Sporting equipment alignment device

Abstract

A sporting equipment alignment device, including a golf club, incorporating a head, shaft; and handle or grip, has an alignment device affixed to the upper end of the club grip. It includes a magnet that is applied to the top of the club, a steel disc that is magnetically held to the magnet, the steel disc connecting with a leveling device, that includes an air bubble, and an upper cap that provides an indicator mark, that can be used to align the golf head for either a straight, fade, or draw shot, when undertaken a drive of the golf ball. Aligning the indicator mark, relative to the air bubble of the level, provides for the selective application of a setting for these types of golf shots. The golf club grip may include a GPS tracking censor, and an accelerometer, for determining the distance to parts of the green, the distance a ball has traveled after a hit, and whether the club head displayed an open face angle, or a closed face angle, that may determine whether a fade or draw occurred during the hit of the golf ball. The sporting equipment may include a golf club, as noted, a tennis racquet, and a baseball bat.

Claims

1. A golf head alignment device, comprising: a golf club, including a golf head, shaft, and upper grip, an alignment device provided to the upper end of the golf grip, said alignment device including a component assembly, the component assembly, including an upper cap, the upper cap having an air bubble level provided therein, an indicator mark provided upon the upper cap of the alignment device, wherein the turning of the club to various angular degrees provides for positioning of the indicator mark over the air bubble to indicate to the golfer that a fade, straight, or draw shot is to be undertaken upon the hitting of the golf ball.

2. The golf head alignment device of claim 1, wherein said alignment device includes a magnet, affixed to the top of the golf club grip, a steel disc, applied onto the magnet, and the top cap, incorporating the air bubble level, and its indicator mark, adhered onto the steel disc, such that when the golf club is angularly pivoted, for an angular distance, aligns the golf club head for either a fade, straight, or draw golf ball drive.

3. The golf head alignment device of claim 1 including the air bubble leveling means comprising a pendulum, electronic level, or ball level to indicate the necessary golf club angle required to accomplish either a fade, straight, or draw drive of the golf ball.

4. The golf club head alignment device of claim 1, and including an indicator provided to the end of the golf club grip and incorporating a GPS tracking sensor to determine the distance to various parts of the green.

5. The golf club head alignment device of claim 1, wherein an accelerometer provided within the golf club grip, including its electronics, for determining when a face angle of the club face detects a fade or a draw prior to a striking of the golf ball.

6. The golf club head alignment device of claim 1, and including an accelerometer including its electronics provided within the golf club grip, for indicating a change in the face angle of the golf club to determine whether the face angle is open, or closed, before a hitting of the golf ball.

7. The golf club head alignment device of claim 1, and including an accelerometer provided within the golf club grip, and including its electronics, for determining the speed of the club head as a golf club swing and hit of the golf ball is made.

8. The golf club head alignment device of claim 1, and including an accelerometer, and its electronics, provided within the golf club grip, for determining and displaying upon a screen at the end of the grip the distance that the golf ball has traveled after a golf swing and golf ball hit.

9. A sporting instrument alignment device, comprising: a sporting instrument such as a golf club, a tennis racquet, and a baseball bat, an alignment device provided to the upper end of the instrument, the alignment device including circuitry, the circuitry including sensor inputs, electrically connected with a sensor interface, and which are electrically connected with a microcontroller, the microcontroller including a bridging unit, and electrically connected with a memory, for storage of calculated data, and the microcontroller operatively associated with a communications output for furnishing display of data either upon a digital display, expressed on a speaker, displayed on a projector, all of which are operatively associated with a transmitter for attaining transmission of the calculated data, and a battery power management unit operatively associated with the microcontroller to provide it with energization during usage, the data display during usage of the sporting instrument providing distance to that distance desired through usage of the sporting instrument, the positioning of the user indicating whatever change may be necessary in the user's position to attain the desired hit of the ball, and providing other data relating to the information needed by the athlete during performance in the sport of participation.

10. The sporting instrument alignment device of claim 9, wherein said instrument is utilized in participating in the sport of golf.

11. The sporting instrument alignment device of claim 9, wherein said instrument is utilized in participating in the sport of baseball.

12. The sporting instrument alignment device of claim 9, wherein said instrument is utilized in participating in the sport of tennis.

