Patents by Inventor Michael D. Vrska

Michael D. Vrska 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: 20210331046
    Abstract: An iron-type golf club head includes a body having a wall extending about an opening, a faceplate coupled to the body across the opening, and a fill material. The wall defines a first set of apertures and a second aperture, and includes an outer peripheral surface, a sole and a rear wall portion extending from the heel to the toe. The wall and the faceplate define a rearward-facing back cavity. The sole, the rear wall portion and the faceplate define a lower cavity that is continuous with the back cavity. The first set of apertures and the second aperture extend through the wall from the peripheral outer surface to, and are continuous with, the lower cavity. The first set of apertures and the second aperture extend about first and second planes, respectively. The fill material substantially fills the lower cavity and the first set of apertures and the second aperture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2021
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Applicant: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: Jon C. Pergande, Mark A. Kerscher, Sean P. Griffin, Ninad Trifale, Mark A. Spencer, Michael D. Vrska, JR.
  • Patent number: 11065514
    Abstract: An iron-type golf club head includes a body having a wall extending about an opening, a faceplate coupled to the body across the opening, first and second sets of apertures, and a fill material. The wall has an outer peripheral surface, a sole, a toe, a heel, a topline and a rear wall portion extending from the heel to the toe. The wall and the faceplate define a rearward-facing back cavity, and the sole, the rear wall portion and the faceplate define a lower cavity that is continuous with the back cavity. The first and second sets of apertures extend through the wall from the peripheral outer surface to, and are continuous with, the lower cavity. The first and second sets of apertures extend about first and second planes, respectively. The fill material substantially fills the lower cavity and the first and second sets of apertures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: Jon C. Pergande, Mark A. Spencer, Mark A. Kerscher, Sean P. Griffin, Michael D. Vrska, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20200009431
    Abstract: An iron-type golf club head includes a body having a wall extending about an opening, a faceplate coupled to the body across the opening, first and second sets of apertures, and a fill material. The wall has an outer peripheral surface, a sole, a toe, a heel, a topline and a rear wall portion extending from the heel to the toe. The wall and the faceplate define a rearward-facing back cavity, and the sole, the rear wall portion and the faceplate define a lower cavity that is continuous with the back cavity. The first and second sets of apertures extend through the wall from the peripheral outer surface to, and are continuous with, the lower cavity. The first and second sets of apertures extend about first and second planes, respectively. The fill material substantially fills the lower cavity and the first and second sets of apertures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Publication date: January 9, 2020
    Inventors: Jon C. Pergande, Mark A. Spencer, Mark A. Kerscher, Sean P. Griffin, Michael D. Vrska, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10420993
    Abstract: An iron-type golf club head includes a body having a wall extending about an opening, a faceplate coupled to the body across the opening, a first set of apertures, and at least one second aperture. The wall has an outer peripheral surface, a sole, a toe and a topline. The wall and the faceplate define a rearward-facing cavity. The first set of apertures extends through the wall from the peripheral outer surface to the cavity. The first set of apertures extends about a first plane. The at least one second aperture extends through the wall from the peripheral outer surface to the cavity. The at least one second aperture extends about a second plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: Jon C. Pergande, Mark A. Spencer, Mark A. Kerscher, Michael D. Vrska, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20180111025
    Abstract: A golf club head may comprise a hosel portion, a front strike face, a sole, a crown and micro-vortex generators projecting from a surface of the crown. The micro-vortex generators may comprise a first elongated micro-vortex generator angled with respect to the front strike face and a second elongated micro-vortex generator having a front end rearward of the first micro-vortex generator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2016
    Publication date: April 26, 2018
    Inventors: Michael D. Vrska, JR., Richard P. Hulock, Mark A. Kerscher, Kevin W. Mayoux, Mark A. Spencer
  • Publication number: 20170326416
    Abstract: An iron-type golf club head includes a body having a wall extending about an opening, a faceplate coupled to the body across the opening, a first set of apertures, and at least one second aperture. The wall has an outer peripheral surface, a sole, a toe and a topline. The wall and the faceplate define a rearward-facing cavity. The first set of apertures extends through the wall from the peripheral outer surface to the cavity. The first set of apertures extends about a first plane. The at least one second aperture extends through the wall from the peripheral outer surface to the cavity. The at least one second aperture extends about a second plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2017
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Inventors: Jon C. Pergande, Mark A. Spencer, Mark A. Kerscher, Michael D. Vrska, JR.
