GB2363576A

GB2363576A - Golf club shaft

Info

Publication number: GB2363576A
Application number: GB0014640A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Patrick Hsu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-06-16
Filing date: 2000-06-16
Publication date: 2002-01-02
Also published as: GB0014640D0

Abstract

A golf club shaft of a tapered construction comprises a flexing segment 13 of a non-circular cross section having a longitudinal axis L and a short axis S, wherein the shaft is greater in rigidity in the direction corresponding to the direction of the longitudinal axis L than in the direction corresponding to the direction of the short axis S. The shaft may be fastened at one end with a head such that the direction of the longitudinal axis L is parallel to a ball hitting surface 31 of the head, thereby enabling the head to have the capability of a greater ball-carrying distance and a stable ball controllability. The flexing segment 13 may extend throughout the shaft length or may extend for a predetermined length along the head end of the shaft. The cross section of the flexing segment 13 may be oval, rectangular or shuttle shaped.

Description

2363576 GOLF CLUB SHAFT

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a golf club, and more particularly to a shaft of the golf club.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

When a golfer purchases a golf club, the rigidity of the shaft of the golf club is taken into account by the golfer This is due to the fact that a golf club shaft of a lower rigidity is apt to have a greater ballcarrying distance in spite of such golf club shaft tending to cause the golf club head to have an instable ball-hitting point, thereby resulting in a relatively poor ball controllability of the golf club On the other hand, a golf club shaft of a higher rigidity has a smaller ball-carrying distance;

nevertheless it tends to cause the golf club head to have a relatively stable ball-hitting point.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a golf club shaft enabling the golf club head to have a good ball-carrying distance as well as an excellent ball controllability.

It is another objective of the present invention to provide a golf club shaft enabling the golf club head to correct the ball-hitting direction.

The golf club shaft of the present invention has a shaft body which is provided in a predetermined section thereof with a flexible segment of an oval or rectangular cross section The golf club shaft has a portion which is of a greater rigidity and is corresponding to the longitudinal direction of the cross section, whereas the golf club shaft has another portion which is of a greater flexibility and is corresponding to the direction of the short axis of the cross section The golf club shaft is fastened with the golf club head such that the longitudinal direction of the cross section is parallel to the ball-hitting surface of the golf club head, thereby resulting in the better ball controllability and ballcarrying distance of the golf club head In other words, the golf club head is provided in the heel-toe direction with a greater rigidity while the golf club head is provided in the ball-hitting direction with a greater ball- carrying distance.

The golf club shaft of the present invention may be fastened with the golf club head in such a fashion that the longitudinal direction of the cross section forms a predetermined angle with the ball-hitting surface of the golf club head, thereby providing the golf club head in the heel-toe direction with a greater flexibility so as to prevent the deviation in the traveling course of a departing ball.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG 1 shows a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG 2 shows a sectional view of a portion taken along the direction indicated by a line 2-2 as shown in FIG 1.

FIG 3 shows a sectional view of a portion taken along the direction indicated by a line 3-3 as shown in FIG 1.

FIG 4 shows a schematic view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention being fastened with a golf club head.

FIG 5 shows a sectional view of a portion taken along the direction indicated by a line 5-5 as shown in FIG 4.

FIG 6 shows a sectional view similar to that of FIG 5 to illustrate another fastening pattern of the preferred embodiment of the present invention and the golf club head.

FIG 7 shows a sectional view similar to that of FIG 5 to illustrate still another fastening pattern of the preferred embodiment of the present invention and the golf club head.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown in FIG 1, a golf club shaft 10 of the preferred embodiment of the present invention is made of a tubular object of a fiber composite material The shaft 10 is of a tapered construction and is provided with a coarse end 11 and a fine end 12 Unlike the conventional golf club shafts, the golf club shaft 10 of the present invention is provided at the fine end 11 with a flexing segment 13 of a predetermined length The flexing segment 13 has an oval cross section, as shown in FIG 3 The cross section of the flexing segment 13 may take other forms, such as rectangular, shuttle-shaped, etc The flexing segment 13 has a longitudinal axis L and a short axis S It must be noted that the coarse end 11 of the shaft 10 has a round cross section, as shown in FIG 2 The shaft 10 is provided in the direction corresponding to the direction of the longitudinal axis L with a greater rigidity, and in the direction corresponding to the direction of the short axis S with a greater flexibility.

As shown in FIG 4, the coarse end 11 of the shaft 10 is provided with a grip 20, whereas the fine end 12 is fastened with a head 30, which may be a wooden club head, an iron club head, or a putter head As shown in FIG 5, the shaft 10 of the present invention is fastened with the head 30 in such a fashion that the direction of the longitudinal axis L of the flexing segment 13 is parallel to a ball-hitting surface 31 of the head The head 30 has a neck portion 32 which is provided with a fastening hole 33 of an oval profile In light of the axial line H of the ball- hitting direction of the head 30 being corresponding to the short axis S of the flexing segment 13 of the shaft 10, the shaft 10 is thus provided with a greater flexibility so as to enable the head 30 to have the capability of a greater ball-carrying distance In the meantime, the direction of the heel 34 and the toe portion 35 of the head 30 is corresponding to the direction of the longitudinal axis L of the flexing segment 13, the shaft 10 is thus provided with a greater rigidity so as to enable the head 30 to have a stable ball controllability The conventional golf club shafts have a round cross section throughout the shafts As a result, the conventional golf club shafts are uniformly provided in all circumferential directions with a flexibility.

As shown in FIG 6, the shaft 10 of the present invention is fastened with the head 30 ' in such a way that the direction of the longitudinal axis L of the flexing segment 13 of the shaft 10 forms an angle of 30 degrees with the ball-hitting surface 31 ' In other words, the direction of the longitudinal axis L is turned counterclockwise for 30 degrees In light of the heel portion 34 ' being greater in flexibility than the toe portion 35 ', the traveling course of a departing ball has a tendency to tilt slightly to the left Similarly, the direction of the longitudinal axis L of the flexing segment 13 is turned clockwise for 30 degrees toward the toe portion 35 ", as shown in FIG 7, the traveling course of a departing ball has a tendency to tilt slightly to the right.

The flexing segment 13 is not confined to the fine end 12 of the shaft 10 In other words, the shaft 10 of the present invention may be provided in its entirety with the flexing segment 13.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1 A golf club shaft of a tapered construction and having a coarse end and a fine end smaller in diameter than the coarse end, said fine end being fastened with a golf club head, said shaft provided in a predetermined section thereof with a flexing segment of a predetermined length whereby said flexing segment has a cross section of a predetermined shape, with said cross section having a longitudinal axis and a short axis, said shaft provided with a rigidity in a direction corresponding to the direction of said longitudinal axis of said cross section of said flexing segment, said shaft further provided with a flexibility in a direction corresponding to the direction of said short axis of said cross section of said flexing segment.

2 The golf club shaft as defined in claim 1, wherein said flexing segment is located at said fine end of said shaft.

3 The golf club shaft as defined in claim 2, wherein said flexing segment is extended for a predetermined length from one end of said fine end toward said coarse end.

4 The golf club shaft as defined in claim 1, wherein said flexing segment is extened throughout said shaft.

The golf club shaft as defined in claim 1, wherein said cross section of said flexing segment has an oval shape.

6 The golf club shaft as defined in claim 1, wherein said cross section of said flexing segment has a rectangular shape.

7 A golf club shaft substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 5, Figure 6 or Figure 7 of the accompanying drawings.