Apparatus for measuring a piece of racket sports equipment

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus (1) for measuring a piece of racket sports equipment, in particular a tennis racket (4), comprising a main body (2), a racket holder (3) in which the piece of racket sports equipment is able to be secured, and an oscillating unit (5), wherein the oscillating unit (5) is mounted on the main body (2) so as to be rotatable about an oscillation axis (S), wherein, in order to reduce the human influence on the measurement results, the apparatus comprises a locking mechanism (10) for the oscillating unit (5), a pivotable racket holder (3) or at least one scale (6a) with a pivotable contact face (14).

Description

[0001] Device for measuring a batting sports device

[0002] The invention relates to a device for measuring a racket sports device, in particular a tennis racket, comprising a base body, a racket holder in which the racket sports device can be fixed, and a pendulum unit, wherein the pendulum unit mounts the racket holder on the base body so as to be rotatable about an oscillation axis, and / or at least two, preferably exactly three vertically displaceable scales arranged on the base body for measuring a contact weight of the racket sports device, wherein the scales each comprise contact surfaces which, in the rest position, are arranged in a common horizontal plane.

[0003] Particularly precise manufacturing and calibration of racket sports equipment is desirable in competitive sports, as experience has shown that superior equipment leads to better performance. Therefore, a general goal in the technical field of sports accessories is to provide sports equipment that is manufactured and calibrated with exceptional precision.

[0004] The invention described herein relates to the measurement of racket sports equipment, in particular racket sports equipment that is strung with strings or is to be strung with strings, such as tennis rackets or badminton rackets, or essentially two-dimensional racket sports equipment. Of particular interest with such racket sports equipment is the moment of inertia and / or the location of the racket sports equipment's center of gravity. This information can be used to readjust the racket sports equipment, and in particular, a set of racket sports equipment can be readjusted so that all rackets in the set have the same properties.

[0005] A device for measuring racket sports equipment is known from JP 2021052816 A. The handle of a racket sports equipment is clamped into a racket holder, which is connected to the base body of the device via a spring-loaded pendulum unit. A racket sports equipment clamped therein is manually deflected against the spring force until it reaches a mechanical stop, until an acoustic signal sounds, signaling the user to release the racket sports equipment. The moment of inertia of the racket sports equipment can then be determined from the oscillation behavior of the racket sports equipment.

[0006] However, such a device has the disadvantage that measurement errors can occur due to human intervention. On the one hand, there is a measurement error caused by manual deflection and the user's time delay. On the other hand, a further measurement error will occur if the moment of inertia of the baton is to be measured in two positions. To do this, the baton must be unclamped after the first measurement of the moment of inertia, rotated, and re-clamped, after which the moment of inertia is measured a second time. However, due to manual reclamping, it is not possible to know exactly by what angle the baton was rotated.

[0007] From US 2018345105 A1, it is also known to arrange a plurality of scales on the base body. The racket sports equipment is placed on the scales in a well-defined position, so that the measured values ​​of the positions can be used to determine the weight distribution and, in particular, the position of the center of gravity of the racket sports equipment. However, it has been found that such a device can only determine the weight distribution imprecisely. For example, in the case of a tennis racket, and given the previously mentioned manufacturing deviations, the racket may not have a symmetrical weight distribution in the head area. When using two scales in the head area of ​​a tennis racket, this asymmetrical weight distribution can become apparent. In order to be able to measure such weight distributions accurately, the racket's support points must be designed with the smallest possible contact area.It is also important to ensure that the racket is precisely aligned horizontally on the three measuring points. Even small deviations in the horizontal alignment, such as the thickness of the racket's paint finish, frame thickness tolerances, etc., can lead to measurement errors.

[0008] It is therefore the object of the invention to provide a device for measuring a racket sports equipment, in particular a tennis racket, which overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages.

[0009] This object is achieved in a first aspect by the device of claim 1, in a second aspect by the device of claim 4, and in a third aspect by the device of claim 7. The solutions according to the invention are linked by the common inventive idea that manual measurement errors should be eliminated.

