Patents Examined by Nini F. Legesse
  • Golf training device
    Patent number: 11325015
    Abstract: A golf training device comprising a base platform and a golf-ball platform that are interconnected with a telescoping, extendable rail. The base platform provides an area on which a golfer assumes a stance when addressing a golf ball. The rail is constructed with a rigid but pliable material that twists and contorts when a golfer is standing on the base platform. Therefore, the golfer must remain completely balanced while addressing the ball and swinging the club to prevent the platform from wobbling uncontrollably. The base platform is mounted on a turntable that allows a golfer to rotate the base platform between a first orientation where balance must be maintained in a direction parallel to the shoulders and a second orientation where balance must be maintained in a direction perpendicular to the shoulders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Inventor: Kerry Modawell
  • Swing trainer for baseball and softball
    Patent number: 11311785
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for a baseball and softball swing trainer that includes being an adjustable swing trainer which can be adjusted for height, for angular relationship with ground and batter, and to the angular relationship for different heights of strike zones for batters of different height by providing adjustable means disposed on an upright standing elongated rod mounted on a base stand. The device includes adjustments for changing the height of the device relative to the ball height, and also to the bat angle, and also to the batter's strike zone without actually using a ball as part of the trainer. The fork member is made out of plastic or other non-breakable, flexible material to allow it to be durable and not to break when hit by the bat. An adjustable fork and various sizes of fixed forks are also provided so that the distance between the forks vary according to the batting skill of the batter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Inventor: Luther T. Woullard
  • Golf simulation system
    Patent number: 11305172
    Abstract: A green simulation apparatus may comprise a covering forming a configurable upper surface with a changeable contour and being flexible such that the covering is movable between a base condition in which the upper surface has a substantially planar configuration and a contoured condition in which the upper surface has a contoured configuration. The apparatus may also comprise a covering support assembly configured to support the covering in the base condition and the contoured condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Full-Swing Golf, Inc.
    Inventor: Sean Coffman
  • Handbag charm
    Patent number: 11304487
    Abstract: A doll or charm includes a main plate having a front, a back and side edges and an outline in the shape of a body, head, two arms and two legs. The back of the main plate has attachment places such as pegs. At least one sheet sized to cover at least part of the front of the main plate has peripheral attachment complements such as loops. The sheet can be placed on the front of the main plate and the peripheral attachment complements of the sheet can be passed around the edge of the main plate to extend around respective ones of the attachment places, such as pegs, to retain the sheet on the front of the main plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Inventor: Emily Blumenthal
  • Feedback-based swing trainer
    Patent number: 11291899
    Abstract: A swing training device for baseball, softball, golf players, and potentially racquet sports players that provides feedback as to where the ball is hit. The swing training device comprises a first vertical member rigid and columnar in form connecting to a first horizontal member, being rod-like in form, at a first end. A second end of the first horizontal member comprises a ball-shaped end connecting with a swivel joint to a second vertical member. The swivel ball joint connection allows the second vertical member to rotate at an angle such that the player knows whether their hit contacted the ball in the center, or to the left or right of center, thereby allowing the player to make adjustments in their swing based on angle of rotation of the ball around the first horizontal member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: County Innovation and Supply, LLC
    Inventor: Keaton Smith
  • Golfing game assembly
    Patent number: 11285366
    Abstract: A golfing game assembly for playing miniature golf games includes a plurality of cups, a plurality of poles, and a plurality of spheres. Each cup is truncated frustrum shaped so that a base of the cup can be positioned on a surface with the cup being stabilized in an upright configuration. Each pole is selectively couplable to a respective cup so that the pole extends substantially vertically from the respective cup. The pole has a flag engaged thereto distal from the respective cup. The spheres are hollow, and each sphere has a plurality of orifices positioned therein. A respective sphere can be positioned on the surface distal from a respective cup. A user then is positioned to strike the sphere with a golf club in an attempt to propel the sphere into a respective cup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Inventor: Jennings Barnett
  • Batting tee
    Patent number: 11285374
