Modular striking equipment

Abstract

The invention relates to modular striking equipment (1), preferably a modular striking glove, for determining a striking property, comprising a striking body (1a) and an electronic module (1b), wherein the striking body (1a) comprises a damping body (2) and a pressure sensor (4), wherein the electronic module (1b) comprises an electronic component, preferably a first computing unit (5), for determining the striking property. The electronic module (1b) and the striking body (1a) have an interface (8a, 8b) via which the pressure sensor (4) or a second computing unit connected to the pressure sensor (4) can be connected to the electronic component of the electronic module (1b), wherein the electronic module (1b) and the striking body (1a) can be separated from each other and joined together, such that the electronic module (1b) and the striking body (1a) can be brought into an assembled state and into a separated state. In an assembled state, the modular striking equipment (1) is designed to exchange data and / or energy between the electronic component and the pressure sensor (4) and / or the second computing unit (15) via the interfaces.

Description

[0001] Modular percussion equipment

[0002] The invention relates to a modular striking equipment, preferably a modular striking glove, for determining a striking characteristic, in particular a striking acceleration, striking speed, striking force or striking technique, comprising a striking body and an electronic module, wherein the striking body comprises a damping body and a pressure sensor, wherein the electronic module comprises at least one electronic component, preferably a first computing unit for determining the striking characteristic.

[0003] Martial arts typically involve two or more athletes competing in a ring, attempting to strike each other with punches, kicks, or other physical contact. Examples of such martial arts covered by this description include boxing, karate, kickboxing, taekwondo, kung fu, etc.

[0004] For competition purposes, but also for training and other tests, it is desirable to classify a punch or kick or their effect on a body part, e.g., by assigning the punch or kick a strike frequency, acceleration, force, a value derived from the acceleration or force, or a variable combined therewith or derived from an analysis, such as the striking technique. Various variants are known for measuring acceleration, e.g., by means of a video analysis of the athlete's movement or by means of a sensor built into a striking glove that records acceleration and / or rotational speeds (Inertial Measurement Unit, IMU). Representative examples of this are the documents US 2017 / 134712, US 2018 / 001141, US 2012 / 144414, and WO 2019 / 106672.

[0005] A striking glove is known in the prior art, for example, from EP 3844468. The disclosed striking glove comprises a striking body with a damping body, a fluid-filled body, and a pressure sensor for measuring the hydrostatic pressure in the fluid-filled body. In this striking glove, in addition to the pressure sensor, the computing unit, an acceleration sensor, a battery, and a transceiver are arranged within the striking body. All components are sewn into the striking glove to form a compact striking glove.

[0006] The disadvantage of this batting glove is that a defect in one of these components renders the entire batting glove unusable. Likewise, a defect in the fluid-filled body immediately renders the batting glove unusable as a whole. Furthermore, the batting glove must be taken to a suitable charger to recharge the battery, which complicates handling of the batting glove, as it must be ensured that the batting glove is fully charged before a competition or training day. If the battery does run out during a competition day, you have to wait at least an hour, for example, until the battery is sufficiently recharged. A further disadvantage is that the entire batting glove must be carried in your hand luggage when transporting it on an airplane.

[0007] Furthermore, ROOQ® has developed a sensor that can be attached to an athlete's forearm via fabric straps. It uses acceleration sensors to measure punching force, speed, and number of punches. This data is stored in the sensor and can be analyzed after training using a smartphone app. The disadvantage of this sensor is that it cannot accurately determine punching force, as an estimated effective mass must be used to determine punching force using only measurement data from an acceleration sensor.

[0008] It is the object of the present invention to provide a percussion equipment that overcomes at least some of the disadvantages of the prior art.

[0009] This object is achieved by a modular striking equipment, preferably by a modular striking glove, for determining a striking characteristic, in particular an impact acceleration, impact speed, impact force or striking technique, which comprises a striking body and an electronic module, wherein the striking body comprises a damping body and a pressure sensor, wherein the electronic module comprises at least one electronic component, preferably a first computing unit for determining the striking characteristic, wherein the electronic module and the striking body each have an interface via which the pressure sensor or a second computing unit connected to the pressure sensor and present in the striking body can be connected to the at least one electronic component of the electronic module, wherein the electronic module and the striking body can be physically separated from one another and assembled at the said interfaces,so that the electronic module and the impact body can be brought into a combined state and a separated state, wherein the modular impact equipment, in a combined state, is designed to exchange data and / or energy between the at least one electronic component and the pressure sensor and / or the second computing unit via said interfaces. Preferred embodiments are specified in the dependent claims, the description, and the drawings.

[0010] A particular advantage of the impact equipment according to the invention is that the impact body itself can be manufactured without a computing unit (and possibly also without an acceleration sensor and battery), since the impact body can be manufactured independently of the electronic module, and the two elements can only be connected shortly before their intended use. In practice, this is particularly advantageous because the impact body consists primarily of textile materials that are assembled into the impact body in a first production facility. In this case, the electronic module would contain the majority of the electronic components, allowing it to be assembled in a second production facility.It is therefore not necessary to transport all electronic components in a substantially assembled state to the first production facility, where they would have to be sewn into the striking equipment, such as a batting glove, as was the case with comparable prior art batting gloves. Overall, this results in a tremendous logistical advantage, as the two production facilities are usually located in different countries or even on different continents. In summary, the necessary transport distance for the electronic components, and especially the battery, which is a hazardous material, can be reduced.

