Patents by Inventor Karl A. Clausen

Karl A. Clausen 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).

  • Publication number: 20180253774
    Abstract: A method for making golf club heads includes using direct metal laser sintering (DMLS), selective laser melting (SLM) and other computer controlled high energy sintering or melting techniques to form club heads with customized user parameters. The powdered metals can be selected by type and quantity to achieve a desired density or weight distribution. Club heads made by these techniques are characterized by having customized parameters chosen for individual golfers. By sintering powdered metal to form areas of different porosity, club heads with desired weight distributions can be achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2018
    Publication date: September 6, 2018
    Inventors: Peter L. Soracco, Karl A. Clausen
  • Patent number: 9901794
    Abstract: The invention provides a golf club head with a fully removable component that can withstand the stress of repeated hits. When assembled, the removable component is held in place by a fastening mechanism that includes structural elements that distribute the holding force across the component and tend to equalize the forces around the periphery where the component meets the body. The fastening mechanism may include a post that reaches across the open space within the hollow club head, pulling the removable component towards an opposed main club head body. Since a golf club of the present invention can be opened, it may include a mechanism on the inside for use by a golfer, such as an electronic device or an adjustment mechanism. The golf club may include a weight adjustment system that allows the club to be custom-fitted to a golfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Cobra Golf Incorporated
    Inventors: Tim A. Beno, Joshua G. Breier, Karl A. Clausen, Andrew Curtis, Caleb Kroloff, Steven M. Mitzel, Scott H. Moreira, Richard Romo Sanchez, Peter L. Soracco
  • Patent number: 9855474
    Abstract: The invention provides a golf club head that includes a weight adjustment system inside of the club head. Preferably, when the club is played, no part of the adjustment system is directly accessible or exposed to an exterior of the club. The club head may include a panel that opens or is removable, or the club head may be disassembled to provide access to the internal weight adjustment system. A weight adjustment system generally includes at least one mechanism by which a mass distribution of the golf club head can be changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Cobra Golf Incorporated
    Inventors: Tim A. Beno, Karl A. Clausen, Andrew Curtis, Cameron J. Day, Caleb Kroloff, Douglas E. Roberts, Richard Romo Sanchez, Peter L. Soracco, Michael S. Yagley
  • Patent number: 9616301
    Abstract: The invention includes a releasable component for use on a golf club head, wherein the component itself may serve as a portion of the club head face, crown, sole, or other portion of the club head body when attached to the club head. The component includes an anti-over rotation mechanism configured to prevent overtightening of the component to a corresponding counterbore on the golf club head. The anti-over rotation mechanism is embodied as a taper design defined on a flange of a threaded component and a corresponding taper design on a flange surface of a counterbore. The counterbore is configured to receive and retain the releasable component by way of a threaded engagement, wherein the interaction between the corresponding taper flange designs of the releasable component and counterbore prevents over rotation of the releasable component, particularly resisting rotation due to ball strike impacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Cobra Golf Incorporated
    Inventors: Karl Clausen, Tim A. Beno, Caleb Kroloff, Douglas E. Roberts
  • Publication number: 20160354658
    Abstract: The invention provides a golf club head that includes a weight adjustment system inside of the club head. Preferably, when the club is played, no part of the adjustment system is directly accessible or exposed to an exterior of the club. The club head may include a panel that opens or is removable, or the club head may be disassembled to provide access to the internal weight adjustment system. A weight adjustment system generally includes at least one mechanism by which a mass distribution of the golf club head can be changed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2016
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Inventors: Tim A. Beno, Karl A. Clausen, Andrew Curtis, Cameron J. Day, Caleb Kroloff, Douglas E. Roberts, Richard Romo Sanchez, Peter L. Soracco, Michael S. Yagley
  • Publication number: 20160325156
    Abstract: The invention provides a golf club head with a fully removable component that can withstand the stress of repeated hits. When assembled, the removable component is held in place by a fastening mechanism that includes structural elements that distribute the holding force across the component and tend to equalize the forces around the periphery where the component meets the body. The fastening mechanism may include a post that reaches across the open space within the hollow club head, pulling the removable component towards an opposed main club head body. Since a golf club of the present invention can be opened, it may include a mechanism on the inside for use by a golfer, such as an electronic device or an adjustment mechanism. The golf club may include a weight adjustment system that allows the club to be custom-fitted to a golfer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2016
