Patents by Inventor John T. Stites

John T. Stites 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).

  • Releasable and Interchangeable Connections for Golf Club Heads and Shafts
    Publication number: 20140113740
    Abstract: Golf club heads are releasably engaged with shafts so that the club heads and shafts can be readily interchanged and/or so that the shaft position with respect to the club head can be readily changed. Assemblies for connecting the club head and shaft may include: (a) a shaft engaging member including a rotation-inhibiting structure; (b) a club head engaging member including a shaft-receiving chamber and a retaining structure for engaging the rotation-inhibiting structure; and (c) a securing system for releasably securing the shaft engaging member with respect to the club head engaging member. The club head and shaft may be changed by releasing the securing system and exchanging the original parts with different parts. Furthermore, the shaft may be bent or otherwise extend at an angle from the shaft engaging member so as to allow adjustment of the shaft position with respect to the club head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Applicant: NIKE, INC.
    Inventors: John T. Stites, James S. Thomas, Gary G. Tavares
  • Golf club assembly and golf club with aerodynamic hosel
    Patent number: 8702531
    Abstract: A golf club includes a shaft and a club head. The club head may include a ball striking face, a crown, a sole, and a hosel region. The hosel region may have a free end configured for receiving a shaft having a longitudinal axis. When the club head is in a 60 degree lie angle position, at least a portion of the free end of the hosel region may extend above the adjacent crown surface. When the club head is in a 60 degree lie angle position, the vertical distance between the horizontal projections of the outermost points of the sole and the crown may be greater than the vertical distance between the horizontal projections of the outermost points of the sole and the hosel region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Boyd, John T. Stites
  • Golf clubs and golf club heads having adjustable weight members
    Patent number: 8690706
    Abstract: Wood-type golf club heads include: (a) a ball striking face; (b) a club head body engaged or integrally formed with the ball striking face, wherein the club head body includes a sole portion, wherein the sole portion includes a slot or rail defined therein; and (c) a weight member at least partially located within the slot or rail. The weight member may be mounted at plural positions along the slot or rail (optionally at least partially within a weight cartridge member provided with the club head body). The weight member also may be movably engaged with the weight cartridge member, slot, rail, and/or other portion of the club head body. Golf clubs including these club heads and methods of making and using such golf clubs and golf club heads also are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: John T. Stites, Robert Boyd, Andrew G. V. Oldknow, Eric A. Larson
  • Golf club having two-part head
    Patent number: 8690709
    Abstract: A golf club with a golf club head formed of two distinct parts is presented. The club head includes a lower, ball striking member configured to contact a golf ball. The club head further includes an upper member, connected to the ball striking member at a top surface of the ball striking member. The ball striking member may be formed of a more dense material than the upper portion, thereby lowering the center of gravity of the club to provide improved performance characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew G. V. Oldknow, John T. Stites
  • Golf clubs and golf club heads having feel altering systems
    Patent number: 8684862
    Abstract: Golf club heads include: (a) a body having a ball-striking face and a rear face, the body defining a cavity; (b) a bridge member extending across the cavity, wherein the bridge member is provided to affect, at least in part, a position of a center of gravity of the club head; and (c) a feel altering element provided between the bridge member and the rear face. The feel altering element may affect a wide variety of parameters that relate to the “feel” of the golf club head when it strikes a golf ball, such as the sound produced by the club head during the strike, the vibrational response of the club head during the strike, the swing characteristics of the club head (e.g., weight, center of gravity position, etc.), and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary G. Tavares, John T. Stites, Robert Boyd, Hiroshi Kawaguchi
  • Golf club assembly and golf club with aerodynamic features
    Patent number: 8678946
    Abstract: A golf club head includes a body member having a ball striking face, a crown, a toe, a heel, a sole, a rear and a hosel region located at the intersection of the ball striking face, the heel, the crown and the sole. A plurality of dimples are located on the hosel region, on the crown, on the sole, and/or on the heel, wherein at least some of the plurality of dimples have a major axis that is not aligned in a direction parallel to the moment-of-impact club-head-trajectory direction. A golf club including the golf club head is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Boyd, John T. Stites, Gary G. Tavares
  • Golf Club Head Or Other Ball Striking Device Having Impact-Influencing Body Features
    Publication number: 20140057739
    Abstract: A ball striking device, such as a golf club, includes a head with a face having an outer surface configured for striking a ball, a body connected to the face, an elongated, inwardly recessed channel located on the body and extending across a portion of the body, and an insert mounted within the channel. The insert includes a resiliently deflectable base member that engages the channel to retain the insert within the channel and a rigid outer member connected to the base member and forming at least a portion of the outer surface of the insert, where the outer member is made from a different material than the base member. Additionally, the insert has an outer surface that is substantially flush with at least one immediately adjacent surface of the body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: John T. Stites, Andrew G.V. Oldknow, Robert Boyd
