JP2013039367A - Interchangeable shaft system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a golf club incorporating an interchangeable shaft system.SOLUTION: In the golf club, a shaft sleeve 516 is coupled to an end of a shaft 514 and is received in a hosel 534 included in a club head 510. The shaft sleeve 516 is removably coupled to the club head 510. Hosel 534 and shaft sleeve 516 alignment features provide discrete orientations between the shaft 514 and club head 510.

Description

Cross-reference of related applications

  This application is a continuation-in-part of US patent application Ser. No. 12 / 560,931, filed Sep. 16, 2009, now pending, which application was filed Dec. 18, 2009. And is a continuation-in-part of US patent application Ser. No. 11 / 958,412, now US Pat. No. 7,878,921, which was filed on June 29, 2009 and is currently pending. US patent application Ser. No. 12 / 493,517, filed Dec. 17, 2008, now US Pat. No. 7,874,934, 12 / 336,748, which is a continuation-in-part application, filed January 31, 2008, now US Pat. No. 7,699,717, US Pat. Continued partial issue , And the their contents are incorporated herein by reference.

  The present invention relates generally to golf clubs, and more particularly to golf clubs with improved connections that provide interchangeability and adjustability between the shaft and club head.

  Golfers adapt their equipment to individual swings in order to successfully play the game. Since there is no easy way to interchange heads and shafts, stores and merchants offering custom-fit products will either have a large number of clubs with individual features or will be individually involved in complex disassembly and assembly processes Must change the club. For example, if a golfer wants to try a golf club shaft with different bending characteristics or wants to use a club head with a different weight, center of gravity, or moment of inertia, such a change has not been practical until now. Golf equipment manufacturers have increased the types of clubs available to golfers. For example, specific driver-type golf clubs are offered in a number of different loft and lie angles to meet the needs of individual golfers. In addition, golfers can choose a metal or graphite shaft and adapt its length to suit their swing. Recently, golf clubs have emerged that allow replacement of shaft and club head components, such as adjustable weights, to facilitate the customization process.

  One example is U.S. Pat. No. 3,524,646 relating to Wheeler's golf club assembly. The Wheeler patent discloses a putter that includes a grip and a putter head, both of which are removable from the shaft. The fastening members provided at the upper and lower ends of the shaft have thread grooves on the inside, and these parts engage with the outer thread grooves provided at both the lower end of the grip and the upper end of the handle portion of the putter head. And the shaft are fixed. The lower end of the shaft further has a flange that contacts the upper end of the handle of the putter head when the putter head is coupled to the shaft. This design creates an undulating ridge at the top of the shaft and another undulating ridge at the bottom of the shaft.

  Another example is U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,782 relating to golf competition equipment, such as Wu et al. The Wu patent discloses a golf equipment that includes a length adjustable shaft and a plurality of club heads designed to be easily assembled and disassembled. A connecting rod is inserted into the end of the shaft and a pin holds the connecting rod within the shaft. The fixed portion of the connecting rod is configured to extend through the neck slot to the neck of the club head. After the fixing rod extends through the slot, the connecting rod is rotated relative to the club head to secure the components together. The neck has a beveled end surface that guides the end of the pin to the adjacent stop surface during relative rotation between the connecting rod and the club head.

  Another example is U.S. Pat. No. 4,943,059 for a golf club with a detachable head from Morell. The Morell patent discloses a putter golf club having an openable golf club head and an extendable shaft. The club head hosel includes a plug that encloses the shaft hole of the thread groove. A threaded rod is held in the connector portion of the shaft and threaded into the shaft groove in the club head plug to operably couple the shaft to the head.

  Another example is US Pat. No. 5,433,442 for a golf club with a Walker's readily removable head. The Walker patent discloses a golf club in which the club head is coupled to the shaft by a coupling rod and a quick release pin. The upper end of the connecting rod has an external thread that engages an inner thread formed in the lower portion of the shaft. The lower end of the connecting rod is inserted into the hosel of the club head and has a radially facing opening that is aligned with a radially facing opening in the hosel to accommodate the quick release pin.

  Another example is U.S. Pat. No. 5,722,901 relating to a detachable clamping structure for a trial golf club shaft and head such as Barron et al. The Baron patent discloses a bayonet style removable clamping structure for golf clubs and shafts. The club head hosel has a clamping pin extending radially in its hole. The head portion of the shaft has two facing “U” or “J” shaped grooves. The head end of the shaft is clamped to the hosel pin by a shaft and rotational movement. The springs in the hosel maintain a tightenable interconnection, but allow manual movement of the hosel to move axially inward to allow for instantaneous assembly and disassembly.

  Another example is US Pat. No. 5,951,411 relating to Wood et al. Hosel coupling assembly and methods of use thereof. The Wood patent includes a club head, a replaceable shaft, and a hosel with an anti-rotation device. The hosel includes an alignment member having an angular surface that is secured by a fastener within the hosel hole. A sleeve affixed to the shaft end constitutes another alignment element and engages with an alignment element disposed within the hosel hole. A supplementary mechanism disposed on the shaft side engages with the hosel and removably fixes the shaft to the club head.

  Yet another example is US Pat. No. 6,547,673 to Roark's interchangeable golf club head and adjustable handle system. The Rork patent discloses a golf club with a quick release that removes the club head from the shaft. The quick release is a two-piece connector that includes a lower connector and an upper connector, where the lower connector is secured to the hosel of the club head and the upper connector is secured to the lower portion of the shaft. The upper connector has a pin and a ball catch that both protrude radially outward from the lower end of the upper connector. The upper end of the lower connector has a corresponding slot formed therein for receiving the upper connector pin and a separate hole for receiving the ball catch. When the shaft is coupled to the club head, the hole in the lower connector catches on the ball catch and secures the shaft to the club head.

  Another example is US Pat. No. 7,083,529 (Patent Document 8) relating to a golf club having an interchangeable head shaft coupling member such as Cockett. The Cockett publication discloses a golf club that, instead of the traditional hosel, employs a sleeve / tube construction to couple a mutually separable shaft to the club head to reduce material weight and quickly assemble. Yes. The shaft is secured to the club head using a mechanical fastener (screw) inserted through the sole plate into the club head.

  Another example is U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2001 / 0007835A1, which relates to Baron's modular golf club system and method. The Baron publication discloses a modular golf club that includes a club head, a hosel, and a shaft. The hosel is coupled to the shaft and is prevented from rotating by a complementary interaction surface, adhesive bond or mechanism fit. The club head and shaft are detachably integrated with a collet-type connection configuration.

  Other issued patent documents, for example, U.S. Patent No. 7,300,359 and U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2006/0281575, 2006/0287125, and 2006/0293115. No. (Patent Documents 11 to 13) disclose an interchangeable shaft and a club head with an anti-rotation device disposed therebetween.

  In some instances, the golf club features can also be adjusted by a structure that allows the shaft and club head to be interchanged. An example is U.S. Pat. No. 4,948,132 for a Wharton golf club. The Wharton patent describes a golf club assembled from a club head and a shaft assembly. The shaft assembly has a lower end that provides an axis that is inclined with respect to the shaft. The lower end of the shaft assembly includes a cylindrical outer surface with grooves or protrusions that engage surface discontinuities in the hosel hole of the club and the shaft assembly is arranged differently with respect to the club head. It is supposed to be possible.

  Another example is U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,582 for Yamada golf club head coupling device. The Yamada patent discloses a golf club head that includes a shaft that is coupled to a club head through a setting portion, which is a sleeve with a slanted shaft sister. This patent discloses how the direction of the hole and shaft in which the set portion is rotated and the direction of the head relative to the shaft changes.

  Each of the Wharton and Yamada examples implements only limited adjustment functions. Specifically, it realizes the loft and lie directions that make up the surrounding structure, and does not position the interior within the surroundings. FIG. 43 illustrates the enclosure provided by the known system with eight available relative positions between the shaft and club head, with the shaft tilted about 1.25 degrees. As can be seen from the figure, an internal position that constrains the performance of fine-tuning the fitting of the golf club is not realized.

  There is a need in the golf industry for golf clubs with improved connections that are securely attached and easy to manufacture.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,524,646 U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,782 U.S. Pat. No. 4,943,059 US Pat. No. 5,433,442 US Pat. No. 5,722,901 US Pat. No. 5,951,411 US Pat. No. 6,547,673 US Patent No. 7,083,529 US Patent Application Publication No. 2001/0007835 US Patent No. 7,300,359 US Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0281575 US Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0287125 US Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0293115 U.S. Pat. No. 4,948,132 U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,582

  The present invention is directed to a replaceable shaft system for a golf club. The system of the present invention provides interchange between the shaft and club head with minimal additional parts and manufacturing difficulties. Several embodiments of the invention are described below.

  In one embodiment, a golf club includes a golf club head, an elongate shaft, and a replaceable shaft system. An interchangeable shaft system couples the shaft to the club head. This interchangeable shaft system has a dual angle adjustment function and at least three non-shafts of the shaft relative to the golf club head in a single plane of the golf club head with a single elongated shaft and interchangeable shaft system. It is configured to achieve continuous orientation.

  In other embodiments, the golf club includes a golf club head, an elongate shaft, a shaft sleeve, a wedge member, and a fastener. The golf club head includes a hosel and a plurality of hosel alignment mechanisms disposed adjacent to the proximal end of the hosel. The shaft sleeve assembly includes a sleeve body and a tension member and is coupled to a distal portion of the shaft. The tension member is connected to the sleeve body by a flexible coupling. The sleeve body includes a plurality of sleeve alignment mechanisms. The wedge member includes a plurality of wedge alignment mechanisms and is disposed between the shaft sleeve and the hosel. The fastener removably couples the tension member to the club head. The wedge member provides a wedge angle between the sleeve body and the hosel, and the sleeve body provides a shaft angle between the sleeve body and the shaft.

  The accompanying drawings constitute a part of the specification and are to be understood in connection with the specification, wherein like reference numerals in the various drawings indicate like parts.

1 is a side view of a portion of an example golf club that includes an embodiment of the replaceable shaft system of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the golf club of FIG. 1. It is sectional drawing which follows the 3-3 line of FIG. 1 of a golf club. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a shaft sleeve of a replaceable shaft system. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a base portion of a hosel of the golf club in FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a golf club base with a replaceable shaft system. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a shaft sleeve of a replaceable shaft system. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a shaft sleeve of a replaceable shaft system. FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a shaft sleeve of a replaceable shaft system. FIG. 6 is an exploded view of a golf club including another embodiment of the replaceable shaft system of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the coupling between the shaft sleeve and the shaft of the interchangeable shaft system. FIG. 6 is a partial side view of a golf club including another embodiment of the replaceable shaft system of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a partially exploded view of the golf club of FIG. 12. FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the golf club taken along line 14-14 in FIG. 12. It is a side view which shows the mark part which can be integrated in the golf club containing the interchangeable shaft system of this invention. It is a side view which shows the mark part which can be integrated in the golf club containing the interchangeable shaft system of this invention. It is a side view which shows the mark part which can be integrated in the golf club containing the interchangeable shaft system of this invention. It is a side view which shows the mark part which can be integrated in the golf club containing the interchangeable shaft system of this invention. It is a side view which shows the mark part which can be integrated in the golf club containing the interchangeable shaft system of this invention. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of an example golf club that includes an embodiment of the replaceable shaft system of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a shaft sleeve of a replaceable shaft system. FIG. 22 is a cross-sectional view of the golf club including the replaceable shaft system of the present invention taken along line 22-22 of FIG. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of one embodiment of the shaft sleeve, taken in a plane passing through the longitudinal axis. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of another embodiment of the shaft sleeve, taken in a plane passing through the longitudinal axis. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a shaft sleeve of a replaceable shaft system. FIG. 26 is a cross-sectional view of the shaft sleeve engaging the complementary hosel along line 26-26. FIG. 27 is an alternative cross-sectional view of a shaft sleeve engaging a complementary hosel along line 26-26. 1 is a side view of a portion of an example golf club that includes an embodiment of the replaceable shaft system of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 29 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating the interchangeable shaft system of FIG. 28 in one of various configurations. FIG. 29 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating the interchangeable shaft system of FIG. 28 in one of various configurations. FIG. 29 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating the interchangeable shaft system of FIG. 28 in one of various configurations. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an interchangeable shaft system in one of various configurations. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an interchangeable shaft system in one of various configurations. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an interchangeable shaft system in one of various configurations. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an interchangeable shaft system in one of various configurations. FIG. 3 is a side view of an alignment member of a replaceable shaft system according to the present invention. FIG. 32 is a cross-sectional view of the alignment member of FIG. 31 taken along line 32-32. FIG. 10 is a side view of another embodiment of an alignment member of a replaceable shaft system. FIG. 34 is a cross-sectional view of the alignment member of FIG. 33 taken along line 34-34. FIG. 34 is an alternative cross-sectional view of the alignment member of FIG. 33 taken along line 34-34. FIG. 10 is a side view of another embodiment of an alignment member of a replaceable shaft system. FIG. 37 is a cross-sectional view of the alignment member of FIG. 36 taken along line 37-37. It is an exploded view showing a golf club including another embodiment of the replaceable shaft system of the present invention. FIG. 39 is a side view of a wedge member included in the replaceable shaft system of FIG. 38. FIG. 40 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 40-40 of FIG. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the angular relationship between the shaft and hosel in one of various embodiments of the replaceable shaft system of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the angular relationship between the shaft and hosel in one of various embodiments of the replaceable shaft system of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the angular relationship between the shaft and hosel in one of various embodiments of the replaceable shaft system of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the angular relationship between the shaft and hosel in one of various embodiments of the replaceable shaft system of the present invention. It is a top view of a golf club head. FIG. 2 illustrates the loft and lie orientation of a known adjustable shaft system. FIG. 6 illustrates loft and lie orientation of an embodiment of the adjustable interchangeable shaft system of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the loft and lie orientation of another embodiment of the adjustable interchangeable shaft system of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the loft and lie orientation of another embodiment of the adjustable interchangeable shaft system of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the loft and lie orientation of another embodiment of the adjustable interchangeable shaft system of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the loft and lie orientation of another embodiment of the adjustable interchangeable shaft system of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the loft and lie orientation of another embodiment of the adjustable interchangeable shaft system of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the loft and lie orientation of another embodiment of the adjustable interchangeable shaft system of the present invention. It is an exploded view showing a golf club including another embodiment of the replaceable shaft system of the present invention. FIG. 52 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 52-52 of FIG. It is an exploded view showing a golf club including another embodiment of the replaceable shaft system of the present invention. FIG. 54 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 54-54 of FIG. 53. FIG. 54 is a side view of a wedge member included in the replaceable shaft system of FIG. 53. It is an exploded view showing a golf club including another embodiment of the replaceable shaft system of the present invention. FIG. 57 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 57-57 of FIG. 56. 1 is a perspective view of a marking provided on a portion of a golf club including an adjustable replaceable shaft system. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a marking provided on a portion of a golf club including an adjustable replaceable shaft system. FIG. It is a perspective view of the provided mark part. 1 is a perspective view of a marking provided on a portion of a golf club including an adjustable replaceable shaft system. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a marking provided on a portion of a golf club including an adjustable replaceable shaft system. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a marking provided on a portion of a golf club including an adjustable replaceable shaft system. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a marking provided on a portion of a golf club including an adjustable replaceable shaft system. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of an example golf club head including an embodiment of a replaceable shaft system of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 62 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 62-62 in FIG. 61. FIG. 63 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of a golf club head similar to FIG. FIG. 63 is an exploded view of the golf club head of FIG. 62. FIG. 63 is a perspective view of a sleeve body included in the golf club head of FIG. 62. FIG. 63 is a perspective view of a wedge member included in the golf club head of FIG. 62. FIG. 63 is a perspective view of a tension member included in the golf club head of FIG. 62. FIG. 68 is a cross-sectional view of the tension member of FIG. 67 combined with the wedge member of FIG. 66. FIG. 63 is a cross-sectional view of a shaft city part assembly and a wedge member included in the golf club of FIG. 62. FIG. 63 is another cross-sectional view of the shaft city lie assembly and the wedge member included in the golf club of FIG. 62. FIG. 62 is a side view of a part of the golf club of FIG. 61. FIG. 62 is a schematic view illustrating the golf club of FIG. 61 in one of various forms. FIG. 62 is a schematic view illustrating the golf club of FIG. 61 in another one of various forms. FIG. 62 is a schematic view illustrating the golf club of FIG. 61 in another one of various forms. FIG. 62 is a schematic view illustrating the golf club of FIG. 61 in another one of various forms. FIG. 62 is a side view of a mark incorporated in the golf club of FIG. 61. FIG. 62 is a side view of a mark incorporated in the golf club of FIG. 61. FIG. 62 is a side view of an alternative mark that may be incorporated into the golf club of FIG. 61. FIG. 62 is a side view of an alternative mark that may be incorporated into the golf club of FIG. 61.

