Patents by Inventor Naruhiro MIZUTANI

Naruhiro MIZUTANI 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: 20200222773
    Abstract: A golf club 2 includes a head 4, a shaft 6, and a grip 8. The club 2 has a forward club flex of greater than or equal to 170 mm. The forward club flex is measured for a golf club in the completed state. The weight of the head is denoted by Wh, and the weight of the club is denoted by Wc. Wh/Wc is greater than or equal to 0.72. With the golf club 2, a force acting on the player's body during a swing can be reduced. The golf club 2 can stabilize swing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Applicant: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naruhiro MIZUTANI, Seiji HAYASE, Kenji TAKASU, Takashi NAKANO, Daisuke KOHNO
  • Patent number: 10632355
    Abstract: A golf club 2 includes a head 4, a shaft 6, and a grip 8. The club 2 has a forward club flex of greater than or equal to 170 mm. The forward club flex is measured for a golf club in the completed state. The weight of the head is denoted by Wh, and the weight of the club is denoted by Wc. Wh/Wc is greater than or equal to 0.72. With the golf club 2, a force acting on the player's body during a swing can be reduced. The golf club 2 can stabilize swing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Naruhiro Mizutani, Seiji Hayase, Kenji Takasu, Takashi Nakano, Daisuke Kohno
  • Patent number: 10561908
    Abstract: A golf club head including a face portion having an improved restitution factor is provided. The golf club head has a hollow structure and includes a face portion, a crown portion, a sole portion, and a side portion. The crown portion includes a first region that spreads out forward of a boundary line that extends from a heel side to a toe side, and a second region that spreads out rearward of the boundary line and is thinner than the first region. The crown portion further includes a protruding portion formed at position that is in a vicinity of the boundary line, is on the second region, and is rearward of the boundary line via a gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Naruhiro Mizutani
  • Patent number: 10543404
    Abstract: The golf club head of the present invention includes a face portion, a crown portion, and a sole portion. The golf club head also has an interior space surrounded by the face portion, the crown portion, and the sole portion. A first channel and a second channel that extend in a toe-heel direction and are recessed toward the interior space side are formed in the sole portion. The first channel is disposed on a face side relative to the second channel, and has a first main inner wall disposed on the face side, and a first sub inner wall disposed on a back side. The first main inner wall is formed with a longer length in a face-back direction than the first sub inner wall, and is inclined so as to extend upward while extending toward the back side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Daisuke Kohno, Naruhiro Mizutani
  • Publication number: 20200001154
    Abstract: A golf club head includes a top portion, a sole portion opposite the top portion, and a striking face configured to impact a golf ball. The striking face includes a face center and a variable thickness distribution such that the club head exhibits an Expected COR value of not less than 0.810, the Expected COR value being determined based on the following relationship Expected ? ? COR = ? i = 1 n ? ? j = 1 m ? p ij * c ij The variable cij corresponds to an average COR value associated with bin and the variable pij corresponds to a bin-specific impact probability value. And the club head exhibits a characteristic time no greater than 257 microseconds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Applicant: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki MOTOKAWA, Naruhiro MIZUTANI, Jacob LAMBETH
  • Patent number: 10493333
    Abstract: A golf club head according to the present invention includes a face portion, a crown portion, and a sole portion. The face portion has a thin-walled portion on a peripheral edge on a toe side. The sole portion has an easily deformable portion extending in a toe-to-heel direction, on at least a heel side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Naruhiro Mizutani
  • Patent number: 10456643
    Abstract: A golf club head includes a top portion, a sole portion opposite the top portion, and a striking face configured to impact a golf ball. The striking face includes a face center and a variable thickness distribution such that the club head exhibits an Expected COR value of not less than 0.810, the Expected COR value being determined based on the following relationship: Expected ? ? COR = ? i = 1 n ? ? j = 1 m ? p ij * c ij The variable cij corresponds to an average COR value associated with bin i, j, and the variable pij corresponds to a bin-specific impact probability value. And the club head exhibits a characteristic time no greater than 257 microseconds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki Motokawa, Naruhiro Mizutani, Jacob Lambeth
