US20110306435A1

Movatterモバイル変換

Info

Publication number: US20110306435A1
Application number: US13/202,610
Authority: US
Inventors: Min Ho Seo
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-02-23
Filing date: 2009-04-27
Publication date: 2011-12-15
Also published as: WO2010095779A1

Abstract

A golf swing action correcting unit, which gives information about a plurality of stages corresponding to a plurality of golf swing actions, comprises: a control unit for generating signals corresponding to the plurality of stages; and an information-giving unit for generating information by means of signals corresponding to one or more of the plurality of stages in accordance with the signals from the control unit.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a golf swing action correcting unit. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a golf swing action correcting unit generating signals set for training golf, and a golf swing action correcting device including thereof.

BACKGROUND ART

Generally, golf is a game in which golf clubs are used to hit a golf ball into a number of holes, the object of which is to get the golf ball into each hole in as few strokes as possible.

In golf, golf swing pose is important as much as golf equipments such as clubs.

Typically, golf swing includes seven phases, i.e., address, back swing, back swing top, down swing, impact, follow through and finish. The details on the phases will be described below.

The address is a basic stationary phase for a golf swing action, in which a golfer grips a shaft of a golf club, and makes a head contact with or close to a golf ball.

The back swing is a first phase of the swing action, in which the golfer moves the golf club from the address phase to his/her waist, so that the shaft of the golf club is parallel to the ground.

The back swing top is a phase of holding the head of the golf club at the top.

The down swing is a phase in which the head of the golf club moves downwards from the top to the point right before hitting the golf ball.

The impact is a phase in which the head of the golf club hits the golf ball.

The follow through is a phase in which the head of the golf club moves to backside of the golfer by centrifugal force after the impact.

The finish is a phase after the golf swing.

It is known that, in the golf swing described above, the tempo and rhythm of the swing, as well as the pose of each stage, are important. It is because the swing tempo is the most important factor in the basic pose of the swing and the impact, and has a significant effect on the shot direction.

Also, avoiding a head-up is important as much as keeping the tempo or rhythm of the swing steady to keep an exact swing orbit. The head-up is a golfer's action of heading up before hitting the golf ball. The head-up makes an exact hitting difficult because the swing orbit and the face of the club are dislocated.

It is very difficult for most beginner golfers to keep the tempo and rhythm of the golf swing steady or to avoid the head-up. The problems of too rapid swing, too late swing and/or unstable swing orbit make the exact hitting between the face of the head and the golf ball difficult, and reduce the accuracy of distance and direction. In this regard, there is a need for assistive devices for keeping the tempo or rhythm of the golf swing steady.

Recently, tempo controllers for golf swing such as a tempo controller which aids actions for golf swing to be made in a steady tempo disclosed in Korean Utility Model Application No. 20-2004-0002228, or devices for avoiding a head-up such as an indicator for golf swing practicing disclosed in Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2001-0077590 have been developed.

However, the conventional tempo controller for golf swing disclosed in Korean Utility Model Application No. 20-2004-0002228 only suggests a tempo control function via voice playback, just capable of controlling pitches, thus it can disturb other golfers in public practice ranges, or the sounds can be lost in the ambient noise.

Further, according to the indicator for golf swing practicing disclosed in Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2001-0077590, a light indication point generated by a luminous device such as a laser lamp attached to a cap member should be an extension of a golf ball to be hit, thus making pose of a golfer unnatural, or making the golfer change repeatedly the location of the cap member or the luminous device with the cap member being put on the head of the golfer.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTIONProblems to be Solved by the Invention

In view of the foregoing, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a golf swing action correcting unit for assisting a golfer in making a perfect golf swing by setting various information providing function in accordance with the status of the golfer and the surrounding environment, and a golf swing action correcting device including thereof.

Further, another object of the present disclosure is to provide a golf swing action correcting unit for avoiding a head-up naturally and assisting a golfer in playing golf via an exact swing, and a golf swing action correcting device including thereof.

Means for Solving the Problems

In accordance with a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a golf swing action correcting unit, which gives information about multiple phases corresponding to multiple golf swing actions, including a control unit configured to generate signals corresponding to the multiple phases and an information-giving unit configured to generate information by signals corresponding to one or more phases of the multiple phases in accordance with the signals generated by the control unit.

The information generated by the information-giving unit may be a vibration.

A tempo control unit configured to set the signals to adjust a time interval between two adjacent phases among the multiple phases may be further included.

A coupling unit located on a surface opposite to the control unit of the device, and capable of being fixed to a part of a body of a golfer may be further included.

