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).

  • Golf clubs and golf club heads
    Patent number: 9925433
    Abstract: Golf clubs according to at least some example aspects of this disclosure may include a golf club head and a shaft configured to engage with the golf club head which includes a grip engaged with the shaft. Further, the golf club may include a monitoring device, which includes a sensor and a transmitter. Additionally, the monitoring device may be configured to determine data related to the characteristics of a golf swing. Further, the monitoring device may be configured to transmit the data related to the characteristics of a golf swing to a remote computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua M. Boggs, Philip J. Hatton, Brian Kammerer, Mario A. Lafortune, Michael Wallans, Robert M. Boyd, Jeffrey A. Hadden, Sherry L. Jones, Gregory S. Kramer, James H. Lua, John T. Stites, Douglas A. Thornton, Daniel F. Wisniewski
  • Golf clubs and golf club heads
    Patent number: 9925429
    Abstract: Golf clubs and/or golf club heads include a club head body defining an interior chamber, structure for engaging a shaft with the body, and/or a shaft engaged with the body. The club head body may have an overall length of at least 4.5 inches and an overall breadth of at least 4.2 inches. In other examples, the club head body may have an overall length of at least 4.6 inches and a ratio of the overall breadth dimension to the overall length dimension of 1 or less. If desired, the ratio of the head breadth to head length dimensions may be in a range from at least 0.94 to 1 or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: John T. Stites, Gary G. Tavares
  • ROTATIONAL MOLDED GOLF CLUB HEAD
    Publication number: 20180072008
    Abstract: Wood-type golf clubs and/or golf club heads include: (a) a golf club head base member including a face member having a ball striking face; and (b) a polymeric body member engaged with the golf club head base member, wherein the polymeric body member is formed via a rotational molding process (or other centrifugal force inducing molding process) and/or engaged with the golf club head base member via a rotational molding process (or other centrifugal force inducing molding process). The polymeric body member forms at least a portion of a crown member of the club head in some structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventors: John T. Stites, Gary G. Tavares, Todd A. Waatti
  • ROTATIONAL MOLDED GOLF CLUB HEAD
    Publication number: 20180072007
    Abstract: Wood-type golf clubs and/or golf club heads include: (a) a golf club head base member including a face member having a ball striking face; and (b) a polymeric body member engaged with the golf club head base member, wherein the polymeric body member is formed via a rotational molding process (or other centrifugal force inducing molding process) and/or engaged with the golf club head base member via a rotational molding process (or other centrifugal force inducing molding process). The polymeric body member forms at least a portion of a crown member of the club head in some structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventors: John T. Stites, Gary G. Tavares, Todd A. Waatti
  • Golf club head or other ball striking device
    Patent number: 9901788
    Abstract: A head for a ball striking device, such as a golf club head, includes a face member having a face with a striking surface configured for striking a ball and a rear surface opposite the striking surface, a weight member connected to the face member behind the rear surface of the face member, and a resilient member positioned between the weight member and the face member. The resilient member is connected to the rear surface of the face member to connect the weight member to the face member. The resilient member is compressible to permit energy and/or momentum to be transferred between the weight member and the face member through the resilient member during impact, including an off-center impact on the striking surface. Momentum transferred from the weight member to the face member during an off-center impact may reduce energy loss and twisting of the face on impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: David N. Franklin, Jeremy N. Snyder, John T. Stites, Robert Boyd
  • Golf clubs and golf club heads having digital lie and/or other angle measuring equipment
    Patent number: 9884233
    Abstract: Golf club heads having sensors configured to measure one or more swing parameters are provided. The golf club head may include several gyroscopes and accelerometers. In one embodiment, the club head contains three gyroscopes that measure angular rate data along different orthogonal axes. At least one gyroscope may an analog gyroscope. Accelerometers may provide data regarding the three orthogonal axes associated with the gyroscopes. The club head may further include software and/or hardware that perform computer-executed methods for determining one or more swing parameters. Exemplary club heads may include a display device for displaying an output of the swing parameter(s). Further aspects of the invention relate to novel methods and algorithms for calculating measurements relating to the swing parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: John T. Stites, Jeremy N. Snyder, James S. Thomas, Daniel J. Simpson, Daniel A. Roberts, Jeffrey A. Hadden, Bradley C. Glenn, Douglas A. Thornton
  • GOLF CLUB AND GOLF CLUB HEAD STRUCTURES
    Publication number: 20180021642
    Abstract: A golf club head has a body having a ball striking face, a rear opposite the ball striking face, a crown, a sole, a heel, and a toe, the body having a void defined by a peripheral edge on the sole. The body further defines a cover that extends over the void and forms at least a portion of the crown. At least a portion of the peripheral edge of the void includes a lip extending from the peripheral edge inwardly into the void. The golf club head may additionally or alternately include one or more weight receptacles connected to the sole and having an opening in the sole, such that each weight receptacle is configured to receive insertion of a weight through the opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Inventors: Michael G. Taylor, Michael Wallans, John T. Stites, Sherry L. Jones
  • Golf Club Head or Other Ball Striking Device Having One or More Face Channels
    Publication number: 20170333764
    Abstract: A ball striking device, such as a golf club, includes a head with a face having a ball-striking surface configured for striking a ball, a body connected to the face, and at least one channel in the ball-striking surface of the face. The region of highest COR response of the face is directionally enlarged toward the channel. Depending on the size, shape, and location of the channel, the face can be altered to provide greater COR response and increased energy transfer for impacts at specific locations on the face.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2017
    Publication date: November 23, 2017
    Inventors: John T. Stites, Andrew G.V. Oldknow, Philip J. Hatton
  • Golf club heads including a polymeric body in which a part of a frame or base member is embedded
    Patent number: 9821521
