Patents Examined by Steven B. Wong
  • Patent number: 11660508
    Abstract: A luminous leather for a sports ball includes a base fabric, a polyurethane (PU) layer, a luminous layer and a film. The base fabric, the PU layer, the luminous layer and the film are sequentially bonded by glue from bottom to top. The luminous layer is a fluorescent coating. The luminous leather for the sports ball has an enhanced luminous effect while being wear-resistant. In the new luminous leather, the luminous layer is added, and the luminous layer is a fluorescent coating. In this way, sports balls made of the new luminous leather come in different surface colors to be more entertaining. Meanwhile, a film is immediately coated onto the luminous layer by a roller before the glue gets dry to enhance the luminous effect and the color brightness, while making the entire leather more wear-resistant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: ZHANGZHOU CITY GUANTENG SPORTS PRODUCTS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Lucheng Chen
  • Patent number: 11660507
    Abstract: A sports ball comprising a cover disposed about a bladder is provided. The cover comprises an outer substrate and defines an outer substrate surface and a feature surface. The outer substrate surface defines a plurality of plateau sections. The feature surface is radially spaced apart from the outer substrate surface and further defines a plurality of indentations and a plurality of protrusions. Each indentation has an indentation terminus disposed on the feature surface and radially spaced apart from the outer substrate surface by an indentation depth. The protrusions are positioned on the plateau sections, and each protrusion has a protrusion terminus disposed on the feature surface and radially spaced apart from the outer substrate surface by a protrusion height. At least one protrusion is positioned less than a predetermined distance of about 1.0 millimeters from at least one of the indentations, thereby acting as a wickerbill on the ball.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: George S. Kim, Arthur Parker Molinari
  • Patent number: 11648460
    Abstract: A memory puzzle is provided that may include one or more levels of rotatable level housing, a number of puzzle spaces disposed on the rotatable level housings, and a piston for indicating that a portion of the puzzle has been solved, wherein the piston raises to a high level as levels of the puzzle are solved, wherein the puzzle is solved when a code is achieved by rotating the rotatable level housings in a specific pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Creative Brainworks, LLC
    Inventors: Anthony Esposito, Philipp Elliott, Corey Wilcox, Edward Packer, Aaron Nelson
  • Patent number: 11638858
    Abstract: Training balls are presented including: a solid sphere defining a first hemisphere and a second hemisphere; a tactile feature positioned along a first surface of the first hemisphere and substantially centered with the first hemisphere; a first grooved feature positioned along a second surface of the second hemisphere, where the first grooved feature includes a first body portion and a first pair of leg portions each extending from each end of the first body portion at a first congruent angle; and a second grooved feature positioned along the second surface of the second hemisphere, where the second grooved feature includes a second body portion and a second pair of leg portions each extending from each end of the second body portion at a second congruent angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: ELYSIAN ONE, INC.
    Inventor: Christopher Jon Mackie
  • Patent number: 11628341
    Abstract: A golf-tee mount is an apparatus that easily and effectively secures a golf-tee body into the ground. The apparatus includes golf-tee body, a mountable base, and a plurality of spikes. The golf-tee body upholds a golf ball that is about to be hit and is preferably made of a flexible material. The mountable base stabilizes and attaches the golf-tee body into the ground and allows the golf-tee body to be interchangeable as needed and is preferably made of a rigid material. Furthermore, the mountable base may remain connected with the ground while interchanging the golf-tee body. The plurality of spikes penetrates the ground and allows a user to easily fasten the mountable base, and consequently the golf-tee body, into the ground. The golf-tee body further includes a plurality of finger-receiving grooves that allows the user to better grip the golf-tee body while connecting the golf-tee body with the mountable base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Inventor: James F. Buergin
  • Patent number: 11617930
    Abstract: A golf tee tether assembly for PURPOSE includes a cable has a length of no less than 19.0 inches. A pair of grommets is each attached to a respective end of the cable. Each of the grommets has an inside diameter of no more than 0.312 inches thereby facilitating each of the grommets to insertably receive a golf tee. A first one of the grommets is positionable at a drive location on a golf course to support a golf ball for driving the golf ball. A second one of the grommets is positionable at an anchor location that is displaced from the drive location. In this way the golf tee in the second grommet inhibits the golf tee in the first grommet from flying away when the golf ball is driven.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Inventors: Bruce Johnson, Carol Johnson
  • Patent number: 11612807
    Abstract: The puzzle storage box disclosed herein may comprise an internal locking mechanism designed to challenge ingenuity while being embedded within an assembly of unlimited form potentiality. In one variation, the internal locking mechanism is embedded in a shallow container and may be used for more personal, everyday carry. In another variation, the internal locking mechanism is embedded in a deeper container for increased volume and prominent display. The internal locking mechanism will be incorporated into endless shapes and forms, and its novel method of operation will be respectively conveyed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Inventor: David Charles Morris
