Patents by Inventor Steven M. Mitzel

Steven M. Mitzel 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: 11511166
    Abstract: Summary A golf club face member is made by a manufacturing process, such as 3D printing, for a complex topology that is sturdy with good CT. 3D printing creates a face in which struts, a lattice-like structure, a waffle-iron pattern, or interior voids provide great strength and low mass. A golf club head has a club head body defining a heel portion and a toe portion and a hosel extending upward from the heel portion when the club head is at address. A face member is disposed between the heel portion and the toe portion such that it faces forward when the club head is at address. At least portion of the face member comprises a 3D printed material such as a 3D printed or sintered metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Cobra Golf Incorporated
    Inventors: Ryan L. Roach, Cameron J. Day, D. Clayton Evans, Steven M. Mitzel
  • Patent number: 10850169
    Abstract: The invention provides a golf club head with an openwork (e.g., lattice-like or trellis-like) internal structural element that provides strength and stiffening at key points of the club head and/or attenuates sound while adding little to the overall mass due to the defined or irregular patterns of holes, piercings, gaps, or apertures through surfaces of the material. A golf club head may be given an openwork internal rib that reinforces regions of high strain, thereby minimizing material fatigue and preventing early breakage of the club head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: COBRA GOLF INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Cameron J. Day, D. Clayton Evans, Steven M. Mitzel
  • Patent number: 10786710
    Abstract: A golf club head with an interchangeable or reversible sole rail system having a rail member configured to be received within one or more channels formed on the club head. The rail system allows the player to employ rails along a surface of the club head to improve the interaction between the club head and the ground during the swing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Cobra Golf Incorporated
    Inventors: Douglas Jorgensen, Cameron J. Day, Steven M. Mitzel
  • Patent number: 10463930
    Abstract: A golf club head with an interchangeable or reversible sole rail system having a rail member configured to be received within one or more channels formed on the club head. The rail system allows the player to employ rails along a surface of the club head to improve the interaction between the club head and the ground during the swing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Cobra Golf Incorporated
    Inventors: Douglas Jorgensen, Cameron J. Day, Steven M. Mitzel
  • Patent number: 10343031
    Abstract: The invention provides a golf club head with an openwork (e.g., lattice-like or trellis-like) internal structural element that provides strength and stiffening at key points of the club head and/or attenuates sound while adding little to the overall mass due to the defined or irregular patterns of holes, piercings, gaps, or apertures through surfaces of the material. A golf club head may be given an openwork internal rib that reinforces regions of high strain, thereby minimizing material fatigue and preventing early breakage of the club head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Cobra Golf Incorporated
    Inventors: Cameron J. Day, D. Clayton Evans, Steven M. Mitzel
  • Publication number: 20180200590
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a weighting system allowing for rapid addition and removal of interchangeable weighted inserts to a golf club. The weighting system includes one or more weight housings strategically positioned on the sole of the club head, wherein each housing includes a receptacle configured to receive one or more weighted inserts within and a corresponding cover assembly configured to be releasably coupled to the receptacle to either retain one or more weighted inserts within the receptacle or simply cover an otherwise empty receptacle. The receptacle is weight-relieved to compensate for the mass of the cover assembly. Due to the conservation of mass achieved as a result of the weight-relief design on the receptacles, the weight system allows for covers to be used to cover both filled and empty receptacles alike, without undermining the intended weight distribution which occurs in current club head designs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Publication date: July 19, 2018
    Inventors: D. Clayton Evans, Steven M. Mitzel
  • Patent number: 10022599
    Abstract: A golf club head with an interchangeable or reversible sole rail system having a rail member configured to be received within one or more channels formed on the club head. The rail system allows the player to employ rails along a surface of the club head to improve the interaction between the club head and the ground during the swing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: COBRA GOLF INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Douglas Jorgensen, Cameron J. Day, Steven M. Mitzel
  • Publication number: 20180099188