  • Publication number: 20170266519
    Abstract: An iron-type golf club head includes a body having a wall extending about an opening, a faceplate, at least four apertures extending through the wall, and at least four plugs. The wall has and outer peripheral surface and a first hardness value. The faceplate is coupled to the body across the opening. The wall and the faceplate defining a rearward-facing cavity. The at least four apertures extend through the wall from the peripheral outer surface to the cavity. The at least four plugs are positioned within the at least four apertures, respectively, and the at least four plugs have separate hardness values. The separate hardness values are less than the first hardness value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2017
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Inventors: Michael D. Vrska, JR., Jon C. Pergande, Mark A. Spencer
  • Patent number: 9662549
    Abstract: An iron-type golf club head includes a body having a wall extending about an opening, a faceplate, at least first and second apertures extending through the wall, and at least first and second plugs. The wall has and outer peripheral surface and a first hardness. The faceplate is coupled to the body across the opening. The wall and the faceplate defining a rearward-facing cavity. The first and second apertures extend through the wall from the peripheral outer surface to the cavity. The at least first and second plugs are positioned within the at least first and second apertures, respectively, and the first and second plugs have second and third hardnesses, respectively. Each of the second and third hardnesses is less than the first hardness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: Michael D. Vrska, Jr., Jon C. Pergande, Mark A. Spencer
  • Publication number: 20170036075
    Abstract: An iron-type golf club head includes a body having a wall extending about an opening, a faceplate, at least first and second apertures extending through the wall, and at least first and second plugs. The wall has and outer peripheral surface and a first hardness. The faceplate is coupled to the body across the opening. The wall and the faceplate defining a rearward-facing cavity. The first and second apertures extend through the wall from the peripheral outer surface to the cavity. The at least first and second plugs are positioned within the at least first and second apertures, respectively, and the first and second plugs have second and third hardnesses, respectively. Each of the second and third hardnesses is less than the first hardness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2015
    Publication date: February 9, 2017
    Inventors: Michael D. Vrska, JR., Jon C. Pergande, Mark A. Spencer
  • Patent number: 6860822
    Abstract: A putter head including a toe portion, a heel portion, a generally vertically extending wall and an insert. The wall has a front strike face, a rear surface, an upper layer, and a lower layer. The upper layer, the lower layer and the rear surface each extend from the heel portion to the toe portion to define a recess rearwardly extending into the wall from the strike face. The rear surface of the wall is formed with variable thickness thereby providing the recess with a variable rearward depth. The insert substantially fills the recess and connects to the wall. The insert has a front surface, a top surface, a bottom surface and a rear surface. The front surface is exposed, while the top and bottom surfaces are substantially covered by the wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventor: Michael D. Vrska, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20030176234
    Abstract: A grip for mounting to a butt end of a golf putter shaft. The grip includes an elongate tubular body having a bore extending along a longitudinal axis and an open distal end. The body has a front face, a back face, and first and second side faces. The body also has a distal portion, a butt end portion, and a central portion positioned between the distal and butt end portions. The front face and the rear face have front and rear transverse thicknesses, respectively. The front and rear transverse thicknesses are measured at the central portion of the body along a first longitudinal plane extending through a forward most region of the front face, the longitudinal axis and a rearward region of the back face. The ratio of the rear transverse thickness to the front transverse thickness is at least five to one.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2002
    Publication date: September 18, 2003
    Applicant: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: Jeffrey D. Sheets, Richard P. Hulock, Michael D. Vrska
  • Publication number: 20030045372
    Abstract: A putter head including a toe portion, a heel portion, a generally vertically extending wall and an insert. The wall has a front strike face, a rear surface, an upper layer, and a lower layer. The upper layer, the lower layer and the rear surface each extend from the heel portion to the toe portion to define a recess rearwardly extending into the wall from the strike face. The rear surface of the wall is formed with variable thickness thereby providing the recess with a variable rearward depth. The insert substantially fills the recess and connects to the wall. The insert has a front surface, a top surface, a bottom surface and a rear surface. The front surface is exposed, while the top and bottom surfaces are substantially covered by the wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2001
    Publication date: March 6, 2003
    Applicant: Wilson Sporting Goods, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael D. Vrska
  • Patent number: D768250
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventors: Michael D. Vrska, Jr., Jon C. Pergande, Mark A. Spencer