Patents Examined by Alvin Hunter
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Patent number: 11786785Abstract: A golf club head has a hollow portion therein. The golf club head includes a head main body comprising a striking face portion, a crown portion and a sole portion, the head main body being provided with a recess extending in a toe-heel direction of the club head on at least one of the crown portion and the sole portion, and a reinforcing rod being fixed to the recess and extending in the toe-heel direction of the club head.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2021Date of Patent: October 17, 2023Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventor: Masatoshi Kato
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Patent number: 11786787Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 28, 2021Date of Patent: October 17, 2023Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Patrick Ripp, Philip Seagram, Mika Becktor, Keith Dolezel
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Patent number: 11786788Abstract: A ball striking device includes a ball striking plate having a front surface configured to strike a ball and a rear surface opposite the front surface. The ball striking plate has a desired-contact region and a perimeter. One or more spoke-like reinforcement ribs may be located on the rear surface and may radiate away from the desired-contact region toward the perimeter. At least one of the spoke-like reinforcement ribs may be located in an upper-toe quadrant or in an upper-heel quadrant of the rear surface. One or more encircling reinforcement ribs may be located on the rear surface. The one or more encircling reinforcement ribs may be at least partially encircling the desired-contact region. A thickened portion of the ball striking plate may be positioned behind the desired-contact region of the ball striking plate. The ball striking device may be a golf club head.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2021Date of Patent: October 17, 2023Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing CorporationInventors: Byron C. Slaughter, William C. Knight, David N. Franklin, Jeremy Snyder
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Patent number: 11786784Abstract: A golf club head with a central body component is disclosed herein. The central body component includes a crown portion and a sole portion. The crown portion is composed of a continuous carbon fiber reinforced epoxy material. The sole portion is composed of a chopped carbon fiber reinforced vinyl ester sheet molding compound material. The central body component has a front opening and a rear opening with a hollow interior.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2023Date of Patent: October 17, 2023Assignee: Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.Inventors: Brandon D. DeMille, William C. Watson, Dominic LeBlanc
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Patent number: 11786794Abstract: A 3-axis magnetometer inside a golf ball to detect the impact location on golf club heads that contain ferrous materials is disclosed herein. Key aspects of a golf shot are determined from within the golf ball itself. A magnetometer, preferably running at 85 Hz, inside a golf ball is able to measure spins of 5000 RPM. An integrated circuit comprises 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 integrated circuit.Type: GrantFiled: October 6, 2020Date of Patent: October 17, 2023Assignee: Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.Inventor: Mario Raposo
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Patent number: 11771962Abstract: A golf club may include a head having a body and a faceplate coupled to the body. The faceplate may have a maximum thickness at a central location and a cross-section intersecting the central location. The cross-section may have continuously variable wall thickness across the faceplate. The faceplate may have a closed non-convex contour curve defined by constant faceplate wall thickness that encloses the central location.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 2021Date of Patent: October 3, 2023Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.Inventors: Sean P. Griffin, Ninad Trifale, Richard P. Hulock, Jon C. Pergande, Robert T. Thurman
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Patent number: 11771966Abstract: A golf club head with a face component having a variable thickness and a coating on a rear surface of the face component that provides a flat surface to which a medallion can be affixed, and methods of manufacturing such golf club heads, are disclosed herein. The coating is made from a fill material comprising a polymer and a plurality of microscopic bubbles, which preferably constitute 5-70% of the volume of the fill material. The polymer material preferably is a polyurethane having a Poisson's ratio of 0.40-0.50.Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 2021Date of Patent: October 3, 2023Assignee: Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.Inventors: Joshua D. Westrum, Hong G. Jeon, Scott Manwaring, Kenneth E. Meacham, Brooks Roche
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Patent number: 11771964Abstract: 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 maximum characteristic time.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2022Date of Patent: October 3, 2023Assignee: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.Inventors: Jeffrey J. Albertsen, Michael Scott Burnett
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Patent number: 11759685Abstract: Disclosed golf club heads include a weight channel positioned in the sole and defining a path along the sole. A weight member positioned in the weight channel can be adjusted to any of a range of selectable positions to adjust mass properties of the golf club head. A fastener secures the weight member in any of the selectable positions, while the fastener itself, regardless of where the weight member is positioned along the path, is secured to the body at a fixed location that is independent of the position of the weight member along the path. Part of the weight channel and weight member can be covered by an overhanging portion of the sole, which can form a sit pad. The overhanging portion can be part of a composite sole insert.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2021Date of Patent: September 19, 2023Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.Inventors: Matthew David Johnson, Todd P. Beach, Christopher John Harbert
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Patent number: 11752403Abstract: A golf club including at least one component with a construction that includes a composite material with color/metallic coated fibers. In some embodiments, at least a portion of an outer surface of the golf club head is defined by a layered structure including color/metallic coated fibers. The layered structure may include a non-woven composite layer comprising a plurality of unidirectional fiber composite plies and woven composite layer disposed over the non-woven fiber composite layer and including color/metallic coated fibers. In some embodiments, an optically transparent coating may be disposed over the woven composite layer. In some embodiments, the color/metallic coated fibers may be electroplated fibers.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2021Date of Patent: September 12, 2023Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.Inventors: Mark Greaney, Mattieu Bovee, Colin O'Connell-Long, Todd Beach