Further, in accordance with a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a golf swing action correcting device including a first golf swing action correcting unit including a control unit configured to generate signals corresponding to multiple phases and an information-giving unit configured to generate information by signals corresponding to one or more phases of the multiple phases in accordance with the signals generated by the control unit, and a second golf swing action correcting unit including a sensing unit configured to detect separation of a golf ball from a placing unit on which the golf ball placed and a notification unit configured to selectively generate a first notification among multiple notifications during a first time duration upon detecting the separation of the golf ball from the placing unit, and after a predetermined time duration, generate a new second notification identical to the first notification during a second time duration.

The multiple notifications may be classified by a light having multiple colors, and color of the first notification may be identical to color of the second notification.

Effect of the Invention

According to the present disclosure, the user can practice an optimal golf swing for him/her depending on his/her status or the surrounding environment, and multiple golfers can practice together.

Further, it is possible to avoid a head-up and learn golf swing actions by utilizing technologies such as sensing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows a projection view of a golf swing action correcting unit in accordance with a first embodiment;

FIG. 2 shows a side view of the golf swing action correcting unit in accordance with the first embodiment;

FIG. 3 shows a projection view of a golf swing action correcting unit in accordance with a second embodiment; and

FIG. 4 shows a projection view of a golf swing action correcting device in accordance with a third embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. Although the present disclosure has been explained in detail in the following examples, the present disclosure is not limited thereto and can be changed and modified in various ways.

It will be understood by those within the art that, in general, the term “including” used herein should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” the term “having” should be interpreted as “having at least,” the term “includes” should be interpreted as “includes but is not limited to,” and so on.

Hereinafter, a golf swing action correcting unit in accordance with a first embodiment will be described with reference toFIGS. 1 and 2.

FIGS. 1 and 2 respectively show a projection view and a side view of a golf swing action correcting unit in accordance with the first embodiment.

As depicted inFIGS. 1 and 2, a golf swingaction correcting unit100 in accordance with the first embodiment may include acontrol unit10, an information-giving unit20, atempo control unit30 and acoupling unit40.

Control unit

10 may be located in a case made of wood, polymer or metal, etc. As necessary, all or part ofcontrol unit10 may be protruded from the case. Information-givingunit20 may be located on a side of golf swingaction correcting unit100.

Control unit

10 may generate a certain signal according to a preset time. Information-giving unit20 may receive the electrical signal fromcontrol unit10 and provide preset information. Information-givingunit20 may include avibration motor21, thereby generating a vibration as the preset time passes.Vibration motor21 may be located in information-givingunit20 and generate vibrations in accordance with the signals ofcontrol unit10 so that golf swingaction correcting unit100 can be vibrated.

Meanwhile, a golf swing action generally includes seven phases, i.e., address, back swing, back swing top, down swing, impact, follow through and finish. Information-givingunit20 may generate information corresponding to one or more phases of the seven phases at a preset interval. A golfer may make a golf swing action in accordance with the information generated by information-givingunit20, thereby making the golf swing action rhythmically. The interval between information respectively corresponding to multiple phases among the seven phases generated by information-giving unit20 may be varied bytempo control unit30.

Tempo control unit

30 may be located outside of golf swingaction correcting unit100, such as a front or a side of golf swingaction correcting unit100.Tempo control unit30 may include adjusting means such as a rotary switch or an electronic button to adjust the time intervals set for the respective phases of the golf swing action. Time interval setting information specified bytempo control unit30 may be transferred to controlunit10 as electrical signals.Control unit10 may receive those signals and send to information-givingunit20 signals in accordance with a changed time interval, so that information-givingunit20 can generate a modified golf swing action tempo. As such, by increasing or decreasing the time interval in accordance with ability of a golfer, it is possible to provide practicing customized for the ability of the golfer.

Golf swingaction correcting unit100 may be manufactured as a portable compact one, and may havecoupling unit40 for facilitating attachment to the golfer. Couplingunit40 may be located outside of golf swingaction correcting unit100 within the bounds of not affecting the golf swing tempo notifying function, which is an essential function of golf swingaction correcting unit100. Further, golf swingaction correcting unit100 may be attached to a part of the golfer's body by usingcoupling unit40, so that the golfer can feel the vibration generated by golf swingaction correcting unit100 to enable more efficient golf swing tempo control.

By using the golf swing action correcting unit in accordance with the first embodiment as described above, a golfer may practice or make an exact golf swing without causing harm to other golfers in golf fields or public practice ranges by using the vibrations generated by information-givingunit20. Further, by changing the interval between information generated by information-givingunit20 with usingtempo control unit30, the golfer may make a golf swing appropriate for his/her ability and condition and the status of practice ranges or fields.

