DEVICE FOR DETECTING THE IMPACT QUALITY IN CONTACT SPORTS

Abstract

A device for detecting the impact quality in contact sports comprises at least one sensor for detecting a force acting on a training device and at least one sensor for detecting an acceleration of the training device, wherein the force sensor comprises a fluid-filled, elastically deformable sensor body, in which a pressure sensor measuring the fluid pressure is arranged.

Claims

1. A device for detecting the impact quality in contact sports comprising at least one force sensor for detecting a force acting on a training device and at least one acceleration sensor for detecting an acceleration of the training device, wherein the force sensor comprises a fluid-filled, elastically deformable sensor body, in which a pressure sensor is arranged for measuring the fluid pressure prevailing within the sensor body, wherein the detection unit is designed to evaluate the time series of the measured values of the acceleration sensor, in order to determine a trajectory, which is compared with predefined trajectories in order to determine an impact type, and wherein the detection unit is further designed to correct the measured values of the force sensor by using calibration data which are assigned to a corresponding impact type.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor body comprises a gas-filled chamber which is surrounded by a flexible shell deformable by impact and which contains an elastic support structure, the support structure forming a damping element which mechanically dampens the forces that occur during impact.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the elastic support structure at least partially surrounds the pressure sensor.

4. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein measured values of the force sensor and of the acceleration sensor are fed to a detection unit which is designed to record a time series of the measured values of the force sensor and the acceleration sensor.

5. (canceled)

6. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the acceleration sensor, the detection unit and/or a power storage is arranged inside the sensor body.

7. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 or claim 6, wherein the device further comprises the training device and wherein the force sensor and possibly the acceleration sensor are integrated, in particular embedded, in the training device.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the force sensor and the acceleration sensor are embedded, in particular sewn into, a boxing glove, a punch pad, a protective vest, a foot protector or a head protector as a training device.

9. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 or claims 6 to 8, wherein the force sensor and the acceleration sensor are surrounded by a damping layer, in particular a layer of plastic foam.

10. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 or claims 6 to 9, wherein the sensor body of the force sensor in an impact area of the training device, in particular boxing glove, is embedded in the training device such that the sensor body on a side facing the impact is covered by a damping layer of constant thickness, the sensor body preferably also being covered on a side facing away from the impact by a damping layer of constant thickness.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the sensor body is connected to the damping layer in a materially bonded manner.

12. A method for producing a device according to claim 1, comprising: producing a damping layer of a training device from a foamed material, in particular plastic foam, and embedding a fluid-filled, elastically deformable sensor body in the damping layer, wherein a pressure sensor is arranged in the sensor body, which measures a fluid pressure.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the step of producing the damping layer comprises arranging a placeholder for the sensor body in a mold, foaming the mold with an foaming material and removing the placeholder after the foaming material has solidified, and wherein the sensor body is inserted into a cavity formed by the removal of the placeholder.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the step of producing the damping layer comprises arranging the sensor body in a mold and foaming the mold with a foaming material, thereby embedding the sensor body in the damping layer.

15. The method according to claim 12 or 14, wherein the sensor body has an elastic support structure in which the pressure sensor measuring the fluid pressure is arranged, wherein the step of producing the damping layer comprises the arrangement of the support structure in a mold and the foaming of the mold with a foaming material, wherein the foaming material upon hardening forms a closed skin around the support structure at the interface with the support structure, said skin forming an airtight shell of the sensor body around the support structure.

Description

[0035] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments shown schematically in the drawing. Therein,

[0036] FIG. 1 shows a boxing glove in a side view,

[0037] FIG. 2 shows a foam core equipped with the device according to the invention in the interior of the boxing glove in cross section,

[0038] FIG. 3 shows a modified version of the foam core and

[0039] FIG. 4 shows another modified version of the foam core.

[0040] FIG. 1 shows a boxing glove 11, which has an area for receiving the thumb and another area for receiving the remaining fingers of the hand of a boxer. As is usual with boxing gloves, this includes a foam core 10, which is intended to protect the boxer's hand from injury.

[0041] As can be seen in FIG. 2, the foam core 10 is provided with a device for detecting the impact quality, comprising a force sensor and an acceleration sensor which are embedded in the interior of the foam core 10. The force sensor comprises a deformable sensor body 1 which has an airtight shell filled with a fluid, in particular a gas, preferably air, and an elastic support structure 2 filling the chamber enclosed by the shell. An (air) pressure sensor 3, the acceleration sensor 4, a microcontroller 5 and a wireless transmission unit 6 are arranged on an electronic circuit board 7 arranged in the interior of the sensor body 1, the electronic circuit board 7 being located completely in the interior of the sensor body 1 and is connected via a cable with a battery 8. The battery 8 is attached somewhat away from the striking surface, for example in the region of the cuff of the glove. With 9 a receiving and evaluation unit is designated. As can be seen from the figure, the shape of the sensor body 1 is adapted to the shape of the foam core 10, so that in front of and behind the sensor cushion (where front and back are to be understood in terms of the direction of impact) there is a constantly thick layer of the damping material of the foam core 10. This is important to obtain comparable results, regardless of the area of the boxing glove that is hit.

[0042] FIG. 3 shows a variant of the invention in which the entire electronic circuit board 7 is not accommodated in the interior of the sensor body 1, but only part of the circuit board protrudes into the sensor body, in particular the part on which the pressure sensor 3 is located. All other elements in FIG. 3 are constructed in a manner analogous to that in FIG. 2.

[0043] FIG. 4 shows a variant of the invention in which the battery 8 is also located inside the sensor body 1. All other elements in FIG. 4 are constructed in a manner analogous to that in FIG. 2.

[0044] The use of the invention in a boxing glove is shown as an example in FIGS. 1-4. The use in a punch pad, a protective vest, a foot protector or similar training utensils is analogous.

[0045] The boxing glove shown in FIGS. 1-4 can be produced in the following manner with the aid of the method according to the invention. According to a first variant of the method, when foaming the foam core 10, a placeholder of the same shape as the sensor body 1 is initially foamed and removed after the foam has cured. The complete sensor body 1 including the support structure 2 and the electronic circuit board 7 is then pushed (through a slot or the like) into the cavity that has remained free in the foam core 10.

[0046] According to a second variant of the method, a complete sensor body 1 including the support structure 2 and electronic circuit board 7 is foamed in at the same time as the foam core 10 is foamed. This guarantees a particularly precise fit of the sensor body 1 in the foam core 10.

[0047] According to a third variant of the method, only the support structure 2 together with the electronic circuit board 7 is foamed in during the foaming of the foam core 10, the foam of the foam core 10 forming a closed skin when it hardens, whereby the airtight shell of the sensor body 1 is formed around the support structure 2. Due to the intimate connection, this guarantees a precisely fitting and particularly firm fit of the sensor body 1 in the foam core 10.