Patents Examined by Steven Wong
  • Divot repair tool
    Patent number: 8882611
    Abstract: A divot repair tool includes a blade member coupled to a handle disposed relative to the blade at an angle advantageous to ball mark repair. The blade member may be movable with respect to the handle between an open position and a closed position. The tool can include one or more indentations or other indicia to indicate how to properly grip the handle, as well as indicia indicating proper use of the divot repair tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Inventor: Philip J. Schaaf
  • Golf tee installation device
    Patent number: 8870686
    Abstract: A golf tee placement apparatus for inserting golf tees and setting up of golf balls from a standing position. The apparatus comprises a tube with an upper end having a hand grip assembly for holding and operating the apparatus. The tube allows loading and moving a golf tee and golf ball downward to a ball holder assembly which retains the golf ball in place above the golf tee. The handle assembly includes a trigger release mechanism which opens and closes the ball holder assembly to release the golf ball and golf tee, leaving a set up golf ball on a golf tee behind.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Inventor: Jerome G. Johnson
  • American-style football including electronics
    Patent number: 8870690
    Abstract: An American style football including an inflatable bladder, at least two cover panels surrounding the bladder, a lacing coupled to the at least one cover panel, and an electronic circuit. Each of the cover panels includes an outermost layer and a lining. The electronic circuit is coupled to at least one of the cover panels. The electronic circuit includes at least one sensor. The electronic circuit is configured to produce a signal to enable the position and movement of the football to be monitored during use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: Kevin L. Krysiak, Douglas G. Guenther, Bradley L. Gaff, Mark W. Fisher
  • American-style football including electronics coupled to the bladder
    Patent number: 8870689
    Abstract: An American style football including an inflatable bladder, a cover surrounding the bladder, a lacing coupled to the at least one cover panel, and an electronic circuit. The electronic circuit is coupled to the bladder. The electronic circuit includes at least one sensor and the electronic circuit being configured to produce a signal to enable the position and movement of the football to be monitored during use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods, Co.
    Inventors: Kevin L. Krysiak, Douglas G. Guenther, Bradley L. Gaff, Mark W. Fisher
  • Sport ball casing with integrated bladder material
    Patent number: 8852039
    Abstract: A sport ball may include a plurality of panels having a first surface and an opposite second surface, the first surface forming a majority of an exterior surface of the ball. In addition, the sport ball may include an interior layer secured to the second surface of the panels and forming substantially all of an interior surface of the ball to retain a fluid within the ball, the interior layer extending between the panels to join the panels together. Further the sport ball may include a valve secured to the interior layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Vincent F. White, Scott W. Johnson
  • Football with aerodynamic lace
    Patent number: 8845466
    Abstract: Lace designs for footballs are provided. The laces have geometries that improve the aerodynamic characteristics of the football during flight. Additionally, the placement of the laces on the football is selected to maximize aerodynamic performance of the football during flight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph J. Bevier
  • Basketball having indicia to enhance visibility
    Patent number: 8845465
    Abstract: A spheroidal ball includes a body having three grooves that define divisions on the ball. The ball includes a first color and a second color that contrasts with the first color. The second color may be applied in various regions, areas, or sections of the ball to enhance the visibility of the ball in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph J. Bevier
  • Low ground clearance-type ball supply device
    Patent number: 8840482
    Abstract: A ball supply device where a ball is automatically supplied to a designated position is provided. The ball supply device includes a mat unit having an inclined surface and a hole, where a ball provided along the inclined surface is positioned; a tee member lifted up and down along an axial line of the hole in the mat unit and moving the ball positioned in the hole to a tee shot position at a spot that is upwardly spaced from a plane of the mat unit; a loading unit located on a plane lower than the mat unit and moving the ball loaded thereon to the mat unit; and a feeding member positioned between the loading unit and the mat unit and providing balls, which are provided from the loading unit one by one, to the inclined surface of the mat unit by performing a swing motion within a range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: RD-Tek Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Song Hwan Choi
  • Club-swing practice apparatus
    Patent number: 8821321
    Abstract: A club-swing practice apparatus includes a tee and a bar assembled to the tee. The tee has a positioning portion and a ball supporter. The bar is assembled to the tee and has a coupling portion capable of being coupled with the ball supporter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Inventor: Pin-Hui Chiang
  • Spatial logical and skill improvement game, particularly a labyrinth game
    Patent number: 8807566
    Abstract: The spatial logical and skill improvement game according to the invention is characterized by that the body thereof consists of coaxial body portions arranged at one or multiple layers, and that a labyrinth is formed inside the body and/or the body portions by path sections, pockets and ends, and the game comprises at least one toy element movable through the path sections, pockets, and ends constituting the labyrinth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Art & Smart Egg Kft.
    Inventor: András Zagyvai
  • Three-dimensional jigsaw puzzle
    Patent number: 8800994
    Abstract: A three-dimensional jigsaw puzzle comprising a base, a post fixedly secured to and emanating upwardly from the base, a first group of pieces, where each piece in the first group has a through-bore to enable stacking about the post and also has at least one radially extending projection in a shape of a trapezoidal solid, and a second group of pieces, where each piece in the second group has at least one radially extending projection in the shape of a trapezoidal solid. The first and second groups of pieces are operatively arranged to stack and interlock with one another to form a cylindrically shaped structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Great Circle Works Inc.
