In Vertical Bore Access By Sole Patents (Class 473/338)
  • Patent number: 10188916
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a golf club head comprising a body, at least one weight assembly, and at least one brace bar. The body defines an interior cavity and a face portion at the forward region of the body and comprising a strike face with an area of at least 3000 mm^2 and a maximum height from a ground plane of at least about 50 mm. The body further comprises at least one weight track formed in the sole portion. The at least one weight assembly is selectively adjustably positioned within the at least one weight track. The at least one brace bar traverses the interior cavity between and is attached to the at least one weight track and the crown portion. A mass per unit length of the brace bar is between 0.005 g/mm and 0.40 g/mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher J. Harbert, Jake Feuerstein, Mattieu Bovee
  • Patent number: 10159880
    Abstract: An adjustable golf club head and weight structure is disclosed. The adjustable golf club head can include a crown, a toe, a hosel, and a sole. The sole of the club head may have one or more tracks located thereon. Each of the one or more tracks can have one or more weights secured therein. Each of the one or more weights can include an upper weight portion, and a lower weight portion. A screw can be positioned to adjoin the upper weight portion and the lower weight portion. The weight can also include a clip fastened to the screw such that the clip retains the screw within bores located in the upper and lower weight portions. In order to prevent the upper and lower weight portions from rotating with respect to one another, the weight can include an alignment portion and an alignment receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: MIZUNO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takayuki Mine, Kei Tsuji, David Llewellyn
  • Patent number: 10099096
    Abstract: The present invention comprises a golf club head comprising a body having a crown, a sole, a front wall and a hosel, wherein the body defines a hollow interior. The golf club head further comprises a center of gravity height adjustment assembly wherein the center of gravity height adjustment assembly is positioned within the hollow interior of the body. The products of inertia (Ixz and Iyz) of the golf club head have an absolute value below 100 g-cm2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventor: James A. Seluga
  • Patent number: 10099093
    Abstract: Embodiments of golf club heads and methods to manufacture golf club heads are generally described herein. In one example, a golf club head may include a hollow body portion having a front portion, a rear portion, a toe portion, a heel portion, a bottom portion, a top portion, a plurality of ports on the bottom portion and a plurality of inner support portions in the hollow body portion. Other examples and embodiments may be described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: PARSONS XTREME GOLF, LLC
    Inventors: Robert R. Parsons, Bradley D. Schweigert, Michael R. Nicolette
  • Patent number: 10076688
    Abstract: A golf club head includes a metal frame having a sole opening, a composite laminate crown joined to the frame, a composite laminate sole insert joined to the frame and overlying the sole opening, and a thermoplastic composite component overmolded on the sole insert. The composite component may include a weight track, ribs, supports or other features. A method of making the golf club includes the steps of forming a frame having a sole opening, forming a composite laminate sole insert, forming a composite laminate crown insert, injection molding a thermoplastic composite head component over the sole insert to create a sole insert unit, and joining the sole insert unit and crown insert to the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher John Harbert, Joseph Reeve Nielson, Nathan T. Sargent, Christian Reber Wester
  • Patent number: 10065094
    Abstract: A golf club head may include a body and a sole plate. The body may include a hosel portion, a front strike face, a crown and a sole. The sole may include a floor and sidewalls extending from the floor to the crown. The sole may include weight ports for receiving weighted slugs. The sole plate may be rotatably mounted to the sole, wherein the sole plate is rotatable, while remaining mounted to the sole, between a cover position in which the sole plate covers each of the weight ports and at least one access position in which each and every weighted port is accessible for removal or insertion of a weighted slug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
    Inventor: Gavin Wallin
  • Patent number: 9981162
