Patents Represented by Attorney Terence P. O'Brien
  • Patent number: 6840874
    Abstract: A game racquet includes separate head and handle portions which are separated by shock and/or vibration absorbing material. Both the head portion and the handle portion are bonded to the absorbing material and are thereby connected to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: William D. Severa, Po-Jen Cheng, Gerald J. LeVault, Donald G. Loeffler
  • Patent number: 6811502
    Abstract: A sports racquet including a frame, a yoke and a string bed. The frame includes a head portion, a handle portion, and a throat portion positioned between the head and handle portions. The head portion includes an upper region, and first and second side regions. The yoke is coupled to the first and second side regions. The head portion and the yoke define a string bed area. The string bed is formed of a number of cross and main string segments. The main string segments include at least one central main string segment and at least two peripheral main string segments. Each central main string segment has first and second ends wherein the first end engages the head portion and the second end engages the yoke. Each peripheral main string segment is coupled at a proximal end to at least one of the throat portion and the handle portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: Richard Janes, Po-Jen Cheng, William D. Severa, Gerald J. LeVault
  • Patent number: 6793594
    Abstract: A free standing net system incorporates a full sized floor for easy ball collection and a built in training target secured to a rear wall of a netted enclosure which is functional for multi-sport use. The netting of the enclosure is 1000 denier polyester, treated for long wear and UV resistance. The floor is constructed of high density nylon with a water-resistant polyurethane coating. The sleeves located at the peripheral edges of the netting are engaged by two shock-corded poles to provide a cantilevered frame portion projecting above and towards the sports enthusiast. The cantilevered frame portion is specifically designed to trap wedge shots during golf practice. Angled side wings of the netted enclosure allow free swinging motion with any golf club to provide a wide angle of capture during golf practice swings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Athletic Training Equipment Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Eugene Grant
  • Patent number: 6767300
    Abstract: A game ball including a casing and a lacing. The casing has a laced region. The lacing is coupled to the laced region of the casing. The lacing has an exposed surface comprised of an outer material that is compressible, resilient, and tactile. The outer material has a modulus of elasticity of between 14 and 170 kg/cm2 and a tensile strength between 100 and 650 kg/cm2. At least a portion of the lacing can have an exposed pebbled surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: Kevin J. Murphy, Douglas G. Guenther
  • Patent number: 6766531
    Abstract: A ball glove including front and back glove portions, first, second and third elongate reinforcing members, and a webbing. The front glove portion is coupled to the back glove portion to define a hand cavity and to form first, second, third and fourth finger stalls and a thumb stall. Each finger stall includes a front stall portion and a back stall portion, and each back stall portion includes a distal region and a proximal region. The first, second, and third elongate reinforcing members are coupled to the back stall portions of the first, second and third finger stalls, respectively. The first reinforcing member is positioned at the distal region of the back stall portion of the first finger stall, and the second and third members extend along the distal and proximal regions of the back stall portions of the second and third finger stalls, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: Brian A. Sullivano, Shigeaki Aso
  • Patent number: 6761654
    Abstract: A game ball including a casing and a lacing. The casing has a laced region. The lacing is coupled to the laced region of the casing. The lacing has an exposed surface comprised of an outer material that is compressible, resilient, and tactile. The outer material has a modulus of elasticity of between 14 and 170 kg/cm2 and a tensile strength between 100 and 650 kg/cm2. At least a portion of the lacing can have an exposed pebbled surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: Kevin J. Murphy, Douglas G. Guenther
  • Patent number: 6743127
    Abstract: A bat has an elongate tubular striking member of a first material, and an elongate handle member of a second material. The handle may be of composite material laid up in selected layers and orientation to produce selected weight distribution, strength, and stiffness and improved batting capabilities. The striking member and handle member may have juncture sections which are substantially rigidly interconnected through mating configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: Michael D. Eggiman, Douglas G. Guenther, Mark A. Fritzke
  • Patent number: 6733404
    Abstract: A bat includes a substantially tubular frame, a substantially tubular body and at least one sheet. The frame extends along a longitudinal axis. The frame has a handle portion and a primary hitting portion. The body is coaxially aligned with the hitting portion of the frame. The sheet has a proximal edge, a distal edge, and first and second side edges. The sheet is coupled to at least a portion of one of the hitting portion of the frame and the body such that the first and second edges each extend from the proximal edge to the distal edge along a path that is substantially non-parallel with the longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: Mark A. Fritzke, Michael D. Eggiman, William Jerome Garnett
  • Patent number: 6711745
    Abstract: A ball glove including front and back portions, at least one notch, and at least one elastic strip. The front and back portions have front and back lower edges, respectively. The back portion is coupled to the front portion to form a hand cavity. The front and back portions are separated along the front and back lower edges to define a hand-receiving opening. The notch is formed into the back portion and upwardly extends from the back lower edge. The at least one elastic strip extends across the notch generally parallel with the back lower edge. The strip at least partially fills the notch and is fixedly secured to the back portion. The at least one elastic strip enables the hand-receiving opening to resiliently expand to receive a user's hand and then to generally conform to the user's wrist.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: Brian A. Sullivano, Shigeaki Aso, Patrick Udelhofen
