TaylorMade’s “Secret” Driver Patent Application (Now Patent)
If you are like me then blog post titles that say “exclusive” or “secret” just make you roll your eyes and think “give me a break!” So, I am proud to say that after over 3.5 years of posts this is the first time I have used such overdramatic language in a title, but there is a reason.
As a regular reader of the Golf-Patents blog I am sure you know that US utility patent applications are published 18 months after they are filed, which is generally when we get to see behind the doors of the R&D departments. Of course an applicant can request that the USPTO publish an application early, or request that an application not be published at all (it is very rare in the world of golf IP to see either).
This morning, as with every Tuesday morning, I was browsing through the new golf patents that issued for the week and came across a TaylorMade patent illustrating a design that I did not recall seeing before. Hum, I am getting older, but I should have remembered this design from when the application was published. Fortunately, I am not getting forgetful; I just happened upon one of the rare situations in which the applicant (TaylorMade) specifically requested that the patent application not be published and made available for public consumption. So, now you see why I used the overdramatic “secret” language in the title; because until today the application was secret.
One can’t help but wonder why the secrecy? Let the speculation begin….
The patent issued as USPN 7771291 titled “Golf Club Head with Vertical Center of Gravity Adjustment,” which describes the invention as:
Check out these designs!
Place your bets; what is the likelihood that any of these designs ever show up in Golf Galaxy?
Dave Dawsey - The Golf Intellectual Property Attorney
PS – click here to check out other driver and wood design posts
As a regular reader of the Golf-Patents blog I am sure you know that US utility patent applications are published 18 months after they are filed, which is generally when we get to see behind the doors of the R&D departments. Of course an applicant can request that the USPTO publish an application early, or request that an application not be published at all (it is very rare in the world of golf IP to see either).
This morning, as with every Tuesday morning, I was browsing through the new golf patents that issued for the week and came across a TaylorMade patent illustrating a design that I did not recall seeing before. Hum, I am getting older, but I should have remembered this design from when the application was published. Fortunately, I am not getting forgetful; I just happened upon one of the rare situations in which the applicant (TaylorMade) specifically requested that the patent application not be published and made available for public consumption. So, now you see why I used the overdramatic “secret” language in the title; because until today the application was secret.
One can’t help but wonder why the secrecy? Let the speculation begin….
The patent issued as USPN 7771291 titled “Golf Club Head with Vertical Center of Gravity Adjustment,” which describes the invention as:
Golf club heads include at least one weight port situated to retain weights and positioned above an approximate club face geometric center with the club in a standard address position. One, two, or more weight ports can be located above the club face center in a club crown or other portion of a club body. Club head vertical center of gravity can be selected to compensate dynamic loft associated with locating the club head center of gravity well behind the club face. Three-dimensional adjustment of club head center of gravity is possible.
Check out these designs!
Place your bets; what is the likelihood that any of these designs ever show up in Golf Galaxy?
Dave Dawsey - The Golf Intellectual Property Attorney
PS – click here to check out other driver and wood design posts
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