Patents Examined by Alvin Hunter
  • Golf club with adjustable center of gravity head
    Patent number: 11052294
    Abstract: A golf club having a head with a series of tracks forming a three-dimensional pattern; weights for positioning along channels; and a mechanism for securing the weights at positions along the channels so as to customize center of gravity and moment of inertia. The channels can all interconnect to allow a weight to be moved from one to another. The club can include a removable cover for at least a portion of the surface to cover the channels and the weights. The weights can comprise a spherical member disposed in a channel; a member external to a surface of the head; and a coupling between the spherical member and the external member to allow the spherical member and the external member to capture between them a wall in which a track is formed. The channels may be in the removable cover, or below the removable cover, in the head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Vandette B. Carter
  • Golf club head
    Patent number: 11045695
    Abstract: A golf club head includes a striking face, a sole portion, a top portion, a hosel, a rear surface, a loft no less than 40°, a virtual vertical plane, and a center of gravity. The striking face has a face center, a leading edge, and a virtual striking face plane. The hosel includes an internal bore configured to receive a golf shaft and includes a peripheral side wall and a shaft abutment surface configured to abut a tip end of the golf shaft. The rear surface is opposite the striking face and has an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion including a forward-extending recess. The insert covers the recess forming a hollow portion. The virtual vertical plane is perpendicular to the striking face plane and passes through the face center. The center of gravity is spaced a distance from the virtual vertical plane in the heel-to-toe direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Patrick Ripp, Phill Seagram, Mika Becktor, Keith Dolezel
  • Iron-type golf club head
    Patent number: 11045696
    Abstract: An iron-type golf club incorporating a stress reducing feature, which may include an aperture. The location and size of the stress reducing feature and aperture selectively increase deflection of the face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: Michael Scott Burnett, Bryan Seon, Jeffrey T. Halstead, Justin Girard
  • Adjustable interchangeable component golf club head
    Patent number: 11027175
    Abstract: An adjustable interchangeable golf club with a faceplate-based platform to receive components for enhancing and controlling various aspects that control the golf ball flight and spin characteristics. Disclosed are components for adjusting loft and bounce angle, and interchangeable faceplate and rear flange styles. Novel milled surface roughness for enhanced spin control is disclosed along with new milling methods for achieving optimal surface roughness. Lightweight hosel and consequent redistribution of mass in club head greatly increases the inertia of the golf club. Centrally located hosel position aids in club head stability on off-center hits. This results in a golf club that hits the ball higher, straighter, longer, and with increased ball spin characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Mod Golf Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Bruce E. Sizemore, Jr.
  • Golf club head with adjustable resting face angle
    Patent number: 11020641
    Abstract: A golf club head includes a club body and a resting face angle adjuster. The club body includes a crown opposite a sole, a toe end opposite a heel end, a back end opposite a face, and a hosel. The sole includes a sole surface. The resting face angle adjuster includes an adjustment member having a keel surface, and a recess formed in the sole such that a portion of the sole surface at least partially bounds the recess. The adjustment member is disposed in the recess and positionable between a first adjustment position and a second adjustment position. In the first adjustment position, the keel surface is at a first distance relative to the portion of the sole surface. In the second adjustment position, the keel surface is at a second distance relative to the portion of the sole surface not equal to the first distance in the direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Martin R. Jertson, Daniel K. Lee, Xiaojian Chen, Travis D. Milleman
  • Weighted iron set
    Patent number: 11007410
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to sets of iron golf clubs, and more particularly, to sets of iron golf clubs that are comprised of significant tungsten weighting to maximize the MOI about an axis through the CG that is parallel to the shaft axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventor: Marni D. Ines
  • Method for manufacturing iron golf club head, iron golf club head, and iron golf club
    Patent number: 11007411
    Abstract: Provided is a method for manufacturing an iron golf club head by forging a single round rod member with a pair of dies to form, as a single piece, a body and a neck into which a shaft is to be inserted. The method includes: a first step of heating the single round rod member into a heated material; a second step of placing the heated material in the pair of dies; and a third step of forging the heated material placed in the pair of dies. In the third step, the heated material is prevented from flowing out from parting surfaces of the respective dies at a sole side of the body in the pair of dies, and the heated material blocked at the sole side in the pair of dies flows toward each of a toe of the body and the neck in the pair of dies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignees: Mizuno Corporation, Chuo Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Doi, Tetsuya Kanayama, Jun Yoshikawa
  • Golf club heads with apertures and filler materials
    Patent number: 11000744
    Abstract: Embodiments of golf club heads with apertures and methods to manufacture golf club heads are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: John A. Solheim, Eric J. Morales, Erik M. Henrikson, Eric V. Cole, Paul D. Wood, Martin R. Jertson, Ryan M. Stokke
  • Golf club heads with apertures and methods to manufacture golf club heads
    Patent number: 10994177
    Abstract: Embodiments of golf club heads with apertures and methods to manufacture golf club heads are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: John A. Solheim, Eric J. Morales, Erik M. Henrikson, Eric V. Cole, Paul D. Wood, Bradley D. Schweigert, Marty R. Jertson, Tyler A. Shaw
  • Grooves of golf club heads and methods to manufacture grooves of golf club heads
    Patent number: 10994176