[0011] Another special advantage is that the impact equipment isn't defective simply because the damping element, pressure sensor, or electronic component is defective. The impact equipment is subject to particular stress, as every blow, kick, or similar action exerts a force on the damping element, pressure sensor, or electronic components. Thanks to the modular design, in the event of a defect, a different impact element can simply be connected to the still-functional electronic module, or a different electronic module can be connected to the still-functional impact element.

[0012] The aforementioned advantages are achieved according to the invention by introducing interfaces via which the impact body and the electronic module can be connected and separated, whereby communication between the impact body and the electronic module can be carried out. By "connectable and separable" is meant here that a user can connect and separate the impact body and the electronic module easily, preferably without aids such as tools. In the context of the present invention, an interface can be understood, for example, as a physical interface such as a hardware interface or a network interface. Such an interface according to the invention can be implemented, for example, by electrical contacts or by a plug-in connection, such as a USB connection.If the interface enables wireless communication, the interface can be implemented using suitable transmitting and receiving units for WLAN, Bluetooth, NFC, or similar devices. In particular, an interface is not understood to mean a purely software-based interface, such as a software interface, or a human-machine interface, such as a user interface. Since the interfaces are intended to be detachable, an interface is also not understood to mean a soldered connection or the like.

[0013] It is also advantageous to validate the modular impact equipment against a force measurement unit, such as a force plate, to determine accurate impact force. Specifically, when the impact equipment strikes a force plate, the pressure measured by the pressure sensor and the force measured by the force plate can be measured, allowing a force to be assigned to the pressure values ​​of the pressure sensor.

[0014] At this point, it should be noted that the pressure sensor in all embodiments can be designed as a piezoresistive pressure sensor (also called a strain gauge pressure sensor), a piezoelectric pressure sensor (for example a piezoelectric sensor mat) and / or as a capacitive pressure sensor.

[0015] According to the invention, the electronic module comprises the first computing unit and an acceleration sensor as an electronic component. The first computing unit is configured to determine an impact characteristic in a separate state using acceleration measurement data obtained from the acceleration sensor and / or to transmit the acceleration measurement data to an external computing unit for determining an impact characteristic. According to the invention, the electronic module can thus determine an impact characteristic even in a separate state, i.e., independently and independently of the impact body. In the assembled state, a more precise determination of an impact force is possible using the pressure measurement data from the pressure sensor in the impact body.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment, the impact body comprises a fluid-filled body in which the pressure sensor is arranged to measure a hydrostatic pressure in the fluid-filled body. This allows for the use of a particularly simple pressure sensor, since when force is applied to any point on the fluid-filled body, the hydrostatic pressure inside it increases evenly throughout. The pressure sensor therefore does not need to cover the entire area along which a force is expected to be applied.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment, the electronic module comprises the first computing unit as an electronic component, which is designed to determine an impact characteristic using pressure measurement data obtained from the pressure sensor and / or to send the pressure measurement data obtained from the pressure sensor to an external computing unit for determining an impact characteristic when the electronic module and the impact body are in the assembled state. If the electronic module sends the pressure measurement data obtained from the pressure sensor to an external computing unit, for example a smartphone, for determining an impact characteristic, the measurement data can be evaluated on the smartphone, so that the first computing unit can be designed particularly simply. In other words, in this case, the first computing unit does not need to have high computing power.

[0018] In a preferred embodiment, the impact body comprises the second computing unit for determining the impact characteristic based on the measurement data supplied by the pressure sensor, an acceleration sensor and / or a transceiver. In this embodiment, the impact body can independently determine an impact characteristic. The electronics module can also comprise the first computing unit, which can serve merely as a transceiver or can also determine the impact characteristic redundantly, so that even in the event of a partial defect in one of the two computing units, the impact characteristic can be determined or the measurement data can be transmitted to an external computing unit. In summary, the electronic components can be provided both in the impact body and in the electronics module and thus duplicated to create redundancy.In a particularly simple embodiment, however, the electronic module may also comprise only a battery as an electronic component that supplies the second computing unit, the acceleration sensor and / or the transceiver with energy.

[0019] In one embodiment, the impact body could comprise the acceleration sensor, wherein the acceleration measurement data provided by the latter could be transmitted to the electronic module via the impact body's interface. However, it is particularly preferred if the electronic module itself comprises the acceleration sensor and is designed, in a separate state, to determine an impact characteristic using acceleration measurement data obtained from the acceleration sensor in a first computing unit. This has the advantage that the electronic module can be used to determine an impact characteristic such as the impact force, even if the pressure sensor is not connected to the electronic module. In other words, the electronic module can thus be used in two operating modes. First, the user can connect the electronic module to the impact body, whereby the impact body can determine the impact characteristic particularly precisely using the pressure measurement values.Secondly, the user can also use the electronic module independently as a “stand-alone” product, where it is not connected to the impactor or pressure sensor, and can still determine an impact characteristic from the acceleration measurement data obtained from the acceleration sensor, even if this is less accurate than from the pressure measurements.

