Adjustable Lie Patents (Class 473/248)
  • Patent number: 11911672
    Abstract: A golf club head with an improved adjustable weighting system for an iron and/or wedge type golf club head is disclosed herein. More specifically, the golf club head in accordance with the present invention provides an improved weighting system that fits in seamlessly with the traditional shaping of a wedge type golf club head that preserves the aesthetics of the golf club head that golfer have come to expect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Ronald K. Hettinger, Kevin Tassistro
  • Patent number: 11638860
    Abstract: Embodiments of golf clubs with adjustable loft, lie, head mass and methods of manufacturing golf clubs with adjustable loft, lie, and head mass are generally described herein. Other embodiments can be described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Alex G. Woodward, Martin R. Jertson, Ryan M. Stokke
  • Patent number: 11406880
    Abstract: A method for forming a crownplate of a golf club head includes the steps of providing a first plurality of composite pre-preg plies, aligning the first plurality of pre-preg plies within a mold cavity in a first configuration in the shape of the crownplate, and heating the plurality of composite pre-preg plies to form the crownplate. The first configuration includes a first thickness area and a second thickness area. The second thickness area is thicker than the first thickness area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Cobra Golf Incorporated
    Inventors: Ryan L. Roach, D. Clayton Evans
  • Patent number: 11097169
    Abstract: The amorphous alloy golf club head is integrally casted from an amorphous metal material, and includes a neck, a hitting panel, a peripheral wall, a cushion block and an adjusting member. The neck is configured for combination with a club; the hitting panel is connected to the bottom of the neck; the peripheral wall is located on a rear surface of the hitting panel, the peripheral wall forms a rear concave cavity with the hitting panel; the cushion block is embedded in the peripheral wall to reduce the casting thickness of the peripheral wall, and provided with a plurality of pillars thereon, wherein one end of each pillar is fixedly connected to the cushion block body, and the other end of the pillar has an exposed surface or exposed section not covered by the peripheral wall; and the adjusting member is matingly connected to the pillar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: NANJING YOUTIAN METAL TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jie Wei, Hui Ye
  • Patent number: 11077343
    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: November 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Wallans, Robert M. Boyd, Philip J. Hatton, Mario A. Lafortune, John T. Stites
  • Patent number: 11052292
    Abstract: Embodiments of golf clubs with adjustable lie and loft and methods of manufacturing golf clubs with adjustable lie and loft are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Chris L. Jones, John P. Fife, Erik M. Henrikson
  • Patent number: 11020635
    Abstract: A method of customizing a golf club, wherein the method includes generating operating data representative of a user operating a mechanical device. The operating data is generated by a first sensor sized and configured to be removably positioned in a mounting port formed on the mechanical device during operation of the mechanical device. The sensor is interchangeably positionable in the mounting port with at least one mass insert, the at least one mass insert being adapted to be interchangeably positioned in the mounting to provide at least two different mass configurations. The method further includes determining a recommended configuration of the at least one mass insert specific to the user based on the operating data generated by the sensor, and transmitting information representative of the recommended mass insert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Keith Dolezel, Dan Nivanh, Patrick Ripp
  • Patent number: 10994179
    Abstract: Embodiments of golf clubs with adjustable loft, lie, head mass and methods of manufacturing golf clubs with adjustable loft, lie, and head mass are generally described herein. Other embodiments can be described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Alex G. Woodward, Martin R. Jertson, Ryan M. Stokke
  • Patent number: 10960271
    Abstract: Examples of golf club heads and methods to manufacture golf club heads are generally described herein. In one example, a body portion of a golf club head may have a front portion with a face portion for impacting a golf ball, a rear portion, a toe portion, a heel portion, a top portion, and a sole portion. A cavity may be located at the top portion and extends downward into the body portion. A through-hole may be located at the front portion and feeds into the cavity. A hosel portion may have an insert portion with a fastener port. The insert portion may be received inside the cavity such that the fastener port interfaces with the through-hole. A fastener may be received in the through-hole and engaged to the fastener port, thereby securing the hosel portion to the body portion. Other examples may be described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: PARSONS XTREME GOLF, LLC