  • Patent number: 10449425
    Abstract: A golf club head according to the present invention includes: a head main body including a crown part and a sole part, and having an opening surrounded by the crown part and the sole part; and a face member covering the opening in the head main body. The face member is formed in a cup-like shape, including a face part formed in a planar shape and a peripheral edge part extending from a peripheral edge of the face part. An end surface forming the opening in the head main body is formed extending parallel to the face part. The crown part of the head main body includes: a front-side region extending in a toe-heel direction along an edge part on the side where the opening is located; and a rear-side region located further on a back side than the front-side region and being thinner than the front-side region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Naruhiro Mizutani
  • Patent number: 10434387
    Abstract: A golf club includes a head, a shaft, and a grip. The golf club has a club vibration frequency of less than or equal to 210 cpm. The golf club has a swing weight of greater than or equal to D5. With the golf club, a force acting on the player's body during a swing can be reduced. The golf club can stabilize swing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Naruhiro Mizutani, Seiji Hayase, Kenji Takasu, Takashi Nakano, Daisuke Kohno
  • Publication number: 20190255393
    Abstract: A golf club head includes a hollow portion. The head includes a first member having an opening, and a second member attached to the first member and covering the opening. The first member includes a first rib projected toward the hollow portion. The second member includes a second rib projected toward the hollow portion. The first rib is engaged with the second rib. A Young's modulus of a material of the second member may be smaller than that of the first member. The second member may be adhered to the first member using an adhesive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2019
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Applicant: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Naruhiro MIZUTANI
  • Patent number: 10369425
    Abstract: A sleeve 8 includes an engaging projection part P1. A head 2 includes an engaging recess part R1. The engaging projection part P1 includes a first side surface P11 located on a side receiving a rotating force caused by hitting, a second side surface P12 located on an opposite side to the first side surface P11, and an outer surface P13. The engaging recess part R1 includes a first opposed surface R11 opposed to the surface P11, a second opposed surface R12 opposed to the surface P12, and an inner surface R13 opposed to the surface P13. The engaging projection part P1 has a tapered projection part TP1. The tapered projection part TP1 has a maximum width of not less than an opening width of the engaging recess part R1. At least one of the first side surface and the first opposed surface extends along an axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Naruhiro Mizutani, Daisuke Kohno
  • Patent number: 10369426
    Abstract: A golf club includes a head 200, a shaft 300, and a tip engagement part RT having a reverse-tapered shape and being disposed at a tip end portion of the shaft 300. The tip engagement part RT includes a sleeve 400 having a reverse-tapered shape and being fixed to the tip end portion of the shaft 300, and a spacer 500 having a reverse-tapered shape and being externally fitted to the sleeve 400. The spacer 500 has a divided structure. The hosel part 202 includes a hosel hole 204. The hosel hole 204 includes a reverse-tapered hole 206 corresponding to the shape of the outer surface of the tip engagement part RT. The hosel hole 204 allows the sleeve 400 to pass through the hosel hole 204. The tip engagement part RT is fitted to the reverse-tapered hole 206, and the sleeve 400 is fitted inside the spacer 500.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Masahide Onuki, Hiroshi Hasegawa, Naruhiro Mizutani, Yuki Motokawa
  • Publication number: 20190209904
    Abstract: A golf club head includes a top portion, a sole portion opposite the top portion, and a striking face configured to impact a golf ball. The striking face includes a face center and a variable thickness distribution such that the club head exhibits an Expected COR value of not less than 0.810, the Expected COR value being determined based on the following relationship: Expected ? ? COR = ? i = 1 n ? ? j = 1 m ? p ij * c ij The variable cij corresponds to an average COR value associated with bin i, j, and the variable pij corresponds to a bin-specific impact probability value. And the club head exhibits a characteristic time no greater than 257 microseconds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Applicant: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki MOTOKAWA, Naruhiro MIZUTANI, Jacob LAMBETH
  • Patent number: 10335657
