Would You Play This Club?

USPN 4508349 titled “Golf Club” discloses a golf club with a unique striking face. In fact the striking face has what the patent refers to as an “accentuated roll.” I would consider that an understatement. Check out the following drawing of the club. Would you play it?

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Pepsi in the Golf Club Industry?

I recently stumbled across USPN 4471961 titled “Golf Club with Bulge Radius and Increased Moment of Inertia about an Inclined Axis.” The ‘961 invention is described as:…If you love golf club technology then you will find the ‘961 patent a fascinating read (as I did). The patent left me thinking “so which golf club giant invented this?” A quick check of who the assignee is left me perplexed…

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Filing a Trademark Application is a Piece of Cake… Right?

A fellow blogger over at the Trademark Branding Cap site has a funny post that is a must read for anyone considering filing a trademark application on their own. It is common for self-filers to end up spending more for the assistance of an attorney to try to straighten out the self-filers mistakes than the filer would have paid to have the attorney do the work from the beginning. Just like the fact that I could try to fix my car’s air conditioning system myself to save a couple hundred bucks… only to end up …

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Interesting Golf Glove Patent Application – Will Webbed Fingers Help Your Game?

All remotely serious golfers know how important a golfer’s grasp on the club grip is to producing consistent shots. Therefore, as one would expect, there have been a lot of inventions over the years attempting to aid golfers in gripping the club properly (just one example was previously discussed here). Recently an interesting golf glove patent application was published as US Publication No. 20070044202 titled “Golf Glove.” The secret of this invention lies in the fact that the glove’s little finger is secured to the ring finger, and the ring finger is secured to the…

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Why it Pays to Put Patent Numbers on Your Golf Products

Now days virtually every golf club and golf ball is covered by at least one patent. So why is it that very rarely do you see a patent number on a club head or on the golf ball packaging? In the old days clubs wore patent numbers on their soles as a proud stamp of innovation. Just check out the sole of an early Tight Lies® club. I can’t even recall the last time I saw a patent number on a club in a pro shop (and I am one of the few people that …

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Today is World Intellectual Property Day – Enjoy the Party

In the past several decades the value of the average business has shifted from being composed of roughly 80% hard assets (building, machines, inventory), often called tangible assets, to now roughly 80% intangible assets (intellectual property)! This is a major shift. Just look at Google’s purchase of YouTube for $1.65 billion. What percentage of the purchase price reflected the value of hard assets (probably just buildings and computers)? I would speculate that it would be less than 10%. You can bet that the major companies in the golf industry value intellectual property. If you have any doubt… just check out the following posts. Each year, WIPO and its Member States celebrate World Intellectual Property Day with activities, events and campaigns…While I have yet to attend a World Intellectual Property Day party (even within patent attorney circles), perhaps some day it will be a worldwide holiday complete with parades and dancing in the streets…

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Will Golf Ball Patent Infringement Lawsuits Cause Acushnet to Take Their Eyes Off the Ball and Relinquish Their Title “The #1 Ball in Golf”?

If being sued is no fun, then being sued for patent infringement can only be described as pure torture. Not only is it very expensive to defend yourself in a patent infringement lawsuit, but it places a huge burden on a company’s key people, thereby distracting them from developing innovative new products. Depositions, discovery, and worst of all… dealing with attorneys! Acushnet is currently defending not one, but two, multi-year golf ball patent infringement lawsuits. Just consider that one of the cases had 8 depositions scheduled to take place in March alone. Success makes any company a potential target of patent infringement accusations, especially when it is estimated that your annual revenues associated with one line of golf balls is more than $200 million!…

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Fascinating IP of the Week – Interesting Golf Grip and Glove Patent Issues

Yesterday USPN 7207894 titled “Golf Club Gripping Aid and Method of Use Thereof” issued to inventor Marmon Pine. The patent describes the invention as a golf grip, device, and method to hold a golf club shaft in a manner to avoid pinching the golf club shaft between the fingers and the thumb of the dominant hand. The invention includes a golf glove that has the thumb and index finger attached to one another. The glove is designed to be used in training and actual play to provide an improved grip which encourages a proper swing …

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An Interesting Wedge Utility Patent Issues… Can You Identify the Brand?