    Inventors: Caleb S. Kroloff, Bradley D. Schweigert, Michael R. Nicolette
  • Patent number: 10716972
    Abstract: In a golf club, an apparatus which provides for a shaft to be adjustably secured to a head comprises a skewed axis shaft coupling and a shaft having an intermediate shaft section which joins a nominal shaft section to an offset shaft section such that they are offset one from the other. A shaft indexing mechanism provides for the nominal shaft section to have a plurality of indexed rotational positions in a socket of the skewed axis shaft coupling, thereby providing for the head to have, with respect to the offset shaft section, a plurality of possible sets of spatial and mass distribution properties. Furthermore, the skewed axis shaft coupling provides for the head to have, with respect to the nominal shaft section, a plurality of sets of angular properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Inventor: Barry Lyn Holtzman
  • Patent number: 10500453
    Abstract: A putter for golf has a putter head, a putter shaft, and a hosel removably attaching the putter shaft to a rear face of the putter head that is opposite from the impact face of the putter head. The hosel can selectively attach the putter shaft to the putter head for either left-hand or right-hand putting. The impact head of the putter face may be rectangularly shaped and have height and width dimensions greater than the diameter of a standard golf ball.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Inventor: Raymond Carter
  • Patent number: 10493330
    Abstract: A golf club head or gold club, the club including a shaft, a body, a front face, a back face, and a connecting member. The connecting member attached to the center of the back face and extending away from the back face of the club head and turning at an angle, and wherein the front face of the club head forms a rectangular shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Inventor: William L. Amundsen
  • Patent number: 10173105
    Abstract: A putter head comprising a removable and replaceable hosel is disclosed herein. In particular, the putter comprises a first body portion with a plurality of protrusions, a second body portion with a plurality of cavities sized to receive the protrusions, a hosel with an engagement portion that is trapped within one of the cavities by a protrusion, and a mechanical fastener to removably fix each of these pieces together. The fastener preferably extends through a bore on the heel side of the putter head and into a threaded bore within one of the protrusions. In an alternative embodiment, the putter head has a single body portion, which receives the engagement portion of a hosel in a heel side cavity, and which is affixed to the hosel via a fastener that extends through a front surface of the body portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Matthew Myers, James A. Seluga
  • Patent number: 9861868
    Abstract: An adaptable putter head that can be easily configured by a golfer for use in training or competitive play is described. The adaptable putter head comprises a center piece and two wings rotatably attached to the center piece. The center piece and wings include a central face and wing faces, respectively. In an extended position, the central face and wing faces form a continuous surface for striking a ball in competitive play. In a retracted position, the central face provides a striking surface with less surface area and the putter head has a lower moment of inertia for skill training and practice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Inventor: Maher Hadad
  • Patent number: 9844707
    Abstract: A high moment of inertia is enabled in a novel golf putter head in which also infinite adjustment of the lie angle and adjustment of total weight over a very wide range are enabled. The putter can be configured for either right-handed or left-handed players. The putter head has a cylindrical recess partially open through the top of the head and fully open to the rear of the head allowing the insertion of a cylindrical shaft receiver disc. The shaft can be of any allowed length and the lie angle can be from 26 degrees to 10 degrees from vertical. The mass properties of the putter head may be changed and adjusted by addition or removal of weights at the extreme toe and heel ends of the putter head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: VERITAS GOLF LLC
    Inventor: Steven R. Davis
  • Patent number: 9272193
    Abstract: The golf putter is configured such that the stop step of the rotary linkage is formed outwardly in an extended length to cause the lock screws to stop the rotary linkage from being rotated with a large torque at a position remote from the center of the threaded axle hole, so that when a user does not desire to change the lie angle in use, the adjusted lie angle is not changed for a long period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: RHIMKOREA, CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hyung Jin Yim
  • Patent number: 9033813