    Abstract: Provided is a golf club head capable of realizing a lower center of gravity without a weight member protruding from a sole portion. The golf club head according to the present invention includes a crown portion, a face portion, and a sole portion having at least one recessed portion. The recessed portion is configured to house the weight member such that the weight member does not protrude externally. The sole portion is provided with a raised portion including the recessed portion and protruding downward, and to be at least partially placed on a placement surface in a reference state. A center of the recessed portion is arranged further to a back side in a face-back direction and to a heel side in a toe-heel direction than a center of gravity of the head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Abe, Daisuke Kohno
  • Patent number: 9937392
    Abstract: A golf club head with means for adjusting a center of gravity along more than one axis is disclosed herein. The golf club head comprises at least one rectangular weight bar disposed within a recessed region on the sole and adjustable within the recessed region. One end of the weight bar is reversibly fixed to the sole with a connection element, while the other end includes an engagement feature that engages a retention feature at the edge of the recessed region. The retention feature provides multiple locations at the edge of the recessed region to which the engagement feature can be fixed, and when the weight bar is in a configuration desired by a golfer, the weight bar can be reversibly secured to the sole and immobilized within the recessed region by tightening the connection element. The weight bar may also include a slidable weight assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Matthew Myers, James A. Seluga
  • Patent number: 9914028
    Abstract: A golf club head including an elongate weight receptacle, the weight receptacle including: a first locking rail extending from the exterior surface of the body, the first locking rail running along a first side of the weight receptacle; a second locking rail extending from an exterior surface of the body, the second locking rail running along a second side of the weight receptacle, the first locking rail spaced from the second locking rail; a weight member located in the weight receptacle; wherein the weight member is configured to slide along the weight receptacle when the weight member is in an unlocked position and the weight member is configured to lock in place in the weight receptacle when the weight member is in a locked position; wherein the weight member at least partially resides between the first locking rail and the second locking rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Richard L. Cleghorn, Darryl C. Galvan
  • Patent number: 9908019
    Abstract: The present invention comprises a golf club head comprising a body having a crown, a sole, a front wall and a hosel, wherein the body defines a hollow interior. The golf club head further comprises a center of gravity height adjustment assembly wherein the center of gravity height adjustment assembly is positioned within the hollow interior of the body. The products of inertia (Ixz and Iyz) of the golf club head have an absolute value below 100 g-cm2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventor: James A. Seluga
  • Patent number: 9908016
    Abstract: A golf club head comprising a body, a variable face thickness pattern, and a plurality of solid metal stiffening rods, and which satisfies the equation Vballnorm?0.0356x+140.82, is disclosed herein. The body comprises a face, a sole, and a return section, and defines a hollow interior. Each of the rods extends from the return section to the sole within the hollow interior proximate the face to reduce stresses placed on the face during impact with a golf ball. The rods are all located within 1 inch of a rear surface of the face measured along a plane normal to the center of the face, and are spaced a distance of 0.500 to 2.00 inch from one another within the hollow interior. The variable face thickness pattern preferably comprises a plurality of concentric rings, with a center ring having a thickness that is less than a thickness of an intermediary ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: James A. Seluga, Matthew Myers
  • Patent number: 9878223
    Abstract: A golf club head comprising multiple means of adjusting the location of the center of gravity, and the bias, is disclosed herein. In a preferred embodiment, the golf club head comprises a non-metal medallion comprising a channel that is affixed to one of the crown and the sole, a slidable weight sized to fit within the channel, and a cover that attaches to the medallion and locks the slidable weight within the channel at a location selected by a user. The cover preferably includes at least one cutout so that the slidable weight is at least partially visible to the user when it is locked within the channel. The cover also includes additional cutouts that receive protrusions extending from the medallion to more securely attach the cover to the medallion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Philip G. Foster, Matthew Myers, Wee Joung Kim, Steven C. Sutton, Larry Tang, Denver Holt
  • Patent number: 9802086
