Golf clubs and golf club heads

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9375624-B2
Application number	US-201313907366-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2013
Priority date	Apr 28, 2011
Publication date	Jun 28, 2016
Grant date	Jun 28, 2016

Abstract

Golf clubs according to at least some example aspects of this disclosure may include a golf club head and a shaft configured to engage with the golf club head which includes a grip engaged with the shaft. Further, the golf club may include a monitoring device, which includes a sensor and a transmitter. Additionally, the monitoring device may be configured to determine data related to the characteristics of a golf swing. Further, the monitoring device may be configured to transmit the data related to the characteristics of a golf swing to a remote computer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A golf club comprising:
a golf club head having a body with a striking face configured for striking a ball;
a shaft connected to the head and extending from the head; and
a port located in the head or the shaft, the port configured to receive a monitoring device for measuring at least one characteristic of a golf swing, wherein the port has an engagement mechanism configured to engage the monitoring device in an engagement configuration that is configured to cause the monitoring device to operate in a selected manner; and wherein the monitoring device is configured to be pressed to the engagement mechanism.

2. The golf club of claim 1 , wherein the engagement mechanism is configured to releasably engage the monitoring device to permit the monitoring device to be inserted or removed.

3. The golf club of claim 2 , wherein the engagement mechanism further comprises a removable section configured to be received in the head or the shaft, wherein the removable section is configured to engage the monitoring device in the engagement configuration.

4. The golf club of claim 3 , wherein the removable section comprises a plurality of protrusions forming the engagement configuration, wherein the protrusions are configured to be received in openings in the monitoring device to cause the monitoring device to operate in the selected manner.

5. The golf club of claim 4 , wherein the removable section comprises holder members configured to engage the monitoring device and a surface between the holder members configured to confront the monitoring device when engaged by the holder members, and wherein the protrusions are located on the surface between the holder members.

6. The golf club of claim 3 , wherein the port is located in an end of the shaft distal from the head, and wherein the removable section is received within the end of the shaft.

7. The golf club of claim 6 , wherein the removable section comprises an end cap positioned at the end of the shaft.

8. The golf club of claim 1 , wherein the golf club head includes multiple ports, including at least a first port located in the head and a second port located in an end of the shaft distal from the head.

9. The golf club of claim 8 , wherein the first port and the second port each include engagement mechanisms configured to engage the monitoring device in the engagement configuration that is configured to cause the monitoring device to operate in the selected manner.

10. The golf club of claim 1 , further comprising the monitoring device, wherein the monitoring device comprises a plurality of sensors, and wherein the monitoring device is configured to utilize input from at least a first sensor when engaged by the engagement mechanism in the engagement configuration.

11. A set of golf clubs comprising:
a first golf club comprising:
a first golf club head having a body with a striking face configured for striking a ball,
a first shaft connected to the first head and extending from the first head, and
a first port located in the first head or the first shaft, the first port configured to receive a monitoring device for measuring at least one characteristic of a golf swing, wherein the first port has a first engagement mechanism configured to engage the monitoring device in a first engagement configuration that is configured to cause the monitoring device to operate in a first selected manner, wherein the monitoring device is configured to be pressed to the first engagement mechanism; and

a second golf club comprising:
a second golf club head having a body with a striking face configured for striking the ball,
a second shaft connected to the second head and extending from the second head, and
a second port located in the second head or the second shaft, the second port configured to receive the monitoring device, wherein the second port has a second engagement mechanism configured to engage the monitoring device in a second engagement configuration that is different from the first engagement configuration, and wherein the second engagement configuration is configured to cause the monitoring device to operate in a second selected manner that is different from the first selected manner, wherein the monitoring device is configured to be pressed to the second engagement mechanism.

12. The set of claim 11 , wherein the first and second engagement mechanisms are configured to releasably engage the monitoring device to permit the monitoring device to be inserted or removed.

13. The set of claim 12 , wherein the first engagement mechanism further comprises a first removable section configured to be received in the first head or the first shaft, wherein the first removable section is configured to engage the monitoring device in the first engagement configuration, and wherein the second engagement mechanism further comprises a second removable section configured to be received in the second head or the second shaft, wherein the second removable section is configured to engage the monitoring device in the second engagement configuration.

14. The set of claim 13 , wherein the first removable section comprises a first plurality of protrusions arranged to form the first engagement configuration, wherein the first protrusions are configured to be received in first openings in the monitoring device to cause the monitoring device to operate in the first selected manner, and wherein the second removable section comprises a second plurality of protrusions arranged to form the second engagement configuration, wherein the second protrusions are arranged differently from the first protrusions, and wherein the second protrusions are configured to be received in second openings in the monitoring device, including at least one different opening from the first openings, to cause the monitoring device to operate in the second selected manner.

15. The set of claim 13 , wherein the first port is located in an end of the first shaft distal from the first head, and wherein the first removable section is received within the end of the first shaft.

16. The set of claim 15 , wherein the first removable section comprises a first end cap positioned at the end of the first shaft.

17. The set of claim 11 , wherein the set further comprises:
a third golf club head having a body with a striking face configured for striking the ball,
a third shaft connected to the second head and extending from the second head, and
a third port located in the third head or the third shaft, the third port configured to receive the monitoring device, wherein the third port has a third engagement mechanism configured to engage the monitoring device in a third engagement configuration that is different from the first engagement configuration and the second engagement configuration, and wherein the third engagement configuration is configured to cause the monitoring device to operate in a third selected manner that is different from the first selected manner and the second selected manner, wherein the monitoring device is configured to be pressed to the third engagement mechanism.

18. The set of claim 11 , further comprising the monitoring device, wherein the monitoring device comprises a plurality of sensors, and wherein the monitoring device is configured to utilize input from at least a first sensor when engaged by the first engagement mechanism in the first engagement configuration, and wherein the monitoring device is configured to utilize input from at least a second sensor when engaged by the second engagement mechanism in the second engagement confi

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Boyd Robert
• Stites John T
• Lafortune Mario A
• Hatton Philip
• Wallans Michael

Classifications

• G06F2218/16

  by matching signal segments · CPC title

• A63B2220/40

  Acceleration · CPC title

• A63B53/047

  iron-type · CPC title

• A63B69/3685

  Putters or attachments on putters, e.g. for measuring, aligning (A63B69/3614 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A63B2220/53

  Force of an impact, e.g. blow or punch · CPC title