Particular Material Composition Or Mass Distribution Patents (Class 473/349)
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Patent number: 8790195Abstract: A golf club head with means for adjusting a center of gravity along more than one axis and means adjusting at least one of a characteristic selected from the group consisting of face angle, loft angle, and lie angle is disclosed herein. The golf club head may comprise one or more adjustable features such as weight bars, weight screws, weight cartridges, and adjustable sole members.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 2013Date of Patent: July 29, 2014Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: Matthew Myers, Wayne H. Byrne, Larry Tang
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Patent number: 8784234Abstract: A golf club head includes a main body having a top portion, a bottom portion, a striking face, and an interior surface. A weight member is coupled to the interior surface of the main body. In an imaginary vertical plane that passes through the weight member, the interior surface of the main body comprises a first point and a second point. An imaginary line passes through the first point and the second point. A first imaginary boundary line and a second imaginary boundary line, both passing through the weight member and being perpendicular to the imaginary line, pass through the first point and the second point, respectively. Between the first point and the second point, the interior surface of the main body has an irregularity factor of at least 1.2 and the weight member comprises a distribution factor of at most 1.0 and a conformity factor of at most 0.07.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2011Date of Patent: July 22, 2014Assignee: SRI Sports LimitedInventors: Sam G. Lacey, Dan S. Nivanh, Nathaniel J. Radcliffe, Dustin J. Brekke
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Patent number: 8784232Abstract: Embodiments of golf club heads and methods to manufacture golf club heads are disclosed herein. Other examples and related methods are also generally described herein.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2011Date of Patent: July 22, 2014Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing CorporationInventors: Marty R. Jertson, Eric J. Morales, Bradley D. Schweigert, Anthony D. Serrano, Michael R. Nicolette
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Patent number: 8777774Abstract: The present invention discloses an iron-type golf club head having features that permit adjustment to the principal moment of inertia angle, the center of gravity location, turf interaction, loft, and overall club forgiveness. In particular, the golf club head includes a rear cavity sized to receive a weight cartridge composed of one or more materials, the adjustment of which changes one or more of the mass properties of the golf club head and also changes the interaction of the golf club head with turf during play. The weight cartridge may comprise one or more high density materials, and may be located in or proximate the sole.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2013Date of Patent: July 15, 2014Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: Wee Joung Kim, Homer E. Aguinaldo, James A. Seluga
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Patent number: 8771100Abstract: An iron type golf club set includes a set of “n” iron type golf clubs, “n” being an integer of 3 or more, wherein the golf clubs each have a different face loft angle. If the head of each golf club is inclined at a specified lie angle with respect to a horizontal plane and the face is disposed at a specified loft angle with respect to a vertical plane, the head moment of inertia “A” per unit mass represented by a ratio MI/ml of the moment of inertia “MI” of the head alone around a horizontal axis passing through the head center of gravity and being parallel to the face with respect to the head mass “m” increases in the order from the golf club with the smallest loft angle to the golf club with the largest loft angle.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 2012Date of Patent: July 8, 2014Assignee: SRI Sports LimitedInventor: Kiyofumi Matsunaga
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Patent number: 8771098Abstract: A golf club putter having a low head center of gravity and a high MOI is disclosed herein. The putter has a metal body comprising a face and a hosel, a low density dampening layer affixed to the body, and a high density rear weight affixed to the dampening layer, and the dampening layer has a first surface that forms an angle with an opposing second surface that is inversely proportional to the distance of the hosel from a heel side of the body.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2012Date of Patent: July 8, 2014Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventor: Thomas R. Hilton
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Patent number: 8764579Abstract: A hollow golf club head according to this invention includes a face portion, a crown portion, and a sole portion, and is formed by connecting a plurality of shell members to each other. This golf club head includes a rib which is provided in the sole portion and used to adjust an impact sound. The plurality of shell members are divided using at least the rib as a boundary. The plurality of shell members include a rib forming shell member including a sole portion forming portion which forms part of the sole portion, and a rib forming portion which stands upright from the end of the sole portion forming portion and forms the rib.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2012Date of Patent: July 1, 2014Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.Inventor: Wataru Ban
