Year: 2007

Last week USPN D543,599 titled “Top of Golf Putter” issued to Cleveland Golf related to the Never Compromise brand of putters. The patent illustrates a unique design patent strategy. Many people seem to be surprised that one goal of a design patent should be to obtain as broad of patent protection as possible. Often people mistakenly only think of the “breadth” of a patent with respect to utility patents. This is why you will often see several design patents directed to various aspects of a single club… Congratulations Cleveland Golf, great strategy! So, which design patent do you think is the most broad? USPN D543,599 or USPN D543,598?…

Golf-Patents.com has repeatedly used putter design patents to test your knowledge of putter designs. Well here is another tough one… How good are you at identifying a particular brand of putter when all the brand identifiers are stripped off the club head? The figures below come from a US putter design patent that issued this week to a major producer of clubs. Can you identify the brand of putter?… PS – don’t feel bad if you couldn’t identify the putter manufacturer… heck I did not even know that the particular brand was owned by the golf company in question.

A prior post illustrated a design patent on the sole features of a particularly recognizable square driver. This week a design patent issued on some identifiable crown features of that same driver. Can you identify the driver?… I suspect there will be many more design patents on this product line. The club manufacturer has also filed a utility patent application related to the product. The application has published as US Pub. No. 20050239576 and is currently under examination at the USPTO…

Last week PowerLine Golf LLC had an interesting patent application publish as US Pub. No. 20070117643 titled “Swing Plane Training Method.” One of the inventors appears to be a well respected professional golfer. Additionally, the PowerLine website is pretty informative and includes videos of the product in use. I encourage you to check it out… This is one of the few golf training products that has made me say “that could actually help my game.” (although I fear that my swing would get me so tangled up that I would have to cut myself loose)…

Finally, all the golfers that have ever wished for a granite putter… your dream has come true. Last week an interesting putter patent application published as US Pub. No. 20070117644 titled “Golf Club.” The application describes the invention as a “golf club in which the golf club head comprises granite or a natural or synthetic, granite-like stone, a composite, or a similar material.” Finally!… Check out these drawings… Golfers will buy anything in hopes of improving their game, so it wouldn’t surprise me if golfers purchased granite putters!…

This week an interesting training glove patent issued as USPN 7220188 titled “Golf Glove for Promoting Swing Accuracy.” The patent describes the invention as relating to an improved golf glove which promotes club swing accuracy by stabilizing the posture of a golfer’s hand and wrist from address while providing flexibility in the hand’s sidewise movement. The patent asserts that a golf swing’s accuracy is known to substantially improve if the glove-clad hand is maintained without backward or forward leaning during the entire swing. Check out these drawings of the glove… Think this would help your game?…

Most golf equipment buffs will know of Taylor Made’s Inverted Cone Technology. The skeptics have probably wondered whether it is all marketing hype or real technology. The inverted cone technology is a specific variation of face thickness covered by no less than three utility patent; USPN 6800038, USPN 6824475, and USPN 7066832. The ‘475 patent describes the invention as…

This week an interesting putter design patent issued as USPN D543252. Check out the following figure from the patent. Think this putter has enough consumer appeal to make it to market?

As a follow-up to my post on Dave Pelz, I felt a look at David Leadbetter was in order. If you are not familiar with David Leadbetter, he holds the #2 position on Golf Digest’s list of the greatest American teachers. Anyone that has built such a successful golf instruction career must have invented some interesting golf products in his many years in the industry. Right? Also, given that the likes of Ernie Els, Michelle Wie, and Charles Howell III listen to him, I suspect that anything David has invented will actually improve a golfer’s …

I have been keeping my eye on the NanoDynamics hollow metal core golf balls for some time now. The NDMX line of golf balls seem to be getting a lot of press because they are so unique (as they should be for $60 / dozen). NanoDynamics indicates that the hollow metal core technology is covered by three of their patents. The primary goal of the invention appears to be improving the moment of inertia (MOI) of the ball by minimizing the density in the center of the ball, while maximizing the density away from the center and near the cover or outer edge of the ball…

In the past your knowledge of iron club head design, putter design, and driver design has been tested. This post should make you feel smart… it is a really easy test of your driver knowledge. The figures below come from a driver design patent that issued this week to a major producer of clubs. Can you identify this famous driver?…

To date most of the Golf-Patents blog “can you identify this product” tests (based upon a design patent’s drawings)have been relatively easy. Well, not this one. So, congratulate yourself if you can identify this putter…

This week AccuSport International was issued a design patent on an interesting ball marking template. The following figure is from USPN D542,875 titled “Golf Ball Marking Guide.”…

Earlier this week I authored a post that takes a look at the patents of Dave Pelz, Phil Mickelson’s short-game coach. It got me thinking… is Butch Harmon, Phil’s other coach, listed as an inventor on any patents? Well, the answer is no… but in the process of researching the issue I happened across an interesting invention of a Mr. Al Harmon (I have no idea if they are related). Al’s invention (disclosed in USPN 4,792,149 is a pedal powered golf cart. Interesting concept. Would you pay to rent a cart that you had to pedal? Check out the following figure from the patent…