[0020] The electronic module can preferably be configured to determine an impact force in the disconnected state based on the acceleration measurement data obtained from the acceleration sensor and an estimated effective mass. With knowledge of an effective mass, the advantage of this embodiment is that an impact force can be determined even without communication with a pressure sensor. The effective mass could be stored as a constant value in the computing unit or communicated to the computing unit via an interface. Alternatively, the effective mass can be stored in an external data processing unit such as a smartphone.Particularly preferably, the electronic module can determine an estimated value for the effective mass in the assembled state and use this value at a later time in the separated state to determine an impact force on the basis of the acceleration measurement data obtained from the acceleration sensor.

[0021] In one embodiment, the electronic module is designed to determine an impact force in the assembled state based on the pressure measurement data obtained from the pressure sensor and a cross-sectional area of ​​the fluid-filled body. The advantage of this embodiment is that determining an impact force via the pressure sensor provides a more precise value compared to determining the impact force via an estimated effective mass. The cross-sectional area of ​​the fluid-filled body could be stored in the computing unit for this purpose. Alternatively or additionally, the value of the cross-sectional area of ​​the fluid-filled body could be transmitted from the impact body to the electronic module via the interfaces. Furthermore, alternatively or additionally, the value of the cross-sectional area of ​​the fluid-filled body can be stored in an external data processing unit such as a smartphone.In one embodiment, the electronic module comprises a transceiver as an electronic component, which is configured to transmit data, preferably wirelessly and / or via a cable, to an external data processing unit. The external data processing unit could, for example, be a mobile phone, so that the determined impact characteristic can be output live and / or retrospectively as a summary analysis via a mobile phone application.

[0022] In a preferred embodiment, the electronic module comprises a signal indicator, preferably an LED display and / or an LCD display, for communicating an operating state of the electronic module. The signal indicator could communicate a wide variety of operating states to a user. For example, the signal indicator could communicate a coupling or decoupling process of the electronic module to or from an impact body. Optionally, an error that occurred during the coupling process can be communicated via the signal indicator. Alternatively or additionally, the existence or non-existence of a connection can be communicated to a user via the signal indicator. In a practical example, an LED display can display a light, in particular a green light, when the impact body and the electronic module are in an assembled state. When a connection is established, the LED display could flash.However, it is also conceivable that the signal indicator could be an acoustic, haptic, and / or olfactory signal indicator. A combination of the aforementioned signal indicators is also conceivable.

[0023] In a preferred embodiment, the signal indicator can inform a user of the connection status to the pressure sensor and / or the second processing unit, preferably the establishment of a connection, the existence of a connection, and / or the lack of a connection. This allows a user to quickly determine whether the modular impact equipment is ready for use in its assembled state. Alternatively or additionally, the signal indicator can be implemented on an external data processing unit, for example, a smartphone.

[0024] In a preferred embodiment, the interfaces are formed by wireless communication means. An advantage of this embodiment is that no electrical contacts are exposed and are therefore not susceptible to wear. For example, rainwater and / or sweat could damage an electrical contact. Furthermore, an impact can briefly loosen the electrical contacts (loose contact), meaning that the desired parameters cannot be measured at this time. If the interfaces are formed by wireless communication means, this risk is eliminated. Particularly preferably, an inductively chargeable battery is also located within the electronics module, meaning that the electronics module does not need to have any external electrical contacts at all.

[0025] It should also be mentioned that if the interfaces are formed by wireless communication means, it is recommended that the impact body also include a transceiver and a data processing element in addition to the pressure sensor. In addition to data, wireless communication could also transmit energy, as is the case with near-field communication (NFC). Wireless communication requires more energy by generating an electromagnetic field. Therefore, it is preferred that a wireless interface only transmits energy during a (potential) impact movement, but otherwise no communication is carried out most of the time. Alternatively or additionally, a test could be carried out cyclically, for example, every x seconds, to determine whether a connection to the pressure sensor is established.

[0026] In a preferred embodiment, the electronic module comprises a battery as an electrical component, wherein the battery, when disconnected, can be charged via the aforementioned interface of the electronic module. This enables a space-saving design, so that only one interface can be arranged in the electronic module. In the assembled state, the pressure measurement data can be delivered to the computing unit via the interface, and in the disconnected state, the battery can be charged via the same interface. In a practical embodiment, the interface of the electronic module could be a connector such as a USB port, which enables both data transmission and battery charging.

[0027] In a preferred embodiment, the electronic module further comprises a housing that encloses all electronic components of the electronic module, preferably in a waterproof and / or dustproof manner. The housing allows the electronic module to be provided as an encapsulated unit, and the stability of the electronic module can also be increased by the housing. Particularly in martial arts such as boxing, karate, kickboxing, taekwondo, kung fu, etc., the electronic module could come into contact with sweat. In these cases, the electronic module would be protected from liquid-related damage by a waterproof housing. Preferably, the housing enables protection against water and / or dust according to IP code IP11, IP code IP22, or IP code IP33. The IP codes mentioned refer to the DIN EN 60529 standard in the version valid at the time of registration.In a preferred embodiment, all electrical contacts, in particular charging contacts, of the electronic module are covered at the interface of the electronic module when assembled. This prevents wear due to environmental influences. In other words, there is no further electrical contact (e.g., for charging a battery) on a side opposite or adjacent to the aforementioned interface of the electronic module that is exposed in the assembled state and would thus allow perspiration or other liquids to penetrate the electronic module.

