Patents Examined by Alvin Hunter
  • Golf club having an adjustable weight assembly
    Patent number: 10918917
    Abstract: A golf club head includes a body having a recessed channel formed in the outer surface. A weight assembly that includes a weight disposed within the recessed channel and a cover extending over the recessed channel. A shelf is defined in the cover and slidably receives the weight. The weight assembly also includes 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 cover is positionable in an unlocked configuration whereby the cover is raised at least partially out of the recessed channel and the weight is slidable within the shelf and the recessed channel, and a locked configuration whereby the cover is disposed within the recessed channel and the weight is secured within the recessed channel and the shelf. The weight moves with the cover between the unlocked configuration and the locked configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Tyrone Northcutt, Thomas Orrin Bennett, Takeshi Casey Funaki
  • Golf ball with electrical components
    Patent number: 10918929
    Abstract: A golf ball comprising an electrical component is disclosed herein. The electrical component comprises an integrated circuit having a gyroscope, a magnetometer, and a BLUETOOTH low energy (BTLE) radio, and at least one battery. A body is composed of an epoxy material, and the body encompasses the electrical component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Mario Raposo, David Bartels, Petra Petrich, Grady Crahan, Nick Lannes
  • Iron type golf club head
    Patent number: 10918918
    Abstract: A head includes a hitting face. The hitting face has a face center and a sweet spot. The hitting face has a face height that is denoted by Hf (mm), the face height being measured at a toe-heel direction position of the face center. The sweet spot has a vertical height that is denoted by Hs (mm). The face center has a vertical height that is denoted by Hc (mm). The vertical height Hc is greater than or equal to 20 mm and less than or equal to 26 mm. The face height Hf is greater than or equal to 40 mm and less than or equal to 52 mm. The head satisfies an expression 1 as follows: Hs<0.06*Hf+16 (expression 1). The head is an iron type golf club head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Abe
  • Golf club head
    Patent number: 10912969
    Abstract: A head includes a head body including a sole and a face plate fixed to the head body. The face plate includes a plate front surface that forms a part of a hitting face, a plate rear surface, and a plate side surface. The head body includes an opening at which the face plate is disposed, and a back support portion that supports the face plate from a back side. The back support portion includes a back receiving surface forming an abutting region by abutting on an outer peripheral edge portion of the place rear surface, and a rear surface that is a surface opposite to the back receiving surface. A face-peripheral-side end of the rear surface is located on a face peripheral side relative to a face-center-side end of the abutting region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Kiyofumi Matsunaga, Yasushi Sugimoto, Yuki Motokawa
  • Golf club head cast from graphene reinforced titanium alloy
    Patent number: 10898769
    Abstract: A golf club head comprising a body cast from a combination material comprising a titanium alloy and a graphene material is disclosed herein. The titanium alloy preferably is 6-4, and the graphene material may be graphene or graphene oxide, and may comprise 0.01-5.0% by weight of the combination metal alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Robert S. Gonczi, James A. Seluga, Matthew Myers
  • Golf club head with repositionable weight
    Patent number: 10881927
    Abstract: A golf club head comprises a body, a track formed in or attached to the body and having a length and a weight and weight retainer. The weight is continuously repositionable such that it can be positioned at any selected point along the track between its ends. The weight has a major dimension, and the weight retainer comprises a fastening member having a diameter not greater than about one half of the major dimension of the weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd P. Beach, Joseph Henry Hoffman
  • Golf club head
    Patent number: 10881920
    Abstract: A high forgiveness wood-type golf club head comprises a body and a face. The body comprises a sole that forms a bottom portion of the golf club head, a crown that forms a top portion of the golf club head and a skirt that forms a periphery of the golf club head between the sole and the crown. The face place is positioned at a front portion of the golf club head opposite a rear portion of the golf club head. The body defines an outer periphery having a generally triangular shape in plan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd P. Beach, Peter L. Larsen, Bing-Ling Chao
  • Golf club head
    Patent number: 10874918
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are various embodiments of a golf club head having improved mass distribution characteristics. The golf club head includes a body and a face positioned at a forward portion of the body. The golf club head also includes one or more mass elements positioned at predetermined locations about the head. The mass elements assist in achieving a desired relationship between the moment of inertia about a center of gravity x-axis and the moment of inertia about a center of gravity z-axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd P. Beach, Peter L. Larsen, Joseph Henry Hoffman
  • Golf ball
    Patent number: 10874911
    Abstract: A golf ball 2 includes a main body 4 and a paint layer 6 positioned outside the main body 4. The main body 4 includes a spherical core 8, a mid layer 10 positioned outside the core 8, and a cover 12 positioned outside the mid layer 10. An outer surface of the paint layer 6 forms a surface of the golf ball 2. A contact angle CAw with respect to water measured on the surface of the golf ball 2 is not less than 70 degrees. The paint layer 6 is preferably formed from a resin composition. A preferable resin composition includes a polyurethane as a base resin and includes a silicone compound and/or a fluorine compound. Another preferable resin composition includes a silicone compound and/or a fluorine compound as a base resin and includes no polyurethane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuya Kamino, Hidetaka Inoue, Kuniyasu Horiuchi
  • Adjustable weight club head
    Patent number: 10864416
    Abstract: Embodiments of golf club heads having adjustable weighting systems with a plurality of discrete attachment locations capable of receiving one or more weights are described herein. The golf club heads described herein provide user adjustability of club head center of gravity to adjust ball flight while maintaining a high moment of inertia and low and back center of gravity position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Inventors: Martin R. Jertson, Ryan M. Stokke, Xiaojian Chen, Cory S. Bacon, Jeremy Pope, Daniel K. Lee, David A. Higdon, Eric J. Morales
