Patents Examined by Steven Wong
  • Golf teeing device
    Patent number: 8968118
    Abstract: A golf teeing device. The golf teeing device preferably engages with a surface, such as an artificial golf mat, such that the user may conveniently place a golf ball to be hit. The golf teeing device is preferably comprised of a base and a top, wherein the base has extensions or hooks that extend in a substantially downward and sideways manner. These hooks, when rotated, grip into the artificial golf mat and hold the invention in place on the mat. The top of the golf teeing device is configured to engage with a golf ball and/or golf tee.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Tee-Claw LLC
    Inventors: John Luther Black, Jr., John Efrin Candias
  • Novelty device for communication between a human being and universal consciousness
    Patent number: 8955845
    Abstract: Novelty device for communication between a human being and universal consciousness (Universal Mind) is a mechanical device with a Central body, suspended on several substantially upright supports, so that the Central body can move (swing) in horizontal plane. The upright supports are attached to a stationary frame. A diagram is attached to the same stationary frame. The diagram displays symbols, numbers, pictures and the like. A clear transparent surface with a colored dot indicator is attached to the moving Central body. In communication, the user holds the frame in his or her hands, observes the movements of the dot indicator over the diagram and interprets the dialog.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Inventor: Alexander Shvedov
  • Game ball
    Patent number: 8951151
    Abstract: A game ball and game for play by a plurality of players with a ball to be passed for player to player that emits a sound at different intervals from slow to rapid during a single play period to indicate to the players a stage of the game is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Inventor: Theresa A. Glowinski
  • Adjustable golf tee setting device with integrated ball marker and divot repair tool
    Patent number: 8951149
    Abstract: A device for setting a consistent ball height on the golf tee for driving is disclosed. Additional features include an incorporated ball marker and putting green divot repair tool, each of which is held in place with a small magnet for easy access and use. The device comprises a cylindrical body made of hard material, such as plastic or wood, with an open lower end and a closed upper surface. The tee is inserted into the open end and rests against the concave head of an internal adjustment screw that the golfer has positioned to the desired ball height. The tee is then pushed into the ground to the meet the bottom of the device. The device is then removed and the ball placed on the tee.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Inventor: Michael G. Gorman
  • Putting green alignment tool
    Patent number: 8939852
    Abstract: A putting alignment tool includes a pair of spaced, telescoping arms each having an upper end and a lower end. The upper ends are joined with a horizontal bubble level having a divot-repair fork hingedly attached thereto. Magnetically attached to the divot-repair fork is a ball marker. The lower ends of the arms are joined with a weighted ball that maintains the tool in a vertical orientation when the tool is suspended. Accordingly, a golfer extends the arms to a desired length and suspends the tool by grasping the upper end. The bubble level allows the golfer to verify that the weighted arms are indeed vertical. Then, the ball and cup are framed between the two arms to determine the optimum putting path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Inventor: Michael Waggoner
  • Interactive educational toy
    Patent number: 8936245
    Abstract: An interactive educational toy, having six faces in a manner permitting multi-planar movement; each of the six jointed faces is comprised of plurality of bars pivotally connected in a pantographic configuration; the six faces each include sides, and the sides of adjacent faces are hinged together to form a cube that can shift into variously proportioned parallelepipeds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Inventor: Benjamin D Hopson
  • Foldable golf tee
    Patent number: 8936521
    Abstract: Disclosed is a golf tee foldable, through rotation, in a direction of a drive swing to prevent breakages and loss and increase the drive shot distance. The golf tee comprises a ball platform; a supporting pillar connecting the ball platform to a coupling ball; and a ball coupling portion having a fixation pin. The ball is coupled to the ball coupling portion via an elongate burrow circumferentially defined on the outer surface of the ball, which mates with an elongate ridge formed on a hemispherical inner surface of the ball coupling portion. At the stroke of a drive swing, the burrow slides over the relatively shorter ridge to allow rotation of the coupling ball and supporting pillar, causing the golf tee be fold in a direction of the drive swing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Inventor: Abraham C. Lee
