Patents by Inventor Naruhiro MIZUTANI

Naruhiro MIZUTANI has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20180185711
    Abstract: A sleeve 8 fixed to a shaft 6 includes an engaging projection part P1. A head 2 includes an engaging recess part R1. The engaging projection part P1 includes a first side surface P11 located on a side receiving a rotating force by hitting, a second side surface P12 located on an opposite side to the first side surface P11, and an outer surface P13. The engaging recess part R1 includes a first opposed surface R11 opposed to the first side surface P11, a second opposed surface R12 opposed to the second side surface P12, and an inner surface R13 opposed to the outer surface P13. The engaging projection part P1 has a tapered projection part TP1. The part TP1 has a maximum width equal to or greater than an opening width of the engaging recess part R1. The outer surface P13 includes an outer inclination surface K13.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Applicant: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
    Inventor: Naruhiro MIZUTANI
  • Publication number: 20180185710
    Abstract: A sleeve 8 includes an engaging projection part P1. A head 2 includes an engaging recess part R1. The engaging projection part P1 includes a first side surface P11 located on a side receiving a rotating force caused by hitting, a second side surface P12 located on an opposite side to the first side surface P11, and an outer surface P13. The engaging recess part R1 includes a first opposed surface R11 opposed to the surface P11, a second opposed surface R12 opposed to the surface P12, and an inner surface R13 opposed to the surface P13. The engaging projection part P1 has a tapered projection part TP1. The tapered projection part TP1 has a maximum width of not less than an opening width of the engaging recess part R1. At least one of the first side surface and the first opposed surface extends along an axial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Applicant: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Naruhiro MIZUTANI, Daisuke KOHNO
  • Patent number: 10010768
    Abstract: Provided is a golf club enabling the rotation position of an adapter to be viewed without disassembling a coupling structure for coupling a shaft and a golf club head. This golf club includes a shaft, a golf club head having a hosel portion, a first adapter that is accommodated in the interior space of the hosel portion through a shaft attachment hole in the hosel portion, a second adapter that has a through-hole through which the first adapter passes, and at least a portion arranged outside the attachment hole, and a fixing member detachably fixing the first adapter in the interior space of the hosel portion. The shaft is coupled with an inclination relative to the first adapter, the first adapter is coupled with an inclination relative to the second adapter, and the first adapter and the second adapter are coupled so as to be capable of axial rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Naruhiro Mizutani, Kiyofumi Matsunaga
  • Publication number: 20180178086
    Abstract: A golf club includes a head 200, a shaft 300, and a tip engagement part RT having a reverse-tapered shape and being disposed at a tip end portion of the shaft 300. The tip engagement part RT includes a sleeve 400 having a reverse-tapered shape and being fixed to the tip end portion of the shaft 300, and a spacer 500 having a reverse-tapered shape and being externally fitted to the sleeve 400. The spacer 500 has a divided structure. The hosel part 202 includes a hosel hole 204. The hosel hole 204 includes a reverse-tapered hole 206 corresponding to the shape of the outer surface of the tip engagement part RT. The hosel hole 204 allows the sleeve 400 to pass through the hosel hole 204. The tip engagement part RT is fitted to the reverse-tapered hole 206, and the sleeve 400 is fitted inside the spacer 500.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Applicants: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD., SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Masahide ONUKI, Hiroshi HASEGAWA, Naruhiro MIZUTANI, Yuki MOTOKAWA
  • Publication number: 20180178091
    Abstract: A golf club head according to the present invention includes a face portion, a crown portion, and a sole portion. The face portion has a thin-walled portion on a peripheral edge on a toe side. The sole portion has an easily deformable portion extending in a toe-to-heel direction, on at least a heel side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Applicant: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
    Inventor: Naruhiro MIZUTANI
  • Patent number: 9975016
    Abstract: A head 2 includes a head body h1 and a face plate p1. The face plate p1 includes a plate front surface f1 having a hitting face 4, and a plate back surface b1. The plate front surface f1 has, on a peripheral edge part thereof, a step surface t1 positioned at a rear with respect to the hitting face 4. The head body h1 has a receipt surface u1 positioned at a rear of the plate back surface b1, a front disposition part z1 positioned at a front of the step surface t1, and a hosel 6. The front disposition part z1 includes a plastically deformed part d1 and a non-plastically deformed part n1. A clearance between the non-plastically deformed part n1 and the receipt surface u1 forms an engaging part E1 engaging a peripheral edge part of the face plate p1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Nakamura, Takahiro Norimura, Naruhiro Mizutani, Daisuke Kohno
  • Publication number: 20180117423
