Patents Examined by Stephen Blau
  • Hosel construction
    Patent number: 9526953
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a hosel for connecting a shaft to a club head. In one aspect of the invention, the hosel comprises a body having an undercut, wherein the undercut has a maximum cross section which tapers to a minimum cross section and increases to the maximum cross section immediately adjacent the club head. The hosel further comprises a flange section below the hosel and hosel bore above the undercut, the hosel bore section having a length of at least one inch. In another aspect of the invention, the hosel tapers in diameter from a maximum to a minimum width, and has a maximized interior mold line (IML) to improve bendability and weight savings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Matthew T. Cackett, Sean P. Griffin
  • Counterbalanced putters
    Patent number: 9522313
    Abstract: Described are embodiments of putters that include a counterbalance weight located at the butt end of the shaft. The shaft and/or grip of disclosed putters can have reduced mass while the putter head and the butt of the shaft can have increased mass compared to conventional putters, which provides a similar overall total mass but with an increase in the moment of inertia (MOI). The increase in MOI compared to a conventional putter of similar style and mass can provide increased swing stability during a stroke, decreasing unintentional waggling about the hand grip fulcrum. The added weight in the putter head and the added weight in the butt of the putter can counterbalance each other so that the overall swingweight of the putter can be about the same as for a conventional, non-counterbalanced putter having the same total mass, thereby providing a familiar feel and easy playability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Kassie Terra-Lynn Betts, Peter L. Larsen
  • Golf clubs and golf club heads including structure to selectively adjust the face and lie angle of the club head
    Patent number: 9522308
    Abstract: Aspects of this invention relate to structures and methods for connecting golf club heads to shafts in a releasable and adjustable manner allowing independent adjustability of face angle, loft angle, and lie angle of a club head. Assemblies for connecting the club head and shaft may include: (a) a hosel assembly; (b) an adjustment member; and (c) a securing system for releasably and adjustably securing the hosel assembly and adjustment member to the club head. The face angle, loft angle, and lie angle may be independently adjusted by releasing the securing system and rotating the different structures or exchanging the original parts with different parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Raymond J. Sander, Robert Boyd
  • Golf club shaft
    Patent number: 9498687
    Abstract: A shaft 6 is formed by a plurality of prepreg sheets s1, s2, s3, s4, s5, s6, s7, s8 and s9. These prepreg sheets include full length sheets and partial sheets partially provided in the axial direction of the shaft. The full length sheets include a full length hoop sheet s7. The partial sheets include glass fiber reinforced sheets s1, s4. In the shaft 6, a volume ratio Vf of the hoop layer in a specific tip part Tx is equal to or greater than 2.5% and less than 10%. The shaft 6 is lightweight and has a high degree of design freedom of a position of a center of gravity. The shaft 6 is excellent in strength of a tip part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
    Inventor: Hirotaka Nakamura
  • Golf club head
    Patent number: 9492720
    Abstract: A golf club head includes a striking face having a face center, a bottom portion, a top portion including an exterior surface, a hosel including an imaginary vertical hosel plane, a forwardmost point, and a rearwardmost point. In an imaginary vertical plane perpendicular to the hosel plane and passing through the face center, the exterior surface includes a path having a first point and a second point rearward of the first point. An imaginary infinite straight line passes through the first point and the second point, but does not penetrate the exterior surface. A segment of the imaginary straight line is delimited by the first point and the second point. A maximum distance between the segment and the exterior surface of the top portion is no greater than 0.70 mm and a distance between the first point and the second point is no less than 22 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: SRI SPORTS LIMITED
    Inventors: Jimmy H. Kuan, Samuel G. Lacey, Dan S. Nivanh, Nathaniel J. Radcliffe
  • Multi-helix grip
    Patent number: 9486678
    Abstract: A molded golf grip for a golf club includes first simulated wrap, and a second simulated wrap. The first simulated wrap includes a first wrap surface extending in a helical pattern. The first wrap surface includes a first wrap surface texture and a first wrap width that is less than a pitch of the helical pattern. The second simulated wrap includes a second wrap surface extending in a second helical pattern intertwined helically with the first wrap surface. The second wrap surface includes a second wrap surface texture that is different than the first wrap surface texture and a second wrap width that is less than the pitch. The first simulated wrap and the second simulated wrap are molded as a single body forming a shaft opening there within.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Lamkin Corporation
    Inventors: Robert J. Lamkin, Carl W. Pettersen, Kerri Kauffman, Adam Colton, Patricia Marquez, Carlos Rodriguez, Ting Lau, Raul Medina
  • Golf club coller
    Patent number: 9474950
    Abstract: A collar for outfitting a golf club or putter under its handle is presented. The collar is a clamshell-type accessory that can be secured with screws around various diameter shafts. One side of the collar has a recess for a divot repair tool. Optionally this tool is metal and a magnet under the recess secures it. Optionally two or more ball markers fit into other recesses. Magnets may secure metal ball markers or plastic versions may also be secured depending on size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Inventor: Scott M McDowell
