Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/US8221263B2/en
Timestamp: 2018-09-18 13:41:51
Document Index: 249143273

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 2656156', 'Application No. 1019951', 'Application No. 2009', 'Application No. 200780029994', 'Application No. 0900861', 'Application No. 1019951', 'Application No. 201010286504', 'Application No. 2009', 'Application No. 200780029994', 'Application No. 1019951']

US8221263B2 - Golf clubs and golf club heads having fluid-filled bladders and/or interior chambers - Google Patents
Golf clubs and golf club heads having fluid-filled bladders and/or interior chambers Download PDF
US8221263B2
US8221263B2 US12788374 US78837410A US8221263B2 US 8221263 B2 US8221263 B2 US 8221263B2 US 12788374 US12788374 US 12788374 US 78837410 A US78837410 A US 78837410A US 8221263 B2 US8221263 B2 US 8221263B2
US12788374
US20100234129A1 (en )
As illustrated in FIGS. 3B and 3C, this example golf club head structure 104 includes a fluid-filled bladder member 306 (in this example structure 104, a gas-filled bladder member 306). The gas-filled bladder member 306 of this illustrated example includes an exterior envelope structure 306 a that defines an interior chamber 306 b that may be filled with fluid, such as gas. The bladder 306 may be made of any desired materials, formed in any desired manner (e.g., polymeric materials formed by blow molding, etc.), without departing from this invention. As some more specific examples, the bladder 306 may be made from resilient, thermoplastic, elastomeric barrier films, such as polyester polyurethanes, polyether polyurethanes (such as cast or extruded ester based polyurethane films, e.g., Tetra Plastics TPW-250); thermoplastic urethanes, such as PELLETHANE™ (a product of the Dow Chemical Company of Midland, Mich.), ELASTOLLAN® (a product of the BASF Corporation), and ESTANE® (a product of the B. F. Goodrich Co.), all of which are either ester or ether based); thermoplastic urethanes based on polyesters, polyethers, polycaprolactone, and polycarbonate macrogels; thermoplastic films containing crystalline material, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,936,029 and 5,042,176 to Rudy, each of which is entirely incorporated herein by reference; polyurethane including a polyester polyol, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,013,340 to Bonk et al., which is entirely incorporated herein by reference; and/or multi-layer films formed of at least one elastomeric thermoplastic material layer and a barrier material layer formed of a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl alcohol, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,952,065 to Mitchell et al., which also is entirely incorporated herein by reference. Gas-filled bladder materials and/or members of the types used in “AIR” type footwear products and/or other footwear products commercially available from NIKE, Inc. of Beaverton, Oreg. also may be used as gas-filled bladder 306 without departing from this invention.
If desired, the gas-filled bladder 306 may be directly attached to the club head body member 202, e.g., using adhesives, cements, mechanical connectors, fusing techniques, friction fit, retaining elements, or the like (e.g., attached to the interior major surface 214 a of the rear cavity 302). Additionally or alternatively, the gas-filled bladder 306 may be held in place, at least in part, via a retaining member 310, as illustrated in FIGS. 3A through 3C. The retaining member 310 may be made from any desired materials without departing from this invention, including materials conventionally used in golf club construction, such as metals, composites, polymers, fiber-reinforced polymers, etc. More specific examples of suitable materials include lightweight materials such as: titanium; aluminum; magnesium; titanium alloys; aluminum alloys; magnesium alloys; carbon fiber composites; thermoplastic polyester elastomers, such as HYTREL® 5526 (available from DuPont) and PEBAX® 5533 (available from Elf Atochem); thermoplastic polyurethanes; thermoplastic polyethylenes; thermoplastic polyamides; thermoplastic polypropylenes; fiber-reinforced polymers, such as fiberglass; etc.