    Abstract: A ball striking device, such as a golf club, includes a head with a face having a striking surface configured for striking a ball and being defined by a plurality of peripheral edges, a body connected to the face and extending rearwardly from the peripheral edges of the face, and a sole member connected to the sole of the body. The sole member may be removably connected to the sole, which can permit removal and replacement with another sole member having a different property. The sole member may additionally or alternately be movably connected to the sole, which can permit adjustment of the sole member, such as to change the lie angle of the head. The sole member may be at least partially received in a receiver in the sole and may form at least a portion of the lowermost surface of the head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew G. V. Oldknow, William F. Rauchholz
  • Publication number: 20150080143
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described herein to provide a golf club, such as, for example, a putter, with a select loft angle and/or a select lie angle. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a golf club having a golf club head, a hosel, and a hosel shim. The golf club head has a hosel shank and the hosel is configured to be coupled to the hosel shank. The hosel shim is configured to be coupled to the hosel to position the hosel at a select angle relative to the golf club head such that the golf club has a select lie angle. The hosel shim is further configured to limit rotational movement of the hosel relative to the golf club head such that the select lie angle is maintained when the hosel is coupled to the golf club head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventors: Vikash Sanyal, David Stuart Cooper, Jr., Jeffrey D. Sheets
  • Patent number: 8876622
    Abstract: A golf club head comprises a sole, a recessed sole port in the sole; and a rotatably adjustable sole piece adapted to be at least partially received within the sole port and comprising a central body having a plurality of contact surfaces adapted to contact the sole port and being offset from each other along a central axis extending through the central body of the sole piece. The sole piece can be positioned at least partially within the sole port at five or more rotational and axial positions with respect to the central axis, wherein at each rotational position, at least one of said contact surfaces of the central body contacts the sole port to set the axial position of the sole piece. The sole port and/or the sole piece can be generally pentagonal in shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd P. Beach, Kraig Alan Willett, Nathan T. Sargent, Michael Franz
  • Patent number: 8870674
    Abstract: A golf club head having an adjustable hosel and a level is disclosed herein. The adjustable hosel is movable between a plurality of positions to adjust at least one feature of the golf club head, such as loft, lie, and/or face angle, and is held in place by an adjustment knob or adjustment lever. The level preferably is a bubble level that is disposed proximate a scale to indicate to a golfer an optimal loft, lie, and/or face angle of the golf club head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventor: Craig E. Abbott
  • Publication number: 20140256461
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of adjustable golf clubs comprising features which allow for the adjustment of a lie angle, a loft angle, or both a lie angle and a loft angle of the golf club. In some embodiments, a golf club head includes a body and a hosel, the hosel including an adjustment screw which can be tightened or loosened to adjust the lie and/or loft angles of a golf club head. In some embodiments, certain angles of a golf club head's geometry can be continuously adjustable through a predetermined range of angles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd P. Beach, Bret H. Wahl, Scott Taylor, Peter L. Larsen
  • Patent number: 8771097
    Abstract: A golf club with a plurality of protrusions separated by a trough and capable of improving turf interaction for various turf conditions with various turf undulations is disclosed herein. More specifically, the present invention discloses a metal wood type golf club having a plurality of protrusions separated by a trough on its sole that is capable of changing the lie angle of the metal wood type golf club head by varying the combination of protrusions that come into contact with the ground to provide improved turf interaction for various types of lies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Cobra Golf Incorporated
    Inventors: Thomas Orrin Bennett, Thomas C. Morris, Thomas W. Preece, Douglas E. Roberts
  • Patent number: 8771096
    Abstract: A golf putter with a multi-component neck providing a novel offset and shaft-attachment design is described and claimed. The club includes a head having a strike surface, a sole, and a top line. The multi-component neck includes a lower neck component and a coupling member. The coupling member is joined to a shaft. The coupling member connects the lower neck component and the shaft such that they are relatively offset. The length of the lower neck component and/or the design of the coupling member determine the distance from the club head center of gravity and the intersection of the projected longitudinal axis of the shaft with the head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventor: Don T. Cameron