    Abstract: Provided is a golf club head in which the lateral moment of inertia can be increased through thickness adjustment of the sole portion. The golf club head according to the present invention includes a crown portion, a sole portion and a face portion. The sole portion includes a first thin-walled portion and a first thick-walled portion that extends from the toe side of the first thin-walled portion to the heel side of the first thin-walled portion via the back side, so as to surround the first thin-walled portion, and is thicker than the first thin-walled portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
    Inventor: Masatoshi Kato
  • Patent number: 9789372
    Abstract: A golf club head comprises a body and at least one self-extracting pressed weight assembly. The body comprises a face plate positioned at a forward portion of the golf club head, a sole positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head, a crown positioned at a top portion of the golf club head and a skirt positioned around a periphery of the golf club head between the sole and the crown. The body defines an interior cavity. The weight assembly comprises at least three components and is configured for a press fit engagement with the golf club head. The assembly has a drive portion and a threaded portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd P. Beach, Benoit Vincent, Ian C. Wright, Kraig Alan Willett, Gery Mel Zimmerman, Joseph Henry Hoffman
  • Patent number: 9770634
    Abstract: A golf club includes a shaft and a club head. The club head includes a body member having a ball striking face, a heel, a toe, a back, a crown, a sole, and a hosel region located at the intersection of the ball striking face, the heel and the crown. The sole includes a channel extending from the hosel region toward the toe. An insert is received within the channel. The club head further includes means for detachably securing the insert to the channel. A second insert configured for being received within the channel may be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew Oldknow
  • Patent number: 9757630
    Abstract: Described are embodiments of golf club heads having an internal cavity and features that cause the golf club head to have an improved acoustic performance when striking a golf ball. Some embodiments include one or more weight tracks and/or weight ports formed in the sole for receiving adjustable weights. The golf club heads can include one or more internal ribs, thickened wall regions, and/or posts positioned within the cavity that increase the rigidity of the club head and improve the acoustic performance of the club head when striking a ball.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Andrew Mata, Rachel Elizabeth Gardner, Christian Reber Wester, Joe Hoffman, Brad Poston, Matthew David Johnson, Mark Vincent Greaney, Justin David Kleinert, Joseph Reeve Nielson, Christopher John Harbert, Nathan T. Sargent
  • Patent number: 9757629
    Abstract: A golf club head comprising a body and a plurality of stiffening members is disclosed herein. The body comprises a face section, a sole section, and a crown section, and defines a hollow interior. Each of the plurality of stiffening members extends from the crown section to the sole section to reduce stresses placed on the face section during impact with a golf ball. The stiffening members are all located within 0.500 inch of a rear surface of the face section measured along a plane normal to the center of the face, and within 1 inch of the center of the face section along a horizontal axis parallel to the face section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: James A. Seluga, Matthew Myers
  • Patent number: 9744413
    Abstract: A golf club head including a body having a face, a sole, a crown, and a skirt joining the face, sole and crown, the body having a center of gravity, wherein the body includes an open end and a terminal end, the terminal end opposite the open end, a weighted insert having a heavy end and a lighter end, the lighter end opposite the heavy end, wherein the cavity is configured to receive the weighted insert through the open end, wherein the cavity includes a head locking member, wherein the weighted insert includes an insert locking member, wherein the head locking member includes a shelf and the insert locking member includes a flange, the flange configured to abut the shelf when the insert locking member is in a locked position; and a spring located between the insert locking member and the terminal end of the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Nick Frame, Darryl C. Galvan, Gery M. Zimmerman, Richard Sanchez, Stephen S. Murphy, Joshua G. Breier, Ryuichi Sugimae, Stephanie Luttrell, Thomas Orrin Bennett
  • Patent number: 9724573
    Abstract: A golf club head enables the initial velocity of a ball to be increased and enables the carry to be lengthened. In some example structures, the golf club includes a face plate formed from metal and club head body (e.g., a crown and sole) formed from fiber reinforced plastic. A weighted body is provided inside the rearmost portion of the golf club head and a low rigidity portion whose width becomes gradually narrower as it approaches the rearmost portion is provided in the crown extending from the vicinity of the face plate to the rearmost portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kawaguchi, Michael L. Kelly, Hitoshi Kodama, Tsuneo Takano