[0028] In a preferred embodiment, the striking glove body further comprises a receiving unit into which the electronic module can be inserted, wherein in the assembled state the electronic module is at least partially, preferably completely, inserted into the receiving unit. By inserting the electronic module into the receiving unit, the interfaces can be physically brought together, thus establishing the assembled state. The receiving unit in particular prevents the two interfaces from becoming detached and thus creates increased operational reliability. If the interfaces are designed as electrical contacts, the receiving unit can also have electrical contacts inside it. If the interfaces enable wireless communication, the interface of the receiving unit could have corresponding communication means.

[0029] In a preferred embodiment, the receiving unit comprises sealing elements that, when assembled, enclose the interfaces in the interior of the receiving unit in a watertight and / or dustproof manner. If the interfaces are designed as electrical contacts, they are thereby protected from liquids, such as rainwater or perspiration. The sealing elements preferably provide protection against water and / or dust according to IP code IP11, IP code IP22, or IP code IP33. The aforementioned IP codes refer to the DIN EN 60529 standard in the version valid at the time of registration.

[0030] In a further aspect of the invention, a system comprising modular striking equipment and a charging unit is provided, wherein the electronics module is connectable to the charging unit when disconnected, and the charging unit is configured to charge a battery of the electronics module via the interface of the electronics module. This enables uncomplicated charging of the battery, as the electronics module is generally smaller than the striking body and can thus be charged via the charging unit without requiring a great deal of space. A further advantage is that the striking body, moistened by the athlete's sweat, can dry, if necessary in a different location, while the battery of the electronics module is being charged.

[0031] In a further aspect of the invention, an electronic module for modular impact equipment is provided, wherein the electronic module comprises a computing unit for determining the impact property, wherein the computing unit is preferably designed to determine an impact property in a first state using acceleration measurement data obtained from an acceleration sensor, wherein the electronic module has an interface via which the computing unit can be connected to a pressure sensor, wherein the electronic module, in a second state connected to the pressure sensor, is designed to determine an impact property using pressure measurement data obtained from the pressure sensor. This makes it possible to provide an electronic module that can be modularly connected to an impact body.This electronic module essentially has the same advantages and can be provided with the same advantageous embodiments as those explained above for the impact equipment. It is particularly preferred if the electronic module comprises an acceleration sensor and a battery, wherein the computing unit is configured to determine an impact characteristic from acceleration measurement data obtained from the acceleration sensor in a first state in which the electronic module is preferably not connected to the pressure sensor. This allows the electronic module to be used even when it is not connected to the pressure sensor.

[0032] Advantageous and non-limiting embodiments of the invention set out in the claims are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0033] Fig. 1 shows a known batting glove from the prior art.

[0034] Fig. 2 shows an embodiment of the modular striking equipment according to the invention as a modular striking glove.

[0035] Fig. 3 shows an enlarged view of an electronic module.

[0036] Fig. 4 shows a further embodiment of the modular striking equipment according to the invention as a modular striking glove with a loading unit.

[0037] Fig. 5 shows a further use of an electronic module according to the invention.

[0038] Fig. 1 shows a punching glove 100 known in the prior art, which is designed to determine a punching force. For this purpose, the known punching glove 100 comprises a damping body 200, a fluid-filled body 300, and a pressure sensor 400 arranged in the fluid-filled body 300. When an athlete strikes an obstacle with the punching glove 100, a force is exerted on the fluid-filled body 300. This increases the hydrostatic pressure in the fluid-filled body 300, which can be measured with the pressure sensor 400. The pressure sensor 400 communicates with a computing unit 500, which determines a punching force from the measured pressure data. The known punching glove 100 further comprises an acceleration sensor 600, by means of which a punch trajectory and thus further information about a punch to be measured can be provided.In addition, the known striking glove 100 comprises a transceiver 900, which can transmit the measured or calculated data to an external evaluation unit, and a battery 700, which supplies the aforementioned components with electrical energy. It is evident that all of the aforementioned electronic components are provided within the fluid-filled body or at least within the striking glove and are therefore not replaceable.

[0039] Fig. 2 shows a modular striking equipment 1 according to the invention, in particular a boxing glove, a karate, Muay Thai, or kickboxing glove, comprising a striking body 1a and an electronic module 1b. However, the invention is not limited to gloves. Rather, a person skilled in the art can easily transfer the invention to other embodiments where, for example, a leg kick is measured instead of an arm strike. It is also conceivable for the invention to be designed as a passive sports instrument, for example as a punching bag. The further description below refers to the embodiment as a striking glove, in particular to clarify the differences compared to the prior art. It is understood, however, that all embodiments disclosed herein can be used for general striking equipment.

[0040] The punching glove 1 according to the invention is designed to determine punch acceleration, punch speed, punch force, and / or punch technique. For this purpose, the modular punching glove 1 according to the invention comprises a damping body 2, a fluid-filled body 3 (also called a pad or sensor pad), and a pressure sensor 4 arranged in the fluid-filled body 3. When an athlete strikes an obstacle with the modular punching glove 1, a force is exerted on the fluid-filled body 3. This increases the hydrostatic pressure in the fluid-filled body 3, which can be measured with the pressure sensor 4. The fluid-filled body 3 can be made of an elastic material so that it can deform within certain limits. For example, the fluid-filled body 3 can be made of PVC, neoprene, silicone, or thermoplastic elastomers.The fluid-filled body 3 is usually filled with air, but could also be filled with another gas or even with a liquid.