  The present invention is directed to a replaceable shaft system for coupling a golf club shaft to a club head. Such a system can be employed to customize and fit various shaft types to the club head and to allow adjustment between the shaft and club head. Several embodiments of the invention are described below.

  Unless explicitly stated otherwise, all numerical ranges, quantities, values, percentages, such as material quantities, moments of inertia, center of gravity positions, lofts, draft angles, and others in the following parts of the specification, even if Even if the term “about” is not displayed in relation to its value, amount or range, it can be read as if “about” is placed in front of it. Accordingly, unless indicated otherwise, the numerical parameters set forth in the specification and claims are approximate, depending on the desired characteristics that are contemplated by the present invention. Change. At a minimum, of course, it does not limit the application of the doctrine of equivalents, but each number of parameters should be interpreted in the light of the number of significant digits recorded and the normal rounding process.

  Although the numerical ranges and parameters representing the broad scope of the invention are approximate, the numerical values shown in the examples were recorded as accurately as possible. Any numerical value still contains errors necessarily resulting from the standard deviation found in each test measurement. Further, it should be understood that any combination of values, including the exemplified values, can be used where numerical ranges of various scopes are indicated.

  A golf club incorporating the replaceable shaft system 10 of the present invention generally includes a shaft 12, a shaft sleeve 14, a club head 16, and a fastener 18. The interchangeable shaft system 10 may be used by a club fitter to repeatedly change the shaft 12 and club head 16 combination during a fitting session. This system can give the fitting account maximum fitting options by assembling parts that are easy to use. In one embodiment, after the desired combination of shaft 12 and club head 16 is selected, the replaceable shaft system 10 is semi-permanently secured so that the average user cannot disassemble the shaft system 10. Good. Alternatively, the replaceable shaft system 10 may allow a user to manipulate the coupling to replace the shaft 12 or club head 16 or adjust between the shaft 12 and club head 16.

  As shown, the interchangeable shaft system of the present invention is incorporated into a driver-type golf club. However, it should be noted that the interchangeable shaft system of the present invention may be incorporated into any type of golf club. For example, the replaceable shaft system may be incorporated into a putter, wedge, iron, hybrid, and / or fairway wood type golf club.

  The club head 16 generally includes a face 24, a crown 25, a sole 26, and a skirt 27, which are combined to form a hollow club head 16 as a whole. The club head 16 also includes a hosel 20, which is a structure that provides a secure connection between the shaft 12 and the club head 16 during golf club manufacturing.

  Shaft 12 may be any shaft known in the art. For example, the shaft 12 may be constructed of metallic and / or non-metallic materials, and the shaft may be hollow, solid, or a combination of solid and hollow portions.

  1-5, interchangeable shaft system 10 couples shaft 12 to club head 16 so that different shafts 12 can be selectively coupled to different club heads 16. The replaceable shaft system 10 is generally coupled to the shaft 12 and has a shaft sleeve 14 that is at least partially received within the hosel 20 of the club head 16 and removably coupled the sleeve 14 to the club head 16. Fastener 18 to be included.

  In the assembled interchangeable shaft system 10, the distal end 34 of the shaft 12 is received in the shaft hole 36 of the sleeve 14 and securely attached thereto. The shaft 12 may be securely attached to the sleeve 14 by any fastening technique. For example, connection methods such as welding, ultrasonic welding, brazing, soldering, and bonding may be employed. Adhesives such as epoxy or other similar materials may be employed to secure shaft 12 and sleeve 14 securely. Preferably, the end 34 is bonded into the shaft hole 36 using an adhesive, such as epoxy.

  The sleeve 14 is inserted into the hosel 20 in a direction selected to ensure engagement of the alignment mechanisms included on the sleeve 14 side and hosel 20 side, respectively, when assembling the replaceable shaft system. The direction of the alignment mechanism provides the desired relative position between the shaft 12 and the club head 16. Further, the engagement of the alignment mechanism provides an anti-rotation mechanism that prevents relative rotation between the sleeve 14 and the hosel 20 about the longitudinal axis of the hosel 20.

  The hosel 20 is generally a tubular member that extends through the crown and at least a portion of the club head 16. The hosel 20 forms a sleeve hole 30 of a selected diameter so that the distal portion of the sleeve 14 is slidably received. Preferably, the diameter of the sleeve hole 30 is selected such that there is only a minimum clearance between the distal portion of the sleeve 14 and the hosel 20 to prevent relative lateral movement between the sleeve 14 and the hosel 20. . The sleeve hole 30 terminates at a distal flange 31 that is positioned at the distal end of the hosel 20. However, it should be noted that the flange may be located at any intermediate position between the proximal and distal ends of the hosel.

  In this embodiment, the proximal end 28 of the hosel 20 is disposed outward from the club head 16 and spaced from the crown 25 and extends through at least a portion of the side wall of the hosel 20. Includes alignment mechanism. The hosel alignment mechanism provides at least one discrete alignment direction between the club head 16 and the shaft 12 in the assembled club head. In this embodiment, the hosel 20 includes an alignment mechanism in the form of a pair of notches 32, each notch 32 extending through the side wall of the hosel 20 near the proximal end 28. That is, each notch 32 extends from the sleeve hole 30 to the proximal end 28 of the hosel 20.

  Note that the hosel alignment mechanism need not extend completely through the side wall of the hosel, but may extend through only a portion of the side wall, as shown in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. I want. Specifically, the proximal portion 22 of the hosel 21 may include a notch 33 that extends through only a portion of the side wall of the hosel 21. For example, the notch 33 in this embodiment includes a generally trapezoidal cross-section similar to the previously described embodiment, but the notch 33 radiates a portion of the side wall of the proximal end portion 22 of the hosel 21 radially from the sleeve hole 29. It extends through and does not intersect the outer surface of the hosel 21. Such an embodiment may be preferred when it is necessary to hide the alignment mechanism from the user.

  The notches 32 face each other in the radial direction at the base end portion 28 at positions spaced around the base end portion 28 of the tubular hosel 20 as a whole. This configuration allows the combined shaft 12 and sleeve 14 to be coupled to the club head 16 at two discrete positions that are rotated approximately 180 ° relative to each other. However, the hosel alignment mechanism may be located at any desired location adjacent to the proximal end 28 of the hosel 20 to achieve any desired orientation between the sleeve 14 and the hosel 20. Although the present invention includes a pair of hosel alignment mechanisms, any number of hosel alignment mechanisms may be provided to achieve any desired discrete orientation between the shaft 12 and club head 16. In addition, a single hosel alignment mechanism may be provided when a single discrete orientation is desired between the shaft and club head.

The sleeve 14 includes a distal body 38, a base ferrule 40, and at least one sleeve alignment mechanism. This embodiment includes a pair of sleeve alignment mechanisms (eg, tongue 42). The body 38 is generally cylindrical and includes a proximal end coupled to the distal end of the ferrule 40. The length of the shaft sleeve 14 and the diameter of the shaft 12 are selected to provide a suitable surface area for attachment to the shaft 12. Shaft sleeve 14 and shaft 12 constitute a coupling surface area of about 0.5-2.0 in ² . In an embodiment, the shaft sleeve 14 and the shaft are selected to constitute the binding surface area of about 1.2in ^2. Specifically, in this embodiment, the shaft sleeve 14 has a coupling length of about 1.1 inches to provide a suitable coupling surface area for a 0.335 inch diameter shaft. Note that in this embodiment, body 38 and ferrule 40 are joined so that they form an integral part, but body 38 and ferule 40 may be separate parts.

  The tongue 42 extends laterally outward beyond the outer surface of the body 38 adjacent to the seam of the body 38 and ferrule 40. The shape of the tongue 42 is selected to be complementary to the shape of the notch 32, so that when the tongue 42 is engaged with the notch 32, between the sleeve 14 and the hosel 20, There is no relative rotation about the longitudinal axis in either direction. For example, the tongue 42 generally has a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape, and this trapezoidal shape is selected to complement and engage the trapezoidal shape of the notch 32. The tongue 42 is configured such that the narrowest portion is tapered toward the proximal end portion of the sleeve 14, and the notch 32 is similarly tapered so that the narrowest portion is directed toward the sole 26 of the club head 16. Is attached. Further, the outer surface of the tongue 42 is bent with a diameter substantially the same as the outer diameter of the proximal end portion 28 of the hosel 20, so that the outer surface of the tongue 42 is formed in the assembled golf club. It is flush with the outer surface of the proximal end 28 of the hosel 20. However, it should be noted that the outer surface of the tongue and the proximal end of the hosel may not be flush if desired.

  Because the notch 32 and tongue 42 are complementary shapes, the sleeve 14 and hosel 20 can be securely attached when the replaceable shaft system 10 is assembled. Specifically, when the sleeve 14 is inserted into the sleeve hole 30 of the hosel 20, the tapered side edge of the tongue 42 is forcibly contacted with the tapered side wall of the notch 32, and the sleeve 14 is pressed against the hosel 20. To achieve a robust attachment that is consistent and repeatable. The tapered surface can be free of rotational play between the sleeve 14 and the hosel 20 due to manufacturing errors and wear. Alternatively, the hosel and sleeve alignment mechanism may involve curved edges and sidewalls that engage during assembly to provide a similarly rigid attachment.

  In this embodiment, the outer diameter of the body 38 is smaller than the outer diameter at the end of the ferrule 40 so that a shoulder 46 is formed at the joint between the body 38 and the ferrule 40. During assembly, the portion of the sleeve body 38 is inserted until the shoulder 46 is positioned near the top edge of the hosel 20. The size, taper, and / or curvature of the hosel and sleeve alignment features (specifically, tongue 42 and notch 32) can be reduced by a slight gap between shoulder 46 and hosel 20 when the golf club is assembled. It is preferably selected so that it only occurs. Further, with respect to the present invention, the size and taper of the tongue 42 and notch 32 are selected such that there is only a slight gap between the distal surface of the tongue 42 and the distal surface of the notch 32. With such a gap, the relative internal position between the sleeve 14 and the hosel 20 can be easily controlled by adjusting the dimensions of the respective alignment mechanisms. Preferably, in the assembled golf club, the amount of clearance between the shoulder 46 and the hosel 20 is not visually perceivable or at least not easily noticed. For example, the amount of gap may range from 0.005 to 0.0030 inches. In embodiments employing a wedge member, the size, taper, and / or curvature of the alignment mechanism preferably is such that the end surface of the wedge member is the complementary end of the shaft sleeve and hosel, as described below. The relative angle of the pub chill is selected so that it can be more easily controlled.

  The sleeve 14 and hosel 20 may be constructed from any metal, such as, for example, titanium, steel, aluminum, nylon, fiber reinforced polymer, or polycarbonate, or a non-metallic material. Further, the sleeve 14 and hosel 20 may be constructed of the same or different materials, and each of the sleeve 14 and hosel 20 may alternatively be a multi-material configuration, as will be described in detail below. Further, the sleeve 14 and / or hosel 20 may be constructed from a material that is a combination of metallic and non-metallic materials, such as a polymer that has been injected or plated with a metallic material. In one embodiment, hosel 20 is constructed from titanium and sleeve 14 is constructed from aluminum. Preferably, the hosel 20 is formed as an integral part of the club head 16.

  The sleeve 14 and / or hosel 20 may be coated or surface treated to achieve the desired aesthetic appearance. For example, in an embodiment employing a sleeve 14 constructed from a first metal material such as aluminum, and a hosel 20 constructed from a second metal material such as titanium, the sleeve 14 is anodized to cause electrolytic corrosion. Not to be. As a further example, the non-metallic sleeve 14 may be coated with nickel to provide a metallic appearance and may be reinforced. The coating may be selected to achieve any desired characteristics, for example, to improve strength, the coating may be a metal coating, such as a nickel alloy, with a nanocrystalline grain structure. .

The sleeve 14 is securely attached to the club head 16 by a fastener 18 so that the sleeve 14 is not disengaged from the sleeve hole 30. The fastener 18 is mainly employed so that the sleeve 14 and the club head 16 do not relatively move in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the hosel 20. The fastener 18 may be any type of fastener that limits relative movement between the sleeve 14 and the hosel 20. For example, as shown in this embodiment, fastener 18 may be an elongated mechanism fastener, such as a machine screw that engages a threaded hole in sleeve 14. Fastener 18 and sleeve 14 are sized to provide a thread length sufficient to withstand the axial force applied to replaceable shaft system 10. In one exemplary embodiment, fastener 18 and sleeve 14 are sized to provide a 1/4 inch thread engagement. Furthermore, a threaded insert may be provided if necessary to increase the screw length. For example, a threaded insert such as a Heli-coil threaded insert (registered trademark of Emgart, New Work, Germany) may be mounted in the sleeve 14.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the hosel 20 extends only partially through the club head 16. Another fastener hole 50 is provided that extends from near the sole 26 to the club head 16 and is aligned substantially coaxially with the hosel 20. The proximal end of the fastener hole 50 terminates at the proximal flange 54. The flange 54 has a cylindrical shape as a whole and forms a holding surface for the head of the fastener 18. The fastener 18 axis extends through the flange 54, traverses the gap between the fastener hole 50 and the hosel 20, and further extends through the flange 31 to engage the flange 44 of the sleeve 14.