  • Golf club head or other ball striking device having stiffened face portion
    Patent number: 8657701
    Abstract: A ball striking device, such as a golf club head, has a head that includes a face configured for striking a ball and a body connected to the face, the body being adapted for connection of a shaft proximate a heel thereof. The face includes one or more stiffening members or other structures on the inner surface of the face to provide locally increased stiffness to particular areas of the face. Certain stiffening members may provide greater stiffness than other stiffening members, allowing the face to be configured for areas of greatest stiffness and greatest COR tailored to common impact patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Boyd, John T. Stites
  • Golf clubs and golf club heads having interchangeable rear body members
    Patent number: 8657702
    Abstract: Golf club heads (e.g., drivers, fairway woods, wood-type hybrid clubs, or the like) according to at least some example aspects of this invention include: (a) a heel; (b) a toe; (c) a crown; (d) a sole; (e) a striking face; (f) a cavity, wherein the cavity is at least partially open; (g) a rear face opposite the striking face, the rear face defining an opening to the cavity; and (h) a rear body member configured to be inserted into the opening. The rear body member may be releasably engaged with the opening to the cavity, rear face, and/or other portion of the club head body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Inventors: Robert Boyd, John T. Stites, Gary Tavares
  • Putter Heads and Putters Including Polymeric Material as Part of the Ball Striking Face
    Publication number: 20140045606
    Abstract: Golf clubs and golf club heads, such as putter heads, may include a putter body and an insert forming a ball striking face and engaged with the putter body. Portions of the insert may be formed of a metal material, while portions of the insert may be formed of a polymer material. The insert may include a base portion having grooves formed therein. This base may be joined with another material to form the insert. In some arrangements, the insert may be a two-sided, reversible construction and may have different performance characteristics associated with each side of the insert. Methods for making such putter devices are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2013
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: David N. Franklin, John T. Stites, Donald S. Rahrig, Jeremy N. Snyder
  • Putter heads and putters including polymeric material as part of the ball striking face
    Patent number: 8641549
    Abstract: Putters include a putter body having a ball striking face member made of a material having a first hardness characteristic. A cavity is defined in the putter body behind the ball striking face member, and plural openings are defined in the ball striking face member extending rearward with respect to the ball striking face member and into the cavity. A polymeric material at least partially fills the openings and the cavity, wherein the polymeric material has a second hardness characteristic that is softer than the first hardness characteristic. The ball striking face member and the polymeric material exposed in at least some of the openings provide a ball striking surface of the putter. The ball striking surface may include grooves or scorelines to affect the launch angle, spin, and/or roll of the ball during a putt. Methods for making such putter devices also are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: John T. Stites, David N. Franklin
  • Golf club head or other ball striking device having impact-influencing body features
    Patent number: 8641555
    Abstract: A ball striking device, such as a golf club, includes a head with a face having an outer surface configured for striking a ball, a body connected to the face, and a channel located in the body. The channel is configured to influence the characteristics of the impact of a ball on the face, such as by flexing or compressing in response to the force of the impact, exerting a response or reaction force on the face, changing the motion or behavior of the face, and other manners. The head may also include a pair of channels that have a gap between them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: John T. Stites, Robert Boyd, Rick Wahlin, Andrew G. V. Oldknow
  • Golf club and golf club head structures
    Patent number: 8628433
    Abstract: A golf club head has a body defining a ball striking face. The body further has a first leg extending away from the ball striking face and a second leg extending away from the ball striking face wherein a void is defined between the first leg and the second leg. The body further defines a crown that extends over the void.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: John T. Stites, Robert Boyd, Eric A. Larson, Kenneth W. Brown, Sherry L. Jones
  • Releasable and interchangeable connections for golf club heads and shafts
    Patent number: 8616995
