Patents Examined by Raleigh W. Chiu
  • Patent number: 9770640
    Abstract: A net deployment system is adapted to deploying a net around a desired area having a wall adjacent to a floor. The net deployment system has a first swing arm, pivotally attached to the wall and further attached to the wall with a first support cable. A second swing arm is pivotally attached to the wall and further attached to the wall with a second support cable. A plurality of net support cables join the first swing arm and the second swing arm. A net storage bag is attached to the first swing arm with a first frame cable. A second frame cable is attached to the first frame cable and further attached to the wall between the first frame cable and the second frame cable. A net is housed in the bag and connected to the plurality of set support cables. Pulling the first swing arm away from the wall by rotating the second swing arm lowers the net storage bag toward the floor and deploys the net.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Inventor: Donald Reed Kurz
  • Patent number: 9757635
    Abstract: An athletic swing trainer permits an athlete to swing a trainer at speeds far in excess of the athlete's conventional swing speeds and to confirm to the athlete that the practice swings made with the trainer at these extremely high speeds have been technically properly executed. Armed with this experience, the athlete is then able to swing the athlete's own conventional club, bat or racquet at speeds which, though lower than the athlete's trainer swing speeds, are significantly higher than the athlete's conventional club swing speeds. After six or seven trainer swings, an athlete's swing speed at point of contact of a conventional golf club, bat or racquet with a corresponding ball is typically increased in a range of 5 to 15%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Inventor: James W. Sorenson
  • Patent number: 9754456
    Abstract: Amusement machine of the pusher type, comprising a playing surface on which a plurality of playing pieces as well as one or more prizes are supported, wherein the prizes have a shape and/or size differing from the shape and/or size of a playing piece, and a playing piece pusher configured to move over the playing surface at successive points in time in order to disturb the plurality of playing pieces and prizes supported on the playing surface; a transport system with at least one collecting location for collecting the one or more playing pieces and prizes which have dropped over the edge, and at least one infeed location which lies higher than the at least one collecting location, which transport system is configured to reintroduce the one or more playing pieces and prizes onto the playing surface from the at least one infeed location; and to transport the one or more playing pieces and prizes from the at least one collecting location to the at least one infeed location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Elaut N.V.
    Inventor: Eric Verstraeten
  • Patent number: 9750989
    Abstract: A racket including: a grip; an annular frame provided with a plurality of through holes extending through from an inner peripheral face to an outer peripheral face; a shaft connecting the grip and the frame; and a grommet to be attached to the outer peripheral face of the frame, the grommet including: a plurality of tube sections to be inserted into each of the plurality of through holes provided to the frame; and a base section that connects the plurality of tube sections to one another, the tube sections each including a communicating hole that communicates a base section side opening on the base section side with a tip end side opening on the side to be inserted through the through hole, the tip end side openings of at least some number of the tube sections, of the plurality of tube sections through which a string to be strung in a direction along a longitudinal direction of the racket is inserted, being wider than the base section side openings in a direction in which the plurality of tube sections is arr
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Yonex Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoto Ogawa, Junya Suetake
  • Patent number: 9731165
    Abstract: A swing analyzing apparatus includes at least an angular velocity sensor, an impact detection section, an angular velocity information calculation section, and an impact state judgment section. The impact detection section detects the timing of impact in a swing of a sporting good. The angular velocity information calculation section calculates at least one of the amount of change in angular velocity with respect to a predetermined axis in a predetermined period after the impact timing and the greatest value of the angular velocity based on data outputted form the angular velocity sensor. The impact state judgment section judges the state of impact based on the result calculated by the angular velocity information calculation section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuo Nomura, Yasushi Nakaoka
  • Patent number: 9687707
    Abstract: Disclosed is system and method for measuring the tension of a tennis net, and, alternatively or in addition, for determining if a service let occurs via the measuring of the net tension. The disclosed embodiments measure a force exerted on the center-strap or the singles stick by the net. In these embodiments, the measured force provides an accurate reflection of the tension of the net.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Group One Limited