Patents directed to wedges do not come along every day. Even more elusive is a utility patent (rather than design patent) directed to a wedge. Still further, a wedge utility patent that the average golfer can quickly associate with an actual product on the market is even more elusive. This is why I want to share USPN 7207900 titled “Golf Club Head Weight Adjustment Member” with you. Do you recognize this wedge?…

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The IP Golf Guy Discusses “Common Intellectual Property Mistakes of Small Businesses” on the Small Business Advocate® Radio Program

I was honored to be a guest on the nationally syndicated Small Business Advocate® radio show this morning. Jim Blasingame and I discussed common intellectual property mistakes of small businesses. I have been a fan of Jim’s show for close to 10 years and highly recommend it. I encourage you to listen to the interview here…

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IP Grab of the Week – Is the National Chiao Tung University Getting Into the Golf Business?

Yesterday a pending patent application published that caught my eye. It was US Publication No. 20070084528 titled “Low-Density High-Toughness Alloy and the Fabrication Method Thereof,” which is assigned to the National Chiao Tung University. The invention is described as a low-density high-toughness alloy that can be used in the manufacturing of golf club heads that obtain superior elongation, strength, damping capacity, and corrosion resistance even without any heat treatment, or any hot/cold working, such as forging and rolling. Therefore, golf club heads made of this new alloy should have reduced fabrication costs. This patent application illustrates the worldwide economic impact of the game of golf. Here, researchers associated with a Taiwanese university are developing new alloys for the golf industry. Amazing. …

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Interesting Golf Grip Patent Applications

Interesting golf grip patent applications do not come along everyday. This is why I am pleased to bring US Publication Nos. 20070082750 and 20070082748 to your attention. Both of the applications are assigned to Grip Surface Technologies and disclose the ability to give the grip a velvety feel via a unique pattern of upstanding ridges. The figures below nicely illustrate the concept…

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Is Nike In Trouble for Theft of Golf Club Design? The Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit Sends Case Back to the District Court

Misappropriation of trade secrets, negligent misrepresentation, breach of confidentiality, breach of implied contract, and deceptive trade practices… All things that Nike Golf, Impact Golf Technologies, and famed golf club designer Tom Stites were accused of by Triple Tee Golf. Sounds like a great made for TV movie (well at least made for the Golf Channel movie). First, a little background. In late 2000, Jack Gillig, founder of Triple Tee Golf (TTG), was searching for a company that would fabricate a prototype golf club that he had designed. That’s when Gillig contacted club designer Tom Stites and his company Impact …

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Fascinating IP of the Week – Doesn’t Everyone Need a Golf Ball Heater

This week a patent application published with a title that caught my interest, namely “Portable Case for Golf Ball Equipped with Heat Generating Device.” US Publication No. 20070082756 discloses a portable case for a golf ball equipped with a heat generating device, which can maintain elasticity of the golf ball for improving the flight distance of the golf ball, and can keep a golfer player’s body warm. (their description, not mine…) Is there really a market for such a product?

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Can You Identify This Putter? Test Your Knowledge of Golf Putter Designs

The “Test Your Knowledge” posts have quickly become among the most popular on the Golf-Patents.com blog. In the past your knowledge of iron club head design, putter design, and driver design has been tested. Now let’s revisit putter designs. How good are you at identifying a particular brand of putter when all the logos and trademarks are stripped off the club head? The figure below comes from a US putter design patent that issued this week to a major producer of clubs. Can you identify the brand …

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Patent of the Week – Adjustable Weighted Nike SlingShot Irons (will they make it to market?)