[0010] In the first aspect of the invention, the object is achieved by a device for measuring a racket sports device, in particular a tennis racket, comprising a base body, a racket holder in which the racket sports device can be fixed, and a pendulum unit, wherein the pendulum unit mounts the racket holder on the base body so as to be rotatable about an oscillation axis, wherein the device comprises a locking mechanism which is designed to hold the racket holder and / or the pendulum unit in a position prestressed relative to a rest position and to release it after actuation.

[0011] This device has the advantage of eliminating human influence on the deflection and release of the racket sports equipment fixed in the racket holder. The invention thus creates a way to achieve the most reproducible pendulum times possible. The predominant process of deflecting the racket using muscle power and starting the measurement leads to small deviations that influence the result. To improve this situation, the racket is still deflected into the starting position using muscle power if necessary (although this could also be done motorically if necessary), but there the racket holder and thus the spring tension are held in the deflected position by means of a lock. At the start of the measurement, the locking mechanism is released again in order to achieve a consistent start to the measurement and thus reduce the deviations in the measurements.

[0012] In one embodiment, the locking mechanism could be mechanical, e.g., by a hook engaging an opening in the striker receptacle, and the hook being retracted when the locking mechanism is to be released. Instead of hooks, clamps or other solutions are also conceivable. However, the locking mechanism particularly preferably interacts electromagnetically with the striker receptacle or the pendulum unit. Such a locking mechanism requires fewer mechanical parts and is therefore less prone to failure.

[0013] Furthermore, the device preferably comprises a computing unit connected to the locking mechanism and configured to release, determine, or store the time at which the locking mechanism is released. The measuring process for determining the moment of inertia can thus be fully automated. In particular, the start of the pendulum movement can be defined more precisely, so that the pendulum time can also be determined more accurately on a recurring basis.

[0014] In the second aspect of the invention, the object is achieved by a device for measuring a racket sports device, in particular a tennis racket, comprising a base body, a racket holder in which the racket sports device can be fixed, and a pendulum unit, wherein the pendulum unit mounts the racket holder on the base body so that it can rotate about an oscillation axis. The racket holder can be pivoted at a predetermined angle, preferably by 90°, about an offset axis from a first position to a second position, while a racket sports device is fixed in this position, wherein the offset axis lies normal to the oscillation axis. In any case, it is preferred if the offset axis does not coincide with the oscillation axis and further preferably is at an angle to it. In general, angular offsets of other than 90° are also possible, e.g., to simulate an actual angle of a subjective racket or to measure the moment of inertia about certain other axes.In the second aspect, the invention relates to the extension of a racket holder to enable it to be rotated along its axis. This is achieved, for example, by means of an at least two-part racket holder, in which, for example, a racket holder base is firmly connected to the pendulum unit and a horizontally rotatable racket holder is mounted in the base. This eliminates the step of racket disassembly and the associated potential risk of improper handling during disassembly and assembly of the racket, for example, to rotate it 90°.

[0015] A measurement of the moment of inertia Ix, ly around two orthogonal axes x, y of the racket sports equipment is particularly relevant because these can be combined, since the moment of inertia Iz around the third orthogonal axis z can be determined according to the axis theorem of perpendicular axes as Iz = Ix + ly. Although a tennis racket is not an exact 2-dimensional body, the error due to the three-dimensionality is ~0.15 kg*cm 2 depending on the frame geometry, so that this is negligible. Optionally, this measurement error, ie preferably the 0.15 kg*cm 2 , can be minimized to a negligible error by appropriate calibration.

[0016] The device therefore preferably also comprises a computing unit which is designed to measure a first moment of inertia of the racket sports device in the first position of the racket holder and a second moment of inertia of the racket sports device in the second position of the racket holder, wherein the computing unit can further be designed to calculate a third moment of inertia from the first moment of inertia and from the second moment of inertia.