13. The sporting instrument of claim 10, wherein the display provides information relative to various distances to the golf green in anticipation of a golf hit, provides a readout of the ball speed at the moment of its hit, provides an indication as to the face angle of the club head in preparation for a golf ball drive, an indication as to the distance that the ball travels after a golf hit, and an indication of the face angle of the golf club while the player prepares to drive a golf ball during participation in said sport.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0031] In referring to the drawings,

[0032] FIG. 1 provides a schematic view of the alignment of the golf club, whether it be for a straight, fade, or draw shot, to compensate for the alignment of the golf ball before a golf shot is undertaken;

[0033] FIG. 2 shows an oblique view of the golf club, with the golf head alignment device applied to the upper end of the club;

[0034] FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of the components of the alignment device that are applied to the top of the golf club grip, when assembled for providing the application of this alignment device in preparation for the drive of the golf ball;

[0035] FIG. 4a-d show the end of the golf club grip and identifies the various calculated parameters of the drive of the ball, its velocity, the face angle, and the various changes of the face angle of the club during the drive; and

[0036] FIG. 5 provides a block diagram displaying the various electronics and grip display circuitry that is used to provide a readout of the various parameters as previously summarized, when using the invention primarily in conjunction with a golf club, but perhaps also a tennis racquet, baseball bat, etc.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0037] In referring to the drawings, the concept of this invention, and what it is intended to achieve when employed, can be seen in FIG. 1. As noted, the golf clubs 1 include their handle portions or grips 2, and have the club head 3 arranged at the bottom, as known. The driving heads of the shown clubs, as at 4, are provided at the front of the club.

[0038] FIG. 2 shows a view of the golf head alignment device 5 as applied to the upper end of the grip 2 of the club, while the club head 3 shows an alignment number 6a, in this particular embodiment, the device 6 is provided for alignment of the club head, with the green, or the flag, before a shot is undertaken. Thus, if a straight shot is to be made, the alignment device 6a will be aligned with the cup, as indicated by the flag, and at that stage, the alignment device 5 will have its indicator arranged over a level bubble, centrally aligned, so as to provide the golfer with a straight shot towards the cup.

[0039] If a fade shot is to be undertaken, where the club head is to be aligned slightly to the right, in an angular direction, to some degrees, then the alignment device upon the club head will be arranged approximately to the right of the leveling bubble, to the amount of degrees that the golfer considers necessary to attain a drive of the golf ball that will eventually end up in alignment with the cup upon its approach. On the other hand, as can be seen in FIG. 1, where a draw shot is necessary, meaning that the club head may need to be angulary oriented to the left, to some degree, then the golfer will align an indicator the left edge of the leveling bubble, to attain a draw type of shot, towards the cup.

[0040] In the preferred embodiment, FIG. 3 shows the golf head alignment device 1 and its various components. The upper edge of the golf club, or its grip 2 is noted. To the upper end of the grip is applied a magnet 6, which may be fastened by means of a screw, or other fastener, or even adhesively applied to the top of the grip 2. Then, a disc, which may be magnetized steel, as noted at 7, is applied to the top of the magnet, and held in position therewith, by magnetic attraction.

[0041] An upper cap 8 is then applied to the top of the steel disc, also by adhesive, or by other means. Within the top cap is a fluid leveling device, providing an air bubble, as at 9, and which will be arranged, generally in the position as shown in FIG. 3, to indicate to the golfer where the central positioning of the club head is required, in order to provide for the pivot of the club, and golf head, to attain the type of shot as previously explained. On the top of the cap 8 is an indicator mark 10, so that when the club head and its grip is elevated directly upright, the bubble will provide an indication as to the vertical alignment of the club head, relative to the green, and at this time, the club can be pivoted, in one direction or the other, so as to locate the indicator mark over the bubble and provide an indication that the club head is arranged for a straight shot, a fade shot, or a draw shot. Hence, where the indicator mark is shown in FIG. 3, to the left edge of the air bubble, a fade shot will be accomplished. When the indicator mark crosses the center of the air bubble, the club head will be aligned for a straight shot, as previously reviewed. And, when the indicator mark is at the right edge of the air bubble, then a draw shot will be undertaken by the golfer.

[0042] Hence, this provides a means of indication to the golfer that in his/her analysis of the lay of the ball, relative to the green, and what type of shot will be necessary either slightly to the left, to the right, or straight, the indicator mark will be aligned over the air bubble in the various positions, as previously reviewed, in order to afford the type of shot that the golfer believes must be undertaken, in order to get the ball directly towards the cup, on the green, as deemed necessary.