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Patent number: 8758161Abstract: A golf club with a multi-material face is disclosed herein. More specifically, the golf club head in accordance with the present invention has a striking face that forms a pocket, wherein the pocket is filled with a secondary material having a lower density to improve the performance of the golf club head. The multi-material face disclosed in accordance with the present invention may generally have a characteristic time slope of greater than about 5 and less than about 50, wherein the characteristic time slope is determined based on the various data points collected according to the United States Golf Association's (USGA's) Characteristic Time (CT) test.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2013Date of Patent: June 24, 2014Assignee: Acushnet CompanyInventors: Charles E. Golden, Bradford Hughes Hartwell, Noah de la Cruz, Uday V. Deshmukh, John Morin, Jason Mulherin
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Patent number: 8758154Abstract: A golf club head is provided having a club body having a front portion, a rear portion, a toe portion, and a heel portion. The club head also having a central portion connected with the front portion. A frame is connected with the central portion configured to provide a lightweight crown portion being located above an offset plane.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2012Date of Patent: June 24, 2014Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.Inventors: Paul M. Demkowski, Bret H. Wahl, Sean Toulon, Marni D. Ines, Robert Nunez, Bill Price, Jose Miraflor
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Patent number: 8758159Abstract: An iron type golf club head with improved performance is disclosed herein. More specifically, the present invention discloses an iron type golf club head having a frontal face portion made out of a lightweight material that is separate and distinct from the material used to form the remaining body portion of the iron type golf club head. The thinner material allows the frontal face portion of the iron type golf club head to be made thinner, yielding improved performance characteristics such as a higher Coefficient of Restitution (COR) of greater than about 0.770, a lower Center of Gravity (CG) location of less than about 5.0 mm from a ground, and a lower primary resonant frequency of less than about 5,000 Hertz.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2013Date of Patent: June 24, 2014Assignee: Acushnet CompanyInventors: John W. Morin, Eduardo Mendoza, Noah de la Cruz, Charles E. Golden, Andrew J. Curtis
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Patent number: 8758163Abstract: Iron golf club heads and clubs include a body having a ball striking face, a rear face opposite the ball striking face and a sole portion positioned between the ball striking face and the rear face. The rear face has an opening in communication with a slot positioned in the body. A weight element is positioned in the slot through the opening. The weight element has at least one aperture wherein the center of gravity is shifted when the weight element is positioned in the slot.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2010Date of Patent: June 24, 2014Assignee: Nike, Inc.Inventor: John T. Stites
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Patent number: 8758165Abstract: A golf club having features that permit easy customization by consumers is disclosed herein. The golf club includes at least one weight port, a ribbon, at least one removable weight port ring, and at least one removable ribbon insert.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2012Date of Patent: June 24, 2014Assignee: Callaway Gold CompanyInventors: Craig E. Abbott, Catherine Brookshire, Tim Goudarzi, Scott Manwaring
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Publication number: 20140171219Abstract: A golf club head includes a striking face having an upper perimeter, a lower perimeter, a heel portion, a toe portion, and a posterior body portion comprising a crown portion and a sole portion. The crown is coupled to the upper perimeter of the striking face and the sole is coupled to the lower perimeter of the striking face. The golf club also includes a hosel for receiving a shaft. The heel is positioned below the hosel and the club head has a c.g. positioned towards the toe by a distance, ?z, from a vertical plane running perpendicularly through the crown, the sole, and the striking face.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2012Publication date: June 19, 2014Applicant: ACUSHNET COMPANYInventors: Ryan Margoles, Gregory D. Johnson, Noah de la Cruz
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Patent number: 8753224Abstract: A golf club head comprising a body having a crown, a sole, a face component, a heel side, a toe side, and a rear side, and an air spoiler affixed to the rear side of the body is disclosed herein. In particular, the air spoiler comprises an upper shelf that extends outwards from the crown and approximately parallel to a ground plane, and is supported by one or more ribs that extend perpendicularly from the upper shelf towards the crown. The air spoiler may be used in connection with any type of golf club head, and particularly a wood-type golf club such as a driver or fairway wood.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2013Date of Patent: June 17, 2014Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventor: Wee Joung Kim