    Abstract: A golf club 100 includes a head 200 having a hosel part 202, a shaft 300, and a reverse-tapered engagement part RT. The reverse-tapered engagement part RT includes a sleeve 400 having a reverse-tapered shape and being fixed to a tip portion of the shaft 300, and a spacer fitted outside of the sleeve 400. The hosel part 202 includes a hosel hole 204 and a hosel slit 206 which is provided on a side of the hosel hole 204 and enables the shaft 300 to pass through the hosel slit. The hosel hole 204 has a reverse-tapered hole 205 having a shape corresponding to a shape of an outer surface of the reverse-tapered engagement part RT. The reverse-tapered engagement part RT is fitted to the reverse-tapered hole 205. A club length is changed by changing a wall thickness of the spacer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Applicants: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD., SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Masahide ONUKI, Yuki MOTOKAWA, Naruhiro MIZUTANI
  • Patent number: 9931551
    Abstract: The golf club head includes a crown portion, a face portion, a sole portion, at least one recessed portion formed in one of the crown portion and the sole portion, at least one weight member configured to be attached to the recessed portion. The weight member has an upper surface, a lower surface and a side surface. The recessed portion is provided with a bottom surface correspond to the lower surface of the weight member, a first side wall surface that is continuous with the bottom surface and corresponds to the side surface of the weight member, and a second side wall surface that is continuous with the first side wall surface and constitutes an opening periphery of the recessed portion, and the second side wall surface is formed along the first side wall surface at a larger outer diameter than the first side wall surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
    Inventor: Naruhiro Mizutani
  • Patent number: 9931546
    Abstract: A golf club 2 includes a head 4, a shaft 6, a grip 8, a first member m1 detachably attached, a second member m2 detachably attached, and a tool 102. A minimum force required to detach the first member m1 from the tool 102 in a connection state of the tool 102 and the first member m1 is defined as F1. A minimum force required to detach the second member m2 from the tool 102 in a connection state of the tool 102 and the second member m2 is defined as F2. The force F1 is greater than the force F2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
    Inventor: Naruhiro Mizutani
  • Publication number: 20180078829
    Abstract: A shaft of a golf club includes a reverse-tapered engagement part. The reverse-tapered engagement part includes a sleeve having a reverse-tapered shape, and a reverse-tapered outer surface. A hosel part of a head includes a reverse-tapered inner surface and a hosel slit. A hosel hole includes the reverse-tapered inner surface having a shape corresponding to that of the reverse-tapered outer surface. Either one of the reverse-tapered outer surface and the reverse-tapered inner surface includes an abutting engagement surface and a non-abutting engagement surface. The other of the reverse-tapered outer surface and the reverse-tapered inner surface includes a first abutting surface and the second abutting surface. In the golf club, a first state and a second state in which club lengths are different from each other can be achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2017
    Publication date: March 22, 2018
    Applicants: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD., SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Masahide ONUKI, Yuki MOTOKAWA, Naruhiro MIZUTANI
  • Patent number: 9901791
    Abstract: A golf club according to the present invention includes a golf club head body that has a crown portion and a sole portion and has an opening surrounded by the crown portion and the sole portion, and a face member that covers the opening of the golf club head body. The face member is formed in the shape of a cup having a face portion formed in a plate shape and a peripheral portion that extends from the peripheral edge of the face portion. In the peripheral portion of the face member, the portion that extends along the crown portion includes a first toe-side edge portion arranged on the toe side, a first heel-side edge portion arranged on the heel side, and a first central edge portion arranged between the first toe-side edge portion and the first heel-side edge portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Naruhiro Mizutani, Hiroshi Abe, Daisuke Kohno
  • Publication number: 20180015336
    Abstract: The golf club head of the present invention includes a face portion, a crown portion, and a sole portion. The golf club head also has an interior space surrounded by the face portion, the crown portion, and the sole portion. A first channel and a second channel that extend in a toe-heel direction and are recessed toward the interior space side are formed in the sole portion. The first channel is disposed on a face side relative to the second channel, and has a first main inner wall disposed on the face side, and a first sub inner wall disposed on a back side. The first main inner wall is formed with a longer length in a face-back direction than the first sub inner wall, and is inclined so as to extend upward while extending toward the back side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2017
    Publication date: January 18, 2018
    Applicant: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Daisuke KOHNO, Naruhiro MIZUTANI
  • Publication number: 20180001159
    Abstract: A head 2 includes a face 10 and a sole 6. The face 10 has a face center Fc. The sole 6 includes a groove 20 extending from a toe side to a heel side. The whole groove 20 is located below the face center Fc. A bottom part of the groove 20 is curved so that it projects to a lower side along a shape of the sole 6. A maximum value of a groove depth D of the groove 20 is 5% or greater but 15% or less of a height of a center of gravity of the head. The head 2 is a hollow golf club head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2017