[0041] The aforementioned damping body 2 is located between an impact surface of the punching glove 1 and the fluid-filled body 3. The damping body 2 is typically composed of an outer shell and a foam body, with the outer shell in most cases being a layer of leather or a layer of synthetic leather, i.e., a layer of plastic. However, the damping body 2 could also be designed differently.

[0042] Similar to the known striking glove 100, in the modular striking glove 1 according to the invention, the pressure sensor 4 communicates with a computing unit 5. This can determine an impact force based on the pressure measurement data obtained from the pressure sensor 4 and a known cross-sectional area of ​​the fluid-filled body 3.

[0043] In contrast to the known striking glove 100, however, the computing unit 5 in the solution according to the invention is modular, i.e., it is provided so as to be replaceable on the striking glove 1. For this purpose, the electronics module 1b is provided, which comprises at least the computing unit 5, but may also comprise an acceleration sensor 6, a battery 7, or other electronic components (Figure 3). The electronics module 1b is designed such that it can be separated from the striking body 1a and is therefore replaceable thereon. This has the advantage that all of the electronic components present in the electronics module 1b are not inseparably present in the striking glove 1 and can therefore be easily installed, repaired, replaced, charged, etc.

[0044] The impact body 1a and the electronic module 1b each have an interface 8a, 8b via which they can be connected to one another. Specifically, the impact body 1a has a first interface 8a and the connection module 1b has a second interface 8b. The impact body 1a and the electronic module 1b can thus be brought into a combined state and a separated state. In the combined state, the interfaces 8a, 8b are connected, and at least communication can take place between the pressure sensor 4 and the computing unit 5. In the separated state, the interfaces 8a, 8b are separated from one another, and no communication can take place between the pressure sensor 4 and the computing unit 5. In the simplest case, the interfaces 8a, 8b are formed by opposing electrical contacts that physically touch one another in the combined state.The electrical contacts can be flat or in the form of plug-in connections, e.g., jack connections, USB connections, spring contact pins, or the like. In the assembled state, the electrical contacts 8b of the electronic module 1b rest against those of the impact body 1a, so that they touch or cover each other. If the electronic module 1b does not include any further electrical contacts, no electrical contacts are exposed once the assembled state has been established.

[0045] However, it is not absolutely necessary for the interfaces 8a, 8b to be designed as electrical contacts. It is conceivable that the interfaces 8a, 8b enable wireless communication, such as near-field communication (NFC). In this case, the interfaces 8a, 8b do not necessarily have to be in direct contact, but merely have to be positioned physically close to one another so that wireless communication can take place. In this case, it can be understood, for example, that the impact body 1a and the electronics module 1b are in the assembled state when they are arranged at a distance that is less than a predetermined threshold distance, and are in the separated state when they are arranged at a distance that is greater than the predetermined threshold distance. The threshold distance is the distance up to which communication can be established and / or carried out.

[0046] It should also be mentioned that if the interfaces are formed by wireless communication means, it is recommended that the impact body also include a transceiver and a data processing element in addition to the pressure sensor. In addition to data, wireless communication could also transmit energy, as is the case with near-field communication (NFC). Wireless communication requires more energy by generating an electromagnetic field. Therefore, it is preferred that a wireless interface only transmits energy during a (potential) impact movement, but otherwise no communication is carried out most of the time. Alternatively or additionally, a test could be carried out cyclically, for example, every x seconds, to determine whether a connection to the pressure sensor is established.

[0047] By merging the interfaces 8a, 8b, the assembled state of the electronic module 1b and the impact body 1a is established, whereby the pressure sensor 4 of the impact body 1a is connected to the computing unit 5 of the electronic module 1b. In the assembled state, the electronic module 1b, or more precisely the computing unit 5, can thus receive pressure measurement data measured by the pressure sensor 4 in the fluid-filled body 3 of the impact body 1a. This allows the computing unit 5 to determine an impact force together with a cross-sectional area of ​​the fluid-filled body 3, which can be stored in the computing unit 5. Since the electronic module 1b could also be connected to different impact bodies 1a, the electronic module 1b and the impact body 1a could also exchange an identification of the impact body 1a or other data such as the cross-sectional area of ​​the fluid-filled body 3 via the interfaces 8a, 8b.

[0048] The acceleration measurement data measured by the acceleration sensor 6 can also be used to determine an impact acceleration, impact speed, impact force (via an estimated effective mass, e.g. to verify the impact force determined using the pressure measurement data) or impact technique.

[0049] In the embodiments explained above, it was assumed that the acceleration sensor 6 is located in the electronic module 1b. However, it could also be provided that it is located in the impact body 1a and that acceleration measurement data measured by the acceleration sensor 6 are sent to the computing unit 5 via the aforementioned interfaces 8a, 8b.

[0050] Fig. 3 shows a preferred embodiment of the electronic module 1b according to the invention. In the example shown, the electronic module 1b comprises the computing unit 5, the acceleration sensor 6, and the battery 7.

