also too cumbersome to be practiced over a longer period of time.

Finally, the company Alan Electronics GmbH, 63303 Dreieich with the Internet address www.dixxgolf.de under the name "DiXX Digital Instruction Putter" a golf club sold, which offers the possibility, at the back of the club head either a housing, the acceleration tion sensors, a measuring and evaluation electronics and a flat screen, or a weight that is as heavy as this unit to attach interchangeably. Although the accelerometers are capable of detecting several parameters of the golf club's motion during a swing, including the location of the impact point on one or the other soap from the sweet spot. A precise determination of that point of the club face with which the ball was hit, however, is not possible with such a measuring method.

The invention is therefore an object of the invention to provide a device of the type mentioned above, which can be attached to a conventional golf club, without changing its properties significantly, no disturbing side activity during playing only requires for measuring purposes, the impact of the golf ball more than registered so far and the recorded and according to the program evaluated measurement results in a form that they are always at hand.

The above object is achieved by a device consisting of

a plate-shaped sensor which can be detachably fastened to the face in a specific position and by means of which the position of the point of impact can be locally localized in the event of impact against a golf ball,

- One in a shaft or on the back of the head of the golf club releasably attachable housing mounted together with an electrical voltage source, cooperating with the sensor via signal lines, electronic measuring and arithmetic circuit, through which in each case a blow to a golf ball a measuring process for determining of coordinates of the impact point relative to Location of a predetermined reference point is executable, and

- A radio module connected to the measuring and arithmetic circuit for the wireless transmission of the measurement results to an evaluation device in the manner of a mobile phone, smart phone or PDA 's for program-controlled evaluation and display of the measurement results on its screen.

The plate-shaped sensor is so light and thin that it is virtually imperceptible when a strike is made. As a result of the attachment to the golf club's face, not on its back, every point of impact is registered very precisely. The preferably attachable to the shaft of the golf club measuring and calculation circuit increases its weight only minimally, because they need only perform the necessary functions for controlling the measurement process and for determining the coordinates of the point of impact and spark the measurement results, for example, to a cell phone or smartphone. There they can be stored and evaluated by means of suitable programs. A cell phone, smartphone or the like with a radio module is usually available anyway and is regularly taken to the golf course. Suitable programs for the evaluation of the measurement results can be made available on the Internet for downloading to the mobile phone or smartphone. Thus, it can be read immediately after a blow from the display of the phone, which point of the club hit the ball. The player can then try on the next stroke to correct any mistake in holding and leading the racket. In addition, at any time and on any occasion, such as during a train ride or in a restaurant, he may take the mobile phone and, alone or with other golfers, collect it over a long period of time, for example View the accuracy of the graphs displayed, compare and discuss them with the other players.

The plate-shaped sensor is preferably constructed in the manner of a computer touchpad with a rectangular support plate having a first electrically conductive layer applied on its front side, which is connected along two opposite edge regions respectively to a printed conductor connected to a signal line, and one in front of Support plate arranged, flexible protective plate having a deposited on its back, the second electrically conductive layer, which is connected along two opposite edge regions in each case connected to a signal line, a printed conductor extending transversely to the interconnected with the first conductive layer interconnects, wherein the conductive layers are separated by elastic spacers, the restoring force of which is chosen so that it is only temporarily in contact with a golf ball at the impact point for contact between the conductive layer n comes.

Such a touchpad is described, for example, in US Pat. No. 6,239,790 B1, which is hereby incorporated by reference for the purpose of describing the operation of the above-identified sensor for the sake of simplicity. It should be noted, however, that a computer touchpad, for example, on a laptop, properly mounted insoluble in the case of the computer and only relatively light and slow touched with the finger. The sensor of the measuring device according to the invention, however, is mechanically much more heavily loaded by the blows against a hard golf ball. In addition, different requirements apply to the sensor because, in contrast to a computer touchpad, it should be easily detachable from the supporting surface. It has surprisingly been found that despite the higher compared to a touchpad, sudden loading when using the same materials, the solution of the problems arising from the other requirements does not exist in a thicker or stronger training of the sensor, but just the other way around in a reduction the plate thickness. While in a touchpad of the type mentioned the support plate normally has a thickness of about 1.6 mm, the support plate of the new sensor can be about half as thick, because it is supported over its entire surface on the clubface of the golf club, so that a larger Strength is not required.

At the same time, the reduction of the thickness of the carrier plate provides the advantage that it and with it the plate-shaped sensor becomes more flexible, so that it can be detached more easily when it is fastened to the striking surface of the golf club with a double-sided adhesive film.