USPN 7,201,669 titled “Golf Club Head Having a Bridge Member and a Weight Positioning System” issued to Nike Golf on April 10, 2007. The patent is directed to a unique variation on the standard Nike SlingShot irons. The variation adds a weight that attaches to the SlingShot’s bar as seen below. Congratulations Nike! Will this product actually make it to the pro shops? …

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IP Grab of the Week – Golf Cart with Lightening Protection

A golf cart with lightening protection; that is an invention that every golfer should want to see at the course (whether or not in the end the invention is patentable or not). This week an application titled “Lightning Protected Golf Cart” published as US Publication No. 20070075562. The abstract of the patent application describes the invention as: A golf cart altered such that the occupants are protected against the effect of lightning strikes by an electrically conductive grid on the roof, …

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IP Grab of the Week – Fu Sheng’s Elastically Deformable Club Head

The IP grab of the week goes to the Fu Sheng (the largest golf club head manufacturer in the world). Fu Sheng’s patent application titled “Golf Club Head Having a High-Degree Elastically Deformable Structure” published on April 12, 2007 as US Publication No. 2007/0082751. The application is directed to a club head having a reduced thickness crown section, seen below, enhances the elastic deformation of the club head at impact. Definitely an interesting concept! …

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A Big Week for Golf Ball Patents

Five patents directed to golf ball technology issued on April 10, 2007. They include some fascinating reading regarding dimple geometry, layout, and aerodynamics. The patents include: … The 7,201,670 patent is particularly interesting. It is directed to a uniquely shaped solid core, seen below, that produces high ball resilience and a soft feel at impact. Check out the …

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Fascinating IP of the Week – A Forged Advanced Perimeter Weighted Iron With Resilient Weight Insert

I just came across a fascinating patent directed to a forged perimeter weighted iron with a weighting means filling the recess in the back of the iron. The weighting means fills the recess and is substantially flush with the back face of the club. The weighting means is really unique. It is composed of a natural or synthetic rubber matrix loaded with a heavy filler or particulate material such as lead. Not only does the weighting means allow for precise controlled club head weighting but it also reduces shock and vibration at impact. Even better, the weighting means can be preferably engineered to place more weight toward the toe or the heel to help shape the ball flight. Cool, right? Pretty advanced thinking. Well, now for the rest of the story…

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Great Interview at the EagleParBirdie Blog Regarding Patenting in the Golf Industry…

Today Chris Henry, of the EagleParBirdie blog, has posted a great audio interview on the topic of The Golf Patent Game. The interview is so insightful that it had me on the edge of my seat. It might be his best interview yet. I simply could not get enough. OK, I may be exaggerating a little… after all I am the one being interviewed. Nonetheless, if you like the Golf-Patents blog then you will enjoy the interview. Chris Henry always conducts a great interview. I encourage you to check it out…

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Golf Patent Attorney Humor

As you may know, the claims of a patent are the most important part of a patent. It is the claims that spell out what the invention is and what the patent legally covers. In fact, the claims are so important that when a patent lawyer drafts a patent application they will typically spend at least 50% of their time drafting the claims. It takes hours to get the claims just right. This week a golf related patent application published with a rather interesting claim. The claim in US Publication No. 2007/0082752 is apparently directed to a groove design…

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Another Banner Week for FootJoy – They Must Have A ReelFit With The USPTO

For the second straight week FootJoy was granted three golf shoe design patents, including one directed to the FootJoy ReelFit lacing system. This week’s FootJoy patents include USPN D540,012 titled “Golf Shoe Outsole,” USPN D540,020 titled “Golf Shoe Upper,” and USPN D540,026 titled “Golf Shoe Saddle.” … I suspect that FootJoy has also applied for utility patent protection on their ReelFit lacing system…

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Think Adjustable Club Head Weighting Systems are New? Think Again

As a recent discussed, Taylor Made recently received a utility patent directed to their r7 driver adjustable weighting system. I started to wonder how long the concept of adjustable weighting has been around, which led me to USPN 1,091,231 titled “Golf Club” and issued on March 24, 1914, and USPN 1,133,129, also simply titled “Golf Club,” that issued one year later on March 23, 1915. These patents are beautifully simple and are a pleasure to read. Check out the following figures from the patents… Congratulations to the founders of the adjustable head weight concept…

