Wood Composition Patents (Class 473/343)
  • Patent number: 11865415
    Abstract: Golf club heads (e.g. drivers, fairway woods, wood-type hybrid clubs, or the like) according to at least some example aspects of this invention include a striking face and a rear portion opposite the striking face, the rear portion defining an opening to an interior cavity. A rear body member configured to be inserted into the opening is engaged with the rear portion of the club head. The rear body member may include multiple rear body parts that may be removable and/or interchangeable to permit flexibility in controlling the weight distribution of the golf club head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew G. v. Oldknow, Robert M. Boyd, John T. Stites
  • Patent number: 11806592
    Abstract: A golf club head having a hollow structure includes a face, a sole, and a crown. The face includes a front surface and a back surface that face away from each other. The front surface is a ball-striking surface. The sole includes an abutment structure. The abutment structure includes a metallic sole fixation member fixed to the sole, an elastic member, and a metallic pin member connected to the metallic sole fixation member through the elastic member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE SPORTS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kozue Wada, Takaharu Takechi
  • Patent number: 11642579
    Abstract: A golf club head has a face portion, a crown portion, and a sole portion. The golf club head includes a weight member that is configured to be wound, a first wound portion around which a first part of the weight member is to be wound, and a second wound portion that is disposed apart from the first wound portion and around which a second part of the weight member is to be wound. In the golf club head, a position of a center of gravity of the golf club head is adjusted by changing a weight ratio of the first part to the second part. At least either the first wound portion or the second wound portion may be rotatable in a reel-in direction and a reel-out direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Naruhiro Mizutani
  • Patent number: 11633650
    Abstract: A composite golf club head and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. The composite golf club head has a carbon fiber composite body and a striking face. The carbon fiber composite body is formed by multiple carbon fiber prepreg materials or multiple composite prepreg materials including carbon fiber with stacking, a positive pressure, a vacuum negative pressure, and heating. The striking face is made of a carbon fiber composite or metal material, and is fixedly glued to a front opening portion of the carbon fiber composite body. A weight of the carbon fiber composite body is reduced. Center of gravity and moment of inertia can be adjusted easily according to striking distances or feel of striking of different golf club heads for enhancing a striking performance of the composite golf club head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: O-TA PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chi-Wen Ling, Wei-Hsiang Chou, Fang-Yu Liu
  • Patent number: 11235217
    Abstract: A coaching tool for footwork development including a plurality of shims arranged parallel to one another. The coaching tool includes a housing surrounding the shims. The housing has a top surface, a bottom surface opposite the top surface, a front surface, and a back surface opposite the front surface. The coaching tool includes a handle extending from a first end to a second end. The first end is attached to the housing on the back surface, and the second end is spaced from the first end. A portion of the handle between the first end and the second end is disposed on a common plane with the bottom surface of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Drive Step Products LLC
    Inventors: Patrick Lyall, Michael Przybylek
  • Patent number: 11167184
    Abstract: Golf club heads (e.g. drivers, fairway woods, wood-type hybrid clubs, or the like) according to at least some example aspects of this invention include a striking face and a rear portion opposite the striking face, the rear portion defining an opening to an interior cavity. A rear body member configured to be inserted into the opening is engaged with the rear portion of the club head. The rear body member may include multiple rear body parts that may be removable and/or interchangeable to permit flexibility in controlling the weight distribution of the golf club head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew G. V. Oldknow, Robert M. Boyd, John T. Stites
  • Patent number: 11013970
    Abstract: A golf club head includes a body having a heel and a toe. The golf club head further comprises a sole plate configured to be attached to the body and an interlocking structure formed on a rear surface of the body. The sole plate engages with the interlocking structure to properly align the sole plate with the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Cobra Golf Incorporated
    Inventors: Ryan L. Roach, Tim A. Beno, Andrew Curtis, Bryce Hobbs, Collin Lervick, Peter L. Soracco
  • Patent number: 10888750
    Abstract: A golf club head includes a body having a crown defining a perimeter of the club head, a sole opposite the crown, a toe end opposite a heel end, a back end, and a hosel, the body further including a club face, an exterior side, an interior side, a head center of gravity, and a weight member positioned on one of the exterior side or the interior side of the crown.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventor: Ryan M. Stokke
  • Patent number: 10828543
    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: January 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Eric J. Morales, Ryan M. Stokke, Martin R. Jertson, Tyler A. Shaw, Clayson C. Spackman, Jeremy S. Pope, Atiqah Shahrin
  • Patent number: 10737149
    Abstract: Golf club heads (e.g. drivers, fairway woods, wood-type hybrid clubs, or the like) according to at least some example aspects of this invention include a striking face and a rear portion opposite the striking face, the rear portion defining an opening to an interior cavity. A rear body member configured to be inserted into the opening is engaged with the rear portion of the club head. The rear body member may include multiple rear body parts that may be removable and/or interchangeable to permit flexibility in controlling the weight distribution of the golf club head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew G. v. Oldknow, Robert M. Boyd, John T. Stites
