Nike, Inc.

Karsten Manufacturing Corporation

Other

James S Thomas

Raymond J Sander

John T Stites

Gregory A Trees

Matthew Paul Rubal

Vincent Contini

Robert M Boyd

Jeremy N Snyder

Hiroshi Kawaguchi

Gary Gene Tavares

James A Prescott

Scott Allen Harris

Douglas Anthony Thornton

Jeffrey Alan Hadden

Bradley Charles Glenn

Rick S Wahlin

Daniel Alan Roberts

Daniel John Simpson

Andrew G V Oldknow

Robert Lukasiewicz, Jr

James Alan Scott

Akira Shimozuma

Brian Fortner

Tyrone Northcutt

Donald S Rahrig

Chris Savage

James Alan Prescott

Andrew GV Oldknow

Don Rahrig

Akira Shimozuuma

Vincent J Contini

Golf clubs and golf club heads having a weight member that is configurable in multiple positions to alter the performance characteristics of the golf club head are presented. In some examples, the weight member may be arranged in a sole of the golf club head and may include ends having different weighting characteristics. For instance, one end may be heavier or denser than another end of the weight member. The difference in weight characteristics may be due to different materials used to form the different ends, different construction of the ends, and the like. The position of the weight member may be adjusted to alter the performance characteristics of the golf club head. For instance, the weight member may be removed and rotated to position a heavier end where a lighter end was previously positioned.

Golf club head and golf club head structures

A ball striking device, such as a golf club head, has a head that includes a face configured for striking a ball and a body connected to the face, the body being adapted for connection of a shaft proximate a heel thereof. The face has a thickened portion including an annular tapered area that tapers in thickness between an upper boundary and a lower boundary and encloses an elevated area bounded by the upper boundary. The upper and/or lower boundary defines a shape having two lobes, each with an outer edge with a convex profile, and a connecting portion extending between the lobes, such that the connecting portion is defined by two outer edges extending between the outer edges of the lobes, wherein at least one of the outer edges of the connecting portion has a concave outer profile.

Golf club head or other ball striking device having stiffened face portion

Golf club and golf club head structures

Golf club or other ball striking device having stiffened face portion

Golf club heads having sensors configured to measure one or more swing parameters are provided. The golf club head may include several gyroscopes and accelerometers. In one embodiment, the club head contains three gyroscopes that measure angular rate data along different orthogonal axes. At least one gyroscope may an analog gyroscope. Accelerometers may provide data regarding the three orthogonal axes associated with the gyroscopes. The club head may further include software and/or hardware that perform computer-executed methods for determining one or more swing parameters. Exemplary club heads may include a display device for displaying an output of the swing parameter(s). Further aspects of the invention relate to novel methods and algorithms for calculating measurements relating to the swing parameters.

Golf clubs and golf club heads having digital lie and/or other angle measuring equipment

Golf club heads are releasably engaged with shafts so that the club heads and shafts can be readily interchanged and/or so that the shaft position with respect to the club head can be readily changed. Assemblies for connecting the club head and shaft may include: (a) a shaft engaging member including a rotation-inhibiting structure; (b) a club head engaging member including a shaft-receiving chamber and a retaining structure for engaging the rotation-inhibiting structure; and (c) a securing system for releasably securing the shaft engaging member with respect to the club head engaging member. The club head and shaft may be changed by releasing the securing system and exchanging the original parts with different parts. Furthermore, the shaft may be bent or otherwise extend at an angle from the shaft engaging member so as to allow adjustment of the shaft position with respect to the club head.

Releasable and interchangeable connections for golf club heads and shafts

A ball striking device, such as a golf club, includes a head with a face having a ball-striking surface configured for striking a ball, a body connected to the face, and at least one weight element connected to the body. The head has a total weight that is higher than a target weight of the head, and the at least one weight element is configured to be at least partially removed by a material removal technique to lower the total weight of the head to approximately equal the target weight. The at least one weight element may be integrally connected to the body, such as being integrally formed with at least a portion of the body. The material removal technique may constitute milling, machining, or other material removal techniques or combination of such techniques.

Golf club head or other ball striking device having custom machinable portions

Fairway wood-type golf clubs as described herein may include: (a) a club head with a volume of at least 300 cc; (b) a shaft member attached to the club head, wherein the golf club has a length between 37 and 43 inches; and (c) a grip or handle member attached to the shaft member. The club head may further include: (1) a ball striking face, wherein the ball striking face has a loft angle between 12 and 32 degrees; and (2) a club head body engaged or integrally formed with the ball striking face, with a sole portion that includes a ground-engaging surface.

Fairway wood-type golf clubs with high moment of inertia

Golf club heads are releasably engaged with shafts so that the club heads and shafts can be readily interchanged and/or so that the shaft position with respect to the club head can be readily changed. Golf clubs are provided that have spherical releasable connections between the golf club head and the golf club shaft along with head/shaft position adjusting features to allow interchange of shafts and heads and to allow modification of the head/shaft positioning properties. Assemblies for connecting the club head and shaft may include: a shaft adapter, a shaft retainer, and a hosel insert located within an interior chamber of the club head. The club head and shaft may be changed by releasing the securing system and exchanging the original parts with different parts. Furthermore, the shaft adapter may be rotated within the hosel insert to create different angles from the shaft so as to allow adjustment of the shaft position with respect to the club head.

Releasable connections for golf club heads and shafts

Growing community of inventors

Fort Worth, TX, United States of America

James S Thomas