Patents Examined by Stephen Blau
  • Patent number: 9616307
    Abstract: A weight-adjustable-counterbalance apparatus includes a shell and at least one or more weighting member selectively added to the shell. The shell includes a container having an annular lateral wall and an end wall, and defines an opening at an end and a compartment. A first restrainer releasably fits on the end wall and in a manner being prevented from rotating relative to the container. A second restrainer releasably fits on the end of the container and in a manner being prevented from rotating relative to the container. A fastener releasably secures the first retainer, the container, and the second retainer together. The fastener has a first end retained on the first restrainer, a body inserting into the compartment, and a second end extending outside the opening and engaging with the second restrainer. The at least one or more weighting member is added by releasably fitting on the fastener.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Inventor: Kai-Ping Chiang
  • Patent number: 9604108
    Abstract: A parabolic golf club system having a club head consisting of a parabolic path with a club face positioned coincident with the directrix and hosel (shaft) positioned at the focus. In other embodiments bores may be added along the parabolic path where various weights are installed to alter the club head properties such as MOI, CG, and overall mass. In other embodiments a substantially parabolic shaped bore may be formed in the club head allowing installation of parabolically shaped weights, weight plates, weight cartridges and the like to further alter club head properties. Further customization is achieved by allowing a golfer to select from various face inserts, face patterns, hosel configurations, and sight aid choices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Inventors: Nathaniel Dunnell, Joshua Dunnell
  • Patent number: 9597566
    Abstract: A golf club includes a shaft; a head mounted to the tip end of the shaft; a grip mounted to the butt end of the shaft; a first vibration damping member arranged on the head side of the shaft; and a second vibration damping member arranged on the grip side of the shaft. The first range of the shaft in which the first vibration damping member is arranged includes a position of the shaft corresponding to the top end of the hosel of the head and has a length of 25 to 250 mm in the longitudinal direction of the shaft. The second range of the shaft in which the second vibration damping member is arranged includes a position of the shaft corresponding to the tip end of the grip and has a length of 150 to 250 mm in the longitudinal direction of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomotaka Ishihara, Wataru Ban, Fumiaki Sato
  • Patent number: 9586106
    Abstract: A shaft 6 includes a first butt partial sheet s4 and a second butt partial sheet s5. The first butt partial sheet s4 includes a first tapered part TP1. The second butt partial sheet includes a second tapered part TP2. The first butt partial sheet s4 and the second butt partial sheet s5 satisfy the following (1) to (4). L11, L12, L21, Lt1 and Lt2 are shown in FIG. 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
    Inventor: Tatsuya Yashiki
  • Patent number: 9586107
    Abstract: A golf club 2 includes a head 4, a shaft 6, and a grip 8. A club inertia moment about a swing axis is defined as Isw. A club inertia moment about a grip end is defined as Ige. Ige is 2820 (kg·cm2) or greater and less than 2870 (kg·cm2). Isw/Ige is equal to or less than 2.42. A club weight is defined as Wc (kg), an axial direction distance from the grip end to a center of gravity of the club is defined as Lc (cm), and a club inertia moment about the center of gravity of the club is defined as Ic (kg·cm2). Isw is calculated by Equation (1) below. Ige is calculated by Equation (2) below.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Naoyoshi Ueda, Masahiko Ueda, Yasushi Sugimoto, Takashi Nakamura, Seiji Hayase, Wataru Kimizuka
  • Patent number: 9586114
    Abstract: An interchangeable golf grip is secured by a snap compression unit that enters into a golf club shaft. The compression unit includes multiple expansion capabilities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Inventor: Paul Chalifoux
  • Patent number: 9586100
    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 shaft adapter, a collet, a ferrule, and a club head having an interior chamber. The club head and shaft may be changed by releasing the securing system and exchanging the original parts with different parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua M. Boggs, Raymond J. Sander, Robert M. Boyd, Matthew P. Rubal
  • Patent number: 9579547
    Abstract: A golf club includes a shaft, a golf club head including a hosel having an aperture to which the shaft being secured, a securing member configured in a cylindrical shape to cover the shaft, the securing member including a first securing portion detachably fitted to the aperture of the hosel, and an insert member configured in a cylindrical shape to cover the shaft, the insert member including a second securing portion being detachably attachable to the aperture of the hosel and a third securing portion being detachably attachable to the first securing portion of the securing member. The golf club is capable of adopting a first mode of securing the first securing portion to the hosel, and a second mode of securing the insert member to the hosel and securing the first securing portion to the third securing portion of the insert member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
    Inventor: Naruhiro Mizutani
  • Patent number: 9573026
    Abstract: A golf putter includes a club shaft and a club head. The club shaft includes a club shaft body extending from a proximal end to a distal end. The club shaft body has a first linear portion defining a longitudinal axis. The distal end defines a tangent angled with respect to the longitudinal axis. The club shaft body also includes a curved portion between the first linear portion and the distal end. The club head includes a ball striking surface, a heel proximate to a first end of the ball striking surface, and a toe opposing the heel proximate to a second end of the ball striking surface. A club head axis is defined between the toe and the heel. The distal end of the club shaft body is connected to the club head at a connection point on the heel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Inventor: James T. DeCarlo, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9566487
    Abstract: An overgrip for a golf club is provided that includes a shell defining an interior and an open end, with a soft material disposed within the interior of the shell and capable of conforming to the shape of a club inserted into the interior through the at least one open end to engage the club. The shell can be formed with a pair of halves joined by a hinge to assist in the positioning of the club within the overgrip and can additionally include a locking mechanism to selectively hold the shell in engagement with the club positioned therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Inventor: John J. Feehan
  • Patent number: 9566486
    Abstract: A tubular steel golf shaft comprising a grip section, a tapered mid-section and a tip section. A loading zone is selectively formed along a portion of the shaft, preferably in the tapered mid-section, comprising a continuous series of closely spaced micro-steps, or reductions in diameter, each of which are less than 0.5 inches in length. Each micro-step section, in the direction from the grip section toward the tip section comprises a first peak which descends to valley and then ascends to a second peak. The diameter of the first peak is greater than the diameter of the second peak. A method of manufacturing the golf shaft is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: TRUE TEMPER SPORTS, INC.
