JP5871419B2 - Interchangeable shaft system - Google Patents

Description

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

  This application is a continuation-in-part of pending US patent application Ser. No. 12 / 336,748 filed on Dec. 17, 2008, which is pending on Jan. 31, 2008. 12 / 023,402, a continuation-in-part application, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

  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 has a plug that encloses a threaded shaft hole. 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 arced 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.

  There remains 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

  The present invention is directed to an interchangeable 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 fastener. The club head includes a hosel and at least one hosel alignment mechanism. The hosel also forms a hole and the hosel alignment mechanism is located adjacent to the proximal end of the hosel. The elongate shaft includes a clamping member and at least one shaft alignment mechanism separate from the clamping member. The at least one shaft alignment mechanism is shaped to be complementary to the shape of the hosel alignment mechanism. The clamping member and at least one shaft alignment mechanism are integrated into the shaft structure. The fastener engages the clamping member and removably couples the shaft to the club head.

  In other embodiments, the golf club includes a golf club head, an elongate shaft, and a fastener. The golf club head includes a hosel and a plurality of notches extending through the side wall of the hosel and spaced circumferentially about the proximal end of the hosel. The hosel forms a hole. The elongate shaft includes a clamping member and a plurality of tongues that extend laterally outward beyond the outer surface of the end portion of the elongate shaft. The plurality of tongues are separate from the fastening member and are separated from the end of the shaft, and the fastening member and the plurality of tongues are integrated with the shaft structure. The end portion of the shaft is received in the hole and the tongue engages the notch of the hosel. The fastener removably couples the shaft to the club head.

  In yet another embodiment, a golf club shaft includes a shaft body, a plurality of tongues, and a clamping member. The shaft body is an elongated cylindrical body that forms a proximal end and a distal end. The proximal end has a first outer dimension and the distal end has a second outer dimension, which is smaller than the first outer dimension. The plurality of tongues are integrated with the shaft body, and these tongues are spaced from the end of the shaft. The clamping member is integrated into the shaft body and is configured to engage a threaded fastener.

  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. 21 is a cross-sectional view of the golf club of FIG. 20 including a replaceable shaft system of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a shaft sleeve. FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a shaft sleeve. 1 is a side view of a golf club shaft including an integrated tightening mechanism and alignment mechanism. FIG. It is sectional drawing of the shaft of FIG. 6 illustrates another embodiment of a golf club shaft that includes an integrated clamping mechanism and alignment mechanism. It is sectional drawing of the shaft of FIG. It is a perspective view of the front-end | tip of the shaft of FIG. FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of a portion of yet another embodiment of a golf club shaft that includes an integrated clamping mechanism and alignment mechanism.

  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.

  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.

  The shaft 12 can 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 epoxies or other similar vegetable 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. Alternatively, a shaft sleeve mechanism, for example, a shaft as a mechanism in which a threaded tightening mechanism and an alignment mechanism are integrally formed, is realized by, for example, integral molding, which is illustrated in FIGS. 30 will be described in detail below.

  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.

  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 electric 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, forcing the tapered side edge of the tongue 42 against the tapered side wall 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, such as a 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 arbitrarily positioned 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 so that it cannot 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, yet adequate structural properties and bonding areas can be ensured. 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.

  Further, 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 with 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 employing a weight constructed from an arbitration material, such as polycarbonate or fiber reinforced plastic, which is more dense than aluminum.

  In the previous example, the shaft sleeve included in both the clamping and alignment mechanism was coupled to the distal portion of the shaft. In other embodiments, the golf club shaft 222 includes a clamping and alignment mechanism integrated into the structure of the shaft, as shown in FIGS. Specifically, the shaft 222 includes a shaft body 224, a fastening member 226, and a ferrule 228. This embodiment is constructed to adjust at least one angle attribute and includes an optional alignment aid 230.

The shaft body 224 is an elongate hollow body that has a generally conical outer surface. Conical outer surface outside diameter of the tapered are attached terminally Kuna' smaller than the outer diameter of the proximal end to the distal to the proximal end. The length of the shaft body 224 is selected by applying to the specific golf club in which it is mounted. For example, when employed for a golf club configured as a driver, the shaft body 224 has the longest length. The shaft body 224 includes an axial bore 232 that is also tapered from the proximal end to the distal end of the shaft body 224. The distal portion of the hole 232 is configured to be co-molded with the clamping member 226 or configured to receive and couple it, or the clamping member 226 may be coupled to the shaft body 224 using a mechanical fastener. . For example, the distal portion of the hole 232 may have a constant diameter so as to accommodate or be coupled to a clamping member having a cylindrical outer surface.