  During assembly, the sleeve 14 is pulled into the hosel 20 as the fastener 18 is tightened. At the same time, the tongue 42 of the sleeve 14 is pulled into the notch 32 of the hosel 20 to force the tapered side edge of the tongue 42 against the tapered sidewall of the notch 32. Since the joint between the tongue 42 and the notch 32 is tapered, the attachment between the sleeve 14 and the hosel 20 is gradually tightened when the fastener 18 is tightened in the sleeve 14, and the sleeve 14 is in the hosel 20. It is ensured that it can be moved repeatedly to a predetermined position.

  The hosel 20 and sleeve hole 30 depths are selected in the club head 16 to accommodate the desired lengths of the shaft 12 and sleeve 14. In this embodiment, the hosel 20 extends only partially into the club head 16. However, it should be noted that the hosel 20 may extend through the entire club head and intersect the sole, as shown in FIG. In such an embodiment, the flange that forms the surface that holds the fastener head may be located at any intermediate location within the hosel, and separate fastener holes may not be provided.

  As previously described, a hosel alignment mechanism is disposed near the proximal end 28 of the hosel 20 and extends through at least a portion of the side wall of the hosel 20. Placing the hosel alignment mechanism near the proximal end 28 of the hosel 20 simplifies the alignment of the hosel alignment mechanism and the club head 16 because the area is easily accessible. Specifically, a precise precision alignment mechanism may be incorporated into the hosel 20 using simple machining processes and conventional tools. For example, a generally trapezoidal hosel alignment mechanism that extends completely through the side wall of the hosel 20, for example, the notch 32 is machined using a tapered end mill that passes radially across the proximal end 28 of the cast club head 16. May be processed. Because of this location, a strictly controlled sized hosel alignment mechanism can be easily constructed in any shape with simple tools and processes.

  The alignment mechanism may be located at any position around the circumference of the sleeve 14 and hosel 20. Preferably, a pair of alignment mechanisms are spaced about 180 ° around the perimeter of the body 38 and hosel 20 (ie, the alignment mechanism faces radially), with one of the alignment mechanisms being the face 24 of the club head 16. Is placed adjacent to. Because of this orientation, the alignment mechanism is hidden from view when the user places the club in the address position and views the club along a line of sight that is generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft 12. According to this orientation, the alignment mechanism can be easily visually observed by the user during adjustment by viewing the club head 16 along a line of sight orthogonal to the face 24 as a whole.

  As an additional mechanism, a locking mechanism may be provided to prevent the fastener from being disengaged from the sleeve. Any locking mechanism may be employed. For example, a lock washer may be provided between the head of the fastener 18 and the adjacent holding surface. Further alternatively, a lock thread design, such as a Spiralock lock internal thread form (registered trademark of Detroit Tool Industries, Madison Heights, Michigan) may be incorporated into the threaded hole 48 of the flange 44. Further alternatively, a threaded locking material, such as Loctite threaded locking adhesive (registered trademark of Henkel, Gulf Mills, Pa.) May be applied to the fastener 18 or threaded hole 48. Furthermore, the fastener 18 may be provided with a lock mechanism, for example, a pass lock. Further, after assembly, a bonding material, such as epoxy, may be applied to the head of the fastener 18 at the joint with the club head 16.

  As still another mechanism, a retainer 56 may be employed so that the fastener 18 is held therein when the fastener 18 is not engaged with the sleeve 14. When replacing the shaft 12, it is desirable that the fastener 18 be retained within the club head 16 and not be misplaced. The retainer 56 is coupled to the shaft of the fastener 18 and is arranged such that the flange is disposed between the retainer 56 and the head of the fastener 18. The retainer 56 is dimensioned not to pass through the corresponding flange through hole. The retainer 56 may be a clip that frictionally couples to the shaft of the fastener 18 near the flange 31 of the hosel 20, so that the flange 31 is disposed between the retainer 56 and the head of the fastener 18. Be placed.

  Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, an embodiment of a multi-piece shaft sleeve is described, which replaces the shaft sleeve 14 of the interchangeable shaft system described above. The multiple piece embodiment provides a structure that allows an alternative machining process to be used when compared to a single piece, machined or molded shaft sleeve. In addition, this allows the option of including multiple materials in a single shaft sleeve, which is beneficial in weight and / or manufacturing. In one embodiment, the shaft sleeve 63 includes a multi-piece structure including a body 65, a pair of alignment mechanisms (eg, a tongue 67), and a ferrule 69. In this embodiment, the tongue 67 is integral with the ferule 69, but the main body 65 is a separate part.

  The main body 65 is generally cylindrical and includes a proximal end that is positioned adjacent to the distal end of the ferrule 69 when assembled to the shaft. The proximal end of the body 65 includes a notch 71, with the notch 71 having a size and shape that is complementary to the size and shape of the tongue 67. Specifically, the notch 71 is preferably such that there is no gap between the distal surface of the ferrule 69 and the proximal surface of the body 65 or between the side of the tongue 67 and the side of the notch 71. With dimensions and shape. Furthermore, the thickness of the tongue portion 67 is selected so that when the shaft sleeve 63 is assembled, the portion of the tongue portion 67 extends radially outward beyond the outer surface of the main body 65. As a result, the portion of the tongue portion 67 extending radially outward from the main body 65 can be used to engage with the engagement mechanism provided at the proximal end portion of the hosel of the golf club head as described above.

  Referring to FIG. 8, another alternative embodiment of the shaft sleeve is described. The shaft sleeve 64 includes a body 66, a pair of alignment mechanisms (eg, a tongue 68), and a ferrule 70. The tongue 68 is integral with the main body 66, and the ferrule 70 is separate from the tongue 68 and the main body 66. The body 66 is generally general and includes a proximal end that is disposed near the distal end of the ferrule 70 when it is assembled to the shaft. The tongue 68 extends laterally outward from the body 66 near the proximal end of the body 66.

  The body 66 and ferule 70 may be constructed from any material, and they may be constructed from the same or different materials. For example, the body 66 may be machined from a metallic material, such as aluminum, and the ferrule 70 may be machined or molded from a non-metallic material, such as nylon. By using different materials, the overall weight can be reduced relative to the metal sleeve, while still ensuring adequate structural characteristics and bonding area. Furthermore, different materials can be selected to achieve the desired aesthetic attributes.

  In any embodiment of the shaft sleeve, the body may further include weight reduction characteristics if desired. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, the shaded portion 72 may include slots, recesses, through holes, or any other characteristic that reduces the volume of the material that makes up the body 66. The volume of body material can be reduced over any desired portion of the shaft sleeve body to the extent that sufficient surface area is ensured to properly couple the shaft to the shaft sleeve.

  A further embodiment of the shaft sleeve is shown in FIG. Similar to the previously described embodiments, the shaft sleeve 74 includes a body 76, a ferrule 78, and a tongue 80 extending laterally outward from the body 76. The shaft sleeve 74 is shown as a single piece structure of a shaft sleeve molded from a non-metallic material such as, for example, nylon, fiber reinforced polymer, or polycarbonate. Because of this construction, the shaft sleeve 74 also includes a threaded insert 82 molded into the end flange 84 of the sleeve 74. The threaded insert 82 may include a mechanism that allows the insert to be fixed and molded, for example, jagged, and / or one or more ribs or flanges.

  Yet another embodiment of a shaft sleeve is shown in FIG. 10, which is an exploded view of a portion of another embodiment of a golf club that includes a replaceable shaft system. Similar to the previously described embodiment, the golf club includes a shaft 90 coupled to the club head hosel 92 by a replaceable shaft system including a shaft sleeve 94.

  In this embodiment, the sleeve 94 employs a multi-piece structure. The sleeve 94 includes a body 96 integral with the ferrule 98 and a sleeve alignment mechanism formed by the body 96 and a separate pin 100 coupled to the ferrule 98. Pin 100 extends radially across the joint of body 96 and ferrule 98 and is securely coupled to body 96 and ferule 98. The length of the pin 100 is selected so that the end of the pin 100 extends laterally outward beyond the outer surface of the body 96. Preferably, each of the ends of the pin 100 extends laterally outward from the body 96 by a distance corresponding to the thickness of the side wall of the club head hosel 92, with the end of the pin 100 generally extending from the outer surface of the hosel 92. It is designed to be the same. Note that although pin 100 is shown as generally cylindrical, it may be with any desired cross-sectional shape and hosel 92 may include a hosel alignment mechanism with any complementary shape. I want to be. For example, the pin 100 may be a key having an arbitrary polygonal cross-sectional shape such as a triangle, a trapezoid, a square, a rectangle, or a diamond.

  The interchangeable shaft system of the present invention may be configured to adjust the angle attributes of the assembled golf club, including face angle, lie, and loft. As described above, the jumping direction of the sleeve with respect to the hosel can be realized by the alignment mechanism on the hosel and the sleeve side. The shaft may be mounted on the sleeve so that the shaft is not coaxial with the sleeve. Due to this misalignment, the direction of jump of the sleeve relative to the hosel corresponds to a different direction of the shaft relative to the club head. For example, when the shaft is mounted on the sleeve such that the longitudinal axis of the shaft is rotated relative to the shaft, the angle attribute of the assembled golf club can be adjusted by changing the angle of the shaft sleeve relative to the hosel.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the shaft 102 is mounted on the sleeve 104 such that one angle attribute, or a combination of selected angle attributes, is adjustable between at least the first configuration and the second configuration. . Specifically, the longitudinal axis A of the shaft hole 106 of the sleeve 104 rotates with respect to the main body 108 of the sleeve 104 and the longitudinal axis B of the ferrule 110. As a result, when the shaft 102 is inserted into the shaft hole 106, the longitudinal axis of the shaft 102 is coaxial with the longitudinal axis A of the shaft hole 106. When the sleeve 104 is rotated by about 180 °, the direction of the shaft 102 relative to the sleeve 104 changes from positive to negative with respect to the longitudinal axis B.

  The direction of angular offset between axis A and axis B is positioned relative to the hosel and sleeve alignment mechanism so that the club face angle changes when the sleeve is rotated between two positions in the hosel. Specifically, the sleeve may be coupled to the hosel at a first position corresponding to a first configuration in which the club face is open. Thereafter, the sleeve may be coupled in the second position, specifically, the sleeve may be rotated 180 ° from the first position, corresponding to a second configuration in which the club face is closed. Note that shaft 102 and sleeve 104 may be combined so that more than two configurations are realized. For example, the sleeve and associated golf club head may be constructed such that more than two relative configurations are provided, thereby allowing adjustment in multiple combinations of angular attributes.

  In addition, the depth of the hosel alignment mechanism is varied so that the overall length of the golf club including the interchangeable shaft system of the present invention is adjusted by providing multiple hosel alignment mechanisms of different depths. It's okay. For example, in one embodiment, a pair of hosel alignment mechanisms having different depths from the proximal end of the hosel are provided on the golf club head. A shaft sleeve is provided that includes a single sleeve alignment mechanism with a size and shape that engages any of the hosel alignment mechanisms. In the first configuration, the sleeve alignment mechanism engages the deep hosel alignment mechanism, so that the sleeve is retracted into the hosel to a first depth to achieve the entire length of the first golf club. In the second configuration, the sleeve alignment mechanism engages the shallow hosel alignment mechanism, which results in the sleeve being pulled into the hosel to a second depth that is shorter than the first depth, resulting in a second overall golf club length. This length is shorter than the first length.

  With reference to FIGS. 12-14, another embodiment of the interchangeable shaft system of the present invention will be described. The replaceable shaft system 120 is similar to the previously described embodiment in that it includes a shaft sleeve 122 coupled to the shaft 124 and a fastener 126 that retains the sleeve 122 within the hosel 128 of the club head 130 as a whole. It is. However, in this embodiment, the fastener 126 is integral with the ferrule 132.

  Sleeve 122 includes a body 134 and an alignment mechanism (eg, tongue 136). The sleeve 122 includes a separate ferrule 132. In the assembled golf club, the body 134 of the sleeve 122 is at least partially received in the sleeve hole 138 of the hosel 128. The body 134 is oriented such that the tongue 136 engages a complementary alignment mechanism (eg, notch 140) in the hosel 128.

  The fastener 126 is integrated into the ferrule 132 to form part thereof. Specifically, fastener 126 is the distal portion of ferrule 132 that is configured to mechanically engage a portion of hosel 128. For example, fastener 126 is a portion of ferrule 132 that includes a threaded inner surface 144 and is configured to threadably engage threaded outer surface 142 of hosel 128.

  Ferrule 132 also includes a bearing surface 142. The bearing surface 142 forces against the proximal surface of the sleeve 122 when assembling the replaceable shaft system 120. During assembly, the shaft 124 is inserted through the ferrule 132 so that the ferrule 132 slides on and rotates relative to the shaft 124. Next, the sleeve 122 is coupled to the distal end of the shaft 124. The dimensions of the sleeve 122 are selected so that the ferrule 132 does not slide past the sleeve 122 and into the distal end of the shaft 124. Next, the sleeve 122 is inserted into the sleeve hole 138, and at this time, the tongue 136 is engaged with the notch 140 after the sleeve 122 is in a desired rotation direction. Finally, the ferrule 132 is slid along the shaft until the bearing surface 142 abuts the sleeve 122 and then the fastener 126 is screwed onto the hosel 128.

  Marks may be provided to clearly indicate the configuration of the shaft with respect to the club head in the assembled golf club. For example, as described above, the shaft may be coupled to the shaft sleeve such that the club is assembled in the first or second configuration. A configuration may be shown in which the indicia are placed and assembled on the shaft sleeve and / or hosel. The indicia may be positioned so that the indicia is visible only during assembly, or as desired during and after assembly.

  15-19, you may provide the mark part of arbitrary forms. The indicia may be stamped, embossed, or painted and may be one or more letters, numbers, symbols, dots, and / or other markings that distinguish the available configurations of the golf club. The indicia may be included on the club head, shaft sleeve, or any portion of the shaft of the assembled golf club. Preferably, the markings are provided on or near the sleeve-side and / or hosel-side alignment mechanism.

  As shown in FIGS. 1, 15, and 16, characters corresponding to the configuration of the golf club may be included. In one embodiment, the marking 150 is “O” located in the sleeve alignment mechanism, corresponding to a configuration in which the face angle of the club head is open. Further, the mark portion 152 is in the form of the letter “C” and corresponds to a configuration in which the face angle is closed by being provided in another sleeve alignment mechanism.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the hosel and shaft sleeve alignment features (eg, notch 32 and tongue 42) and / or markings are positioned so that they are less visible during use. Specifically, in the assembled golf club, the tongues 42 are such that the tongues 42 face each other around the periphery of the hosel 20 along an axis that is generally orthogonal to the face 24 of the club head 16. Place. As a result, the tongue portion 42 is visible along a line of sight substantially orthogonal to the face 24 of the club head 16. However, when the user holds the club in the address position, the tongue 42 is blocked from view. That is, the alignment mechanism is not visible along an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft, and when the golf club is in the address position, the golf club has the appearance of a golf club that does not have a replaceable shaft system.