  • Golf club head
    Patent number: 9468820
    Abstract: A hollow golf club head comprises a face portion with a face for hitting a ball on its front and a crown portion forming a top surface of the head, wherein the head comprises a face member including the face portion and made of a metallic material and a crown member attached to the face member to form the crown portion at least partially, the crown member includes a first member made of a metal material and a second member made of a fiber reinforced resin for supporting the first member so that the first member does not directly contact with the face member, the head has a primary natural frequency of from 3800 to 6500 Hz and an antinode when the head vibrates in the primary natural mode appears in the first member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
    Inventor: Yasushi Sugimoto
  • Golf club and shaft
    Patent number: 9463362
    Abstract: The present invention provides a golf club shaft. The shaft is made of a fiber reinforced resin. When a position 100 mm apart from a distal end of the shaft is represented by P1, a position 200 mm apart by P2, a position 500 mm apart by P3, and a position 1,000 mm apart by P4, thicknesses at the positions are defined as P1: not more than 1.0 mm, P2: not more than 0.9 mm, P3: not more than 0.6 mm and P4: not more than 0.6 mm. Each section between the positions has a thickness larger than a thickness transition obtained by connecting the thicknesses at the positions by a straight line. The shaft includes a plurality of prepregs which include first prepregs containing carbon fibers and a second prepreg containing a high specific gravity material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fumiaki Sato, Souichirou Sugawara, Tomotaka Ishihara
  • Grip and internal weight system for a golf club having a stopper within the grip
    Patent number: 9463363
    Abstract: A golf club grip for a golf club includes an elongated member having a first end, a second end, an inner surface and an outer surface. The first end is configured to receive a golf club shaft. The second end includes an opening that comprises an insert having a first threaded portion therein. The elongated member comprises a stopper extending inward from the inner surface a predetermined distance. The stopper separates the golf club shaft and insert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: SSG International, LLC
    Inventors: Dean Dingman, Chris Lee
  • Golf club set fitting device, fitting method, and computer-readable medium storing fitting program
    Patent number: 9463366
    Abstract: A device is provided with an obtaining unit, a specifying unit, and a determination unit. The obtaining unit obtains measurement data in which the golfer has performed a test-hit of at least one number of a golf club for each type of golf club from among the multiple types of golf clubs. The specifying unit specifies a relationship of correspondence between a loft angle and a flight-distance for each type of golf club based on the measurement data. The determination unit determines, based on the relationship of correspondence, a type of golf club having a large flight-distance with respect to a loft angle as a best-match type, which is a type of golf club best matched to the golfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
    Inventor: Kazuya Kamino
  • CG height adjustability by conformalweighting
    Patent number: 9463361
    Abstract: A golf club head comprising a conformal weight sized to fit within a recess or channel disposed in a crown or sole is disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the crown or sole itself is a conformal weight, and is removably affixed to a base structure comprising a striking face and a skeletal support structure. In other embodiments, the golf club head comprises a conformal weight in the form of a sole cap that is removably affixed to the golf club head and covers small weight ports disposed in the sole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Tim Goudarzi, Steven M. Ehlers, Matthew Myers, Larry Tang, Wee Joung Kim, Philip G. Foster, Wayne H. Byrne
  • Grip for sporting equipment
    Patent number: 9452329
    Abstract: A grip for sporting equipment is provided having at least one grip end, a grip end portion extending from each of the at least one grip ends, and a center portion adapted to receive the gripping end of the equipment. Each grip end portion defines a receiver for receiving one or more layers substantially overlaying the center portion. Typically, the grip end portions are fabricated of durable material for protecting the grip ends from damage. The receivers reduce adhesive leakage from between the center portion and the layers and from between the layers. The receivers also protect opposed ends of the layers from damage. The layers may be fabricated of lightweight materials. The thickness of layers formed of lightweight materials may be increased without greatly increasing the grip's weight, thereby increasing the grip's size without greatly increasing its weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Inventor: Clive S. Lu
  • Variable length shaft
    Patent number: 9452328
    Abstract: A variable length golf club shaft is disclosed herein. The variable length shaft includes a hollow lower shaft with a plurality of holes, a hollow upper shaft with at least one protrusion extending from an inner surface that is sized to fit within the plurality of holes, and an unlocking bar. The shaft length can be adjusted by sliding the upper shaft over the lower shaft and using the unlocking bar to release the protrusion from the holes to allow overall shaft length adjustments. in another embodiment, the variable length shaft includes a hollow lower shaft, a hollow upper shaft, an engaging insert, and a locking bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANY
    Inventor: Broadus Perry Wall, Jr.
