US 12,330,031 B2Granted

Sports equipment grip installation system and method

AssigneeEaton Intelligent Power Limited

InventorsPadhraig Ryan, Gregory Cavill, Sara Holland, James Ledford

Life of this patent

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Abstract

The golfer's grip on their golf club affects performance. Minor changes in grip can have a significant impact on the outcome of a golf shot. To improve grip alignment, it is known for a golf grip to be provided with a visual or physical indicator that a golfer may use as a reference when aligning their grip. For the visual or physical indicator to be useful, it must be correctly aligned with the leading edge of the golf club. The present disclosure provides a grip installation system and method. The system includes a jig, a clamp configured to retain and support a golf club on the jig, and an alignment device. The alignment device includes a camera, a position sensor, a processor and a feedback device. The processor is configured to carry out a method to accurately and reliably install a golf grip on the golf club.

Claims25

Dependent claims

A sports equipment grip installation system for installing a grip of the type comprising an alignment indicator, the system comprising:

a jig comprising a clamp configured to, in use, receive and retain a piece of sports equipment therein such that a shaft or body of the sports equipment is held within a predetermined plane;
and
an alignment device comprising a camera, a position sensor and a processor configured and operable to:
determine an alignment of the alignment device with respect to the predetermined plane based on an output of the position sensor;
output a first prompt for the alignment device to be moved to align with the predetermined plane;
capture at least one first image with the camera;
determine, with a shaft identification algorithm and the at least one first image, a relative alignment of the camera with respect to the shaft or body of the sports equipment;
output a second prompt for the alignment device or sports equipment to be moved such that the camera is aligned with the shaft or body of the sports equipment;
capture at least one second image with the camera;
determine, with a contact portion identification algorithm and the at least one second image, a position of a contact portion of the sports equipment relative to the predetermined plane;
receive a predetermined optimal grip alignment position indicating an optimal position of the alignment indicator of the grip with respect to the contact portion of the sports equipment;
and
output a grip installation instruction indicating an installation orientation for the grip such that, following installation of the grip in the installation orientation, the alignment indicator of the grip is positioned according to the predetermined optimal alignment position,
wherein the shaft identification algorithm comprises a trained shaft or body identification machine learning algorithm and the contact portion identification algorithm comprises a trained contact portion identification machine learning algorithm.

11 more elements

A sports equipment grip installation system for installing a grip of the type comprising an alignment indicator, the system comprising:

a jig comprising a clamp configured to, in use, receive and retain a piece of sports equipment therein such that a shaft or body of the sports equipment is held within a predetermined plane;
and
an alignment device comprising a camera, a position sensor and a processor configured and operable to:
determine an alignment of the alignment device with respect to the predetermined plane based on an output of the position sensor;
output a first prompt for the alignment device to be moved to align with the predetermined plane;
capture at least one first image with the camera;
determine, with a shaft identification algorithm and the at least one first image, a relative alignment of the camera with respect to the shaft or body of the sports equipment;
output a second prompt for the alignment device or sports equipment to be moved such that the camera is aligned with the shaft or body of the sports equipment;
capture at least one second image with the camera;
determine, with a contact portion identification algorithm and the at least one second image, a position of a contact portion of the sports equipment relative to the predetermined plane;
receive a predetermined optimal grip alignment position indicating an optimal position of the alignment indicator of the grip with respect to the contact portion of the sports equipment;
and
output a grip installation instruction indicating an installation orientation for the grip such that, following installation of the grip in the installation orientation, the alignment indicator of the grip is positioned according to the predetermined optimal alignment position,
wherein the processor is further configured to capture at least one third image with the camera and determine, with a grip identification algorithm, that the grip has been installed on a grip receiving portion of the sports equipment.

11 more elements

A sports equipment grip installation system for installing a grip of the type comprising an alignment indicator, the system comprising:

a jig comprising a clamp configured to, in use, receive and retain a piece of sports equipment therein such that a shaft or body of the sports equipment is held within a predetermined plane;
a grip installation device configured to be controlled by a processor to install the grip on a grip receiving portion of the sports equipment in accordance with a grip installation instruction;
and
an alignment device comprising a camera, a position sensor and the processor configured and operable to:
determine an alignment of the alignment device with respect to the predetermined plane based on an output of the position sensor;
output a first prompt for the alignment device to be moved to align with the predetermined plane;
capture at least one first image with the camera;
determine, with a shaft identification algorithm and the at least one first image, a relative alignment of the camera with respect to the shaft or body of the sports equipment;
output a second prompt for the alignment device or sports equipment to be moved such that the camera is aligned with the shaft or body of the sports equipment;
capture at least one second image with the camera;
determine, with a contact portion identification algorithm and the at least one second image, a position of a contact portion of the sports equipment relative to the predetermined plane;
receive a predetermined optimal grip alignment position indicating an optimal position of the alignment indicator of the grip with respect to the contact portion of the sports equipment;
and
output the grip installation instruction indicating an installation orientation for the grip such that, following installation of the grip in the installation orientation, the alignment indicator of the grip is positioned according to the predetermined optimal alignment position.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/293,820Filed 13 Oct 2021 · us provisional application
Priority: 5 Aug 2021
Published: US 2024/0335718 A110 Oct 2024
Granted: 17 Jun 2025
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification19 codes

A63B 60/42
Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like: devices for measuring, verifying, correcting or customising the inherent…
A63B 53/14
Golf clubs: handles
A63B 60/32
Handles: with means for changing the angular position of the handle about its longitudinal axis
A63B 71/0622
Displays, user interfaces and indicating devices, specially adapted for sport equipment, e.g. display mounted on treadmills: visual, audio or…