    Inventor: Fredric Goldstein
  • Patent number: 9687718
    Abstract: A tennis serve trainer mechanically encourages and causes the execution of a counter-intuitive hitting-up-on-the-ball service swing. The trainer has a straight shaft and a ball which can slide freely on the shaft between a tennis racquet grip on one end and a cap on the other. The ball is magnetically held against the grip until a threshold swing speed releases the ball. The magnetic force, the distance from the grip to the cap and the weight of the ball are coordinated so that the ball will strike the cap at the apex of the swing. At that moment, the arm is fully extended, the racquet head speed is accelerated to its maximum, the angle of attack is ideal, the ball and the racquet meet at the perfect impact point at the apex of the serve, and a snap in the racquet motion happens automatically at the top of the swing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Inventor: James W. Sorenson
  • Patent number: 9682305
    Abstract: An apparatus for correcting a golf address to be adhered to the body of a user, including: an input module in which the user pushes an input button to set a target azimuth while looking at a target point in a user setting mode; an azimuth calculation module comprising an accelerometer for measuring gravity direction, a gyroscope for measuring the x-axis, y-axis and z-axis directions of a golf club face, and a calculation processor for calculating the address azimuth of the user with respect to the target azimuth set in the input module by using the values measured at the accelerometer and the gyroscope when the user is in an address posture in a user execution mode; and an output module for outputting the address azimuth calculated at the azimuth calculation module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: KRS ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yong Hun Kim
  • Patent number: 9675860
    Abstract: The subject of the utility model is a multi-purpose sports apparatus particularly for improving footballers' technical skills, comprising a foundation body (10) containing a playing surface (11) and an obstacle element (20). The distinctive feature of the method is that the playing surface (11) of the foundation body (10) looking from the interior of the foundation body (10) has an at least partially convex top surface (15) and the foundation body (10) has a support structure (30) which separates the playing surface (11) from the base (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: TEQBALL HOLDING S.À.R.L.
    Inventor: Gábor Borsányi
  • Patent number: 9669283
    Abstract: According to the various features characteristics and embodiments of the present invention which will become apparent as the description thereof proceeds, the present invention provides partially fingered gloves intended to increase the overall performance in sports activities including but limited to football and golf. Primarily because of its unique finger configurations, and/or grip enhancers, and/or hand protective properties, the present invention makes a glove more operable in various sports activities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Inventor: John C. Ramirez
  • Patent number: 9656130
    Abstract: A racket may include a frame including at least one prepreg layer. The at least one prepreg layer may include reinforcing fibers. The at least one prepreg layer may also include a matrix at least partially surrounding the reinforcing fibers. The at least one prepreg layer may also include graphene material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Head Technology GmbH
    Inventor: Herfried Lammer
  • Patent number: 9626641
    Abstract: A method for analyzing a tennis session for game improvement using a portable device and a tennis analysis system, includes collecting information from the tennis session using the portable device attached to a racket used in a game for a plurality of strokes, transferring the collected information from the portable device to the tennis analysis system using a communication interface; analyzing information relating to the plurality of strokes; analyzing information relating to collections of strokes from said plurality of strokes to identify rallies, games, sets and matches played during the session, by said tennis analysis system; and generating a plurality of game statistics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Inventors: Bhanu Nagendra Pisupati, Andrey Reznik, Vadim Blank
  • Patent number: 9623314
    Abstract: A ball collection system for a tennis court (1), configured to be provided along an edge (2a) of a tennis court, comprising: a first slope (11), extending along said edge of the tennis court, and configured such that the height of the first slope decreases in a first direction away from said edge of the tennis court; a second slope 12), arranged adjacent to the first slope on the opposite side of the first slope from the edge of the tennis court, and configured such that the height of the second slope decreases in a second direction, perpendicular to the first direction, from a first end that is no higher than the lowest part of the first slope to a second end; and a ball collector (14), arranged at the second end of the second slope and configured to receive balls that roll down the second slope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Courtflow Limited