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Patent number: 8753225Abstract: A golf club having features that permit easy customization by consumers is disclosed herein. The golf club includes at least one weight port, at least one removable weight port insert, which may be a weight port ring or one or more weight port medallions, and at least one weight screw. The weight port of the golf club head preferably is non-circular and asymmetric.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2012Date of Patent: June 17, 2014Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: Craig E. Abbott, Kevin Weejoung Kim, Bradley C. Rice, Irina Ivanova, Patrick Dawson, William C. Watson
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Patent number: 8753227Abstract: A weight screw for a golf club head having one or more weight ports is disclosed herein. A set of weight screws is also disclosed herein, the set comprising at least one low-weight screw comprising multiple materials and at least one weight screw comprising a single material.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2012Date of Patent: June 17, 2014Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: Matthew T. Cackett, Patrick Dawson, Philip G. Foster, Brooks Roche, Brandon D. Demille
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Patent number: 8753220Abstract: A set of progressive golf clubs with an elliptical pad construction on the back of the striking face that corresponds to a location, shape and size of a predetermined golfer's impact pattern for the lofts and lengths of each of the golf clubs in the set. The elliptical pad progressively changes in location, shape and size from the long irons, to the mid irons, to the short irons, and to the wedges, based on the location, shape and size of a predetermined golfer's impact pattern for each of the long irons, mid irons, short irons, and wedges.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2013Date of Patent: June 17, 2014Assignee: Cobra Golf IncorporatedInventors: Ryan L. Roach, Joshua G. Breier
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Patent number: 8753223Abstract: A golf club head (such as a putter head), has a face that includes a ball-contacting region. The ball-contacting region has an inset containing an elastically deformable material and at least one rigid element disposed within the elastically deformable material. When a golf ball is struck, the elastically deformable material compresses and the rigid element imparts overspin to the ball that causes it to roll more accurately.Type: GrantFiled: January 3, 2011Date of Patent: June 17, 2014Assignee: Nike, Inc.Inventor: John T. Stites
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Patent number: 8753219Abstract: A set of golf clubs including golf club heads having improved mass distribution characteristics. The set includes golf club heads having a club head main body including a hitting face and a face support, a muscle back shell and a weight insert.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2010Date of Patent: June 17, 2014Assignee: Acushnet CompanyInventors: Peter J. Gilbert, Helene Hipp, Edward Mendoza, Adrian L. Stanescu, Douglas C. Jorgensen
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Patent number: 8753226Abstract: A golf club head having a face component, a crown, and a composite sole or a composite body patch with one or more weight ports for receiving one or more weight inserts is disclosed herein. At least part of each of the weight ports is integrally formed in the composite sole or composite body patch, and each of the weight ports includes an upper edge, a lower edge, and a wall having a variable thickness and varying radius.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2012Date of Patent: June 17, 2014Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: Bradley C. Rice, William C. Watson, Patrick Dawson, Irina Ivanova
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Patent number: 8747252Abstract: Wood-type golf club heads include: (a) a club head body member defining an interior chamber; (b) a weight system engaged with a rear perimeter portion of the club head body member; and (c) a connection system connecting the weight system with the club head body (e.g., with the rear of the ball striking face portion). The club heads further may include one or more damping members in the interior chamber to alter the sound and/or otherwise attenuate a vibrational response of the club head. The damping members may extend between the ball striking face and the weight system, and optionally may engage the connection system. The damping member(s) may constitute a foam material compressed within the interior chamber of the club head. Methods of making such golf club head structures also are described.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2012Date of Patent: June 10, 2014Assignee: Nike, Inc.Inventors: Robert Lukasiewicz, Jr., Robert Boyd
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Patent number: 8747253Abstract: A ball striking device, such as a golf club, includes a head with a face having an outer surface configured for striking a ball, a body connected to the face, and a plurality of inserts connected to the outer surface of the body. The plurality of inserts are removable and interchangeable with other inserts, and at least one of the inserts has a weight that is greater than at least another one of the inserts. The inserts may be substantially identical in size and shape to enable the inserts to be interchanged with each other. Additionally, one or more of the inserts may be a primary insert with a secondary insert connected to the primary insert.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2010Date of Patent: June 10, 2014Assignee: Nike, Inc.Inventor: John T. Stites
