Golf clubs and golf club heads

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9925433-B2
Application number	US-201615194150-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 27, 2016
Priority date	Apr 28, 2011
Publication date	Mar 27, 2018
Grant date	Mar 27, 2018

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. An assembly comprising:
a golf bag comprising:
a golf bag base having a first induction coil connected to a first power source;
a container attached to the golf bag base wherein the container is configured to retain a golf club;

a cartridge having a second induction coil, the cartridge engaged with a grip end of the golf club; and
a monitoring device having a second power source, the monitoring device engaged with the cartridge;
wherein when the grip end of the golf club is inserted into the container, a first electrical current flows in the first induction coil to induce a second electrical current into the second induction coil of the cartridge to charge the second power source.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first power source is a battery contained within the golf bag.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first power source comprises a plug connected to the golf bag that is connected to an external power source.

4. The assembly of claim 3 , wherein the external power source is contained on an apparatus for transporting the golf bag, the apparatus for transporting a golf bag having a platform for supporting the golf bag.

5. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cartridge comprises a first pair of electrical contacts that are in contact with a second pair of electrical contacts on an exterior of the monitoring device when the monitoring device is secured within the cartridge.

6. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cartridge has an upper portion having a substantially cylindrical shape, and wherein the upper portion contains the second induction coil.

7. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein when the second electrical current is induced into the second induction coil of the cartridge, the first induction coil is substantially parallel to the second induction coil.

8. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the golf bag further comprises a sensor configured to detect when the golf club is inserted into the golf bag and wherein the first electrical current in the first induction coil is configured to activate once the sensor detects the golf club has been inserted into the golf bag.

9. An assembly comprising:
a golf club having golf club head end and a grip end;
a golf bag comprising:
a golf bag base having a first induction coil connected to a first power source;
a container attached to the golf bag base, the container configured to engage the golf club; and

a monitoring device engaged with the grip end of the golf club, the monitoring device having a second induction coil and a second power source;
wherein when the grip end of the golf club is inserted into the container, a first electrical current may flow in the first induction coil and induce a second electrical current into the second induction coil to charge a second power source within the monitoring device.

10. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the first power source is a battery contained within the golf bag.

11. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the first power source is an external power source that is connected to the first induction coil through a cable connected to the golf bag at a first end and connected to an external power source at a second end.

12. The assembly of claim 11 , wherein the external power source is contained on an apparatus for transporting the golf bag, the apparatus for transporting the golf bag having a platform for supporting the golf bag and a plug configured to engage a socket on the golf bag.

13. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein when the second electrical current is induced into the second induction coil of the monitoring device, the first induction coil is substantially parallel to the second induction coil.

14. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the golf bag further comprises a sensor configured to detect when the golf club is inserted into the golf bag, and wherein the first electrical current in the first induction coil is configured to activate once the sensor detects the golf club has been inserted into the golf bag.

15. An assembly comprising:
an apparatus for transporting a golf bag comprising a platform to support the golf bag, and a first induction coil connected to a first power source;
wherein the golf bag comprises a golf bag base containing a second induction coil; and
wherein when the golf bag base is positioned adjacent the platform, a first electrical current in the first induction coil induces a second electrical current in the second induction coil of the golf bag base to charge a second power source within the golf bag.

16. The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the second induction coil is positioned near a bottom surface of the golf bag base, and the golf bag base further comprises a third induction coil positioned near an upper surface of the golf bag base; and the assembly further comprises:
a monitoring device including a fourth induction coil, wherein the monitoring device engages a grip end of a golf club; and
wherein when the grip end of the golf club is inserted into the container of the golf bag, a third electrical current in the third induction coil induces a fourth electrical current into the fourth induction coil of the monitoring device to charge a third power source within the monitoring device.

17. The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the second induction coil is positioned near a bottom surface of the golf bag base, and the golf bag base further comprises a third induction coil positioned near an upper surface of the golf bag base; and
the assembly further comprises:
a cartridge having a fourth induction coil;
a monitoring device carried by the cartridge, wherein the cartridge engages a grip end of a golf club; and

wherein when the grip end of the golf club is inserted into the container of the golf bag, a third electrical current in the third induction coil induces a fourth electrical current into the fourth induction coil of the cartridge to charge a third power source within the monitoring device.

18. The assembly of claim 17 , wherein the golf bag further comprises a sensor configured to detect when the golf club is inserted into the golf bag, and wherein the third electrical current in the third induction coil is configured to activate once the sensor detects the golf club has been inserted into the golf bag.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Boggs Joshua M
• Hatton Philip J
• Kammerer Brian
• Lafortune Mario A
• Wallans Michael
• Boyd Robert M
• Hadden Jeffrey A
• Jones Sherry L
• Kramer Gregory S
• Lua James H
• Stites John T
• Thornton Douglas A
• Wisniewski Daniel F

Classifications

• A63B60/46

  Measurement devices associated with golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like for measuring physical parameters relating to sporting activity, e.g. baseball bats with impact indicators or bracelets for measuring the golf swing · CPC title

• G06F1/1684

  Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675 · CPC title

• G06Q10/40

  Business processes related to social networking or social networking services · CPC title

• A61B2503/10

  Athletes · CPC title

• A63B53/0466

  wood-type · CPC title