Patents by Inventor Robert M. Boyd

Robert M. Boyd 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).

  • Patent number: 10065087
    Abstract: A set of ball striking devices, such as a set golf clubs, having similar characteristics between clubs within the set of clubs such as length, weight, and lie angle. Characteristics can include lengths and lie angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Raymond J. Sander, Robert M. Boyd, John T. Stites
  • Publication number: 20180178096
    Abstract: Golf clubs according to at least some example aspects of this disclosure may include a golf club head and a shaft configured to engage with the golf club head which includes a grip engaged with the shaft. Further, the golf club may include a monitoring device, which includes a sensor and a transmitter. Additionally, the monitoring device may be configured to determine data related to the characteristics of a golf swing. Further, the monitoring device may be configured to transmit the data related to the characteristics of a golf swing to a remote computer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2018
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Inventors: Joshua M. Boggs, Philip J. Hatton, Brian Kammerer, Mario A. Lafortune, Michael Wallans, Robert M. Boyd, Jeffrey A. Hadden, Sherry L. Jones, Gregory S. Kramer, James H. Lua, John T. Stites, Douglas A. Thornton, Daniel F. Wisniewski
  • Patent number: 9999812
    Abstract: A ball striking device, such as a golf club, includes a head with a face having an outer surface configured for striking a ball, a body connected to the face, and a channel located in the body. The channel is configured to influence the characteristics of the impact of a ball on the face, such as by flexing or compressing in response to the force of the impact, exerting a response or reaction force on the face, changing the motion or behavior of the face, and other manners. The head may also include a pair of channels that have a gap between them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew G. V. Oldknow, Robert M. Boyd, John T. Stites, Rick S. Wahlin
  • Patent number: 9999811
    Abstract: A ball striking device, such as a golf club head, has a head that includes a face configured for striking a ball and a body connected to the face, the body being adapted for connection of a shaft proximate a heel thereof. The face has a thickened portion including an annular tapered area that tapers in thickness between an upper boundary and a lower boundary and encloses an elevated area bounded by the upper boundary. The upper and/or lower boundary defines a shape having two lobes, each with an outer edge with a convex profile, and a connecting portion extending between the lobes, such that the connecting portion is defined by two outer edges extending between the outer edges of the lobes, wherein at least one of the outer edges of the connecting portion has a concave outer profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Robert M. Boyd, Jeremy N. Snyder, Hiroshi Kawaguchi, James S. Thomas, Raymond J. Sander, Rick S. Wahlin, Akira Shimozuma
  • Patent number: 9993702
    Abstract: A ball striking device, such as a golf club, includes a head that includes a face having a ball striking surface configured for striking a ball and a body connected to the face and extending rearward from the face. A face member formed primarily of a metallic material forms the face, and a body member is connected to the face member and extends rearward from the face member to form at least a portion of the body. The body member is formed at least partially of a polymer material, and has a doped portion containing a doping material dispersed within the polymer material. The doping material may have a different density than the polymer material, such that the doped portion has a different density than the portions of the body member not containing the doping material. A co-molding method may be used to form the ball striking device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Michael E. Finn, David N. Franklin, Raymond J. Sander, Jeremy N. Snyder, Robert M. Boyd
  • Patent number: 9987532
    Abstract: Golf club heads which may include an iron-type golf club head body and an adjustable member configured to be engaged with iron-type golf club head body. The adjustable member may include a first surface and a second surface. The first surface of the adjustable member may form at least a portion of the sole of the iron-type golf club head and at least a portion of the rear of iron-type golf club head when the adjustable member is engaged with the iron-type golf club head body in a first orientation. Additionally, the second surface of the adjustable member may form at least a portion of the sole of the iron-type golf club head and at least a portion of the rear of iron-type golf club head when the adjustable member is engaged with the iron-type golf club head body in a second orientation, which is different from the first orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Raymond J. Sander, Robert M. Boyd, John T. Stites, Hiromitsu Akiyama
  • Publication number: 20180140905
    Abstract: Golf club heads are releasably engaged with shafts so that the club heads and shafts can be readily interchanged and/or so that the shaft position with respect to the club head can be readily changed. Assemblies for connecting the club head and shaft may include: a shaft adapter, a collet, a ferrule, and a club head having an interior chamber. The club head and shaft may be changed by releasing the securing system and exchanging the original parts with different parts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2018