    Abstract: Golf club heads are releasably engaged with shafts so that the club heads and shafts can be readily interchanged and/or so that the shaft position with respect to the club head can be readily changed. Assemblies for connecting the club head and shaft may include: (a) a shaft engaging member including a rotation-inhibiting structure; (b) a club head engaging member including a shaft-receiving chamber and a retaining structure for engaging the rotation-inhibiting structure; and (c) a securing system for releasably securing the shaft engaging member with respect to the club head engaging member. The club head and shaft may be changed by releasing the securing system and exchanging the original parts with different parts. Furthermore, the shaft may be bent or otherwise extend at an angle from the shaft engaging member so as to allow adjustment of the shaft position with respect to the club head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: James S. Thomas, John T. Stites, Gary G. Tavares
  • GOLF CLUB HEAD HAVING A WEIGHT POSITIONING SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20130344976
    Abstract: A golf club head for an iron-type club is provided. The club head includes a striking face, a slotted member and a first weight member. The striking face has a surface configured to engage a golf ball. The slotted member is positioned behind the striking face. The slotted member includes a slot network having at least two intersecting slots and at least three ends. The first weight member slidably engages the slot network to vary the position of the center of gravity of the golf club head with respect to the striking face.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2013
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: John T. Stites
  • GOLF CLUB AND GOLF CLUB HEAD WITH AN INSERT-RECEIVING FEATURE
    Publication number: 20130337938
    Abstract: A golf club includes a shaft and a club head for a metal wood type club. The club head includes a ball striking face, a heel, a toe, a rear, a crown, a sole and a centerline extending from the ball striking face to the rear. The sole includes a substantially horizontally-oriented sole surface extending rearwardly from the ball striking face to the rear. A first insert-receiving feature is located to a heel-side of the centerline, and a second insert-receiving feature is located to a toe-side of the centerline. The first and second insert-receiving features are substantially symmetrically located with respect to the centerline. The first and second insert-receiving features have substantially mirror-images shapes with respect to the centerline.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2013
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Inventors: John T. Stites, Robert Boyd
  • Golf club head or other ball striking device having a reinforced or localized stiffened face portion
    Patent number: 8608585
    Abstract: A ball striking device, such as a golf club head, has a head that includes a face configured for striking a ball and a body connected to the face. A brace extends from an inner surface of the body or from a perimeter weight system to a contact point on the rear surface of the face. This brace may extend from the sole or a sole oriented perimeter weight member to the rear surface of the face. The brace applies force to the face (at least when the face is flexed by a threshold amount) such that the area of the face surrounding the contact point has less flexibility relative to other areas of the face located away from the contact point. The brace and club head may include structures that allow one to control and customize the force applied to the face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: John T. Stites, Andrew G. V. Oldknow, Adam Liber
  • GOLF CLUBS AND GOLF CLUB HEADS
    Publication number: 20130324284
    Abstract: Golf club heads include a golf club head body, a ball striking face, and a shaft engaging member configured to engage a golf club shaft with the golf club head body. Further, the shaft engaging member may be configured to engage the golf club head body and the shaft below a center of gravity of the golf club head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Inventors: John T. Stites, Chewei Tai
  • Golf Clubs and Golf Club Heads
    Publication number: 20130324276
    Abstract: Golf club heads which may include an iron-type golf club head body and an adjustable member configured to be engaged with iron-type golf club head body. The adjustable member may include a first surface and a second surface. The first surface of the adjustable member may form at least a portion of the sole of the iron-type golf club head and at least a portion of the rear of iron-type golf club head when the adjustable member is engaged with the iron-type golf club head body in a first orientation. Additionally, the second surface of the adjustable member may form at least a portion of the sole of the iron-type golf club head and at least a portion of the rear of iron-type golf club head when the adjustable member is engaged with the iron-type golf club head body in a second orientation, which is different from the first orientation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Inventors: John T. Stites, Robert Boyd, Raymond J. Sander
  • GOLF CLUB AND GOLF CLUB HEAD WITH A CROWN RECESSED FEATURE
    Publication number: 20130324307
    Abstract: A golf club includes a shaft and a club head. The club head includes a ball striking face, a heel, a toe, a rear, and a crown. The crown may include a substantially horizontally-oriented forward crown region extending rearwardly from the ball striking face. The crown further may include a primary recessed feature located rearward of the forward crown region and extending from the heel to the toe of the club head. The recessed feature may have a floor and a front wall extending upward from the floor to the forward crown region. The crown may further include a substantially horizontally-oriented rearward crown region extending forwardly from the rear of the club head. The recessed feature may be located between the forward crown region and the rearward crown region. A back wall of the recessed feature may extend upward from the floor to the rearward crown region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2013
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: John T. Stites, Robert Boyd, Raymond J. Sander