Another difference between the sensor of the proposed measuring device and a computer touchpad is that the support plate of the touchpad on its back or bottom is provided with tracks and carries electronic components. In the case of the proposed sensor, by contrast, the sensor electronics are located in the housing, preferably mounted on the shaft of the golf club, of the measuring and calculating circuit. The thinner support plate and the displacement of the sensor electronics to the club shaft has the further advantageous consequence that the entire plate-shaped sensor need only have a thickness of about 1 to 2 mm and thus the clubface of the golf club is only minimally advanced. The sensor of the new device is more exposed to changing temperature and humidity than a computer touchpad. Therefore, it is expedient that the protective plate in the edge region materially connected firmly and tightly connected to the carrier plate except for a ventilation opening, z. B. is glued. The ventilation opening can be covered with a waterproof, but gas-permeable film or by an overlap, such. As in a labyrinth seal, be sealed so that the sensor is at least dust and splash-proof to IP54.

Tests have shown that the sensory-active area of the sensor only needs to be about 45 to 55 mm wide and about 16 to 20 mm for putter, and 20-30 mm for rackets for pitching and chipping. The sweet spot is preferably in the middle.

In addition, it appears expedient that the signal lines between the sensor and the measuring and computing circuit have a separable connector. This allows the two units to be individually attached to the golf rack and replaced. Preferably, one connector half is fixedly attached to the housing of the measuring or arithmetic circuit or fixed to the carrier plate, while the other half connector is located at the free end of a cable. For the attachment of this housing on the shaft of the golf club a variety of design variants are available. It may already be sufficient to fix the housing frictionally by means of at least one clamp or a tension band on the shaft, wherein a rubber-like contact surface or intermediate layer is advantageous.

An embodiment of the invention will be explained below with reference to the drawing. Show it: Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of the overall configuration of the proposed device;

FIG. 2 shows a simplified cross section through the sensor; FIG.

Fig. 3 is an equivalent circuit diagram of the sensor;

Fig. 4 shows the essential parts of the attached on the club shaft sensor electronics and

Fig. 5 shows a simplified cross section through the housing of the sensor electronics and the club shaft at an attachment point.

In Fig. 1, a golf club is shown, the club head with 10, 12 with shaft and handle 14 are designated. On the striking surface 16 of the club head a sensor 18 explained in more detail below is fixed, whose active sensitive area is designated 20. The directions of the coordinates x, y and z used below are also entered. Their common starting point is in Sweet Spot 22 of the clubface 16.

The sensor 18 is connected via a plug connection 24 and to a cable 26 combined signal lines with a mounted in a protective housing 28, generally designated 30 sensor electronics with a measuring and arithmetic circuit, which is mounted by means of an easily detachable fastening mechanism 32 on the shaft 12 and a radio module 34, preferably Bluetooth, with a mobile evaluation device 36 in the manner of a mobile phone, smartphone or PDA is in communication, whose corresponding radio module with 38, flat screen with 40 and keyboard with 42 are designated. Optionally comes as an evaluation device 36, a laptop in question.

In the evaluation unit 36, the y- determined by the measuring and calculating circuit 30, referred to the sweet point 22 y- and z-coordinates of the accurately registered by the sensor 18 impact point of a golf ball together with the coordinates of the impact points of other ball strokes programmatically evaluated and graphed.

The sensor 18 has the structure shown in FIG. It consists of a by means of a double-sided adhesive sheet 46 fastened to the striking surface 16 support plate 48 and a outside of this arranged protective plate 50. The support plate 48 may for example consist of glass fiber reinforced epoxy resin (preferably FR4 or FR5). The protective plate 50 may be made of plastic (preferably polyester). As both sides adhesive film 46 come under the brand names Tesa, Herma or Scotch commercially available films in question, preferably the adhesive force on the side connected to the support plate 48 side of the adhesive film is slightly larger than on the side to be joined with the impact surface 16.

On their mutually facing inner sides, the carrier plate 48 and the protective plate 50 are each provided with an electrically conductive layer 52 and 54, respectively. These may be semiconductor layers according to US Pat. No. 6,239,790 Bl, which have a certain linear electrical resistance. Between the two electrically conductive layers 52 and 54 spacers 56 are arranged in sufficient size and distribution, which ensure that the conductive layers 52, 54 only come into contact with each other, when the flexible protective plate 50 regional or punctual, such as For example, in a blow to a golf ball, a sufficient pressure is applied. As indicated at 58, the protective plate 50 is firmly bonded in the edge region with the support plate 48, but at least one not shown ventilation and venting remains free, the manner of a Labyrinthdichtung is designed so that the sensor 18 dust and splash-proof to IP54.