[0017] Furthermore, it is preferred if the racket holder is designed to lift the racket sports equipment when pivoting. This is particularly advantageous for measuring essentially two-dimensional racket sports equipment, since, for example, a tennis racket could collide with the base body during rotation due to its flat geometry.

[0018] In the third aspect of the invention, the object is achieved by a device for measuring a racket sports device, in particular a tennis racket, comprising a base body and at least two, preferably exactly three scales arranged on the base body for measuring a support weight of the racket sports device, wherein the scales each comprise support surfaces which, in the rest position, are arranged in a common horizontal plane, wherein at least one of the scales has a support surface which can be tilted relative to the horizontal plane. The scales can, for example, be displaceable in the vertical direction and / or be designed as platform load cells (double bending beams) which measure the deformation and thus the load via strain gauges and are therefore deformable in the vertical direction.

[0019] In the third aspect, the invention thus relates to the idea that one of the scales can be designed to be movable, unlike all prevailing systems. This is achieved, for example, by means of a scale support base, which can be permanently connected to the measuring element, and a horizontally tiltable striker support. This mobility has the advantage of preventing small alignment errors during measurement and thus enabling more accurate results. This also suppresses the influence of human-induced measurement errors.

[0020] Particularly preferably, the tiltable support surface is located on the rear (i.e., the one facing the end stop) centered scale. This is the case, for example, with a device in which the base body has an end stop that can preferably be folded away, wherein the batting equipment can be placed on the scales in such a way that a handle end is in contact with the end stop, wherein preferably only the scale facing the end stop has the tiltable support surface.

[0021] It should be emphasized here that all three of the aforementioned aspects can be combined and, for example, all three aspects can be provided on the same device. Alternatively, the device can also implement only one or only two of the three aforementioned aspects.

[0022] In a further preferred embodiment, the invention relates to a system comprising the device according to one of the aforementioned embodiments and an evaluation unit which is designed to receive measurement data and / or calculated values ​​from the device and, on the basis of the received measurement data or values, to calculate a required adjustment of the striking device in order to bring the striking device into a desired state after the adjustment. The adjustment can be output by the evaluation unit, for example, in the form of instructions to the user as to how much additional weight is to be attached where to the striking device in order to achieve the desired state. The evaluation unit enables the automatic calculation, on the basis of the data provided by the device, of how the striking device must be adjusted in order to bring it into a desired state, i.e., for example,to impart a desired center of gravity arrangement or desired moments of inertia. In practice, the user, for example, only measures the desired clubs with the device and then selects either the desired specifications to be achieved or the option to calibrate all clubs in a set. The evaluation unit then specifies, for example, how many grams of lead tape should be applied to each club where.

[0023] Advantageous and non-limiting embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0024] Figure 1 shows a device according to the invention in a schematic perspective view, in which a tennis racket is clamped vertically in a racket holder. Figure 2 shows a pendulum unit and racket holder of the device of Figure 1.

[0025] Figure 3 shows the device according to the invention in a schematic side view, in which a tennis racket is clamped in a horizontal position in the racket holder.

[0026] Figure 4 shows the device according to the invention in a schematic side view, in which a tennis racket is clamped in a vertical position in the racket holder.

[0027] Figure 5 shows the device according to the invention in a schematic perspective view, wherein the tennis racket is placed on scales of the device for measuring the weight distribution.

[0028] Figure 6 shows the device of Figure 5 in a schematic top view. Figure 7 shows the device of Figure 6 in a schematic side view.

[0029] Figure 1 shows a device 1 with a base body 2 and a racket holder 3, in which a tennis racket 4 is fixed, e.g. by means of a clamp (not shown in detail) or by means of rubber bands gripping the racket handle. The racket holder 3 is connected to the base body 2 via a pendulum unit 5, whereby the moment of inertia of the tennis racket 4 can be measured, as explained in more detail below. The racket holder 3 can have a stop 3' so that the racket sports equipment can be fixed in a well-defined position. Alternatively or in addition to the racket holder 3 with pendulum unit 5, the device 1 can also comprise scales 6a, 6b, 6c arranged on the base body, whereby the weight distribution of the tennis racket 4 can be measured, see below in detail. When measuring the tennis racket 4, it is preferably measured unstrung.

