Impact Indication and Data Tracking Devices and Methods

Abstract

Devices and methods are generally provided for indicating the location of a most recent strike on a face of a golf club. One exemplary embodiment of an impact indication device can include a patch that can be attached to the face of a golf club and can display the impact location of a most recent strike without displaying impact locations of previous strikes. The impact locations of previous strikes can be removed from the patch without the user having to do anything more than take another swing. In some embodiments, the device includes a yield-stress material that assist in displaying impact a most recent impact location without displaying previous impact locations. Other features that can allow patches to work in this fashion, as well as methods related to the same, are also provided. Further, disclosures pertaining to a mobile impact recorder are also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An impact indication device, comprising:
 a base layer having one or more information-providing indicia on a display surface thereof;   an exposure layer disposed over the display surface of the base layer, the exposure layer having a sealed chamber with a yield-stress material disposed therein, and the exposure layer being configured such that impact from an outside force at an impact location displaces the yield-stress material at the impact location to reveal the base layer.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein a second impact from an outside force at a second impact location displaces the yield-stress material at the second impact location to reveal the base layer, and to the extent the second impact location does not overlap with the first impact location, the yield-stress material flows back to non-overlapping portions of the first impact location in the exposure layer. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a cover layer disposed over the exposure layer, the cover layer being substantially inelastic. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the yield-stress material comprises a hydrogel. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein a back surface of the base layer comprises an adhesive. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the adhesive is reusable such that the base layer can be adhered to and removed from a first surface and subsequently adhered to a second surface. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a sensor attached to one of the base layer and the exposure layer and configured to measure and transmit data related to impacts received by the device. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein a volume of the yield-stress material disposed in the chamber is less than an approximate volume of the chamber, and the chamber is vacuum-sealed. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising an inner membrane disposed in either the base layer or the exposure layer, the inner membrane having a fluid disposed therein and being configured to fail to release the fluid disposed therein into the respective base layer or exposure layer in which the inner member is disposed before the chamber of the exposure layer fails and releases the yield-stress material disposed therein. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the base layer is sized to be attached to a face of a golf club. 
     
     
         11 . An impact indication device, comprising:
 a patch having a back surface that is removably and replaceably attachable to a face of a golf club and a ball-striking surface configured to visually display an impact location where the patch most recently struck a golf ball;   wherein the patch displays the impact location of a most recent strike without displaying impact locations of previous strikes, and   wherein the patch is configured to reset itself to no longer display the impact locations of previous strikes after the most recent strike occurs such that no action beyond swinging the golf club again is required by a user between strikes.   
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the patch further comprises a yield-stress material disposed therein between the ball-striking and back surfaces, the yield-stress material being configured to be displaced in response to the most recent strike to display the impact location of the most recent strike and to no longer display the impact locations of the previous strikes. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein displacement of the yield-stress material following a strike displays one or more indicia located on a top face of the back surface to provide feedback regarding the impact location from the most recent strike. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the patch resets itself by striking a golf ball. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the patch further comprises a plurality of liquid crystal films disposed therein between the ball-striking and back surfaces, the liquid crystal films being configured to change colors in response to the most recent strike to display the impact location of the most recent strike and to no longer display the impact locations of the previous strikes. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the patch further comprises a sensor disposed therein and configured to measure data related to golf ball strikes made by the patch. 
     
     
         17 . A method of tracking a location of impact on a golf club, comprising:
 swinging a golf club having a club head to hit a golf ball with the club head, the head having an indication tracking device adhered thereto, and the indication tracking device visually identifying a location at which the club head strikes the golf ball; and   swinging the golf club to hit a golf ball with the club head, the indication tracking device visually identifying a location at which the club head strikes the golf ball while no longer visually identifying the location of the previous strike,   wherein a user touches neither the club head nor the indication tracking device to reset the indication tracking device so that it visually identifies the location of a most recent strike while no longer visually identifying the location of the previous strike.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein after the indication tracking device visually identifies a location at which the club head strikes the golf ball, the step of swinging the golf club to hit a golf ball with the club head resets the indication tracking device so that it visually identifies the location of the most recent strike while no longer visually identifying the location of the previous strike.