  • Patent number: 10434390
    Abstract: A method for fabricating weighted stabilized wood golf club heads allows for fabrication of a golf club head having enhanced control of balance, mass, center of gravity, and moment of inertia during operation of the golf club. The method includes selecting stabilized wood having a knotted and crossed grain composition and then designing a borehole pattern of boreholes based on the density and shape of the stabilized wood. The borehole pattern may be designed through a software or an algorithm to achieve efficient operation of the golf club head; and especially when swinging the golf club. The method also includes cutting a cross section of the stabilized wood, such as cutting in half. The method further comprises drilling boreholes through the cut sections of the stabilized wood, based on the borehole pattern. The cut sections of stabilized wood are clamped and adhered together. The method includes attaching a shaft and grips for operation of the golf club.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Inventor: Bradley Ryan Converse
  • Patent number: 10369429
    Abstract: A golf club incorporating a stress reducing feature and a shaft connection system socket. The location and size of the stress reducing feature and the shaft connection system socket, and their relationship to one another, selectively increase deflection of the face and provide stability of the shaft connection system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: TAYLOR MADE GOLF COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: Michael Scott Burnett, Alexander Theodore Berger, Justin Honea
  • Patent number: 10322321
    Abstract: Golf club heads (e.g., drivers, fairway woods, wood-type hybrid clubs, or the like) according to at least some example aspects of this invention include a striking face and a rear portion opposite the striking face, the rear portion defining an opening to an interior cavity. A rear body member configured to be inserted into the opening is engaged with the rear portion of the club head. The rear body member may include multiple rear body parts that may be removable and/or interchangeable to permit flexibility in controlling the weight distribution of the golf club head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew G. v. Oldknow, Robert M. Boyd, John T. Stites
  • Patent number: 9114292
    Abstract: The invention generally provides a golf club head having a sole with a region for surface contact such that, when an adjustable club is given different settings, if the club is held at address resting on a surface, the club naturally comes to a rest position in which it exhibits substantially the same face angle in any adjusted setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Cobra Golf Incorporated
    Inventors: Karl A. Clausen, Thomas W. Preece, Douglas E. Roberts
  • Patent number: 9072949
    Abstract: Golf club heads (e.g., drivers, fairway woods, wood-type hybrid clubs, or the like) according to at least some example aspects of this invention include a striking face and a rear portion opposite the striking face, the rear portion defining an opening to an interior cavity. A rear body member configured to be inserted into the opening is engaged with the rear portion of the club head. The rear body member may include multiple rear body parts that may be removable and/or interchangeable to permit flexibility in controlling the weight distribution of the golf club head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: John T. Stites, Robert Boyd, Andrew G. V. Oldknow
  • Patent number: 8845453
    Abstract: Designs and methods of improving aerodynamic performance of golf club heads are disclosed herein. In particular, the designs and methods of the present invention address airflow behavior modification at or immediately adjacent to the counter or edge of the striking face to reduce club head drag while minimizing any adverse effect on the impact performance of the face. The present invention also provides a face with visually distinct and apparent treatments and improved visibility at address. The approaches to contouring a golf club face disclosed herein are new because they are confined to a relatively narrow band along the inside of the face boundary curve. The dimensions of the modification zone are kept small and subtle contour changes are made to influence airflow in a highly critical region with minimal effect on the impact performance of the striking surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
    Inventor: Steven M. Ehlers
  • Publication number: 20140221125
    Abstract: Methods and systems for selecting and fabricating individualized golf clubs or golf club components. Using a website, for example, a golfer can input relevant information about his or her golf game, receive recommendations for golf club components, select from the recommendations, and have the desired golf club components manufactured and delivered. In some embodiments, the golf club components include custom golf club heads fabricated using laser cutting to produce a plurality of flat structures from which a portion of a club head is constructed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2014
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: COBRA GOLF INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Cameron J. Day
  • Publication number: 20090203465
    Abstract: Wood-type golf club heads include: (a) a ball striking face member; and (b) a club head body attached to or integrally formed with the face member. One body component of the club head (e.g., a weight or cover member) may be formed from a transparent, partially transparent, or translucent material. In some club head structures, an external weight member may extend around a part of a club head body member and beyond or outside of at least a portion of the body member's exterior perimeter (e.g., rearwardly, laterally toward a toe side, and/or laterally toward a heel side of the club head body, beyond the exterior perimeter portion, when viewed from overhead). Golf club structures that include golf club heads, e.g., of the types described above, and methods of constructing and/or using such clubs and club heads, also are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2008
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Applicant: NIKE, INC.
