239 results about "Ball impact" patented technology

A golf club head having selectively oriented zones of relatively high flexural stiffness is disclosed. The hitting face is configured and dimensioned so that it includes an inner zone and a concentric intermediate zone. The inner zone has relatively high flexural stiffness and the intermediate zone has relatively lower flexural stiffness. The inner zone may have an elliptical shape or a substantially parallelogram shape. Preferably, the inner zone has a shape that comprises a major axis and a minor axis and the major axis aligns substantially in the direction of high heel to low toe. This arrangement of inner and intermediate zones creates a gradient of flexural stiffness in the direction of high toe to low heel and produces a desirable manipulation COR in that direction. This area of high coefficient of restitution advantageously coincides with the ball impact pattern that golfers typically make on the hitting face. The hitting face also comprises a measurement zone wherein the lowest COR is at least 93% of the highest COR.

The present invention relates to a golf club head provided with a face and a body. The face has a central zone and a intermediate zone adjacent and surrounding the central zone. The central zone has a first flexural stiffness and the intermediate zone has a second flexural stiffness. The club head face is configured and dimensioned such that the first flexural stiffness is significantly greater than the second flexural stiffness such that upon ball impact with the face, the intermediate zone exhibits substantial deformation so that the central zone moves into the club head. At the same time, the central zone exhibits minimal deformation so that it moves into and out of the club head as a unit. Furthermore, the face exhibits a high coefficient of restitution.

An internal vibration damper for hollow golf club heads is disclosed. Of particular concern is vibration of the club sole and crown when the face of the club impacts a golf ball. At least one column extends from the sole to the crown, approximately perpendicular to the surfaces of the sole and crown. The column construction or its mounting acts to dampen and reduce vibrations of the sole and crown toward and apart from each other upon ball impact on the face of the club head.

A golf swing analyzer that can be attached to a golf club shaft. The analyzer includes a housing with an integral shaft mount. The housing contains an internal chamber in which an accelerometer, microprocessor and data storage are contained, and an output display screen mounted to the housing. The analyzer measures acceleration during a golfer's swing and calculates the frequency of a club that would be straight at ball impact.

The head of a golf club is improved by reducing the drag and wake turbulence produced in the air when the golf club is swung to strike a golf ball. The club head has a convex sole with an elongated depression defined therein. The inboard end of the depression is located proximate both the heel and the ball-impact face and extends outwardly at a diverging angle from the ball-impact face to an outboard extremity located inboard from the toe of the club head. This depression or channel is thereby closely aligned with the direction of travel of the club head during a normal downswing and follow through of a golf stroke. Also, the top of the club head is covered with a relatively rough coating, such as a textured paint with granules encapsulated therein. The roughness average of the top surface of the club head, as measured by a profilometer, is it least three times as great as that of the ball-impact face and at least three times as great as that of the sole of the club head.

A method and apparatus for actively controlling the impact between a club head and a golf ball. A golf club head has a face with an actuator material or device mechanically coupled to influence face motion. The face actuation controls impact parameters, impact properties, or resulting ball parameters such as speed, direction and spin rates resulting from the impact event between the face of the club and the golf ball. Further, the apparatus has a control device for determining the actuation of the face. Several embodiments are presented for controlling parameters such as ball speed and direction. The invention can use energy derived from the ball impact, converted into electrical energy, and then reapplied in a controlled fashion to influence an aspect of the face, such as position, velocity, deformation, stiffness, vibration, motion, temperature, or other physical parameter.

A sensor system for identifying an impact point of a ball hitting a ball hitting means, and a system and method for improving a hitting technique based thereupon. One system comprises an optical array, an motion processing module, a processing unit and an interface unit. The optical array is attached to the ball hitting means and comprises light emitters and light detectors arranged to repeatedly determine consequent impact points of the ball by detecting reflections of emitted optical signals. The motion processing module is attached to the ball hitting means measures its motion characteristics. The processing unit is arranged to analyze and process the consequent impact points and the motion characteristics of the ball hitting means to characterized the hitting technique. The interface unit is arranged to present the hitting technique, generate suggestions for improving the hitting technique and allow further analysis of the hitting technique.

A tennis racquet that provides audio or visual feedback to a player. Sensors sense the impact of a ball on the racquet. A feedback indictor provides visual or audio feedback. A controller controls the indicator based on data provided by the sensors. In an entertainment mode, feedback is provided based on any ball impact. In a training mode, feedback is based on a ball impact within a sweet spot of the racquet. The sensors may collect performance data such as number of impacts, location of impacts, ball speed and racquet angle. A communication link may be provided to download the performance data to an external device.

