Patents Examined by Stephen Blau
  • Patent number: 9737772
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a club head for adjusting vertical spin of a golf ball. Other embodiments of related systems and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Marty R. Jertson, Eric Joel Morales, Anthony D. Serrano, Bradley D. Schweigert
  • Patent number: 9737770
    Abstract: A golf club head is provided with a body that has an address position with a zero degree bounce portion on the sole and a center sole position with a multi-relief surface of the sole having a negative bounce portion. The negative bounce portion may comprise a negative 0.5 to a negative 4.0 degree surface. In one embodiment, the multi-relief surface may comprise the negative bounce portion and a cutaway portion extending to the back of the sole, which may have a depth of about 0.05 to 0.5 inch from a regular sole surface. In another embodiment, the golf club head includes a weight system to adjust the center of gravity. In one embodiment, the weight system is a tube having a weight at one end that may be inserted into the golf club head to move the center of gravity at least forward and backward within 6 mm and up and down within 6 mm. Preferably, the tube is angled downward toward the face by at least 3 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Thomas Orrin Bennett, Michael Scott Burnett, Daniel S. Callinan, Christopher D. Harvell, Jeffrey W. Meyer, Stephen S. Murphy
  • Patent number: 9737769
    Abstract: A golf club includes a club head having a volume of greater than about 360 cm3 and a mass less than 200 g. A shaft attachable to the club head has a tip end, a butt end, and a shaft balance point distance, BPs, as measured from the butt end, of no more than 19 inches. And the golf club has a mass less than 300 g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: SRI SPORTS LIMITED
    Inventors: Dustin J. Brekke, Jeff D. Brunski, Matthew R. Daraskavich, Samuel G. Lacey, Nathaniel J. Radcliffe, Brian D. Schielke
  • Patent number: 9731170
    Abstract: Golf club heads include a golf club head body, a ball striking face, and a shaft engaging member configured to engage a golf club shaft with the golf club head body. The golf club head may be configured with a first piece and a second piece, which may be in the form of the shaft engaging member and a body member connected to the shaft engaging member. The shaft engaging member includes a base member and an arm extending from the base member, and the body member includes a face having a striking surface configured for striking a ball and a club head body positioned behind the face, the second piece having a receiving slot positioned behind the face, where the base member of the first piece is at least partially received within the receiving slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: David N. Franklin, Jason Cardani, Andrew G. V. Oldknow, Raymond J. Sander
  • Patent number: 9724571
    Abstract: A universal connector for an adjustable golf club is provided. Such a universal connector includes a first member having a head portion and a body portion and having a bore for receiving a terminal end of a shaft. The connector also includes a second member having a bore for receiving a portion of the first member therein. The first member includes a first anti-rotational member and the second member includes a second anti-rotational member. The first and second anti-rotational members are engageable with one another to prevent relative rotation of the first member relative to the second member about a longitudinal axis of the connector. The second member includes a third anti-rotational member, the third anti-rotational member configured to mate with an anti-rotational member of the golf club head to prevent relative rotation of the second member relative to the head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Club-Conex LLC
    Inventor: Eric Burch
  • Patent number: 9718119
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a set of golf clubs comprising long irons, mid-irons and short irons. The irons have a progressive horizontal CG location. Preferably, the long and MID irons have a CG located between about 1 mm and 3 mm towards the hosel and the short iron CG is located between about 3 mm and 4 mm toward the hosel. Further the irons can have a substantially constant blade width with progressively increasing toe height and progressively decreasing scoreline width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Gery M. Zimmerman, Marni Ines, Jonathan Hebreo, Michael E. Franz, Eduardo Mendoza
  • Patent number: 9707456
    Abstract: A golf club head having a body having a first receptacle having a first aperture, a second receptacle having a second aperture, and a first weight retention member affixed to the first receptacle, the first weight retention member having an opening, at least a portion of the first weight retention member extending through the first aperture into the hollow golf club interior; a second weight retention member affixed to the second receptacle, at least a portion of the second weight retention member extending through the second aperture into the hollow golf club interior; and a third weight retention member extending between the first weight retention member and the second weight retention member, the third weight retention member extending through the opening of the first weight retention member, at least a portion of the third weight retention member located in the hollow golf club head interior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Richard Sanchez, Thomas Orrin Bennett, David S. Cornelius
  • Patent number: 9694251
    Abstract: Golf club heads are releasably engaged with shafts so that the club heads and shafts can be readily interchanged and/or so that the shaft position with respect to the club head can be readily changed. Assemblies for connecting the club head and shaft may include: (a) a shaft engaging member including a rotation-inhibiting structure; (b) a club head engaging member including a shaft-receiving chamber and a retaining structure for engaging the rotation-inhibiting structure; and (c) a securing system for releasably securing the shaft engaging member with respect to the club head engaging member. The club head and shaft may be changed by releasing the securing system and exchanging the original parts with different parts. Furthermore, the shaft may be bent or otherwise extend at an angle from the shaft engaging member so as to allow adjustment of the shaft position with respect to the club head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: John T. Stites, James S. Thomas, Gary G. Tavares
  • Patent number: 9694252