    Publication date: November 10, 2016
    Inventors: Tim A. Beno, Joshua G. Breier, Karl A. Clausen, Andrew Curtis, Caleb Kroloff, Steven M. Mitzel, Scott H. Moreira, Richard Romo Sanchez, Peter L. Soracco
  • Patent number: 9440123
    Abstract: The invention provides a golf club head having a port for providing a view into the interior cavity of the club head. The club head further includes at least one rib positioned along an internal surface of the club head and adjacent to the port. The at least one rib is configured to provide sound tuning characteristics, increasing the frequency of the port, thereby improving acoustic properties of the club head, particularly the sound produced by the golf club head during ball impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Cobra Golf Incorporated
    Inventors: Tim A. Beno, Karl Clausen
  • Patent number: 9421438
    Abstract: The invention provides a golf club head that includes a weight adjustment system inside of the club head. Preferably, when the club is played, no part of the adjustment system is directly accessible or exposed to an exterior of the club. The club head may include a panel that opens or is removable, or the club head may be disassembled to provide access to the internal weight adjustment system. A weight adjustment system generally includes at least one mechanism by which a mass distribution of the golf club head can be changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Cobra Golf Incorporated
    Inventors: Tim A. Beno, Karl A. Clausen, Andrew Curtis, Cameron J. Day, Caleb Kroloff, Douglas E. Roberts, Richard Romo Sanchez, Peter L. Soracco, Michael S. Yagley
  • Publication number: 20160236048
    Abstract: The invention generally relates to golf clubs with adjustable mass properties. In certain aspects, the invention provides methods and mechanisms for adjusting a club head center of gravity in a vertical direction. Changing a center of gravity in the vertical direction can be done without substantially changing the center of a gravity in other directions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2016
    Publication date: August 18, 2016
    Inventors: Karl A. Clausen, Peter L. Soracco, Joshua G. Breier, Tim A. Beno, Andrew Curtis
  • Patent number: 9393471
    Abstract: The invention provides a golf club head with a fully removable component that can withstand the stress of repeated hits. When assembled, the removable component is held in place by a fastening mechanism that includes structural elements that distribute the holding force across the component and tend to equalize the forces around the periphery where the component meets the body. The fastening mechanism may include a post that reaches across the open space within the hollow club head, pulling the removable component towards an opposed main club head body. Since a golf club of the present invention can be opened, it may include a mechanism on the inside for use by a golfer, such as an electronic device or an adjustment mechanism. The golf club may include a weight adjustment system that allows the club to be custom-fitted to a golfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Cobra Golf Incorporated
    Inventors: Tim A. Beno, Joshua G. Breier, Karl A. Clausen, Andrew Curtis, Caleb Kroloff, Steven M. Mitzel, Scott H. Moreira, Richard Romo Sanchez, Peter L. Soracco
  • Patent number: 9370697
    Abstract: A golf club head having an insert mechanically coupled to a frame. The construction allows a golf club head to be fabricated with a combination of dissimilar materials, resulting in a club head with improved performance. In some embodiments, the insert comprises an outer insert material, an inner insert material, and a sandwiched material. The sandwiched material may be constructed with a plurality of voids having a varying distribution, thereby resembling a biological structure. Methods for forming a golf club having an insert mechanically coupled to a frame are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Cobra Golf Incorporated
    Inventors: Tim A. Beno, Karl Clausen, Richard Romo Sanchez, Cameron J. Day, Thomas W. Preece
  • Publication number: 20160125494
    Abstract: Methods and systems for selecting and fabricating individualized golf clubs or golf club components. Using a website, for example, a golfer can input relevant information about his or her golf game, receive recommendations for golf club components, select from the recommendations, and have the desired golf club components manufactured and delivered. In some embodiments, the golf club components include custom golf club heads fabricated using layer by layer processing, such as direct metal laser sintering.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Inventors: Peter L. Soracco, Karl A. Clausen
  • Patent number: 9330406