  • Patent number: 8758154
    Abstract: A golf club head is provided having a club body having a front portion, a rear portion, a toe portion, and a heel portion. The club head also having a central portion connected with the front portion. A frame is connected with the central portion configured to provide a lightweight crown portion being located above an offset plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul M. Demkowski, Bret H. Wahl, Sean Toulon, Marni D. Ines, Robert Nunez, Bill Price, Jose Miraflor
  • Patent number: 8727899
    Abstract: An adjustable hosel assembly allows for adjustment of shaft angle and the distance between the shaft and the club head. The adjustable hosel assembly comprises a hosel portion, a cam piece, a bolt, and a golf club head having a convex or concave surface, wherein the hosel portion can move along the surface of the cam piece, and the cam piece can move along the surface of the club head, to adjust the orientation of a shaft placed within the hosel with respect to the club head, and wherein the bolt secures the cam piece and the hosel to the golf club head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventor: Yvonne Galloway
  • Patent number: 8668596
    Abstract: A golf club comprising an adjustable fitting member semi-permanently attached rearwardly on a sole is disclosed herein. The fitting member can be rotated to adjust the measured and perceived face angle of the golf club head at address without changing the relative relationship of the club with respect to the shaft, which would alter the lie and loft of the golf club head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Matthew T. Cackett, D. Clayton Evans, Alan Hocknell
  • Patent number: 8641548
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer readable media for changing and controlling settings for adjustable golf clubs are described. Such setting adjustment systems may alter one or more of: lie angle, loft angle, face angle, shaft stiffness, shaft kickpoint location, weighting, weight positioning, face flexibility, maximum face flex location, etc. These systems and methods may use various types of information to determine the appropriate settings, such as: ball launch monitor data, swing path data, weather input data, course condition input data for a location of play, course design input data for a location of play, daily course layout input data for a location and a time of play, golfer past performance data (e.g., recent past performance, past performances at the location of play, past performance during an ongoing round of golf (i.e., on earlier played holes), etc.), current adjustable club setting information, and information indicating holes to be played.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: William F. Rauchholz, Nicholas Yontz
  • Patent number: 8636606
    Abstract: A golf club includes: a hosel of a head to which a leading end of a shaft is attached; a weight material for adjusting weight being provided in a lower end portion of a hosel hole; and a communication opening which communicates the lower end portion of the hosel hole with an inside of the head, wherein the weight material is detachably screwed into the communication opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Fumiaki Sato
  • Patent number: 8632417
    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) a first cylindrical structure having a cylindrical interior chamber for receiving a golf club shaft, a first rotation-inhibiting structure, and a securing structure; (b) a second cylindrical structure having a borehole for receiving the first cylindrical structure, and a second rotation-inhibiting structure that engages the first rotation-inhibiting structure and (c) a securing system for releasably engaging the securing structure. The shaft may extend at an angle from the shaft connection assembly so as to allow adjustment of the shaft position with respect to the club head by rotating the first cylindrical structure or exchanging the second cylindrical structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventors: Raymond J. Sander, Joshua Michael Boggs, Sherry Lynn Jones, Joseph M. Lehman, Daniel Francis Wisniewski
  • Patent number: 8616990
    Abstract: A golf putter with an offset and shaft-attachment design is disclosed and claimed. The club includes a head having a strike surface, a sole, and a top line. A tube is coupled to the head, a coupling member is coupled to the distal end of the tube, and a shaft is also coupled to the coupling member. The coupling member connects the tube and the shaft such that they are relatively offset. The longitudinal axes of the tube and the shaft may be substantially parallel. An alignment indicia is provided on the club head. The tube is coupled to the head at an angle such that it blocks the indicia from a user's view at address when the head is aligned properly. If the club head is not properly aligned, the golfer will be able to see the indicia and therefore know to adjust the club head before putting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventor: Don T. Cameron
  • Patent number: 8616991