19. A golf club according to claim 17, wherein the club head body is an iron type club head body member.
US12788374 2006-07-11 2010-05-27 Golf clubs and golf club heads having fluid-filled bladders and/or interior chambers Active US8221263B2 (en)
US11456623 US7749100B2 (en) 2006-07-11 2006-07-11 Golf clubs and golf club heads having fluid-filled bladders and/or interior chambers
US12788374 US8221263B2 (en) 2006-07-11 2010-05-27 Golf clubs and golf club heads having fluid-filled bladders and/or interior chambers
US13550178 US8808106B2 (en) 2006-07-11 2012-07-16 Golf clubs and golf club heads having fluid-filled bladders and/or interior chambers
US11456623 Continuation US7749100B2 (en) 2006-07-11 2006-07-11 Golf clubs and golf club heads having fluid-filled bladders and/or interior chambers
US13550178 Continuation US8808106B2 (en) 2006-07-11 2012-07-16 Golf clubs and golf club heads having fluid-filled bladders and/or interior chambers
US20100234129A1 true US20100234129A1 (en) 2010-09-16
US8221263B2 true US8221263B2 (en) 2012-07-17
ID=38923750
US11456623 Active 2028-12-05 US7749100B2 (en) 2006-07-11 2006-07-11 Golf clubs and golf club heads having fluid-filled bladders and/or interior chambers
US12788374 Active US8221263B2 (en) 2006-07-11 2010-05-27 Golf clubs and golf club heads having fluid-filled bladders and/or interior chambers
US13550178 Active US8808106B2 (en) 2006-07-11 2012-07-16 Golf clubs and golf club heads having fluid-filled bladders and/or interior chambers
US (3) US7749100B2 (en)
JP (1) JP5270541B2 (en)
CN (3) CN102489010A (en)
CA (1) CA2656156C (en)
GB (2) GB2475174B (en)
WO (1) WO2008008175A3 (en)
US8083607B2 (en) * 2008-08-12 2011-12-27 Cobra Golf Incorporated Iron-type golf clubs
US9033814B2 (en) * 2012-05-31 2015-05-19 Nike, Inc. Golf clubs and golf club heads
US20040106466A1 (en) 2002-09-20 2004-06-03 Callaway Golf Company Iron golf club
JP2005074126A (en) 2003-09-03 2005-03-24 Fu Sheng Industrial Co Ltd Joint structure of golf club head and weight
US20050266931A1 (en) * 2004-05-26 2005-12-01 Wen-Ching Hou Golf club head with gas cushion
JP2006000135A (en) 2004-06-15 2006-01-05 Fu Sheng Industrial Co Ltd Structure of golf club head capable of absorbing vibration
US20040166959A1 (en) 2003-02-04 2004-08-26 Fu Sheng Industrial Co., Ltd. Impact absorber for a golf club head
JP2007516047A (en) 2003-12-23 2007-06-21 ナイキ・インコーポレーテッドＮｉｋｅ Ｉｎｃ Golf club head having a bridging member and the weight attached system
JP2008508945A (en) 2004-08-04 2008-03-27 ナイキ インコーポレーティッド Golf club head having a bridge member and the damping element
WO2007103095A2 (en) 2006-03-06 2007-09-13 Nike, Inc. Golf clubs and golf club heads having feel alering systems
Examination Report issued Dec. 15, 2010 in corresponding United Kingdom Application No. GB0900861.6.
Examination Report issued Jul. 22, 2010 in corresponding United Kingdom Application No. GB0900861.6.
International Preliminary Report on Patentability issued in corresponding International Application No. PCT/US2007/014825, mailed Jan. 22, 2009.
Jul. 22, 2011 Office Action issued in related Canadian Application No. 2656156.
Jun. 23, 2011 Office Action issued in related United Kingdom Application No. 1019951.1.
Jun. 8, 2011 Office Action issued in related Japanese Application No. 2009-519445.
Mar. 1, 2010 Office Action issued in related Chinese Application No. 200780029994.8.
Mar. 3, 2011 Office Action issued in related United Kingdom Application No. 0900861.6.
Mar. 4, 2011 Office Action issued in related United Kingdom Application No. 1019951.1.
Office Action issued in related Chinese Application No. 201010286504.6, dated Jan. 4, 2012.
Office Action issued in related Japanese Application No. 2009-519445, dated Jan. 5, 2012.
Office Action issued on Nov. 18, 2010 in corresponding Chinese Application No. 200780029994.8.
Search and Examination Report issued on Mar. 4, 2011 in related UK Patent Application No. 1019951.1.
US7749100B2 (en) 2010-07-06 grant
CA2656156A1 (en) 2008-01-17 application
CN102489010A (en) 2012-06-13 application
GB2475174A (en) 2011-05-11 application
GB201019951D0 (en) 2011-01-05 grant
WO2008008175A3 (en) 2008-04-17 application
CN102019073A (en) 2011-04-20 application
US20080015050A1 (en) 2008-01-17 application
GB2475174B (en) 2011-08-31 grant
US20120322575A1 (en) 2012-12-20 application
CA2656156C (en) 2013-10-15 grant
GB0900861D0 (en) 2009-03-04 grant
GB2453688A (en) 2009-04-15 application
CN102019073B (en) 2013-03-13 grant
GB2453688B (en) 2011-06-22 grant
US8808106B2 (en) 2014-08-19 grant
WO2008008175A2 (en) 2008-01-17 application
JP5270541B2 (en) 2013-08-21 grant
JP2009542412A (en) 2009-12-03 application
US20100234129A1 (en) 2010-09-16 application
CN101500662A (en) 2009-08-05 application
CN101500662B (en) 2012-01-25 grant
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:STITES, JOHN T.;TAVARES, GARY G.;LARSON, ERIC A.;REEL/FRAME:024450/0560
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:CHENG, CHIA-CHYI;NIKE USA, INC.;SIGNING DATES FROM 20100421 TO 20100430;REEL/FRAME:024450/0587