Also not shown are two printed traces extending along opposite edge portions of the carrier plate 48 and electrically connected along their length to the conductive layer 52. The support plate 48 is provided on its inside with two other printed conductors extending longitudinally opposite edge regions at right angles to the first-mentioned interconnects and contact in the assembled state over its length, the electrically conductive layer 54 on the protective plate 50. Alternatively, the tracks electrically connected to the conductive layer 54 could also be printed on the guard plate 50. Each of the 4 tracks is connected to the measurement and calculation circuit 30 via a signal line continuing in the cable 26.

If the flexible protective plate 50 is pressed in a position so far that the conductive layer 54 contacts the other conductive layer 52 on the support plate 48, after applying a certain reference voltage to the conductor tracks connected to one of the two layers between the In each case, a voltage is measured which is proportional to a change in the distances of the impingement point from the interconnects connected to the reference voltage, so that the y and z coordinates can also be determined after a calibration.

In the case of the computer touchpad of US Pat. No. 6,239,790 B1, the distances of a contact pressure point from the perpendicularly oriented conductor paths are calculated on the basis of the time required for the current to reach certain printed circuit traces. to charge connected capacitors. A longer path of the current through one of the conductive layers is tantamount to a greater resistance, ie a lower current intensity and thus a longer period of time for charging the capacitor in question.

In contrast, another, faster measuring method is provided for working with the new sensor because of the sudden loads. Reference is made to the equivalent circuit shown in Fig. 3, wherein Yl and Yr arranged on the left and right edge, for example, the conductive layer 52 traces, Zo and Zu arranged at the top and bottom of the conductive layer 54 Conductors, with RyI, Ryr, Rzo and Rzu to the corresponding tracks associated fixed resistors and Rya and Ryb, and Rza and Rzb the resistors in the kΩ region of the conductive layer 52 and the layer 54 are respectively designated between the impact point and the four tracks ,

Without touching the two layers 52, 54 at the point of impact, the resistance between a trace of the layer 52 and a trace of the layer 54 is infinite because of the spacers 56. If there is a sufficiently strong pressure on the protective plate 50 at certain points, the two layers 52, 54 form the resistance network shown in FIG. In order to determine the coordinates of the impact point of a golf ball, a defined reference voltage V _{Ref is} applied alternately between Y1 and Yr during the pressure and at the same time the voltage drop is measured with high resistance at one end of the other layer. The measured voltages between Zu and Yr

Vz = Vref x (Rzb + Rzu) / (Rzo + Rza + Rzb + Rzu) or between Yl and Zo

Vy = Vref x (Rya + RyI) / (Ryl + Rya + Ryb + Ryr) are, as can be seen, proportional to the position of the impact point in the Z and Y directions on the sensor surface. By measuring the voltages at pressure on z. B. four symmetrically arranged around the zero point 22 of the coordinate system registration marks 44, which are printed on the protective plate 50 in the region of the active sensor surface with a defined distance, the ratio between voltage and distance can be determined and thus calibrate the sensor so that from the voltage values a conversion of the position in mm, relative to the set on the sweet spot zero point 22 of the coordinate system, is possible.

The measurements are carried out continuously with a suitable sampling frequency of IkHz to 4 kHz, preferably 2 kHz, in order to be able to reliably determine the position of a point of impact during the pressure duration in both coordinate directions. In addition, the time of impact of the golf ball and the pressure duration can be determined by the fact that valid measured values can be distinguished from 0 volt by the constant terminal resistances RyI, Ryr, Rzo and Rzu. The voltages that can be measured when the pressure is triggered lie between for the z axis

Vref x (Rz + Rz + Rzb) / (Rz + Rz + Rzb + Rzz) Volts and

Vref x Rzu / (Rzo + Rza + Rzb + Rzu) volts and for the y-axis between

Vref x (Ryl + Rya + Ryb) / (Ryl + Rya + Ryb + Ryr) volts and

Vref x Ryr / (Ryl + Rya + Ryb + Ryr) volts. The sampling takes place with 8 bits to 12 bits, preferably with 10 bits.

4, the essential parts of the measuring and calculating circuit 30 are shown. They are mounted in the housing 28 on a circuit board 60 and interconnected in the usual way. Most important is a microcomputer labeled RAM of 62, FLASH memory, A / D converters, inputs and outputs (GPIOs) and serial interface, preferably UART and SPI. The microcomputer 62 controls the application of the reference voltage to the signal lines connected to the electrically conductive layers 52, 54, registers the voltages and associated times measured during the measurement processes, and calculates the coordinates of the points of impact. These are buffered and forwarded via the radio module 34 with an antenna, preferably a ceramic antenna 35, to the evaluation device 36. The power supply is a battery 64, the charge controller is shown at 66. The charging takes place via a socket 68, preferably a mini-B type USB socket or a 2.5 mm jack socket. About this socket and the microcomputer 62 can be reprogrammed.