    Abstract: A golf putter head with a front portion comprising traditional shape and appearance, with an integral face insert extending through the head to an alignment and weighting portion extending beyond the main body of the putter, adding improved alignment, increased moment of inertia (MOI) and adjustable weighting and adjustable balance and optimizable center of percussion. The putter head comprises a central face insert portion extending through the body and above the traditional weight flange, with mass relieved portions below the top of the alignment piece in order to receive one or more optional weights, and the upper side of the rearwardly extending portion being engraved or marked with various alignment indicia, and the whole through-head insert face portion and rearwardly extending portion being affixed to the base portion of the head at least in part with threaded fasteners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Dogleg Right Corporation
    Inventor: David P. Billings
  • Patent number: 8517851
    Abstract: A golf club comprising an adjustable fitting member semi-permanently attached rearwardly on a sole is disclosed herein. The fitting member can be rotated to adjust the measured and perceived face angle of the golf club head at address without changing the relative relationship of the club with respect to the shaft, which would alter the lie and loft of the golf club head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Matthew T. Cackett, D. Clayton Evans, Alan Hocknell
  • Patent number: 8382604
    Abstract: A golf putter head with a front portion comprising traditional shape and appearance, with an integral face insert extending through the head to an alignment and weighting portion extending beyond the main body of the putter, adding improved alignment, increased MOI and adjustable weighting and adjustable balance and optimizable Center of Percussion. The putter head comprises a central face insert portion extending through the body and above the traditional weight flange, with mass relieved portions below the top of the alignment piece in order to receive one or more optional weights, and the upper side of the rearwardly extending portion being engraved or marked with various alignment indicia, and the whole through-head insert face portion and rearwardly extending portion being affixed to the base portion of the head at least in part with threaded fasteners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Dogleg Right Corporation
    Inventor: David P. Billings
  • Patent number: 8328654
    Abstract: A golf club head is provided having a club body having a front portion, a rear portion, a toe portion, and a heel portion. The club head also having a central portion connected with the front portion. A frame is connected with the central portion configured to provide a lightweight crown portion being located above an offset plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul M. Demkowski, Bret H. Wahl, Sean Toulon, Marni D. Ines, Robert Nunez, Bill Price, Jose Miraflor
  • Patent number: 8303429
    Abstract: A golf club having a golf club head 20 with a keel zone that makes the actual face angle of the golf club appear differently when the golf club is at address. The golf club head 20 has a keel zone that is preferably 0.5 inch wide in the fore-aft direction and 1.0 inch wide in the heel-toe direction, which changes the appearance of the face angle while the golf club is at address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Matthew T. Cackett, Alan Hocknell
  • Patent number: 8262497
    Abstract: A golf club head is presented comprising a sole including a removable panel secured to the sole via a non-threaded attachment assembly. Further, the removable panel may have a large surface area relative to its thickness, resulting in a chip-like or wafer-like weight member. This design allows the mass of the removable panel to be spread substantially along the surface of the sole as opposed to in the interior of the club head. The golf club head may comprise more than one removable panel. A removable panel of the present invention may generally comprise one or more discrete areas of higher basis weight or higher density. Even further, the removable panel may generally be releasably attached via a quick disconnect mechanism that allows easy interchangeability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Joshua G. Breier, Karl A. Clausen, Douglas E. Roberts, Peter L. Soracco
  • Patent number: 8262496
    Abstract: A wood-type golf club head with an adjustable keel zone member is disclosed herein. The golf club head includes a body and an adjustable keel zone member. The body has a front portion, a crown portion and a sole portion. The body also having a heel end, a toe end and an aft end. The sole portion has only a single keel point. The adjustable keel zone member is disposed within a keel zone of the sole and located preferentially with respect to the center of gravity. The keel zone member is capable of adjusting the face angle of the wood-type golf club head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Matthew T. Cackett, D. Clayton Evans, Alan Hocknell
  • Patent number: 8257192