  • Oblong throwing ball with central passage
    Patent number: 8932160
    Abstract: A throwable ball having a large internal passage aligned with its central axis. An insert defines the bounds of the internal passage. This insert is surrounded by compressible foam that gives the ball an easy gripping surface. Interlock features are preferably provided between the insert and the compressible foam so that they do not slip relative to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Inventors: Dallas Turner, Jeffrey Mitchell
  • Football training aid
    Patent number: 8926458
    Abstract: A football training aid for football practice with an external battery powered activation and a variable speed setting control mechanism in communication with an internal cam driven assembly configured to create a dynamic inertia and a shaking motion of the football when activated, thereby making the football more difficult to catch. Power speed settings range from slow to fast to accommodate the skill and age of the player and increase player grip strength to enhance performance during practice to simulate the movement of a football in game situations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Inventor: Cody J. Wood
  • Sport balls and methods of manufacturing the sport balls
    Patent number: 8926459
    Abstract: A sport ball may include a casing that forms an exterior surface of the sport ball. The casing may incorporate a plurality of joined panels, including a closure panel. In addition, the ball may include a backing layer located radially inward of the closure panel, the backing layer extending beyond a peripheral boundary of the closure panel and at least partially overlapping with one or more panels adjacent to the closure panel. The backing layer may also include an opening located radially inward of the closure panel, the opening being smaller than the surface area of the closure panel. Also, the ball may include a bladder located radially inward of the backing layer, the bladder including a valve for introducing fluid into the ball, the valve extending through the opening and through the closure panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott R Berggren, Scott W. Johnson, Vincent F. White
  • Automatic tee and golf ball positioner for golf courses
    Patent number: 8926442
    Abstract: The invention relates to a portable and ergonomic instrument for storing golf balls and tees and for automatically positioning a tee in the ground at a predetermined height and a ball in balance thereon, by means of a movement of one hand on the part of the player in the standing position. Said instrument consists primarily of a main body (10) serving as a storage unit (12) for balls (Bn), a multi-purpose shuttle (20) and a retaining clamp (P). After setting the desired height of the ball on the thumbwheel (50), the alternating movement of the shuttle (20) from abutment to abutment, using the knob (21), first upward, then downward and finally upward, enables the result to be achieved. Any golfer who has difficulty bending down or squatting, and those who do not wish to bend down or squat, may be interested in owning such an instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Inventor: Gérard Dubois
  • Ballmark repair tool and methods
    Patent number: 8920265
    Abstract: A ballmark repair tool. In one embodiment, the device comprises a handle assembly to allow the user to stand upright when repairing a ballmark on a putting green and a twistable prong assembly. The twistable prong assemble may include a plurality of planetary gears and a pinion gear that is engaged with the planetary gears. The result is a device and method of repairing a putting green that allows uniform and properly repaired ballmarks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Inventor: Paul W. Jones
  • Article of footwear with maze
    Patent number: 8919776
    Abstract: An article of footwear is provided having one or more maze units each comprising a base mounted to the upper of the footwear, a transparent cover secured about the periphery of the base defining a hollow enclosure and an array of partitions located within the enclosure forming channels along which one or more objects are movable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: BBC International LLC
    Inventors: Linda Bellone, Alison O'Brien
  • Amusement ball with internal structure for releasing wall staining liquid
    Patent number: 8915809
    Abstract: The amusement ball for a user having an inner surface membrane filled with air, a thin puncturable unit covering the inner surface membrane and an outer membrane unit covering the thin puncturable unit. The thin puncturable unit includes one or more first chambers and a thin puncturable membrane attached to the one or more first chambers. The outer membrane unit includes one or more second chambers and a non-permeable outer membrane attached to the one or more second chambers. A user applies a pressure on a specific location of the inner surface membrane through the outer membrane unit resulting in the bursting of the thin puncturable membrane and release of the liquid from one or more first chambers to one or more second chambers. The liquid then appears on the inner surface of outer permeable membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Inventor: Dan Canobbio
