Golf Club Hit Position Estimation via Shaft Twist Analysis

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing golf club swing analysis devices are unable to accurately estimate the position at which a ball hits the club head.

Innovation Solution

A hit position estimation device with a sensor attached to the columnar portion of sports equipment, such as a golf club, outputs twisting information, which is used by a calculation unit to estimate the position of impact based on the unique twisting patterns associated with different hit locations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a sensor is attached to the hitting portion of the golf club, then the hit position can be directly detected, but the sensor interferes with the swing and affects hitting accuracy

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehit position detection accuracyVSAvoidhitting accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses the columnar portion (shaft) as an intermediary medium to transmit mechanical deformation information from the hitting portion to the sensor. Instead of attaching the sensor directly to the hitting portion, it is placed on the shaft where it can detect twisting and bending components that correspond to hit position without interfering with the clubhead's interaction with the ball.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces direct mechanical contact sensing at the hitting portion with indirect mechanical field sensing at the columnar portion. By measuring twisting and bending components in the shaft, the system infers hit position information without requiring physical sensors at the clubhead, thus avoiding interference with the swinging motion and ball contact.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Measurement precision

If multiple sensors are attached to detect hit position, then measurement accuracy improves, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehit position estimation accuracyVSAvoidsensor configuration complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the sensor's measurement capability into two independent components: twisting detection and bending detection. By analyzing these separate components and their relationships, the system can determine both the longitudinal and lateral positions of the hit, achieving comprehensive hit position detection with a single multi-functional sensor rather than multiple specialized sensors.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent makes a single sensor perform multiple measurement functions by detecting both twisting and bending components of the columnar portion. This multi-functional approach allows one sensor to provide information about both longitudinal and lateral hit positions, replacing what would otherwise require multiple separate sensors.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables reliable estimation of the ball's impact position on the golf club head by analyzing sensor signals for bending and twisting components, improving accuracy in detecting hit positions.

Implementation Method 1

outputs a sensor signal including twisting of the columnar portion

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectTwisting deformation: Deformation

Data Source

PatentUS20230381615A1Hit position estimation device and hit position estimation method

Publication Date: 2023.11.30 MURATA MFG CO LTD

AI summary

A hit position estimation device includes a sensor and a calculation unit. The sensor is attached to a shaft of a golf club and outputs a sensor signal including twisting of the shaft. The calculation unit estimates a position at which a ball hits a head from a twist component when the ball hits the head of the golf club, by using the sensor signal.