  • Patent number: 11571612
    Abstract: A divot repair tool for fixing divots in the playing surface made while playing golf. The tool is attached to the grip of a golf club and used to replace and fix divots in the grass. The club allows the tool to be extended to the ground without bending over or squatting down, thus reducing sports related injuries. The divot repair tool includes removable prongs and blade that can be used to fix the divot holes using a levering motion or a rotational motion. The divot repair tool can include an automated motorized embodiment that can rotate the tool and the individual prongs to repair the divot holes. Both versions can press the divot material up against a flat surface of the tool to further flatten the playing surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Inventor: Ryan Harland Tarrant
  • Patent number: 11565155
    Abstract: A sports ball includes an inflatable ball or a non-inflatable ball. A photosensitive layer is provided on an outer side of the non-inflatable ball. The inflatable ball includes an inner bladder. An outer side of the inner bladder is bonded to a patch layer through an adhesive layer. A valve core is fixed and penetrates from an inner side of the inner bladder to an outer side of the patch layer, such that the inner side of the inner bladder communicates with the outer side of the patch layer through the valve core. A spacer groove is formed between the outer side of the inner bladder and the patch layer. A sealing strip is bonded to an inner side of the spacer groove; and the photosensitive layer is provided on the outer side of the patch layer. The photosensitive layer includes UV photochromic powder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: ZHANGZHOU CITY GUANTENG SPORTS PRODUCTS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Lucheng Chen
  • Patent number: 11559734
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a surface orientation sensing structure, where six printed circuit boards are combined to form a regular hexahedron as the axis of an intelligent magic cube, and a main control chipset can recognize layer rotation by simply sweeping a copper foil through a brush sheet to cause a level change, so that the position change of the layer can be recognized more accurately, a step loss rate is reduced, parts are reduced, and the assembly process is simplified. The present invention further discloses an intelligent magic cube, where all the parts related to orientation sensing are concentrated on the axis, so that the intelligent magic cube can be operated more easily and smoothly, the intelligent functions of the intelligent magic cube can be used more smoothly, and user experience is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: GUANGZHOU GANYUAN INTELLIGENT TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ganyuan Jiang
  • Patent number: 11559725
    Abstract: A lighted sports ball is provided. The lighted sports ball includes an interior housing through which light can pass. The interior housing features a cavity within the interior housing. The lighted sports ball further includes a circuit board mounted to the interior housing. The circuit board is connected to a battery and has a light module as well as a controller for controlling an output of the at least one light module. An exterior cover is applied over the interior housing. The exterior cover has an aperture through which light from the light module can pass. Further, a lighted sports ball kit including a lighted sports ball and a charging stand is provided. Furthermore, a method for using the lighted sports ball is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Southern Telecom Inc.
    Inventor: Sol Ayal
  • Patent number: 11534663
    Abstract: Some embodiments of the lightweight golf clubs described herein include a thin crown, a thin sole, a mass efficient weight system, and a thin faceplate to maximize performance gains (e.g., ball travel distance, impact efficiency, and ball speed) targeted to individuals with swing speeds less than 85 mph. As will be further described below, in order to achieve a lightweight golf club head (having a thin crown, a thin sole, a mass efficient weight system, and a thin faceplate), the golf club head further comprises a crown-to-faceplate bridge and a sole-to-faceplate bridge to control the characteristic time (CT) properties of the golf club head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Travis D. Milleman, Eric J. Morales, Ryan M. Stokke
  • Patent number: 11524212
    Abstract: A method of customizing a golf club, wherein the method includes generating operating data representative of a user operating a mechanical device. The operating data is generated by a first sensor sized and configured to be removably positioned in a mounting port formed on the mechanical device during operation of the mechanical device. The sensor is interchangeably positionable in the mounting port with at least one mass insert, the at least one mass insert being adapted to be interchangeably positioned in the mounting to provide at least two different mass configurations. The method further includes determining a recommended configuration of the at least one mass insert specific to the user based on the operating data generated by the sensor, and transmitting information representative of the recommended mass insert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Keith Dolezel, Dan Nivanh, Patrick Ripp
  • Patent number: 11524222