[0030] Although Figures 1 to 7 show a tennis racket 4 being measured using the device 1, the invention is not limited to the measurement of tennis rackets 4. In other cases, the device could also be used to measure other racket sports equipment, such as badminton rackets, or more generally, to measure essentially two-dimensional racket sports equipment, e.g., table tennis rackets. In yet other embodiments, other racket sports equipment, such as baseball bats, could also be measured using the device 1. Thus, when reference is made below to a tennis racket 4, a different racket sports equipment could also be used.

[0031] Reference is made below to Figure 2, which shows the pendulum unit 5 of the device in detail. In the example shown, the pendulum unit 5 has a pin 7 which is rotatable relative to the base body 2, is arranged essentially vertically and is rotatable about a vertical oscillation axis S. In order to allow the pin 7 to rotate with a predefined force relative to the base body 2, the pin 7 is rigidly connected to a substantially horizontally arranged element which has two arms 8 projecting from the pin 7. Each of the arms 8 is connected to the base body 2 via a tension spring 9, i.e. one end of the tension spring 9 is connected to one of the arms 8 and the other end is connected to the base body 2. The springs 9 are usually arranged parallel to one another. Such an arrangement defines a rest position of the pendulum unit 5 or of the pin 7.Both tension springs 9 can be preloaded in the rest position and are in equilibrium due to their opposing arrangement. If the pin 7 or the arms 8 are rotated at an angle about the oscillation axis S, the tension springs 9 exert a restoring force on the arms 8, causing the pin 7 to oscillate about the vertical oscillation axis S and about the rest position. In other words, the pin 7 can be set into a pendulum oscillation by an external force.

[0032] In order to also set the tennis racket 4 into a pendulum oscillation, the aforementioned pin 7 is rigidly connected to a part of the racket holder 3. Once a tennis racket 4 is fixed in the racket holder 3, it can be manually deflected, i.e. the pin 7 is also rotated. After being released, the tennis racket 4 is set into a pendulum oscillation by the force of the tension springs 9. This pendulum oscillation can then be used to measure the moment of inertia of the tennis racket 4. For this purpose, for example, the time in which the tennis racket 4 (or the racket holder 3 or the pin 7 or generally the pendulum unit 5) performs one or more oscillations is measured. This method is generally known, so it will not be discussed further here.

[0033] However, the invention is not limited to the specific embodiment of the pendulum unit 5. Instead of tension springs 9, coil springs could be used, for example, or instead of mechanical springs, the tennis racket 4 (or the racket holder 3 or the pin 7, or generally the pendulum unit 5) could be set into a pendulum oscillation by electromagnetic interaction.

[0034] Human-caused measurement errors that can occur with this system include, for example, the pendulum oscillation not being well-defined when the tennis racket 4 is grasped and released by the user. This is because, on the one hand, the exact moment of release will not be known, and, on the other hand, a certain amount of carrying of the tennis racket 4 by the user, i.e., an additional external force, cannot be ruled out. To prevent this, the locking mechanism 10 explained below is used, which is designed to hold the racket holder 3 and / or the pendulum unit 5 in a pre-tensioned position relative to the rest position and to release it after actuation.

[0035] In the example of Figure 2, the locking mechanism 10 comprises a metal disc 11 attached to the pendulum unit 5, here on one of the arms 8, and an electromagnet 12 arranged on the base body 2. If current is supplied to the electromagnet 12, it can hold the metal disc 11 through magnetic interaction in a position where the pendulum unit 5 is deflected relative to its rest position. If the current is then switched off from the electromagnet 12, it releases the metal disc 11, thereby releasing the pendulum unit 7, the racket holder 3, and the tennis racket 4, thus setting them into pendulum oscillation, from which the moment of inertia of the tennis racket 4 can be determined.