  Other examples of marks are shown in FIGS. In FIG. 17, the mark portions 154 and 156 include both characters and symbols (for example, “L +” and “L−”). A combination of letters, symbols and / or numbers may be employed to clearly indicate the construction of the assembled golf club. In this embodiment, indicia 154 and 156 are particularly suitable for indicating that the club head lie or loft angle has increased or decreased, respectively. Further, the markings may be provided to indicate to the user which markings included on the sleeve 14 correspond to the assembled configuration of the golf club. As a further example, indicia 158 may include numbers such as “0” and “1” or “1” and “2” as shown in FIG.

  The interchangeable shaft system of the present invention is beneficial over conventional club fitting methods. In a conventional fitting session, the user must take a test swing with multiple non-adjustable samples for a single golf club. For example, a conventional fitting cart or bag typically includes multiple samples of 6-irons in multiple configurations. The user needs to try many of these sample clubs to determine which sample contains the most appropriate configuration. However, because each of the sample clubs is not adjustable, there is a difference between the individual parts of the sample club, so additional variable factors will be included in the fitting process, and the fitting cart or bag will have many individual It is necessary to include a completed sample club.

  The golf club mounting method of the replaceable shaft system of the present invention reduces and eliminates such additional variables by minimizing the number of parts required for the fitting process for the user. The number of complete finished samples is also reduced. The interchangeable shaft system allows a single club head to be employed throughout the fitting process, again using a different shaft or changing the orientation of the single shaft relative to the club head. This system allows different club heads to be employed under a single shaft if desired.

  The method includes providing a golf club that includes the interchangeable shaft system of the present invention in a first configuration. Next, the user swings the golf club. At this time, the golf club remains in the first configuration. The user's swing is analyzed and the replaceable shaft system of the golf club is disassembled and then reassembled in the second configuration. Next, the user swings the golf club with the second configuration, and the user's swing is analyzed. These steps are repeated for each of any number of golf club configurations. Finally, a club configuration suitable for the user is determined based on an analysis of the user's swing.

  Many different operations may be performed in reassembling the replaceable shaft system to the second configuration. For example, the combined shaft and sleeve included in the golf club in the first configuration may be reoriented with respect to the club head to change one or a combination of golf club angle attributes. Alternatively, the shaft and sleeve combination may be exchanged and a different shaft and sleeve may be attached to the club head. It would be desirable to exchange shaft and sleeve combinations to change angular attributes and / or other physical attributes of the golf club, such as shaft softness, shaft length, grip style and feeling, etc. Also good.

  Another embodiment of a golf club including the interchangeable shaft system of the present invention is shown in FIGS. The replaceable shaft system 160 generally includes a shaft sleeve 162 coupled to the shaft 164 and a fastener 166 that holds the sleeve 162 within the hosel 168 of the club head 170. However, in this embodiment, the hosel 168 extends through the entire club head 170 and traverses both the crown 171 and the sole 173 of the club head 170.

  The sleeve 162 includes a body 174 and an alignment mechanism (eg, tongue), and the body 174 includes a shaft portion 175 and a fastener portion 179. The shaft portion 175 is generally cylindrical and forms a shaft hole 178. The fastener portion 179 is generally cylindrical and has an outer diameter that is less than or equal to the outer dimension of the shaft portion 175. Fastener portion 179 includes a threaded hole that engages fastener 166.

  In the assembled golf club, the body 174 of the sleeve 162 is at least partially received within the sleeve hole 180 of the hosel 168. The body 174 is oriented such that the alignment mechanism of the sleeve 162 engages a complementary alignment mechanism (eg, notch) in the hosel 168. Further, a ferrule 172 may be included, which abuts the proximal end of the shaft sleeve 162 to provide a tapered transition between the shaft sleeve 162 and the shaft 164.

  The fastener 166 is a long mechanical fastener, for example, a mechanical screw that engages a threaded hole in the sleeve 162. Fastener 166 and sleeve 162 are sized to provide a thread engagement length sufficient to withstand the axial force applied to replaceable shaft system 160.

  The flange 176 is included in the inside of the hosel 168 at a middle position along the length of the hosel 168. The flange 176 is generally annular and includes a through-hole dimensioned so that the threaded leg of the fastener 166 passes therethrough, and the dimension of the through-hole causes the head of the fastener 166 to move therethrough. It is designed not to pass through. The flange 176 provides a bearing surface for the head of the fastener 166 when the fastener 166 engages the sleeve 162 and is pulled when the fastener 166 is tightened into the threaded hole of the sleeve 162. .

  The replaceable shaft system 160 also includes a retainer 177 to hold the fastener 166 within the hosel 168 of the club head 170 when the fastener 166 is not engaged with the sleeve 162, eg, during shaft replacement and orientation. ing. The retainer 177 is a cylindrical member that is slidably housed inside the hosel 168 with the side portion closest to the sole 173 of the hosel 168, and the head of the fastener 166 is disposed between the retainer 177 and the flange 176. It has become so. The inner diameter of the retainer 177 is selected to be smaller than the outer diameter of the head of the fastener 166 and larger than the outer diameter of the tool used to rotate the fastener 166. Alternatively, the retainer may preferably be a removable solid plug so that the retainer can be removed to access the fastener.

  The swing weight of a golf club incorporating the replaceable shaft system of the present invention may be converted using a sleeve having a desired weight. When assembling a golf club, the club head is often weighted to compensate for manufacturing accuracy or to form a desired swing weight. In this embodiment, a shaft sleeve structure having various weights is realized, and the shaft sleeve structure matches the weight of other parts to realize a desired swing weight.

  Referring to FIG. 23, the shaft sleeve 182 includes a body with a shaft portion 186 and a fastener portion 188. The shaft portion 186 is generally cylindrical and forms a shaft hole 187 sized to accommodate the end of the golf club shaft. The fastener portion 188 is generally cylindrical and its outer diameter is preferably less than or equal to the outer dimension of the shaft portion 186. The fastener portion 188 includes a threaded hole 190 that extends to a post 194 that engages the fastener in a replaceable shaft system in an assembled position. In this embodiment, fastener portion 188 includes a weight 192 coupled to post 194. The weight 192 as a whole is removably coupled to the post 194 so that various mass weights 192 can be selected and attached to the fastener portion 188. For example, the weight 192 may be attached by a threaded interface between the weight 192 and the post 194 or the weight 192 is slidably engaged with the post 194 and extends mechanically through the weight 192 in a radial direction. For example, it may be fixed by stakes with fixing screws or pins. In yet another alternative, the weight 192 may be semi-permanently fixed, for example, by application of an adhesive, or may be permanently fixed by welding, press fit, shrink fit.

  Referring to FIG. 24, another embodiment of the shaft sleeve 202 is described. The shaft sleeve 202 includes a body with a shaft portion 206 and a fastener portion 208. Similar to the previously described embodiments, shaft portion 206 is configured to receive the end of a golf club shaft and fastener portion 208 is configured to engage the fastener in an assembled replaceable shaft system. . The fastener portion 208 includes a weight 210 that forms part of the fastener portion 208. Specifically, the weight is formed integrally with the fastener portion 208 of the shaft sleeve 202 so as to be permanently connected to the shaft sleeve 202.

  The weight material and size of the above-described embodiments are selected to achieve the desired final weight of the shaft sleeve. The shaft sleeve can have various weights and can be constructed during assembly such that the shaft sleeve matches the weight of the club head to achieve the desired swing weight. The weight is constructed entirely from a material of a different density than the rest of the shaft sleeve. For example, weights constructed from titanium, steel, and / or tungsten can be employed to add mass to an aluminum shaft sleeve. Additionally, powder filled polymers such as tungsten filled thermoplastic materials may be employed. The mass of the aluminum shaft sleeve can be reduced by reassuring weights constructed from arbitrated materials, such as polycarbonate or fiber reinforced plastic, which are more dense than aluminum.

  Referring to FIG. 25, another embodiment of the shaft sleeve 212 is described. The sleeve 212 includes a body 214 and an alignment mechanism, which is in the form of a tongue 216 and is located near the base of the body 214. This embodiment includes three tongues 216 that are circumferentially spaced about the base of the body 214, ie, spaced about 120 degrees around the periphery of the body 214. The body 214 is generally cylindrical and includes a proximal end disposed adjacent to the distal end of the ferrule in the assembled golf club. The length of the shaft sleeve 212 and the diameter of the shaft hole 218 of the sleeve 212 are selected so as to provide an appropriate coupling area with the golf club shaft.

  The tongue 216 extends laterally outward beyond the outer surface of the body 214. The shape of the tongue 216 is selected to match the shape of the notch included in the hosel of the complementary golf club head, and when the tongue 216 is engaged with the notch, the sleeve 212 about the longitudinal axis of the hosel. And the hosel cannot be rotated relatively. Similar to the previously described embodiments, the tongue 216 generally has a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape that fits and engages with the trapezoidal notch.

  Relative rotation between the shaft sleeve and the hosel is prohibited by the shaft sleeve alignment mechanism and the hosel alignment mechanism. Specifically, the side 217 of the tongue 216 abuts the corresponding side of the complementary hosel alignment mechanism. The side 217 may be oriented to convert the magnitude of vertical and tangential forces applied to the abutting side.

  Referring to FIG. 26, the shaft sleeve 222 includes a tongue 224 with a side 226 that is engaged with a hosel 228 that includes a notch 230 with a complementary tongue 224 as shown. The side surface 226 of the tongue 224 is generally flat and is directed to a surface that extends radially through the shaft sleeve 222. Similarly, the side surface 231 of the notch 230 is also generally flat and is directed to a surface that extends radially through the shaft sleeve 222. With such orientation, when the sleeve 222 is rotated about its longitudinal axis relative to the hosel 228, the force acting between the side 226 of the tongue 224 and the side 231 of the notch 230 is mainly against the side. Oriented vertically.

  In another embodiment, shown in FIG. 27, the shaft sleeve 232 includes a tongue 234 with a side 236 that engages a hosel 238 that includes a notch 240 with a complementary tongue 234 as shown. Combined. The side 236 of the tongue 234 is generally flat, parallel, and directed to a surface that is spaced apart from a surface that extends radially through the shaft sleeve 222. Similarly, the side surface 241 of the notch 240 is generally flat, parallel, and directed to a surface spaced from a surface extending radially through the shaft sleeve 222. With such orientation, when the sleeve 232 is rotated about its longitudinal axis relative to the hosel 238, the force acting between the side 236 of the tongue 234 and the side 241 of the notch 240 is perpendicular to the side. And components that are directed both tangentially. It should be noted that the side surfaces of the alignment mechanism need not be flat, and may include facet sides so as to have a tendency to self-center when a rotational load is applied.

  With reference to FIGS. 28 and 29, a body embodiment of a replaceable shaft system 250 will be described. The replaceable shaft system 250 allows the shaft sleeve 252 to be tilted within the hosel 258 of the golf club head 260 in addition to allowing 180 ° rotation relative to the hosel 258. Is configured to be further adjustable. The interchangeable shaft system 250 generally includes a shaft sleeve 252 that is coupled to the shaft 254 and a fastener 256 that retains the sleeve 252 within the hosel 258.

  Sleeve 252 includes a body and an alignment mechanism (eg, tongue 262). The body includes a shaft portion 267 and a fastener portion 268. The shaft portion 267 is generally tubular and forms a shaft hole. The fastener portion 268 is also generally cylindrical and includes a threaded hole that engages the fastener 256.

  The shaft sleeve 252 includes a pair of tongues 262 that include a generally cylindrical side 266. Opposite tongue 262 cylindrical side surfaces are concentric and have the same radius of curvature. The hosel 258 includes alignment features in the form of notches 272, which also have Nei statistics side surfaces 274, which are coaxial and abut the cylindrical side surface of the tongue 262 in the replaceable shaft system 250 after assembly. The side 274 of the notch 272 may alternatively be polygonal such that the cylindrical side 266 of the tongue 262 contacts the side 274 at multiple contacts.

  29A-29C, the cylindrical side surfaces of the tongue 262 and the notch 272 slide relative to each other so that the sleeve 252 rotates about an axis passing through the center of curvature of the side surfaces to form the hosel 258. It comes to lean against. FIG. 29A shows the shaft sleeve 252 in a first position, in which the sleeve 252 is tilted by α ° counterclockwise with respect to the hosel 258. FIG. 29B shows the shaft sleeve 252 in a second position, where the sleeve 252 is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the hosel 258. FIG. 29C shows the shaft sleeve 252 in a third position, in which the sleeve 252 is tilted by α ° clockwise relative to the hosel 258.

  The outer diameter of the portion of the shaft sleeve 252 that extends into the hosel 258 is selected such that a gap is provided between the shaft sleeve 252 and the inner surface of the hosel 258 such that a desired tilt angle movement is possible. Further, the size of the holes 276 and 278 are selected to provide clearance for the fastener 256 throughout the entire range of movement of the shaft sleeve 252.

  An alignment member 280 is provided in a fastener hole 281 formed within the sole of the golf club head 260. Alignment member 280 may be used to hold fastener 256 to maintain shaft sleeve 252 in a selected direction. A plurality of alignment members may be provided, each configured to align the fastener 256 and shaft sleeve 252 in an individual direction. In one embodiment, a pair of alignment members 280 are provided. A first alignment member 280a is provided in the direction of the shaft sleeve 252 shown in FIGS. 29A and 29C, and the alignment member 280a is disposed near the side edge of the alignment member 280a and is angled from the rotational center of the shaft sleeve 252. Alignment holes 282 to be included. The alignment member 280a is rotated 180 ° to achieve the different directions of FIGS. 29A and 29C. In FIG. 29B, an alignment member 280b is shown that includes an alignment hole 282 that is positioned in the center of alignment member 280b and directs fastener 256 and shaft sleeve 252 to align with the longitudinal axis of hosel 258 as a whole.

  The adjustability provided by the replaceable shaft system 250 is schematically illustrated in FIGS. The shaft sleeve 252 is allowed to tilt within the hosel 258, and the shaft sleeve 252 can rotate 180 ° relative to the hosel 258. Further, the shaft 254 is mounted in the shaft sleeve 252 with each shaft α relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft sleeve 252. As a result, the range of angular change of shaft 254 relative to the longitudinal axis of hosel 258 is increased compared to systems that do not allow tilting. For example, in the first direction, as shown in FIG. 30A, the shaft 254 is oriented in a clockwise position relative to the longitudinal axis C of the hosel 258 by an angle α, and the shaft sleeve 252 is coaxial with the hosel 258. Oriented. In the second direction, as shown in FIG. 30B, the shaft sleeve 252 is tilted counterclockwise by an angle α with respect to the axis C, so that the left and 254 are aligned coaxially with the axis C. In FIG. 30C, the shaft sleeve 252 is rotated 180 ° about axis C relative to the direction of FIGS. 30A and 30B and is coaxially aligned with respect to axis C so that shaft 254 is angled with respect to axis C— It is oriented counterclockwise by α. When the shaft sleeve 252 is tilted counterclockwise by an angle α with respect to the hosel, the direction of the shaft 254 changes and the shaft 254 is rotated counterclockwise by an angle −α so as to move away from the axis C. It is done. By configuring the shaft sleeve 252 to tilt and rotate, additional shaft directions can be realized. Further, in such a configuration, the angular change of the shaft is greater than that required for the shaft sleeve in the hosel. Further, by allowing the shaft sleeve 252 to tilt, all directions of the shaft can be realized in a single plane, eg, a lie plane.