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a combination putter and chipper golf club. The golf club is constructed such that opposite side surfaces of the club head can be used, respectively, as a putter and a chipper, and the club head is easily switched between a putter and a chipper when the golf club is used, and the club head is prevented from shaking when putting or chipping. The golf club has a shaft and a head. A putter face and a chipper face are provided, respectively, on opposite side surfaces of the head. A coupling frame is provided between the shaft and the head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Inventor: Joo-Hyung Lee
  • Patent number: 8221258
    Abstract: A wood-type golf club head with an adjustable keel zone member is disclosed herein. The golf club head includes a body and an adjustable keel zone member. The body has a front portion, a crown portion and a sole portion. The body also having a heel end, a toe end and an aft end. The sole portion has only a single keel point. The adjustable keel zone member is disposed within a keel zone of the sole and located preferentially with respect to the center of gravity. The keel zone member is capable of adjusting the face angle of the wood-type golf club head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Matthew T. Cackett, D. Clayton Evans, Alan Hocknell
  • Patent number: 8206234
    Abstract: A golf putter head for mounting on a shaft to create a golf putter club wherein the putter head includes a frame fabricated of a metal and having a toe end cap and heel end cap. The end caps are spaced apart one from the other by at least one rib integral with the toe and heel end caps. The rib and end caps partially defining at least one central body void. An elongated central filler segment fills the central body void and a has a top surface a bottom surface. The central filler segment in combination with the frame defines at least one generally vertically oriented planar ball contacting surface. The central filler segment is fabricated of polymer based material and the frame generates a moment of inertia significantly greater than a body excluding the end caps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Inventor: Robert F. Slater
  • Patent number: 8202173
    Abstract: A golf club having a shaft, a club head and a connection region structure provides an angled connection of the shaft to the club head. The connection region structure includes a first end, a second end and a bore extending from the first end toward the second end. The first end has an opening to receive the distal end of the shaft. The second end is opposite to the first end and includes a mounting surface. The bore receives the distal end of the shaft and defines a longitudinal axis. The mounting surface is at a non-zero angle to a perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bore. Further, the mounting surface abuts the first surface of a shaft-attachment structure that projects from a main body of the club head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew G. V. Oldknow, Philip J. Hatton, Robert Boyd
  • Publication number: 20120122601
    Abstract: A golf club head comprises a sole, a recessed sole port in the sole; and a rotatably adjustable sole piece adapted to be at least partially received within the sole port and comprising a central body having a plurality of contact surfaces adapted to contact the sole port and being offset from each other along a central axis extending through the central body of the sole piece. The sole piece can be positioned at least partially within the sole port at five or more rotational and axial positions with respect to the central axis, wherein at each rotational position, at least one of said contact surfaces of the central body contacts the sole port to set the axial position of the sole piece. The sole port and/or the sole piece can be generally pentagonal in shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Inventors: Todd P. Beach, Kraig Alan Willett, Nathan T. Sargent, Michael Franz
  • Patent number: 8172695
    Abstract: A golf putter with a novel offset and shaft-attachment design is disclosed and claimed. The club includes a head having a strike surface, a sole, and a top line. A tube is coupled to the head, a coupling member is coupled to the distal end of the tube, and a shaft is also coupled to the coupling member. The coupling member connects the tube and the shaft such that they are relatively offset. The longitudinal axes of the tube and the shaft may be substantially parallel, or the coupling member may be adjustable such that the longitudinal axes are not parallel. An alignment indicia is provided on the club head. The tube is coupled to the head at an angle such that it blocks the indicia from a user's view at address when the head is aligned properly. If the club head is not properly aligned, the golfer will be able to see the indicia and therefore know to adjust the club head before putting. Thus, putter disclosed and claimed herein provides both offset and a putting alignment aide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventor: Don T. Cameron
  • Patent number: 8123626
