Patents Examined by Stephen L. Blau
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Patent number: 10881926Abstract: Disclosed herein is an iron-type golf club head. The iron-type golf club head comprises a body, having a density of less than 8 grams-per-cubic-centimeter (g/cc). The body comprises a heel portion, a toe portion, a sole portion, a top portion, and a front portion. The body also comprises a rear portion, comprising an insert shelf, adjacent the sole portion and extending from the toe portion to the heel portion, and a retention bar, integrally formed with a portion of the insert shelf and circumferentially closing the portion of the insert shelf to define a first insert channel. The iron-type golf club head also comprises a high-density insert, having a density of greater than 7.5 g/cc, supported by the insert shelf, and retained within the first insert channel by the retention bar.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2019Date of Patent: January 5, 2021Assignee: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.Inventors: Brian Hill, Bret H. Wahl, Scott Taylor
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Patent number: 10874922Abstract: Some disclosed golf club heads include body having at least one raised sole portion and a cantilevered ledge extending down around a perimeter of the club head below the level of the raised sole portion. Some disclosed golf club heads include one or more sole openings in the body and a sole insert that is mounted inside the body over the sole openings. The sole can include weight tracks as well, and a rear weight track can extend between a toe side sole opening and a heel side sole opening. A crown insert can also be included that is mounted over an upper opening in the body.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2019Date of Patent: December 29, 2020Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.Inventors: Christopher John Harbert, Nathan T. Sargent, Justin David Kleinert, Todd P. Beach, Brian Bazzel, Robert Nunez, James Edward Michael Cornish, Nick Robbie
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Patent number: 10864415Abstract: A putter-type golf club head that, when oriented in a reference position, includes a blade portion comprising a striking face, a top line, and a sole, the striking face including a face center. A rear portion of the club head is in communication with, and rearward of, the blade portion. An alignment element of the club head is rearward of, and recessed toward the sole from, the top line, and the alignment element defines a virtual center line segment oriented in a substantially front-to-rear direction at a height equal to about 21.3 mm to about 21.4 mm. The center line segment is not spaced more than 10 mm from a virtual vertical plane passing through the face center and extending generally perpendicular to the striking face, and a width of the club head is no less than 3.0 in.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2018Date of Patent: December 15, 2020Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Adam K Sheldon, Mika Becktor
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Patent number: 10857433Abstract: A golf club shaft system and golf club shaft possessing unique flexural and torsional rigidity profiles, while providing significant adjustability to fine tune the shaft to a particular golf swing.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2019Date of Patent: December 8, 2020Assignee: BREAKTHROUGH GOLF TECHNOLOGY, LLCInventors: Byron H. Adams, Blair M. Philip, Jeffrey T. Halstead, Robert E. Stephens, Trever M. Napier
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Patent number: 10850170Abstract: A metalwood golf club head, including a striking face, wherein the striking face comprises a geometric face center, a posterior body portion comprising a crown and a sole, wherein the crown is connected to an upper portion of the striking face and the sole is connected to a lower portion of the striking face, a vertical plane passing through the geometric face center, a neutral axis extending through the geometric face center, the neutral axis perpendicular to an outer surface of the striking face at the geometric face center, wherein a vertical plane through said geometric face center intersects a first crown peak at a distance at least 30 mm from said geometric face center along the z-direction.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2019Date of Patent: December 1, 2020Assignee: Acushnet CompanyInventors: David S. Cornelius, Grant M. Martens
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Patent number: 10835785Abstract: A golf club head includes a head body having a crown, sole and skirt therebetween, the head body defining an opening in a front portion and having a frame support around the periphery of the opening. A face plate is mounted within the opening and has a transition radius along one or more edges to at least partially wrap around one or more of the crown, sole and skirt. The head includes thin wall zones in the crown and skirt, a hosel flush with the crown and a weight mounted in the sole proximate to the face plate, such that the golf club head has a center of gravity located relatively low and forward in proximity to the face plate.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2019Date of Patent: November 17, 2020Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.Inventors: Bing-Ling Chao, Todd P. Beach, John Francis Lorentzen
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Patent number: 10835787Abstract: The invention provides golf clubs and methods of making golf clubs with machined perimeter faces. The club faces provide an accurate ball striking surface and improved aerodynamics. In particular, a surface is milled into the club face that expands over an edge of a ball striking surface and onto a portion of the face adjacent to at least one of a crown, a sole, a toe, or a heel. During a swing, the milled surface causes the boundary layer of airflow to separate at a point closer to the rear of the club head, resulting in reduced drag.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 2019Date of Patent: November 17, 2020Assignee: COBRA GOLF CORPORATIONInventors: D. Clayton Evans, Cameron J. Day, Michael T. McDonnell, Ryan L. Roach, Douglas E. Roberts, Bryce Hobbs, Yi-ching Liao