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Patent number: 8747250Abstract: A golf club head with a club head body having an external surface with a heel portion, a toe portion, a crown portion, a sole portion, and a front opening is described. A face insert support structure is located at the front opening. The support structure includes a peripheral member and a rear support member. The rear support member has a front surface and a rear surface. A face insert is attached at the front opening and closes the front opening of the body. An undercut fill structure is attached to a portion of the rear surface of the rear support member.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2013Date of Patent: June 10, 2014Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.Inventors: Bing-Ling Chao, John Francis Lorentzen, Hsiang Lee
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Patent number: 8740722Abstract: A clubhead of an iron golf club includes: a head main body including a face portion and a hosel portion; a back member including a sole surface and a back surface; and a fixing member configured to detachably fix the back member to the head main body.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2011Date of Patent: June 3, 2014Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., LtdInventor: Fumiaki Sato
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Patent number: 8727907Abstract: This invention provides a method of manufacturing a golf club head by processing a head base body having a face base surface which becomes a face surface by finishing. The head base body includes a main body portion having the face base surface, and projecting portions which project from the main body portion. The method includes a finishing step of performing the finishing while the head base body is fixed in position by supporting the projecting portions, and a separation step of separating the projecting portions after the finishing.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2010Date of Patent: May 20, 2014Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.Inventors: Wataru Ban, Katsutoshi Kasuya
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Patent number: 8727899Abstract: An adjustable hosel assembly allows for adjustment of shaft angle and the distance between the shaft and the club head. The adjustable hosel assembly comprises a hosel portion, a cam piece, a bolt, and a golf club head having a convex or concave surface, wherein the hosel portion can move along the surface of the cam piece, and the cam piece can move along the surface of the club head, to adjust the orientation of a shaft placed within the hosel with respect to the club head, and wherein the bolt secures the cam piece and the hosel to the golf club head.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2012Date of Patent: May 20, 2014Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventor: Yvonne Galloway
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Patent number: 8727911Abstract: A golf club (40) having a club head (42) with a face component (60), an aft body (61), and a sound modifying sole and crown design is disclosed herein. The face component, which may be composed of a metal material, (60) has a striking area portion (72) and a return portion (74). The aft-body (61), which may be composed of a non-metal material such as composite or thermoplastic material, is composed of a crown portion (62) and a sole portion (64). The sound modifying design, which may include deep pockets or pillars extending from the sole portion (64) to the crown portion (62), alters the sound of the golf dub head (42) when it impacts a golf ball.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2013Date of Patent: May 20, 2014Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: Brandon D. DeMille, Matthew T. Cackett
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Patent number: 8727909Abstract: The present invention is a unique advanced hybrid iron type golf club. The club is characterized by a long blade length with a long heel blade length section, while having a small club moment arm, Zcg, and volume, and producing a high moment of inertia. The golf club incorporates the discovery of unique relationships among key club head engineering variables that are inconsistent with merely striving to obtain a high moment of inertia using conventional golf club head design wisdom.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2009Date of Patent: May 20, 2014Assignee: Taylor Made Golf CompanyInventors: Michael Guerrette, Tim Reed, Clive Roberts
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Patent number: 8715105Abstract: A cavity back golf club head having an interchangeable bridge member is disclosed. The interchangeable bridge member extends across a rear cavity connecting a heel and a toe of the golf club head to control the trajectory of a golf ball.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2009Date of Patent: May 6, 2014Assignee: Nike, Inc.Inventors: John T. Stites, Gary G. Tavares, Robert Boyd
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Patent number: 8715109Abstract: A more efficient triangular shape for metal wood clubs or driver clubs is disclosed. This triangular shape allows the clubs to have higher rotational moments of inertia in both the vertical and horizontal directions, and a lower center of gravity.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2013Date of Patent: May 6, 2014Assignee: Acushnet CompanyInventors: Thomas Orrin Bennett, Charles E. Golden, Christopher D. Harvell, Stephen S. Murphy, Daniel Stone