  • Patent number: 9636552
    Abstract: A golf club head including a crown, a sole, a hosel, a face, a flexure, and a weight member. The flexure provides compliance during an impact between the golf club head and a golf ball, and is tuned to vibrate, immediately after impact, at a predetermined frequency. The flexure is formed by a forward wall and a rearward wall that combine to form a recessed channel. The weight member is coupled to a weight mount that is at least partially disposed in the rearward wall of the flexure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Richard L. Cleghorn, Darryl C. Galvan, Stephanie Bezilla, Thomas Orrin Bennett
  • Patent number: 9586101
    Abstract: A golf club includes a golf club head provided with a first hole and a second hole on its bottom side, a shaft detachably fixed to the golf club head, a weight member comprising a first weight member and a second weight member each detachably fixed to the golf club head, and a faster including a first fastener for fixing the shaft and the first weight member to the golf club head through the first hole, and a second fastener for fixing the second weight member to the golf club head through the second hole. The first weight member and the second weight member are configured as mutually replaceable weights so that the first weight member is fixed to the second hole using the second fastener and the second weight member is fixed to the first hole using the first fastener.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
    Inventor: Yuki Motokawa
  • Patent number: 9573027
    Abstract: A weight member for removable attachment to a weight port of a golf club head is provided. The weight member comprises a head that has a tool mating port for operatively receiving a portion of a fastening tool. The weight member further comprises a shaft that is associated with the head such that the shaft terminates at an end surface. The shaft has a threaded external surface and a non-threaded internal bore that extends from the end surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: SRI SPORTS LIMITED
    Inventors: Dan S. Nivanh, Nathaniel J. Radcliffe, Jimmy H. Kuan
  • Patent number: 9504884
    Abstract: A golf club head comprising a sole including a body sole portion and a sole plate portion that form the sole surface of the golf club head. The sole plate portion includes a sole plate member that is coupled to the body sole portion and that includes a weight mount. The sole plate member is constructed from a material having a density that is greater than a material of the body sole portion. A weight member is secured to the weight mount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Thomas Orrin Bennett, Stephen S. Murphy, Stephanie Bezilla, Gery M. Zimmerman
  • Patent number: 9498688
    Abstract: A golf club head including a crown, a sole, a hosel, a face, a weight port, an internal cavity, and a stiffening member. The weight port is affixed to the sole. The stiffening member is located in the interior cavity and permanently affixed to the hosel. The stiffening member is also permanently affixed to the sole and the weight port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Darryl C. Galvan, Richard L. Cleghorn, Clayton Evans, Stephanie Bezilla, Mark C. Myrhum
  • Patent number: 9463361
    Abstract: A golf club head comprising a conformal weight sized to fit within a recess or channel disposed in a crown or sole is disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the crown or sole itself is a conformal weight, and is removably affixed to a base structure comprising a striking face and a skeletal support structure. In other embodiments, the golf club head comprises a conformal weight in the form of a sole cap that is removably affixed to the golf club head and covers small weight ports disposed in the sole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Tim Goudarzi, Steven M. Ehlers, Matthew Myers, Larry Tang, Wee Joung Kim, Philip G. Foster, Wayne H. Byrne
  • Patent number: 9457245
    Abstract: A ball striking device has a head that includes a metal face configured for striking a ball, a rearwardly extending metal band, a top piece, and a bottom piece. The metal band has a first end extending from one side of the face, a second end extending from the opposite side of the face, and a rear portion extending between the first and second ends and defining at least a portion of the rear periphery of the head. The top piece and the bottom piece are non-metallic or substantially non-metallic. The top piece is connected to the top side of the metal band and forms at least a portion of a top side of the head, and the bottom piece is connected to the bottom side of the metal band and forms at least a portion of a bottom side of the head. The top piece and the bottom piece are separated by the metal band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: David S. Lee
  • Patent number: 9433836