FIG. 5 shows a quick-fastening mechanism for releasably attaching the housing 28 of the measuring and calculating circuit 30 to the shaft 12 of the golf club, preferably according to FIG. 1 on the club head 10 or on the side of the shaft 12 opposite the striking surface 16. As shown, the housing 28 is fluted on the side adjacent to the shaft 12 with a diameter slightly larger than the shaft diameter. Between the housing 28 and the shaft 12, a rubber insert 70 is used, which can also be glued to the housing 28 and can help to make the housing dustproof and splash-proof to IP54. The connection of the housing with the shaft 12 by means of a flexible plastic strap or a strap 72, z. As a textile tape, which can be rubberized on the inside. One end of the tension band 72 is fixed to a fixedly connected to the housing 28 deflection pin 74. On the opposite side of the deflecting pin of the housing 28 that is around the Shank 12 laid tension band connected to a clamping or locking lever 76 which engages in a recess 78 of the housing 28 and the clamping band 72 biases in its closing movement. It is understood that there are a variety of other mechanisms for mounting the housing 28 on the shaft 12, z. B. hooks on at least one side of the housing 28, are hooked into the guided around the opposite side of the shaft 12 clamping rubbers.

The evaluation unit 36 operates in the master mode in order, if necessary, to receive, store and evaluate the measurement data of a plurality of measurement and calculation circuits 30, which are each transmitted to the evaluation device 36 by means of Bluetooth via a suitable transmission protocol, preferably SPP or HDI and to visualize. In this way, for. B. Two or four players directly compare their evaluated data in a common graph.

Claims

claims

1. A device for controlling the accuracy with which a golf club with the club face (16) of its club head (10) hits a golf ball, characterized by

a plate-shaped sensor (18), which can be fastened in a certain position detachably on the impact surface 16), by means of which the position of the point of impact can be selectively localized in the event of impact against a golf ball,

a housing (28) detachably mountable in a shaft (12) or on the back of the head (10) of the golf club together with an electrical power source (64), cooperating with the sensor (18) via signal lines (26) Measuring and calculating circuit (30), through which a measuring operation for determining coordinates of the impact point relative to the position of a predetermined reference point (22) can be executed in each case in a strike against a golf ball, and

a radio module (34) connected to the measuring and arithmetic circuit (30) for the wireless transmission of the measurement results to an evaluation device (36) in the manner of a mobile phone, smart phone or PDA for program - controlled evaluation and display of the measurement results on its screen (40 ).

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the plate-shaped sensor (18) is a touchpad with a rectangular support plate (48) having a front side applied to its first electrically conductive layer (52) along two opposite edge regions each with a to a signal connected to a printed circuit board, and a flexible protective plate (50) arranged in front of the carrier plate (48) with a second electrically conductive layer (54) applied on its rear side, each having a signal conductor connected to a signal line along two opposite edge regions; printed conductor track which extends transversely to the conductor tracks connected to the first conductive layer (52), wherein the conductive layers (52, 54) by elastic spacers (56) are separated, the restoring force is selected so that it is at a strike against a golf ball at the point of impact temporarily comes into contact between the conductive layers (52, 54).

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the protective plate (50) is materially firmly connected to the support plate in the edge region except for at least one ventilation opening.

4. Apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the carrier plate (48) is a maximum of lmm thick and flexible.

5. Device according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the sensorically active surface of the sensor (18) about 45-55 mm wide and for putter about 16-20 mm high and for rackets for pitching and chipping 20-30 mm is high.

6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the plate-shaped sensor (18) by a two-sided adhesive film (46) releasably on the striking surface (16) can be fastened.

7. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the signal lines (26) between the sensor (18) and the measuring and calculating circuit (30) have a separable connector (24).

8. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the housing (28) of the measuring and calculating circuit (30) by means of a clamping band (72) via a rubber-like contact surface (70) frictionally on the shaft (12) can be fastened.

9. A method for determining the position of the impact point of a golf ball on the club face (16) of a golf club by means of a device according to claim 2, characterized in that during the period of contact of the conductive layers (52, 54) alternately at the meeting point between an electrical voltage is applied to opposite edge regions of one of the conductive layers (52, 54) and a voltage measurement is carried out on at least one of the edge regions of the respective other conductive layer (54, 52) and that the voltage values are converted into coordinates of the impact point by means of a proportionality factor.