    Abstract: Wood-type golf clubs and/or golf club heads include: (a) a golf club head base member including a face member having a ball striking face; and (b) a polymeric body member engaged with the golf club head base member, wherein the polymeric body member is formed via a rotational molding process (or other centrifugal force inducing molding process) and/or engaged with the golf club head base member via a rotational molding process (or other centrifugal force inducing molding process). The polymeric body member forms at least a portion of a crown member of the club head in some structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: John T. Stites, Gary G. Tavares, Todd Anthony Waatti
  • Methods of forming golf club heads
    Patent number: 9802372
    Abstract: Wood-type golf clubs and/or golf club heads include: (a) a golf club head base member including a face member having a ball striking face; and (b) a polymeric body member engaged with the golf club head base member, wherein the polymeric body member is formed via a rotational molding process (or other centrifugal force inducing molding process) and/or engaged with the golf club head base member via a rotational molding process (or other centrifugal force inducing molding process). The polymeric body member forms at least a portion of a crown member of the club head in some structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Croporation
    Inventors: John T. Stites, Gary G. Tavares, Todd A. Waatti
  • Golf club and golf club head structures
    Patent number: 9795845
    Abstract: A golf club head has a body having a ball striking face, a rear opposite the ball striking face, a crown, a sole, a heel, and a toe, the body having a void defined by a peripheral edge on the sole. The body further defines a cover that extends over the void and forms at least a portion of the crown. At least a portion of the peripheral edge of the void includes a lip extending from the peripheral edge inwardly into the void. The golf club head may additionally or alternately include one or more weight receptacles connected to the sole and having an opening in the sole, such that each weight receptacle is configured to receive insertion of a weight through the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Michael G. Taylor, Michael Wallans, John T. Stites, Sherry L. Jones
  • Golf Club Head or Other Ball Striking Device Having Impact-Influencing Body Features
    Publication number: 20170296885
    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: June 30, 2017
    Publication date: October 19, 2017
    Inventors: Andrew G.V. Oldknow, Robert M. Boyd, John T. Stites
  • Golf Clubs and Golf Club Heads
    Publication number: 20170239532
    Abstract: Golf clubs and/or golf club heads include a club head body defining an interior chamber, structure for engaging a shaft with the body, and/or a shaft engaged with the body. The club head body may have an overall length of at least 4.5 inches and an overall breadth of at least 4.2 inches. In other examples, the club head body may have an overall length of at least 4.6 inches and a ratio of the overall breadth dimension to the overall length dimension of 1 or less. If desired, the ratio of the head breadth to head length dimensions may be in a range from at least 0.94 to 1 or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2017
    Publication date: August 24, 2017
    Inventors: John T. Stites, Gary G. Tavares
  • Golf clubs and golf club heads
    Patent number: 9717959
    Abstract: Golf clubs and golf club head structures having an indicator providing a visual indication of a location of a center of gravity of a wood-type golf club are presented. The indicator may include a central portion or hub that is generally aligned with the center of gravity of the club. The indicator may also include a plurality of legs extending outward from the hub toward a perimeter of the golf club head. In some arrangements, the indicator may be formed to distribute a portion of the weight of the club head in order to adjust or move the center of gravity of the club head, in addition to providing a visual indication of the location of the center of gravity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: KARSTEN MANUFACTURING CORPORATION
    Inventor: John T. Stites
  • Golf Club Heads
    Publication number: 20170197122
    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: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2016
    Publication date: July 13, 2017
    Inventors: John T. Stites, David N. Franklin
  • Golf Club and Golf Club Head with a Sole Cavity Feature
    Publication number: 20170197119
    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 and a sole. The sole includes a forward sole surface and a rearward sole surface. The substantially horizontally-oriented forward sole surface extends rearwardly from the ball striking face to a rearward edge. The substantially horizontally-oriented rearward sole surface extends forwardly from the rear of the club head. The rearward sole surface extends over and is offset in a height direction from the rearward edge. A cavity may be located above the forward sole surface, the cavity having a rearward facing opening located below the rearward sole surface. A projection may extend rearwardly from the rearward edge beneath the rearward sole surface, the projection having sides that extend in a generally breadthwise direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2017
    Publication date: July 13, 2017
    Inventors: John T. Stites, Robert M. Boyd, Raymond J. Sander
  • Golf club head or other ball striking device having impact-influencing body features
    Patent number: 9694255
    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: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew G. V. Oldknow, Robert M. Boyd, John T. Stites
  • Releasable and interchangeable connections for golf club heads and shafts
    Patent number: 9694251
    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: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: John T. Stites, James S. Thomas, Gary G. Tavares
  • Golf clubs and golf club heads
    Patent number: 9643065
    Abstract: Golf clubs and/or golf club heads include a club head body defining an interior chamber, structure for engaging a shaft with the body, and/or a shaft engaged with the body. The club head body may have an overall length of at least 4.5 inches and an overall breadth of at least 4.2 inches. In other examples, the club head body may have an overall length of at least 4.6 inches and a ratio of the overall breadth dimension to the overall length dimension of 1 or less. If desired, the ratio of the head breadth to head length dimensions may be in a range from at least 0.94 to 1 or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: John T. Stites, Gary G. Tavares
  • Golf club head or other ball striking device having one or more face channels
    Patent number: 9636555
    Abstract: A ball striking device, such as a golf club, includes a head with a face having a ball-striking surface configured for striking a ball, a body connected to the face, and at least one channel in the ball-striking surface of the face. The region of highest COR response of the face is directionally enlarged toward the channel. Depending on the size, shape, and location of the channel, the face can be altered to provide greater COR response and increased energy transfer for impacts at specific locations on the face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: John T. Stites, Andrew G. V. Oldknow, Philip J. Hatton