    Abstract: The invention generally relates to golf clubs with adjustable mass properties. In certain aspects, the invention provides methods and mechanisms for adjusting a club head center of gravity and/or moment of inertia by way of an adjustable weight assembly positionable along the sole of the club head body. When in a first position, the weight assembly provides a lower center of gravity so as to increase launch angle and reduce spin rate, resulting in greater overall distance of ball flight. When in a second position, the weight assembly provides a greater mass moment of inertia, which effectively enlarges the sweet spot and produces a more forgiving club for off-center hits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Cobra Golf Incorporated
    Inventors: Joshua G. Breier, Andrew Curtis, Oswaldo Gonzalez, Scott H. Moreira, Douglas E. Roberts, Ryan L. Roach
  • Patent number: 9421438
    Abstract: The invention provides a golf club head that includes a weight adjustment system inside of the club head. Preferably, when the club is played, no part of the adjustment system is directly accessible or exposed to an exterior of the club. The club head may include a panel that opens or is removable, or the club head may be disassembled to provide access to the internal weight adjustment system. A weight adjustment system generally includes at least one mechanism by which a mass distribution of the golf club head can be changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Cobra Golf Incorporated
    Inventors: Tim A. Beno, Karl A. Clausen, Andrew Curtis, Cameron J. Day, Caleb Kroloff, Douglas E. Roberts, Richard Romo Sanchez, Peter L. Soracco, Michael S. Yagley
  • Patent number: 9415280
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a golf club head with a tapered sole weight. Other embodiments for related club heads and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: KARSTEN MANUFACTURING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryan M. Stokke, Michael R. Nicolette
  • Patent number: 9375618
    Abstract: A golf club head with means for adjusting a center of gravity along more than one axis and means adjusting at least one of a characteristic selected from the group consisting of face angle, loft angle, and lie angle is disclosed herein. The golf club head comprises one or more adjustable features such as weight bars, weight screws, weight cartridges, and adjustable sole members, and preferably includes structural features such as pegs, teeth, and polymeric dampeners that serve to preload the one or more adjustable features on the golf club head and prevent or reduce unwanted vibrations when the golf club head is in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Matthew Myers, Wayne H. Byrne, Larry Tang
  • Patent number: 9358436
    Abstract: A wood-type golf club head comprises a body having one or more ribs extending across the internal surface of the sole. The plurality of ribs can include two or more ribs, such as three or four ribs, that converge at a convergence location, such as above a recessed pocket in the sole configured to receive an adjustable sole piece. At least one rib can extend along an internal surface of the recessed pocket and along an internal surface of a surrounding sole region. The ribs can extend from the convergence location to a toe weight port, to a heel weight port, to a rear portion of the body and/or toward the face. At least one rib can extend from a hosel, such as to the toe weight port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan T. Sargent, Todd P. Beach, Kraig Alan Willett, Christopher John Harbert
  • Patent number: 9333404
    Abstract: A golf club having features that permit easy customization by consumers is disclosed herein. The golf club includes at least one weight port, at least one removable weight port insert, which may be a weight port ring or one or more weight port medallions, and at least one weight screw. The weight port of the golf club head preferably is non-circular and asymmetric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: CALLOWAY GOLF COMPANY
    Inventors: Craig E. Abbott, William C. Watson, Wee Joung Kim, Bradley C. Rice, Irina Ivanova, Catherine Brookshire, Scott Manwaring
  • Patent number: 9227117
    Abstract: The present invention discloses an iron-type golf club head having features that permit adjustment to the principal moment of inertia angle, the center of gravity location, turf interaction, loft, and overall club forgiveness. In particular, the golf club head includes a rear cavity sized to receive a weight cartridge composed of one or more materials, the adjustment of which changes one or more of the mass properties of the golf club head and also changes the interaction of the golf club head with turf during play. The weight cartridge may comprise one or more high density materials, and may be located in or proximate the sole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANY
    Inventors: Wee Joung Kim, Homer E. Aguinaldo, James A. Seluga
  • Patent number: 9220957
    Abstract: A golf club head with means for adjusting a center of gravity along more than one axis and means adjusting at least one of a characteristic selected from the group consisting of face angle, loft angle, and lie angle is disclosed herein. The golf club head comprises one or more adjustable features such as weight bars, weight screws, weight cartridges, and adjustable sole members, and preferably includes structural features such as pegs, teeth, and polymeric dampeners that serve to preload the one or more adjustable features on the golf club head and prevent or reduce unwanted vibrations when the golf club head is in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANY
    Inventors: Matthew Myers, Wayne H. Byrne, Larry Tang
  • Patent number: 9168430
    Abstract: A hollow golf club head comprises a head main body made of a metallic material and having a bottom portion including a first portion and a second portion being connected with the first portion having difference in level, and at least one weight member having a specific gravity larger than that of the head main body and attached to the second portion of the head main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
    Inventor: Naruhiro Mizutani
  • Patent number: 9108091
    Abstract: A customizable weight screw for a golf club head having one or more weight ports is disclosed herein. A kit is also disclosed herein, the kit comprising a weight screw and a plurality of medallions that can be removably affixed to the weight screw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Wee Joung Kim, Patrick Dawson
  • Patent number: 9089748
    Abstract: A golf club head including a head body selected from a group of golf club heads consisting of a fairway-wood type head, a driver-type head, and a hybrid-type head, the head body bounding an interior cavity and comprising a body opening. A shell portion is configured to couple to the body opening. The shell portion includes a first shell side, a second shell side opposite the first shell side, and a capsule defined between the first and second shell sides. The shell portion also includes first and second shell sheet capsule sections that define the capsule and contain a weight member. A density of the weight member is greater than a density of the shell portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Eric J. Morales, Martin R. Jertson
  • 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: 20150126304
    Abstract: A golf club head including a crown, a sole, a hosel, a face, a flexure, and a weight member. The flexure provides compliance during an impact between the golf club head and a golf ball, and is tuned to vibrate, immediately after impact, at a predetermined frequency. The weight member is coupled to a weight mount at least partially disposed in the flexure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2014
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Applicant: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Richard L. Cleghorn, Darryl C. Galvan, Stephanie Bezilla, Thomas Orrin Bennett
  • Publication number: 20150111663
    Abstract: The present invention discloses an iron-type golf club head having a body and at least one weight disc having a first diameter, the body having a sole with a first recess, which comprises a first bore having a second diameter, a second bore having a third diameter, and a shelf located between the first bore and the second bore, the first diameter is smaller than the second diameter and greater than the third diameter, the first bore is sized to receive the at least one weight disc, the at least one weight disc rests against the shelf, and the at least one weight disc is secured within the first bore.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventors: Justin Kuhar, Joseph Mehren, Irina Ivanova, Bradley C. Rice, Scott R. Manwaring, Brandon D. DeMille, Patrick Dawson
  • Patent number: 9011269
    Abstract: A metal golf club head that allows a user to customize the location of the center of gravity. The metal golf club head comprises a hollow body with a weighting port. The weighting port allows a user to place weighting material inside the hollow body, customizing the location of the center of gravity, the swing weight, the total weight, and the balance of the golf club.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Dogleg Right Corporation
    Inventor: David P. Billings
  • Patent number: 8998747
    Abstract: A weight screw for a golf club head having one or more weight ports is disclosed herein. A set of weight screws is also disclosed herein, the set comprising at least one low-weight screw comprising multiple materials and at least one weight screw comprising a single material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Matthew T. Cackett, Patrick Dawson, Philip G. Foster, Brooks Roche, Brandon D. DeMille
  • Patent number: 8979671
    Abstract: A golf club head having a face component, a crown, and a composite sole or a composite body patch with one or more weight ports for receiving one or more weight inserts is disclosed herein. At least part of each of the weight ports is integrally formed in the composite sole or composite body patch, and each of the weight ports include a weight receiving region for receiving a weight and a screw receiving region for receiving a screw that secures the weight in the weight port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Brandon D. DeMille, William C. Watson, Patrick Dawson
  • Patent number: 8974315