[0043] FIG. 4 shows the various calculations that can be made by the electronics of the club to indicate the various parameters of its usage, during a drive, such as a determination of the distance to the center of the green, the face angle of the club during the drive, the various changes to the face angle that could or should be made, and the club speed as measured during a club swing and the speed of the club head, during the drive, when utilizing a wood, or an iron.

[0044] For example, as previously described, the first device utilized upon the club is the bubble level. This is attached to the grip end of the club with special markings. The primary application is to assist the golfer during their pre-shot routine, when determining which user friendly format, readily available, and will have appeal far beyond those with just specialized knowledge of the golf swing.

[0045] The key data points as referenced in FIG. 4a-d, in 4a, this includes a GPS tracking sensor, and the larger number in the middle displays the distance to the center to the green, so the golfer will instantly know just how far of a drive must be made. The number on the top of the club end is displaying the distance to the back of the green, the number on the bottom of the club end is displaying the distance to the front of the green, and as stated, the middle number gives you a reasonably precise distance to the cup, before a golf hit is made.

[0046] FIG. 4b discloses the benefits of utilizing an accelerometer in the structure of the club. The letter fade is displayed when the face angle (club face) is open. The word draw is displayed when the face angle (club face) is closed. The word fade or draw is displayed prior to striking the ball, and is obtained during the ball address. The word fade or draw is displayed after striking the ball, indicating exactly what occurred when the shot was made and the ball was struck or hit.

[0047] FIG. 4c displays two top rows containing numbers that indicate the change in the face angle of the club. The opening of the face angle will add 1.25 to the display, and subtract the 1.25 from the display. Closing the face angle will have the opposite effect. The greater concept here is to have these numbers fluid and on all the time, and function as a default screen, while the numbers displayed may be arbitrarily determined.

[0048] FIG. 4d shows the club speed, as it is measured and displayed on the screen. Initially, the calibration of the distance the ball traveled can also be displayed, and can be compared to the previous distances displayed, to the green, as determined in FIG. 4a. The electronic circuitry and computer chips calculating all of these measurements, whether being distance, as tracked through a GPS sensor, an accelerometer, for determining fade or draw of the club, during a golf swing, the various changes in the face angle of the club, and the club speed is determined during a swing, and the distance that the ball may have traveled will all be determined through electronics, embodied within the club grip, and may include, in addition to the electronics, a pendulum device, an electronic level, a ball leveler, with the electronic version of this device can provide a display of a club angle, in a numeric format, using such a digital display on the end of the grip as noted in said FIG. 4. Actually, the ball level, and the pendulum methods, would be similar to the usage of the bubble or bulls-eye method, as previously described with respect to FIGS. 1-3.

[0049] FIG. 5 shows the grip display circuitry, in block diagram form, showing the various electronic components that provide for the print out and display of data relative, for example, with regard to a golf club, the dimensional range or distance of a golf shot, whether the hit was of a fade, hook, slice, or other deviation of the hit golf ball, the degree to which the golf shot may be open, to one side or the other, following the tee shot, or an iron shot down the fairway, and even the speed of the ball as it is hit by the golf club, principally while teeing off during performance of the game.

[0050] The grip display is generally a device designed for supplementing and boosting a user's knowledge and capabilities while performing a sporting event, for example, during the play of golf. The display is strategically located on the grip end of the sporting instrument (i.e., golf club) to collect and distribute data to the user, during performance. The display can distribute data remotely via an electronic screen, speakers, haptics, projectors, lighting and transmitters, and even can display such data on a small screen provided on the upper end of the grip of the club, as can be noted in FIG. 4. The objective of the invention is to provide immediate information to the club user, as to where changes need to be made, in the event that a golf shot may deviate from the pure hit.

[0051] Importantly, the input and output configurations may vary depending upon the sport and application. This invention, though, is primarily related to the usage of the invention in the sport of golf. For example, the grip display might combine a digital output and GPS input or possibly a speaker output and a gyro input. The display will have iterations and variants of the circuit displayed in FIG. 5.