    Abstract: Provided is a polyhedral toy which has a wider variety of playing patterns and cannot be predicted in terms of change in forms to thereby enable enhancement of elements of puzzles. A first polyhedral piece for forming an upper face of a cube is coupled to a second polyhedral piece for forming a first side face of the cube and a third polyhedral piece for forming a second side face adjacent to the first side face at respective sides of bottom faces of the first polyhedral piece, the second polyhedral piece, and the third polyhedral piece. The second polyhedral piece is coupled to a fourth polyhedral piece for forming a third side face opposed to the second side face of the cube at respective sides of the bottom face of the second polyhedral piece and a bottom face of the fourth polyhedral piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Hanayama International Trading Limited
    Inventors: Kobayashi Kunihiro, Nishihara Akira
  • Patent number: 11511164
    Abstract: A football device includes an outer skin and an inner bladder to be inflatable and substantially resemble and perform like an actual football. The football device includes a sensor unit that can sense various performance metrics and wirelessly communicate data to another device such as a mobile device. To maintain a feel and performance as close to an actual football as possible, a battery powering the sensor unit is wirelessly recharged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Inventor: Danya Ganj Francis
  • Patent number: 11504590
    Abstract: An adjustable golf tee comprises a body extending from a head, a plurality of bulbous portions extending radially from the body and spaced apart along a length of the body, and a flexible stop adjustably secured to the body between an adjacent pair of the plurality of bulbous portions. The flexible stop comprises a disc defining a central hole through which the body is configured to pass to releasably connect the flexible stop to the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: YATTA GOLF LLC
    Inventors: Abraham Bedard, Kelby Gatrell, Benjamin Bedard
  • Patent number: 11497985
    Abstract: A 3-dimensional logic game has a support structure, an actuating structure attached to the support structure and game elements attached to the actuating structure. The game elements are formed as carriages provided with first and second marking surfaces and are slidably mounted on rails attached to the actuating structure. The actuating structure is movable between a first and a second rest position. In the first rest position, a first group of three rails form first rail rings around vertices of a first tetrahedron wherein the first marking surfaces of the carriages are facing outwardly, while the second marking surfaces are facing inwardly. In the second rest position, a second group of three rails form second rail rings around vertices of a second tetrahedron while in the point reflection of the first tetrahedron reflected over the geometric centre thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Inventor: János Szabolcs
  • Patent number: 11491374
    Abstract: An illuminated pickleball contains an elongated illuminated element with two opposing ends and comprises a shell that includes a plurality of apertures therethrough, two of which being designated as access aperture. The shell includes two opposing element holders which each include a shank projecting inwardly from the inside surface at one of the access apertures and which are mutually longitudinally aligned through a center point of the shell. Each holder is adapted for receiving the elongated illumination element and for retaining one of the opposing ends of the elongated illumination element by friction. When one end of the illumination element is inserted through an access aperture and then through one of the holders to engage the opposing holder, the opposing end of the elongated illumination element is retained, and the illumination element traverses through the center point of the shell and illuminates the pickleball from within.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Inventor: Corky F. Newcomb
  • Patent number: 11484780
    Abstract: A magnetic levitation magic cube includes edge blocks, corner blocks and center blocks. Inner sides of two side faces close to the corner blocks of the edge block each are provided with three magnet mounting grooves, and a magnet is mounted in each of the magnet mounting grooves. The center block includes a center block body and a center block cover. The center block cover covers and is spliced to the opening of the center block body. The center block further includes an upper magnetic disk and a lower magnetic disk. The upper magnetic disk is provided with a through-hole for fastening a central shaft of the magic cube. The lower magnetic disk is provided with a through-hole for the central shaft of the magic cube to pass through. Two repelling annular magnets are fixedly mounted in each of the upper magnetic disk and the lower magnetic disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: GUANGZHOU GANYUAN INIELLIGENT TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ganyuan Jiang
  • Patent number: 11484761
    Abstract: A portable magnification angle adjuster for golf putting is proposed. More particularly, in the portable magnification angle adjuster for golf putting, the decrease of the beauty and portability of the magnification angle adjuster due to the protruding of the knob from the casing during the rotation of a knob for the rectilinear movement of a rotation weight is prevented, and the range of the engagement of threads formed to move the rotation weight is limited such that the moving distance of the rotation weight is limited. To this end, the portable magnification angle adjuster includes: a casing; an indication hand; a knob; and a dial; and a rotation weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Inventor: Hyun Duk Uhm