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Patent number: 10828538Abstract: Embodiments of golf club heads and methods to manufacture golf club heads are generally described herein. In one example, a golf club head may have a body portion having a toe portion, a heel portion, a top portion, a sole portion, a front portion, a lead edge portion, a back portion, and an interior cavity. The golf club head may also have a polymer material partially or entirely filling the interior cavity. Other examples and embodiments may be described and claimed.Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 2019Date of Patent: November 10, 2020Assignee: PARSONS XTREME GOLF, LLCInventors: Robert R. Parsons, Michael R. Nicolette, Bradley D. Schweigert
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Patent number: 10821343Abstract: A grip for a golf club is disclosed herein. The grip comprises an inner layer, an outer layer, a primer layer and a topcoat layer. At least one layer comprises a thermochromic pigment or a thermochromic paint.Type: GrantFiled: November 11, 2019Date of Patent: November 3, 2020Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventor: Vijay Chavan
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Patent number: 10814194Abstract: A golf grip comprising an elastomeric material that has a change in the storage modulus of less than about 0.01 MPa in a range of 1% to 4% strain in a subsequent test cycle after an initial test cycle in a dynamic strain test, or alternatively, a change in storage modulus of less than about 0.007 MPa at 2.5% strain between the initial test cycle and the subsequent test cycle. The elastomeric material has less than about 2.5% change in modulus when strained to 300% under a uniaxial static strain in a subsequent test cycle comparing to an initial test cycle under a static strain cycle test. The elastomeric material may have a storage modulus of less than about 1.5 MPa at 2.5% strain and hardness of less than approximately 35 durometer on shore A scale. The golf grip may be a single or multiple layered, and preferably, a rubber vulcanizate.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2019Date of Patent: October 27, 2020Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power LimitedInventor: Craig R. Balnis
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Patent number: 10806974Abstract: An improved putter grip is provided. In one embodiment, the putter grip includes an enlarged heel portion that can be held in the fore-to-aft direction or the side-to-side direction, dependent upon the user's preference. The putter grip includes a front-facing surface between a right side surface and a left side surface. The putter grip also includes a rear-facing surface that is opposite of the front-facing surface. The rear-facing surface includes an upper portion, defining the enlarged heel, a lower portion, and an intermediate portion. The lower portion of the rear-facing surface is spaced apart from the front-facing surface by a reduced distance, and the intermediate portion is a continuous extension of the lower portion. As a result, the front-to-back width of the putter grip is greater in the upper portion than in the lower portion, with the intermediate portion defining a slightly concave exterior curvature.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2019Date of Patent: October 20, 2020Assignee: SSG International, LLCInventor: John J. Biafore, Jr.
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Patent number: 10799775Abstract: A golf club head comprises a sole, a recessed sole port in the sole; and a rotatably adjustable sole piece adapted to be at least partially received within the sole port and comprising a central body having a plurality of contact surfaces adapted to contact the sole port and being offset from each other along a central axis extending through the central body of the sole piece. The sole piece can be positioned at least partially within the sole port at five or more rotational and axial positions with respect to the central axis, wherein at each rotational position, at least one of said contact surfaces of the central body contacts the sole port to set the axial position of the sole piece. The sole port and/or the sole piece can be generally pentagonal in shape.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2018Date of Patent: October 13, 2020Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.Inventors: Nathan T. Sargent, Joseph Reeve Nielson, Matthew David Johnson, Matthew Greensmith, Todd P. Beach, Michael Franz
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Patent number: 10799776Abstract: An iron-type golf club head having a thin back portion and filled with a polymer material. For example, the iron-type golf club may include a sole, a toe portion attached at least partially to the sole, a heel portion attached at least partially to the sole, a striking face attached at least partially to the sole, the striking face having a maximum face thickness, a topline portion attached at least partially to the toe portion, the heel portion, and the striking face, a substantially planar back portion attached at least partially to the topline portion and sole. The back portion may have a maximum back thickness less than the maximum face thickness. The golf club head may also have a cavity formed between the sole, the toe portion, the heel portion, the striking face, the topline portion, and the back portion. The cavity may be filled with a polymer material.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2019Date of Patent: October 13, 2020Assignee: ACUSHNET COMPANYInventors: Grant M. Martens, Tony Luna
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Patent number: 10786710Abstract: A golf club head with an interchangeable or reversible sole rail system having a rail member configured to be received within one or more channels formed on the club head. The rail system allows the player to employ rails along a surface of the club head to improve the interaction between the club head and the ground during the swing.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2019Date of Patent: September 29, 2020Assignee: Cobra Golf IncorporatedInventors: Douglas Jorgensen, Cameron J. Day, Steven M. Mitzel
