Patents by Inventor Travis D. Milleman

Travis D. Milleman 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: 20240131402
    Abstract: A golf club head that achieves high performance by improving and/or balancing physical properties and performance characteristics. The golf club heads described herein achieve an IYY at or near the allowable limit, an IXX/IYY ratio near 1, and a club head CG position that is centered relative to the club head perimeter and located at or near the loft-normal axis. The golf club head comprises one or more structures that create discretionary mass to be redistributed into a heavy weight member in an extreme rearward and soleward position, and/or a central mass pad at or near the Y?-axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2023
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Inventors: Cory S. Bacon, Evan R. Greer, Travis D. Milleman, Joshua A. Degerness
  • Publication number: 20240131404
    Abstract: Embodiments of wood-type club heads comprising one or more components are described herein. The wood-type club head comprises a first, metallic component, and a second, non-metallic component. The first component comprises the load bearing structure that forms the striking face, and portions of the crown, the heel, the toe, and the sole. The second component comprises a lightweight structure that wraps around the first component to form portions of the crown, the heel, the toe, and the sole. The first component comprises the majority of the club head mass and can receive removable weights. The two-component design allows for additional discretionary mass redistribution to improve center of gravity location and moment of inertia.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2023
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Inventors: Travis D. Milleman, Clayson C. Spackman, Cory S. Bacon
  • Publication number: 20240123307
    Abstract: A golf club has a first shaft coupled to a club head, a second shaft configured to slidably engage a portion of the first shaft, a grip coupled to the second shaft, and an adjustable length shaft assembly received by the second shaft and configured to allow a portion of the first shaft to slide in relation to the second shaft in a first configuration, and to restrict a portion of the first shaft from sliding in relation to the second shaft in a second configuration. The grip is restricted from rotation about the first shaft or the second shaft as the first shaft slides in relation to the second shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2023
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Inventors: Travis D. Milleman, Anthony D. Serrano, Eric V. Cole, David S. Kultala, David L. Petersen, Les J. Bryant, Richard D. MacMillan, Rick Solesbee, John A. Solheim, Evan R. Greer
  • Patent number: 11957965
    Abstract: A golf club head includes a club body and a resting face angle adjuster. The club body includes a crown opposite a sole, a toe end opposite a heel end, a back end opposite a face, and a hosel. The sole includes a sole surface. The resting face angle adjuster includes an adjustment member having a keel surface, and a recess formed in the sole such that a portion of the sole surface at least partially bounds the recess. The adjustment member is disposed in the recess and positionable between a first adjustment position and a second adjustment position. In the first adjustment position, the keel surface is at a first distance relative to the portion of the sole surface. In the second adjustment position, the keel surface is at a second distance relative to the portion of the sole surface not equal to the first distance in the direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Martin R. Jertson, Daniel K. Lee, Xiaojian Chen, Travis D. Milleman
  • Publication number: 20240100404
    Abstract: Described herein is an iron-type golf club head comprising a shortened hosel and lengthened hosel bore. The iron-type golf club head allows for a range of loft and lie adjustability post-manufacture with maintained or reduced visible surface deformation and durability loss, and also creates discretionary mass that can be placed strategically for performance benefits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Inventors: Mark C. Bloxham, Travis D. Milleman
  • Publication number: 20240082666
    Abstract: A golf club head includes a rear body having a crown member coupled to a sole member, and a front body coupled to the rear body to define a substantially hollow structure. The front body includes a strike face and a surrounding frame that extends rearward from a perimeter of the strike face. At least a portion of an outer wall of the club head comprises a thermoplastic composite having a plurality of lamina layers. The plurality of lamina layers include at least a fabric reinforced thermoplastic composite layer and a filled thermoplastic layer, and the fabric reinforced thermoplastic composite layer and the filled thermoplastic layer are directly bonded to each other without an intermediate adhesive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: Eric J. Morales, Ryan M. Stokke, Martin R. Jertson, Clayson C. Spackman, Cory S. Bacon, Yujen Huang, Travis D. Milleman
  • Patent number: 11925844
    Abstract: Embodiments of a multi-material wood-type golf club head comprising a tuning element to damp dominant vibrations are described herein. The multi-material wood-type club head comprises a first, metallic component forming the striking face, and portions of the crown, the heel, the toe, and sole, and a second, non-metallic component forming a majority of the crown and portions of the heel, toe, and sole. The club head further comprises a tuning element secured to the interior surface of the crown, wherein the tuning element damps the amplitude vibration at a vibration hotspot in the club head by between 1-7 decibels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventor: Travis D. Milleman