Hereinafter, a golf swing action correcting unit in accordance with a second embodiment will be described with reference toFIG. 3.

FIG. 3 shows a projection view of a golf swing action correcting unit in accordance with the second embodiment.

As depicted inFIG. 3, a golf swingaction correcting unit200 in accordance with the second embodiment may include a placingunit50, asensing unit60, anotification unit70 and amodification unit80.

Placingunit50 is a portion on which a golf ball to be hit may be placed. Placingunit50 may be a rubber tee or an automatic tee-up system automatically placing a golf ball on top of a tee to support hitting practice.

Sensing unit

60 may be configured to recognize the golf ball placed on placingunit50, and detect the separation of the golf ball hit by a head of a golf club from placingunit50. Specifically, sensingunit60 may detect the separation of the golf ball from placingunit50 based on weight change of placingunit50 by including a weight sensor at the lower part of placingunit50, or detect the separation of the golf ball from placingunit50 by transmitting a detection signal such as infrared signal to the golf ball placed on placingunit50 and checking whether the detection signal is returned.Sensing unit60 may be wired or wirelessly connected to placingunit50 as necessary, and may be integrated withnotification unit70 andmodification unit80 into one equipment, as described below.Sensing unit60 may be attached to a side of golf swingaction correcting unit200 facing placingunit50.Sensing unit60 may be separate from golf swingaction correcting unit200, so that it can be arranged freely unless it disturbs the golf swing action.

Sensing unit

60 may generate a signal upon detecting the separation of the golf ball from placingunit50.Notification unit70 may receive the signal from sensingunit60, generate a certain notification among multiple notifications for a preset first time duration, stop for a predetermined time duration the notification generated in the first time duration, and after the predetermined time duration, generate the same notification as the notification generated in the first time duration for a second time duration which is set longer than the first time duration. For example,notification unit70 may generate a selected notification among multiple notifications for a first time duration of 0.1 sec to 0.3 sec during which a golf ball is separated from placingunit50 by an impact phase of a golf swing action. Then,notification unit70 may stop the selected notification for a predetermined time duration of 0.3 sec to 3 sec during which follow through and finish phases are made. Then,notification unit70 may re-generate the notification selected in the first time duration for a second time duration of 1 sec to 10 sec during which the finish phase goes back to an address phase. By the notification ofnotification unit70, a golfer may avoid a head-up to recognize the selected notification duringnotification unit70 generates the selected notification at the impact phase of the golf swing action. Further, when returning from the finish stage to the address stage, the golfer may check up whether he/she made head-up at the impact phase by checking whether the recognized notification was the selected notification generated bynotification unit70. That is, the head-up may be avoided by checking the selected notification generated bynotification unit70.

Notification unit

70 may be integrated withsensing unit60 into one unit and located in the unit, or be configured as a separate unit.Notification unit70 may be wired or wirelessly connected to sensingunit60 to receive a signal for detecting the separation of the golf ball generated by sensingunit60.Notification unit70 may include alight emitting unit71 for generating light having colors of red, blue, yellow, green, etc. as predetermined multiple notifications.Light emitting unit71 may emit light of any one of the multiple colors as the selected notification for the first time duration and the second time duration.

Modification unit

80 may be configured to modify the intensity or timespan of the notification generated bynotification unit70.Modification unit80 may be integrated withnotification unit70 into one unit, or be configured as a separate unit as, for example, a remote control to wirelessly controlnotification unit70.

By using the golf swing action correcting unit in accordance with the second embodiment as described above, a golfer may use without causing harm to other golfers by using the light generated bynotification unit70 in golf fields or public practice ranges. Further, the head-up of the golfer at the time of the golf swing may be avoided since the golfer may know the color of the light selected and emitted among the multiple light generated by light emittingunit71 for the first time duration only if he/she does not head up, and may know whether he/she headed up depending on whether he/she knows the color of the light emitted for the first time duration through the process of re-emitting the light of the same color provided for the first time duration by light emittingunit71 for the second time duration after the predetermined time duration.

Hereinafter, a golf swing action correcting device in accordance with a third embodiment will be described with reference toFIG. 4.

FIG. 4 shows a projection view of a golf swing action correcting device in accordance with the third embodiment.

As depicted inFIG. 4, a golf swingaction correcting device300 in accordance with the third embodiment may include a first golf swingaction correcting unit310 and a second golf swingaction correcting unit320.

First golf swingaction correcting unit310 may include a substantially identical configuration to golf swingaction correcting unit100 in accordance with the first embodiment, and further include a transmittingunit311.