    Abstract: A batting tee and/or hitting training device is provided that includes a platform, a support extending upwardly from the platform and a holder disposed on the support opposite the platform for holding the ball to be hit. The support additionally includes a cross-beam disposed on the support adjacent the holder. The cross-beam can be positioned at an angle with regard to the support, such that the cross-beam has an upward slope from one end to the other. This slope enables the batting tee to provide the individual with a guide for an upward swing path of the bat towards the ball disposed on the holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Wilson Hunt International, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryan Hunt, Matthew Klein
  • Golf tee dispenser
    Patent number: 11260277
    Abstract: A golf tee dispenser with a funnel shaped container, a first retaining cap, a second retaining cap, the funnel shaped container capable of holding a plurality of standard golf tees the funnel shaped container has a threaded cylindrical aperture. The first retaining cap is removably retained to the funnel shaped dispenser by mating threads. The first retaining cap is retained to the funnel shaped container by a tether. The first retaining cap includes a plurality of resilient fingers to facilitate the controlled release of one golf tee at a time from the funnel shaped container. The second retaining cap is frictionally retained to the outer surface of the first retaining cap. A preferred embodiment includes a U-shaped handle member fixedly attached to the top surface of the funnel shaped container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Inventor: Joel M. Solano
  • Swing practice device for emitting light at impact through self-generation
    Patent number: 11241607
    Abstract: A swing practice device for emitting light at impact through self-generation enables an impact moment to be checked with the naked eyes without needing a battery by emitting light at an impact time point through self-generation during swinging by using a golf club, a baseball bat, and the like. The swing practice device includes a power generation magnet provided to a shaft so as to slide in the longitudinal direction of the shaft during swinging; a power generation coil provided on the circumference of a section in which the power generation magnet moves; a light-emitting lamp connected to the power generation coil so as to be turned on by the movement of the power generation magnet; and a magnet control means for preventing the movement of the power generation magnet at a set swing speed or lower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Inventor: Youngdeuk Kim
  • Distance calculator devices and methods for golf practice ranges
    Patent number: 11235222
    Abstract: Distance measuring devices and methods are included which may be used to measure and simultaneously display an accurate range of multiple targets such as the flags of a golf practice driving range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: FlagD, LLC
    Inventors: Dale Timm, Mike Cassiano, Troy L. Parish, David Walker
  • Golf swing training apparatus
    Patent number: 11235218
    Abstract: A golf swing machine with movable guides that rest on the back of the neck/shoulders and against the lower back just above the belt to help guide a golfer into forming a proper swing. Two semi-circular guides rotate around the center of the spine forcing the user to rotate around his or her spine maintaining a proper spine angle during the swing. These guides are rotatably connected to a frame which is part of a stand on which the user stands. Smooth rotation of the guides up to 180 degrees without binding is enabled by guides connected to the device by rollers rolling in semi-circular channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Inventor: Brian Wiggins
  • Electronic tracking system with heads up display
    Patent number: 11229829
    Abstract: An electronic tracking system for assisting a user in determining distances to landmarks and objects in a sporting environment includes a user tracking system for determining the location of a user, a heads up display for displaying information to the user, and a processor operable to communicate with the user tracking system and the heads up display. The heads up display is designed to be worn on the user's head, and to display an image within the user's field of view. The processor is programmed to determine a distance between the user's determined location and an object or a landmark on. This information is displayed via the heads up display as a numeric representation of the determined distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: Nicholas A. Leech
  • Swing measurement device, swing measurement method, and swing measurement program
    Patent number: 11224787
    Abstract: A swing measurement system measures an evaluation index of a swing of a golf club using an inertial sensor. A computer is provided with: a movement trajectory calculation unit for calculating a movement trajectory of the golf club during the swing using a detection value of the inertial sensor; a shaft plane calculation unit for calculating a shaft plane of the swing based on the movement trajectory in a freely selectable section of the swing; and an angle calculation unit for calculating, as the evaluation index, a shaft plane angle formed between the face surface of the golf club and the shaft plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Inventor: Hiroshi Saegusa
  • Apparatus for checking golf divot
    Patent number: 11219813