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Top 10 Intellectual Property Verdicts of 2006 – The Awards are Staggering

As a prior explains, very few intellectual property litigation cases actually make it all the way through trial. Majority are either settled by the parties or dismissed by the court for one reason or another. However, when a case does make it to trial the stakes can be huge. Check out the size of these awards… Fortunately, none of these verdicts are against companies in the golf industry. I, like most golfers, would prefer that golf companies spend their money on more R&D for innovative products rather than battling each other in court. Surprisingly there is…

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Great Interviews with Former USGA Tech Director Frank Thomas at EagleParBirdie Blog

Chris Henry, of the EagleParBirdie blog has posted 2 great audio interviews (April 5th and 6th) with the former USGA technical director Frank Thomas. Frank weighs in on topics ranging from recent USGA groove rule changes to an interesting history of the “spring” effect associated with driver faces. Frank is definitely an interesting outspoken golfer that enjoys sharing his opinion on what is wrong (and right) about the game of golf and the USGA. I encourage you to listen to these interviews…

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IP Grab of the Week – The First Mention of Cleveland Golf on Golf-Patents.com

Congratulations are in order… Cleveland Golf gets its first mention on the Golf-Patents blog. This week Cleveland Golf’s application number 11/606022 published as US Publication No. 2007/0078030 titled “Iron-Type Golf Club Head With Sole Having Stable Static Address Position.” The invention is described as an iron-type golf club head having a sole, a center of gravity CG, and a static contact point SCP on the sole substantially vertically below the CG for providing stability when the club head is in an address position, but the sole has no points lower than the SCP when the …

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IP Grab of the Week – Multiple Material Golf Club Head Tuned to Sound Sweet

Callaway Golf had an application publish this week directed to a sweet sounding golf club head. The application titled “Multiple Material Golf Club Head” published as US publication number 2007/0078029. The application is directed to a club head that produces a pitch ranging from 3500 Hertz to 4500 Hertz when striking a golf ball at a swing speed of approximately 100 miles per hour. Interesting stuff…

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Which Two Masters Champions Have Been Issued Utility Patents since 1976?

This week it seems fitting to look at golf related patents issued to Masters champions. Don’t worry, it will be a quick look because there are only two! First, the 1969 champion, George Archer, is the named inventor of USPN 5,135,229 titled “Golf Putter with Training Device,” which issued on August 4, 1992. The ‘229 patent was assigned to Bullet Golf Ball Inc. The image below does a good job of illustrating George’s invention and may explain why George is considered one of the best putters of all time. Secondly, the 1989 champion, Nick Faldo, is a named inventor of USPN 5,971,866 titled “Wedge Type Golf Club Tri-Level Sole Configuration,” which issued on October 26, 1999…

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One More Reason to Admire Augusta National – The Trademark Portfolio

In honor of Masters’ week, a look at the trademark portfolio of Augusta National is in order. Would you have guessed that AMEN CORNER is a registered trademark? How about the fact that Augusta National has registered the AUGUSTA trademark for use associated with golf stools and chairs? And the famous map with flagstick trademark is registered for use in association with restaurant services… and RAE’S CREEK…Interesting stuff. Check out this list of Augusta National’s trademarks… Frankly it is hard to grasp the magnitude of revenues associated with licensing the Augusta National trademark portfolio. After all, you don’t get to be a member of Augusta, let alone on the Board of Directors, unless you know how to make the green (money, that is).

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Intellectual Property Infringement Statistics; Filings, Trials, and Awards

The April issue of the ABA Journal contained some interesting intellectual property litigation statistics. The statistics are directed to intellectual property civil suits filed in 2002, in light of the fact that it generally takes several years before a case makes it to trial (unless you are in a rocket docket jurisdiction). There were 7445 civil intellectual property suits in 2002, a whopping 140 of which were resolved with a trial verdict. That means only 1.9% of intellectual property lawsuits actually make it all the way through trial. Of the 140 cases that went to trial the …

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