    Abstract: Methods and systems for selecting and fabricating individualized golf clubs or golf club components. Using a website, for example, a golfer can input relevant information about his or her golf game, receive recommendations for golf club components, select from the recommendations, and have the desired golf club components manufactured and delivered. In some embodiments, the golf club components include custom golf club heads fabricated using layer by layer processing, such as direct metal laser sintering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: COBRA GOLF INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Peter L. Soracco, Karl A. Clausen
  • Publication number: 20160045795
    Abstract: The invention generally provides a removable stabilizing insert releasably couplable to an adjustable golf club head. The removable stabilizing insert is configured to be releasably coupled to mounting portion on a sole of the club head and to further provide a region for surface contact such that, when a club is given different settings, if the club is held at address resting on a surface, the club naturally comes to a rest position in which it exhibits substantially the same face angle in any setting. Accordingly, the removable stabilizing insert is configured to optimize performance of the club head by balancing and maintaining the club head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Publication date: February 18, 2016
    Inventors: Karl A. Clausen, Andrew Curtis
  • Publication number: 20150352414
    Abstract: The invention generally provides a golf club head having a sole with a region for surface contact such that, when an adjustable club is given different settings, if the club is held at address resting on a surface, the club naturally comes to a rest position in which it exhibits substantially the same face angle in any adjusted setting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2015
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Inventors: Karl A. Clausen, Thomas W. Preece, Douglas E. Roberts
  • Publication number: 20150314173
    Abstract: A releasable connection system for assembling a shaft and a club head, e.g., a golf club shaft and a golf club head. The connection system provides interchangeability between a shaft and a club head and allows the head to be adjusted with respect to the shaft. The mating structures between the shaft and the club head may be indexed for reproducible placement. In an embodiment, the connection system also includes retaining structures that maintain the connection fastener position when the head and shaft are separated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Publication date: November 5, 2015
    Inventors: Jesse Bolane, Joshua G. Breier, Karl Clausen, Andrew Curtis, Steven M. Mitzel, Scott H. Moreira
  • Patent number: 9114291
    Abstract: A releasable connection system for assembling a shaft and a club head, e.g., a golf club shaft and a golf club head. The connection system provides interchangeability between a shaft and a club head and allows the head to be adjusted with respect to the shaft. The mating structures between the shaft and the club head may be indexed for reproducible placement. In an embodiment, the connection system also includes retaining structures that maintain the connection fastener position when the head and shaft are separated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Cobra Golf Incorporated
    Inventors: Jesse Bolane, Joshua G. Breier, Karl A. Clausen, Andrew Curtis, Steven M. Mitzel, Scott H. Moreira
  • Patent number: 9114292
    Abstract: The invention generally provides a golf club head having a sole with a region for surface contact such that, when an adjustable club is given different settings, if the club is held at address resting on a surface, the club naturally comes to a rest position in which it exhibits substantially the same face angle in any adjusted setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Cobra Golf Incorporated
    Inventors: Karl A. Clausen, Thomas W. Preece, Douglas E. Roberts
  • Patent number: 9114294
    Abstract: This application generally relates to sets of golf clubs including at least one adjustable club to provide a set with no distance gap. The adjustable club may include a loft-adjustment mechanism and a mechanism to prevent unintended face-angle change. The club is reliable for shots covering the full range of distances associated with multiple loft settings. Thus, an adjustable club can be included in a golfer's golf bag and can play double-duty in terms of the ranges of shot distances it is reliably useful for. In this way, the golfer's bag can contain fourteen clubs that cover all desired ranges between the putter and the driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Cobra Golf Incorporated
    Inventors: Karl A. Clausen, Thomas W. Preece, Douglas E. Roberts
  • Publication number: 20150190687
    Abstract: The invention provides a releasable threaded component for use on a golf club head, the component having an anti-over rotation mechanism configured to prevent overtightening of the component to a corresponding mounting portion on the golf club head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Publication date: July 9, 2015
    Inventors: Karl Clausen, Tim A. Beno, Caleb Kroloff, Douglas E. Roberts