  • Puzzle
    Patent number: 8910942
    Abstract: A puzzle having a plurality of puzzle pieces configured to be assembled into a plurality of different coherent images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Inventors: Avraham Cohen, Dean Gah
  • Game ball cover with improved stripes
    Patent number: 8905876
    Abstract: An American football is configured for direct contact with a user's hands and includes first and second transversely extending stripes and a plurality of cover panels. The cover panels have an outer surface formed of a first material. One of the cover panels is formed of first, second and third sub-panels. One of the side edges of the first and second stripes is fixedly coupled to one of the first and second sub-panels, respectively, and the other of the side edges of the first and second stripes is fixedly coupled to one of the second and third sub-panels, respectively. The stripes having an outer surface formed of a second material. The second material has a static coefficient of friction that is greater than the static coefficient of friction of the first material when measured in accordance with the standard test method for static coefficient of friction of ASTM D1894-01.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: Douglas G. Guenther, Kevin L. Krysiak, Ming Hsin Lee
  • Sportsball with integral ball casing and bladder body
    Patent number: 8900077
    Abstract: A sportsball includes a barebone ball and an outer ball cover. The barebone ball includes an inflatable bladder body and a ball casing. The ball casing, which is formed in an integrated structure, has an outer circumferential surface, an inner circumferential surface to define an interior cavity to fittingly enclose the bladder body therein, and a plurality of pre-formed channels integrally and indently formed on the outer circumferential surface, such that the ball casing and the bladder body enclosed therewithin form a one piece integrated semi-product of the sportsball. The outer ball cover comprising a plurality of outer cover panels overlapping on the outer circumferential surface of the ball casing at a position that edges of each of the outer cover panels are aligned with the corresponding pre-formed channels respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Topball Sports Inc.
    Inventor: Tsung Ming Ou
  • Golf tee and manufacturing method thereof
    Patent number: 8900073
    Abstract: Disclosed is a golf tee including a main body having an upper seat on which a golf ball is supported; an insertion pin having a lower pointed part; and a connection pin connecting the insertion pin and the main body, the connection pin including an upper integral-type head part and a body part extending from the head part and having a lower screw section on a lower end thereof and around which a spring is integrally fitted, the insertion pin having an elongated screw hole extending from an upper central portion thereof such that the screw part of the connection pin is screwed therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Koviss Sports Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyung Choon Lee, Sung Eun Lee
  • Self-stabilizing jigsaw puzzle
    Patent number: 8888099
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a jigsaw puzzle having at least two puzzle parts wherein each of the mutually facing circumferential edge sections on both sides of the connecting region and remote from the latter is provided with at least one circumferential edge piece, along which the course of the circumferential edge is defined by the bisector of a two-dimensional angle which is formed between two straight lines which intersect on the bisector and by an upper end point of the associated one of the mutually facing circumferential edge sections of the two puzzle parts to an upper end point of an opposite circumferential edge of the same puzzle part such that when puzzle parts are joined together along mutually facing circumferential edge sections, contact between the two puzzle parts occurs exclusively on said circumferential edge pieces and in the region of the undercut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Ravensburger Spieleverlag GmbH
    Inventors: Florian Knell, Jörg R. Bauer
  • Golf tool kit
    Patent number: 8882605
    Abstract: A golf tool kit comprises a casing having a through hole, a reel fixed in the casing, a divot repair tool detachably attached to the casing, a ball marker magnetically attached to the divot tool, a belt clip rotatably attached to the casing opposing the divot repair tool, a flexible material retractably extending via the through hole from the reel, a holder having a hole, a first towel extending from the holder, and a second towel extending from the holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Inventor: Sun Young Lee