[0051] The computing unit 5 can be implemented as a simple integrated circuit or as a simple logic circuit. Alternatively, it could also be a computer with a computer program stored on it.

[0052] The acceleration sensor 6 is generally designed to record acceleration measurements in three orthogonal spatial directions x, y, z. The acceleration sensor 6 can, in particular, be part of an IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit), which can also include a yaw rate sensor.

[0053] The battery 7 (regardless of whether it is located in the electronics module 1b or outside the electronics module 1b) provides a power supply for the computing unit 5 and, if applicable, also the acceleration sensor 6. If the pressure sensor 4 requires power during use, the battery 7 can also provide the power to the pressure sensor 7 in the assembled state via the interfaces 8a, 8b. In the example of Figure 2, accelerations can be measured by the acceleration sensor 6 and processed in the computing unit 5. In the embodiment shown, the computing unit 5, the acceleration sensor 6, and the battery 7 are mounted on a common circuit board. However, the structure of the electronics module 1b is not limited to the embodiment shown, so that, for example, the aforementioned circuit board could also be omitted or there could be more than one circuit board.As previously explained, the acceleration sensor 6, for example, could also be located outside the electronics module 1b. If the battery 7 is permanently provided in the electronics module 1b, as shown, it can be designed as a rechargeable accumulator. Alternatively, the battery 7 could also be provided in a replaceable manner in the electronics module 1b, e.g., as one or more button cells, AAA batteries, or the like. In a further variant, the battery 7 could also be provided in the impact body 1a and supply electrical energy to the computing unit 5 via the aforementioned interfaces 8a, 8b or via another interface.

[0054] The electronic module 1b also includes the aforementioned interface 8b, via which a connection between the electronic module 1b and the impact body 1a can be established (see Fig. 2). In the illustrated variant, the interface 8b of the electronic module 1b is implemented by two flat electrical contacts.

[0055] Furthermore, the electronic module 1b can have a transceiver 9, which is configured to send data determined by the computing unit 5 to an external data processing unit (not shown in Fig. 3). In a practical example, the data processing unit can be a mobile phone, so that the determined hitting characteristic can be output via a mobile phone application, e.g., in a live mode or in an analysis mode after using the batting glove 1.

[0056] The communication between the transceiver 9 and the external data processing unit can, for example, be wireless, such as via a radio connection, or wired, such as by wired communication via the aforementioned interface 8b of the electronic module 1b or another interface of the electronic module 1b. It can also be provided that the transceiver 9 receives data from the external data processing unit. This can, for example, be a value for an effective mass, with the aid of which an impact force can be calculated from an impact acceleration. Alternatively or additionally, it can be provided that the transceiver 9 receives a command, which triggers a physical coupling or decoupling process to or from the impact body 1a.In many cases, the electronic module 1b will also have a storage unit in which collected data, in particular the impact characteristics and / or pressure measurement data and / or acceleration measurement data, can be stored. In this variant, the aforementioned transceiver 9 can send data from the storage unit to the external data processing unit or receive data from it.

[0057] The storage unit can, for example, be configured as a FIFO (First In First Out) storage system, which makes it easy to always record the last x seconds or minutes. Alternatively or additionally, the storage unit can be configured to always record the last x completed motion recordings of strokes.

[0058] The electronic module 1b can further comprise a signal indicator 10, as shown. The signal indicator 10 is preferably embodied as an LED display, but it is also conceivable for the signal indicator 10 to be an acoustic, haptic, and / or olfactory signal indicator 10, so that, for example, the user is alerted to a certain operating state by a sound, a melody, a vibration, a predetermined vibration pattern, or a scent. A combination of the aforementioned signal indicators 10 is also conceivable.

[0059] Preferably, a coupling or decoupling process of the electronic module 1b to or from an impact body 1a can be indicated to a user via the signal indicator 10. Optionally, an error that occurred during the coupling process can be communicated via the signal indicator 10. Alternatively or additionally, the existence or non-existence of a connection can be communicated to a user via the signal indicator 10. In a practical example, an LED display can display a light, in particular a green light, when the impact body 1a and the electronic module 1b are in a connected state. When a connection is established, the LED display could flash.

[0060] It is also possible for the signal indicator 10 to inform the user of the charge level of the battery 7 and / or other operating states (e.g., functionality of the acceleration sensor 6, free memory space of the storage unit, etc.). Alternatively or additionally, the signal indicator 10 can indicate that the battery is currently being charged. Alternatively or additionally, the signal indicator 10 can be implemented on an external data processing unit, for example, a smartphone. The electronics module 1b further comprises a housing 11 which encloses at least the computing unit 5, the acceleration sensor 6, and the battery 7. This housing 11 can, for example, be a plastic housing or a metal housing and is preferably waterproof, so that the electronic components enclosed by the housing 11 are at least protected from splash water.In the embodiment shown, the housing 11 is designed as a cuboid, although the shape of the housing is not limited to cuboids. In the variant in which the interfaces 8a, 8b are designed as electrical contacts, the interface 8b of the electronic module 1b is located on an outer side of the housing 11. These are preferably the only contacts present on the outer side of the housing 11, since in this case there will be no outwardly exposed electrical contacts when the interface 8b of the electronic module 1b rests against the interface 8a of the impact body 1a.

