Patents by Inventor Arthur Molinari

Arthur Molinari has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8992340
    Abstract: A high performance golf ball includes a resin inner core, a rubber outer core, and a cover. The resin inner core is made of highly neutralized polymer, and may include a blend of different highly neutralized polymers. The cover is a two layer cover, with a hard inner cover and a thermoplastic polyurethane outer cover. The ball as a whole has properties to maximize performance and aesthetic properties, such as feel and sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Hideyuki Ishii, Yasushi Ichikawa, Arthur Molinari, Jun Ichinose, Chen-Tai Liu
  • Patent number: 8979676
    Abstract: A golf ball having certain relationships and values of its initial velocities at various club head speeds is provided. The golf ball has a typical initial velocity at a low club head speed, but an increased initial velocity at a high club head speed. Therefore, the golf ball may be advantageously used by both amateur golfers having lower swing speeds and professional golfers having high swing speeds. The golf ball may also achieve an initial velocity of at least about 173 mph at a club head speed of about 125 mph, therefore achieving an increased total shot distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: Hideyuki Ishii, Yasushi Ichikawa, Arthur Molinari, Chien-Hsin Chou, Chin-Shun Ko, Chen-Tai Liu, Jun Ichinose
  • Patent number: 8982216
    Abstract: A portable movement capture device is described. The portable movement capture device includes one or more cameras that capture high-speed video or still images of a player performing a sports activity. In one embodiment, the sports activity is a golf swing of a golfer. The portable movement capture device is arranged in a housing with one or more cameras and may optionally include a number of additional components to assist with capturing information associated with a player performing a sports activity. The captured information is analyzed using a method of finite element analysis to isolate a portion of the captured information. With this arrangement, specific regions of a player are analyzed, individually, or relatively with other regions, for a particular movement associated with the sports activity. A handheld motion capture device is also described that combines components of a portable movement capture device with an integrated display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: Hideyuki Ishii, Nicholas A. Leech, Yutaka Kabeshita, Arthur Molinari
  • Patent number: 8950236
    Abstract: Methods for evaluating and providing selections of recommended golf balls, golf ball constructions, and configurations of golf ball construction components are provided. Such methods may involve obtaining or measuring spin measurements against a plurality of golf clubs for each of a plurality of golf balls. A linear relationship may be used to determine a spin slope for each golf ball on the basis of the set of spin measurements associated with that golf ball. In turn, a selection of a recommended golf ball, golf ball construction, or configuration of a ball construction component may be made based upon which golf ball has the larger spin slope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Hideyuki Ishii, Yasushi Ichikawa, Nicholas A. Leech, Arthur Molinari
  • Patent number: 8944937
    Abstract: A method of recycling a multi-material inner part of a golf ball includes a variety of steps. The inner part and cover are separated from one another. The inner part is pulverized into pieces. The pieces are placed in a liquid to separate the pieces of one material from the pieces of the other materials. A ball designed for use in such a system is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: Arthur Molinari
  • Patent number: 8944935
    Abstract: A high performance golf ball includes a resin inner core, a rubber outer core, and a cover. The resin inner core is made of a blend of highly neutralized polymers and a low flexural modulus ionomer, and may include a blend of different highly neutralized polymers. The inner core has a specified relationship of coefficients of restitution of the various layers of the ball. The cover is a single layer ionomer cover, and may be made from a blend of different grades of the ionomer. The ball as a whole has properties to maximize performance and aesthetic properties, such as backspin off the irons, feel, and sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Yasushi Ichikawa, Arthur Molinari, Chien-Hsin Chou, Chen-Tai Liu, Jun Ichinose
  • Patent number: 8936520