  The alignment members included in the interchangeable shaft system may involve a variety of structures. In one embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 31 and 32, alignment member 284 includes a body 286 that includes an alignment hole 288 and a weight cavity 290. As previously described in connection with other embodiments, alignment hole 288 is configured to align with fastener 292, which extends into the shaft sleeve and shafts in a desired direction relative to the golf club hosel. Hold the sleeve. In this embodiment, the alignment hole 288 includes a tapered portion 294 that abuts the tapered portion 296 of the fastener 292 such that the fastener 292 is wedged in a unique direction.

  The weight cavity 290 may be utilized to include individual weight members 298 and may be emptied to reduce the weight of the alignment member 284. A weight member 298 may be included to convert the swing weight of the golf club head including the alignment member 284, and by including the weight member 298 in the alignment member 284, additional weight may be near the shaft axis. Be placed. By adopting such an arrangement, an alternative swing weight can be realized, yet the effect on the moment of inertia around the shaft axis can be minimized and the ability of the club to rotate around the shaft axis is not significantly affected. It is like that. Furthermore, an additional weight is placed adjacent to the sole, which is preferred for preventing the golf club head from raising its center of gravity.

  Another alignment member is shown in FIGS. The alignment member 300 includes a body 302 that defines a slot 304 that provides multiple directions for the fastener 306. The fastener 306 extends through the slot 304 and engages a shaft sleeve 308 disposed on the hosel 310 of the golf club head. As shown in FIG. 34, the slot 304 includes a plurality of strain relief positions that are formed by countersink holes 312 that intersect the slot 304 and receive the shoulder 314 of the fastener 306. In such a configuration, the fastener 306 may be pulled sufficiently to allow the shoulder 314 to disengage from the countersink hole 312 without completely removing the fastener 306 from the shaft sleeve 308, so that the direction of the fastener 306 and the shaft sleeve 308. Can be changed.

  Alternatively, a compression member 316, such as a compression washer or sleeve, and a limit stop 318 may be provided on the fastener 306 between the shaft sleeve 308 and the hosel 310. The compression member 316 is compressed between the limit stop 318 and the hosel 310 when the fastener 306 is retracted to push the shoulder 314 and remain in the counterbore 312 to position the fastener 306 during use. To help. In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 35, the counterbore hole may be replaced with a countersink 320, and the taper fastener 324 allows engagement between the mechanisms to provide self-positioning of the fastener 324 and shaft sleeve 308 in the desired direction. The advantage is to ensure.

  36 and 37, the alignment member 330 includes a body 332 with a circular cross-sectional shape. The body 332 forms an arcuate slot 334 that houses the fastener 336. By rotating the alignment member 330 within the fastener hole while the fastener 336 remains engaged with the shaft sleeve, the arcuate slot 334 is oriented so that the fastener is oriented between the center of the alignment member 330 and the end of the alignment member. Composed. The side wall 338 of the body 332 may include a coating or surface feature, such as a jagged surface, that creates friction between the body 332 and the fastener hole so that the alignment member 330 does not rotate freely within the fastener hole.

  The shapes of the alignment member and fastener holes are selected to achieve the desired movement. The main body of the alignment member has a cross-sectional shape that can be accommodated in the fastener hole in one of a plurality of directions, and is formed into, for example, an ellipse, a star shape, a polygon, or any other shape that allows movement thereof. . Alternatively, the cross-sectional shape of the body of the alignment member may be circular and rotatable within the fastener hole, allowing continuous adjustment. In a further alternative example, the body of the alignment member may be shaped such that there is only one possible orientation within the fastener hole, for example, the alignment member may be an asymmetric improvement.

  With reference to FIGS. 38-40, another embodiment of a replaceable shaft system 340 is described that provides dual angle adjustment. The replaceable shaft system 340 is configured such that additional adjustments can be achieved by including a wedge member 341 interposed between the shaft sleeve 342 and the hosel 347 of the club head body 343. Specifically, shaft sleeve 342 is coupled to shaft 344, extends through wedge member 341, and is at least partially housed within hosel 347. Fastener 349 removably couples sleeve 342 to club head 343.

  In one embodiment, the shaft sleeve 342 has a shaft hole 345 that has a longitudinal axis that is not coaxial with the body of the shaft sleeve 342 so that the shaft sleeve 342 is coupled to the end of the shaft 344. Further, the longitudinal axis of the shaft sleeve 342 is angled with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shaft 344 by a shaft angle α. As described herein, the maximum angle deflection surface of the shaft sleeve 342 is a cross section that extends through the longitudinal axis of the shaft sleeve 342 and through the central axis of the shaft hole 345, and the shaft 344 is inserted into the shaft hole 345. Sometimes the largest angular difference between the shaft sleeve 342 and the shaft 344 coincides with that plane. The shaft angle α is preferably less than about 10 °, more preferably less than about 5 °.

  Both end surfaces 346 of the wedge member 341 are angled with respect to each other such that when the wedge member 341 is sandwiched between the shaft sleeve 342 and the hosel 347, the direction of the shaft 344 relative to the shaft sleeve 342 is the club of the wedge member 341. It is determined by a combination of the position with respect to the head 343 and the position of the shaft sleeve 342 with respect to the club head 343.

  The wedge member 341 includes a cylindrical tubular body 348 where both flat end surfaces 346 of the tubular body 348 are angled relative to each other by a wedge angle β, and both end surfaces 346 are not parallel and extend from these surfaces. The going alignment mechanisms are angled with respect to each other. The wedge angle is preferably less than about 10 °, more preferably less than about 5 ° and less than the shaft angle α. In this embodiment, the distal end surface of the wedge member 341 is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical body 348 and the proximal end surface is angled relative to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical body 348. As a result, the wedge member is accompanied by a maximum length portion 350, which is radially opposed to the minimum length portion 351, and the wedge member 341 defines a maximum angle change plane. As described herein, the maximum angular deflection surface of the wedge member is a cross-section extending across the wedge member through the minimum length portion and the maximum length portion, and the largest angular difference between the proximal and distal end surfaces of the wedge member. Corresponds to the plane. For example, as shown in FIG. 39, the wedge member 341 has a maximum angle deflection surface corresponding to the paper surface.

  The shaft sleeve 342 is inserted into the wedge member 341 and the hosel 347 so that the three parts have a desired relative direction. A plurality of alignment mechanisms included in connection with the shaft sleeve 342, wedge member 341, and hosel 347 provide an intermittent direction of the number of hooks to the club head of the shaft. In the illustrated embodiment, the alignment is such that there are four intermittent relative directions between the wedge member 341 and the hosel 347 and four intermittent relative directions between the shaft sleeve 342 and the wedge member 341. The mechanism is configured. Specifically, the alignment mechanism of the shaft sleeve 342 includes four tongue portions 354 arranged around the shaft sleeve 342 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. The tongue 354 is sized and shaped to match the notch 356 included in the proximal end of the wedge member 341. The distal end of the wedge member 341 includes an alignment mechanism, eg, four tongues 358, with dimensions and shapes that match an alignment mechanism, eg, four notches 360, that are non-braided to the proximal end of the hosel 347. In the assembled replaceable shaft system 340, the tongue 354 of the shaft sleeve 342 engages the notch 356 of the wedge member 341 and the tongue 358 of the wedge member 341 engages the notch 360 of the hosel 347.

  After the shaft sleeve 342 is inserted into the wedge member 341, the retainer 362 is connected to the shaft sleeve 342 so that the wedge member 341 is held by the shaft sleeve 342. The retainer 362 is coupled to the end of the shaft sleeve 342 so that the wedge member 341 can slide between the retainer 362 and the tongue 354. As a result, the loft and lie directions of the shaft 344 can be deflected without completely disassembling the replaceable shaft system 340, preventing the loss of the wedge member 341 that occurs when the system is completely disassembled. For example, the engagement length of the fastener 349 can be selected to be greater than the respective engagement length of the set of alignment mechanisms so that the replaceable shaft system components can be redirected without completely disassembling the system. To.

  In other embodiments, the shaft sleeve includes a shaft hole with a coaxial longitudinal axis of the shaft sleeve body. In such an embodiment, the wedge member achieves angular adjustment while maintaining the angular position of the shaft and grip. As a result, the directional shaft and grip can be maintained in a desired direction. A directional shaft depends on physical attributes such as rigidity, kick point, and the direction and position of a force splitting the shaft, or has an asymmetric image. Directional grips involve visual or tactile directional reminders and are often referred to as reminder grips.

  The magnitude of shaft angle α and wedge angle β, as well as the location and number of alignment features, are selected to achieve the desired range of movement and the number of intermittent directions. For example, in an embodiment where the maximum angular displacement plane of the shaft sleeve and shaft combination and the maximum angular displacement plane of the wedge member can be aligned, the magnitude of the range of angular movement is determined by the sum of the shaft angle α and the wedge angle β. The number of intermittent directions depends on whether the shaft angle α has the same magnitude as the wedge angle β.

  42A-41D, the maximum angular deflection plane of the wedge member and the maximum angular deflection plane of the shaft sleeve and shaft combination are oriented to align with the plane of the page. Referring to FIGS. 41A and 41B, replaceable shaft system 370 includes a shaft sleeve 372, a shaft 374, and a wedge member 376 that is coupled to a hosel 378 of a golf club head. The wedge member 376 includes opposite end surfaces that are angled with respect to each other by a wedge angle β, and the shaft 374 is angled with respect to the shaft sleeve 372 by the shaft angle α, which is the same as the wedge angle β. That's it. Further, the alignment features of the shaft sleeve 372 and the wedge member 376 are configured such that their maximum deflection plane is coplanar or parallel. As a result, as shown in FIG. 41A, in some directions, the angular deflection of the wedge member 376 cancels the angular deflection of the shaft sleeve 372 so that the shaft 374 is coaxial or parallel to the longitudinal axis C of the hosel 378. It has become. By offsetting the angular deflection, a plurality of positions of the assembled shaft sleeve 372 and wedge member 376 form a single shaft direction that overlaps. In the other direction, as shown in FIG. 41B, the angular deflection of shaft 374 relative to axis C of hosel 378 is the sum of wedge angle β and shaft angle α.

  Referring to FIGS. 41C and 41D, another interchangeable shaft system 380 includes a shaft sleeve 382, a shaft 384, and a wedge member 386 that is coupled to the hosel 388 of the golf club head. The wedge member 386 includes opposite end surfaces that are angled with respect to each other by a wedge angle β, and the shaft 374 is angled with respect to the shaft sleeve 372 by the shaft angle α, which is different from the wedge angle β. That's it. In embodiments where the alignment mechanism of the shaft sleeve 382 and wedge member 386 is configured so that their maximum deflection planes are coplanar or parallel, the amount of angular deflection is different, so that the angular deflection is in incremental directions, A direction is realized in which the angular deflection is differential but not completely cancelled. As shown in FIG. 41C, the angular deflection of shaft 384 with respect to axis C of hosel 388 is the difference between wedge angle β and shaft angle α. In the other direction, as shown in FIG. 41D, the angular deflection of shaft 384 relative to axis C of hosel 388 is the sum of wedge angle β and shaft angle α.

  The number and location of shaft sleeves, wedge members, and / or hosel alignment features of embodiments of the interchangeable shaft system of the present invention is such that the maximum deflection plane is oriented in any predetermined direction relative to the club head. Is oriented. As a result, the pattern represented by the available directional position of the shaft with respect to the club head is changed, and a desired adjustment pattern can be realized. For example, to implement an embodiment having two available orientations with two different face angles and a constant lie angle, a replaceable shaft system, such as that shown in FIGS. The maximum displacement plane is constructed to be aligned with the 0 ° plane of the club head (ie, plane D in FIG. 42), and the shaft sleeve rotates so that the shaft is deflected in the 0 ° or 180 ° direction. You may be allowed to.

  In another example, a replaceable shaft system is realized with two available directional positions where only the lie angle is changed. While such an embodiment can be incorporated into any type of golf club, it is particularly beneficial for iron type golf clubs. This is because, at the time of fitting, it is often desirable for an iron-type golf club to change the lie angle without changing the loft angle in order to maintain the distance gap of the iron. In such an embodiment, a replaceable shaft system, such as that shown in FIGS. 1-3, allows the maximum displacement plane of the shaft sleeve to be aligned with the 90 ° plane of the club head (ie, plane F in FIG. 42). Built in.

  FIGS. 44-48 show the change in loft and lie directions relative to nominal or designed values in an embodiment with various orientations of the most deflection plane and the angular deflection of the wedge member and shaft relative to the shaft sleeve. Will be explained. In each of the embodiments, the alignment mechanism is configured so that there are four relative positions between the shaft sleeve and the chain member and between the wedge member and the hosel. The number may be at least more. FIG. 44 illustrates the loft and lie directions achieved by one embodiment of a replaceable shaft system. In this embodiment, the wedge member and the shaft sleeve each achieve an angular deflection of 1 °, and the alignment mechanism is configured so that the maximum displacement plane is along planes D and / or F as shown in FIG. . According to the magnitude of the angular displacement of the part and the possible direction of the maximum displacement plane, the direction generally forms a diamond-shaped matrix, where loft change (Δloft) vs. lie change (Δlie) There is a plot, which includes at least one internal direction. However, unlike known systems, when assembling the parts, the magnitude of the displacement of the parts can be the same and the parts can be oriented to offset the displacement, so the loft and lie do not change from the designed values. Neutral position is realized. Furthermore, an internal position in the matrix can be realized by a combination of parts. This is different from the ambient only matrix provided in known systems.

  In other embodiments, systems with different degrees of angular displacement of the wedge member and shaft sleeve are implemented, which provide additional loft and lie directions, as illustrated in FIG. The wedge member provides an angular displacement of 0.5 °, the shaft sleeve provides an angular displacement of 1 °, and the alignment mechanism ensures that the maximum displacement plane of the wedge member and shaft sleeve is along planes D and / or F of FIG. Configured as follows. Since the displacement of the wedge member and the shaft sleeve are different, 16 positions of the shaft relative to the club head are realized, with the illustrated combination of Δloft and Δlie.

  The feasible direction of the plane of maximum angular displacement can be changed as compared to the previous embodiment to achieve a rectangular directional matrix with internal directions. Preferably, the loft angle is the same for each of the available lie values in the matrix, which is achieved by the embodiment described in FIGS. Such a structure is particularly beneficial because it provides multiple directions of adjusting one of the loft and lie and keeping the other approximately constant. Specifically, a system comprising a wedge member and a shaft sleeve and configured such that the alignment mechanism is oriented in 45 ° and 135 ° planes (ie, planes E and G in FIG. 42) is a rectangular matrix. Realize loft and lie direction.