[0061] To physically connect the electronics module 1b to the impact body 1a, and in particular to establish a stable connection between the interfaces 8a, 8b, the electronics module 1b and the impact body 1a can be held together, for example, by a clamp, magnet, suction cup, or hook-and-loop fastener. These variants can also be used if the physical connecting surfaces are essentially flat, as shown in Fig. 1. However, a preferred variant is shown below with reference to Fig. 4, in which the electronics module 1b can be inserted into a receiving unit 12, whereby a particularly stable physical connection can be achieved.

[0062] Fig. 4 shows a further preferred embodiment of the modular striking glove 1 together with an optional charging unit 13 for the electronics module. The embodiment of the modular striking glove 1 shown in Fig. 4 differs from the embodiment of the modular striking glove 1 shown in Fig. 2 in that the striking body 1a comprises a receiving unit 12 into which the electronics module 1b can be at least partially inserted. In the embodiment shown, the receiving unit 12 is designed as a cuboid having a recess into which the electronics module 1b can be inserted. However, the shape of the receiving unit 12 is not limited to cuboids.

[0063] Furthermore, Fig. 4 shows that the impact body 1a has a second processing unit 15. The second processing unit 15 receives the pressure values ​​measured by the pressure sensor 4 and is connected to the interface 8a of the impact body 1a. Thus, the second processing unit 15, which is connected to the pressure sensor 4 and is present in the impact body 1a, can be connected to the at least one electronic component of the electronics module 1b. The impact body 1a can thus independently determine an impact characteristic (independently of the electronics module 1b) using the second processing unit 15 or send data to an external processing unit.

[0064] At this point it should be noted that the second computing unit 15 is independent of the recording unit 12. Embodiments are conceivable in which a recording unit 12 shown in Fig. 4 is present, but no second computing unit 15. It is also conceivable for another embodiment to have a second computing unit 15 shown in Fig. 4, but no recording unit 12. In other words, the second computing unit 15 can also be provided in the embodiment shown in Fig. 2 without this embodiment having a recording unit 12. Likewise, the recording unit 12 can be provided in the embodiment shown in Fig. 2 without this embodiment having a second computing unit 15.Particularly in those cases in which the impact body 1a comprises the second computing unit 15, it can be provided that the electronic module 1b has fewer or different electronic components than previously described, in particular only the battery 7.

[0065] By inserting the electronic module 1b into the receiving unit 12, the interfaces 8a, 8b are physically brought together, thus establishing the assembled state. If the interfaces 8a, 8b are designed as electrical contacts, the receiving unit 12 also has electrical contacts inside. If the interfaces 8a, 8b enable wireless communication, the interface 8a of the receiving unit 12 has corresponding communication means.

[0066] Preferably, the receiving unit 12 comprises sealing elements which, in the assembled state, enclose the interfaces 8a, 8b in a watertight manner within the interior of the receiving unit 12. If the interfaces 8a, 8b are designed as electrical contacts, they are thereby protected from liquids, for example, rainwater or sweat.

[0067] The electronics module 1b can be secured in the receiving unit 12 in various ways. For example, this can be done using a clamp, magnet, suction cup, or hook-and-loop fastener. Alternatively or additionally, the receiving unit 12 can have a cover or flap (not shown in Fig. 4) designed to completely enclose the electronics module 1b in the receiving unit 12 and prevent the electronics module 1b from escaping from the receiving unit 12. For the description of the remaining elements of the modular batting glove 1 shown in Fig. 4, reference is made to the description of Figures 2 and 3.

[0068] Preferably, the invention provides not only a modular batting glove 1, but also a system comprising a modular batting glove 1 and a loading unit 13.

[0069] The charging unit 13 is designed to be connected to an electronic module 1b in the separated state. In other words, in the embodiment shown, the electronic module 1b can be connected either to the impact body 1a (thereby establishing the assembled state) or to the charging unit 13.

[0070] The charging unit 13 is further configured to charge the battery 7 of the electronic module 1b via the interface 8b of the electronic module 1b and / or to exchange data with the electronic module 1b. Preferably, the interface 8b of the electronic module 1b enables both communication with the pressure sensor 4 of an impact body 1a and a power connection to a charging unit 13. However, the charging unit 13 could also charge the battery 7 of the electronic module 1b wirelessly, for example, inductively.

[0071] In the simplest case, the electronic module 1b described above cannot function independently when separated, e.g., because it does not include the function of determining an impact characteristic without measurement data from the pressure sensor 4. In this case, the electronic module 1b is a simple modular component of the impact glove 1 and only fulfills its function in combination with the impact body 1a.

[0072] However, Fig. 5 shows an embodiment in which the electronic module 1b can also be used as a standalone module, which also determines a striking characteristic when no pressure sensor 4 is connected to it. If this electronic module 1b is mounted in a separate state on a body part of an athlete, the acceleration sensor 6 can measure the acceleration of the corresponding body part. Together with an estimated effective mass, the striking force can be calculated from this. It is understood, however, that this determination is significantly less accurate than a measurement with the pressure sensor 4 connected.If the electronic module 1b is used as an independently operable module, it comprises an acceleration sensor 6 which communicates with the computing unit 5 so that, based on the measured acceleration data, an impact speed, impact force or impact technique can also be determined by the computing unit 5.

