Patents by Inventor Kraig Alan Willett
Kraig Alan Willett 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).
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Patent number: 9814944Abstract: A golf club head is described having a club head portion, a shaft portion connected to the club head portion, and a grip portion connected to the shaft portion. The club head portion has a heel portion, a sole portion, a toe portion, a crown portion, a hosel portion, and a striking face. The striking face has a center face roll contour, a toe side roll contour, a heel side roll contour, a center face bulge contour, a crown side bulge contour, and a sole side bulge contour. The toe side roll contour is more lofted than the center face roll contour. The heel side roll contour is less lofted than the center face roll contour. The crown side bulge contour is more open than the center face bulge contour, and the sole side bulge contour is more closed than the center face bulge contour.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2016Date of Patent: November 14, 2017Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.Inventors: Mark Vincent Greaney, Kraig Alan Willett, Joe Hoffman, Todd P. Beach
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Publication number: 20170304692Abstract: A golf club head includes a body defining an interior cavity. The body includes a sole positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head, a crown positioned at a top portion, and a skirt positioned around a periphery between the sole and crown. The body has a forward portion and a rearward portion. The club head includes a face positioned at the forward portion of the body. The face defines a striking surface having an ideal impact location at a golf club head origin. Embodiments include club heads for a fairway wood that at least one of a high moment of inertia, a low center-of-gravity, a thin crown and a high coefficient of restitution. A sleeve for easily disconnecting a shaft to the club head allows for selective adjustment of the head's loft and lie angle.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 6, 2017Publication date: October 26, 2017Applicant: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.Inventors: Todd P. Beach, Matthew David Johnson, Nathan T. Sargent, Kraig Alan Willett, Michelle Penney, Marc Kronenberg, Matthew Greensmith, Joseph Henry Hoffman
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Patent number: 9795839Abstract: A golf club head includes a body defining an interior cavity. The body includes a sole positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head, a crown positioned at a top portion, and a skirt positioned around a periphery between the sole and crown. The body has a forward portion and a rearward portion. The club head includes a face positioned at the forward portion of the body. In some embodiments, the crown includes a lattice-like structure having thin regions surrounded by a web of relatively thicker regions. In some embodiments, the club head includes one or more stiffening tubes attached between the sole and the crown to improve the acoustic performance of the golf club head.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 2016Date of Patent: October 24, 2017Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.Inventors: Matthew Greensmith, Todd P. Beach, Nathan T. Sargent, Kraig Alan Willett, Joshua J. Dipert
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Patent number: 9795840Abstract: A golf club head includes a body defining an interior cavity. The body includes a sole positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head, a crown positioned at a top portion, and a skirt positioned around a periphery between the sole and crown. The body has a forward portion and a rearward portion. The club head includes a face positioned at the forward portion of the body. In some embodiments, the crown includes a lattice-like structure having thin regions surrounded by a web of relatively thicker regions. In some embodiments, the club head includes one or more stiffening tubes attached between the sole and the crown to improve the acoustic performance of the golf club head.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2017Date of Patent: October 24, 2017Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.Inventors: Matthew Greensmith, Todd P. Beach, Nathan T. Sargent, Kraig Alan Willett, Joshua J. Dipert
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Patent number: 9789372Abstract: A golf club head comprises a body and at least one self-extracting pressed weight assembly. The body comprises a face plate positioned at a forward portion of the golf club head, a sole positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head, a crown positioned at a top portion of the golf club head and a skirt positioned around a periphery of the golf club head between the sole and the crown. The body defines an interior cavity. The weight assembly comprises at least three components and is configured for a press fit engagement with the golf club head. The assembly has a drive portion and a threaded portion.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 2014Date of Patent: October 17, 2017Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.Inventors: Todd P. Beach, Benoit Vincent, Ian C. Wright, Kraig Alan Willett, Gery Mel Zimmerman, Joseph Henry Hoffman
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Publication number: 20170274252Abstract: A golf club includes a golf club head having a body defining an interior cavity. The body includes a sole, a crown and a skirt positioned around a periphery between the sole and crown. A face defines a forward portion of the club head and includes a striking surface width and a hosel defining a hosel bore. A channel and a recessed port are positioned in the sole. The channel extends substantially in a heel-to-toe direction. A sleeve is mounted on a tip end of the golf club shaft and is adapted to be inserted into the hosel bore. A fastener has a shaft portion extending through a passage and a head portion located in the recessed port. Selectively attaching the sleeve adjusts at least one of a loft angle and a lie angle of the club head.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 8, 2017Publication date: September 28, 2017Applicant: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.Inventors: Christopher John Harbert, Todd P. Beach, Matthew David Johnson, Nathan T. Sargent, Kraig Alan Willett, Michelle Penney, Marc Kronenberg, Matthew Greensmith, Joseph Henry Hoffman