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Inventors: Joshua M. Boggs, Raymond J. Sander, Robert M. Boyd, Matthew P. Rubal
  • Patent number: 9956459
    Abstract: A golf club head includes a body member having a ball striking face, a crown, a toe, a heel, a sole, a back and a hosel region, located at the intersection of the ball striking face, the heel, the crown and the sole. The body member may have a first cross-section having a first airfoil-shaped surface in the heel. The first cross-section may be oriented at approximately 90° from the centerline of the club head. The body member may have a second cross-section having a second airfoil-shaped surface. The second cross-section may be oriented at approximately 45° or at approximately 70°. The airfoil-shaped surfaces may be defined by spline points or by equations. A golf club including the golf club head is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary G. Tavares, Robert M. Boyd, John T. Stites, Andrew G.V. Oldknow
  • Patent number: 9925433
    Abstract: Golf clubs according to at least some example aspects of this disclosure may include a golf club head and a shaft configured to engage with the golf club head which includes a grip engaged with the shaft. Further, the golf club may include a monitoring device, which includes a sensor and a transmitter. Additionally, the monitoring device may be configured to determine data related to the characteristics of a golf swing. Further, the monitoring device may be configured to transmit the data related to the characteristics of a golf swing to a remote computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua M. Boggs, Philip J. Hatton, Brian Kammerer, Mario A. Lafortune, Michael Wallans, Robert M. Boyd, Jeffrey A. Hadden, Sherry L. Jones, Gregory S. Kramer, James H. Lua, John T. Stites, Douglas A. Thornton, Daniel F. Wisniewski
  • Patent number: 9914025
    Abstract: A ball striking device, such as a golf club head, includes a face having a ball striking surface configured for striking a ball and a body connected to the face and extending rearwardly from the face. The body has an impact-influencing structure in the form of a channel positioned on at least one surface of the body. A majority of a force generated by impact with a ball is absorbed by the impact-influencing structure, and a majority of a response force generated by the head upon impact with the ball is generated by the impact-influencing structure. The face may have increased stiffness as compared to existing faces, and may include a stiffening structure to create the increased stiffness, such as a porous or cellular stiffening structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric A. Larson, Robert M. Boyd, Kenneth W. Brown, Martin Brouillette, Chris Scott Daniels
  • Patent number: 9908012
    Abstract: A ball striking device, such as a golf club head, includes a face having a ball striking surface configured for striking a ball and a body connected to the face and extending rearwardly from the face. The body has an impact-influencing structure in the form of a channel positioned on at least one surface of the body. A majority of a force generated by impact with a ball is absorbed by the impact-influencing structure, and a majority of a response force generated by the head upon impact with the ball is generated by the impact-influencing structure. The face may have increased stiffness as compared to existing faces, and may include a stiffening structure to create the increased stiffness, such as a porous or cellular stiffening structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric A. Larson, Robert M. Boyd, Kenneth W. Brown, Martin Brouillette, Chris Scott Daniels
  • Patent number: 9908010
    Abstract: Golf club heads are releasably engaged with shafts so that the club heads and shafts can be readily interchanged and/or so that the shaft position with respect to the club head can be readily changed. Assemblies for connecting the club head and shaft may include: a shaft adapter, a collet, a ferrule, and a club head having an interior chamber. The club head and shaft may be changed by releasing the securing system and exchanging the original parts with different parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Joshua M. Boggs, Raymond J. Sander, Robert M. Boyd, Matthew P. Rubal
  • Patent number: 9908011
    Abstract: A ball striking device, such as a golf club head, includes a face having a ball striking surface configured for striking a ball and a body connected to the face and extending rearwardly from the face. The body has an impact-influencing structure in the form of a channel positioned on at least one surface of the body. A majority of a force generated by impact with a ball is absorbed by the impact-influencing structure, and a majority of a response force generated by the head upon impact with the ball is generated by the impact-influencing structure. The face may have increased stiffness as compared to existing faces, and may include a stiffening structure to create the increased stiffness, such as a porous or cellular stiffening structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric A. Larson, Robert M. Boyd, Kenneth W. Brown, Martin Brouillette, Chris Scott Daniels
  • Patent number: 9901787
    Abstract: Golf club heads are releasably engaged with shafts so that the club heads and shafts can be readily interchanged and/or so that the shaft position with respect to the club head can be readily changed. Assemblies for connecting the club head and shaft may include: a shaft adapter, a collet, a ferrule, and a club head having an interior chamber. The club head and shaft may be changed by releasing the securing system and exchanging the original parts with different parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Joshua M. Boggs, Raymond J. Sander, Robert M. Boyd, Matthew P. Rubal