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Patent number: 11752402Abstract: Embodiments of golf club heads and methods to manufacture golf club heads are generally described herein. In one example, a golf club head may include a body portion having a first interior cavity and a second interior cavity at or proximate to the bottom portion. The first interior cavity may extend between a toe portion and a heel portion and be located between a plurality of ports and the front portion. The first internal cavity may be at least partially filled with a first elastomer portion. A second internal cavity may extend between the toe portion and the heel portion and be located between the plurality of ports and a rear portion. The second internal cavity may be at least partially filled with a second elastomer portion. Other examples and embodiments may be described and claimed.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2021Date of Patent: September 12, 2023Assignee: PARSONS XTREME GOLF, LLCInventors: Robert R. Parsons, Bradley D. Schweigert, Michael R. Nicolette
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Patent number: 11752398Abstract: A golf club head includes a center of gravity spaced less than 5 mm from a vertical center plane that is perpendicular to a striking face plane and extends through a striking face center. The golf club head also includes a first component having a first melting point and a first density and a second component having a second melting point higher than the first melting point and a second density less than the first density. And the second component (i) is at least partially encapsulated by the first component, (ii) extends into a hosel portion below a hosel bore, and (iii) has a mass less than about 5 g.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2021Date of Patent: September 12, 2023Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Dustin Brekke, Jacob Lambeth, Jake Grenier, Joseph Chen
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Patent number: 11745064Abstract: Embodiments of an iron type golf club head with a flex structure, a face reinforcing structure, and a variable face thickness to increase face element bending while improving club head durability are described herein. The club head comprises a face element for striking a golf ball. The face element is formed integrally with the flex structure. The flex structure comprises a curved profile (e.g. S-shape or sinusoidal) that functions like a spring to support the face element during golf ball impacts. The face reinforcing structure comprises a looped rib that provides support around a center of the face element. The variable face thickness includes thickened and thinned regions to provide further face element bending or support. The combination of the flex structure, the face reinforcing structure, and the variable face thickness provides increased face element bending while improving club head durability.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2022Date of Patent: September 5, 2023Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing CorporationInventors: Eric J. Morales, Jeremy S. Pope, Thomas J. Nuttall
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Patent number: 11745065Abstract: Iron-type golf club heads are disclosed having a heel portion, a sole portion, a toe portion, a top-line portion, a front portion, a rear portion, and a striking face. The iron-type golf club heads include a localized stiffened region that is located on the striking face of the club head such that the localized stiffened region alters the launch conditions of golf balls struck by the club head in a way that wholly or partially compensates for, overcomes, or prevents the occurrence of a rightward deviation. In particular, the localized stiffened region is located on the striking face such that a golf ball struck under typical conditions will not impart a right-tending sidespin to the golf ball.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2022Date of Patent: September 5, 2023Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.Inventors: Joshua J. Dipert, Scott Taylor, Yong Ling
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Patent number: 11745068Abstract: Examples of golf club heads and methods to manufacture golf club heads are generally described herein. In one example, a body portion of a golf club head may include a cavity having an opening and an internal structure defined by a wall portion and a base portion. A hosel portion may include an insert portion and a neck portion extending therefrom. The hosel portion may be attached to the body portion by an interference fit between the neck portion and the opening of the cavity. The insert portion may be received inside the cavity and may be spaced apart from the internal structure of the cavity. A space between the insert portion and the internal structure of the cavity may be partially or entirely filled with an adhesive to hold the hosel portion in place. Other examples may be described and claimed.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2022Date of Patent: September 5, 2023Assignee: PARSONS XTREME GOLF, LLCInventors: Caleb S. Kroloff, Bradley D. Schweigert, Michael R. Nicolette
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Patent number: 11745062Abstract: Embodiments of golf club head faceplates comprising a lattice to improve the energy storage capabilities and minimize stress concentrations are described herein. The lattice can comprise a plurality of flexure shapes that facilitate in faceplate bending. The flexure shapes of the lattice can comprise a reentrant, concave, or non-convex shape. The lattice can comprise at least one repeating pattern of flexure shapes that can be interconnected or spaced apart. During golf ball impacts, the flexure shapes flex to store energy through linear and torsional bending.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2021Date of Patent: September 5, 2023Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing CorporationInventors: Clayson C. Spackman, Matthew W. Simone
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Patent number: 11738244Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 13, 2022Date of Patent: August 29, 2023Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing CorporationInventors: Ryan M. Stokke, Sina Ghods
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Patent number: 11731012Abstract: A hollow head includes a head body and a fixed member. The head body is formed by a first material. The fixed member is formed by a second material. The fixed member is disposed inside a body opening portion of the head body. The fixed member includes an outer peripheral portion and an inside region. At least a part of the outer peripheral portion is joined to an inner peripheral portion of the body opening portion. The inner peripheral portion includes a first engaging portion that is constituted by at least one projection or recess. The outer peripheral portion includes a second engaging portion that is constituted by at least one projection or recess. The first engaging portion and the second engaging portion form a projection-recess fitting. The inner surface of the inside region is located on a head outer side relative to an innermost end of a joining portion.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 2021Date of Patent: August 22, 2023Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Naruhiro Mizutani, Tomohiro Hana
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Patent number: 11724159Abstract: The present invention is directed to golf balls having improved aerodynamic performance due, at least in part, to the selection of the plan shapes of the dimples thereon. In particular, the present invention is directed to a golf ball that includes at least a portion of its dimples having a plan shape defined by a low frequency periodic function mapped along a simple closed path. In addition, the present invention provides methods for designing dimples having a plan shape defined by a low frequency periodic function mapped along a simple closed path.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2021Date of Patent: August 15, 2023Assignee: Acushnet CompanyInventors: Nicholas M. Nardacci, Michael R. Madson
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Patent number: 11724163Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: January 28, 2022Date of Patent: August 15, 2023Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.Inventors: Todd P. Beach, Peter L. Larsen, Joseph Henry Hoffman