  • Patent number: 6702698
    Abstract: A bat has an elongate tubular striking member of a first material, and an elongate handle member of a second material. The handle may be of composite material laid up in selected layers and orientation to produce selected weight distribution, strength, and stiffness and improved batting capabilities. The striking member and handle member may have juncture sections which are substantially rigidly interconnected through mating configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: Michael D. Eggiman, Douglas G. Guenther, Mark A. Fritzke
  • Patent number: 6685584
    Abstract: A game ball having improved gripability. The game ball includes a bladder and a cover. The cover is positioned over the bladder. The cover has an inner surface and an outer surface. The cover has a first impression pattern formed into, and covering at least a portion of, the outer surface. The first impression pattern forms a plurality of outwardly extending raised surfaces on the outer surface. The cover further has a second impression pattern formed into the raised surfaces of the outer surface. The second impression pattern is configured to improve the gripability of the game ball.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: Kim Sung Jin, Douglas G. Guenther
  • Patent number: 6685583
    Abstract: A handle assembly for a sports racquet having a head portion. The handle assembly includes an elongate handle, a pallet, a pad and a cover layer. The elongate handle is coupled to the head portion. The pallet is coupled to and longitudinally extends along the handle. The pallet has a proximal portion, a distal portion and a gripping portion disposed between the proximal and distal portions. The gripping portion is stepped down with respect to the proximal and distal portions to form a peripheral recess. The pad has an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surface of the pad is coupled to the gripping portion of the pallet. The cover layer extends over and substantially covers the pad, and generally covers the proximal and distal portions of the pallet. The cover layer can include indicia including graphical indicia, alphanumeric indicia, or combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: William D. Severa, Po-Jen Cheng
  • Patent number: 6676535
    Abstract: An integral, hollow metal golf club head including a sole plate, a crown, a face, first and second side walls and a rear wall. The club head includes The sole plate has a rear sole portion. The crown has a rear crown portion. The upwardly and substantially vertically extends from the rear sole portion to the rear crown portion. The rear wall and the face connect the sole plate to the crown. The sole plate has a substantially planar central portion positioned between first and second outwardly and upwardly curved side portions. The central portion rearwardly extends from the face to the rear wall. The sole plate has first and second shoulders formed by the rearward extension of the central portion beyond the first and second rearmost points of the first and second side portions, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: Jeffrey D. Sheets, Carl E. Scheie, Douglas J. Thiel
  • Patent number: 6645100
    Abstract: A sports ball includes an inflatable bladder, a plurality of first and second lining sheets, and a cover. The first lining sheets substantially cover the bladder to form a first lining. At least a portion of one first lining sheet overlaps at least a portion of another first lining sheet to define a first overlapped region. The first lining includes at least one first overlapped region. The second lining sheets substantially surround the first lining to form a second lining. At least a portion of one second lining sheet overlaps at least a portion of another sheet lining sheet to define a second overlapped region. The second lining includes at least one second overlapped region. The second lining is shifted with respect to the first lining to minimize overlapping of the first and second overlapped regions. The cover is coupled to and substantially surrounding the second lining.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: Douglas G. Guenther, Bradley L. Gaff
  • Patent number: 6634029
    Abstract: A ball glove including front and back glove portions, first, second and third elongate reinforcing members, and a webbing. The front glove portion is coupled to the back glove portion to define a hand cavity and to form first, second, third and fourth finger stalls and a thumb stall. Each finger stall includes a front stall portion and a back stall portion, and each back stall portion includes a distal region and a proximal region. The first, second, and third elongate reinforcing members are coupled to the back stall portions of the first, second and third finger stalls, respectively. The first reinforcing member is positioned at the distal region of the back stall portion of the first finger stall, and the second and third members extend along the distal and proximal regions of the back stall portions of the second and third finger stalls, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: Brian A. Sullivano, Shigeaki Aso
  • Patent number: 6629902
    Abstract: A game ball including a casing and a lacing. The casing has a laced region. The lacing is coupled to the laced region of the casing. The lacing has an exposed surface comprised of an outer material that is compressible, resilient, and tactile. The outer material has a modulus of elasticity of between 14 and 170 kg/cm2 and a tensile strength between 100 and 650 kg/cm2. At least a portion of the lacing can have an exposed pebbled surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2003
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: Kevin J. Murphy, Douglas G. Guenther
  • Patent number: D500899
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: Patrick Udelhofen, Douglas G. Guenther
  • Patent number: D479367
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: Patrick Udelhofen, Douglas G. Guenther
  • Patent number: D480774
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: Kevin J. Murphy, Douglas G. Guenther
  • Patent number: D491316
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: Patrick Udelhofen, Douglas G. Guenther