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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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