Patents by Inventor Gerald J. LeVault

Gerald J. LeVault 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: 8449411
    Abstract: A sports racquet including a handle assembly coupled to and longitudinally extending from a head portion. The handle assembly includes an elongate tubular shaft, a pallet positioned over the shaft, and a plurality of generally planar support members. The pallet is positioned over the shaft and has an outer surface that defines a plurality of longitudinally extending flats. Each of the flats has a length and a width. At least two of the flats define respective elongate recesses. Each of the recesses having a maximum recess width that is less than the width of the respective flat. The support members are positioned within the respective recesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: Gerald J. LeVault, Ronald R. Rocchi, William D. Severa, Robert T. Kapheim
  • Publication number: 20130040768
    Abstract: A sports racquet including a handle assembly coupled to and longitudinally extending from a head portion. The handle assembly includes an elongate tubular shaft, a pallet positioned over the shaft, and a plurality of generally planar support members. The pallet is positioned over the shaft and has an outer surface that defines a plurality of longitudinally extending flats. Each of the flats has a length and a width. At least two of the flats define respective elongate recesses. Each of the recesses having a maximum recess width that is less than the width of the respective flat. The support members are positioned within the respective recesses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2011
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Inventors: Gerald J. LeVault, Ronald R. Rocchi, William D. Severa, Robert T. Kapheim
  • Patent number: 8323130
    Abstract: A sports racquet including a handle assembly coupled to, and longitudinally extending from, a head portion. The handle assembly includes an elongate tubular shaft, a pallet positioned over the shaft, and a plurality of support members. The pallet defines a plurality of longitudinally extending planar regions and a plurality of longitudinally extending recesses. The recesses are respectively positioned between two of the plurality of planar regions. The support members are positioned within the respective recesses. Each of the support members has an outer surface that forms an elongated corner. The handle assembly has an outer surface that includes a plurality of longitudinally extending flats and a generally polygonal-shaped transverse cross-sectional area. Each of the plurality of planar regions forms at least part of a separate one of the plurality of flats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: Gerald J. LeVault, Ronald R. Rocchi, William D. Severa, Robert T. Kapheim
  • Patent number: 7297080
    Abstract: A game racquet includes head portion and a handle portion. The head and handle portions include one or both of a fiber-reinforced thermoset material and a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material. The handle portion is coupled to the head portion by shock and/or vibration absorbing material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: William D. Severa, Po-Jen Cheng, Gerald J. LeVault, Donald G. Loeffler
  • Patent number: 6840874
    Abstract: A game racquet includes separate head and handle portions which are separated by shock and/or vibration absorbing material. Both the head portion and the handle portion are bonded to the absorbing material and are thereby connected to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: William D. Severa, Po-Jen Cheng, Gerald J. LeVault, Donald G. Loeffler
  • Patent number: 6811502
    Abstract: A sports racquet including a frame, a yoke and a string bed. The frame includes a head portion, a handle portion, and a throat portion positioned between the head and handle portions. The head portion includes an upper region, and first and second side regions. The yoke is coupled to the first and second side regions. The head portion and the yoke define a string bed area. The string bed is formed of a number of cross and main string segments. The main string segments include at least one central main string segment and at least two peripheral main string segments. Each central main string segment has first and second ends wherein the first end engages the head portion and the second end engages the yoke. Each peripheral main string segment is coupled at a proximal end to at least one of the throat portion and the handle portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: Richard Janes, Po-Jen Cheng, William D. Severa, Gerald J. LeVault
  • Publication number: 20040043845
    Abstract: A game racquet includes separate head and handle portions which are separated by shock and/or vibration absorbing material. Both the head portion and the handle portion are bonded to the absorbing material and are thereby connected to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2003
    Publication date: March 4, 2004
    Applicant: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: William D. Severa, Po-Jen Cheng, Gerald J. LeVault, Donald G. Loeffler
  • Patent number: 6050909
    Abstract: A game racquet includes a frame having an elongated shaft which provides a handle and a hoop-shaped head which supports a generally planar string bed. The head includes a lower portion attached to the shaft, a pair of opposed side portions, and an upper portion. Each of the side portions and the upper portion has a hollow tubular cross section having an outer wall and an inner wall. The inner wall of each of the side and upper portions is provided with a plurality of elongated slots which extend perpendicularly to the plane of the strings, and each of the outer walls is provided with a plurality of circular openings which are aligned with the slots and which lie in the plane of the strings. A grommet strip extends along each of the side portions of the head, and a bumper strip extends along the upper portion of the head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2000
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: William D. Severa, Gerald J. LeVault, Willie H. McMillan
  • Patent number: D469487
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2003
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: William D. Severa, Po-Jen Cheng, Gerald J. LeVault
  • Patent number: D469488
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2003
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: William D. Severa, Po-Jen Cheng, Gerald J. LeVault