A New Golf Ball Patent Infringement Case

It didn’t take long for a new golf ball patent infringement case to fill the void left by apparent demise of the ProV1 dispute. The new lawsuit was filed last week and the dollars involved may be slightly less than the ProV1 dispute; after all, it does center on the cut-throat lighted golf ball market! The action was filed by Chemical Light, Inc. against Cool Glow, LLC for allegedly infringing USPN /files/22847-21779/20110516_Illuminated_Golf_Ball_Patent_Infringement_Complaint.pdf”>complaint alleges that:

Cool Glow has infringed and continues to infringe the ‘487 patent by making, using, offering to sell, selling and/or importing into the United States products that infringe one or more of the claims of the ‘487 patent, including, without limitation, the products advertised and sold as “LED Golf Ball Green” (SKU No. LP-BO-GOL1.7 GRE), “LED Golf Ball Blue” (SKU No. LP-BO-GOL1.7 BLU), and “LED Golf Ball Red” (SKU No. LP-BO-GOL1.7 RED). Upon information and belief, Cool Glow’s infringement will continue unless and until enjoined by this Court.

As for the patent, it describes the invention as:

An illuminatable golf ball includes an outer translucent shell and a sealed inner core portion surrounded by the outer shell. The ball includes a self-contained lighting device formed and contained at least in part within the inner core portion. The lighting device includes an energy source, a pair of lighting elements, and connectors extending between the energy source and the lighting elements defining an electrical circuit. The lighting device includes a switch for energizing and deenergizing the lighting device. The switch can include a plunger insertable into the ball through an opening in the outer shell and through a bore in the inner core portion. The plunger is configured to change the state of the electrical circuit when it is inserted into and removed from the bore to energize and deenergize the lighting elements. The switch can also be timer actuated and of the force actuatable type.

Golfers in possession of these balls you better only play with them at night so no one knows what you are hitting!

Dave Dawsey  – The IP Golf Guy