U.S. patent application number 12/426120 was filed with the patent office on 2010-10-21 for sports grip sensor.
Invention is credited to Alexander Kaufman.
Application Number | 20100267502 12/426120 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42262626 |
Filed Date | 2010-10-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100267502 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kaufman; Alexander |
October 21, 2010 |
Sports Grip Sensor
Abstract
A sports training device including a pressure sensor mounted on
the grip of a tennis racket or golf club is provided. The device
includes a peizo-electric force sensor to monitor the grip pressure
in a circular sensing area located under where palm meets the index
finger. The peizo-electric sensor varies its resistance inversely
with force applied is connected to an op-amp that uses a variable
resistor to deliver an output voltage proportional to the force
applied. This voltage triggers a vibrating motor to spin, thus
alerting the user that he or she has squeezed too hard. This
variable pressure sensor is connected to an alarm that will
immediately notify the user when the grip is too tight. The exact
amount of pressure for each player and the sports equipment used
will vary widely, but can be adjusted to signal when the pressure
is too great for the particular use.
Inventors: |
Kaufman; Alexander; (Aspen,
CO) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MCCARTER & ENGLISH, LLP STAMFORD
CANTERBURY GREEN, 201 BROAD STREET, 9TH FLOOR
STAMFORD
CT
06901
US
|
Family ID: |
42262626 |
Appl. No.: |
12/426120 |
Filed: |
April 17, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/549 ;
473/553 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 60/00 20151001;
A63B 2220/56 20130101; A63B 49/08 20130101; A63B 2071/0627
20130101; A63B 2071/0655 20130101; A63B 53/14 20130101; A63B
2060/464 20151001 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/549 ;
473/553 |
International
Class: |
A63B 49/08 20060101
A63B049/08 |
Claims
1. (canceled)
2. (canceled)
3. The sports grip of claim 8, wherein the handle is a tennis
racquet handle.
4. The sports grip of claim 8, wherein the handle is a golf club
shaft.
5. (canceled)
6. (canceled)
7. (canceled)
8. A sports grip, comprising: a grip handle with a grip covering;
at least one piezo-electric sensor and sensor circuit including an
operational amplifier having a variable resistor with the
resistance of the resistor varying inversely with force applied to
the grip to deliver an output voltage proportional to the force
applied to the sensor mounted to the handle below the grip
covering; a vibrator located in the grip handle and operatively
connected to the output of the sensor circuit; an adjustment
control on the handle to control the force necessary to allow the
circuit to operate the vibrator; and the piezo-electric sensor for
varying the force necessary to operate the vibrator thereby
increasing the vibration to alert a user when he or she has
squeezed too hard by applying too much force to the grip.
9. The sports grip of claim 8, wherein the sensor includes two
layers of a substrate of a polymer film and a conductive material
deposited in the form of a suitable pattern on the polymer film
with a layer of a pressure sensitive ink on the pattern and the two
layers laminated with an adhesive to form the individual sensor,
whereby the pattern on top of the pressure-sensitive ink defines
the active sensing area of the sensor.
10. The sports grip of claim 9, wherein the polymer film is a
polyester film.
11. The sports grip of claim 9, wherein the conductive material is
silver.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates generally to a device for improving a
player's sports grip, and more particularly to a device to alert a
player at a correct grip tightness.
[0002] There are various tennis training devices currently on the
market, including one to help give a player the correct wrist
motion during a swing. However, this device does not address
correct grip tightness.
[0003] Notwithstanding the availability of such a training device,
there exists the need to provide a device that will signal a player
to hold a sports grip with the correct amount of pressure, thereby
improving his or her swing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] Generally speaking, in accordance with the invention, a
sports training device including a pressure sensor mounted in the
grip of a tennis racket, or golf club is provided. The device is
adjustable so that the player can fine-tune the sensor to alert at
the correct grip tightness. This variable pressure sensor is
connected to an alarm that will immediately notify the user when
the grip is too tight. The exact amount of pressure for each player
and the sports equipment used will vary widely, but can be adjusted
to signal when the pressure is too great for the particular use.
The device is suitable for grips of a tennis racket or golf
clubs.
[0005] The sports grip alerts the player when squeezed too tightly
by vibrating or issuing an alarm when the sensor is tripped. A
peizo-electric force sensor monitors the grip pressure in a
circular sensing area located under where palm meets the index
finger. This location provides reliable pressure during a swing,
but more sensors may be placed around the entire handle for
different sports and to improve the precision of the sensor. The
peizo-electric sensor varies its resistance inversely with force
applied. It is connected to an op-amp that uses a variable resistor
to deliver an output voltage proportional to the force applied.
This voltage triggers a vibrating motor to spin, thus alerting the
user that he or she has squeezed too hard.
[0006] Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a
device to monitors a player's grip during swings.