[0036] However, the locking mechanism 10 could be implemented with a mechanical function instead of an electromagnetic interaction. For example, it could have a retractable hook instead of the metal disc 11 and an engagement eyelet for the hook instead of the electromagnet 12. The hook can thus hold the pendulum unit 5 in the deflected position and, by retracting it from the eyelet, release the pendulum unit 7, the racket holder 3, and the tennis racket 4, thus causing them to oscillate. It is understood that other variants of the locking mechanism 10 can also be used.

[0037] Furthermore, the device 1 can comprise a computing unit 13 (Figure 6), which can be connected, for example, to the pendulum unit 5 and / or the racket holder 3, in order to determine the oscillation period of the tennis racket 4 and, if necessary, calculate the moment of inertia of the tennis racket 4 from this. For example, an induction coil can be arranged around the pin 7, whereby the rotation of the pin 7 can introduce a current corresponding to the pendulum oscillation into the induction spring. The computing unit 13 can be connected to the induction coil and thereby evaluate the pendulum oscillation and determine the oscillation period and, if necessary, the moment of inertia.

[0038] However, the computing unit 13 can also be connected to the locking mechanism 10 and control it directly, for example, to switch on or off current to the electromagnet 1. This allows the computing unit 13 to automatically start the pendulum oscillation and / or record the start of the pendulum oscillation more accurately.

[0039] However, the locking mechanism 10 could also be released simply by a mechanical switch that can be manually operated. In this case, the locking mechanism 10 at least ensures that external force transmission can be excluded when releasing the pendulum unit 5.

[0040] With reference to Figures 3 and 4, it can also be seen that the racket holder 3 can be pivoted at a predetermined angle of 90° about an offset axis V from a first position to a second position, while a racket sports device is fixed in this position, wherein the offset axis V is normal to the swing axis S. This function allows the tennis racket 4 to be moved from a horizontal racket position, which is shown in Figure 3, to a vertical racket position, which is shown in Figure 4. To achieve this, the racket holder 3 has a first part 31, which is rigidly connected to the pendulum holder 5, and a second part 32, which is hinged to the first part 31 and in which the tennis racket 4 is fixed. By pivoting the second part 32 relative to the first part 31, the tennis racket 4 can be pivoted by the predetermined angle while still being fixed in the racket holder 3.

[0041] From Figures 3 and 4 it is further evident that the offset axis V does not run directly through the tennis racket 4, but at a distance from it. This enables the tennis racket 4 to be lifted during rotation, thus preventing the cantilevered racket head of the tennis racket 4 from colliding with the base body 2 during rotation. It is understood, however, that this function could also be implemented differently, e.g. by first displacing the tennis racket 4 upwards with a purely linear movement and then rotating it around its longitudinal axis L with a purely rotational movement. Alternatively, the offset axis V could simply be spaced far enough from the base body so that lifting is not necessary.

[0042] The purpose of rotating the racket holder 3 by 90° about the offset axis V is to determine both the moment of inertia of the tennis racket 4 in the horizontal position (“spin weight Ix”) and the moment of inertia of the tennis racket 4 in the vertical position (“swing weight ly”) without the tennis racket 4 having to be removed from the racket holder 3 and re-clamped therein, which could result in a rotation of the tennis racket 4 of other than 90°. An exact rotation of the tennis racket 4 by 90° is particularly relevant because, according to the axis theorem of vertical axes, the twist weight Iz, i.e. the moment of inertia about the longitudinal axis of the tennis racket 4, can be calculated from the combination of the spin weight Ix and the swing weight ly, which would not be possible by direct measurements with the device 1. A rotation of the tennis racket 4 by other than 90°, as would be possible if the user were to re-clamp it, would significantly distort the Twistweight Iz.