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Patent number: 8715106Abstract: The present invention discloses an iron-type golf club head having features that permit adjustment to the principal moment of inertia angle, the center of gravity location, and overall club forgiveness. In particular, the golf club head includes a rear cavity sized to receive a weight cartridge composed of one or more materials, the adjustment of which changes one or more of the mass properties of the golf club head and may change the interaction of the golf club head with turf during play, and a composite face plate. The weight cartridge may comprise one or more high density materials, and may be located in or proximate the sole.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2013Date of Patent: May 6, 2014Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: James A. Seluga, Sean Griffin, Evan D. Gibbs
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Publication number: 20140113743Abstract: A composite material golf club head is provided having a body made from a first metal and a face insert press fitted to a portion of the body and made from a second metal The metals are chosen so that the first metal is heavier than the second metal. The second metal is disposed towards the front and top of the body, and is preferably hard-anodized. In addition, an interlocking structure, for example rectangular or dove tail shaped channels, is provided in the body so that the face insert becomes embedded in the interlocking structure to anchor the face insert to the body. Portions of the golf club head, such as the face insert or sole plate, are anodized to protect against corrosion. The anodized coating is colored to improve aesthetic characteristics or infused with a polymer to increase or reduce friction. Disclosed herein is a golf club head having a body portion and a face insert. The front of the body portion further comprises a cutout sized and dimensioned to receive the face insert.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 31, 2013Publication date: April 24, 2014Applicant: COBRA GOLF INCORPORATEDInventors: Ryan L. Roach, Thomas C. Morris
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Patent number: 8702534Abstract: A golf club (40) having a club head (42) with a face component (60), an aft body (61), and a sound modifying sole and crown design is disclosed herein. The face component, which may be composed of a metal material, (60) has a striking area portion (72) and a return portion (74). The aft-body (61), which may be composed of a non-metal material such as composite or thermoplastic material, is composed of a crown portion (62) and a sole portion (64). The sound modifying design, which may include deep pockets or pillars extending from the sole portion (64) to the crown portion (62), alters the sound of the golf club head (42) when it impacts a golf ball.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2013Date of Patent: April 22, 2014Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: Brandon D. DeMille, Matthew T. Cackett
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Patent number: 8702532Abstract: A golf club head is provided having a body and a face insert, with a slot in a perimeter region of the body of the club head adjacent the face insert. The slot increases the flex of the hitting surface on impact with a golf ball, thereby increasing the speed with which the ball rebounds off the hitting face and increases the overall distance the ball is hit. The slot preferably moves the sweet spot of the hitting face a distance X from the face center of the hitting face. The slot may be filled with an elastomeric material.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2012Date of Patent: April 22, 2014Assignee: Acushnet CompanyInventor: David M. Shear
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Patent number: 8702533Abstract: A titanium bodied driver that utilizes a lightweight receiving back cap, which is designed to be non-removable from the club head but can be loosened to allow its interior to be accessed to reposition one or more movable weights into alternative receiving locations, is disclosed herein. The back cap may also be designed to be completely removable from the driver body to gain access to the one or more weights that can be re-positioned in alternative receiving areas within the back cap's interior.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2013Date of Patent: April 22, 2014Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventor: D. Clayton Evans
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Patent number: 8696492Abstract: A putter-type golf club head having a face insert comprising a metal sheet and a urethane backing is disclosed herein. The metal sheet, which makes contact with a golf ball during use, includes a plurality of oval-shaped holes extending through the entire thickness of the sheet and having a specific size and spacing, and the urethane backing has a hardness that optimizes performance of the face insert, and thus the putter.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2013Date of Patent: April 15, 2014Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: Alan Hocknell, Craig E. Abbott, Augustin W. Rollinson
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Patent number: 8696483Abstract: A golf club putter having an alignment pattern is disclosed herein. The alignment pattern has first and second long lines that approach each other as they extend from an aft region of the putter to a front region of the putter and, when the putter is properly aligned with a golf ball, create an optical illusion of convergence of said lines at or near a center of the golf ball without actually intersecting.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2013Date of Patent: April 15, 2014Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: Thomas R. Hilton, Augustin W. Rollinson