Last week an interesting patent issued to Callaway; namely USPN 7,214,143 titled “Golf Club Head with a Face Insert.” The patent is directed to a multi-layer face insert having a nickel-iron layer and a layer of titanium, titanium alloy, steel alloy, magnesium, magnesium alloy, aluminum, or aluminum alloy. In one embodiment the nickel-iron alloy is a nanocrystalline nickel…

After watching the Players Championship this weekend there is little doubt that Michelson has one of the best short-games in the past twenty years. Perhaps there is something to Dave Pelz’s instruction. Ever wonder if he has patented any golf instruction aides? It turns out that Dave Pelz is a listed inventor on 12 golf patents. He has patented everything from sets of wedges with specific groove shapes and spacing to putters and putter practice aides. The patents are really some interesting reading (and I bet most of his inventions do actually improve your game). Check out the following…

This week an interesting golf tee design patent issued. As far as golf tees go, design patents are few and far between. This is why USPN D542,366 titled “Golf Tee” deserves a look. The following figure shows it all…

I am not familiar with the Eing Nan Rubber Company of Taiwan, but this week they were the recipient of an interesting golf grip patent. USPN 7214141 titled “Air Cushion Type Sleeve of a Handle of a Golf Club” is directed to a golf grip with an underlisting formed with a plurality of cavities. The outer sleeve then seals the underlisting forming air pockets in the cavities. Check out the following figure from the patent… I would love to get my hands on a few of these grips to see how they feel…

An interesting patent application published this week as US Pub. No. 20070105645 titled “Golf Clubs.” The application is directed to an interesting feature of an iron’s leading edge such that “the resistance of the head to passage through sand is reduced.” Just check out the following figure… This club looks like a true multi-purpose tool; namely a golf club, ax, and saw. Interesting stuff!…

Most golfers would never guess that their golf shoes’ soft spikes are probably patented. This week a nice example of a golf spike patent application published as US Pub. No. 20070101618 titled “Cleat for Athletic Shoe.” The application describes the invention as: “A golf cleat and system includes cleats having a base and a plurality of barbs… A perpendicular surface is formed by the distal end extending from the base and preferably counters rotational movement …

Sometimes patent attorney’s can become jaded (hard to believe, I know). For instance, the first thing I said to myself when I saw the patent application that published yesterday as US Pub. No. 20070102082 titled “Golf Club Cover” was… “how many of these novelty head covers must the inventor sell just to cover the cost of the patent application?” Nonetheless, the invention is somewhat amusing (in a “cute, but I would never buy it” kind of way). See what you think. The application describes the invention as: “The present invention is directed at a humorous club head cover. The club head cover is designed to resemble the rear end of an animal…

Things appear to be heating up in the golf shaft patenting arena. Regular readers of the Golf-Patents blog know that I was surprised by the low number of golf shaft related patents that issued in 2006… This week another interesting shaft patent application published as US Pub. No. 20070105644 titled “Golf Club Shaft.” The application is assigned to SRI Sports and is directed to an improved golf club shaft made of fiber reinforced resin… Let’s face it, very few golfers ever consider the amount of engineering R&D that does into the design of a golf club shaft. If you have ever wondered why shafts can be pretty expensive just read this application. The design, orientation, and placement of the multiple plies are engineered to a level that few people can appreciate. Just consider the figure below illustrating the various layers that make up this shaft.

As you may recall the “Fascinated IP of the Week” category is the resting ground for golf inventions that I can’t identify as the next great golf technology or a ridiculous idea (although generally I have a pretty good hunch). The latest “Fascinating IP” award goes to the golf club disclosed in USPN 7,211,006 titled “Golf Club Including Striking Member and Associated Methods.” The patent describes the invention as a golf club head having a striking member that deflects inwardly during initial contact with a golf ball and recovers outwardly as the golf ball …

This is one patented golf ball that I hope makes it to the market because it just sounds cool. USPN 7,211,007 titled “Golf Ball Having Visible Non-Spherical Insert” issued this week to Acushnet. The patent describes the invention as:… Translation: a ball with a clear, or nearly see through, cover so that you can see a uniquely shaped insert. The figures below explain it better than any words…

Congratulations go out to Fairplay Electric Cars. Their patent USPN D541,699 titled “Golf Car” issued this week. The Fairplay patent is the first golf cart design patent that has caught my eye since starting the Golf-Patents blog. Check out the following figure from the patent…

Putting… if only I could one-putt every green. Actually, I would be elated if I could one-putt just 9 greens per round. Is that asking too much? One-putts may be less elusive for users of the invention disclosed in a patent application that published this week. US Publication No. 20070099729 titled “Golf Green Reading Device” describes itself as …

Increase your club head speed and the ball should go further. Simple, right? Just swing harder or reduce the aerodynamic drag of your golf club… The problem is that whenever I increase my club head speed I usually find my tee shot on nice short grass in the vicinity of little red markers on the ground. Some people refer to the area as the women’s tee box. Perhaps I should be looking into reducing the drag of my club head. Maybe the golf club disclosed in US Publication No. 20070093315 will solve all my problems …