[0043] In general, if tennis racket 4 were a two-dimensional object, Spinweight Ix = Swingweight ly + Twistweight Iz applies. However, if the three-dimensionality of tennis racket 4 is taken into account, Spinweight (measured) < Swingweight (measured) + Twistweight (real) applies. The error resulting from this approach is very small (~0.15 kg*cm). 2 depending on the frame geometry) and is therefore usually neglected.

[0044] The aforementioned computing unit 13 can be connected to the racket holder 3 to automatically determine whether the racket holder 3 is in a position shown in Figure 3, in which the moment of inertia of the tennis racket 4 is measured in a horizontal position, and whether the racket holder 3 is in a position shown in Figure 4, in which the moment of inertia of the tennis racket 4 is measured in a vertical position. The computing unit 13 could perform the above calculations to determine the twist weight automatically after the spin weight and the swing weight have been determined, or outsource them to an external evaluation unit 18, see below.

[0045] We will now turn to the scales 6a to 6c mentioned above, which are arranged on the base body 2. These scales 6a to 6c are vertically displaceable so that they can be used to measure the contact weight of the tennis racket 4 or other racket sports equipment. So that the scales 6a to 6c can measure the weight accurately, they each comprise contact surfaces 14 which, when at rest, are arranged in a common horizontal plane. The contact surfaces 14 are generally arranged on a vertically displaceable pin 15, the offset of which provides information about the contact weight, see Figure 7. For some of the scales 6a to 6c, the contact surfaces 14 can be manufactured in one piece with the pin 15, although according to the invention this is not the case for all scales 6a to 6c of the device 1, as explained below.

[0046] Particularly evident from Figures 5 and 6 is that the scales 6a to 6c are arranged in a special configuration to accurately determine the center of gravity of the tennis racket 4. Furthermore, an end stop 16 is provided on the base body 2 to allow the handle end of the tennis racket 4 or the racket sports equipment to be aligned therewith. The end stop 16 is preferably foldable so that it does not affect the weight measurement.

[0047] The end stop 16 specifies the position in which the tennis racket 4 is positioned on the scales 6a to 6c, because when the tennis racket 4 is aligned at the end stop 16, a longitudinal axis L of the tennis racket 4 is in a well-defined position above the base body 2. It could therefore also be said that the end stop 16 defines a measuring axis that coincides with the longitudinal axis L when the tennis racket 4 is placed on the scales 6a to 6c and aligned at the end stop 16.

[0048] To support the tennis racket 4 symmetrically, the scales 6a to 6c are positioned on the measuring axis, or a pair of scales are positioned symmetrically around the measuring axis. In the example shown, a first scale 6a is positioned on the measuring axis at a first distance from the end stop, and two second scales 6b, 6c are positioned at a second distance from the end stop (measured along the measuring axis), with the second distance being greater than the first distance. The second scales 6b, 6c are positioned symmetrically around the measuring axis. The distance between the second scales 6b, 6c can depend on the racket sports equipment being measured.

[0049] Using such an arrangement, it is possible to determine the weight distribution of the tennis racket 4 and also calculate the center of gravity. This is known per se. However, a problem is that a lateral weight distribution leads to an inclination of the tennis racket 4. This would not be a problem if the scales 6a to 6c had point-shaped support surfaces 14. In practice, however, this would cause further problems, e.g., because the tennis racket 4 would be difficult to place on such scales 6a to 6c.

[0050] It is therefore advantageous if the scales 6a to 6c have support surfaces 14 that are elongated and extend in a direction normal to the measuring axis. However, this again presents the problem that if the tennis racket 4 is tilted, an accurate measurement of the weight distribution is not possible. Imagine, for example, that the second scales 6b and 6c are moved downwards at different distances. In this case, the tennis racket 4 might not rest flatly on the first scale 6a, resulting in a certain stress distribution between the scales 6a to 6c, which distorts the measurement result.