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Publication number: 20170259128Abstract: A golf club head includes a body defining an interior cavity. The body includes a sole positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head, a crown positioned at a top portion, and a skirt positioned around a periphery between the sole and crown. The body has a forward portion and a rearward portion. The club head includes a face positioned at the forward portion of the body. In some embodiments, the crown includes a lattice-like structure having thin regions surrounded by a web of relatively thicker regions. In some embodiments, the club head includes one or more stiffening tubes attached between the sole and the crown to improve the acoustic performance of the golf club head.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 31, 2017Publication date: September 14, 2017Applicant: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.Inventors: Matthew Greensmith, Todd P. Beach, Nathan T. Sargent, Kraig Alan Willett, Joshua J. Dipert
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Patent number: 9700769Abstract: A golf club head includes a body defining an interior cavity. The body includes a sole positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head, a crown positioned at a top portion, and a skirt positioned around a periphery between the sole and crown. The body has a forward portion and a rearward portion. The club head includes a face positioned at the forward portion of the body. The face defines a striking surface having an ideal impact location at a golf club head origin. Embodiments include club heads for a fairway wood that at least one of a high moment of inertia, a low center-of-gravity, a thin crown and a high coefficient of restitution. A sleeve for easily disconnecting a shaft to the club head allows for selective adjustment of the head's loft and lie angle.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2014Date of Patent: July 11, 2017Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.Inventors: Todd P. Beach, Matthew David Johnson, Nathan T. Sargent, Kraig Alan Willett, Michelle Penney, Marc Kronenberg, Matthew Greensmith, Joseph Henry Hoffman
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Patent number: 9700763Abstract: A golf club includes a golf club head having a body defining an interior cavity. The body includes a sole, a crown and a skirt positioned around a periphery between the sole and crown. A face defines a forward portion of the club head and includes a striking surface width and a hosel defining a hosel bore. A channel and a recessed port are positioned in the sole. The channel extends substantially in a heel-to-toe direction. A sleeve is mounted on a tip end of the golf club shaft and is adapted to be inserted into the hosel bore. A fastener has a shaft portion extending through a passage and a head portion located in the recessed port. Selectively attaching the sleeve adjusts at least one of a loft angle and a lie angle of the club head.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2015Date of Patent: July 11, 2017Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.Inventors: Christopher John Harbert, Todd P. Beach, Matthew David Johnson, Nathan T. Sargent, Kraig Alan Willett, Michelle Penney, Marc Kronenberg, Matthew Greensmith, Joseph Henry Hoffman
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Publication number: 20170182382Abstract: An aerodynamic golf club head with a low center of gravity and producing reduced aerodynamic drag forces. The club head has crown section attributes that impart beneficial aerodynamic properties.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 13, 2017Publication date: June 29, 2017Inventors: Kraig Alan Willett, Jeffrey J. Albertsen, Michael Scott Burnett
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Publication number: 20170157475Abstract: A golf club head comprises a body and at least one self-extracting pressed weight assembly. The body comprises a face plate positioned at a forward portion of the golf club head, a sole positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head, a crown positioned at a top portion of the golf club head and a skirt positioned around a periphery of the golf club head between the sole and the crown. The body defines an interior cavity. The weight assembly comprises at least three components and is configured for a press fit engagement with the golf club head. The assembly has a drive portion and a threaded portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 15, 2017Publication date: June 8, 2017Applicant: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.Inventors: Todd P. Beach, Benoit Vincent, Ian C. Wright, Kraig Alan Willett, Gery Mel Zimmerman, Joseph Henry Hoffman
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Publication number: 20170151472Abstract: A golf club head includes a face; a body, the body defining an interior and an exterior; the face and the body together defining a center of gravity, the center of gravity being proximate the face; a coefficient of restitution feature defined in the body; wherein the coefficient of restitution feature defines a gap in the body. A golf club head includes a face and a golf club body; the face and the golf club body defining a center of gravity, the center of gravity defined a distance, ?z, from a ground plane as measured along a z-axis, the center of gravity defined a distance, CGy, from the center face along the y-axis.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 10, 2017Publication date: June 1, 2017Applicant: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.Inventors: Todd P. Beach, Matthew Greensmith, Matthew David Johnson, Jason Andrew Mata, Kraig Alan Willett, Nathan T. Sargent
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Patent number: 9662545Abstract: A golf club head includes a face; a body, the body defining an interior and an exterior; the face and the body together defining a center of gravity, the center of gravity being proximate the face; a coefficient of restitution feature defined in the body; wherein the coefficient of restitution feature defines a gap in the body. A golf club head includes a face and a golf club body; the face and the golf club body defining a center of gravity, the center of gravity defined a distance, ?z, from a ground plane as measured along a z-axis, the center of gravity defined a distance, CGy, from the center face along the y-axis.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2013Date of Patent: May 30, 2017Assignee: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.Inventors: Todd P. Beach, Matthew Greensmith, Matthew David Johnson, Jason Andrew Mata, Kraig Alan Willett, Nathan T. Sargent