  • Publication number: 20180050242
    Abstract: A ball striking device, such as an iron-type golf club head, includes a face having a ball striking surface and a rear surface, and a body connected to the face. The body has a sole member and a rear cavity defined at least partially by the sole member and the rear surface of the face. The body has an elongated, recessed channel extending within the cavity along a juncture line between the rear surface of the face and the sole member. Additionally, the head is formed in part by a face member having a first leg forming at least a major portion of the face and a second leg extending rearwardly from a bottom end of the first leg and forming at least a portion of the sole member. The head may further be formed by a body member connected to the face member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2017
    Publication date: February 22, 2018
    Inventors: Andrew G.V. Oldknow, Robert M. Boyd
  • Patent number: 9889346
    Abstract: A ball striking device, such as a golf club head, has a face with a striking surface configured for striking a ball and a channel extending across a portion of the sole. The channel may be recessed from the sole and have a depth, wherein the channel comprises a center portion extending across a center of the sole, a heel portion extending from a heel end of the center portion toward the heel, and a toe portion extending from a toe end of the center portion toward the toe. The channel may have a width defined between a front edge and a rear edge, and a cross-sectional shape, wherein the cross-sectional shape of the center portion of the channel is substantially semi-circular, and wherein the cross-sectional shape of the channel is different at the heel and toe portions than at the center portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Joshua M. Boggs, Eric A. Larson, Andrew G. v. Oldknow, Michael T. Prichard, Nathaniel J. Radcliffe, Robert M. Boyd
  • Publication number: 20170348566
    Abstract: A ball striking device, such as a golf club head, has a face with a striking surface configured for striking a ball and a channel extending across a portion of the sole. The channel may be recessed from adjacent surfaces of the sole and have a depth of recession from the adjacent surfaces of the sole, wherein the channel comprises a center portion extending across a center of the sole, a heel portion extending from a heel end of the center portion toward the heel, and a toe portion extending from a toe end of the center portion toward the toe, wherein the width and the depth of the center portion of the channel are substantially constant, and wherein the depth of the channel is greater at the heel and toe portions than at the center portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: Joshua M. Boggs, Eric A. Larson, Andrew G.v. Oldknow, Michael T. Prichard, Nathaniel J. Radcliffe, Robert M. Boyd
  • Publication number: 20170348567
    Abstract: A ball striking device, such as a golf club head, has a face with a striking surface configured for striking a ball and a channel extending across a portion of the sole. The channel may be recessed from adjacent surfaces of the sole and have a depth of recession from the adjacent surfaces of the sole, wherein the channel comprises a center portion extending across a center of the sole, a heel portion extending from a heel end of the center portion toward the heel, and a toe portion extending from a toe end of the center portion toward the toe, wherein the width and the depth of the center portion of the channel are substantially constant, and wherein the depth of the channel is greater at the heel and toe portions than at the center portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: Joshua M. Boggs, Eric A. Larson, Andrew G.v. Oldknow, Michael T. Prichard, Nathaniel J. Radcliffe, Robert M. Boyd
  • Patent number: 9808683
    Abstract: A ball striking device, such as an iron-type golf club head, includes a face having a ball striking surface and a rear surface, and a body connected to the face. The body has a sole member and a rear cavity defined at least partially by the sole member and the rear surface of the face. The body has an elongated, recessed channel extending within the cavity along a juncture line between the rear surface of the face and the sole member. Additionally, the head is formed in part by a face member having a first leg forming at least a major portion of the face and a second leg extending rearwardly from a bottom end of the first leg and forming at least a portion of the sole member. The head may further be formed by a body member connected to the face member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew G. V. Oldknow, Robert M. Boyd
  • Publication number: 20170296885
    Abstract: A ball striking device, such as a golf club, includes a head with a face having an outer surface configured for striking a ball, a body connected to the face, an elongated, inwardly recessed channel located on the body and extending across a portion of the body, and an insert mounted within the channel. The insert includes a resiliently deflectable base member that engages the channel to retain the insert within the channel and a rigid outer member connected to the base member and forming at least a portion of the outer surface of the insert, where the outer member is made from a different material than the base member. Additionally, the insert has an outer surface that is substantially flush with at least one immediately adjacent surface of the body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Publication date: October 19, 2017
    Inventors: Andrew G.V. Oldknow, Robert M. Boyd, John T. Stites