US 5,067,718 A · Rolling ball speed and position indicating device and method

Abstract

A golf putting device includes a shell which presents a ball receiving chamber open at the front to receive incoming putted golf balls. A row of LED's across the front of the compartment may be selectively energized to vary the target area from cycle to cycle. An infrared transmitter on one side of the chamber emits energy which is received by two receivers located on the opposite side of the chamber. By sensing the time one beam is intercepted by the ball and using the known ball size, the ball speed can be calculated. By sensing the interval between the times the two beams are intercepted and using the ball speed, the positon of the ball transversely can be calculated to determine whether it is on target or off target. An automatic ball return mechanism includes a paddle which sweeps the ball forward in the chamber and pivots to eject the ball back to the starting position.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A method of determining the speed and position of a ball rolling along a path, said method comprising the steps of:

directing a first beam substantially transversely across the path;
directing a second beam across the path at an acute angle relative to said first beam;
detecting the length of time the ball intercepts one of said beams;
using said length of time and the ball size to calculate the speed of the ball;
detecting the time interval between the interception of the first and second beams by the ball;
and
using said time interval and the ball speed to calculate the position of the ball transversely on the path when the ball rolls through the beams.

4 more elements

Golf ball putting apparatus, comprising:

means for defining a path along which the ball may be putted, said path having a predetermined width;
means adjacent an end of the path for defining a target for the ball;
transmitter means adjacent said end of the path on one side thereof for transmitting energy generally across the width of the path;
a first receiver stationed across the width of the path from said transmitter means to receive energy which travels therefrom transversely across the path in a first beam;
a second receiver stationed on the same side of the path as said first receiver and spaced therefrom to receive energy which travels from the transmitter means in a second beam oriented at an acute angle to said first beam;
means for sensing the length of time energy is blocked from reaching one of said receivers by the ball rolling through and intercepting the corresponding beam;
means for calculating the speed of the ball based on said length of time and the ball size;
means for sensing the time interval between interception of the first and second beams by the ball;
and
means for calculating the position of the ball transversely on the path based on the calculated ball speed and said time interval, thereby determining whether the ball was aligned with the target.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Rolling ball speed and position indicating device and method

Life of this patent

Rolling ball speed and position indicating device and method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17