    Abstract: A golf club 2 includes a head 4, a shaft 6, and a grip 8. The club 2 has a forward club flex of greater than or equal to 140 mm. The forward club flex is measured for a golf club in the completed state. The grip 8 has a weight Wg of less than or equal to 30 g. With the golf club 2, a force acting on the player's body during a swing can be reduced. The golf club 2 can stabilize swing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Naruhiro Mizutani, Seiji Hayase, Kenji Takasu, Takashi Nakano, Daisuke Kohno
  • Patent number: 10335659
    Abstract: A golf club head having a striking face configured to impact a golf ball comprises the striking face comprising an effective striking area, the effective striking area having an expected COR value, defined by the following expression, not less than 0.810, Expected ? ? COR = ? i = 1 n ? ? j = 1 m ? p ij * c ij wherein pij is an impact probability at location or region (i, j) within the effective striking area, and cij is a COR value of the location or region (i, j).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki Motokawa, Naruhiro Mizutani, Jacob Lambeth
  • Patent number: 10328318
    Abstract: A golf club 100 includes a tip engagement part RT having a reverse-tapered shape and being disposed at a tip end portion of a shaft 300, and a screw member 600. The tip engagement part RT includes a sleeve 400 fixed to the tip end portion of the shaft 300. The sleeve 400 has a sleeve-side connection part 410. The screw member 600 has a screw-side connection part 602 that can be detachably connected to the sleeve-side connection part 410, and a male screw part 604. The head 200 has a female screw part 220. When the screw member 600 is rotated in a first direction, the screw member 600 presses the tip engagement part RT in an engaging direction. When the screw member 600 is rotated in a second direction, the screw member 600 pulls the tip engagement part RT in an engagement releasing direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Masahide Onuki, Hiroshi Hasegawa, Naruhiro Mizutani, Yuki Motokawa
  • Patent number: 10322326
    Abstract: In a golf club according to one aspect of the present invention, a first coupling portion of a first adapter, to which the shaft is fixed, and a hosel first coupling portion of the golf club head are coupled so as to be incapable of axial rotation, and thus the shaft is attached to the golf club head so as to not be capable of axial rotation. Accordingly, the second adapter coupled to the first adapter at least does not need to be configured so as to be incapable of axial rotation, thus making it possible to increase the degree of freedom in adapter design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Naruhiro Mizutani, Kiyofumi Matsunaga
  • Publication number: 20190168083
    Abstract: A golf club includes a head including a hosel part, a shaft, and a tip engagement part having a reverse-tapered shape and being disposed at a tip end portion of the shaft. The tip engagement part includes a sleeve having a reverse-tapered shape and being fixed to the tip end portion of the shaft. The hosel part includes a hosel hole. The hosel hole includes a reverse-tapered hole corresponding to at least a part of the outer surface of the tip engagement part. The tip engagement part is fitted to the reverse-tapered hole. Of the hosel hole, at least an upper end edge and a lower end edge are formed by a resin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Applicant: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Masahide ONUKI, Yuki MOTOKAWA, Naruhiro MIZUTANI
  • Patent number: 10307646
    Abstract: A sleeve 8 fixed to a shaft 6 includes an engaging projection part P1. A head 2 includes an engaging recess part R1. The engaging projection part P1 includes a first side surface P11 located on a side receiving a rotating force by hitting, a second side surface P12 located on an opposite side to the first side surface P11, and an outer surface P13. The engaging recess part R1 includes a first opposed surface R11 opposed to the first side surface P11, a second opposed surface R12 opposed to the second side surface P12, and an inner surface R13 opposed to the outer surface P13. The engaging projection part P1 has a tapered projection part TP1. The part TP1 has a maximum width equal to or greater than an opening width of the engaging recess part R1. The outer surface P13 includes an outer inclination surface K13.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Naruhiro Mizutani
  • Publication number: 20190151729
    Abstract: A golf club 2 includes a head 4, a shaft 6, and a grip 8. The club 2 has a forward club flex of greater than or equal to 170 mm. The forward club flex is measured for a golf club in the completed state. The weight of the head is denoted by Wh, and the weight of the club is denoted by Wc. Wh/Wc is greater than or equal to 0.72. With the golf club 2, a force acting on the player's body during a swing can be reduced. The golf club 2 can stabilize swing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Applicant: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Naruhiro MIZUTANI, Seiji HAYASE, Kenji TAKASU, Takashi NAKANO, Daisuke KOHNO