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).

  • System for determining performance characteristics of a golf swing
    Patent number: 8409025
    Abstract: An instrumented golf club system and methods are disclosed. A variety of golf swing parameters are measured by the instrumented golf club and wirelessly transmitted to a portable computer device. The portable computer device generates a user interface that displays the golf swing parameters against preferred golf swing parameters. The instrumented golf club system allows a golfer to receive feedback in real time while playing golf.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Nike Inc.
    Inventors: John T. Stites, Gary Tavares, Carl Madore, Mike Kelly, Raymond J. Sander, Jeffrey A. Hadden, Jeffrey R. Held, Garrick L. Maenle, Gregory S. Kramer, Chad E. Bouton, Clifford N. Dodson, Patrick K. Hoffman
  • Golf clubs and golf club heads
    Patent number: 8403774
    Abstract: Golf club heads which include an iron type golf club head body including a ball striking face, a rear surface opposite the ball striking face (e.g., including a perimeter weighting member) and an indicator which indicates the location of the center of gravity of the golf club head body. Golf clubs including these club heads and methods of making such golf club and golf club heads also are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventor: John T. Stites
  • Golf clubs and golf club heads
    Patent number: 8398506
    Abstract: Golf club heads including first section and a second section that are separate and distinct from one another and are engaged to form at least a portion of the golf club head. The first section may include a first ledge member and the second section may include a second ledge member and the first ledge member may be engaged with the second ledge member to form a junction area. The first ledge member may include a first vertical side and a second vertical side and a horizontal side therebetween and the second ledge member may include a first vertical side and a second vertical side and a horizontal side therebetween. The first and second ledge members may be complementary. Golf clubs including these club heads and methods of making a golf club and golf club heads also are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventor: John T. Stites
  • Golf club assembly and golf club with aerodynamic features
    Patent number: 8398505
    Abstract: A golf club head includes a body member having a ball striking face, a crown, a toe, a heel, a sole, and a skirt extending between the crown and the sole and between the toe and the heel. The club head includes a drag-reducing structure that may include one or both of a continuous groove extending from a front portion to a rear edge of the toe, and along an entire length of the skirt, and a substantially V-shaped recess formed in the sole and having a vertex positioned proximate the ball striking face and the heel and away from the skirt and the toe, and a pair of legs extending to a point proximate the toe and away from the ball striking face, and curving toward the skirt and away from the ball striking face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary G. Tavares, Robert Boyd, John T. Stites
  • Structure of a golf club head or other ball striking device
    Patent number: 8382606
    Abstract: Ball striking devices, such as golf club heads (including putter heads), have a high moment of inertia about their center, to help prevent twisting and mis-hits, particularly when the ball striking device hits the ball at a somewhat off-center position. The ball striking head of the ball striking device may be structured and/or weighted (optionally with separately attachable weight elements) to have a moment of inertia about a center of the ball striking surface of at least 10,000 g/cm2, and in some examples, the moment of inertia may be at least 11,000 g/cm2, or even at least 12,000 g/cm2. In some examples, the moment of inertia may be at least 20,000 g/cm2, or even at least 25,000 g/cm2 or at least 28,000 g/cm2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: David N. Franklin, John T. Stites, Gary G. Tavares
  • Golf Clubs and Golf Club Heads Having Interchangeable Rear Body Members
    Publication number: 20130040755
    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 striking face and a rear portion opposite the striking face, the rear portion defining an opening to an interior cavity. A rear body member configured to be inserted into the opening is engaged with the rear portion of the club head. The rear body member may include multiple rear body parts that may be removable and/or interchangeable to permit flexibility in controlling the weight distribution of the golf club head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Applicant: NIKE, INC.
    Inventors: John T. Stites, Robert Boyd, Andrew G.V. Oldknow
  • Golf Club Head or Other Ball Striking Device Having Impact-Influencing Body Features
    Publication number: 20130029779
    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: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2012
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: NIKE, INC.
    Inventors: John T. Stites, Robert Boyd, Rick Wahlin, Andrew G.V. Oldknow
  • Golf club head
    Patent number: D675691
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew G. V. Oldknow, John T. Stites, Sherry Lynn Jones, James Huang Lua
  • Golf club head
    Patent number: D676512
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew G. V. Oldknow, John T. Stites, Sherry Lynn Jones, James Huang Lua
  • Golf club head
    Patent number: D676909
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew G. V. Oldknow, John T. Stites, Sherry Lynn Jones, James Huang Lua
  • Golf club head
    Patent number: D676913
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew G. V. Oldknow, John T. Stites, Sherry Lynn Jones, James Huang Lua
  • Golf club head
    Patent number: D676914
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew G. V. Oldknow, John T. Stites, Sherry Lynn Jones, James Huang Lua
  • Golf club head
    Patent number: D676915
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew G. V. Oldknow, John T. Stites, Sherry Lynn Jones, James Huang Lua
  • Golf club head
    Patent number: D678964
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew G. V. Oldknow, John T. Stites, Sherry Lynn Jones, James Huang Lua
  • Golf club head
    Patent number: D678965
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew G. V. Oldknow, John T. Stites, Sherry Lynn Jones, James Huang Lua
  • Golf club head
    Patent number: D678968
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew G. V. Oldknow, John T. Stites, Sherry Lynn Jones, James Huang Lua
  • Golf club head
    Patent number: D678969
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew G. V. Oldknow, John T. Stites, Sherry Lynn Jones, James Huang Lua
  • Golf club head
    Patent number: D678972
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew G. V. Oldknow, John T. Stites, Sherry Lynn Jones, James Huang Lua
  • Golf club head
    Patent number: D678973
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew G. V. Oldknow, John T. Stites, Sherry Lynn Jones, James Huang Lua
  • Golf club head
    Patent number: D679353
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew G. V. Oldknow, John T. Stites, Sherry Lynn Jones, James Huang Lua