  Referring to FIG. 46, the embodiment comprises a wedge member and a shaft sleeve with the same amount of angular displacement. In this particular embodiment, the magnitude of the angular displacement of each of the wedge member and the shaft sleeve is about 1.0 °. The alignment mechanism for each of these components is configured such that the maximum angular deflection plane for each of these components aligns with the planes E and / or G of FIG. The combination of direction and size allows adjustment within a 3 × 3 square matrix of different available loft and lie directions. Note that multiple loft and lie directions are repeated by overlapping movement of wedge members and shaft sleeves of the same size (ie, different combinations of wedge member and shaft sleeve directions may result in golf clubs) Results in a redundant configuration).

  Referring to FIGS. 47 and 48, two example loft and lie directions will be described in which the wedge member and shaft sleeve are accompanied by different amounts of angular displacement. Specifically, the embodiment of FIG. 47 includes a wedge member with an angular displacement of about 0.5 ° and a shaft sleeve with an angular displacement of about 1.0 °. The alignment mechanism is configured such that the maximum deflection plane is along the planes E and / or G of FIG. The combination of direction and size allows adjustment within a 4 × 4 square matrix of available intermittent loft and lie directions. In the example of FIG. 48, the wedge member has an angular displacement of about 0.7 °, the shaft sleeve has an angular displacement of about 1.45 °, and the plane of maximum angular displacement is plane E and / or FIG. May be directed to G. In embodiments incorporating angular displacements of different magnitudes, it is preferred that the wedge member angular displacement be less than the shaft sleeve angular displacement to reduce fastener head movement.

  49 and 50, additional embodiments of loft and lie directions will be described in which the wedge member and shaft sleeve are accompanied by different amounts of angular displacement. These embodiments include a wedge member with an angular displacement of about 0.5 ° and a shaft sleeve with an angular displacement of about 1.0 °. Furthermore, the number of positions available in relation to each part is different, for example in these embodiments the wedge member can be arranged in four directions with respect to the hosel and the shaft sleeve has eight positions with respect to the wedge member. Can be placed in the direction. In the embodiment of FIG. 49, the wedge member is oriented so that the maximum displacement plane of the wedge member is along the planes D and / or F of FIG. In the embodiment of FIG. 50, the wedge member is oriented so that the maximum displacement plane of the wedge member is along planes E and / or G of FIG. Since the shaft sleeve can be directed to one of eight positions spaced about the circumference, in both embodiments, the plane of maximum angular displacement of the shaft sleeve is planes D, E, F, And / or along G.

  Referring to FIGS. 51 and 52, a replaceable shaft system 390 that can invite the length of the entire club is described. In the system 390, the expansion member 391 may replace the wedge member or may be provided with wedge members of different lengths. In general, the system 390 includes a shaft sleeve 392 that is coupled to a shaft 394 that extends through the expansion member 391 and is partially housed in the hosel 397 of the club head 393. However, in some embodiments in which the expansion member 391 is longer, the shaft sleeve 392 may not be housed in the hosel 397. Fastener 399 removably couples sleeve 392 to club head 393 via fastener extension 398. Ferrule 395 is disposed on shaft 394 adjacent to the proximal end of shaft sleeve 392.

  The shaft sleeve 392 includes a body 400 and a plurality of alignment mechanisms (eg, tongue 404). The body 400 forms a shaft hole 402 that receives the distal end of the shaft 394. The shaft hole 402 may be coaxial or angled with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shaft sleeve 392, depending on whether angular adjustment is required. The tongue 404 extends laterally outward beyond the outer surface of the main body 400 near the proximal end rather than the distal end of the main body 400.

  The expansion member 391 includes a cylindrical tubular body having flat end faces that are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the expansion member 391. The expansion member 391 is inserted between a part of the shaft sleeve 392 and the hosel 397, and separates the parts by a predetermined length. Specifically, the length of the expansion member 391 is selected to achieve the desired distance relationship between the shaft sleeve 392 and the hosel 397. A plurality of expansion members 391 having different lengths may be provided to set the length of the golf club incorporating the system. In yet another alternative, the flat end faces 396 may be non-parallel to each other and different length wedge members may be provided to adjust the angular attributes and length of the club head.

  In the assembled system 390, the shaft sleeve 392 passes through the expansion member 391 and further through the hosel 397. When a portion of the shaft sleeve 392 extends into the hosel 397, that portion is determined by the length of the expansion member 391 and the desired range of length adjustment. An alignment mechanism is included in the shaft sleeve 392, the expansion member 391, and the hosel 397 so that relative rotation between the parts is prohibited when the system is fully assembled and tightened. In the illustrated embodiment, the alignment mechanism of the shaft sleeve 392 includes tongues 404 that are circumferentially spaced about the shaft sleeve 392. The tongue 404 is sized and shaped to fit a notch 406 included at the proximal end of the expansion member 391. The distal end of the expansion member 391 includes an alignment mechanism, eg, a tongue 408, that is sized and shaped to fit an alignment mechanism, eg, notch 410, included at the proximal end of the hosel 397. In the assembled interchangeable shaft system 390, the tongue 404 of the shaft sleeve 392 engages the notch 406 of the expansion member 391 and the tongue 408 of the expansion member 391 engages the notch 410 of the hosel 397.

  Fastener 399 extends through club head 393 and hosel 397 and engages a threaded opening disposed in distal head portion 412 of fastener extension 398. The leg portion 414 of the fastener extension 398 extends from near the head portion 412 and engages the shaft sleeve 392. Preferably, the outer diameter of the head portion 412 is approximately equal to the inner diameter of the hosel 397 so that engagement between the head portion 412 and the hosel 397 allows the shaft sleeve 392 and the hosel 397 to be coaxially aligned. Note that a fastener that is long enough to engage the shaft sleeve 392 may be used, rather than incorporating an intermediate fastener extension 398. In embodiments employing fastener extensions 398, a plurality of fastener extensions constructed from different materials may be provided for swing weight adjustment and overall head weight adjustment. For example, the fastener extension may be constructed from any material that provides sufficient strength to impact, such as titanium, steel, tungsten, aluminum, and the like.

  53-55, another embodiment of a replaceable shaft system 420 that includes a wedge member that is interposed between the shaft sleeve 422 and the hosel 427 of the club head body 423 to provide dual angle adjustment will be described. Is done. Except for the structure of the retainer 432 and the wedge member 421, this embodiment is similar to the structure of the embodiment of FIGS. The shaft sleeve 422 is connected to the shaft 424, extends through the wedge member 421, and is partially received in the hosel 427. Fastener 429 removably couples sleeve 422 to club head 423. The ferrule 425 is provided on the shaft 424 in the vicinity of the proximal end of the shaft sleeve 422.

  The wedge member 421 includes a shaft hole 434 having a longitudinal axis that is not coaxial with the body of the shaft sleeve 422. As a result, when the shaft sleeve 422 is coupled to the distal end of the shaft 424, the longitudinal axis of the shaft sleeve 422 is angled with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shaft 424 by an angle α, ie, non-coaxial.

  The wedge member 421 includes an alignment portion 436 and a support portion 438. The alignment portion 436 includes an alignment mechanism that extends outwardly from the outer surface of the support portion 438. Both end faces 437 of the alignment portion 436 of the wedge member 421 are angled with respect to each other such that when the wedge member 421 is interposed between the shaft sleeve 422 and the hosel 427, the direction of the shaft 424 relative to the club head 423 is wedged. It is determined by the combination of the position of the member 421 relative to the club head 423 and the position of the shaft sleeve 422 relative to the club head 423.

  The end faces 437 are angled with respect to each other by a wedge angle β, the end faces are not parallel to each other, and the alignment mechanisms extending from these end faces are angled with respect to each other. In this embodiment, the distal end surface of the alignment portion 436 is generally orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the wedge member 421 and the hole 440 extending through the wedge member 421, and the proximal end surface is the longitudinal axis of the wedge member 421 and the hole 440. Is angled with respect to. The hole 440 employs dimensions that provide a clearance such that the shaft sleeve 422 extends through the hole 440 and is angled thereto.

  Shaft sleeve 422 is inserted into wedge member 421 and hosel 427 so that the three parts have the desired relative orientation. A plurality of alignment mechanisms are included in the shaft sleeve 422, the wedge member 421, and the hosel 427 so that a plurality of intermittent directions are realized. As described above, the size of the shaft angle α and the wedge angle β, and the position and number of the alignment mechanism are selected to achieve the desired range of movement and the number of concise directions.

  After the shaft sleeve 422 is inserted into the wedge member 421, a retainer 432 is formed on the shaft sleeve 422 so that the wedge member 421 is held by the shaft sleeve 422. The retainer 432 is a mechanism that extends from the outer surface of the shaft sleeve 422, such as a protrusion. The retainer 432 forms an effective outer diameter of the shaft sleeve 422 that is larger than the diameter of the hole 440 so that the wedge member 421 does not slide out of the retainer 432 and disengage from the shaft sleeve 422.

  The fastener 429 includes a leg 442 and a head 444. Head 444 includes a curved bearing surface that abuts the curved surface of washer 446. When the shaft sleeve 422 is oriented, the curved bearing surface of the head 444 freely slides on the curved surface of the washer 446. Further, the size of the washer 446 is determined so that the washer 446 can slide in the fastener hole 448 when the shaft sleeve 422 is rotated at an angle with respect to the hosel.

  56 and 57, another embodiment of a replaceable shaft system that can adjust the overall club length will be described. In the system 450, the expansion member 451 replaces the wedge member, but has a structure similar to the wedge member 421 of the system 420. The system 450 includes a shaft sleeve 452 that is coupled to a shaft 454 that extends through the expansion member 451 and is partially received in the hosel 457 of the club head 453. Fastener 459 removably couples sleeve 452 to club head 453 via fastener extension 458. Ferrule 455 is disposed on shaft 454 adjacent to the proximal end of shaft sleeve 452.

  As with other embodiments, the shaft sleeve 452 includes a body 460 and a plurality of alignment features (eg, tongue 464). The body 460 forms a shaft hole 462 ′ that receives the distal end of the shaft 454. The shaft hole 462 ′ may be coaxial or angled with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shaft sleeve 452, depending on whether angular adjustment is required. The tongue 464 extends laterally outward beyond the outer surface of the main body 460 near the proximal end rather than the distal end of the main body 460.

  Expansion member 451 includes an alignment portion 466 and a support portion 468. The alignment portion 466 includes an alignment mechanism that extends outwardly from the outer surface of the support portion 468. Both end faces 474 of the alignment portion 466 are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the expansion member 451. A portion of the expansion member 451 is interposed between a portion of the shaft sleeve 452 and the hosel 457, separating the parts by a predetermined length. Specifically, the length of the alignment portion 466 of the expansion member 451 is selected to achieve the desired distance relationship between the shaft sleeve 452 and the hosel 457. The length of the expansion member 451 is preferably in the range of about 0.125 inches to about 3.00 inches. A plurality of expansion members 451 of different lengths may be provided to set the length of the golf club incorporating the system.

  The alignment mechanism is included in the shaft sleeve 452, alignment portion 466, and hosel 457 so that relative rotation between the parts is prohibited when the system is fully assembled and tightened. In the illustrated embodiment, the alignment mechanism of the shaft sleeve 452 includes a tongue 464 that is circumferentially spaced about the shaft sleeve 452. The tongue 464 is sized and shaped to fit a notch 465 included at the proximal end of the expansion member 451. The distal end of the expansion member 451 includes an alignment mechanism, such as a tongue 467, that is sized and shaped to fit an alignment mechanism, such as a notch 470, included at the proximal end of the hosel 457. In the assembled interchangeable shaft system 450, the tongue 464 of the shaft sleeve 452 engages the notch 465 of the expansion member 451, and the tongue 467 of the expansion member 451 engages the notch 470 of the hosel 457.

  Fastener 459 extends through a portion of club head 453 and hosel 457 and engages a threaded opening disposed in the distal head portion 462 of fastener extension 458. The leg portion 463 of the fastener extension 458 extends from the vicinity of the head portion 462 and engages the shaft sleeve 452. Preferably, the outer diameter of the head portion 462 is approximately equal to the inner diameter of the hosel 457 so that engagement between the head portion 462 and the hosel 457 allows the shaft sleeve 452 and hosel 457 to be coaxially aligned. Note that a fastener that is long enough to engage the shaft sleeve 452 may be used, rather than incorporating an intermediate fastener extension 458. In embodiments employing fastener extensions 458, a plurality of fastener extensions constructed from different materials may be provided for swing weight adjustment and overall head weight adjustment. For example, the fastener extension may be constructed from any material that provides sufficient strength to impact, such as titanium, steel, tungsten, aluminum, and the like.

  A spacer 472 is also included in the fastener extension 458. Spacer 472 extends from head portion 462 along leg portion 463. The outer diameter of the base end portion of the spacer 472 is substantially equal to the hole of the expansion member 451 so that the alignment with the hosel of the fastener 459 is maintained. The spacer 472 may be constructed from any material that achieves the desired weight, such as polyurethane, ABS plastic, steel, aluminum, titanium, or tungsten, or combinations thereof.

  Marks may be provided on the shaft sleeve, wedge member, and / or hosel of the dual angle adjustment system. The marking is provided to indicate the club head direction, quantity, quality, or a combination thereof. The indicia may be included in any part of the club head, shaft sleeve, shaft, and / or wedge member of the assembled golf club. Preferably, the marking is provided at or near the shaft sleeve, shaft and / or hosel alignment mechanism. The indicia may be stamped, embossed, or painted and may be one or more letters, numbers, symbols, dots, and / or other markings that distinguish the available configurations of the golf club.

  Referring to FIGS. 58A and 58B, interchangeable shaft system 480 includes indicia 484 that provide a visual quantity indication of the loft and lie directions of the golf club. This configuration is described in relation to the loft and lie directions shown in FIG. The quantity markings indicate that the alignment mechanism is such that the plane of maximum angular displacement of the wedge member and shaft sleeve is substantially directed to the 0 ° and 90 ° planes of the club head (ie, planes D and / or F in FIG. 42). It fits particularly well in the constructed system, because the lie and loft planes correspond more closely to these planes. System 480 includes a wedge member 481 that provides an angular displacement of about 0.5 ° and a shaft sleeve 482 that provides an angular displacement of about 1.0 °. In one example, the club head 483 is constructed such that the designed lie angle is about 58.5 ° and the designed loft angle is about 10.0 °. The marking portion 484 allows the user to determine the adjusted loft and lie angle values. For example, the configuration of FIG. 58A corresponds to a golf club with the direction indicated by zone 1 position D, with a lie angle of approximately 59.0 °, which is the adjustment indicated by the design lie angle and markings. Value (for example, 58.5 ° −0.5 ° + 1.0 ° = 59.0 °), and the loft angle is about 10.0 ° (for example, 10.0 ° + 0.0). ° + 0.0 ° = 10.0 °). The configuration of FIG. 58B corresponds to a golf club with the direction indicated by zone 1 position C, with a lie angle of about 59.5 ° (eg, 58.5 ° + 0.0 ° + 1.0 °), The loft angle is about 9.5 ° (eg, 10.0 ° -0.5 ° + 0.0 °).