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Patent number: 10786716Abstract: A golf club comprises a shaft, a club head, and a connection assembly that allows the shaft to be easily disconnected from the club head. In particular embodiments, the connection assembly includes a removable hosel sleeve that allows a shaft to be supported a desired predetermined orientation relative to the club head. In this manner, the shaft loft and/or lie angle of the club can be adjusted without resorting to traditional bending of the shaft. In another embodiment, the club head has an adjustable sole that can be adjusted upwardly and downwardly relative to the strike face of the club head, which is effective to adjust the face angle of the club head.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2019Date of Patent: September 29, 2020Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.Inventors: Todd P. Beach, Mark V. Greaney, Ian C. Wright, Kraig A. Willett, Nathan T. Sargent, Matthew D. Johnson, Gery M. Zimmerman, Kevin R. Harper
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Patent number: 10786711Abstract: A golf club head includes a club head body having a first slot and a second slot in communication with the first slot, a first cover plate affixed to the club head body to cover the first slot, and a second cover plate affixed to the club head body to cover the second slot. The first cover plate and the second cover plate can be manufactured using the same or different materials, so that the position of the center of gravity of the overall structure differs depending on the material difference of the first cover plate and the second cover plate. In this way, the most suitable structural combination can be tailored for different users, so that each user can show the best ball hitting effect.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2019Date of Patent: September 29, 2020Inventor: Chi-Shun Chuang
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Patent number: 10780328Abstract: The invention provides golf club heads having aerodynamic features that disrupt air flow over the face when the club is swung. The features are milled into the face of the club head, including curved faces found in wood-type club heads. During a swing, the features cause the boundary layer to separate at a point closer to the rear of the club head during a swing, resulting in reduced drag. The invention also provides golf club heads with faces having a central region of symmetrical surface roughness. The symmetrical roughness in the central region of the face of wood-type club heads allows for shots with less spin and greater distance.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 2019Date of Patent: September 22, 2020Assignee: COBRA GOLF INCORPORATEDInventors: Tim A. Beno, Michael S. Yagley, Cameron J. Day
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Patent number: 10780452Abstract: A grip member and a method of making such a grip member including at least a polymerized region with two or more polymers. The first and second polymers cooperate to each form a portion of the top surface of the region. The region may be combined with a substrate to form a sheet. The sheet may be formed into a grip interface having any of a number of shapes including a panel shape. In the case of a panel shaped grip interface, the panel can then be attached to an underlisting sleeve to form the grip. Some versions of such a grip reduce impact shock and provide a feeling of tackiness in the manner of a spirally wrapped polyurethane-felt grip while allowing the use of multiple colors being polymerized together. The grip may be easily installed onto a golf club shaft and may further accommodate the use of polymers including various different characteristics including level of tackiness or durometer.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2018Date of Patent: September 22, 2020Inventor: Ben Huang
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Patent number: 10758796Abstract: A golf club includes a golf club head, a shaft adapter secured within a hosel of the golf club head, and a shaft secured within the shaft adapter. The golf club shaft is formed from a fiber reinforced polymer and extends along a longitudinal axis between a tip end and a grip end. The golf club shaft includes a tip end section, a grip end section, and a tapered section between the tip end section and the grip end section. The tapered section of the shaft includes a reference portion within the upper half that has a frustoconical shape with a near-constant taper rate, and a narrowed portion within the lower half. The narrowed portion is recessed relative to a reference surface extrapolated from the frustoconical shape.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2019Date of Patent: September 1, 2020Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing CorporationInventors: David S. Kultala, Martin R. Jertson, Ryan M. Stokke
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Patent number: 10758789Abstract: Embodiments of golf club heads comprising a face with a variable thickness to improve the durability in the club head, increase ball speed, and increase characteristic time (CT) are described herein. The face comprises thickened and thinned regions. The face includes a perimeter thickened region positioned near a perimeter of the face, a thinned region positioned inward of the perimeter thickened region toward a center of the face, and a central thickened region positioned over the center of the face. The combination of the thickened and thinned regions of the face increase ball speed and further increase or maximize CT without sacrificing durability.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2018Date of Patent: September 1, 2020Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing CorporationInventors: Cory S. Bacon, Eric J. Morales, Ryan M. Stokke