    Abstract: A golf club aiming sight device having a clamp portion and a rear sight portion. The rear sight portion has one or more openings to visualize a front sight on a club head of a golf club. The clamp portion provides for the attachment of the golf club aiming sight device to the shaft of the golf club so that the front sight is visually alignable with the opening in the rear sight. The front sight has a triangular shape and the rear sight has a triangular or V shape, thereby allowing rapid and accurate visual alignment of the front and rear sights, even while swinging the golf club. The golf club aiming sight device is used to train a user to swing the golf club without bending or rotating the wrists by having the user maintain the front sight visually aligned with the opening in the rear sight while swinging the golf club.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Inventors: Alex F. Farris, III, Gerald M. Walsh
  • Patent number: 8968116
    Abstract: A golf club head with means for adjusting a center of gravity along more than one axis and means adjusting at least one of a characteristic selected from the group consisting of face angle, loft angle, and lie angle is disclosed herein. The golf club head comprises one or more adjustable features such as weight bars, weight screws, weight cartridges, and adjustable sole members, and preferably includes structural features such as pegs, teeth, and polymeric dampeners that serve to preload the one or more adjustable features on the golf club head and prevent or reduce unwanted vibrations when the golf club head is in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Matthew Myers, Wayne H. Byrne, Larry Tang
  • Patent number: 8956240
    Abstract: A golf club head includes a body defining an interior cavity. The body includes a sole positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head, a crown positioned at a top portion, and a skirt positioned around a periphery between the sole and crown. The body has a forward portion and a rearward portion. The club head includes a face positioned at the forward portion of the body. The face defines a striking surface having an ideal impact location at a golf club head origin. Embodiments include club heads for a fairway wood that at least one of a high moment of inertia, a low center-of-gravity, a thin crown and a high coefficient of restitution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd P. Beach, Matthew David Johnson, Nathan T. Sargent, Kraig Alan Willett, Michelle Penney, Marc Kronenberg, Matthew Greensmith, Joseph Henry Hoffman
  • Patent number: 8956244
    Abstract: A golf club head comprising an adjustable weighting feature including a tube extending from the crown to the sole of the golf club head is disclosed herein. More specifically, a golf club head formed from three pieces, namely a first piece comprising a face, a crown portion, a sole portion, and a hosel, a second piece comprising a rear end, a crown portion, and a sole portion, and a tube, wherein these pieces are welded to one another, is disclosed herein. Each of these pieces may be separately cast, forged, or formed from a metal material such as stainless steel, titanium alloy, and aluminum alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventors: Joshua D. Westrum, James E. Seluga, Patrick Dawson, Sean P. Griffin
  • Patent number: 8951145
    Abstract: A golf club head and a removable weight that is received in a receptacle of the golf club head. The weight includes a cap and a slug. The cap is removably coupled to the receptacle and includes a recess that receives a portion of the slug so that the cap and slug are able to rotate relative to each other. The slug includes an anti-rotation feature that prevents relative rotation between the slug and the receptacle and a lead-in portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Stephanie Bezilla, Thomas Orrin Bennett, Stephen S. Murphy, Gery M. Zimmerman
  • Patent number: 8944934
    Abstract: A head 4 includes a head body h1, a socket 10, and a weight body 12. The weight body 12 has an engaging part 32. The socket 10 has a first hole part 18 and a second hole part 20. The engaging part 32 can take an engaging position EP and a non-engaging position NP in the second hole part 20 by relative rotation of an angle ?. Hardness Hs of the second hole part 20 is D40 or greater and D58 or less. The second hole part 20 has a resistance surface 84 elastically deformed in the middle of the relative rotation. A longest sectional size of the engaging part 32 is defined as d1, and a distance between the resistance surfaces 84 opposed to each other is defined as F1, a ratio (F1/d1) is 0.935 or greater and 0.965 or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Dunlop Sports Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akio Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20150031472
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a golf club head with a tapered sole weight. Other embodiments for related club heads and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Applicant: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Ryan M. Stokke, Michael R. Nicolette