The fastening member 226 is an insert that is coupled to the end portion of the shaft body 224. The fastening member 226 is a cylindrical member that forms an axial hole 234. In this embodiment, the holes 234 are threaded to accommodate the threaded fasteners in the assembled golf club. The clamping member 226 is housed in and coupled to the end portion of the shaft body 224. Specifically, the distal portion of shaft body 224 includes a portion of axial bore 232 that has a constant diameter and is angled with respect to the remainder of bore 232 and shaft body 224. . However, in an embodiment where there is no adjustment in the axial direction, or a fastening member that includes a threaded hole angled with respect to the longitudinal axis of the outer cylindrical surface of the fastening member. It should be noted that in the example, the constant diameter portion of the shaft hole may be aligned with the concentric axis of the shaft body. The tightening member 226 may include an external mechanical mechanism, such as a fin, a screw, or a jagged surface, and may increase the rotational resistance against the shaft body 224 when a torsional force is applied.

The ferrule 228 implements a plurality of alignment mechanisms in the form of tongues 236 that are integral with the ferrule 228. Similar to the previous embodiment, by aligning the alignment mechanism of the ferrule 228 with the complementary geometric portion of the hosel of the golf club head, the shaft can be aligned in a desired orientation and the shaft and golf club head Rotation around the longitudinal axis of the hosel in between can be prevented. The ferrule 228 is connected to the shaft body 224 by simultaneous molding or adhesion. In embodiments employing bonded ferrules, the length of ferule 228 is selected to provide a sufficient bonded area. Preferably, the length of the ferrule to be bonded is from about 0.5 in ² to about 2.0 in ² bonded area, more preferably between about 0.8 in ² and about 1.6 in ² , even more preferably, It is selected to achieve a value between about 1.0 in ² and about 1.4 in ² .

  The tongue 236 is shaped to extend laterally outward beyond the outer surface of the shaft body 224, and the outer dimensions are selected as a whole to transition smoothly with the engagement hosel. The tongue 236 is generally trapezoidal in cross-sectional shape and generally conforms to a trapezoidal notch in the corresponding golf club head hosel. The tongue 236 includes an interface portion that abuts a complementary engaging surface of the hosel. As shown, the interface portion includes an interface member 238 that is coupled to the tongue 236 to provide any desired physical properties between the tongue and hosel, such as wear resistance, desired coefficient of friction, and / Or compressibility is achieved, for example, by employing a compression gasket. Alternatively, the interface portion may be processed to achieve the desired physical properties, for example by heat treatment, coating the surface of the tongue 236. The interface portion 238 may be constructed from any desired material, but is preferably constructed from a different material than the rest of the ferrule 228, and more preferably constructed from a metallic material.

  In embodiments that adjust one or more angle attributes, an alignment aid 230 may be provided to assist the shaft 222 manufacturer. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the hole 234 of the clamping member 226 is coaxial with the outer surface of the clamping member 226, but the distal portion of the hole 232 is angled with respect to the remainder of the hole. The alignment aid 230 is disposed on the shaft body 224 so that the ferrule 228 is properly oriented on the shaft body 224 relative to the orientation of the clamping member to achieve the desired adjustment. In embodiments where the clamping member hole is angled with respect to the outer surface of the clamping member and the end portion of the shaft body hole is coaxial with the rest of the shaft body hole, the clamping member is assembled. Sometimes, it is preferable to arrange the alignment assisting portion on the surface of the end portion of the clamping member so that the alignment member can be seen. The alignment aid may be any visible mark, for example a stamped or painted line or point.

In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 27 to 29, the shaft 242 includes a shaft body 244, which includes a step-like displacement in the outer diameter rather than ferrule. The shaft 242 includes a shaft body 244, a clamping member 246, and an interface member 248.

The shaft body 244 is a long, hollow body that includes a stepped outer surface. Specifically, the shaft body 244 includes a distal portion of a first outer dimension and an adjacent portion of a second outer dimension that is larger than the first outer dimension. The two parts meet at a step or shoulder 256, which is preferably molded integrally with the shaft body 244. A longitudinal hole 253 extends through the shaft body 244 and accommodates the clamping member 246.

  The clamping member 246 is an insert that is coupled to the end portion of the shaft body 244. The fastening member 246 is cylindrical and forms a longitudinal hole 254. The hole 254 is threaded to receive a threaded fastener in the assembled golf club. In the illustrated embodiment, the clamping member 246 is oriented to be coaxial with the shaft body 244. The tightening member 246 may include an external mechanical mechanism, such as a fin, a screw, or a jagged surface, and may increase the rotational resistance against the shaft body 244 when a torsional force is applied. Preferably, the clamping member 246 is integrally formed with the shaft body 244 using a continuous fiber 258 that is a coil that wraps around the clamping member 246 to secure the clamping member to the shaft body. Shown in

  This embodiment lacks a ferrule that constitutes the transition between the shaft body and the golf club hosel engaging it. Instead, the second outer dimension is selected to be approximately the same as the outer dimension of the engaging hosel to achieve a smooth transition. In addition, an interface member 248 is interposed between the shoulder 256 of the shaft body 244 and the hosel, and the outer dimensions of the interface member 248 provide a smooth transition between the shaft body 244 and the hosel. Is selected.