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Patent number: 9623291Abstract: A golf club head includes a body defining an interior cavity. The body includes a sole positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head, a crown positioned at a top portion, and a skirt positioned around a periphery between the sole and crown. The body has a forward portion and a rearward portion. The club head includes a face positioned at the forward portion of the body. In some embodiments, the crown includes a lattice-like structure having thin regions surrounded by a web of relatively thicker regions. In some embodiments, the club head includes one or more stiffening tubes attached between the sole and the crown to improve the acoustic performance of the golf club head.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2016Date of Patent: April 18, 2017Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.Inventors: Matthew Greensmith, Todd P. Beach, Nathan T. Sargent, Kraig Alan Willett, Joshua J. Dipert
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Patent number: 9623295Abstract: An aerodynamic golf club head with a low center of gravity and producing reduced aerodynamic drag forces. The club head has crown section attributes that impart beneficial aerodynamic properties.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2016Date of Patent: April 18, 2017Assignee: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INCInventors: Kraig Alan Willett, Jeffrey J. Albertsen, Michael Scott Burnett
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Publication number: 20170087429Abstract: A golf club head comprises a body having a face, a crown and a sole together defining an interior cavity. The body having a channel located on the sole and extending generally from a heel end of the body to a toe end of the body. A weight member movably positioned within the channel such that a position of the weight member within the channel is able to be adjusted, thereby adjusting a location of a center of gravity of the body. Additionally, adjustment of the weight member provides a maximum x-axis adjustment range of the position of the center of gravity (Max ?CGx) that is greater than 2 mm and a maximum z-axis adjustment range of the center of gravity (Max ?CGz) that is less than 2 mm.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 13, 2016Publication date: March 30, 2017Applicant: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.Inventors: Joseph Reeve Nielson, Nathan T. Sargent, Christopher John Harbert, Todd P. Beach, Brian Bazzel, Mark Vincent Greaney, Christian Reber Wester, Craig Richard Slyfield, Matthew David Johnson, Matthew Greensmith, Kraig Alan Willett
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Patent number: 9561413Abstract: A golf club head comprises a body having a face, a crown and a sole together defining an interior cavity. The body having a channel located on the sole and extending generally from a heel end of the body to a toe end of the body. A weight member movably positioned within the channel such that a position of the weight member within the channel is able to be adjusted, thereby adjusting a location of a center of gravity of the body. Additionally, adjustment of the weight member provides a maximum x-axis adjustment range of the position of the center of gravity (Max ?CGx) that is greater than 2 mm and a maximum z-axis adjustment range of the center of gravity (Max ?CGz) that is less than 2 mm.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2015Date of Patent: February 7, 2017Assignee: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.Inventors: Joseph Reeve Nielson, Nathan T. Sargent, Christopher John Harbert, Todd P. Beach, Brian Bazzel, Mark Vincent Greaney, Christian Reber Wester, Craig Richard Slyfield, Matthew David Johnson, Matthew Greensmith, Kraig Alan Willett
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Publication number: 20170021237Abstract: Golf club head embodiments disclosed herein comprise a crown having a stepped portion located between a front portion of the crown and rear portion of the crown, such that the crown transitions steeply in height across the stepped portion from the front portion down to the rear portion. The stepped portion of the crown may extend from adjacent to the hosel in a toeward and rearward direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 6, 2016Publication date: January 26, 2017Applicant: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.Inventors: Kraig Alan Willett, Nathan T. Sargent, Joseph Reeve Nielson, Michael Franz
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Publication number: 20170001082Abstract: A golf club head having a high COR that is durable and has desirable acoustic qualities. The club head includes a body portion, a striking face and a crown forming a hollow cavity of at least 150 cc in volume. The body portion defines a front opening and an upper opening, and it includes a sole and a side section that extends rearward of the front opening. The striking plate is secured to the body portion, enclosing the front opening. While partially assembled, final weighting and/or other attachment of other members to the inner surface of the club head can be preformed, as desired. The crown is secured to the body portion, enclosing the upper opening. A surface veil may also be provided about a junction of the crown and body. The crown has a maximum thickness no greater than about 2 mm. The density of the crown is less than the density of the body portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 15, 2016Publication date: January 5, 2017Applicant: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.Inventors: Drew T. DeShiell, Kraig Alan Willett, Michael Scott Burnett, Benoit Vincent, Joseph Henry Hoffman
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Publication number: 20160367871Abstract: Golf club heads include at least one weight port situated to retain weights and positioned above an approximate club face geometric center with the club in a standard address position. One, two, or more weight ports can be located above the club face center in a club crown or other portion of a club body. Club head vertical center of gravity can be selected to compensate dynamic loft associated with locating the club head center of gravity well behind the club face. Three-dimensional adjustment of club head center of gravity is possible.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2016Publication date: December 22, 2016Applicant: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.Inventors: Kraig Alan Willett, Todd P. Beach, Christopher John Harbert, Gery Mel Zimmerman