A transparent shock-absorbing laminate to be formed on a glass substrate for a display panel having a fracture strength such that it is fractured by a falling ball impact (drop height: 1.5 m; ball weight: 510 g) corresponding to 79,000 N, the transparent shock-absorbing laminate comprising a shatterproof layer having a shearing modulus of 2x108 Pa or more, at least two fracture-proof layers having a shearing modulus ranging from 1x104 to 2x108 Pa, each having different modulus, and a transparent pressure-sensitive adhesive layer.

A method and apparatus for actively controlling the impact between a club head and a golf ball. A golf club head has a face with an actuator material or device mechanically coupled to influence face motion. The face actuation controls impact parameters, impact properties, or resulting ball parameters such as speed, direction and spin rates resulting from the impact event between the face of the club and the golf ball. Further, the apparatus has a control device for determining the actuation of the face. Several embodiments are presented for controlling parameters such as ball speed and direction. The invention can use energy derived from the ball impact, converted into electrical energy, and then reapplied in a controlled fashion to influence an aspect of the face, such as position, velocity, deformation, stiffness, vibration, motion, temperature, or other physical parameter.

A golf club head having a multi-material face. The golf club head has a hard, wear resistant material as the ball-impacting face surface coupled to a softer material, allowing the multi-material face to be joined to a soft body material such that the body can be bent and customized. The multi-material face allows for improved playing characteristics by allowing the club designer to use a thinner face and lighter body material while still providing improved face wear resistance and durability.

A golf club head having a multi-material face is disclosed and claimed. The face is formed by explosion welding, allowing materials having substantially different properties to be uniformly joined. Explosion welding allows the materials to be joined together via a cold-working process, allowing them to joined without losing their pre-bonded properties. Thus, the golf club head have a hard, wear resistant material as the ball-impacting face surface explosion welded to a softer material, allowing the multi-material face to be joined to a soft body material such that the body can be bent and customized. The multi-material face also allows for improved playing characteristics by allowing the club designer to use a thinner face and lighter body material while still providing improved face wear resistance and durability.

An integrated golf club and analysis system that measures and analyze the performance characteristics of both: 1) a free golf swing without impact with a golf ball and 2) a golf swing with ball impact analysis. Free swing analysis provides critical information needed to analyze swing style so that dynamics swing characteristics optimization can be evaluated throughout the entire swing without ball impact, while impact analysis provides critical information on ball impact location on the club face, however, they cannot be measured simultaneously since ball impact eliminates the ability to identify the swing metric peaks such as velocity if it were to occur after ball impact. To achieve both, an integrated electronics golf club head comprises multiple types of sensors for measuring club head motion, impact and spatial location information with a weight and balance of a regulation golf club head.

A body movement assessment device for measuring a position of a center of gravity of a person at a plurality of time intervals relative to a recordable event, such as ball impact in a golf swing, and displaying those measurements for analysis. The body movement assessment device is useful in analyzing the tempo of body movement of a person, the consistency of body movement over two or more repetitions of a movement, the weight shift and postures of the person, and balance of the person. The body movement assessment device may include a visual recording device that enables a visual image of the person to be recorded and replayed together with other analytical information for increased analysis and understanding by the person. In at least one embodiment, the body movement assessment device may be configured to analyze a golf swing.

Ball bats and methods of making the same are disclosed whereby the handle and barrel members are separate structural components, and whereby the handle member is of sufficient length to extend through the hollow barrel member. The handle member is connected to the barrel member at its proximal and distal ends by proximal and distal connectors. The connection between the handle member at the proximal end of the barrel member is by means of an elastomeric proximal connector. The connection between the handle member and the distal end of the barrel member is accomplished by means of a rigid distal connector. The rigid connection of the handle member's distal end to the distal end of the barrel member and the elastomeric (flexible) connection between the handle member and the proximal end of the barrel thereby allows the handle member to flex substantially across its entire length during ball impact thereby improving ball speed and distance off the bat when struck.

An improved structure for the club head of a wooden club, characterized in that the inner lateral side of the ball impact face board of the club head is provided with a plurality of cylindrical bodies connected at one point and the cylindrical bodies are extended toward the lateral side of the club head such that the cylindrical bodies are focused at the center connection of the club head, and another one cylindrical body is extended from the center connection to the bottom edge of the rear board of the club head and is mounted. Thus, the ball-impact face board is provided with a strong compression, thereby allowing the swinging of the club to impact on a golf ball and the impact distance is greatly improved.