Second golf swingaction correcting unit320 may include a substantially identical configuration to golf swingaction correcting unit200 in accordance with the second embodiment, and further include a receivingunit321.Notification unit70 may further include asound unit72.

Transmittingunit311 may be located on a side of first golf swingaction correcting unit310, and exchange a status signal with receivingunit321 which is located on a side of second golf swingaction correcting unit320 using wired or wireless communications. Transmittingunit311 and receivingunit321 may exchange the status signal with each other, thereby second golf swingaction correcting unit320 receiving from first golf swingaction correcting unit310 the status signal corresponding to the impact stage in which the golf ball is separated from placingunit50, among the golf swing action stages of address, back swing, back swing top, down swing, impact, follow through and finish, to perform the head-up prevention. Specifically, information-givingunit20, which provides the golfer with the information in accordance with the control signals set bycontrol unit10 of first golf swingaction correcting unit310, may provide information when entering into address, back swing, back swing top, down swing and impact stages, respectively, among the golf swing stages. Transmittingunit311 may recognize the control signal corresponding to the moment of impact among the control signals generated bycontrol unit10, and provide it for receivingunit321 of second golf swingaction correcting unit320. Receivingunit321 may send the received signal tonotification unit70 of second golf swingaction correcting unit320. Thus, the process of emitting light for the first time duration and re-emitting the light for the second time duration after the predetermined time duration may be performed, as described above.

Notification unit

70 of second golf swingaction correcting unit320 may includesound unit72, so that based on the exchange of the status signal between transmittingunit311 of first golf swingaction correcting unit310 and receivingunit321 of second golf swingaction correcting unit320, information-givingunit20 of first golf swingaction correcting unit310 may generate a vibration and/or a sound following the rhythm of the golf action.

As described above, golf swingaction correcting device300 in accordance with, the third embodiment may include first golf swingaction correcting unit310 and second golf swingaction correcting unit320, therebynotification unit70 providing the golfer with sounds corresponding to the golf swing action of address, back swing, back swing top, down swing, impact, follow through and finish rhythmically, so that the golfer can make the golf swing action rhythmically with hearing the sounds. Further,notification unit70 may emit the selected light corresponding to the selected notification for the first time duration in accordance with the impact phase of the golf swing action, and re-emit the selected light corresponding to the selected notification for the second time duration after the finish phase of the golf swing action is done via the follow through phase from the impact phase, thereby preventing the head-up of the golfer.

By using the golf swing action correcting device in accordance with the third embodiment as described above, a golfer may make a golf swing with exact speed and rhythmical sense, and practice an exact golf swing action by preventing head-up.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described herein for purposes of illustration, and that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. For example, various components may be divided into additional components, combined into fewer components, or eliminated while being contemplated within the scope of the disclosed subject matter.

The various embodiments disclosed herein are not intended to be limiting, with the true scope and spirit being indicated by the following claims. The present disclosure is to be limited only by the terms of the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

Claims

1. A golf swing action correcting device, which gives information about a plurality of phases corresponding to a plurality of golf swing actions, comprising:

a control unit configured to generate signals corresponding to the plurality of phases; and

an information-giving unit configured to generate information by signals corresponding to one or more phases of the plurality of phases in accordance with the signals generated by the control unit.

2. The golf swing action correcting device ofclaim 1, wherein the information generated by the information-giving unit is a vibration.

3. The golf swing action correcting device ofclaim 1, further comprising:

a tempo control unit configured to set the signals to adjust a time interval between two adjacent phases among the plurality of phases.

4. The golf swing action correcting device ofclaim 1, further comprising:

a coupling unit located on a surface of the device, and capable of being fixed to a part of a body of a golfer.

5. The golf swing action correcting device ofclaim 1, further comprising:

a sensing unit configured to detect separation of a golf ball from a placing unit on which the golf ball placed; and

a notification unit configured to selectively generate a first notification among a plurality of notifications during a first time duration upon detecting the separation of the golf ball from the placing unit, and after a predetermined time duration, generate a new second notification identical to the first notification during a second time duration.

6. The golf swing action correcting device ofclaim 5, wherein the plurality of notifications are classified by a light having a plurality of colors, and color of the first notification is identical to color of the second notification.

7. The golf swing action correcting device ofclaim 5, wherein the second time duration is set longer than the first time duration.

8. The golf swing action correcting device ofclaim 5, wherein the sensing unit comprises an infrared sensor to detect the separation of the golf ball from the placing unit.

9. The golf swing action correcting device ofclaim 5, wherein the sensing unit comprises a weight sensor to detect the separation of the golf ball from the placing unit.