    Abstract: Proposed is an apparatus for checking a golf divot, which checks a position where a golf club comes into contact with the ground, a ground contact area, or a trace of the golf club when a user hits a golf ball with a golf club, so as to enable improvement of the user's swing, the apparatus including: a ball resting plate body having multiple pin-holes formed therethrough; multiple pins which are inserted into the pin-holes of the ball resting plate body, respectively, to vertically move and installed to allow upper end portions thereof to protrude upward from the ball resting plate body; and a ball resting plate body support means which supports the ball resting plate body in a state where the ball resting plate body is spaced a predetermined height apart from the ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: KS ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sung Hyun Shin, Jin Hee Heo, Eun Hye Park, Hye Ji Woo, Sun Ho Min, Bok Cheon Mun
  • Systems and devices for training a tennis serve
    Patent number: 11219812
    Abstract: A tennis training system may include a target mat including an intersection point and radial lines extending from the intersection point to visibly define sections. A target device may align with the target mat. The target device may include a body, a target assembly coupled to a first end of the body to define a target opening, and a base coupled to a second end of the body opposite the first end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Inventor: Phillip V Westbrooks
  • Systems and methods for measuring and/or analyzing swing information
    Patent number: 11219811
    Abstract: In a first aspect, a system for monitoring a swing is provided that includes (1) a swing measurement device adapted to couple to a swinging object and to output a signal indicative of a characteristic of the swinging object; (2) a wireless transmitter coupled to the swing measurement device and adapted to wirelessly transmit the signal output by the swing measurement device; and (3) a wireless device adapted to receive the wirelessly transmitted signal and to provide information regarding the swinging object based on the received signal. The wireless device is a cellular telephone or personal digital assistant (PDA). Numerous other aspects are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: Dugan Patents, LLC
    Inventor: Brian M. Dugan
  • Customizable toy figure including a book
    Patent number: 11213762
    Abstract: A customizable toy figure, including a body, and a toy book disposed on at least a portion of the body to entertain a user with at least one story, such that the toy book is oriented in a first direction toward at least a portion of the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Inventor: Sylvia Towns
  • Construction toy with interconnecting strips and rings
    Patent number: 11202969
    Abstract: The invention is a construction toy consisting of standard connector elements, e.g., rings, and strut elements, e.g., that may be joined in various angular configurations and with various types of articulation such as fixed, sliding, swinging, spinning, etc. Rings may be provided that have pairs of perimeter orifices that are offset by different amounts wherein the different offsets provide different functionality to ring and strut assembles. Other elements may be included such as pipes, slips, caps, base components and collar components. The elements may be combined to create various forms including a figure with human traits comprised of interconnecting strips and rings of various dimensions, a decoration, a vehicle, a bird, or many other forms in accordance with a user's imagination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Inventor: George Fenwick Kaye
  • Golf training and alignment device
    Patent number: 11202950
    Abstract: The presently disclosed subject matter is generally directed to one or more golf alignment rods that can be used as a multipurpose golf training aid, such as to teach proper golf club alignment and/or swing technique. Particularly, the alignment rod comprises a base defined by a first end and a second end. The alignment rod further includes a cap positioned at one end of the base. The cap comprises a magnet positioned on an interior surface. The magnet allows two or more alignment rods to be removably coupled together, such as when stored upright in a golf bag. In this way, movement of the alignment rods in the golfer's bag (e.g., when the cart is in motion) is minimized. In addition, the alignment rods are more easily accessible when needed by the golfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Inventor: Justin Russo
  • System and method for detecting lower body positions, movements, and sequence in golf swing training
    Patent number: 11198051
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments of golf training device that helps a golfer learn and coordinate lower body positions and movements with upper body movements, using a series of feedback signals. In one embodiment, a system comprises a foot sensor that attaches to a Lead Foot of a user. The foot sensor is configured to detect a heel of the Lead Foot being raised. The system also comprises a leg sensor that attaches to a Trail Knee of the user, and the leg sensor detects a bend in a knee of a Trail Leg of the user after detecting the heel being raised. The foot sensor is configured to detect the heel being lowered at an instance after the detection of the bend in the knee of the Trail Leg and while the knee remains bent. The system further comprises a feedback device configured to activate feedback indicators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: PD Golf LLC
    Inventors: James R. Paulk, Jr., Sumitrajit Dhar