Patents Represented by Attorney Terence P. O'Brien
  • Patent number: 8142311
    Abstract: A football having a generally prolate spheroidal shape and opposing first and second ends. The football includes a bladder, a cover and a lacing coupled to the cover. The cover is disposed over the bladder and defines, at least in part, a first set of channels extending generally longitudinally from at or near the first end of the football to at or near the second end of the football. The cover is formed of at least one cover panel. The cover has an outer surface and includes a plurality of outwardly projecting ridges configured to facilitate grasping and throwing of the football. The height of the ridge is greater than or equal to 0.7 mm and less than or equal to 10 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventor: Kevin L. Krysiak
  • Patent number: 8133137
    Abstract: A pitching machine configured for adjustment by a user, and including a pitching head, a first macro-adjustment device and a first micro-adjustment device. The pitching head is situated atop a stand. The pitching head includes a first wheel spaced apart from an opposing surface and a first motor for driving the first wheel. The first macro-adjustment device is coupled to the pitching head and includes a first locking assembly that, when loosened, allows manual rotation of the pitching head about a first pivot axis. The first micro-adjustment device is coupled to the pitching head, and includes a first adjusting element that, when repositioned, incrementally rotates the pitching head about the first pivot axis. The first micro-adjustment device configured for operation by a single hand of a user, and the first macro-adjustment device retaining the pitching head in a secure position during adjustment of the first micro-adjustment device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: Eugene Grant, William R. Woessner, Ian Fettes
  • Patent number: 8128505
    Abstract: A putter head including a fore body and an aft body. The fore body includes a planar front strike face, heel and toe side walls, a rear wall, a top surface and a generally planar sole. The top surface includes a sight line. The sight line extends along a first plane that is perpendicular to the strike face and to the sole, and is substantially evenly spaced from the heel and toe side walls. The aft body is coupled to the fore body and includes a rear main portion and an overhang. The rear main portion is engaged to the rear wall of the fore body, and has a central region positioned between first and second end regions. The overhang forwardly extends from the central region. The overhang includes an elongate slot extending along the first plane, and is positioned over at least a portion of the sight line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods
    Inventors: Andrew K. Tryner, Douglas J. Thiel, Robert T. Thurman, Jon C. Pergande
  • Patent number: 8105213
    Abstract: An exercise apparatus includes a foot member configured to pivot about a horizontal pivot axis, the foot member supporting a footpad, a first surface coupled to the foot member to pivot with the foot member about the horizontal pivot axis, a second surface stationarily supported by the frame, and a bumper between the first surface and the second surface. The bumper resiliently compresses during pivoting of the first surface in the arc towards the second surface while in contact with the first surface and the second surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Precor Incorporated
    Inventors: Jonathan M. Stewart, Rodney P. West, David E. Dyer, James S. Birrell, Sean Horita
  • Patent number: 8074633
    Abstract: A ball projecting machine having a C-shaped arm that provides the ability to adjust the length or elevation of pitched balls. The C-shaped arm connects a ball projecting head to a stand, with the ball projecting head affixed to one end of the C-shaped arm, and the C-shaped arm is slidably engaged through a frame atop the stand to allow rotation of the ball projecting head about a horizontal axis. A center of gravity of the ball projecting head in combination with the C-shaped arm facilitates stability of the ball projecting machine when the C-shaped arm is slid up or down. A locking device, when loosened, allows the C-shaped arm to slide up or down through the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: Eugene Grant, William R. Woessner, Ian Fettes
  • Patent number: 8075429
    Abstract: A stringing machine includes a base and an adjustable stringing platform coupled to the base. The stringing platform includes a turntable rotatable about a first axis, and a first releasable resistance assembly coupled to the turntable. The first releasable resistance assembly is selectable between an engaged operating mode in which the releasable resistance assembly resists rotation of the turntable about the first axis, and a disengaged operating mode in which the releasable resistance assembly does not resist rotation of the turntable about the first axis. The releasable resistance assembly includes a magnetorheological fluid for resisting rotation of the turntable about the first axis when in the engaged operating mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: William D. Severa, Ronald R. Rocchi, John B. Lyons, Robert T. Kapheim, Erik B. van der Pols
  • Patent number: 8078426
    Abstract: A display system for exercise equipment in accordance with the present invention includes a processor, a memory, a metric sensor and a metric display. The memory in communication with the processor. The metric sensor operably coupled to the processor. The metric sensor senses an extent of a metric of a user of the exercise equipment. The metric display is operably coupled to the metric sensor and displays the user metric in a generally oscillating manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Precor Incorporated
    Inventors: Victor Pipinich, Robert Silbernagel, Sean Horita
  • Patent number: 8066593
    Abstract: A customized racquet stringing system for a racquet having a plurality of main and cross string segments. The stringing system includes a stringing machine having a base and a stringing platform, and a control unit. The stringing platform is coupled to the base. The stringing platform includes a turntable and a string tensioning assembly. The string tensioning assembly is configured to receive one or more string tension control signals. The control unit is operably coupled to the string tensioning assembly and is configured to execute a string tensioning program and to provide a plurality of the string tension control signals based off of the string tensioning program to the tensioning assembly. The control unit includes a processor and a memory. The tension control signals correspond to at least three separate string tension values applied to the plurality of main string segments and/or the plurality of cross string segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: William D. Severa, Ronald R. Rocchi, John B. Lyons, Robert T. Kapheim
  • Patent number: D650949
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Mavic S.A.S.
    Inventor: Sylvain Richard
  • Patent number: D650950
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Mavic S.A.S.
    Inventor: Sylvain Richard
  • Patent number: D651264
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Precor Incorporated
    Inventors: Brady A. Olason, Sean K. Horita, Aaron Hawkins, Mark Hoeveler
  • Patent number: D652325
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Suunto Oy
    Inventor: Mikko T. Ahlström
  • Patent number: D653432
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: Jon T. Muir, Jessica L. Hoyt, Kyle Dowd, Ryan Dowd
  • Patent number: D653843
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: Jon T. Muir, Jessica L. Hoyt, Kyle Dowd, Ryan Dowd
  • Patent number: D653852
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: Christopher W. Ryan, Saud Khazal
  • Patent number: D653853
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: Christopher W. Ryan, Saud Khazal
  • Patent number: D655767
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: John Thompson, Glen Mason
  • Patent number: D655768
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: John Thompson, Glen Mason
  • Patent number: D655770
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: John Thompson, Glen Mason
  • Patent number: D655771
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: John Thompson, Glen Mason