  • Compression interchangeable golf grip
    Patent number: 9452333
    Abstract: An interchangeable golf grip secured by a snap compression unit that enters into a golf club shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Inventor: Paul Chalifoux
  • Adjustable golf club
    Patent number: 9446291
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described herein to provide a golf club, such as, for example, a putter, with a select loft angle and/or a select lie angle. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a golf club having a golf club head, a hosel, and a hosel shim. The golf club head has a hosel shank and the hosel is configured to be coupled to the hosel shank. The hosel shim is configured to be coupled to the hosel to position the hosel at a select angle relative to the golf club head such that the golf club has a select lie angle. The hosel shim is further configured to limit rotational movement of the hosel relative to the golf club head such that the select lie angle is maintained when the hosel is coupled to the golf club head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Inventors: Vikash Sanyal, David Stuart Cooper, Jr., Jeffrey D. Sheets
  • Method of making a grip
    Patent number: 9440128
    Abstract: The disclosure herein includes a grip for a golf club with a flexible tube and a layered sheet. The tube includes a tubular body and raised portions extending from the tubular body. The outer surface of the raised portions cooperates with the layered sheet to form a gripping surface. The grip reduces impact shock and provides a feeling of tackiness while providing increased variation in the physical characteristics of the gripping surface. The disclosure further provides a golf club grip that includes a resilient strip spirally wrapped about an underlisting sleeve having a cap and a nipple. The underside of the cap is formed a downwardly facing circumferential slot that receives the upper edge of the strip. The nipple is formed with an upwardly facing groove that receives the lower portion of the strip. The disclosure further provides for a panel style grip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Inventor: Ben Huang
  • Golf club and golf club head structures
    Patent number: 9440126
    Abstract: Golf clubs and golf club heads having a weight member that is configurable in multiple positions to alter the performance characteristics of the golf club head are presented. In some examples, the weight member may be arranged in a sole of the golf club head and may include ends having different weighting characteristics. For instance, one end may be heavier or denser than another end of the weight member. The difference in weight characteristics may be due to different materials used to form the different ends, different construction of the ends, and the like. The position of the weight member may be adjusted to alter the performance characteristics of the golf club head. For instance, the weight member may be removed and rotated to position a heavier end where a lighter end was previously positioned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Inventors: Robert Boyd, Hiroshi Kawaguchi, Andrew G. V. Oldknow, James S. Thomas
  • Golf club head
    Patent number: 9427637
    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: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd P. Beach, Kraig Alan Willett, Nathan T. Sargent, Michael Franz
  • Golf club configured for multiple adjustability
    Patent number: 9427638
    Abstract: In some embodiments, an adjustable putter includes a club body defining a substantially planar face for striking a golf ball, and a hosel including a hosel neck and a hosel adapter configured to be received within a hosel chamber defined by the club body. The hosel adapter defines an interior channel. The adjustable putter also includes a shaft attachable to the hosel neck, and a housing column. The hosel adapter is configured to rotate about the housing column so as to adjust a lie angle of the hosel neck, and the hosel chamber is configured to prevent rotation of the hosel adapter from increasing the lie angle beyond a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Inventors: Vikash Sanyal, David Stuart Cooper, Jr., Jeffrey D. Sheets