Patents by Inventor Michael E. Franz
Michael E. Franz 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: 10357697Abstract: The present invention is direct to a set of golf clubs comprising long irons, mid-irons and short irons. The invention contemplates the use of titanium or steel for the main body portion and significant tungsten weight members coupled to at least the toe and a heel weight member coupled in a hosel cavity.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2017Date of Patent: July 23, 2019Assignee: Acushnet CompanyInventors: Joshua G. Breier, Jonathan Hebreo, Marni D. Ines, Grant M. Martens, Jason A. Mata, Michael E. Franz, Joshua C. Stokes
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Publication number: 20190105542Abstract: A golf club head including a face having a flat ball-striking surface and a body that forms a flexure. The golf club head has a feature formed in a sole of the golf club head that provides the flexure.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 12, 2018Publication date: April 11, 2019Applicant: Acushnet CompanyInventors: John Morin, Noah de la Cruz, Nick Frame, Charles E. Golden, Jonathan Hebreo, Michael E. Franz, Grant M. Martens
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Patent number: 10188917Abstract: The present invention is direct to a set of golf clubs comprising long irons, mid-irons and short irons. The invention contemplates the use of titanium or steel for the main body portion and significant tungsten weight members coupled to at least the toe via a mechanical fastener inserted through the face.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2017Date of Patent: January 29, 2019Assignee: Acushnet CompanyInventors: Ryan J. A. Ritchie, Marni Ines, Jonathan Hebreo, Michael E. Franz
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Publication number: 20190001204Abstract: A golf club head having a damping treatment, such as a viscoelastic polymer, is disclosed. The viscoelastic polymer may be in contact with the rear surface of a striking face of the golf club head. The viscoelastic polymer may have a tangent of delta peak temperature between-70 degrees Celsius and ?20 degrees Celsius at a 1 Hz frequency. An elastic modulus (F), in megapascals (MPa), of the viscoelastic polymer has a relationship to a striking face thickness (t), in millimeters (mm), defined Ê??14{circumflex over (t)}+305. The elastic modulus (F), in megapascals (MPa), of the viscoelastic polymer has a relationship to an effective stiffness (5) of the striking face, in gigapascals per meter (GPa/m), defined by Ê??1.16?+258.33. The viscoelastic polymer may cover a portion of the rear surface of the striking face or may substantially fill a cavity of the golf club head.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2018Publication date: January 3, 2019Applicant: Acushnet CompanyInventors: Charles E. Golden, Michael E. Franz, Jonathan Hebreo, Brian Comeau
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Publication number: 20180339204Abstract: A golf club head having a golf club head body and an inner wall structure. The club head body includes a back portion, a striking face, a sole, and a topline. The inner wall structure is at least partially in contact with a rear surface of the striking face. The inner wall structure also has a fixed end and an unfixed end. The golf club head is also configured such that the portion of the inner wall structure in contact with the rear surface of the striking face may slide against one another. The golf club head may also include a sole channel, and the fixed end of the inner wall structure may be attached to either a front edge or back edge of the sole channel.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 6, 2018Publication date: November 29, 2018Applicant: Acushnet CompanyInventors: Jonathan Hebreo, Michael E. Franz, Marni Ines, Joshua C. Stokes, Grant M. Martens, Charles E. Golden, Uday V. Deshmukh
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Patent number: 10099103Abstract: A golf club head having a damping treatment, such as a viscoelastic polymer, is disclosed. The viscoelastic polymer may be in contact with the rear surface of a striking face of the golf club head. The viscoelastic polymer may have a tangent of delta peak temperature between ?70 degrees Celsius and ?20 degrees Celsius at a 1 Hz frequency. An elastic modulus (E), in megapascals (MPa), of the viscoelastic polymer has a relationship to a striking face thickness (t), in millimeters (mm), defined by Ê??14{circumflex over (t)}+305. The elastic modulus (E), in megapascals (MPa), of the viscoelastic polymer has a relationship to an effective stiffness (S) of the striking face, in gigapascals per meter (GPa/m), defined by Ê??1.16?+258.33. The viscoelastic polymer may cover a portion of the rear surface of the striking face or may substantially fill a cavity of the golf club head.Type: GrantFiled: January 17, 2017Date of Patent: October 16, 2018Assignee: ACUSHNET COMPANYInventors: Charles E. Golden, Michael E. Franz, Jonathan Hebreo, Brian Comeau