[0073] As shown in Fig. 5, the electronics module 1b can be mounted, for example, by means of a bandage 14 or a glove on the forearm or another body part of an athlete, so that impact acceleration can be measured, for example, during boxing or a similar sport. In this embodiment, the interface 8b of the electronics module 1b to the pressure sensor 4 is usually exposed and unused, although it can also be accommodated in the bandage 14 and thus covered by it. If the contacts are covered in this embodiment, damage as well as damage caused by other influences, such as ESD, can be avoided. The electronics module 1b could also be inserted into the pocket of a protective device such as a foot guard, so that a bandage 14 is not required.

[0074] With this embodiment, the battery life of the electronic module 1b can be increased if necessary, especially when the pressure sensor 4 requires power during use.

Claims

Claims 1. Modular striking equipment (1), preferably a modular striking glove, for determining a striking characteristic, in particular a striking acceleration, striking speed, striking force or striking technique, comprising a striking body (1a) and an electronic module (1b), wherein the striking body (1a) comprises a damping body (2) and a pressure sensor (4), wherein the electronic module (1b) comprises at least one electronic component, preferably a first computing unit (5) for determining the striking characteristic, wherein the electronic module (1b) and the striking body (1a) each have an interface (8a, 8b) via which the pressure sensor (4) or a second computing unit (15) connected to the pressure sensor (4) and present in the striking body (1a) can be connected to the at least one electronic component of the electronic module (1b), wherein the electronic module (1b) and the striking body (1a) are physically connected to the said interface (8a,8b) are separable and assemblable from one another, so that the electronic module (1b) and the impact body (1a) can be brought into a combined state and a separated state, wherein the modular impact equipment (1) is designed, in a combined state, to exchange data and / or energy between the at least one electronic component and the pressure sensor (4) and / or the second computing unit (15) via said interfaces (8a, 8b), characterized in that the electronic module (1b) comprises the first computing unit (5) and an acceleration sensor (6) as electronic components, wherein the first computing unit (5) is designed, in a separated state, to determine an impact characteristic via acceleration measurement data obtained from the acceleration sensor (6) and / or to send the acceleration measurement data to an external computing unit for determining an impact characteristic.

2. Modular impact equipment according to claim 1, wherein the impact body (1a) comprises a fluid-filled body (3) in which the pressure sensor is arranged to measure a hydrostatic pressure in the fluid-filled body (3).

3. Modular impact equipment according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first computing unit (5) is designed to determine an impact characteristic via pressure measurement data obtained from the pressure sensor (4) and / or to send the pressure measurement data obtained from the pressure sensor (4) to an external computing unit for determining an impact characteristic when the electronic module (1b) and the impact body (1a) are in the assembled state.

4. Modular impact equipment according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the impact body (1a) comprises the second computing unit (15) for determining the impact property on the basis of the measurement data supplied by the pressure sensor (4), an acceleration sensor and / or a transceiver.

5. Modular impact equipment according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the electronic module (1b) comprises a signal indicator (10), preferably an LED display and / or an LCD display, for communicating an operating state of the electronic module (1b).

6. Modular impact equipment according to claim 5, wherein the signal indicator (10) can inform a user of a connection status to the pressure sensor (4) and / or to the second computing unit (15), preferably the establishment of a connection, the existence of a connection and / or the non-existence of a connection.

7. Modular impact equipment according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the interfaces (8a, 8b) are formed by wireless communication means.

8. Modular impact equipment according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the electronic module (1b) comprises a battery (7) as an electronic component, wherein the battery (7) is rechargeable in the separated state via said interface (8b) of the electronic module (1b).

9. Modular impact equipment according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the electronic module (1b) further comprises a housing (11) which encloses all electronic components of the electronic module (1b), preferably in a waterproof and / or dustproof manner.

10. Modular impact equipment according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein all electrical contacts, in particular charging contacts, of the electronic module (1b) are covered in the assembled state at the interface (8b) of the electronic module (1b).

11. Modular impact equipment according to one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the impact body (1a) further comprises a receiving unit (12) into which the Electronic module (1b) can be inserted, wherein in the assembled state the electronic module (1b) is at least partially inserted into the receiving unit (12).

12. Modular impact equipment according to claim 11, wherein the receiving unit (12) comprises sealing elements which, in the assembled state, enclose the interfaces (8a, 8b) in a watertight and / or dust-tight manner in the interior of the receiving unit (12).

13. System comprising a modular impact equipment according to one of claims 1 to 12 and a charging unit (13), wherein the electronic module (1b) is connectable to the charging unit (13) in the separated state, wherein the charging unit (13) is configured to charge a battery (7) of the electronic module (1b) via the interface (8b) of the electronic module (1b).

14. Electronic module for modular impact equipment according to one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the electronic module (1b) comprises a first computing unit (5) for determining the impact property and an acceleration sensor (6), wherein the computing unit (5) is designed to determine an impact property in a first state using acceleration measurement data obtained from an acceleration sensor (6), characterized in that the electronic module (1b) has an interface (8b) via which the first computing unit (5) can be connected to a pressure sensor (4), wherein the electronic module (1b) is designed to determine an impact property in a second state connected to the pressure sensor (4) using pressure measurement data obtained from the pressure sensor (4).

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