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a golf club, and more particularly to a wood-type club head with a separable body component. In certain aspects, the invention provides a golf club head with a face and hosel body member and one or more of an interchangeable aft body member. The invention further provides a variety of insights and mechanisms for coupling the interchangeable member to the body member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2016
    Publication date: April 12, 2018
    Inventors: Steven M. Mitzel, Ryan L. Roach, Peter L. Soracco
  • Patent number: 9901794
    Abstract: The invention provides a golf club head with a fully removable component that can withstand the stress of repeated hits. When assembled, the removable component is held in place by a fastening mechanism that includes structural elements that distribute the holding force across the component and tend to equalize the forces around the periphery where the component meets the body. The fastening mechanism may include a post that reaches across the open space within the hollow club head, pulling the removable component towards an opposed main club head body. Since a golf club of the present invention can be opened, it may include a mechanism on the inside for use by a golfer, such as an electronic device or an adjustment mechanism. The golf club may include a weight adjustment system that allows the club to be custom-fitted to a golfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Cobra Golf Incorporated
    Inventors: Tim A. Beno, Joshua G. Breier, Karl A. Clausen, Andrew Curtis, Caleb Kroloff, Steven M. Mitzel, Scott H. Moreira, Richard Romo Sanchez, Peter L. Soracco
  • Publication number: 20170072275
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a golf club, and more particularly to a wood-type club head with a separable body component. In certain aspects, the invention provides a golf club head with a face and hosel body member and one or more of an interchangeable aft body member. The invention further provides a variety of insights and mechanisms for coupling the interchangeable member to the body member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2016
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Inventors: Steven M. Mitzel, Ryan L. Roach, Peter L. Soracco
  • Patent number: 9504889
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a golf club, and more particularly to a wood-type club head with a separable body component. In certain aspects, the invention provides a golf club head with a face and hosel body member and one or more of an interchangeable aft body member. The invention further provides a variety of insights and mechanisms for coupling the interchangeable member to the body member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Cobra Golf Incorporated
    Inventors: Steven M. Mitzel, Ryan L. Roach, Peter L. Soracco
  • Publication number: 20160325156
    Abstract: The invention provides a golf club head with a fully removable component that can withstand the stress of repeated hits. When assembled, the removable component is held in place by a fastening mechanism that includes structural elements that distribute the holding force across the component and tend to equalize the forces around the periphery where the component meets the body. The fastening mechanism may include a post that reaches across the open space within the hollow club head, pulling the removable component towards an opposed main club head body. Since a golf club of the present invention can be opened, it may include a mechanism on the inside for use by a golfer, such as an electronic device or an adjustment mechanism. The golf club may include a weight adjustment system that allows the club to be custom-fitted to a golfer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2016
    Publication date: November 10, 2016
    Inventors: Tim A. Beno, Joshua G. Breier, Karl A. Clausen, Andrew Curtis, Caleb Kroloff, Steven M. Mitzel, Scott H. Moreira, Richard Romo Sanchez, Peter L. Soracco
  • Patent number: 9393471
    Abstract: The invention provides a golf club head with a fully removable component that can withstand the stress of repeated hits. When assembled, the removable component is held in place by a fastening mechanism that includes structural elements that distribute the holding force across the component and tend to equalize the forces around the periphery where the component meets the body. The fastening mechanism may include a post that reaches across the open space within the hollow club head, pulling the removable component towards an opposed main club head body. Since a golf club of the present invention can be opened, it may include a mechanism on the inside for use by a golfer, such as an electronic device or an adjustment mechanism. The golf club may include a weight adjustment system that allows the club to be custom-fitted to a golfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Cobra Golf Incorporated
    Inventors: Tim A. Beno, Joshua G. Breier, Karl A. Clausen, Andrew Curtis, Caleb Kroloff, Steven M. Mitzel, Scott H. Moreira, Richard Romo Sanchez, Peter L. Soracco
  • Publication number: 20160008680