Putters, putters, putters… They are a love / hate relationship for golfers. How good are you at identifying a particular brand of putter just from the shape of the sole? If you correctly answer this one then you are officially a golf equipment geek. 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 of putter …

Why are golf ball dimple pattern patents so interesting? No, really… I am being serious. It must be the engineer in me… I love reading about dimple patterns. The bizarre geometry, the complicated layouts, the terminology, how they influence drag, … it is just fascinating stuff. This week congratulations go out to Acushnet for USPN 7207905 titled “Golf Ball Dimples.” The patent describes the invention as: … Check out some of the embodiments disclosed in the patent… Did you know that tessellated dimples are dimples arranged in a tiled pattern with generally uniform land widths between the dimples?…

An interesting golf related design patent issued today as USPN D541,832 titled “Graticule for Golf Scope.” As more and more golfers use yardage scopes the manufacturers appear to be looking for unique ways to protect their products. This is one creative use of design patenting! Check out the following scope figure….

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…

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…

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 …

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?…

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…

I know that your knowledge of iron club head design has been tested in the past, but this one is a softball. So, if you don’t correctly identify these irons then you should sell your clubs! The figure below comes from a US golf club iron head design patent that issued this week to a major producer of clubs. Can you identify the brand of irons? …

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?

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 …

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? …

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, …

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! …

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 …

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…

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…

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 …

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…

As I expressed in a previous post, it seems as though FootJoy is the only manufacturer of golf shoes that values intellectual property and patent protection. In fact, just this week FootJoy had 3 golf shoe design patents issue. Adidas, Nike, Bite, Ecco, Oakley, Etonic, Dunlop, Dexter, Arnold Palmer, Hi-Tec… where are you?…

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…

As you probably know from my prior regarding shaft technology, I am overwhelmed by the lack of patenting activity directed to golf club shaft technology. Well, finally an interesting shaft patent application published this week! Fujikura Rubber had a shaft patent application publish this week as US Publication No. 20070072697 titled “Golf Club Shaft.” The goal of the invention is to provide a golf club shaft superior in accuracy by minimizing displacement between thermosetting resin layers. The golf club shaft incorporates a torsional rigidity holding layer made of thermosetting resin including …

As you may have noticed, “Test Your Knowledge” has become a recurring feature of Golf-Patents.com. In the past your knowledge of iron club head design and putter design has been tested. Now let’s see how good are you at identifying a particular brand of driver when all the manufacturer’s trademarks are stripped off the driver? The figure below comes from a US design patent that issued this week to a major producer of clubs. Can you identify the brand of driver? …

As you may recall from a prior post, I created the “Fascinating IP of the Week” category to bring those oddly unique golf patents and published applications to the masses. You know the type… the ones that make you wonder whether the inventor is crazy or a genius. On March 6th a design patent issued titled “Golf Club Head and a Golf Club Head Striking Face” that fits perfectly in this category. The figures below say it all… Could the “stop sign” club face be the next hot golf …

The “IP Grab of the Week” award goes to Callaway for their golf ball patent application titled “Liquid-Filled Golf Ball With Preferential Internal Structures.” The application is absolutely fascinating and leaves one thinking “why didn’t I think of that?” The invention is described as: A golf ball having a spherical shell with a plurality of internal structures is disclosed herein. A fluid material is disposed within the spherical shell. The plurality of internal structures effect the spin decay of the golf ball. The application goes …

As you may recall, a recent post discussed USPN 7,186,190 that issued to Taylor Made Golf regarding their “r” series weighting system. Well, just one week later USPN 7,189,169 “Customizable Center-of-Gravity Golf Club Head” issued to Dogleg Right Corporation directed to another weighting system. There is no doubt that number of patents directed to customizing the CG location of golf club heads will continue to grow at an alarming pace. Manufacturers that haven’t jumped on the moveable weight patenting bandwagon are going …

Design patents directed to golf balls are not very common. However, USPN D538,361 issued this week to Bridgestone Sports. It is the only golf ball design patent to issue in almost seven months (whereas several golf ball utility patents issue every week)…

Those in the golf industry know that the USGA recently announcement proposed golf equipment rule changes. One of the proposed changes has to do with regulations of the grooves in the face of a golf club striking surface. OK, that makes sense… we all know that the grooves have some impact on ball spin. The proposed rule change brings groove patenting to the forefront. Something I am sure that very few readers have ever considered. However, one thing is for sure – the major golf club designers have groove patenting on their minds. …

Don’t believe the hype… Check out these square wood patents. One of the earliest square driver patents is disclosed in USPN D415,807, that issued October 26, 1999 to Frank Werner author of “How Golf Clubs Really Work and How to Optimize Their Design” and “Better Golf from New Research.” Frank also had a related utility patent issue on November 28, 2000 as USPN 6,152,833. Additionally, USPN 6,012,989 issued January 11, 2000. The following …