[0052] As noted in FIG. 5, the grip display circuitry 10, Cypress Semiconductor Corp., San Jose, Calif., is noted. It includes the various sensor inputs 11, which includes the GPS, u-blox Holding AG, Thalwil, Switzerland, the gyros, Model No. L3GD20, for providing an indication relating to various deviations from the straightness of the golf shot, with the GPS, providing for a location of the cup, and where the golf ball lands, after a hit, to provide a readout of the accuracy, or lack thereof, of the hit of the golf ball during performance. The accelerometer 11, Model No. H3LIS33DL ST micro, Geneva, Switzerland, provides a means for determining the speed that the ball has been hit. The transmitter within the sensor inputs provides a means for transmitting data either by way of Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, cellular, as at 11, or even to providing a readout upon the grip end of the golf club. Or, there may be a speaker involved, for providing a voice message regarding the accuracy of the ball hit. The analog front-end component 12 includes a sensor interface that provides the means for calculating the various parameters relating to the accuracy of the golf hit, as can be noted. Then, the microcontroller 13, Cypress Semiconductor Corp., San Jose, Calif., furnishes the means for providing the calculation of the data, through its computer chip or central processing unit, 14, which uses a bridging network 15 for furnishing transmittal of the calculated data to the communication outputs 16, as can be noted. A memory 17, is obtained from Kyoto, of Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. As previously commented, these may include a digital display, either upon a screen, or at the upper end of the golf grip, a speaker output, a projector means, all of which are received by means of the transmitter, as noted. Then, there is a battery provided at 17, for furnishing power to the power management unit 18 furnishing the energization of the entire circuitry, during its application and usage.

[0053] The various calculations that may be made when utilizing this invention, as previously reviewed, may be applied during usage of the golf club, a tennis racquet, or even a baseball bat. It will have the various components provided within an associated instrumentation, or miniscule electronic components, of these types, may be embedded within the actual club, racquet, or bat ends themselves. In any event, the concept of this invention is to provide results relating to the distance a ball is driven, the speed of the ball off of the golf club or tennis racquet, etc., and the timed distance calculated to whether the ball comes to rest, which can be determined through the usage of the GPS component. Various types of measurements that may be provided may include, as noted in FIG. 4, may display the distance to the center of the green, as seen in FIG. 4a, or the upper number displays the distance to the back of the green, while the lower number provides the distance to the front of the green. As noted in FIG. 4b, the word fade is displayed when the face angle (club face) is open. If the word draw is displayed this lets the player know when the face angle is closed. The word fade or draw is displayed prior to striking the ball, while the player addresses the ball in preparation for a hit. The circuitry may also calculate, through the use of its GPS, the distance in yards that the ball has traveled after a hit. And, as noted, in FIG. 4d, this provides a calibration of the club speed at impact in MPH.

[0054] There may also be other calculations and displays that can be transmitted for display, in the manners as previously explained, such as GPS and weather data may be transmitted from an external device (phone) to the grip display transmitter. Key data points to be observed will be the wind direction, and the wind speed, to aid the golfer in shot selection. The GPS and weather data may be transmitted from an external device, such as the phone, as suggested, to the grip display transmitter, for display upon one of the communications outputs 16, as noted.

[0055] The displayed information as noted in FIG. 4c, and which is a significant concept, as noted, is to have these identified numbers displayed and on at all times, and function as a default screen, to let the golfer know when a face angle may be adjusted for the best hit. The top two numbers, as noted, in this figure contain numbers that indicate the change in the face angle, that may be needed. Opening the face angle will add 1.25, and subtract 1.25, so that the closing of the face angle will have the opposite effect, and furnish a more accurate hit.

[0056] There may also be a lost club display, to let the golfer know when they may have left a golf club behind, following play. There may also be a display identified as the stance of the golfer, such as the feet alignment, which is furnished upon the grip display to assist a golfer in lining up their shot during the pre four-shot routine. A digital display may indicate if the stance is too open, or too closed, or square. A club head height display may be provided, which indicates when the height of the golf club at address, of the ball, just prior to hitting the shot, is measured and displayed on the digital display. A shot tracking may be displayed, and the shot tracking application is provided to automatically keep track of the number of shots hit, and the application can be segmented by putts, fairway, and tee shots. Application can be segmented by number of shots per hold. The transmitter will send and receive shot data from tracking applications by way of phone, or other of the communications outputs, as noted at 16. There may also be a club recommendation provided, particularly when the transmitter receives data from an external GPS, weather app, and tracking app, which recommends the type of club selection based upon the weather, and other data, distance to the cup, supplied through the tracking application. The transmitter sends and receives shot data from the tracking application on one of the communications outputs.

[0057] Variations and modifications to the subject matter of this invention may occur to those skilled in the art upon review of the invention as described herein. Such variations, if within the spirit of this invention, are intended to be encompassed within the scope of any claims to patent protection issuing herein. Any equivalent means for achieving the results to be obtained from the alignment device of this invention, are also considered to be within the scope of the invention as explained. The description of the invention in the preferred embodiments, and their depiction in the drawings, are generally set forth for illustrative purposes only.