Patents Examined by Jeffrey Vanderveen
  • Patent number: 10092805
    Abstract: A lacrosse head pocket and a related method of manufacture are provided to facilitate consistent, repeatable and/or custom manufacture of lacrosse equipment. The pocket can be constructed from multiple different sections joined with one another, or can be knitted, weaved or otherwise assembled on an automated assembly machine from strands, and/or can be formed as a unitary textile material having regions/sections with different physical and/or mechanical properties. The pocket can be integrally molded within portions of a lacrosse head to eliminate manually constructed connections between the pocket and lacrosse head. The lacrosse head can be integrally molded with a lacrosse handle to provide a one-piece unitary lacrosse stick. Related methods of manufacturing also are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Warrior Sports, Inc.
    Inventors: David K. Morrow, Bruce Huffa, Thomas H. Burns, Richard J. Janisse, Sean J. Slater, Dale W. Kohler, Craig M. Herman
  • Patent number: 10065097
    Abstract: A basketball shooting instruction device for use on a ground surface is provided with a feet positioning assembly, a support pole fixedly connected to a foundation juncture of the feet positioning assembly, and a shot box positioned on an upper end of the support pole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Inventor: Douglas Sagle
  • Patent number: 10010776
    Abstract: An improved auxiliary weighted roller assembly attachable to a sports goal ground crossbar to stabilize the goal and to facilitate temporary or long term relocation for field maintenance, alternative field use, or storage consisting of a framework attachable to the crossbar and a pair of weighted rollers attached to the framework one each disposed on the front and rear of the crossbar of sufficient diameter to raise the crossbar above the ground, the improvement comprising devices to increase the strength of the clamping mechanism employed to attach the roller assembly and the goal ground crossbar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Inventors: James H. Gravel, James Ritchie, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10012469
    Abstract: A launching system that launches a toy projectile. A launcher is provided that contains a handle and an elastic element that extends from the handle. A spool is provided inside the handle. The spool is spring biased by a torsion spring. The elastic element is anchored to the spool inside the handle and is at least partially wound around the spool. As the elastic element unwinds from the spool, the spool rotates in opposition of the torsion spring and stores spring energy in the torsion spring. The elastic element has a free end that extends out of the handle. The free end is terminated with a connector. A toy projectile is provided. The toy projectile has a receptacle that selectively receives the connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: KMA Concepts Limited
    Inventor: Peter Cummings
  • Patent number: 10004955
    Abstract: Described herein is a golf club head devoid of a crown, the club head comprising: a front end having a bottom rail, a top rail, and a strikeface, the strikeface including a striking surface, a back surface, and a reinforcement element extending from the back surface of the strikeface; a rear end opposite the front end; a heel portion; a toe portion opposite the heel portion; a sole coupled to the front end along the bottom rail at a sole transition region, the sole extending toward the rear end of the golf club head and including a sole thickness, at least one weight member, and a perimeter wall extending from the front end near the heel portion to the front end near the toe portion along the rear end of the club head, wherein the perimeter wall decreases in height from the front end toward the rear end of the club head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Erik M. Henrikson, Eric J. Morales, Ryan M. Stokke, Eric V. Cole, Cory S. Bacon
  • Patent number: 9925445
    Abstract: A multi-height baseball hitting device includes a base plate assembly, a sleeve and a pipe. The sleeve is disposed on the base plate assembly. The sleeve has at least three positioning blocks extending from an inner wall of the sleeve. The pipe has a supporting portion, a connecting portion and a positioning portion. The supporting portion is connected with the connecting portion for supporting a ball. A plurality of ring-shaped rails are formed on the positioning portion and arranged from the connecting portion at equal intervals, and the positioning blocks of the sleeve are engaged with the ring-shaped rails, such that the pipe is adjustable to be fixed with plural heights, thereby meeting all of the heights of children and adults.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: TAIWAN JOCA CORP.
