Disc Patents - Quarter K

[cbongiova]

I've been playing disc golf for only about 5 months and being an engineer I was wondering about what aspects of a disc dictates long distance flight.

I notice that all of Innova's disc has a patent number (4,568,297) on them. This patent claims the basic design of long driving disc (i.e. triangular cross-section rim). This patent is more than 20 years old and therefore expired.

I searched for other patent on disc technology and I could only find two: 6,739,934 and 20050197037.

6,739,934 claims a disc that has a maximum rim width to improve disc flight distance by having an asymetrical rim. What disc uses this patent?

20050197037 claims a rim cross-section that looks like a bullet. I believe that this technology is used on the Quarter K disc. Jonathan Potts is the inventor of this patent and seems to know flight aerodynamics very well.

I have two questions:

First is if the technology on Potts patent is true why doesn't the Quarter K have longer distance than the Wraith?

Second, is there any other disc technology that has been developed in the past 20 years and if so what pros/cons do these technology bring and what disc utilize these technologies?

[presidio hills]

6,739,934 claims a disc that has a maximum rim width to improve disc flight distance by having an asymetrical rim. What disc uses this patent?

the epic?

[Blake_T]

the epic is the assymetrical rim design made under the theory that it would increase angular velocity during its flight due to momentum... but this didn't happen as intended.

as for the quarter k, the prototype was a bullet shaped rim and the actual production disc was not (there were production problems). the only driver out right now with that design is the roadrunner, which isn't very wing like. the quarter k 2 will be more like the original design, but run in a champ type plastic, which i believe will also reduce its carry.

ching's dimples (and discraft's semi-copy grip track) do actually affect the disc's flight in a way that makes them fly straighter but also reduces the disc's versatility.

other designs that have affected things, but not always in a really good way:
the bead (added to a stingray to create a cobra, added to an XD to create a classic roc, etc.), the thumtrac (added to the original birdie to create the piranha, used on the puma and wolf), wham-o's "grip rings" etc.

the original innova patent was actually on a rim that was a right triangle. i believe it was revised in the 90's and extended to include other angles. the lightning/innova lawsuit probably covers a lot of this.

[cbongiova]

Has anyone tried out the Quarter KII yet or know anything about it?

I saw on their website that it will be available on July 15th, but I thought someone might have tried or heard something about this.

Will this disc be worth buying?

[Fritz]

Has anyone tried out the Quarter KII yet or know anything about it?

I saw on their website that it will be available on July 15th, but I thought someone might have tried or heard something about this.

Will this disc be worth buying?

Crap

Hold your breath on the date, originally it was May 15th, then June and now July, Discwing is horrible at sticking to release dates.

I wasn't impressed with the first version, and I don't think I'll spend the money on the #2 version either. Only way I'll be throwing one is if I find it somewhere on teh ground or in the pond.

[Thatdirtykid]

Ill be throwing them if its what everyone else is throwing (IE replaces everyones wraiths/surges) lol, j/k

I dont have high expectations for it, but I do believe it will be better than the QK I, even in the new champish plastic, but thats not saying much at all.

[trogdor]

Ill be throwing them if its what everyone else is throwing (IE replaces everyones wraiths/surges) lol, j/k

That's unlikely, though it might replace Orc/Flashes. That's the spot QK1 has in my bag, not max distance, but longer than a Tee-Bird.

[Thatdirtykid]

thats funny, my teebirds are only 30-50' short of my max golf D, theres really no room in my bag between teebirds and avengers (if I were throwing wraiths there wouldnt be any room between my wraiths and teebirds either)

[trogdor]

thats funny, my teebirds are only 30-50' short of my max golf D, theres really no room in my bag between teebirds and avengers (if I were throwing wraiths there wouldnt be any room between my wraiths and teebirds either)

Having a controlled 30' more is sometimes the difference between a 2 and a 3 on a semi-long hole.

I can push a teebird futher than I normally utilize them, but doing so requires more height. As you well know, in the afternoon in northern CO, wind is likely, and I don't like getting a disc up too high in the wind.

There's definitely an overlap on either side of the QK for me, but there isn't a lot of overlap between the Wraith and Tee-Bird for me.

Here's a graph for further confusion...
The ---- represents possible range
The $$$ represents the money range
Wraith--------------------------------------------------------------------------$$$$$------
QK---------------------------------------------------------------$$$$$$$$$$$--------
Tee-Bird-------------------------$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$----------------
Cobra-------------$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$---------------
Rhyno---$$$$$$$$$$$$$-------------------------------
Arrow$$$$$$-------------------------------------------

[Blake_T]

the original quarter k (which is now the quarter k 2) was supposed to serve this function:

the longest disc on the market for people throwing 360' and under.

based on the proto i felt back in '04, it was a rather revolutionary design and it may still end up being that.

this is a disc not targeted at big arms but more to the rec/am golfer.

[Thatdirtykid]

thats funny, my teebirds are only 30-50' short of my max golf D, theres really no room in my bag between teebirds and avengers (if I were throwing wraiths there wouldnt be any room between my wraiths and teebirds either)

Having a controlled 30' more is sometimes the difference between a 2 and a 3 on a semi-long hole.

I can push a teebird futher than I normally utilize them, but doing so requires more height. As you well know, in the afternoon in northern CO, wind is likely, and I don't like getting a disc up too high in the wind.

There's definitely an overlap on either side of the QK for me, but there isn't a lot of overlap between the Wraith and Tee-Bird for me.

Here's a graph for further confusion...
The ---- represents possible range
The $$$ represents the money range
Wraith--------------------------------------------------------------------------$$$$$------
QK---------------------------------------------------------------$$$$$$$$$$$--------
Tee-Bird-------------------------$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$----------------
Cobra-------------$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$---------------
Rhyno---$$$$$$$$$$$$$-------------------------------
Arrow$$$$$$-------------------------------------------

Understandable, accually you found a great way to put it. Im comfortable throwing teebirds up to 375' and avengers 350'-400' I agree about not getting them to high into the wind. I think the difference between our two setups is the avenger is not as long as the wraith, so it covers where the teebird stops. I will always admit the wraith is longer than an avenger, but not long enough, I throw a wraith 25-30' longer than an avenger, but thats usually 50' off line, while the avenger fades more predictably. I am considering trying the wraith again, and seeing if I can get it as predictable as my avengers, but I dont see that ever being the case.