US Club Designers Beware: Nelson Precision Casting is Positioning Itself to be the Only Club Manufacturer
Nelson Precision Casting’s patents and patent applications have been a frequent topic on this blog. Club manufacturers, regardless of physical location, better keep an eye on Nelson’s rapidly growing patent portfolio because they are positioning themselves to have a portfolio that blocks all other club manufacturers from using advanced manufacturing technologies.
US club designers may feel that this is a topic that doesn’t touch them, but this could not be further from the truth and their opinion will undoubtedly change as soon as Nelson sues one of them for patent infringement related to selling clubs manufactured using one of Nelson’s patented club head manufacturing methods. Or, perhaps the point will be driven home when US club designers can no longer go to the cheapest foreign club head manufacturer, but must go to Nelson and pay a premium. Now don’t get me wrong, I admire Nelson because they are using the patent system very wisely and will surely see a great return-on-investment (ROI) on the money they are investing in their patent portfolio.
Just consider this sampling of the patent portfolio that they are building.
This week Nelson Precision Casting had a patent application publish titled “Plasma Welding Method for a Golf Club Head.” (US Pub. No. 2007/0056938) Obviously, the ‘938 application is directed to joining a striking face to the club head body using plasma welding.
US Pub. No. 2006/0205531 titled “Intermediate Layer for Joining Two Portions of a Golf Club Head” directed to friction spin welding with an intermediate material. The ‘531 application is related to Nelson’s USPN 7,086,960 titled “Golf Club Head with a Structure for Friction Welding and Manufacturing Method Thereof.”
US Pub. No. 2006/0138199 titled “Welding Method for Manufacturing a Golf Club Head” directed to electromagnetic welding of club head sections.
US Pub. No. 2005/0246884 titled “Friction Welding Structure for Striking Plate of Golf Club Head and Method Therefore” directed to friction stir welding a striking plate to the body of a club head. The ‘884 application is currently the subject of a Final Rejection from the USPTO.
Thus, this limited sample shows Nelson’s attempt to own club head manufacturing using plasma welding, friction spin welding, friction stir welding, and electromagnetic pulse welding. Not to mention one prior post directed to Nelson’s brazing patent and another post directed to the use of explosion welding in club head manufacturing.
Congratulations Nelson Precision Casting. Everyone else… watch out.
David Dawsey – The Golf Patent Lawyer Watching Club Head Manufacturing Patents