    Abstract: A high performance golf ball includes a resin inner core, a rubber outer core, and a cover. The resin inner core is made of a blend of highly neutralized polymers and a low flexural modulus ionomer, and may include a blend of different highly neutralized polymers. A hardness relationship between the layers of the ball is specified to achieve particular performance characteristics. The cover is a single layer ionomer cover, and may be made from a blend of different grades of the ionomer. The ball as a whole has properties to maximize performance and aesthetic properties, such as backspin off the irons, feel, and sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Yasushi Ichikawa, Arthur Molinari, Chien-Hsin Chou, Chen-Tai Liu
  • Patent number: 8932680
    Abstract: Method of making a golf ball. A blend of a first highly neutralized acid polymer, a second highly neutralized acid polymer, and an ionomer-based masterbatch comprising an ionomer resin and an additive is used to form a layer of a golf ball. A second layer that essentially encloses the blend-containing layer then is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Hideyuki Ishii, Yasushi Ichikawa, Chen-Tai Liu, Arthur Molinari
  • Patent number: 8932153
    Abstract: A high performance golf ball includes a resin inner core, a rubber outer core, and a cover. The resin inner core is made of highly neutralized polymer, and may include a blend of different highly neutralized polymers. The cover is a two layer cover, with a hard inner cover and a thermoplastic polyurethane outer cover. The ball as a whole has properties to maximize performance and aesthetic properties, such as feel and sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Hideyuki Ishii, Yasushi Ichikawa, Arthur Molinari, Jun Ichinose, Chen-Tai Liu
  • Patent number: 8920262
    Abstract: A golf ball is provided capable of having various characteristics based on having an aggregated layer core. The golf ball includes an inner core, an outer shell enclosing the inner core, and an intermediate core enclosing the inner core. The intermediate core includes sublayers thermoplastically fused together to form an aggregated intermediate core layer having overall characteristics formed as a combination of the sublayer characteristics. A method of forming a golf ball core having an aggregated layer core can include forming a first and second stack of nested cups, thermoplastically bonding each of the stacks to each other to form first and second aggregated cups, arranging the aggregated cups around a golf ball inner core, and bonding the aggregated cups to each other. In some configurations, the sublayers can include ultrathin sublayers less than 20 microns thick, and in some configurations, the sublayers can include injection molded sublayers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Yutaka Kabeshita, Kerby LaVar Maxwell, Arthur Molinari, Bradley C. Tutmark, Takahisa Ono, Seisuke Tomita
  • Patent number: 8920263
    Abstract: A high performance golf ball includes a resin inner core, a rubber outer core, and a cover. The resin inner core is made of a blend of highly neutralized polymers and a low flexural modulus ionomer, and may include a blend of different highly neutralized polymers. The layers of the ball have specified compression values and relationships. The cover is a single layer ionomer cover, and may be made from a blend of different grades of the ionomer. The ball as a whole has properties to maximize performance and aesthetic properties, such as backspin off the irons, feel, and sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Yasushi Ichikawa, Arthur Molinari, Chien-Hsin Chou, Chen-Tai Liu, Jun Ichinose
  • Patent number: 8911307
    Abstract: A high performance golf ball includes a resin inner core, a rubber outer core, and a cover. The resin inner core is made of a blend of highly neutralized polymers and a low flexural modulus ionomer, and may include a blend of different highly neutralized polymers. The inner core and cover layer each has a specified hardness with a hardness relationship. The cover is a single layer ionomer cover, and may be made from a blend of different grades of the ionomer. The ball as a whole has properties to maximize performance and aesthetic properties, such as backspin off the irons, feel, and sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Yasushi Ichikawa, Arthur Molinari, Chien-Hsin Chou, Chen-Tai Liu, Jun Ichinose
  • Patent number: 8911306
    Abstract: A high performance golf ball includes a resin inner core, a rubber outer core, and a cover. The resin inner core is made of a blend of highly neutralized polymers and a low flexural modulus ionomer, and may include a blend of different highly neutralized polymers. The inner core has a specified range of coefficients of restitution when measured at different velocities. The cover is a single layer ionomer cover, and may be made from a blend of different grades of the ionomer. The ball as a whole has properties to maximize performance and aesthetic properties, such as backspin off the irons, feel, and sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Yasushi Ichikawa, Arthur Molinari, Chien-Hsin Chou, Chen-Tai Liu, Jun Ichinose
  • Patent number: 8905864
