Apparatus for measuring golf club swing speed

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus for measuring golf club swing speed. The swing speed measuring apparatus automatically indicates golf club swing speed by detecting a state where optical signals, such as infrared rays, output from a transmitting device thereof are blocked by a golf club. To this end, a receiving device of the swing speed measuring apparatus calculates the golf club swing speed by dividing a distance between the optical signals by a time interval taken between when the optical signals are blocked, and outputs the calculated swing speed. In particular, the transmitting and receiving devices are manufactured as separate devices. The present invention is configured such that a meaningless swing motion such as a case where a user slowly swings the golf club around the ball to take a proper stance or posture can be excluded and an actual swing motion can be distinguished accordingly.

1 . An apparatus for measuring golf club swing speed, comprising: 
 a transmitting device for outputting optical signals through a plurality of optical signal transmitting units; and    a receiving device for receiving the optical signals output from the plurality of optical signal transmitting units through a plurality of optical signal receiving units, calculating golf club swing speed by dividing a predetermined value (D) corresponding to a distance between the optical signals by a time interval (Tg) taken between when a receiving state of the optical signals is changed, and outputting the calculated swing speed, said receiving device being separated from the transmitting device as an individual device.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the optical signals are infrared rays.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the receiving device includes: 
 a power unit for supplying power;    the plurality of optical signal receiving units for receiving the optical signals;    a receive control unit for indicating an alignment state of the transmitting and receiving units by determining whether all of the optical signal receiving units receive the optical signals, and determining whether the receiving state of the optical signals changes into a state where a given condition is met;    a calculation unit for calculating the swing speed by dividing the predetermined value (D) by the time interval (Tg) when the receiving state of the optical signals is changed into a state where the given condition is met; and    a speed display unit for outputting the speed calculated by the calculation unit.    
   
   
       4 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein it is determined that the given condition is met, if the optical signals are blocked and then again normally received in a state where the optical signals are normally received in the optical signal receiving units.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the swing speed is calculated only at the alignment state when all the optical signal receiving units receive the optical signals.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the calculated swing speed is output only when it is within a predetermined range.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the alignment state is indicated through the flickering of light-emitting diodes (LEDs).  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the alignment state is indicated by outputting a message informing the speed display unit of the alignment state.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the speed display unit includes at least one of a display means for displaying the calculated swing speed in the form of characters and a voice output means for outputting the calculated swing speed in the form of a voice.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the receiving device is configured to allow swing tempo to be indicated at regular time intervals when the optical signals are blocked while the golf club is swung in a back swing direction.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the receiving device allows the swing tempo to be indicated by flickering the light-emitting diodes (LEDs) at regular time intervals.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the receiving device allows either numbers counted at regular time intervals or elapsed time to be displayed on the speed display unit to indicate the swing tempo.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the receiving device allows the swing tempo to be indicated by outputting a specific sound through speakers at the regular time intervals.  
   
   
       14 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the receiving device is configured to stop indicating the swing tempo when the swing speed has been output or a predetermined period of time has elapsed after it is determined that the optical signals are blocked while the golf club is swung in the back swing direction.