    Inventors: John Thomas Stites, Robert Boyd, Gary G. Tavares, Andrew G.V. Oldknow
  • Publication number: 20090143162
    Abstract: A golf club (40) has a golf club head with a large mass, relatively short club length and a moment of inertia about the Izz axis through the center of gravity of the golf club head greater than 5000 grams-centimeters squared. The golf club head (42) preferably has a volume ranging from 400 cubic centimeters to 470 cubic centimeters. The golf club head (42) preferably has a moment of inertia about the Ixx axis through the center of gravity of the golf club head greater than 3000 grams-centimeters squared. The golf club (40) preferably has an inertia ratio greater than 0.0019.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2009
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Applicant: CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANY
    Inventors: MATTHEW T. CACKETT, ALAN HOCKNELL, DANIEL M. STEVENS, LUKE R. WILLIAMS
  • Publication number: 20090118032
    Abstract: A wood-type golf club head has a hollow structure comprising a face portion having a back surface and a front surface defining a club face for striking a ball, a crown portion, a sole portion, and a side portion between the crown portion and sole portion. The hollow structure is provided with a hollow and a solid part. The solid part extends forward from the backmost point of the club head by a distance of from 0.08 to 0.20 times the maximum size of the club head in the back-and-forth direction, the hollow extends between the front surface of the solid part and the back surface of the face portion. The main frame of the hollow structure integrally includes the solid part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Inventor: Tomoya Hirano
  • Publication number: 20090093321
    Abstract: A golf club head structure includes a body portion, a hitting plate portion, and a club body combining portion. The body portion has a first junction surface forming a first hook angle therewith. The hitting plate portion has a hitting surface and a second junction surface with a buffer region spaced there-between. The second junction surface forms a second hook angle with the hitting plate portion, and butts against and attaches to the first junction surface on the same plane. The club body combining portion is provided for combining a club body. Therefore, a joint structure with a junction portion as a plane, capable of not being located on the surface of the club head and spaced by a buffer region with the hitting surface, is formed, which is applicable for solving the combination problem of the junction surface on the same plane that the casting is deformed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2007
    Publication date: April 9, 2009
    Inventors: Chun-kai Hsu, Cheng-Tao Lee
  • Publication number: 20080227565
    Abstract: This invention provides a wood golf club head having a loft angle of not more than 15°. In this golf club head, a progression length FP from a leading edge of a face to an axis line of a shaft axis and a horizontal length VZG from the leading edge of the face to a center of gravity of the head in a depth direction satisfy the following expression; ?2<VZG?2×FP<2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2008
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Applicant: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Wataru Ban, Hideo Matsunaga, Koki Motoyoshi
  • Patent number: 5876293
    Abstract: A golf putter head utilizing a dense, but yielding wooden impact bar that strikes a golf ball, with a pair of lead weights extending from the sides of the impact bar, and a shell enclosing the sides of the impact bar and the lead weights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1999
    Inventor: David C. Musty
  • Patent number: 5580322
    Abstract: A wooden golf clubhead assembly is provided having an obround swingweight carried in the clubface. The club assembly has a relatively narrow width relative to the length of the clubface. The clubface is flat and the overall assembly has a center of gravity relatively close to the clubface resulting in greater accuracy for off-center hits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 3, 1996
    Inventor: Harry Bouquet
  • Patent number: 5540437
    Abstract: Improved perimeter weighted golf clubs are disclosed. The perimeter weighted golf clubs of the present invention are provided with improved structures for distributing the weight at the perimeter of the club head. In one embodiment, the club head has a club face with a hitting surface and a spacer outboard of the hitting surface which connects the hitting surface and the weighted perimeter of the club head. The spacer can be any suitable structure, such as a thinned portion or a lighter weight portion of the club head. In another embodiment, the club head has a tubular frame which surrounds and supports at least a portion of the hitting surface. In these or other embodiments, the club head can have a structure that facilitates the desired rotation of the club face when the club is swung.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1996
    Inventor: Jeffrey V. Bamber
  • Patent number: 5511787
    Abstract: A golf club head is formed with a ball impacting face having an outer layer of wood veneer bonded to an inner layer of synthetic resin reinforced fibers by a synthetic resin which impregnates both layers. In a wood-type version of the club head, the outer shell is formed over a molded foam plastic core by covering the core with a flexible woven resin reinforced fibers sock, impregnating the sock with an uncured synthetic resin, covering the impregnated sock with a pair of shaped wood veneer matched halves so that the wood veneer is impregnated with resin, and curing the composite in forming molds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1996
    Assignee: The Baum Research & Development Co.
    Inventor: Charles S. Baum