    Abstract: A high performance golf ball includes a resin inner core, a rubber outer core, and a cover. The resin inner core is made of a blend of highly neutralized polymers and a low flexural modulus ionomer, and may include a blend of different highly neutralized polymers. The inner core has a specified specific gravity. The cover is a single layer ionomer cover, and may be made from a blend of different grades of the ionomer. The ball as a whole has properties to maximize performance and aesthetic properties, such as backspin off the irons, feel, and sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Yasushi Ichikawa, Arthur Molinari, Chien-Hsin Chou, Chen-Tai Liu, Jun Ichinose
  • Patent number: 8882606
    Abstract: A method and system for capturing, transmitting, and displaying golf swing data uses data capture elements in golf balls or golf clubs to capture data and transmission elements to transmit the golf swing data to a mobile computing auxiliary device. The mobile computing auxiliary device relays the captured and transmitted golf swing data to a mobile computing device. The mobile computing device transmits the golf swing data to a database. A server associated with the database generates web pages to make the golf swing data available over the internet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas A. Leech, Arthur Molinari, Yutaka Kabeshita, Yasushi Ichikawa, Derek A. Fitchett, Bradley C. Tutmark
  • Patent number: 8877110
    Abstract: A method of making a single-piece hollow shell is disclosed. A plurality of perforators is inserted into a mold and create an inner mold surface. A material is inserted into the mold to create a perforated hollow shell between the mold, the inner mold surface, and the perforated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: Arthur Molinari
  • Publication number: 20140260637
    Abstract: Golf performance and equipment characteristics may be determined by analyzing the impact between a golf ball and an impacting surface. In some examples, the impacting surface may be a golf club face. The impact between the golf ball and the surface may be measured based on sound and/or motion sensors (e.g., gyroscopes, accelerometers, etc.). Based on motion and/or sound data, various equipment-related information including golf ball compression, club head speed and impact location may be derived. Such information and/or other types of data may be conveyed to a user to help improve performance, aid in selecting golf equipment and/or to insure quality of golfing products.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: NIKE, INC.
    Inventor: Arthur Molinari
  • Patent number: 8764580
    Abstract: A four piece golf ball includes several relationships among the values of the densities of its layers. Namely, the sum of the density of the inner core and the outer core is at least 2 g/cm3, the sum of the density of the inner cover layer and the outer cover layer is at least 2.2 g/cm3, and the difference between these two sums is at least 0.1 g/cm3. The inner core is made of a highly neutralized acid polymer, the outer core is made of a polybutadiene rubber, and the inner and outer cover layers are made of a non-ionomeric thermoplastic material, such as thermoplastic polyurethane. The layers may have certain relationships among their hardness values. Finally, the golf ball exhibits certain physical properties, such as a certain moment of inertia.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: Hideyuki Ishii, Chien-Hsin Chou, Yasushi Ichikawa, Che-Ching Lin, Chen-Tai Liu, Arthur Molinari
  • Patent number: 8758169
    Abstract: The present invention provides three golf ball recommendations correlating to ball fit values calculated using subject criteria, objective criteria and a composite fit value employing both subjective and objective criteria. The concept of the invention is to attempt to quantify even the subjective parameters of golfer's game and answers to survey questions in order to provide an avenue for quantitative analysis for golf ball fitting. The ball fit values are a construct based on a scale devised for this method to quantify how difficult or easy a golf ball is to play.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Yasushi Ichikawa, Hideyuki Ishii, Yutaka Kabeshita, Nicholas A. Leech, Arthur Molinari
  • Patent number: 8747241
    Abstract: A golf ball including a piezoelectric material allows the characteristics of the golf ball to be changed by application of an electric current. An electric current may be applied to the piezoelectric material prior to impact of the golf ball by the golf club using a golf tee with a power source. An electric current may be applied to the piezoelectric material after impact of the golf ball by the golf club and during flight of the golf ball. By selectively applying or removing electric current prior to, during, or after impact with the golf club, the characteristics of the golf ball may be changed and the flight path characteristics of the golf ball may be altered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventor: Arthur Molinari