  Examples of qualitative markings are shown in FIGS. 59A and 59B and will be described in connection with the loft and lie orientations shown in FIG. The interchangeable shaft system 490 includes a marking 494 that provides a visual qualitative indication of the golf club loft and lie orientation. The qualitative markings are particularly well suited to systems in which the alignment mechanism is configured such that the plane of maximum angular displacement of the wedge member and shaft sleeve is substantially directed to the 45 ° and 135 ° planes of the club head. System 490 includes a wedge member 491 that provides an angular displacement of about 0.5 ° and a shaft sleeve 492 that provides an angular displacement of about 1.0 °. 47, the position of the shaft sleeve 492 relative to the club head 493 determines which of the four zones the golf club direction belongs to, and the position of the wedge member 491 relative to the club head 493 is within that zone. The position of the golf club corresponding to the position of the golf club is determined. For example, FIG. 59A corresponds to a golf club with loft and lie directions indicated by zone B position B. FIG. If a club head having a design lie angle of about 58.5 ° and a design loft angle of about 10.0 ° is employed, the position is about 58.15 ° for the lie and about 10.35 ° for the loft. Equivalent to a golf club. However, the configuration of FIG. 59B corresponds to a golf club with a loft and lie orientation indicated by zone 3 position C, which has a lie angle of about 57.45 ° and a loft angle of about 8.95 °. Corresponds to

  Another embodiment of an indicia that combines qualitative and quantitative information related to the orientation of the club head 503 is shown in FIGS. 60A and 60B. In this embodiment, system 500 includes a quantitative mark 504 on shaft sleeve 502 and a qualitative mark 505 on wedge member 501. This configuration is otherwise identical to system 490. The configuration in FIG. 60A is the same as the configuration in FIG. 59A, and the configuration in FIG. 60B is the same as the configuration in FIG. 59B.

  Various kits can be realized, including golf clubs that employ the adjustability of the interchangeable shaft system. One kit provides a golf club head with a shaft sleeve and a plurality of wedge members. Preferably, the angular displacement of the shaft sleeve and the angular displacement of one of the plurality of wedge members are the same, and the golf club can be configured to have a nominal (design) loft and lie. ing. Another one of the plurality of wedge members is able to achieve a larger matrix of available loft and lie directions with angular displacements different from the angular displacement of the shaft sleeve.

  In another embodiment of the kit, at least one club head and a plurality of shaft assemblies are provided. Each of the shaft assemblies includes a shaft, a shaft sleeve, and a wedge member. One of the shaft assemblies includes a wedge member that has the same amount of angular displacement as the shaft sleeve or 0 ° (ie, the wedge member is an extension member that adjusts the length) and provides a neutral orientation. It has come to be. Multiple club heads with different angular attributes may be provided. Further, the shaft assembly may be configured such that the directions of the maximum displacement planes of the wedge member and the shaft sleeve are different to achieve the loft and lie directions of a rectangular or diamond shaped matrix. By providing a plurality of shaft assemblies or multiple wedge members, the loft and lie orientations available from the kit for golf clubs are the same as the loft and lie orientations available for each shaft assembly. It becomes a mixed one.

  A golf club incorporating the dual angle adjustable interchangeable shaft system of the present invention can be used in a fitting method. In one method, a golf club is provided in a neutral position and a user hits one or more golf balls with the club. Ball flight characteristics are analyzed. Preferred loft and lie directional zones are selected and the golf club is adjusted to achieve a configuration within the selected zone. The user adopts the club of the second configuration, and the ball flight characteristics are analyzed. Preferably, multiple directions within the selected zone are tested to determine the preferred loft and lie directions for the user. In another method, a golf club is initially provided that is neutral, ie, at least one position in the loft and lie direction that is closest to the design loft and lie values, and then the latter part of the method steps described above is provided. Executed.

  Embodiments of the present invention are illustrated with driver type clubs. However, it should be noted that any type of golf club can employ the interchangeable shaft system of the present invention. For example, an iron-type golf club may include a replaceable shaft system, and the replaceable shaft system may be configured to adjust the club lie angle. Furthermore, the replaceable shaft system may be used with equipment other than golf, such as fishing rods, gun sights, piping, and the like.

  A replaceable shaft system particularly adapted for adjusting the lie angle in an iron type golf club will be described with reference to FIGS. However, it should be noted that this system may be used with any type of golf club, including irons, metal woods, and putters. Specifically, the golf club 510 is replaceable that allows the user to adjust the lie angle of the golf club 510 without changing other angle attributes of the club (eg, loft angle and face angle). Including a simple shaft system. In the illustrated example, the user may adjust the golf club so that the golf club assumes four lie angle values while keeping the loft and face angles constant. Furthermore, the interchangeable shaft system provides an adjustable mechanism that can minimize the outer diameter of the hosel of the golf club head. In previous interchangeable shaft systems where the sleeve and shaft need to be inserted into the hosel, the hosel is contained to accommodate the nested parts because the sleeve, shaft and hosel are nested. The outer diameter of must be relatively large. However, in this embodiment, a flexible coupling need only be inserted into the hosel, so the outer diameter of the hosel is 14.0 mm, more preferably 13.5 mm, even more preferably 13. It may be kept below 0 mm.

  Golf club 510 is generally constructed from golf club head 512, golf club shaft 514, shaft sleeve assembly 516, wedge member 518, and fastener 520. Shaft sleeve assembly 516 and fastener 520 provide a structure for attaching shaft 514 to club head 512 such that wedge member 518 is disposed between a portion of club head 512 and a portion of shaft assembly 516.

  Golf club head 512 is constructed as an iron-type golf club head and includes a face 522 that forms a striking surface 524 that includes a top line 526, a leading edge 528, a toe portion 530, a heel portion 532, and a hosel. Restrained by 534, hosel 534 extends from heel portion 532. The hosel 534 forms a hosel hole 536 that is shaped to accommodate a portion of the fastener 520 and shaft sleeve assembly 516 and engages the wedge member 518 within the golf club 510 in which the proximal end of the hosel 534 is assembled. Match. The proximal portion of the hosel hole 536 receives the distal portion of the shaft sleeve assembly 516, the distal portion of the hosel hole 536 forms a fastener hole 539 that receives the fastener 520, and the flange 540 causes the proximal portion of the hosel hole Separated. The proximal end of the hosel 534 is shaped to be complementary to the distal end of the wedge member 518, and in this embodiment includes a generally flat end surface and a plurality of alignment features, It takes the form of a pair of notches 538 that are opposed in the radial direction.

  The shaft 514 generally extends between the club head 512 and a grip (not shown) that is gripped by the user in use. The shaft 514 is coupled to the club head 512 via the shaft sleeve assembly 516, specifically, the distal portion of the shaft 514 is coupled to the sleeve body 542 of the shaft sleeve assembly 516, which is connected to the club head 512. Combined. Shaft 514 may involve any structure known in the art. For example, the shaft 514 may be constructed from metallic and / or non-metallic, and may be stepped and / or tapered.

  The shaft sleeve assembly 516 includes a sleeve body 542 and a tension member 544. The sleeve body 542 and the tension member 544 are coupled by a soft coupling that causes the sleeve body 542 and the tension member 544 to rotate relative to each other so that the longitudinal axis of the sleeve body 542 is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the tension member 544. This is illustrated in FIG. 70. With a soft coupling, the replaceable shaft system can be tightened by translating the tension member 544 within the hosel hole 536, while the sleeve body 542 is oriented by the wedge member 518 and the club head 512. Fits. For example, when the sleeve body 542 and the wedge member 518 are stacked on the hosel 534, the sleeve body 542 is associated with a specific orientation with respect to the hosel 534. Tightening fastener 520 with a soft coupling allows the system to be tightened while maintaining its orientation of sleeve body 542, which in turn linearizes tension member 544 within hosel hole 536. Translate. As a result, the dimensions of the fastener hole 539 may more closely match the outer diameter of the fastener 520 head, since the fastener 520 need not be tilted about the horizontal axis by the sleeve body 542 and the wedge member 518. It is.

  The sleeve body 542 is constructed with a tubular portion 546, a plurality of shaft sleeve alignment features (eg, tongues 548), a post 550 extending from the tubular portion 546, and a ball 552 extending from the end of the post 550. Tubular portion 546 forms a shaft hole 554 that houses the distal end of shaft 514. The length of the tubular portion 546 is selected to provide a joining length suitable for attaching the distal portion of the shaft 514 to the sleeve body 542.

  The tongue 548 extends distally from the end of the tubular portion 546 and has a shape and size that fits closely with a corresponding alignment feature of an adjacent component, for example, the wedge member 518 in the illustrated embodiment. The tongue 548 is generally trapezoidal and fits snugly with a plurality of trapezoidal notches 556 included in the proximal surface 558 of the wedge member 518. The tongue 548 is formed as a tooth extending radially outward from the post 550 to the outer surface of the tubular portion 546 of the sleeve body 542. In this embodiment, a pair of tongues 548 are formed in the sleeve body 542, and a pair of notches are formed on the proximal end surface of the wedge member 518, the wedge member 518 engaging the sleeve body 542, and the sleeve body 542 is distributed at two positions with respect to the wedge member 518.

  The pillar portion 550 and the ball 552 are directly coupled to the tension member 544 to form an attachment structure that realizes a soft coupling. A post 550 extends from the tubular portion 546 and couples the ball 552 to the tubular portion 546. Ball 552 is housed within the proximal portion of tension member 544 so that ball 552 can rotate within tension member 544 by a predetermined angle θ, which is preferably about 2 ° and about 10 °. Between °. The dimensions of the post 550 are selected, at least in part, to form a clearance for achieving relative rotation between the sleeve body 542 and the tension member 544.

  The tension member 544 includes a cavity 560 that houses a portion of the sleeve body 542 and a fastener engagement mechanism, such as a threaded hole 562, that is engaged by the fastener 520 within the assembled golf club 510. . A part of the cavity 560 has a shape that complements the engagement structure of the sleeve main body 542 (for example, the column portion 550 and the ball 552). For example, the proximal portion of the cavity 560 includes an engagement surface 561 that is generally spherical to match the spherical outer surface of the ball 552, and that portion of the cavity 560 allows the ball 552 to rotate within the cavity 560. Take various dimensions.

  The proximal portion of the tension member 544 forms a cavity 560 and is preferably constructed of a flexible member, eg, a plurality of flexible arms 563, deforming the flexible member and causing the ball 552 to enter the cavity. The tension member 544 can be connected to the sleeve body 542 by being inserted into the sleeve 560. As a result, although the proximal portion of the tension member 544 is generally constructed as an arclet, the tension member 544 does not clamp the sleeve body 542 to the ball 552 when assembled to the finished golf club 510. , Used to pull in the direction of the club head 512.

  The tension member 544 includes a wedge member retainer 564 and is adapted to be gripped by the shaft sleeve assembly 516 with which the wedge member is assembled. In this embodiment, the retainer 564 is a protrusion included on the distal portion of the tension member 544 that effectively increases the diameter of the tension member 544 and prevents the wedge member 518 from slipping through. The retainer 564 may be an integral part of the tension member 544 or a separate part coupled to the tension member 544, such as a pin or retaining ring as in the previous embodiment. Further, the retainer 564 may be used as a key for aligning the tension member 544 in the hosel hole 536. The distal portion of the tension member 544 includes a flat portion 565 that fits closely with the cut-out portion of the hosel hole 536 near and at the root of the flange 540. The flat portion 565 engages with the cut-off portion of the hosel hole 536 so that the tension member 544 does not rotate with respect to the hosel 534. The hosel hole 536 includes a groove 576 that receives the retainer 576 so that the tension member 544 is keyed in a desired orientation relative to the flat 565 and engages the cut-out portion of the hosel hole 536. It has become. Preferably, the groove 576 is aligned with the Z axis so that the thickness is maintained in the toe and heel portions of the hosel 534. Alternatively, the engagement of the wedge retainer and the hosel hole groove may be utilized to prevent rotation of the tension member relative to the hosel hole and to omit the flat portion and the cut-off hosel hole.

  The shaft sleeve assembly 516 will be described with reference to FIGS. Prior to assembling the shaft sleeve assembly 516, the wedge member 518 is slid into the tension member 544 so that the hole 566 formed by the wedge member 518 receives the proximal portion of the tension member 544, which is shown in FIG. Shown in The proximal end of the cavity 560 includes an opening 568 that is smaller in diameter than the ball 552 but larger than the diameter of the post 550. The ball 552 is pressed against the tension member 544 so that the arm 563 is elastically bent outward and the diameter of the opening 568 is temporarily increased until the ball 552 slides through the opening 568 and reaches the cavity 560. This is shown in FIG. The hole 566 preferably includes a proximal tapered portion 570 that forms a gap for the flexible arm 563 to bend during assembly. The retainer 564 is preferably positioned on the tension member 544 so that the wedge member 518 is fully slid into the tension member 544 so that bending of the arm 563 is not prevented during insertion of the ball 552.

  After the ball 552 slides through the opening 568, the arm 563 returns to partially cover the ball 552, as shown in FIG. The arm 563 returns to a position that forms the outer diameter of the tension member 544, which is smaller than the inner diameter of the hole 566 in the wedge member 518 so that the wedge member 518 is over the tension member 544 and the tubular portion of the sleeve body 542. You can slide towards 546, but never move beyond this. Further, the arm 563 returns to a position where the ball 552 can rotate within the cavity 560. This structure is particularly beneficial because the wedge member 518 is gripped on the shaft sleeve assembly 516 and yet is rotatable relative to the shaft sleeve assembly 516.

  The distal end of the shaft 514 is inserted into the tubular portion 546 of the sleeve body 542 and bonded thereto using, for example, an adhesive such as epoxy. Ferrule 572 is also attached to the shaft to provide a tapered transition between the outer surface of shaft 514 and sleeve body 542. Ferrule 572 also includes a distal end that is received in a counterbore or countersink in sleeve body 542. The ferrule 572 is preferably constructed from a material that is more compressible than the material of the sleeve body 542 so that when the shaft 514 is bent, the ferrule 572 achieves a transient bend diameter so that the shaft 514 conforms to the sleeve body 542. This makes the shaft 514 difficult to break.

  In the structure illustrated in FIG. 70, shaft 514, shaft sleeve assembly 516, and wedge member 518 combine to form a shaft subassembly that is combined with other similar shaft subassemblies in golf club head 512. It can be exchanged for goods. For example, multiple shafts with different characteristics, such as weight, flex profile, stiffness, etc., can be connected to the shaft sleeve assembly and wedge member and provided in the kit with one or more golf club heads. As another alternative, multiple shaft subassemblies may be provided with the same shaft. However, the amount of angle adjustment is different. In the fitting procedure, a plurality of shaft subassemblies may be employed with one or more golf club heads.