[0007] It is another object of the invention to provide a device to
alert a player when he or she grips too tightly during a swing.
[0008] It is a further object of the invention to provide a
training device that is adjustable and suitable for a variety of
players and sports.
[0009] It is yet another object of the invention to provide a
training device having a pressure sensor mounted on the racket
handle that is adjustable so that the player can fine-tune the
racket to alert at the correct grip tightness.
[0010] It is yet further object of the invention to provide a
training device to improve grip tightness that is compact and easy
to use.
[0011] The invention accordingly comprises a product possessing the
features, properties, and the relation of components which will be
exemplified in the product hereinafter described, and the scope of
the invention will be indicated in the claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] For a fuller understanding of the invention, reference is
had to the following description taken in connection with the
accompanying drawing(s), in which:
[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tennis racket including a
grip sensor constructed and arranged in accordance with to the
invention;
[0014] FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing the elements of the grip
sensor in the tennis racket of FIG. 1;
[0015] FIG. 3 is a schematic of a simple circuit showing the
electrical connections for the grip of FIG. 2;
[0016] FIG. 4 is a suitable force to voltage circuit driven by a
-5V DC excitation voltage for use with the grip sensors; and;
[0017] FIG. 5 are a Resistance Curve and a Conductance Curve for
the circuit of FIG. 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0018] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tennis racket 11 having a
handle 12 with a grip 13 and racket head 14. Handle 12 includes a
grip sensor 16. The details of grip 16 are shown in FIG. 2. Grip
sensor 16 includes a pattern of piezo electric force sensors 17,
18, 19 and 21 placed within in grip 1B with and electrical circuit
22. Handle 12 also includes a sensitivity adjustment knob 23
operatively connected to electrical circuit 22.
[0019] Grip sensor 16 alerts a player when grip 13 is squeezed too
tightly by vibrating when one of the sensors is tripped. Each
sensor is a peizo-electric force sensor that monitors the pressure
on grip 13. This small circular sensing area is located under where
palm generally meets the index finger. This location provides
reliable pressure during a tennis or golf swing, but more sensors
around the entire handle could be added to improve the precision of
the sensor.
[0020] Typical sensors are ultra-thin and flexible printed
circuits. These paper-thin force sensors can measure force between
almost any two surfaces and are durable enough to stand up to
sports environments due to their construction, flexibility and
force measurement ability. Such sensors are available to measure
forces in the range of from zero to 100 pounds.
[0021] The sensors are constructed of two layers of substrate of a
polymer film, such as a polyester film. A conductive material, such
as silver is deposited in the form of a circle or other suitable
pattern, followed by a layer of a pressure sensitive ink. A
suitable adhesive is then used to laminate the two layers of
substrate and electrode together to form an individual sensor. The
silver circle or pattern on top of the pressure-sensitive ink
defines the active sensing area of the sensor. Silver or other
conductive material extends from the sensing area to the connectors
at one end of the sensor, thereby forming the conductive leads.
EXAMPLE 1
[0022] Each peizo-electric sensor varies its resistance inversely
with force applied and is connected to an op-amp that uses a
variable resistor to deliver an output voltage proportional to the
force applied. This voltage triggers a vibrating motor 24 to spin,
thus alerting the user that he or she has squeezed too hard. The
system is powered by battery. In an exemplary embodiment, 5 n-type
batteries 26 provide a voltage into sensor 17 of -3 V and a voltage
of 4.5 V into an inverting operational amplifier 27 to produce an
analog output based on the sensor resistance with additional
sensors 18, 19, and 21 connected to op-amps 28, 29 and 31 for
controlling vibrator 24 as shown in the schematic illustration of
FIG. 3 how sensors 17, 18, 19 and 21 are connected to power source
26 and vibrator 24.
[0023] One such commercially available sensor is a FlexiForce brand
sensor from TekScan, Inc. of South Boston, Mass. The Tekscan
sensors operate in the circuit of FIG. 4 and have the Resistance
vs. Force curve and Conductance vs. Force curve shown in FIG. 5. In
FIG. 4, the following applies: V.sub.OUT=-V*(R.sub.F/R.sub.S).
[0024] Grip sensor 17 has a 1 mega-ohm variable resistor 32 coupled
to adjustment knob 23 used to control the sensitivity of the
sensors. A 20 mA relay is connected to the output voltage of the op
amp to power the vibrator. Details of the sensor circuit are set
forth in U.S. Pat. No. 6,222,936, the contents of which is
encompassed here as by reference.
[0025] This disclosure provides a product that monitors a player's
grip during swings and alerts the player when he or she grips too
tightly. Correct grip pressure is essential to a good swing and it
is not easy to diagnose a grip that is too tight.
[0026] It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among
those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently
attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above
product without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above
description and shown in the accompanying drawing(s) shall be
interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
[0027] The present invention may be embodied in other specific
forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes of
the invention.
* * * * *