  • Publication number: 20240075350
    Abstract: Embodiments of golf club heads with energy storage characteristics are presented herein. In some embodiments, a golf club head comprises a hollow body comprising a strikeface, a heel region, a toe region opposite the heel region, a sole, a top rail and an inflection point. The inflection point provides increase bending of the strikeface thereby providing performance enhancement over clubs without an inflection point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Inventors: Martin R. Jertson, Eric J. Morales, Cory S. Bacon, Calvin Wang, Xiaojian Chen, Travis D. Milleman
  • Publication number: 20240017139
    Abstract: A driver-type golf club head comprising a cube-like body shape, wherein a ratio between the body height and the body depth is between 0.5 and 0.75, and a ratio between the body height and the body width is between 0.5 and 0.75. The golf club head further comprises a mass distribution wherein a large portion of the club head mass is located within a central mass zone centered about the Y?-axis. The golf club head further comprises an Ixx and an Iyy moment of inertia, wherein and Ixx/Iyy ratio is greater than 0.8. In many embodiments, the golf club head further comprises optimized bulge and roll curvatures determined by the Ixx, Iyy, CG position, coefficient of restitution, and/or other characteristics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2023
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Inventors: Cory S. Bacon, Evan R. Greer, Travis D. Milleman
  • Patent number: 11850486
    Abstract: A golf club has a first shaft coupled to a club head, a second shaft configured to slidably engage a portion of the first shaft, a grip coupled to the second shaft, and an adjustable length shaft assembly received by the second shaft and configured to allow a portion of the first shaft to slide in relation to the second shaft in a first configuration, and to restrict a portion of the first shaft from sliding in relation to the second shaft in a second configuration. The grip is restricted from rotation about the first shaft or the second shaft as the first shaft slides in relation to the second shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Travis D. Milleman, Anthony D. Serrano, Eric V. Cole, David S. Kultala, David L Petersen, Les J. Bryant, Richard D. MacMillan, Rick Solesbee, John A. Solheim, Evan R. Greer
  • Publication number: 20230405418
    Abstract: Embodiments of golf club heads with energy storage characteristics are presented herein. In some embodiments, a golf club head comprises a hollow body comprising a strikeface, a heel region, a toe region opposite the heel region, a sole, a crown, and a cavity positioned behind the strikeface on at least one of the sole and the crown. In many embodiments, the cavity comprises a front surface, and a rear surface, wherein at least a portion of the front surface extends toward the strikeface of the club head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2023
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Inventors: Martin R. Jertson, Eric J. Morales, Cory S. Bacon, Calvin Wang, Xiaojian Chen, Ryan M. Stokke, Travis D. Milleman
  • Publication number: 20230398418
    Abstract: Embodiments of a stick weight assembly for use within a shaft of a golf club, wherein the shaft includes a shaft inner surface defining a shaft bore, the stick weight assembly comprising: a stick weight comprising: a rod sized for insertion into the shaft bore, the rod having a top end and a bottom end, wherein the top end defines an outer top end geometry; a disk coupled to the rod bottom end and sized to abut a tip end of the shaft; and a stick weight support comprising: a first end; a second end; a first portion having an outer surface defining a dome wherein the dome is sized for insertion into the shaft; a second portion coupled to the first portion comprises an outer surface and a plurality of ridges projecting outward from the outer surface and sized to engage the shaft inner surface; wherein the stick weight support defines a cavity extending from the second end towards the first end, wherein the cavity is configured to receive the top end of the rod.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2023
    Publication date: December 14, 2023
    Inventors: Les J. Bryant, Josh F. Williams, Travis D. Milleman, Evan R. Greer, Matthew T. Schier, Mark C. Bloxham
  • Patent number: 11839802
    Abstract: Embodiments of wood-type club heads comprising one or more components are described herein. The wood-type club head comprises a first, metallic component, and a second, non-metallic component. The first component comprises the load bearing structure that forms the striking face, and portions of the crown, the heel, the toe, and the sole. The second component comprises a lightweight structure that wraps around the first component to form portions of the crown, the heel, the toe, and the sole. The first component comprises the majority of the club head mass and can receive removable weights. The two-component design allows for additional discretionary mass redistribution to improve center of gravity location and moment of inertia.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Travis D. Milleman, Clayson C. Spackman, Cory S. Bacon
  • Patent number: 11819743