    Inventor: Tsang-Sheng Su
  • Patent number: 9901793
    Abstract: A golf club head of this invention includes a face portion, first and second interchangeable members, a first attachment portion from which the first and second interchangeable members are detachable, and a second attachment portion from which the first and second interchangeable members are detachable. The first interchangeable member is a reinforcing member that abuts against the rear surface of the face portion and restricts deformation of an abutment portion when the member is attached to the first attachment portion. The second interchangeable member is a member that does not abut against the rear surface of the face portion when the member is attached to the first attachment portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wataru Ban, Tomonori Kitagawa, Kozue Wada
  • Patent number: 9889357
    Abstract: Removable and re-attachable grips design to allow simple, fast changing of grips on shaft. The present disclosure relates in general to a re-changeable or interchangeable grip particularly suited for golf whose attachment requires three basic securing movements. In the first movement, heel components of the grip are first positioned onto the shaft, by either rotational torque or downward pressure, which result in securing the upper, proximal portion of the gripping sleeve onto the shaft. In the second movement, once the grip is situated and secured into place on the shaft, the grip is centered on the shaft by fastening toe components at the lower, distal portion of the grip sleeve onto the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Ready Grip Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: David A. Barker, Jean-Paul Baudet
  • Patent number: 9889365
    Abstract: An auxiliary weighted roller assembly attachable to a sports goal ground crossbar to stabilize the goal and to facilitate temporary or long term relocation for field maintenance, alternative field use, or storage consisting of a framework attachable to the crossbar and a pair of weighted rollers attached to the framework one each disposed on the front and rear of the crossbar and of sufficient diameter to raise the crossbar above the ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Inventors: James H. Gravel, James Ritchie, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9857141
    Abstract: A loader and drive system are provided. The loader is preferably configured to house a quantity of projectiles (such as paintballs) in a chamber and supply the quantity of projectiles from the chamber to an attached pneumatic gun when in operation. The loader preferably includes an outlet configured to supply projectiles from the chamber to the pneumatic gun when the loader is operatively connected to the pneumatic gun. A drive system may be arranged in the loader and include a non-rotating cone arranged above the outlet and having an opening in a side thereof to provide an entrance. A way is arranged configured to direct projectiles into the outlet from the chamber through the entrance. A cover may be connected to the non-rotating cone and have an arm that directs projectiles into the entrance. A driving ring may surround the non-rotating cone and rotate around the non-rotating cone. The driving ring urges projectiles from the chamber into the way and toward the outlet during operation of the loader.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: GI Sportz, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael S. Spurlock
  • Patent number: 9844737
    Abstract: A self-sealing balloon comprising a tubular balloon neck segment extending from an opening of a balloon gas retaining expansion cavity. A bead of moldable adhesive material is applied in a ring about an interior circumference of a neck portion of the balloon forming a dispensed adhesive roll. The dispensed adhesive roll is at least partially encapsulated within an adhesive staging segment. The adhesive staging segment is encased within a rolled lip bead by any suitable process. The rolling process aids in forming the ring-shaped adhesive. In use, the balloon would be inflated. The lip bead would be unrolled, exposing the adhesive ring. The moldable adhesive would be compressed forming a seal, entrapping pressurized air within the balloon gas retaining expansion cavity. This provides a low cost, simple self-sealing solution for a balloon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Inventors: Wesley Warner, Troy Stark
  • Patent number: 9833683
    Abstract: An apparatus including a golf ball comprising an internal sensor, and an internal wireless communicator. The internal wireless communicator adapted to communicate parameters sensed by the sensor to external electronics, wherein the external electronics are configured to determine if the golf ball went into a cup based upon the parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: Robert T Thurman, Michael Vrska, Frank M Simonutti
  • Patent number: 9829278
    Abstract: A peep sight for an archery bow includes a peep sight body with a sight aperture extending therethrough. The sight aperture has an inner surface to create a sight window with a central axis. A rear sight post is located in the sight aperture for alignment with a sight pin or the like of a front sight mounted to the riser of a bow. The rear sight post has a width sufficiently wide to ensure at least a portion of the rear sight post is viewable when in the aiming position in close proximity to the eye yet on the other hand, yet sufficiently narrow to allow ambient light to illuminate the sides of the sight post.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Inventors: Floris Bastiaan Wolf, Frederick Wolf