    Abstract: Embodiments of grooves of golf club heads and methods to manufacture grooves of golf club heads are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Anthony D. Serrano, Paul D. Wood, Bradley D. Schweigert, Calvin S. Wang, John A. Solheim
  • Golf club head and method of manufacturing same
    Patent number: 10987550
    Abstract: A golf club head has an inner cavity and comprises a face member and a head main body which a front opening, which are connected to each other. The head main body comprises a sole portion, and a weight member which has a specific gravity greater than that of the head main body is fixed to an inner surface of the sole portion. A weld which fix the weight member to the sole portion is disposed at the peripheral edge of the weight member. The weight member has the width in the toe-heel direction of the head, which is smaller on its rear side than its front side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masatoshi Kato
  • Grooves of golf club heads and methods to manufacture grooves of golf club heads
    Patent number: 10974104
    Abstract: A golf club head including a club face defined by a toe end, a heel end, a top rail and a sole. The golf club head including a plurality of grooves disposed on the club face between the top rail and the sole. Each groove extends between the toe end and the heel end. Depths of the grooves vary in a direction extending between the top rail and the sole and in a direction extending between the heel end and the toe end. Widths of each of the plurality of grooves vary in a direction extending between the heel end and the toe end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Anthony D. Serrano, Paul D. Wood, Bradley D. Schweigert, Calvin S. Wang, John A. Solheim
  • Golf club
    Patent number: 10974106
    Abstract: A golf club having unique mass properties and all the benefits afforded therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: Justin Honea, Tim Reed, John Kendall
  • Grooves of golf club heads and methods to manufacture grooves of golf club heads
    Patent number: 10974103
    Abstract: A golf club head including a club face defined by a toe end, a heel end, a top rail and a sole. The golf club head including a plurality of grooves disposed on the club face between the top rail and the sole. Each groove extends between the toe end and the heel end. Widths of the grooves vary in a direction extending between the heel end and the toe end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Anthony D. Serrano, Paul D. Wood, Bradley D. Schweigert, Calvin S. Wang, John A. Solheim
  • Club head having balanced impact and swing performance characteristics
    Patent number: 10967232
    Abstract: Described herein are embodiments of golf club heads having a balance of the following parameters: a low and back club head center of gravity position, a high moment of inertia, a large Ixy product of inertia, and low aerodynamic drag. Methods of manufacturing the embodiments of golf club heads having a balance of club head center of gravity position, moment of inertia, product of inertia, and aerodynamic drag are also described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Alex G. Woodward, Christopher M. Broadie, Erik M. Henrikson, Paul D. Wood
  • Golf club head and method for manufacturing the same
    Patent number: 10946254
    Abstract: A method includes: providing a mold assembly includes lower and upper molds; placing a release film on the lower mold and vacuuming a lower cavity of the lower mold; attaching a first molding member to the release film, and moving the release film and the first molding member into an upper cavity of the upper mold; placing a transfer film on the lower mold and vacuuming the lower cavity; attaching a second molding member to the transfer film; hot molding the first and second molding member into a golf club head part having a patterned surface formed by a transfer surface of the transfer film; and connecting the golf club head part to a golf head shell to obtain a golf club head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: ADVANCED INTERNATIONAL MULTITECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chi-Nan Hsiao, Chih-An Hsu
  • Golf putter head and golf putter including same
    Patent number: 10946256
    Abstract: Provided is a golf putter head, which includes a head body; and a hitting member provided in front of the head body for hitting a golf ball, and to be freely slidable up and down within a predetermined range with respect to the head body. According to the present invention, when the golf putter hits the golf ball, as spin of the golf ball is smoother, directionality of the golf ball is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Inventor: Hyun Seoung Ha
  • Rotational molded golf club head
    Patent number: 10933599
    Abstract: Wood-type golf clubs and/or golf club heads include: (a) a golf club head base member including a face member having a ball striking face; and (b) a polymeric body member engaged with the golf club head base member, wherein the polymeric body member is formed via a rotational molding process (or other centrifugal force inducing molding process) and/or engaged with the golf club head base member via a rotational molding process (or other centrifugal force inducing molding process). The polymeric body member forms at least a portion of a crown member of the club head in some structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: John T. Stites, Gary G. Tavares, Todd A. Waatti
  • Card handling devices and related assemblies and components
    Patent number: 10933300
    Abstract: Card handling devices may include one or more features for detecting a deficiency relating to at least one card. Methods of operating a card handling device may include detecting a deficiency relating to at least one card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Shuffle Master GmbH & Co KG
    Inventors: Colin A. Helsen, Peter Krenn
  • Golf club having an adjustable weight assembly
    Patent number: 10926143
    Abstract: A golf club head includes a body having an outer surface with a recessed channel formed therein. A weight assembly that includes a weight at least partially disposed within the recessed channel, a cover extending over the recessed channel, and a fastener coupling the cover to the body. The fastener is adapted to retain the weight in the recessed channel only indirectly by the cover. The weight assembly is selectively positionable between at least three configurations: a first configuration where the weight is secured within the recessed channel; a second configuration where the weight is slidable within the recessed channel; and a third configuration where the weight is completely removable from the golf club head. The cover is coupled to the body in all three configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Thomas Orrin Bennett, Richard Sanchez, Sang Yi, Stephanie Luttrell, Ryuichi Sugimae