An improved golf driver club head wherein each driver club head has a tensioning device which places the peripheral / outer structure of the club head in compression thereby resulting in a stronger more rigid club head structure. This is accomplished by affixing the tensioning device to the crown (top) surface of the club head and to the sole (bottom) surface of the metal head. The device is affixed to the two surfaces of the club head and is pre-tensioned. The tensioning may be accomplished by compressing the two club head surfaces together then affixing the device to the opposed surfaces so that the surfaces are held in state of relative compression. Another way this can be accomplished is to affix the device to the two club head surfaces either through a hole or boss and to adjust the device by threading, gluing or other form of fastening. In the preferred embodiment the tensioning device comprises an elongated cylindrical member having respective end members. The top and bottom surfaces of the golf club head are each provided with a cylindrical depression or recess and an aperture or passage at the lower end of the depression. The passages are just large enough to accommodate the tensioning device, but are too small to pass the respective end members. During club head manufacture, the length of the device is selected to apply a compressive force between the head surfaces. Fine adjustment is accommodated by a threaded end member. The actual compression force may be selected to yield the best performance depending on the geometry, structure and material of the club head.

A golf club head having a multi-material face is disclosed and claimed. The face is formed by explosion welding, allowing materials having substantially different properties to be uniformly joined. Explosion welding allows the materials to be joined together via a cold-working process, allowing them to joined without losing their pre-bonded properties. Thus, the golf club head have a hard, wear resistant material as the ball-impacting face surface explosion welded to a softer material, allowing the multi-material face to be joined to a soft body material such that the body can be bent and customized. The multi-material face also allows for improved playing characteristics by allowing the club designer to use a thinner face and lighter body material while still providing improved face wear resistance and durability.

The invention discloses a high-strength man-made quartz plate and a preparation method thereof. The plate comprises the following raw materials: unsaturated polyester resin, an inorganic material, a pigment, a coupling agent, a strength increasing material, a promoter and a curing agent. The preparation method includes: weighing all the raw materials according to a weight ratio, mixing uniformly, filling a mould with the material mixture, vibrating under vacuum, degassing by vacuum pressing, curing and forming at a medium temperature, and performing surface sanding processing to obtain a finished product. Beneficial effects of the man-made quartz plate and the preparation method thereof are that: the man-made quartz plate has increased plate density, increased rupture strength, increased compressive strength, increased falling-ball impact strength, reduced water adsorption rate, improved comprehensive performance indexes, and prolonged service lifetime; the application fields of finished products of the man-made quartz plate are largely increased; and the strength increasing material is added, thus largely increasing the strength of the man-made quartz plate.

An automatic golf ball ranging system is provided for retrofitting existing passive golf ranges to include an electronic system for notifying golfers as to the distance between the impact of their golf ball on the range and the golfer's target. The automated golf ranging system includes a pod which is preferably self contained to include an independent power supply, one or more microphones for receiving the sound of a golf ball impacting the golf range, a processor for processing the sound made by the golf ball, and visual or audio indicators for providing feedback to the golfer. The processor performs modification, filtration and analysis of the amplitude of the ball impacting the golf range to estimate the distance between golf ball impact and target. In preferred embodiments, the processor filters out ambient background noise and the processor automatically adjusts itself to changing ambient sound levels. Preferably, the processor also considers the time duration of the sound of a golf ball impacting the range when estimating the distance between golf ball impact and target.

Ball bats and methods of making the same are disclosed whereby the handle and barrel members are separate structural components, and whereby the handle member is of sufficient length to extend through the hollow barrel member. The handle member is connected to the barrel member at its proximal and distal ends by proximal and distal connectors. The connection between the handle member at the proximal end of the barrel member is by means of an elastomeric proximal connector. The connection between the handle member and the distal end of the barrel member is accomplished by means of a rigid distal connector. The rigid connection of the handle member's distal end to the distal end of the barrel member and the elastomeric (flexible) connection between the handle member and the proximal end of the barrel thereby allows the handle member to flex substantially across its entire length during ball impact.