    Abstract: The invention generally relates to a golf club with a channel area. The channel area includes a groove disposed alongside a ramp having a shallow slope with respect to the horizontal when the club head is at address. The channel area may extend across a portion of the club head such as the crown or the sole. The ramp is oriented such that, during a high speed drive, the ramped portion of the sole may distribute and neutralize torsional stresses, dampening unwanted and unpredictable twisting, preventing the ball from flying in unpredictable directions while the deeper groove contributes to a high coefficient of restitution of a ball-striking face, a large sweet spot area, or both, thus causing the ball to fly a long distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Inventor: Steven M. Mitzel
  • Publication number: 20150314173
    Abstract: A releasable connection system for assembling a shaft and a club head, e.g., a golf club shaft and a golf club head. The connection system provides interchangeability between a shaft and a club head and allows the head to be adjusted with respect to the shaft. The mating structures between the shaft and the club head may be indexed for reproducible placement. In an embodiment, the connection system also includes retaining structures that maintain the connection fastener position when the head and shaft are separated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Publication date: November 5, 2015
    Inventors: Jesse Bolane, Joshua G. Breier, Karl Clausen, Andrew Curtis, Steven M. Mitzel, Scott H. Moreira
  • Patent number: 9162118
    Abstract: The invention generally relates to a golf club with a channel area. The channel area includes a groove disposed alongside a ramp having a shallow slope with respect to the horizontal when the club head is at address. The channel area may extend across a portion of the club head such as the crown or the sole. The ramp is oriented such that, during a high speed drive, the ramped portion of the sole may distribute and neutralize torsional stresses, dampening unwanted and unpredictable twisting, preventing the ball from flying in unpredictable directions while the deeper groove contributes to a high coefficient of restitution of a ball-striking face, a large sweet spot area, or both, thus causing the ball to fly a long distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Cobra Golf Incorporated
    Inventor: Steven M. Mitzel
  • Patent number: 9114291
    Abstract: A releasable connection system for assembling a shaft and a club head, e.g., a golf club shaft and a golf club head. The connection system provides interchangeability between a shaft and a club head and allows the head to be adjusted with respect to the shaft. The mating structures between the shaft and the club head may be indexed for reproducible placement. In an embodiment, the connection system also includes retaining structures that maintain the connection fastener position when the head and shaft are separated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Cobra Golf Incorporated
    Inventors: Jesse Bolane, Joshua G. Breier, Karl A. Clausen, Andrew Curtis, Steven M. Mitzel, Scott H. Moreira
  • Publication number: 20150045134
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a golf club, and more particularly to a wood-type club head with a separable body component. In certain aspects, the invention provides a golf club head with a face and hosel body member and one or more of an interchangeable aft body member. The invention further provides a variety of insights and mechanisms for coupling the interchangeable member to the body member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventors: Tim A. Beno, Joshua G. Breier, Andrew Curtis, Michael T. McDonnell, Steven M. Mitzel, Thomas C. Morris, Thomas W. Preece, Ryan L. Roach, Peter L. Soracco
  • Publication number: 20150018119
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to golf club heads with improved mass distribution provided by novel structural features. The golf club head can include a main club head body and a face member that presents a ball striking face. The face member of the club head has at least one channel located thereon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Applicant: COBRA GOLF INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Joshua G. Breier, Andrew Curtis, Christopher D. Harvell, Steven M. Mitzel, Douglas E. Roberts
  • Publication number: 20140342847
    Abstract: The invention generally relates to a golf club with a channel area. The channel area includes a groove disposed alongside a ramp having a shallow slope with respect to the horizontal when the club head is at address. The channel area may extend across a portion of the club head such as the crown or the sole. The ramp is oriented such that, during a high speed drive, the ramped portion of the sole may distribute and neutralize torsional stresses, dampening unwanted and unpredictable twisting, preventing the ball from flying in unpredictable directions while the deeper groove contributes to a high coefficient of restitution of a ball-striking face, a large sweet spot area, or both, thus causing the ball to fly a long distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: COBRA GOLF INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Steven M. Mitzel