Feedback-providing sporting goods item

Abstract

A sporting goods item, such as a ball bat, includes a sensor located on or in a body of the item. The sensor detects vibrations produced by an object's impact against the item. The detected vibrations are used to determine the quality or location of the impact, or other information about the impact. An optical or audible feedback element located on or in the item visually or audibly provides information about the impact.

1 . A feedback item, comprising:
 an impact object;   a sensor located on or in the impact object for detecting vibrations produced by an impact against the impact object; and   an optical feedback element on or in the impact object, connected to the sensor, for visually indicating information about the impact.   
     
     
         2 . The feedback item of  claim 1  wherein the information about the impact comprises a quality of the impact. 
     
     
         3 . The feedback item of  claim 1  wherein the information about the impact comprises a general location against the impact element where the impact occurred. 
     
     
         4 . The feedback item of  claim 1  wherein the impact object comprises a ball bat including a handle joined to a barrel by a tapered section. 
     
     
         5 . The feedback item of  claim 4  wherein the sensor is located on or in the tapered section or the handle. 
     
     
         6 . The feedback item of  claim 1  further comprising a power source connected to the sensor. 
     
     
         7 . The feedback item of  claim 1  wherein the optical feedback element comprises at least one LED. 
     
     
         8 . The feedback item of  claim 7  wherein the sensor is configured to signal the LED to illuminate in a color corresponding to the quality of the impact. 
     
     
         9 . The feedback item of  claim 7  wherein a plurality of LEDs are housed in a strip positioned around a circumference of the impact object. 
     
     
         10 . The feedback item of  claim 1  wherein the sensor and the optical feedback element are located in a housing secured to the impact object. 
     
     
         11 . The feedback item of  claim 10  wherein the housing is positioned in an indented region of the impact object such that a radially outer surface of the housing is substantially flush with radially outer surfaces of longitudinally neighboring regions in the impact object. 
     
     
         12 . The feedback item of  claim 1  wherein the sensor and the optical feedback element are located in an over-wrap cover removably secured to the impact object. 
     
     
         13 . The feedback item of  claim 1  further comprising an audible response system in or on the impact object. 
     
     
         14 . The feedback item of  claim 1  wherein the impact object comprises one of a golf club, a hockey stick, a tennis racquet, and an archer's bow. 
     
     
         15 . A ball bat, comprising:
 a handle;   a barrel;   a tapered section joining the handle to the barrel; and   a feedback system located on or in at least one of the handle, the barrel, and the tapered section, wherein the feedback system comprises at least one of an optical response system and an audible response system.   
     
     
         16 . The ball bat of  claim 15  wherein the feedback system comprises an optical response system that visually indicates a quality of an impact against the ball bat. 
     
     
         17 . The ball bat of  claim 15  wherein the feedback system comprises an audible response system that audibly indicates a quality of an impact against the ball bat. 
     
     
         18 . The ball bat of  claim 15  wherein the feedback system provides an indication of the general location against the impact element where an impact occurs relative to a sweet spot of the barrel. 
     
     
         19 . A feedback item, comprising:
 an impact object;   means for detecting vibrations, produced by an impact against the impact object, located on or in the impact object; and   means for providing at least one of visual feedback and audible feedback, comprising information about the impact, associated with the detecting means.   
     
     
         20 . The feedback item of  claim 19  wherein the impact object comprises one of a ball bat, a golf club, a hockey stick, a tennis racquet, and an archer's bow.