Athletic swing measurement system and method

Claim 2

A measurement system, comprising: an athletic implement having a shaft and an end portion attached thereto, said end portion having a face which is adapted to strike a ball along a desired path of flight; first means mounted with said end portion for sensing an element of motion relative to acceleration of said end portion in one direction substantially parallel with said desired path of flight; second means mounted with said end portion for sensing an element of motion relative to acceleration of said end portion in another direction substantially parallel with said face; and means for receiving an input from said first and second sensing means and computing an output representative of the instantaneous position of said face relative to a preselected reference plane during movement of said implement.

Claim 3

A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said another direction is substantially normal to said one direction.

Claim 4

A system as recited in claim 1 further comprising third means for sensing an element of motion relative to acceleration of said end portion in a third direction substantially normal to said one and another directions.

Claim 5

A system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a third means for sensing an element of motion relative to acceleration of said end portion in a third direction substantially normal to said one and another directions.

Claim 6

Apparatus as recited in claim 1 further comprising means for preselecting said reference plane as the desired plane of flight of said ball.

Claim 7

A golf club swing measurement and display system comprising: a golf club having a shaft and a club attached thereto, said club having a face which is adapted to strike a golf ball; a first accelerometer positioned in said club so as to measure acceleration in a first direction parallel with said shaft; a second accelerometer positioned in said club so as to measure acceleration in a second direction normal to said first direction and substantially parallel with the desired line of flight of said ball; a third accelerometer positioned in said club so as to measure acceleration in a third direction normal to both said first and second directions; each of said accelerometers including means for providing an electrical signal which varies responsive to the acceleration measured thereby; means carried by said shaft and coupled to said accelerometer for transmitting an output modulated by said signals; means for receiving and demodulating said output and reproducing said signals; and means coupled to said receiving and demodulating means for computing vectors from at least two of said signals.

Claim 8

A golf club swing measurement and display system comprising: a golf club having a shaft and a club attached thereto, said club having a face which is adapted to strike a golf ball; a first accelerometer positioned in said club so as to measure acceleration in a first direction parallel with said shaft; a second accelerometer positioned in said club so as to measure acceleration in a second direction normal to said first direction and substantially parallel with the desired line of flight of said ball; a third accelerometer positioned in said club so as to measure acceleration in a third direction normal to both said first and second directions; each of said accelerometers including means for providing an electrical signal which varies responsive to the acceleration measured thereby; means carried by said shaft and coupled to said accelerometer for transmitting an output modulated by said signals; means for receiving and demodulating said output and reproducing said signals; and means coupled to said receiving and demodulating means for computing vectors from at least two of said signals.

Claim 9

A system as recited in claim 6 further comprising: means for receiving and processing an output from said vector computer and providing signals corresponding thereto; and means for visually representing an output from said receiving and processing means.

Claim 12

The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising the steps of calculating the point of impact between said face and a ball struck by said face, and employing said calculation results as a reference for said visual displays.