Patent Document

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/271,088, filed on Oct. 11, 2011, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/392,884, filed on Oct. 13, 2010. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not Applicable 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0004]    The present invention relates to a device that can be used to measure the orientation and position of a golf club face. The present invention particularly relates to a golf club face measurement device that is portable. 
         [0005]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0006]    Golfers often wish to measure the orientation and/or position of a golf club face in order to more accurately fit their golf club equipment to their unique swings, for example. The golf industry has provided many devices that can be used to measure a golf club face, including those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,546,426, 2,912,762, 2,973,581, 3,631,602, 4,094,072, 4,245,392, 4,875,293, 4,977,680, 5,105,550, 6,363,620, 6,449,860, 6,508,007, 6,941,670, 7,010,965, and 7,164,473. 
         [0007]    One disadvantage of prior art devices is their lack of portability. Many of these devices are large, heavy, and in many cases permanently or semi-permanently mounted to a work bench. In addition, many of these prior art devices are meant to be both a measurement and adjustment tool. Furthermore, many of these prior art measurement devices provide information only about loft and lie. These prior art measurement devices also can be very expensive to build and/or purchase. For example, the Coordinate Measurement Machine, or CMM, which is a piece of laboratory equipment routinely used by golf club manufacturers to measure golf club geometry, can cost several hundred thousands of dollars. 
         [0008]    Ultimately, the prior art has failed to provide an optimized, portable golf club measurement device that can be purchased or made inexpensively. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    The measurement device of the present invention mounts easily to any golf club and reports several parameters that describe an angle or position of the club face relative to the golf club&#39;s shaft. This information enables the club to be used with impact monitor technologies, which will allow for correct analysis of the full orientation of the golf club at impact, both linear and angular components of velocity, and impact location. The measurement device of the present invention also identifies where on the golf club reflective markers should be placed for testing. The measurement device of the present invention can also be used as a loft or face angle gauge. 
         [0010]    One aspect of the present invention is a golf club measurement device comprising a face probe, a retaining arm, at least one gauge, and a clamp, wherein the face probe has a through hole and at least two sides, wherein each side has at least one touch point, wherein the face probe is rotatably connected to the retaining arm, wherein the retaining arm is connected to the clamp, and wherein the at least one gauge provides measurement information when the clamp is attached to a golf club shaft and the through hole is ed up with a center of a golf club face. 
         [0011]    In a further embodiment, the measurement information is selected from the group consisting of loft angle, lie angle, face angle, and distance. In another embodiment, each side of the face probe has two touch points. In a further embodiment, the through hole is located between the two touch points on each side of the face probe. In another embodiment, the measurement device further comprises a spacer. In yet another embodiment, the measurement device further comprises a retaining tube, wherein the retaining tube connects the face probe with the retaining arm. In a further embodiment, the measurement device further comprises a first gauge and a second gauge. In yet a further embodiment, the first gauge is disposed between the face probe and the retaining tube, and second other gauge is disposed between the retaining tube and the retaining arm. In another embodiment, the clamp has two or more clamping mechanisms. 
         [0012]    Another aspect of the present invention is a method of measuring a golf club, comprising locating a center of a face on the golf club, attaching a measurement device to a shaft of the golf club, aligning the center of the golf club face within a face probe portion of the measurement device, and recording measurement values provided by at least one gauge on the measurement device. In a further embodiment, the measurement device comprises two or more gauges. In another embodiment, the method further comprises marking a point on a toe portion of the golf club, aligning the face probe portion with the point and recording measurement values provided by the at least one gauge. In another embodiment, the measurement values are selected from the group consisting of loft angle, lie angle, face angle, and distance. 
         [0013]    Having briefly described the present invention, the above and further objects, features and advantages thereof will be recognized by those skilled in the pertinent art from the following detailed description of the invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is another side view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the face probe of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is another side view of the face probe of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is a plan view of the face probe and probe arm of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is a side view of the retaining tube of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  is a side view of the tightening screws of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 8  is a side view of the clamp, retaining arm, and spacer of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0022]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the clamp, retaining arm, and spacer shown in  FIG. 8 . 