    Abstract: A golf club comprises a shaft, a club head, and a connection assembly that allows the shaft to be easily disconnected from the club head. In particular embodiments, the connection assembly includes a removable hosel sleeve that allows a shaft to be supported a desired predetermined orientation relative to the club head. In this manner, the shaft loft and/or lie angle of the club can be adjusted without resorting to traditional bending of the shaft. In another embodiment, the club head has an adjustable sole that can be adjusted upwardly and downwardly relative to the strike face of the club head, which is effective to adjust the face angle of the club head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd P. Beach, Mark V. Greaney, Ian C. Wright, Kraig A. Willett, Nathan T. Sargent, Matthew D. Johnson, Gery M. Zimmerman, Kevin R. Harper
  • Patent number: 9682299
    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: March 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Larry Tang, James A. Seluga, D. Clayton Evans
  • Patent number: 9682288
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a multi-piece golf club head having a metal hosel with adjustability features that is cast separately from a face component, sole, and crown, and then is permanently affixed to those other parts after casting is complete. The face component, sole, and crown may be composed of any suitable materials, but preferably each of the face component, the sole, and the crown are stamped from a metal material and are welded to the hosel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Callaway Wolf Company
    Inventors: Bradley C. Rice, Patrick Dawson, M. Grace Hohn
  • Patent number: 9682292
    Abstract: The club length of a golf club is 43 inches or greater and 48 inches or less. A club inertia moment Ix about a swing axis is equal to or less than 6.90×103 (kg·cm2). A ratio (Ihs/Ix) is equal to or greater than 0.88, if a head inertia moment about the swing axis is defined as Ihs (kg·cm2). The inertia moment Ix (kg·cm2) is calculated by Equation (1) below, and the inertia moment Ihs (kg·cm2) is calculated by Equation (2) below: Ix=Wc×(Lc+60)2+Ic??(1) Ihs=Wh×(Lh+60)2+Ih??(2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
    Inventor: Takashi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9662545
    Abstract: A golf club head includes a face; a body, the body defining an interior and an exterior; the face and the body together defining a center of gravity, the center of gravity being proximate the face; a coefficient of restitution feature defined in the body; wherein the coefficient of restitution feature defines a gap in the body. A golf club head includes a face and a golf club body; the face and the golf club body defining a center of gravity, the center of gravity defined a distance, ?z, from a ground plane as measured along a z-axis, the center of gravity defined a distance, CGy, from the center face along the y-axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: Todd P. Beach, Matthew Greensmith, Matthew David Johnson, Jason Andrew Mata, Kraig Alan Willett, Nathan T. Sargent
  • Patent number: 9656138
    Abstract: An interchangeable golf grip is secured with a snap compression unit that enters into a golf club shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Inventor: Paul Chalifoux
  • Patent number: 9656133
    Abstract: A golf grip core designed to expand over a golf shaft for easy placement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Inventor: Paul Chalifoux
  • Patent number: 9636551
    Abstract: An adjustable shaft and hosel assembly allows for dependent and independent adjustment of a golf club's face angle, loft angle, and lie angle. The adjustable shaft and hosel assembly comprises a shaft sleeve, a hosel portion, and at least two tubular adjustment pieces having non-parallel upper and lower surfaces, wherein the tubular adjustment pieces include loft and lie angle indicators that can be added together to determine overall club head loft and lie angles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Homer E. Aguinaldo, James A. Seluga, Broadus Perry Wall, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9630066
    Abstract: A fitting method, of a shaft of a golf club, for selecting a shaft having a torque matching a golfer based on a swing of the golfer. The method includes the steps of obtaining measurement values from a sensor attached to a grip of the golf club and capable of measuring angular velocities about three axes when a golf ball is hit by the golf club; obtaining a predetermined index value for the angular velocities quantified from the measurement values; and selecting a shaft matching the golfer from among multiple shafts whose torques have been measured in advance, based on a relationship established through test-hitting performed in advance between the index value and a torque of a shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignees: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD., SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Masatoshi Kato
  • Patent number: 9623290
    Abstract: A club 2 includes a head 4, a shaft 6 and a grip 8. A club length L1 is 45 inches or greater and 48 inches or less. A ratio (Wh/Wc) of a head weight Wh to a club weight Wc is equal to or greater than 0.71. A moment of inertia Ix about an axis of a swing is equal to or less than 6.90×103 (kg·cm2). However, when the club weight is defined as Wc (kg); an axial-directional distance between a grip end and a center of gravity of the club is defined as Lc (cm); and a moment of inertia about the center of gravity of the club is defined as Ic (kg·cm2), the moment of inertia Ix (kg·cm2) is calculated by the following formula (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
    Inventor: Takashi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9623303
    Abstract: A system for providing loaner clubs to novice golfers includes a coding scheme for golf club holders, which can be provided at a golf range having targets, in order to facilitate play by people entirely new to the game of golf. In general, one innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can include a golf club stand including holders for golf clubs of different types, and visual indicators associated with the holders for the golf clubs of different types, where the visual indicators correspond to targets of different distances within a golf range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: TopGolf International Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Caster, Steven Carl McCracken, Christopher Daniel Wagner, Mark Semsak, Neil John Allen
  • Patent number: 9623302
    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, weight screws, and invertible weight cartridges, 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 cutout in the sole and permits the golfer to adjust the location of one or more removable weights along its length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Matthew Myers, James A. Seluga, Patrick Dawson