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Patent number: 10099092Abstract: A golf club head including a face having a flat ball-striking surface and a body that form a flexure. The golf club head has a feature formed in a sole of the golf club head that provides a flexure.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2016Date of Patent: October 16, 2018Assignee: Acushnet CompanyInventors: John Morin, Noah de la Cruz, Nick Frame, Charles E. Golden, Jonathan Hebreo, Michael E. Franz, Grant M. Martens
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Publication number: 20180272200Abstract: The present invention is direct to a set of golf clubs comprising long irons, mid-irons and short irons. The invention contemplates the use of titanium or steel for the main body portion and significant tungsten weight members at the heel and toe.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 4, 2018Publication date: September 27, 2018Applicant: Acushnet CompanyInventors: Marni Ines, Jonathan Hebreo, Michael E. Franz, Joshua C. Stokes
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Publication number: 20180256947Abstract: The present invention is direct to a set of golf clubs comprising long irons, mid-irons and short irons. The invention contemplates the use of titanium or steel for the main body portion and a tungsten weight member coupled to the toe and a tungsten heel weight member coupled in a hosel cavity.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 11, 2018Publication date: September 13, 2018Applicant: Acushnet CompanyInventors: Jason A. Mata, Marni D. Ines, Jonathan Hebreo, Joshua G. Breier, Michael E. Franz, Joshua C. Stokes, Grant M. Martens
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Patent number: 10065088Abstract: A golf club head having a golf club head body and an inner wall structure. The club head body includes a back portion, a striking face, a sole, and a topline. The inner wall structure is at least partially in contact with a rear surface of the striking face. The inner wall structure also has a fixed end and an unfixed end. The golf club head is also configured such that the portion of the inner wall structure in contact with the rear surface of the striking face may slide against one another. The golf club head may also include a sole channel, and the fixed end of the inner wall structure may be attached to either a front edge or back edge of the sole channel.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2016Date of Patent: September 4, 2018Assignee: ACUSHNET COMPANYInventors: Jonathan Hebreo, Michael E. Franz, Marni Ines, Joshua C. Stokes, Grant M. Martens, Charles E. Golden, Uday V. Deshmukh
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Patent number: 10029161Abstract: A golf club head includes a club head body and a weight member that is secured to the body. The weight member is constructed to utilize lateral forces to couple to the head body to minimize the structure required to retain the weight member, and the weight member is preferably constructed so that it has a low profile.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2016Date of Patent: July 24, 2018Assignee: Acushnet CompanyInventors: Scott A. Knutson, Noah de la Cruz, Andrew McCarthy, Grant M. Martens, Michael E. Franz
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Publication number: 20180200593Abstract: A golf club head having a damping treatment, such as a viscoelastic polymer, is disclosed. The viscoelastic polymer may be in contact with the rear surface of a striking face of the golf club head. The viscoelastic polymer may have a tangent of delta peak temperature between ?70 degrees Celsius and ?20 degrees Celsius at a 1 Hz frequency. An elastic modulus (E), in megapascals (MPa), of the viscoelastic polymer has a relationship to a striking face thickness (t), in millimeters (mm), defined by Ê??14{circumflex over (t)}+305. The elastic modulus (E), in megapascals (MPa), of the viscoelastic polymer has a relationship to an effective stiffness (S) of the striking face, in gigapascals per meter (GPa/m), defined by Ê??1.16?+258.33. The viscoelastic polymer may cover a portion of the rear surface of the striking face or may substantially fill a cavity of the golf club head.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 17, 2017Publication date: July 19, 2018Applicant: Acushnet CompanyInventors: Charles E. Golden, Michael E. Franz, Jonathan Hebreo, Brian Comeau