           [0023]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the circled connection between the tube piece of the retaining tube and the probe arm shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the circled connection between the connector piece of the retaining tube and the retaining arm shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0025]      FIG. 12  is a side perspective view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1  tined up with a representative golf club head. 
           [0026]      FIG. 13  is a flow chart diagram of process for using the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0027]      FIGS. 1 and 2  show a preferred embodiment of measurement device  10  of the present invention. The measurement device  10  includes a face probe  20 , a probe arm  30 , a retaining tube  40 , a retaining arm  50 , a spacer  60 , a clamp  70 , two tightening bolts  80 ,  85 , and two gauges  90 ,  95 . 
         [0028]      FIGS. 3 and 4  show close-up views of the face probe  20 , which includes a centrally-located sighting hole  210 , three arms  212 ,  214 ,  216 , and a stem  218 .  FIG. 3  shows that the stem  218  and one of the arms  214  include horizontal touch points  220 ,  222  disposed across from one another with the sighting hole  210  between them.  FIG. 4  shows that two arms  212 ,  216  include vertical touch points  230 ,  232  disposed across from one another with the sighting hole  210  between them.  FIG. 5  shows that the face probe  20  and probe arm  30  are formed as a unitary piece 
         [0029]    As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the probe arm  30  is threaded through the retaining tube  40 , which connects the probe arm  30  to the retaining arm  50 . When tightening bolt  85  is loosened, the probe arm  30  can rotate within the retaining tube  40  and thus enable the face probe  20  to flip over to expose the side having horizontal touch points  220 ,  222  or the side having vertical touch points  230 ,  232 . The probe arm  30  can also move in and out of the retaining tube  40  when tightening bolt  85  is loosened. Tightening the tightening bolt  85  will prevent the probe arm  30  from rotating and moving in and out of the retaining tube  40 , and will fix the face probe  20  at a desired orientation with respect to the rest of the measurement device  10 . Tightening bolts  80 ,  85  are shown in more detail in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0030]    As shown in  FIG. 6 , retaining tube  40  comprises a tube piece  42  and a connector piece  44  that extends from the tube piece  42  at an acute angle α. Connector piece  44  is slid into the opening  55  of retaining arm  50 , shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , and tightening bolt  80  is fitted within bolt hole  82  and tightened to retain connector piece  44  within retaining arm  50  at a desired location. Loosening tightening bolt  80  allows the connector piece  44  to slide in and out of retaining arm  50  and to rotate within retaining arm  50 , which consequently allows tube piece  42  to rotate. Rotation of tube piece  42  when the probe arm  30  is inserted within tube piece  42  causes the probe arm  30  (and therefore the face probe  20 ) to pivot towards or away from a golf club face. 
         [0031]    As shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , retaining arm  50  is preferably integrally formed with a spacer  60 , which helps to locate the face probe  20  in front of a golf club face. In alternative embodiments, the retaining arm  50  and spacer  60  may be separate pieces that are connected through other means.  FIGS. 8 and 9  also disclose clamp  70 , which in the preferred embodiment includes two clamping mechanisms  72 ,  74  that are affixed to the spacer  60  after retaining arm  50  and spacer  60  are integrally formed. In alternative embodiments, the clamp  70  may comprise one or more than two clamping mechanisms, and may be integrally formed with the retaining arm  50  and/or the spacer  60 . 
         [0032]      FIGS. 10 and 11  illustrate the gauges  90 ,  95  of the preferred embodiment.  FIG. 10  shows gauge  90  where the probe arm  30  is inserted in the tube piece  42  of the retaining tube  40 . The probe arm  30  has markings  100  on it that indicate, when the measuring device has been used with a golf club head, the angle of the golf club face with respect to the golf club shaft and the distance of the center of the golf club face from a shaft axis or other points on the golf club, for example.  FIG. 11  shows the gauge  95  where the connector piece  44  of the retaining tube  40  is inserted through the opening  55  of the retaining arm  50  of the measuring device  10 . The connector piece  44  also has markings  110  on it that indicate, when the measuring device has been used with a golf club head, the angle of the golf club face with respect to the golf club shaft and the distance of the center of the golf club face from a shaft axis or other points on the golf club, for example. The gauges  90 ,  95  may also measure additional or alternative features of the golf club orientation. 