    Publication date: January 4, 2018
    Applicant: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
    Inventor: Naruhiro MIZUTANI
  • Publication number: 20180001170
    Abstract: A sole 6 of a head 2 includes a groove 20 extending from a toe side to a heel side. The groove 20 includes a center groove part 20c, a toe groove part 20t, and a heel groove part 20h. A toe boundary line kt is formed on a boundary between the center groove part 20c and the toe groove part 20t due to the change of a groove depth D. A heel boundary line kh is formed on a boundary between the center groove part 20c and the heel groove part 20h due to the change of the groove depth D. The toe groove part 20t and the heel groove part 20h extend so as to be inclined with respect to a face-back direction. The head 2 is a hollow golf club head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Publication date: January 4, 2018
    Applicant: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Naruhiro MIZUTANI, Daisuke KOHNO
  • Publication number: 20180001158
    Abstract: A head 2 includes a face part 4. The face part 4 includes a plurality of constant thickness regions S1 and S2, and a plurality of thickness transition regions R1, R2 and R3. The constant thickness regions include a first constant region S1 and a second constant region S2 which is thinner than the first thickness region S1. The thickness transition regions R1, R2 and R3 which are adjacent to each other is disposed between the first constant region S1 and the second constant region S2. The thickness transition regions adjacent to each other have different thickness change rates from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Publication date: January 4, 2018
    Applicant: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
    Inventor: Naruhiro MIZUTANI
  • Patent number: 9839819
    Abstract: A head h1 includes a crown c1, a sole s1, a face f1 and a hosel h1. The crown c1 includes a recess part RE1, a back part 100 positioned at a back of the recess part RE1, and a step surface ST1 positioned at a front of the back part 100 and positioned above a virtual extension surface HF1 of the back part 100. At least a part of the recess part RE1 extends in a toe-heel direction. At least a part of the step surface ST1 extends in the toe-heel direction. At least a part of the recess part RE1 may extend in a front-back direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Naruhiro Mizutani, Phil Seagram, Keith Dolezel, Mika Becktor
  • Patent number: 9814943
    Abstract: A golf club 100 includes a head 200 having a hosel part 202, a shaft 300, and an engaging part 600 disposed at a tip part of the shaft 300. The engaging part 600 includes a sleeve 400 which has an oppositely tapered shape and is fixed to the tip part of the shaft 300. The hosel part 202 includes a hosel hole 204, and a hosel slit 206 which is provided on a side of the hosel hole 204 and enables the shaft 300 to pass through the hosel slit 206. The hosel hole 204 has an oppositely tapered hole having a shape corresponding to a shape of an outer surface of the engaging part 600. The engaging part 600 is fitted into the oppositely tapered hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Masahide Onuki, Yuki Motokawa, Naruhiro Mizutani
  • Patent number: 9802084
    Abstract: A golf club head comprises: a head main body having a hollow therein; a weight member disposed in the hollow and extending from its first end to its second end; a first end side portion of the weight member is secured to a first position of the head main body rotatably around a first axis at the first position so that a second end side portion of the weight member is movable to at least a second position and a third position of the head main body which positions are on a locus described by the first end side portion of the weight member during rotating about said first axis; and a fastener for fixing the second end side portion of the weight member to any of said at least second and third positions of the head main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki Shimahara, Naruhiro Mizutani
  • Publication number: 20170259136
    Abstract: Provided is a golf club head having a sole portion. In the sole portion, first and second grooves are formed extending in a toe-heel direction and recessed toward the inside of the sole portion. The first groove is disposed on a face side relative to the second groove. The first groove includes a first main inner wall and a first sub inner wall shorter than the first main inner wall. The second groove includes a second main inner wall and a second sub inner wall shorter than the second main inner wall. The first and second main inner walls are inclined so as to point upward toward the face side. The second main inner wall, when the sole portion has been placed on a ground plane, is inclined more steeply than the first main inner wall relative to the ground plane in a side cross-sectional view.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2017
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Applicant: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Naruhiro MIZUTANI, Daisuke KOHNO
  • Publication number: 20170259135
    Abstract: Provided is a golf club head having a hollow structure and including a face portion, a crown portion, and a sole portion. In the sole portion, a first groove and a second groove are formed extending in a toe-heel direction and recessed toward the inside of the sole portion. The first groove is disposed on a face side relative to the second groove. The second groove is deeper than the first groove.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2017
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Applicant: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Naruhiro MIZUTANI, Daisuke KOHNO