  • Golf club heads with sole weights and related methods
    Patent number: 10864412
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are some embodiments of a golf club head with a tapered sole weight. One embodiment comprises a golf club head comprising a sole weight; and a body comprising a sole comprising an exterior sole surface, wherein a sole weight port is formed in the sole. The sole weight port can have a port top comprising an interior port top surface and an exterior port top surface, wherein the interior port top surface has a taper of plus or minus approximately 1-89 degrees with respect to the exterior port top surface. The sole weight port can comprise a weight-receiving cavity that engages the sole weight. Other embodiments for related club heads and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Ryan M. Stokke, Michael R. Nicolette
  • Club head having balanced impact and swing performance characteristics
    Patent number: 10864413
    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, 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, and aerodynamic drag are also described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Ryan M. Stokke, Sina Ghods
  • Putter head
    Patent number: 10857432
    Abstract: A golf putter head includes a body having an external surface, an internal surface, and a cavity defined by the internal surface, the external surface having a front side configured to contact a golf ball and a top side configured to receive a shaft; and an insert configured to be disposed within the cavity of the body, the insert having a first material comprising an elastomer and a shock absorbing element at least partially encapsulated within the first material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: Neo-Sync LLC
    Inventors: Michael G. Mardinly, Sr., Thomas V. Falone
  • Golf club with cartridge
    Patent number: 10843053
    Abstract: A golf club comprising a head having a series of tracks within a cartridge that's removable from the inside of the club head, which forms a three-dimensional pattern; a plurality of weights for positioning along the channels of the cartridge, and a mechanism for securing the weights at arbitrary positions along the channels within the cartridge, so as to customize at least one of center of gravity and moment of inertia from the crown or sole of the club head. The channels can all interconnect with one another to allow a weight to be moved from one to another. The golf club can further have an articulating cover for at least a portion of the surface, the cover being for covering and concealing the cartridge situated within the club head and the weights therein, positioned along the channels thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Inventor: Vandette B. Carter
  • Golf club head
    Patent number: 10843052
    Abstract: A golf club head includes a striking face having a face center and a virtual striking face plane generally parallel to the striking face. The golf club head further includes a sole portion, a top portion, and a rear portion. A hosel portion includes a recessed region with at least a portion of the recessed region located in an outer portion of the hosel portion. A first virtual vertical plane is perpendicular to the virtual striking face plane and passes through the face center. A center of gravity is spaced from the first virtual vertical plane in a heel-to-toe direction by a distance no greater than 6.0 mm. According to another aspect, the hosel portion includes a second material having a second density that is lower than a first density of a first material included in the striking face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Phill Seagram, Mika Becktor, Keith Dolezel, Patrick Ripp, Brian Herr
  • Multi-material iron-type golf club head
    Patent number: 10843050
    Abstract: A multi-material iron-type golf club head having a shell that defines a closed internal volume, where the head is composed of at least two different materials, incorporates a variable face thickness, and achieves a high characteristic time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey J. Albertsen, Michael Scott Burnett
  • Golf club head with vertical center of gravity adjustment
    Patent number: 10835790
    Abstract: Golf club heads include at least one weight port situated to retain weights and positioned above an approximate club face geometric center with the club in a standard address position. One, two, or more weight ports can be located above the club face center in a club crown or other portion of a club body. Club head vertical center of gravity can be selected to compensate dynamic loft associated with locating the club head center of gravity well behind the club face. Three-dimensional adjustment of club head center of gravity is possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Kraig Alan Willett, Todd P. Beach, Christopher John Harbert, Gery Mel Zimmerman
  • Support structures for golf club head
    Patent number: 10835789
    Abstract: A golf club head, preferably a putter head, comprising at least one structural support member is disclosed herein. The structural support member has a smooth, organic-looking aesthetic, with a continuously changing curvature along its spline and at least one surface, and preferably connects one portion of the golf club head to another portion. Where the support member connects to other portions of the golf club head, the surfaces of the member have a curvature that changes smoothly and continuously, lacking any sharp corners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Brandon D. DeMille, William C. Watson
  • Graphene core golf ball with an integrated circuit
    Patent number: 10821330
    Abstract: A golf ball with a core comprising polybutadiene and graphene with an embedded IC is disclosed herein. The golf ball preferably has a single core comprising polybutadiene and graphene. Alternatively, the golf ball has a dual core with an inner core comprising polybutadiene and graphene. Alternatively, the golf ball has a dual core with an outer core comprising polybutadiene and graphene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Vincent Simonds, David Bartels, Vijay Chavan
  • Golf club head with a hollow rail
    Patent number: 10821337
    Abstract: A golf club head includes a heel, a toe, a sole, and a rail. The toe is opposite the heel. The sole is between the toe and the heel. The sole has a forward portion and an aft portion. A forward-aft direction is defined from the forward portion to the aft portion. A heel-toe direction is defined from the heel to the toe. The rail extends outwardly from the sole along the forward-aft direction. The rail and the sole define an open-ended first channel extending along the rail in the forward-aft direction. The rail defines a second channel extending in the heel-toe direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: COBRA GOLF INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Bryce Hobbs, D. Clayton Evans, Cameron J. Day, Tim A. Beno, Ryan L. Roach