         [0033]      FIG. 12  illustrates how the measuring device  10  is assembled with respect to a golf club head  300 . Clamp  70  and tightening screws  80 ,  85  are omitted from this Figure for purposes of clarity.  FIG. 12  shows that spacer  60  is lined up with and flush against a golf club shaft  350 . The connector piece  44  of retaining tube  40  is inserted into the opening  55  in the retaining arm  50 . Bolt hole  86  on the retaining arm  50  can receive tightening bolt  85  to fix the connector piece  44  within the retaining arm  50 . The unitary piece comprising the face probe  20  and probe arm  30  is then inserted, probe arm  30  end first, into the tube piece  42  of the retaining tube  40 . Bolt hole  82  on the tube piece  42  can receive tightening bolt  80  to fix the probe arm within the tube piece  42 . 
         [0034]    The near-fully assembled measuring device  10  illustrated in  FIG. 12  is then adjusted to the golf club head  300  to take orientation and geometry measurements of the golf club head  300 .  FIG. 13  shows a process for taking measurements using the preferred embodiment of the present invention. First, a center  310  of the golf club face  320  is located and marked. This marked center  310  represents a point from which measurements will be taken using the measuring device  10 . 
         [0035]    The measurement device is then aligned with (and attached to, via the clamp  70 ) the golf club shaft as shown in  FIG. 12 . The face probe  20  is then rotated, using the retaining tube  40 , so that horizontal touch points  220 ,  222  are facing the club face  320 . The face probe is then 20 adjusted by moving the face arm  30  in or out of the retaining tube  40  so that the face center  310  of the golf club face  320  is visible within the sighting hole  210  of the face probe  20  and the horizontal touch points  220 ,  222  are both resting on the face  320  on opposite sides of the sighting hole  210 . Tightening bolts  80 ,  85  (not shown) can be tightened, and then the angle and distance values visible on the gauges  90 ,  95  can be recorded. 
         [0036]    At this point, marks can be placed on the shaft  350 , preferably where the clamps (not shown in  FIG. 12 ) attach to the shaft  350 , to indicate test points for future analysis with, for example, a CMM. If tightening bolts  80 ,  85  are used, they are then loosened and the face probe  20  is rotated or otherwise adjusted again so that vertical touch points  230 ,  232  are facing and resting on the club face  320  as shown in  FIG. 12  and the center  310  of the club face  320  is located within the sighting hole  210 . Tightening bolts  80 ,  85  (not shown) can be tightened, and then the angle and distance values visible on the gauges  90 ,  95  can be recorded again. 
         [0037]    Once angle and distance values are measured, the tightening bolts  80 ,  85  (if any) are loosened and the face probe  20  is adjusted by moving the probe arm  30  through the retaining tube  40  such that one of the vertical touch points  230 ,  232  touches a desired toe test point  330 . At this point, angle and distance values visible from the gauges  90 ,  95  may be recorded again. 
         [0038]    After the process outlined in  FIG. 13  is completed, the values derived from the measurement device  10  can be input into an impact monitor software program or a CMM for further analysis. 
         [0039]    The measurement device  10  disclosed herein can measure both loft and face angle at a defined standard of 56 degrees from the shaft axis. Alternative embodiments can measure loft, lie, and/or face angles at other angles from the shaft axis. It is portable and easy to use, and identifies where on the club to place markers for use with an impact Monitor System. The measurement device  10  also provides the correct geometry relationship between the face center, face plane, golf club body, and test markers on a golf club. 
         [0040]    The measurement device  10  disclosed herein may be made from a variety of materials known to those skilled in the art, including metals, plastics, and composites. The various pieces of the measurement device  10  disclosed herein may be made integrally or separately and then connected together using methods known to those skilled in the art. The measurement device  10  of the present invention may be used with any type of golf club, and may also be used to measure other sports equipment. 
         [0041]    From the foregoing it is believed that those skilled in the pertinent art will recognize the meritorious advancement of this invention and will readily understand that while the present invention has been described in association with a preferred embodiment thereof, modifications and substitutions of equivalents may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention which is intended to be unlimited by the foregoing except as may appear in the following appended claims. Therefore, the embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined in the following appended claims.

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