Patents Examined by Stephen Blau
  • Golf club head with center of gravity adjustability
    Patent number: 9308423
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a golf club head comprising one or more center of gravity and bias adjustment features. In some embodiments, the golf club head comprises an elongated cartridge having one or more sockets or weight ports to receive weight plugs, the arrangement of which can be changed to adjust the mass properties of the golf club head. The orientation of the cartridge itself can also be reversed to adjust the mass properties. In other embodiments, the golf club head comprises at least one semicircular weight ring that extends around the rear portion of the golf club head, and is removable and replaceable to adjust the mass properties of the golf club head. In still other embodiments, these features are combined on one head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Larry Tang, James A. Seluga, D. Clayton Evans
  • Variably disposed multi-layer golf grip
    Patent number: 9302164
    Abstract: A golf grip for a golf club includes a cap, a body, a tip, and a grip surface. The body includes an under layer, a top layer, and a middle layer. The under layer includes a first color. The top layer includes a second color, different than the first color. The top layer is disposed on the under layer. The middle layer includes a third material. The middle layer is at least partially disposed between the under layer and the top layer. The tip is a portion of the under layer extending beyond the top layer and the middle layer. The grip surface extends between the cap and the tip. The grip surface is the radially outer surface of the body and includes the top layer, a plurality of exposed portions of the under layer, and a plurality of exposed portions of the middle layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Lamkin Corporation
    Inventors: Robert J. Lamkin, Carl Pettersen, Denisse Camou, Patricia Marquez, Andrew Kerr, Carlos Martinez, Adam Colton, Peter Brown, Kerri Kauffman, Carlos Rodriguez, Raul Medina, Ricardo Medina, Ting Lau, Steve Tallman, Jorge Gonzalez, Mary Ramirez
  • Shaft for golf club having rigidity improved at intermediate part
    Patent number: 9295888
    Abstract: A shaft for a golf club is capable of hitting a higher ball and reducing a spin on the ball. The shaft has a distal part that is provided with a clubhead, a proximal part that is provided with a grip, an intermediate part arranged between the distal and proximal parts, and a thick part set to thicken a wall thickness of the intermediate part relative to the distal part, a reinforcing part set at the intermediate part, or a combination of the thick part and the reinforcing part. With this, the shaft improves a rigidity at the intermediate part so that a change in rigidity between the distal part and the intermediate part has an inflection point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: NHK Spring Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kosuke Fujiwara, Naruki Yatsuda
  • Golf club
    Patent number: 9295885
    Abstract: A golf club 1 includes a head 3 and a shaft 5. The head 3 has a head body M3, a grounding member Y1 and a movement restricting member Y2. The head body M3 has a sole s3. The sole s3 has a slide part S1 that can slide the grounding member Y1. The movement restricting member Y2 restricts slide movement of the grounding member Y1 while allowing the grounding member Y1 to be fixed at a plurality of slide positions. A face angle can be varied depending on the plurality of slide positions of the grounding member Y1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Kiyofumi Matsunaga, Naruhiro Mizutani
  • Progressive iron set
    Patent number: 9283450
    Abstract: The present invention is direct to a set of golf clubs comprising long irons, mid-irons and short irons. The long irons have a first center of gravity positioned horizontally from the face center by a first distance. The mid-irons have a second center of gravity positioned horizontally from the face center by a second distance. The short irons have a third center of gravity positioned horizontally from the face center by a third distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Michael E. Franz, Brandon Vincent, Marni Ines, Jonathan Hebreo, Eduardo Mendoza
  • Golf club
    Patent number: 9283446
    Abstract: A golf club includes a golf club head and a shaft attached to the golf club head, the golf club including the golf club head provided with a shaft insertion hole having an upper opening and a lower opening, the shaft insertion hole having an internal surface provided with an undercut groove, the shaft having a tip end, a shaft sleeve adaptor attached to the tip end of the shaft, the shaft sleeve adaptor inserted into the shaft insertion hole through the upper opening and having a first thread portion, a fastener comprising a second thread portion engaging with the first thread portion of the shaft sleeve adaptor through the lower opening of the shaft insertion hole, and a washer held in the undercut groove of the shaft insertion hole and disposed between the fastener and the shaft sleeve adaptor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