  • Patent number: 9821204
    Abstract: An apparatus and method of providing heat to hand-holding locations on a lacrosse stick shaft including a heating emitting element and a user-operable control. The apparatus and method may include one or more resistive heating elements connectable to a power source such as a battery. Charging of the power source may be by plug in charging, kinetic energy charging, contact charging, inductive charging, or by replacement of a battery. The apparatus and method may be configured for mounting within the stick shaft, for being mounted in an end piece at the butt end of the shaft, or being positioned on the outside of the shaft as a sleeve or wrap. The apparatus and method may include a chemical heating apparatus or phase change heating apparatus positioned within or on the stick shaft. The user control may be mounted in or on the end piece at the butt end of the shaft. An indicator may provide information to a user regarding status states of the operation of the lacrosse stick shaft heating or recharging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Inventors: Samantha Kate Wolfe, Raeshon Lamont McNeil, Jeremy Eric Losaw
  • Patent number: 9814955
    Abstract: An adjustable sports paddle including a handle that extends to a neck portion and a substantially ovular frame. The frame supports first and second striking surfaces, which are sandwiched about an inflatable bladder. A conduit extends from the bladder to the handle through the neck, and the handle further includes a pressurizing mechanism for increasing an air pressure in the bladder via the conduit. In a preferred embodiment, the paddle can also include an adjustable handle having multiple lengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Inventor: Mark Bonfigli
  • Patent number: 9789374
    Abstract: An athletic training system and apparatuses which allows a user to practice several important skills needed to be successful in the game of lacrosse and of highest import affords user the ability to practice gaining possession of a ball at the beginning of the game and back after each score. The specifically designed structural elements of this device allow a player to practice endless repetitions of face-off and draw skills, while challenging the player to improve their form and quickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Inventors: Steve Trombley, Kevin Donahue
  • Patent number: 9782639
    Abstract: Table tennis ball storage devices provide a convenient place to store and retrieve table tennis balls during a game of table tennis. The ball storage device has an inner storage volume for receiving and retaining table tennis balls that is accessible from two openings, one designed to place table tennis balls into the storage volume and a second designed for removing table tennis balls. The first opening may be conveniently located on a playing end of a table tennis table and the second opening may be located on either the left or right side of the table tennis table. The first opening has a different shape than the second opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Kettler International, Inc.
    Inventor: Joachim Kettler
  • Patent number: 9782653
    Abstract: A sports training safety system and method of operation thereof includes: a training dummy; a magnetic release attached to the training dummy; a delivery carriage mounted to the magnetic release; a delivery rail for supporting the delivery carriage; and a transport system, attached to the delivery rail, for moving the delivery carriage and the training dummy along the delivery rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: De-Cleat Technology, LLC
    Inventor: John Bognanno
  • Patent number: 9776063
    Abstract: A sports training apparatus for training athletes to deliver a ball or other object at an appropriate arc. The sports training apparatus includes an adjustable horizontal target that is positioned between the athlete and the target. It gives guidance to the athlete at the time of release. The athlete's height, game being played, desired arc, technique employed and position on the court determine the appropriate configuration, placement, and use of the sports training apparatus described herein. Athletes use the sports training apparatus repeatedly to train, learn, and be able to repeat the desired arc for a particular shot in their sport.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Inventor: Peter Ogle
  • Patent number: 9770638
    Abstract: A variety of swing training devices that are arranged to support a ball to be struck are described. At least one moveable object is positioned within a chamber located adjacent the ball support. The moveable object is arranged such that it can be seen by a hitter after the ball is struck when the hitter is looking at a point of contact where the ball is struck. The moveable objects are arranged to move when the ball is stuck and a variety of challenge games can be played that require the batter to identify something that happened to the moveable objects—thereby providing motivation to encourage the batter to focus his or her eyes on the region of contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Inventor: Robert Argiro