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Patent number: 8696489Abstract: A face for a golf club head is disclosed herein. The face has an interior surface comprising a central region having a first perimeter having an elliptical shape, an outer edge having a non-elliptical, driver-face profile shape, a first intermediate region located between the first perimeter and the outer edge, the first intermediate region having a second perimeter with a shape that is more similar to the shape of the first perimeter than the shape of the outer edge, and a second intermediate region located between the second perimeter and the outer edge, the second intermediate region having a third perimeter with a shape that is more like the shape of the outer edge than the shape of the first perimeter. The thicknesses of the perimeters of the face disclosed herein may vary around their respective circumferences.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2011Date of Patent: April 15, 2014Assignee: Callaway Gold CompanyInventors: Evan D. Gibbs, J. Neil Hall, William D. Richardson, Larry G. Tang, Homer E. Aguinaldo
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Patent number: 8696491Abstract: A golf club head comprising a channel and an expandable weight that can be removably fixed at any point within the channel is disclosed herein. The channel preferably is disposed on the sole and extends from a heel side of the golf club head, around a rear side, and ends at a toe side of the golf club head. This channel is not constrained to a planar arc, but instead twists as it extends around the golf club head so that it follows the contours, and preserves the aesthetics, of the golf club head. The expandable weight preferably is trapped within the channel so that it cannot fall out of the channel during use, and includes an anti-rotation feature so that it does not twist within the channel and cause an undesirable rattling noise.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2013Date of Patent: April 15, 2014Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventor: Matthew Myers
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Patent number: 8690709Abstract: A golf club with a golf club head formed of two distinct parts is presented. The club head includes a lower, ball striking member configured to contact a golf ball. The club head further includes an upper member, connected to the ball striking member at a top surface of the ball striking member. The ball striking member may be formed of a more dense material than the upper portion, thereby lowering the center of gravity of the club to provide improved performance characteristics.Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 2009Date of Patent: April 8, 2014Assignee: Nike, Inc.Inventors: Andrew G. V. Oldknow, John T. Stites
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Patent number: 8690710Abstract: Embodiments of golf clubs head sets with varying characteristics are disclosed herein. Other examples and related methods are also generally described herein.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2010Date of Patent: April 8, 2014Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing CorporationInventors: Michael R. Nicolette, Bradley D. Schweigert, Marty R. Jertson
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Patent number: 8690702Abstract: A golf club has a reverse flex of 110 to 160 mm. The face portion includes a central thick part, a toe-crown-side thin part on a crown-side and on a toe-side of the central thick part, and a heel-sole-side thin part on a sole-side and on a heel-side of the central thick part. In the front view of the head, a first straight line passing an area centroid of the toe-crown-side thin part and an area centroid of a back surface of the face portion has an angle ?A of 10 to 30 degrees, and a second straight line passing an area centroid of the heel-sole-side thin part and the area centroid of the back surface of the face portion has an angle ?B of 36 to 40 degrees, each with respect to the horizontal plane.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2011Date of Patent: April 8, 2014Assignee: SRI Sports LimitedInventor: Hiroshi Abe
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Patent number: 8690706Abstract: Wood-type golf club heads include: (a) a ball striking face; (b) a club head body engaged or integrally formed with the ball striking face, wherein the club head body includes a sole portion, wherein the sole portion includes a slot or rail defined therein; and (c) a weight member at least partially located within the slot or rail. The weight member may be mounted at plural positions along the slot or rail (optionally at least partially within a weight cartridge member provided with the club head body). The weight member also may be movably engaged with the weight cartridge member, slot, rail, and/or other portion of the club head body. Golf clubs including these club heads and methods of making and using such golf clubs and golf club heads also are described.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2012Date of Patent: April 8, 2014Assignee: Nike, Inc.Inventors: John T. Stites, Robert Boyd, Andrew G. V. Oldknow, Eric A. Larson