    Inventor: Yuki Motokawa
  • Adjustment device
    Patent number: 9283445
    Abstract: An adjustable connector is provided including a first part and a second part, each part including a main body having a longitudinal axis. One part includes at least one first locator, and the other part includes at least two second locators. The connector is configured such that engagement of the first locator with different second locators results in different orientations of the longitudinal axes of the parts with respect to one another. Each part includes a frustum shaped surface, where the surfaces are configured to abut against each other in at least one orientation of the longitudinal axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: PUKU LIMITED
    Inventor: Simon Garry Moore
  • Multi-zone golf club heads
    Patent number: 9278263
    Abstract: A golf club head with low and high density zones designed to provide specific densities for use in various parts of the club head to achieve maximum volume and properties within specific weight goals. The low and high density zones may be formed from laminates having different equivalent densities than the layers used to form the laminates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Uday Deshmukh, Charles E. Golden
  • System and method to re-grip golf clubs
    Patent number: 9278268
    Abstract: A system and method to re-grip golf clubs includes a series of systematically weighted golf club grips used to achieve a desired swing weight of a golf club. A series of interchangeable weighted tubular fitting grips having a sequence of systematically varying predetermined weights can be removably mounted on a golf club, as desired, to provide the desired swing weight. The tubular fitting grips each have a void through a length of one side of a tubular outer wall allowing each grip to be interchangeably mounted on the golf club.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Inventor: Todd Pallis
  • Golf club heads with loft-based weights and methods to manufacture golf club heads
    Patent number: 9278264
    Abstract: Embodiments of golf club heads with loft-based weights and methods to manufacture golf club heads are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Ryan Stokke, Marty R. Jertson
  • Golf putter
    Patent number: 9272193
    Abstract: The golf putter is configured such that the stop step of the rotary linkage is formed outwardly in an extended length to cause the lock screws to stop the rotary linkage from being rotated with a large torque at a position remote from the center of the threaded axle hole, so that when a user does not desire to change the lie angle in use, the adjusted lie angle is not changed for a long period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: RHIMKOREA, CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hyung Jin Yim
  • Interchangeable golf club heads with shared shaft
    Patent number: 9272192
    Abstract: A system of interchangeable club heads sharing one or more shafts and golf bag for carrying the club heads and one or more shafts. The club heads contain a shaft segment to set club length and a coupler to interconnect to the shaft and grip. The shaft contains an opposite gender coupler. The system is very lightweight and much more portable than a conventional set of golf clubs. It also creates the opportunity for players to match club heads with shafts with differing performance characteristics. Additionally, it solves a problem for golfers using long shafts on putters. These long shafts can now be disassembled for storage and transport.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Brady Management Corporation
    Inventor: Patrick K Brady
  • Golf putter with adjustable counterbalance weight
    Patent number: 9266000
    Abstract: A golf club includes a tubular shaft, a golf club head affixed to a first end of the tubular shaft, and a grip disposed about the tubular shaft and abutting a second end of the tubular shaft. An adjustable counterbalance extends within a hollow recess of the shaft and is selectively secured to the second end. The adjustable counterbalance includes an elongate member and an annular weight disposed about the elongate member. The annular weight is movable along the elongate member and configured to be selectively affixed to the elongate member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Kammerer, David N. Franklin, John Hatfield
  • Golf putter with adjustable counterbalance weight
    Patent number: 9265998