    Inventors: Oliver Mark Tristan Bray, Peter William Griffiths
  • Patent number: 9623310
    Abstract: An easily assembled and disassembled portable golf swing training device includes plural interconnected elongated, linear rods and arms for the development of proper golf club takeaway, backswing and downswing mechanics. The position of the golf club during the swing is compared with generally accepted swing parameters, and club positions not within acceptable limits are evidenced by easily detected golf club contact with one or more of the device's arms which are all adjustable in length and position depending upon individual golfer characteristics, and which are pivotally mounted, padded and flexible to avoid injury as well as damage to the inventive device or to a golf club. The configuration of the various rods and arms is established to provide the golfer an inside-to-out club head path during the downswing to provide for a draw of the ball, or to shape the shot from right to left for a right hand golfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Inventor: James M. Hill
  • Patent number: 9610487
    Abstract: The swing training aid includes an arm band and an adjustable cord attached to the racket and the arm band through an adjustable hook. The arm band is adjustably and detachably secured around an arm of a player. A hook strap is attached on the outside of the arm band and defines an opening for receiving the hook. The elastic cord has one end having a loop whose diameter is sufficiently large to receive a handle of the sport swing instrument. The adjustable hook has a base and a hook portion extending from the base and terminating at a hook end. The hook portion is designed to be coupled to the hook strap and the base of the adjustable hook is designed to receive the end of the elastic cord and adjustably lock the cord once the cord length has been adjusted for the player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Inventor: Andrew Young Ahn
  • Patent number: 9597568
    Abstract: A target device for registering a hit by a thrown object such as a flying disc is provided and includes a pylon assembly, an interceptor, and a receipt component. The pylon assembly, the interceptor, and the receipt component are operatively associated with one another such that a movement of the pylon assembly from its operating disposition to its stowage disposition operates to move the interceptor and the receipt component axially closer to the base axial end of the pylon assembly and, when the pylon assembly is in its stowage disposition, the interceptor has been moved from its intercepting position into its non-intercepting position, and the receipt component has been moved from its flared position into its pack position, the interceptor and the receipt component at least partially axially overlap one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Inventor: Michael S. Holgate
  • Patent number: 9597555
    Abstract: Performance of a racket can be adjusted. A racket includes a grip, an annular frame that is provided with a plurality of through holes that penetrate from an inner circumferential face to an outer circumferential face, and a shaft that connects the grip and the frame in a shaft axis direction, the frame having a rear end side attachment part, on the outer circumferential face of the frame and on a side closer to the shaft in the shaft axis direction, where there is mounted a rear end side attachment to which a string tensely provided to the frame is routed, and the rear end side attachment being made of a material different from the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Yonex Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Taketoshi Goto, Yosuke Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 9597554
    Abstract: An apparatus for use with a sports racquet. The apparatus including a sensor to be carried by the racquet and an indicator in communication with the sensor to output a notification based on the number of hits by the racquet based on signals from the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: Robert T. Thurman, William D. Severa
  • Patent number: 9573048
    Abstract: A shuffle board game system includes a shuffle board game apparatus and a method of playing a game. The board game apparatus includes a base, a symmetrical, enclosed, cross-configured shuffle board with a target pattern at the center with multiple playing pieces that can be distributed from each of the four ramps surrounding the board. The method of playing includes each of four players strategically launching their respective playing pieces from a ramp toward the target pattern or to block another player's ramp. Each player seeks to gain the most points based upon the proximity of their playing pieces to spaces within the target pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Inventors: Kurt Masching, Casey Jackson
  • Patent number: 9552703
    Abstract: An arcade target game uses an extendable extraction device to enter a tube of cards in a horizontal direction. The prizes are protected by the tube's outer wall that limits successful attempts to those tries that avoid the wall. A vacuum source allows the extraction device to capture the prize if the extraction device successfully enters the tube. The extraction device's effective radius can be adjusted by extending projections that reduce the tolerance between the disk and the tube's outer wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Inventor: Stephen P. Shoemaker, Jr.