[0051] According to the invention, it is therefore provided that at least the support surface 14 of the first scale 6a is tiltable relative to the horizontal plane. Preferably, this is tiltable only in one direction normal to the measuring axis, in particular if the support surface 14 of this first scale 6a is elongated and extends normal to the measuring axis. In general, however, it would also be possible for the support surface 14 to be tiltable in all directions relative to the horizontal plane, which could be particularly advantageous if the support surface 14 is not elongated, but rather flat, e.g., circular.

[0052] Furthermore, it should be noted that other or additional scales could also be designed with tiltable support surfaces 14. For example, the second scales 6b, 6c could also have a tiltable support surface 14, e.g., if the club head exhibits a certain torsion, even if this should not occur.

[0053] Furthermore, it is not absolutely necessary for the three scales 6a to 6c to be arranged as shown in the figures. Depending on the batting equipment, only two or more than three scales could be provided, arranged on or symmetrically around the measuring axis, and one or more of these scales could have the tiltable support surface 14.

[0054] The scales 6a to 6c could be connected to the aforementioned computing unit 13, so that the computing unit 13 can record the measured values ​​of the scales 6a to 6c. The computing unit could also automatically determine the weight distribution and / or center of gravity or outsource this calculation to the evaluation unit 18 explained below.

[0055] In all of the aforementioned embodiments, the computing unit 13 could be connected to a display 17 on which the measured values ​​or calculated values, such as moments of inertia, are displayed. Alternatively or additionally, a storage unit could be provided on which the measured values ​​and / or calculated values ​​are recorded and stored.

[0056] In an additional aspect, the device 1 could include an evaluation unit 18 or be connected to it, e.g., via a short-range interface such as WLAN, Bluetooth, RFID, or a mobile radio interface. The evaluation unit 18 could thus also be a remote server or a user's laptop.

[0057] The computing unit 13 forwards the measured values ​​(unprocessed or processed) and / or the values ​​calculated from them to the evaluation unit 18. Based on the measured values ​​and / or the calculated values, the evaluation unit 18 can then calculate the necessary adjustment of the striking device in order to bring the striking device into a desired state after the adjustment. For example, the evaluation unit 18 can issue instructions to the user that a lead strip of a certain thickness must be applied to a specific location on the striking device so that the striking device acquires a desired property, e.g., a predetermined center of gravity distribution and / or a predetermined moment of inertia.The desired property can, for example, be a specification specified by the manufacturer, or the user can first measure their preferred club and then measure another, non-preferred club that is to be adjusted to have the same properties as the preferred club. Typically, an entire set of clubs is to be adjusted so that all clubs in the set have the same properties.

[0058] For this purpose, dedicated software can also be created, which is available on the evaluation unit 18, to calculate the required adaptation or the instructions for adaptation to the user. However, since the adaptation required for the desired properties cannot actually be calculated based solely on physical properties, an iterative algorithm is preferably used to determine the best possible adaptation.

[0059] Finally, it should be noted that all of the aforementioned embodiments can be combined, but do not necessarily have to be combined. For example, the scales 6a to 6c or their pivotable support surface 14 could be omitted, and / or the pivotable function of the racket holder 3 and / or the locking mechanism 10 could be omitted. In the simplest case, the aforementioned evaluation unit 18 could also be used in a known device for measuring a racket sports device, in particular a tennis racket 4, which is designed to determine the moment of inertia of a tennis racket by means of a pendulum unit, i.e., this device would not need to have the scales 6a to 6c, the pivotable function of the racket holder 3, and / or the locking mechanism 10.

Claims

Claims:

1. Device (1) for measuring a racket sports device, in particular a tennis racket (4), comprising a base body (2), a racket holder (3) in which the racket sports device can be fixed, and a pendulum unit (5), wherein the pendulum unit (5) mounts the racket holder (3) on the base body (2) so as to be rotatable about an oscillation axis (S), characterized in that the device comprises a locking mechanism (10) which is designed to hold the racket holder (3) and / or the pendulum unit (5) in a position prestressed relative to a rest position and to release it after actuation.