    Abstract: A golf club head includes a rear body having a crown member coupled to a sole member, and a front body coupled to the rear body to define a substantially hollow structure. The front body includes a strike face and a surrounding frame that extends rearward from a perimeter of the strike face. At least a portion of an outer wall of the club head comprises a thermoplastic composite having a plurality of lamina layers. The plurality of lamina layers include at least a fabric reinforced thermoplastic composite layer and a filled thermoplastic layer, and the fabric reinforced thermoplastic composite layer and the filled thermoplastic layer are directly bonded to each other without an intermediate adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Eric J. Morales, Ryan M. Stokke, Martin R. Jertson, Clayson C. Spackman, Cory S. Bacon, Yujen Huang, Travis D. Milleman
  • Publication number: 20230347215
    Abstract: Embodiments of a golf club head with a plurality of energy storage features are presented herein. In some embodiments, a golf club head comprises a body comprising a strike face, a heel region, a toe region opposite the heel region, a sole, a crown, an S-shaped channel, a chamfer spanning between a strike face and the crown, and an internal radius transition feature from the strike face to at least one of the sole or the crown.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2023
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Inventors: Cory S. Bacon, Eric J. Morales, Ryan M. Stokke, Calvin S. Wang, Xiaojian Chen, Travis D. Milleman, Martin R. Jertson
  • Publication number: 20230338792
    Abstract: Embodiments of golf club heads with energy storage characteristics are presented herein. In some embodiments, a golf club head comprises a hollow body comprising a strikeface, a heel region, a toe region opposite the heel region, a sole, a top rail and an inflection point. The inflection point provides increase bending of the strikeface thereby providing performance enhancement over clubs without an inflection point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2023
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Inventors: Martin R. Jertson, Eric J. Morales, Cory S. Bacon, Calvin Wang, Xiaojian Chen, Travis D. Milleman, Evan R. Greer, Murphy R. Alexander
  • Publication number: 20230338793
    Abstract: Some embodiments of the lightweight golf clubs described herein include a thin crown, a thin sole, a mass efficient weight system, and a thin faceplate to maximize performance gains (e.g., ball travel distance, impact efficiency, and ball speed) targeted to individuals with swing speeds less than 85 mph. As will be further described below, in order to achieve a lightweight golf club head (having a thin crown, a thin sole, a mass efficient weight system, and a thin faceplate), the golf club head further comprises a crown-to-faceplate bridge and a sole-to-faceplate bridge to control the characteristic time (CT) properties of the golf club head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2023
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Inventors: Travis D. Milleman, Eric J. Morales, Ryan M. Stokke, Alexander Woodward
  • Publication number: 20230330497
    Abstract: Embodiments of a golf club head having an adjustable weight system. The golf club head having a single, relatively compact channel for receiving a weight assembly. The channel does not comprise any threaded bores in or through the walls of the channel. The weight assembly comprises a single weight and a screw. The weight comprises a threaded bore configured to receive the screw. The channel further comprises notches and locating features to position the weight in distinct, prescribed positions. The locating features, notches, and screw are concentric to one another in a final, assembled configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2023
    Publication date: October 19, 2023
    Inventors: Cole D. Brubaker, Travis D. Milleman, Cory S. Bacon
  • Publication number: 20230302333
    Abstract: A hollow golf club head includes a metallic front body coupled with a composite rear body. The front body includes a strike face and a surrounding frame that extends rearward from a perimeter of the strikeface. The rear body includes a crown member coupled with a sole member. The sole member has a structural layer formed from a filled thermoplastic material, while the resilient layer is bonded to the external surface of the structural layer and is formed from a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite material. The resilient layer has an opening through which a metallic weight pad at least partially extends. The weight pad is bonded to the structural layer and includes an aperture for attaching a metallic weight. The golf club head can also have one or more structural members that are upright and connect the weight pad to the crown member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2023
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Inventors: Travis D. Milleman, Ryan M. Stokke, Eric J. Morales, Martin R. Jertson, Tyler A. Shaw
  • Publication number: 20230293955
    Abstract: Described herein is a tour iron having a golf club head with a faceplate, a body, and an insert. A sole, top rail, rear, and the faceplate enclose a cavity within the body. The cavity can house the insert. The insert can comprise a low-density material, allowing weight to be concentrated around the peripheral edge of the golf club head. The rear of the golf club head has an inflection seam running from the heel to the toe. The golf club head has an upper portion, above the inflection seam and a lower portion below the inflection seam. The upper portion can have a rear opening. The faceplate, body, and insert can be formed of different materials having different densities. The golf club head has a comparatively high moment of inertia and a low center of gravity. Other embodiments and methods are described herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2023
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventors: Jacob T. Clarke, Cory S. Bacon, Dave Wu, Martin R. Jertson, Travis D. Milleman, Ryan M. Stokke