  In the assembled golf club 510, the shaft subassembly includes a shaft 514, a shaft sleeve assembly 516, and a wedge member 518, which are coupled to the club head 512 by fasteners 520. As shown in FIG. 62, in the assembled golf club 510, the fastener 520 extends through the fastener hole 539 and the flange 540 and is screwed into the hole 562 at the end portion of the tension member 544. As fastener 520 is tightened, tension member 544 translates linearly and is drawn deeper into hosel hole 536. The inside dimensions of the hosel hole 536 slidably accommodate the tension member 544, yet the arm 563 bends the arm 563 outward so that the ball is held in the cavity 560 at the proximal end of the tension member. It is selected so as not to let it go. Further, the hosel hole 536 preferably has parallel or near parallel side walls so that when the tension member 544 is retracted into the hosel hole 536, the arm 563 is forced against the ball 552 inwardly. So that the ball 552 can rotate within the cavity 560 when the fastener 520 is tightened. In one example, the shaft sleeve assembly and wedge member are constructed from titanium, the diameter of the ball 552 is about 0.313 inches, the diameter of the post 550 is about 0.250 inches, and the diameter of the flexible arm. The directional thickness is at least about 0.020 inches, more preferably at least about 0.030 inches.

  An alternative assembly is illustrated in FIG. In an alternative assembly, the golf club head, tension member, and fastener are modified from those of the previous embodiment, and the fastener is significantly spaced from the front side wall of the hosel at the heel portion of the club head. The other parts are the same as those included in the golf club 510 described above, and therefore the same reference numerals are used. Golf club 511 is constructed from shaft 514, shaft sleeve assembly, wedge member 518, club head 513, and fastener 521. The shaft sleeve assembly includes a sleeve body 542 and a tension member 545. Club head 513 includes a hosel, which forms a hosel hole, which includes a fastener hole 541 and a flange. In this embodiment, the fastener hole 541 is offset from the longitudinal axis of the proximal end portion of the hosel hole toward the back surface portion of the club head 513 so that the fastener hole 541 is separated from the front wall portion of the hosel. . Because of this separation, the fastener holes intersect the club head sole, not the front wall of the heel portion of the club head. By separating the fastener hole 541 from the front wall portion 578 in this way, it is possible to prevent the front wall portion from being thin in the vicinity of the opening of the fastener hole 541 and to avoid damage. Such separation prevents the fastener hole 541 from being seen by the user at the time of addressing. This interchangeable system works in the same way as the previous embodiment. This is because, even at the offset position, the fastener 521 can translate the tension member 545 within the hosel hole in the same manner as described above in relation to the golf club 510.

  Referring again to the golf club 510, the assembled wedge member 518 is gripped between the hosel 534 and the sleeve body 542, forming a predetermined angular relationship between the hosel 534 and the sleeve body 542. The wedge member 518 forms a hole 566 extending between the proximal surface 558 and the distal surface 559. Both the proximal surface 558 and the distal surface 559 include a plurality of wedge alignment features in the form of notches 556 and tongues 557. The notch 556 is shaped to fit snugly with the tongue 548 of the sleeve body 542 so that the tongue 548 is received within the notch 556 when the sleeve body 542 and the wedge member 518 are abutted. Similarly, the tongue 557 of the wedge member 518 is shaped to fit snugly with the notch 538 of the hosel 534 so that the tongue 557 is received within the notch 538 when the wedge member 518 and the hosel 534 are abutted. This is shown in FIGS. 61 and 71. Both surfaces of the end of the wedge member 518 are angled to achieve a wedge angle β. One of the end surfaces may be angled with respect to the longitudinal axis of the hole 566. The position of the sleeve main body 542 relative to the club head 521 may be changed by changing the size of the angle azimuth on both surfaces of the end portion.

  When the shaft subassembly is coupled to the club head 512 and the fastener 520 is tightened, the sleeve body 542 is forced inwardly against the wedge member 518 and the wedge member 518 abuts the hosel 534. Specifically, the distal surface of the tubular portion 546 of the sleeve body 542 contacts the proximal surface of the wedge member 518 and the distal surface of the wedge member 518 contacts the proximal surface of the hosel 534. Alternatively, the dimensions of the tongue and notch at each boundary may be appropriate so that the abutment portion contacts only on the tapered side of the tongue and notch. In this embodiment, the end surfaces of the wedge members 518 are oriented and are angled relative to each other by a wedge angle β, which is predetermined, preferably from about 0 ° to about 5 °. Is between. As a result, when the parts abut, the sleeve body 542 is angled relative to the hosel 534 in an orientation that is determined by the orientation of the wedge member 518 and the wedge angle. In an assembled golf club, the interaction of the alignment mechanism (ie, part tongue and notch) prevents the golf club head and shaft from rotating relative to each other and the interchangeable shaft system to loosen during use. Absent.

  Note that the structure and orientation of the wedge member 518 in a golf club changes the orientation of the shaft 514 relative to the club head 512. The orientation of the shaft 514 relative to the club head 512 can also be achieved by the shaft hole 554 of the tubular member 546, which is angled with respect to the rest of the sleeve body 542 by the shaft angle α, which causes the sleeve body 542 to be By rotating with respect to 512, the angular orientation of the shaft 514 relative to the club head 512 is changed.

  In this embodiment, the hosel 534 alignment mechanism, the wedge member 518, and the sleeve body 542 structure allow the wedge member 518 to be available in two positions relative to the hosel 534 and the sleeve body 542 relative to the wedge member 518. Two positions are available. These positions can be oriented to add shaft angle α and wedge angle β. In one embodiment, these components are configured such that these angles are additive only in the XY plane and only the lie angle of the golf club 510 is changed. Simply select the shaft angle α, wedge angle β, and angle magnitude relative to the target lie angle of the hosel end surface and use only a single shaft subassembly (ie, replace any part) None), three or four discontinuous lie angles can be achieved for the golf club 510.

  Further, the alignment mechanism is positioned to generally align with the Z axis of a golf club head that generally extends in the front-rear direction. As a result, the alignment mechanism is generally aligned in the direction in which the ball striking surface collides with the golf ball. Such an orientation is preferred because the impact load transmitted from the golf club head to the shaft is more equally transmitted through the hosel, wedge member, and shaft sleeve near the alignment mechanism. For example, under similar dimensions and materials, it has been found that the portion of the proximal end of the hosel between the hosel alignment features bends more when the alignment mechanism is positioned along the X axis.

  Additional features of this example component are illustrated in FIGS. 72A-72D. In this example, the shaft angle α and the wedge angle β are different in magnitude and the end surface of the hosel 534 is angled with respect to the target lie angle. Specifically, the shaft angle α is 1 °, the wedge angle beta is 2 °, and the end surface of the hosel is angled 1 ° above the target lie angle. Because the shaft angle and wedge angle are different, the system has four intermittent angular positions: a first position 2 ° flat (FIG. 72A), a second position that matches the target lie angle (FIG. 72B). ), A 2 ° upright at the third position (FIG. 72C), and a 4 ° upright at the fourth position (FIG. 72D). Alternatively, three intermittent angular positions may be realized with the same shaft and wedge angles (ie, four angular structures are realized, but two of them are identical) ).

Additional examples are illustrated in Table 1 below. Similar to the example described above, the wedge member and sleeve body are configured so that the golf club is adjustable in the XY plane and the lie angle can be adjusted without adversely affecting other angular attributes of the golf club. Is done. In addition, each of the sleeve body and wedge member is known to the club head with two available positions. The size of the wedge angle and the shaft angle are the same, so that the two structures give the same angle result. Specifically, each of the shaft angle and the wedge angle is 1 °, and the orientation of each of the sleeve body and the wedge member is positive or negative in the contribution direction of 1 ° (ie, whether it is upright or flat). ). The overall angle of available combinations of sleeve body and wedge member is described as follows. As illustrated by structures B and C, although the structures are different, the resulting overall angle is the same, and this example shows three intermittents including the target lie angle, 2 ° upright, 2 ° flat Realize an angular position.

  In other embodiments, the wedge member may be omitted so that the sleeve body is directly coupled to the hosel of the golf club head for single angle adjustment. In such an embodiment, the shaft is coupled to the golf club head through a shaft sleeve assembly similar to that previously described, but the wedge member is not coupled to the shaft sleeve assembly. The shaft sleeve assembly includes a sleeve body and a tension member, and a fastener engages the tension member to draw the tension member into the hosel. However, when the tension member is pulled into the hosel, the sleeve body receives a force and comes into contact with the base end surface of the hosel, not the wedge member.

  As shown in FIG. 62, a fastener retainer 580 is preferably included in the assembled golf club. The retainer is employed such that the fastener 520 is retained within the club head 512 when the fastener 520 is not engaged with the tension member 544. A retainer 580 prevents the fastener 520 from falling from the club head 512 when the fastener 520 is removed from the shaft subassembly. As a result, the process of replacing the shaft subassembly is significantly simplified.

  An indication indicating the orientation of the club head relative to the shaft is preferably provided on the club head 510. A display example will be described with reference to FIGS. 73 and 74. An indication 582 is provided on the sleeve body 542, an indication 584 is provided on the wedge member 518, and at least one indication 586 is provided on the hosel 534. In golf club 510, the sleeve body, wedge member, and hosel alignment mechanism are positioned on the front and rear surfaces of hosel 534, and indicia 582, 584, and 586 are provided on or in close proximity to the alignment mechanism. Rather than being provided on the heel and toe surface of the hosel. The display is also chosen to quantitatively describe the configuration of the golf club head 512, the display is additive, and the user adds the display value near the hosel display 586 to add the lie angle to the target value. Can be determined. For example, the golf club 510 is assembled with a lie angle of 4 ° from the target lie angle in FIG. 73 (for example, + 2 ° + (+ 2 °)), and in FIG. It is assembled with a lie angle (for example, + 2 ° + 0 °). As shown, the display need not specifically indicate the angle contributed by each component, but is preferably configured to match the overall structure.

  An alternative display structure will be described with reference to FIGS. 75 and 76. FIG. Specifically, indicia are formed on the front and rear surfaces in the vicinity of the hosel alignment mechanism. Furthermore, another configuration of the hosel display is illustrated. Similar to the previously described embodiment, the indication 582 of the sleeve body 542 and the indication 584 of the wedge member 518 are quantitative and additive. The position of the display in this embodiment is further beneficially hidden further from the user's field of view at the address. Any of the displays described herein can be oriented so that the golf club is facing up when the golf club is in any orientation, for example, as shown in FIGS. 73 and 74 when the golf club is facing up, landscape orientation 58 is shown in FIGS. 58 to 60, and FIGS. 75 and 76 are shown upside down. If a display is provided so that the display is facing upward when the golf club is upside down, the club head is rotated with respect to the shaft with the golf club turned upside down, removed from the shaft, and attached to the shaft. Is more advantageous in that the display can be easily read during these operations.

  Although the exemplary embodiments of the invention disclosed herein achieve the objectives of the invention, it will be apparent that many modifications and other embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and embodiments, which are within the spirit and scope of this invention.

510 golf club 511 golf club 512 golf club head 514 golf club shaft 516 shaft sleeve assembly 518 wedge member 520 fastener 522 face 524 striking surface 526 top line 528 leading edge 530 toe portion 532 heel portion 534 hosel 536 hosel hole 538 notch 539 fastener Hole 540 Flange 541 Fastener hole 542 Sleeve body 544 Tension member 545 Tension member 546 Tubular portion 548 Tongue 550 Column 552 Ball 554 Shaft hole 556 Notch 557 Tongue 558 Base end surface 559 End surface 560 Cavity 561 Engagement surface 562 Hole 563 Arm 564 Wedge member retainer 565 Flat portion 572 Ferrule 580 Fastener retainer 582 Display 584 Display 586 Table

Claims (19)

A golf club head,
A long shaft,
A replaceable shaft system that removably couples the shaft to the club head;
The interchangeable shaft system provides dual angle adjustment, and the interchangeable shaft system includes a single elongated shaft and a tie plane of the shaft in a golf club lie plane with the interchangeable shaft system. A golf club characterized by realizing at least three intermittent coordinations with respect to the club head.   The golf club of claim 1, wherein the replaceable shaft system is configured to achieve at least four intermittent configurations in the lie plane.   The golf club of claim 1, wherein the replaceable shaft system includes a wedge member between the elongated shaft and the club head.   The golf club according to claim 3, wherein the wedge member is constructed to have two selectable configurations with respect to the club head.   The golf club of claim 4, wherein the elongate shaft is constructed to have two selectable orientations relative to the wedge member.   2. The golf of claim 1, wherein the replaceable shaft system includes a shaft sleeve assembly, the shaft sleeve assembly including a sleeve body and a tension member coupled to the sleeve body with a flexible coupling. club.   The replaceable shaft system includes a cylindrical wedge member slidably coupled to the shaft sleeve assembly, the shaft sleeve assembly having means for holding the wedge member to the shaft sleeve assembly. The golf club according to claim 6. A golf club head including a hosel and a plurality of hosel alignment mechanisms, wherein the hosel alignment mechanism is disposed on or adjacent to a proximal end of the hosel;
A long shaft,
A shaft sleeve assembly coupled to a base end of the shaft, the shaft sleeve assembly including a shaft body and a tension member coupled to the shaft body by a flexible coupling, wherein the shaft body includes a plurality of sleeve alignment mechanisms. A shaft sleeve assembly comprising:
A wedge member including a plurality of wedge alignment mechanisms, the wedge member disposed between the sleeve body and the hosel;
A fastener for releasably coupling the tension member to the club head;
The golf club characterized in that the wedge member realizes a wedge angle between the shaft sleeve and the hosel, and the sleeve main body realizes a shaft angle between the sleeve main body and the shaft.   The golf club according to claim 8, wherein the wedge angle and the shaft angle are different.   The golf club according to claim 8, wherein the wedge angle and the shaft angle are at least approximately equal.   The wedge member has end surfaces, the end surfaces are angled with respect to each other, the first end surface abuts a portion of the sleeve body, and the second end surface is the hosel surface. The golf club according to claim 8, which is in contact with a part.   The golf club according to claim 8, wherein the tension member has a plurality of flexible arms, and the arms form a cavity in a proximal end portion of the tension member.   The golf club according to claim 12, wherein an end portion of the tension member forms a fastener hole for receiving a part of the fastener.   The golf club according to claim 13, wherein the cavity extends long and forms a longitudinal axis that is coaxial with a longitudinal axis of the fastener hole.   14. The golf club according to claim 13, wherein the sleeve body has a tubular portion and a ball extending from the tubular portion, and the ball is received in the cavity of the tension member to form a flexible coupling.   The golf club according to claim 8, wherein at least one of the plurality of hosel alignment mechanisms, sleeve alignment mechanisms, and wedge alignment mechanisms has a plurality of tongues.   A plurality of proximal wedge alignment mechanisms that engage closely with the plurality of sleeve alignment mechanisms; and a plurality of distal wedge alignment mechanisms that engage closely with the plurality of hosel alignment mechanisms; The golf club according to claim 8, comprising:   18. The golf club according to claim 17, wherein each of the plurality of sleeve alignment mechanisms, proximal wedge alignment mechanisms, distal wedge alignment mechanisms, and hosel alignment mechanisms includes at least two alignment mechanisms that oppose each other in the radial direction.   9. The golf club according to claim 8, wherein the wedge member is cylindrical and is slidably coupled to the shaft sleeve assembly, and the shaft sleeve assembly has means for gripping the wedge member to the shaft sleeve assembly. .

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