  The interface member 248 forms a plurality of alignment features in the form of an integral tongue 250. The interface member 248 is coupled to the shaft body 244 by simultaneous molding or adhesion. Since interface member 248 is interposed between shoulder 256 and hosel in the assembled golf club head, the coupling between interface member 248 and shaft body 244 prevents relative rotation therebetween. Only needed for. Further, the interface member 248 may include a mechanical mechanism, such as a fin, a screw, or a knurled portion, to increase the rotational resistance against the shaft body 244 when a torsional force is applied. The interface member may be constructed from any desired metallic or non-metallic material, but is preferably constructed from metallic materials such as aluminum, titanium, steel, and alloys thereof.

  Referring to FIG. 30, another embodiment of a golf club including an integrated tightening mechanism and alignment mechanism is described. The shaft 262 includes a shaft body 264, a fastening member 266, and an interface member 268 including a plurality of tongues 270. This embodiment employs an alternative configuration of the clamping member 266, but is otherwise similar to the embodiment described above with reference to FIGS.

  The clamping member 266 is an insert coupled to the end portion of the shaft body 264. The fastening member 266 is a long member extending from the shaft body 264. At least the distal portion of the clamping member 266 is threaded so that it engages a threaded fastener, such as a nut 272. The proximal portion of the clamping member 266 is housed within and coupled to the shaft body 264, which includes external mechanical mechanisms, such as fins, screws, jagged edges, etc., when the torsional force is applied to the shaft. The rotational resistance against the main body 264 may be increased, or the tightening member 266 may be prevented from being pulled out from the shaft main body 264 when tension is applied. Preferably, the clamping member 266 is integrally formed with the shaft body 264 using a continuous fiber that is a coil that wraps around the clamping member 266 to secure the clamping member to the shaft body.

  Nut 272 is configured to engage threaded member 266 with threaded hole 276 including a body 274 that forms a threaded hole 276. The body 274 is preferably constructed from metallic materials such as aluminum, titanium, steel, tungsten, and alloys thereof. The nut 272 may be used as a weight member. For example, a plurality of nuts manufactured from different materials and / or having different volumes may be provided, one of which is selected to achieve the desired final swing weight of the assembled golf club. Good.

  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.

  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.

10 Shaft System 12 Shaft 14 Shaft Sleeve 16 Club Head 18 Fastener 20 Hosel 222 Golf Club Shaft 224 Shaft Body 226 Tightening Member 228 Ferrule 230 Alignment Auxiliary Portion 232 Hole 234 Hole 236 Tongue Portion 238 Interface Member 242 Shaft 244 Shaft Body 246 Tightening Member 248 Interface member 250 Tongue 253 Hole 254 Hole 256 Shoulder 258 Fiber 262 Shaft 264 Shaft body 266 Tightening member 268 Interface member 270 Tongue 272 Nut

Claims (3)

A golf club head including a hosel and at least one hosel alignment mechanism, wherein the hosel forms a hole and the hosel alignment mechanism is disposed at a proximal end of the hosel;
A long shaft assembly having a long through hole, a fastening member fixed to the inside of the through hole of the shaft main body on a terminal side of the shaft main body, and a terminal end of the shaft main body A clamping member and at least one shaft alignment mechanism of another member fixed to the outside of the shaft body on the side, the at least one shaft alignment mechanism from the clamping member in the elongated shaft assembly The clamping member and the at least one shaft alignment mechanism are separated from each other and have a shape that complements the shape of the hosel alignment mechanism, and the clamping member and the at least one shaft alignment mechanism are the shaft. The elongated shaft assembly integrated into the shaft assembly so as to be connected only by the body; and
Engages the threaded hole of the fastening member to the shaft assembly possess a threaded fastener for coupling removably to the club head, the interior of the through hole of the shaft body at the end side of the shaft body The axial direction of the threaded hole of the fastening member fixed to the shaft is angled with respect to the axial direction of the shaft main body, and the alignment assisting part indicating the orientation of the angled axial direction of the threaded hole is the shaft A golf club provided on a main body or the fastening member . A golf club head including a hosel and a plurality of notches circumferentially spaced about a proximal end of the hosel and extending through a side wall of the hosel, wherein the hosel forms a hole;
A long shaft assembly having a long through hole, a fastening member fixed to the inside of the through hole of the shaft main body on the terminal side of the shaft main body, and the long shaft A plurality of tongues extending laterally outward beyond the outer surface of the main body, wherein the plurality of tongues are separate from the fastening member, spaced from the end of the shaft body, and the fastening member and the plurality The tongue portion is integrated with the shaft assembly so as to be coupled only by the shaft body, the end portion of the shaft body is received in the hole, and the tongue portion engages with the notch, A long shaft assembly;
Engaged with said clamping threaded hole of the member to the shaft assembly possess a threaded fastener for coupling removably to the club head, the interior of the through hole of the shaft body at the end side of the shaft body The axial direction of the threaded hole of the fastening member fixed to the shaft is angled with respect to the axial direction of the shaft main body, and the alignment assisting part indicating the orientation of the angled axial direction of the threaded hole is the shaft A golf club provided on a main body or the tightening portion .   The golf club according to claim 1, further comprising a ferrule integrated with the shaft assembly.

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