    Abstract: A wood-type golf club head with an adjustable keel zone member is disclosed herein. The golf club head includes a body and an adjustable keel zone member. The body has a front portion, a crown portion and a sole portion. The body also having a heel end, a toe end and an aft end. The sole portion has only a single keel point. The adjustable keel zone member is disposed within a keel zone of the sole and located preferentially with respect to the center of gravity. The keel zone member is capable of adjusting the face angle of the wood-type golf club head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Matthew T. Cackett, D. Clayton Evans, Alan Hocknell
  • Patent number: 8105175
    Abstract: A golf club head is presented comprising a sole including a removable panel secured to the sole via a non-threaded attachment assembly. Further, the removable panel may have a large surface area relative to its thickness, resulting in a chip-like or wafer-like weight member. This design allows the mass of the removable panel to be spread substantially along the surface of the sole as opposed to in the interior of the club head. The golf club head may comprise more than one removable panel. A removable panel of the present invention may generally comprise one or more discrete areas of higher basis weight or higher density. Even further, the removable panel may generally be releasably attached via a quick disconnect mechanism that allows easy interchangeability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Joshua G. Breier, Karl A. Clausen, Douglas E. Roberts, Peter L. Soracco
  • Patent number: 8092316
    Abstract: A golf club head is presented comprising a sole including a removable panel secured to the sole via a non-threaded attachment assembly. Further, the removable panel may have a large surface area relative to its thickness, resulting in a chip-like or wafer-like weight member. This design allows the mass of the removable panel to be spread substantially along the surface of the sole as opposed to in the interior of the club head. The golf club head may comprise more than one removable panel. A removable panel of the present invention may generally comprise one or more discrete areas of higher basis weight or higher density. Even further, the removable panel may generally be releasably attached via a quick disconnect mechanism that allows easy interchangeability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Joshua G. Breier, Karl A. Clausen, Douglas E. Roberts, Peter L. Soracco
  • Patent number: 8012034
    Abstract: A wood-type golf club head with an adjustable keel zone member is disclosed herein. The golf club head includes a body and an adjustable keel zone member. The body has a front portion, a crown portion and a sole portion. The body also having a heel end, a toe end and an aft end. The sole portion has only a single keel point. The adjustable keel zone member is disposed within a keel zone of the sole and located preferentially with respect to the center of gravity. The keel zone member is capable of adjusting the face angle of the wood-type golf club head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Matthew T. Cackett, D. Clayton Evans, Alan Hocknell
  • Patent number: 7976400
    Abstract: A putter head is positioned to be even with the ball when the shaft is at the vertical plane of the ball. The lie of the shaft can be adjusted relative to the head between limits. An insert in the club head secures the tip of the crook of the shaft. A worm gear permits infinite adjustment of lie within a range. The insert can be of different weights to weight the club for various conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Inventor: Earl T. Pottorff
  • Patent number: 7934999
    Abstract: A wood-type golf club head with an adjustable keel zone member is disclosed herein. The golf club head includes a body and an adjustable keel zone member. The body has a front portion, a crown portion and a sole portion. The body also having a heel end, a toe end and an aft end. The sole portion has only a single keel point. The adjustable keel zone member is disposed within a keel zone of the sole and located preferentially with respect to the center of gravity. The keel zone member is capable of adjusting the face angle of the wood-type golf club head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Matthew T. Cackett, D. Clayton Evans, Alan Hocknell
  • Patent number: 7862443
    Abstract: A golf putter with a novel offset and shaft-attachment design is disclosed and claimed. The club includes a head having a strike surface, a sole, and a top line. A tube is coupled to the head, a coupling member is coupled to the distal end of the tube, and a shaft is also coupled to the coupling member. The coupling member connects the tube and the shaft such that they are relatively offset. The longitudinal axes of the tube and the shaft may be substantially parallel, or the coupling member may be adjustable such that the longitudinal axes are not parallel. An alignment indicia is provided on the club head. The tube is coupled to the head at an angle such that it blocks the indicia from a user's view at address when the head is aligned properly. If the club head is not properly aligned, the golfer will be able to see the indicia and therefore know to adjust the club head before putting. Thus, putter disclosed and claimed herein provides both offset and a putting alignment aide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventor: Don T. Cameron