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Patent number: 8684863Abstract: A golf club head is presented comprising a sole including a weight member secured to a weight mount. The weight member is preferably constructed so that it has a low profile and so that it interacts with an angled abutment portion of the weight mount to locate the weight member in the golf club head.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2011Date of Patent: April 1, 2014Assignee: Acushnet CompanyInventors: Stephanie Bezilla, Gery M. Zimmerman, Darryl C. Galvan
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Patent number: 8684865Abstract: A fairway wood type golf club head and method for forming is disclosed herein. The golf club head preferably has a cast body, a compression molded crown, and weight pads. The weight pads can be manipulated to create different mass property configurations for the golf club head using the same body and crown.Type: GrantFiled: October 10, 2013Date of Patent: April 1, 2014Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: Patrick Dawson, Bradley C. Rice
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Patent number: 8684862Abstract: Golf club heads include: (a) a body having a ball-striking face and a rear face, the body defining a cavity; (b) a bridge member extending across the cavity, wherein the bridge member is provided to affect, at least in part, a position of a center of gravity of the club head; and (c) a feel altering element provided between the bridge member and the rear face. The feel altering element may affect a wide variety of parameters that relate to the “feel” of the golf club head when it strikes a golf ball, such as the sound produced by the club head during the strike, the vibrational response of the club head during the strike, the swing characteristics of the club head (e.g., weight, center of gravity position, etc.), and the like.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2011Date of Patent: April 1, 2014Assignee: Nike, Inc.Inventors: Gary G. Tavares, John T. Stites, Robert Boyd, Hiroshi Kawaguchi
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Patent number: 8678949Abstract: A golf club head manufacturing method, including: welding a first reinforcing piece with first thickness to a central portion between a toe and a heel, so as to extend along an edge of a face side of a sole part, the sole part being part of a lower part formed integrally with a side part; welding a second reinforcing piece of second, larger thickness to a central portion between the toe and heel so as to extend along the edge on the face side of the first piece; welding a face part to the first and second pieces from an inner space of the lower part; welding a hosel part to the lower and face parts; welding a crown part to the lower, face and hosel parts; and welding the lower and face parts together from the outside.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2011Date of Patent: March 25, 2014Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., LtdInventor: Hideo Shimazaki
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Publication number: 20140073451Abstract: A ball striking device, such as an iron-type golf club head, includes a face having a ball striking surface and a rear surface, and a body connected to the face. The body has a sole member and a rear cavity defined at least partially by the sole member and the rear surface of the face. The body has an elongated, recessed channel extending within the cavity along a juncture line between the rear surface of the face and the sole member. Additionally, the head is formed in part by a face member having a first leg forming at least a major portion of the face and a second leg extending rearwardly from a bottom end of the first leg and forming at least a portion of the sole member. The head may further be formed by a body member connected to the face member.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 1, 2013Publication date: March 13, 2014Applicant: NIKE, INC.Inventor: NIKE, INC.
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Patent number: 8668600Abstract: A unique golf club putter head having a fluted rear mass design. This rear mass is shaped as a concave mass that merges with the sole of the blade and dips just below the sweet spot of the head at the center thereof. It lowers the center of gravity of the head along the sweet spot while also controlling the mass at heel and toe. Fluting the rear mass permits controlled variation in the distribution of the mass from heel-to-center-to-toe so that it doesn't overwhelm the ball-hitting surface and instead produces stable smooth roll.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2012Date of Patent: March 11, 2014Assignee: Butler Cabin Golf, L.L.C.Inventor: Byron Butler
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Patent number: 8668598Abstract: An iron-type golf club includes a conventional-weight section, a lightweight section and a heavyweight section. The conventional-weight section includes the hitting face and at least a portion of the hosel. The heavyweight section, made of a denser material than the conventional-weight section, includes the sole and an optional back flange. The lightweight section, made of a material less dense than either of the other sections, includes a core to which the other two sections are secured, such as by co-molding the core to the other two sections. In the co-molding context, the components need not be constrained by their respective weight and density, but could be classified more generically as having a pre-formed component and a molding component irrespective of the densities of the components.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2013Date of Patent: March 11, 2014Assignee: Acushnet CompanyInventors: Peter J. Gilbert, James G. Lewis, Ryan L. Roach