2. Device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism (10) interacts electromagnetically with the striker holder (3) or the pendulum unit (5).

3. Device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a computing unit (13) which is connected to the locking mechanism (10) and is designed to specify, determine or store the time of release of the locking mechanism (10).

4. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the racket holder (3) is pivotable at a predetermined angle, preferably by 90°, about an offset axis (V) not coinciding with the swing axis from a first position to a second position, while a racket sports device is fixed in this position, wherein the offset axis (V) is preferably normal to the swing axis (S).

5. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a computing unit (13) which is designed to measure a first moment of inertia of the racket sports device in the first position of the racket holder (3) and a second moment of inertia of the racket sports device in the second position of the racket holder (3), wherein the computing unit (13) or an evaluation unit (18) connected to it is preferably further designed to calculate a third moment of inertia from the first moment of inertia and from the second moment of inertia.

6. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the racket holder (3) is further designed to lift the racket sports equipment when pivoting.

7. Device (1) for measuring a racket sports device, in particular a tennis racket (4), comprising a base body (2), a racket holder (3) in which the racket sports device can be fixed, and a pendulum unit (5), wherein the pendulum unit (5) mounts the racket holder (3) on the base body (2) so as to be rotatable about an oscillation axis (S), characterized in that the racket holder (3) can be pivoted at a predetermined angle, preferably by 90°, about an offset axis (V) which does not coincide with the oscillation axis, from a first position into a second position, while a racket sports device is fixed in this position, wherein the offset axis (V) is preferably normal to the oscillation axis (S).

8. Device (1) according to claim 7, further comprising a computing unit (13) which is designed to measure a first moment of inertia of the racket sports device in the first position of the racket holder (3) and a second moment of inertia of the racket sports device in the second position of the racket holder (3), wherein the computing unit (13) or an evaluation unit (18) connected to it is preferably further designed to calculate a third moment of inertia from the first moment of inertia and from the second moment of inertia.

9. Device (1) according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the racket holder (3) is further designed to lift the racket sports equipment when pivoting.

10. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the device (1) further comprises at least two, preferably exactly three scales (6a, 6b, 6c) arranged on the base body (2) for measuring a contact weight of the racket sports device, wherein the scales (6a, 6b, 6c) each comprise contact surfaces (14) which, in the rest position, are arranged in a common horizontal plane, wherein at least one of the scales (6a, 6b, 6c) has a contact surface (14) which can be tilted relative to the horizontal plane.

11. Device according to claim 10, wherein the base body (2) has an end stop (16) which can preferably be folded away, wherein the striking device can be placed on the scales (6a, 6b, 6c) in such a way that a handle end of the striking device is in contact with the end stop (16), wherein preferably only that scale (6a, 6b, 6c) has the tiltable support surface (14) which faces the end stop (16).

12. Device (1) for measuring a racket sports device, in particular a tennis racket (4), comprising a base body (2) and at least two, preferably exactly three scales (6a, 6b, 6c) arranged on the base body (2) for measuring a contact weight of the striking sports device, wherein the scales (6a, 6b, 6c) each comprise contact surfaces (14) which, in the rest position, are arranged in a common horizontal plane, characterized in that at least one of the scales (6a, 6b, 6c) has a contact surface (14) which can be tilted relative to the horizontal plane.

13. Device (1) according to claim 12, wherein the base body (2) has an end stop (16) which can preferably be folded away, wherein the striking device can be placed on the scales (6a, 6b, 6c) in such a way that a handle end of the striking device is in contact with the end stop (16), wherein preferably only that scale (6a, 6b, 6c) has the tiltable support surface (14) which faces the end stop (16).

14. System comprising a device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 13 and an evaluation unit (18) which is designed to receive measurement data and / or calculated values ​​from the device (1) and, on the basis of the received measurement data or values, to calculate a required adjustment of the striking sports device in order to bring the striking sports device into a desired state after the adjustment.

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