    Inventor: Marko Pavlovic
  • Distance to golf cup measuring accessory
    Patent number: 8801546
    Abstract: A tape measure is attached to an accessory attached to a flag pole residing in a golf course hole. The accessory includes a mouth openable to engage the flag pole. Once the mouth is closed, the pole resides in a throat surrounded by a plurality of rollers residing co-axial with the pole. The rollers allow the accessory to freely rotate on the flag pole, but include a non-slip outer surface to prevent the accessory from sliding on the pole. Tape is drawn from the tape measure attached to a measuring tape attachment feature to measure the distance to a golf ball, and the accessory freely rotates on the flag pole to provide accurate repeatable measurements. The tape measure is preferably attached to an axially rotating measuring tape attachment feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Inventors: Dave Roark, James A. Rogers
  • Golf tee positioning tool
    Patent number: 8795104
    Abstract: A hand-held golf tee tool which ensures a consistent vertical placement of a golf tee comprises a “T”-shaped body. The body includes a recess which mimics the shape of a golf tee in order to retain the golf tee via friction fit for placement in a desired ground area. Height adjustment segments are removably attached to a lower surface of the body to increase the height of the golf tee.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Inventors: Velvet Hice, Danny Ivy, Mark Gibson
  • Sport ball
    Patent number: 8777787
    Abstract: A sport ball may include a casing, an intermediate layer, and a bladder. In manufacturing the sport ball, a panel element of the casing and the bladder may be located in a mold, and a polymer foam material of the intermediate layer may be injected into an area between the bladder and the panel element. In addition, edges of panel element may be heatbonded to each other to join the panel elements and form seams of the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Geoffrey C. Raynak, Zvi Rapaport, Vincent F. White, Mark McNamee
  • Mesh golf tee
    Patent number: 8771099
    Abstract: Embodiments of a mesh golf tee are disclosed having a shaft and an upper mesh portion for supporting a golf ball. The upper mesh portion may provide less resistance to a club to allow greater power applied to the ball. The mesh portion may also flex such that the ball is not deflected by any portion of the tee upon impact by a golf club, allowing for greater consistency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Inventor: John M. Hartline
  • Sport ball with an inflation-retention bladder
    Patent number: 8771115
    Abstract: A sport ball may include a casing, a bladder, and a valve. The casing forms at least a portion of an exterior surface of the ball. The bladder is located within the casing for enclosing a pressurized fluid, and the bladder may be formed from a material that includes a first layer of thermoplastic polymer material and a second layer of a barrier material. The valve is for introducing the fluid to the bladder, and the valve is secured to the bladder and accessible from an exterior of the casing. A tie layer may be located between the flange and a surface of the bladder to join the flange to the bladder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott R. Berggren, Mark McNamee, Scott W. Johnson, Eric L. Fliss
  • Ball
    Patent number: 8771110
    Abstract: A valve for a ball includes a casing and a core. The core is arranged at least partially inside the casing. The core comprises a first sealing area with a plurality of sections which have alternating concave and convex curvatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: adidas International Marketing B.V.
    Inventor: Volker Peter Steidle
  • Multi-use golf device
    Patent number: 8764587
    Abstract: A multi-use golf device is able to be used as a golf tee and as a divot repair tool. The multi-use golf device includes two portions that move relative to one another to change a configuration of the multi-use golf device. In a first configuration the multi-use device is generally extended and can hold a golf ball above a ground level. In a second configuration two portions of the multi-use golf device can be positioned near each other to repair a divot in a golf course putting green.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Inventors: George Sinanis, John Turcotte
  • Three-dimensional alphanumeric puzzle game and its associated method of play
    Patent number: 8746699
    Abstract: A novelty game that utilizes a plurality of alphanumeric-shaped playing pieces. Each playing piece has a body shaped as a letter or number. The body has a flat face surface, a parallel rear surface, and side edges that interconnect the face surface to the rear surface. The width of the side edges is large enough to enable each playing piece to stand upright on-edge and unsupported. A plurality of mechanical connectors are present on the playing pieces. The connectors enable each playing piece to physically interconnect with at least two others of the playing pieces to form an assemblage of letters or numbers word. When a conjoined assemblage is formed, only one or some of the playing pieces touch the ground. Most are supported in the air as the playing pieces build atop one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Forrest-Pruzan Creative LLC
    Inventors: Alan Pruzan, Andrew Forrest, Jay Wheatley
  • Game ball having optimally positioned grooves
    Patent number: 8740734
    Abstract: A basketball having an outer surface and including a first set of channels formed into the outer surface of the basketball. The basketball further includes a bladder, a carcass and at least one cover panel. The carcass covers the bladder and has an outer surface that defines a second set of channels. The cover panel(s) is positioned over the carcass and over at least one of the channels of the second set of channels. The cover panel(s) generally conforms to the shape of the outer surface of the carcass such that the cover panel defines at least one groove in the outer surface of the basketball corresponding to the channels of the second set of channels. The depth of the groove is greater than or equal to 0.7 mm and less than or equal to 10 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventor: Kevin L. Krysiak