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Patent number: 10022600Abstract: The present invention is direct to a set of golf clubs comprising long irons, mid-irons and short irons. The invention contemplates the use of titanium or steel for the main body portion and significant tungsten weight members at the heel and toe.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2016Date of Patent: July 17, 2018Assignee: Acushnet CompanyInventors: Marni Ines, Jonathan Hebreo, Michael E. Franz, Joshua C. Stokes
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Patent number: 10010772Abstract: The present invention is direct to a set of golf clubs comprising long irons, mid-irons and short irons. The invention contemplates the use of titanium or steel for the main body portion and significant tungsten weight members at the heel and toe.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2016Date of Patent: July 3, 2018Assignee: Acushnet CompanyInventors: Marni Ines, Jonathan Hebreo, Michael E. Franz, Joshua C. Stokes
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Patent number: 10004957Abstract: The present invention is direct to a set of golf clubs comprising long irons, mid-irons and short irons. The invention contemplates the use of titanium or steel for the main body portion and significant tungsten weight members coupled to at least the toe and a heel weight member coupled in a hosel cavity.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2016Date of Patent: June 26, 2018Assignee: Acushnet CompanyInventors: Michael E. Franz, Marni Ines, Jonathan Hebreo, Ryan J. A. Ritchie
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Publication number: 20180169484Abstract: The present invention is direct to a set of golf clubs comprising long irons, mid-irons and short irons. The invention contemplates the use of titanium or steel for the main body portion and significant tungsten weight members coupled to at least the toe and a heel weight member coupled in a hosel cavity.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 14, 2018Publication date: June 21, 2018Applicant: Acushnet CompanyInventors: Michael E. Franz, Marni Ines, Jonathan Hebreo, Ryan J. A. Ritchie
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Publication number: 20180171180Abstract: A method of forming a golf club head, including placing a first portion of the golf club head adjacent a the second portion of the golf club head; welding the first portion to the second portion forming a first weld bead; injecting hot melt into an interior of the golf club head through an injection hole after forming the first weld bead; and welding the injection hole shut, forming a second weld bead.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2016Publication date: June 21, 2018Applicant: Acushnet CompanyInventor: Michael E. Franz
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Publication number: 20180117427Abstract: A golf club head includes a club head body and a weight member that is secured to the body. The weight member is constructed to utilize lateral forces to couple to the head body to minimize the structure required to retain the weight member, and the weight member is preferably constructed so that it has a low profile.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2016Publication date: May 3, 2018Applicant: Acushnet CompanyInventors: Scott A. Knutson, Noah de la Cruz, Andrew McCarthy, Grant M. Martens, Michael E. Franz
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Publication number: 20180104552Abstract: A golf club head has a striking face. A ledge extends from the perimeter contact rim of the golf club head. The striking face is secured to the club head body proximate the rim. There is a gap between the striking face and the ledge. The inner wall's perimeter edge is disposed in the gap and is in contact with the ledge. The rear surface of the striking face is in contact with a portion of the inner wall.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2017Publication date: April 19, 2018Applicant: Acushnet CompanyInventors: Jonathan Hebreo, Michael E. Franz, Marni Ines, Joshua C. Stokes, Grant M. Martens, Charles E. Golden, Uday V. Deshmukh
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Patent number: 9937394Abstract: A method of manufacturing an iron type golf club head, including forming an iron type golf club head blank, the iron type golf club head blank having an oversized hosel portion and an oversized body portion, the iron type golf club head blank configured to accommodate a plurality of iron type golf club heads, each iron type golf club head having a unique loft angle; and removing material from said oversized body portion of said iron type golf club head blank.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2015Date of Patent: April 10, 2018Assignee: Acushnet CompanyInventors: James P. Harrington, Michael E. Franz, Oswaldo Gonzalez