    Inventors: Thomas Daniel Griffith, Michael Parker Gardner, James Boyce Barton, Gregory William Cavill
  • Patent number: 9566485
    Abstract: A shaft 6 includes full length layers provided wholly in a longitudinal direction of the shaft, and a tip end partial layer provided on a tip part of the shaft. The full length layers include a bias layer and a straight layer. The tip end partial layer includes an inner glass fiber reinforced layer. When a full length of the shaft is defined as Ls, and a distance between a tip end of the shaft and a center of gravity G of the shaft is defined as Lg, a ratio (Lg/Ls) is equal to or greater than 0.52 and equal to or less than 0.65. A weight of the shaft is equal to or less than 65 g. Preferably, the inner glass fiber reinforced layer is positioned inside the bias layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hasegawa, Kiyofumi Matsunaga, Takeshi Shimauchi
  • Patent number: 9561404
    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 a ball joint, wherein the ball joint is located either on the shaft sleeve or the hosel portion and fits within, and is rotatable along various axes within, a socket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Homer E. Aguinaldo, Broadus Perry Wall, Jr., Denver Holt, James A. Seluga, Scott Manwaring
  • Patent number: 9561413
    Abstract: A golf club head comprises a body having a face, a crown and a sole together defining an interior cavity. The body having a channel located on the sole and extending generally from a heel end of the body to a toe end of the body. A weight member movably positioned within the channel such that a position of the weight member within the channel is able to be adjusted, thereby adjusting a location of a center of gravity of the body. Additionally, adjustment of the weight member provides a maximum x-axis adjustment range of the position of the center of gravity (Max ?CGx) that is greater than 2 mm and a maximum z-axis adjustment range of the center of gravity (Max ?CGz) that is less than 2 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: Joseph Reeve Nielson, Nathan T. Sargent, Christopher John Harbert, Todd P. Beach, Brian Bazzel, Mark Vincent Greaney, Christian Reber Wester, Craig Richard Slyfield, Matthew David Johnson, Matthew Greensmith, Kraig Alan Willett
  • Patent number: 9550098
    Abstract: A golf club and golf club shaft includes a tubular member having at least one neck portion with a reduced outer diameter and at least one relatively rigid two-piece sleeve secured to the tubular member in overlying relationship to each neck portion. The two-piece sleeve defines a small central gap filled by a compressible ring to allow the two otherwise longitudinally aligned sleeve pieces to pivot relative to one another under dynamic loading of the tubular member during a golf swing, and then upon reaching a limit point restrict additional deflection or bending of the tubular member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: Bret H. Wahl, Joshua J. Dipert, Ryuichi Sugimae
  • Patent number: 9545544
    Abstract: Embodiments of golf clubs with adjustable lie and loft and methods of manufacturing golf clubs with adjustable lie and loft are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Chris L. Jones, John P. Fife, Erik M. Henrikson
  • Patent number: 9539479
    Abstract: [Object] To provide a golf club shaft that can provide a moderate rigidity and enhance an impact strength. [Solution] A shaft 6 includes full length layers s3, s4, s7, s8 and s9 provided wholly in a longitudinal direction of the shaft, and tip end partial layers s1, s2, s10, s11 and s12 provided on a tip end part of the shaft. The full length layers include bias layers s3 and s4 and straight layers s8 and s9. The tip end partial layer includes an inner glass fiber reinforced layer s1, and an outer low elastic carbon fiber reinforced layer s10 or an outer glass fiber reinforced layer s10 which is disposed outside the inner glass fiber reinforced layer s1. The low elastic carbon fiber has a tensile elastic modulus of 22 ton/mm2 or less. In the shaft 6, a shaft weight in terms of 46 inches is 55 g or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
    Inventor: Tatsuya Yashiki
  • Patent number: 9539474
    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, a tubular adjustment piece having non-parallel upper and lower surfaces, and a retention feature that provides an engagement between the tubular adjustment piece and the shaft sleeve to prevent the tubular adjustment piece from becoming detached from the shaft sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Kevin P. Dacey, Denver Holt
  • Patent number: 9539481
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a selectable weight assemblies for insertion into a golf club shaft. An embodiment of the selectable weight assembly includes a plug, a sleeve, a socket, a primary weight, and a bushing coaxially assembled in order along a major axis corresponding to the central axis of the golf shaft interior. The plug includes a flange and threaded shaft, the flange including a circumferential lip portion operative to contact the upper surface of the shaft and provide a positive lock for securely keeping the selectable weight assembly secured to the golf club. The threaded shaft extends downwardly and distally from the flange section. The sleeve section is adjacent the plug and substantially cylindrical, with an opening extending therethrough. The sleeve further includes at least one slot extending longitudinally generally in the same direction as the primary axis, facilitating radial expansion of the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Inventor: Gisle Solhaug
  • Patent number: 9533199
    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. A ramp on the circumference of one end of a pullback sleeve works in conjunction with a post on a grip end fitting to more tightly couple the club head end to a shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Sepia Products, LLC
    Inventor: Patrick K. Brady