A golf club putter head has a unique, geometric configuration that is advantageous for achieving consistently accurate putting shots. The golf putter head of the invention is characterized by a convex complexly contoured ball impact surface and by a high bridge that extends lengthwise at the face of the putter to join the heel and toe. The end extremities of both the putter heel and toe are curved with a complex and unique geometric curvature. Vertical, tapped, chamfered bores are defined in both the putter toe and the putter heel to receive externally threaded inserts. The inserts may be hollow so as to accommodate a variable number of disc-shaped weights, the number of which is individually selected by each golfer. Alternatively, the inserts may be solid structures of a weight suitable to the individual golfer.

A process for assembling a multi-component baseball bat includes providing a bat barrel having a threaded section and selecting a bat handle having a threaded section. The barrel and handle are interconnected in a threaded engagement, defining an intermediate tapered section providing impact absorption and reducing stress on the barrel and handle resulting from repeated impacts of a ball on the bat. An example of a multi-component baseball bat formed by the process includes a bat barrel having a first threaded section; a bat handle having a second threaded section; and a mechanism for coaxially interconnecting the first and second threaded sections in an aligned relation in order to provide impact absorption and reduce stress on an interface of the barrel and handle resulting from repeated ball impacts on the bat. The interconnecting mechanism defines, at least in part, an intermediate tapered section between the barrel and handle.

There is described a rebound wall to be positioned with respect to a playing surface having an activity area and configured for varying a rebound of a ball directed thereon, the rebound wall comprising: a wall having a rebound surface and adapted to be positioned vertically relative to the playing surface so that the rebound surface substantially faces the activity area; the rebound surface comprising a plurality of impact zones each for returning the ball according to a respective type of shot, each impact zone comprising at least one rebound region each for rebounding the ball along a respective rebound direction towards the activity area upon the ball impacting thereon, each rebound region being shaped as a function of the respective rebound direction and the type of shot of the respective impact zone in which the rebound region is contained.

A golf divot repair tool is combined with a golf putter club head in such a way as to provide a golfer with a golf putting practice aid that may be easily and conveniently utilized while the golfer engages in a round of golf. Typically, the putting aid of the invention can be utilized by a golfer awaiting his or her turn to putt at a golf green. A divot repair tool is configured as a small, narrow, thin, elongated, flat structure that defines a longitudinal axis of lateral symmetry. The tool has a pair of longitudinally projecting legs at one end and a disc-shaped magnet embedded in its structure at the other end. A raised, transverse hump structure is defined on the tool between its ends. The hump is oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of lateral symmetry. The raised, transverse hump serves as a stop that ensures proper alignment of the tool relative to the putter club head when the tool is positioned against the sole of the club head. If the club head is formed with a shelf on its back side, opposite the front ball-impact face, the tool can also be positioned atop the shelf and in abutment against the rear abutment structure rising upwardly from the shelf. A golfer can attach and align the tool relative to a golf putter head in an instant, and just as readily detach the tool from the putter head. The combination of the tool with the golf putter thereby serves as a very convenient, transportable, unburdensome practice aid that can be carried and utilized by a golfer while actually engaging in a round of golf.

A lacrosse stick for reducing the rebound of a ball caught therein. The head of the lacrosse stick has a socket for receiving the shaft, and incorporates one or a plurality of flexible elastomer pads within or as part of the handle or socket, where the head and handle meet, to damp impact and rebound. The flexibility of the damping pads produces a “give” that minimizes the rebound of a pocket after being impacted by a ball. This pocket dampening limits the movement of the ball and makes the ball easier to control and to retain in the pocket. The precise location of the dampening material on the lacrosse head may be varied to control the degree of pocket “give” in response to, for example, the force on the pocket created by a ball impacting the pocket during a catch or swinging in the pocket during cradling.

A combination of a cue ball and an object ball is used for aiming a cue ball to impact an object ball for motion of the object ball in a desired direction. The object ball has a series of object indicia on the outer surface that includes a center indicia and a number of auxiliary indicia on opposing sides thereof. The cue ball has a series of cue indicia on the outer surface that includes a center indicia and a number of auxiliary indicia on opposing sides thereof where the cue indicia is substantially identical to the object indicia. The object ball is aligned with its indicia parallel to a rail of the billiard table. The cue ball is aligned with its indicia parallel to the rail and facing the object indicia. An aiming line is extended through the object ball and through the object indicia to identify an object ball target indicia. Corresponding cue indicia is selected to identify a cue ball impact indicia. The cue ball is impacted into the object ball so that the object ball target indicia contacts the cue ball impact indicia thereby directing the object ball along the aiming line.