    Abstract: A golf club includes a tubular shaft, a golf club head affixed to a first end of the shaft, and a grip disposed about a second end of the shaft. The golf club head is a putter head having a loft angle of from about 0 degrees to about 6 degrees and a mass of from about 360 grams to about 400 grams. A movable weight is disposed within a hollow recess of the shaft and within a grip portion of the club. The movable weight is configured to be selectively repositionable within the grip portion by a user, and has a mass of from about 60 grams to about 80 grams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Kammerer, David N. Franklin, John Hatfield
  • Interchangeable shaft system
    Patent number: 9259626
    Abstract: A golf club incorporating an interchangeable shaft system includes a shaft, a shaft sleeve, a club head. The shaft sleeve is coupled to an end of the shaft and is received in a hosel included in the club head. The shaft sleeve is removably coupled to the club head. Hosel and shaft sleeve alignment features provide discrete orientations between the shaft and club head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Stephen S. Murphy, Darryl C. Galvan
  • Golf club head
    Patent number: 9259625
    Abstract: A golf club head comprises a sole, a recessed sole port in the sole; and a rotatably adjustable sole piece adapted to be at least partially received within the sole port and comprising a central body having a plurality of contact surfaces adapted to contact the sole port and being offset from each other along a central axis extending through the central body of the sole piece. The sole piece can be positioned at least partially within the sole port at five or more rotational and axial positions with respect to the central axis, wherein at each rotational position, at least one of said contact surfaces of the central body contacts the sole port to set the axial position of the sole piece. The sole port and/or the sole piece can be generally pentagonal in shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan T. Sargent, Joseph Reeve Nielson, Matthew David Johnson, Matthew Greensmith, Todd P. Beach, Michael Franz
  • Golf club head with adjustable center of gravity
    Patent number: 9259627
    Abstract: A golf club head with means for adjusting a center of gravity location along more than one axis is disclosed herein. The golf club head comprises one or more adjustable features, including a weight arm for receiving removable weights, e.g., slidable weights or weight screws, and one or more invertible weight cartridges that fit within a tube extending between the golf club head's crown and sole via an interior cavity. The weight arm fits within a rectangular, elongated recess in the sole and permits the golfer to adjust the location of one or more removable weights along its length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Matthew Myers, James A. Seluga, Patrick Dawson
  • Golf club with adjustable hosel angle
    Patent number: 9242151
    Abstract: A golf club head with an adjustable hosel that sits within a cavity loaded with filler material. The cavity may generally extend from crown to sole or, in the alternative, extend only a partial amount of the distance from the crown to the sole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventor: Steve Murphy
  • Club length adjustment device
    Patent number: 9242154
    Abstract: A golf club length adjustment device for use in a golf club, comprising a first member affixed to a main shaft, said main shaft configured to couple to a golf club head, a second member slideably coupled to said first member, said second member adapted to couple to a golf club grip, said golf club grip including an internal cavity configured to receive a golf club shaft, wherein said first member is configured to slide relative to said second member to change the length of said golf club, wherein said first member and said second member are configured to limit rotation of said first member relative to said second member, a locking system configured to selectively limit said first member from sliding relative to said second member, wherein said locking system comprises a locked position and an unlocked position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventor: Scott A. Knutson
  • Golf clubs and gold club heads with adjustable center of gravity and moment of inertia characteristics
    Patent number: 9233282
    Abstract: Golf clubs, club heads, and club weighting systems may include: (a) a club head body member; and (b) one or more weight members removably and/or movably engaged with the club head body member so as to move between a first position and a second position to change an overall exterior shape of the club head. This shape change may result in changes to the overall center of gravity, weighting, and/or moment of inertia characteristics of the club head. Alternatively or additionally, the weight member(s) may be removed from the club head body member, reoriented, and/or replaced with a different weight member, e.g., to change the overall exterior shape, center of gravity, weighting, and/or moment of inertia characteristics of the club head. Methods of making and using these clubs, club heads, and weighting systems also are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: John T. Stites, Robert Boyd, David N. Franklin