GOLF CLUB

• US 20050227779A1
• Filed: 06/16/2005
• Published: 10/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company
• Inventors: Blanke, Jerry V., Lenhof, Konrad
• Granted Patent: US 6,981,922 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/305
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/007 Putters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/02 Joint structures between the head and the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like

Abstract

The golf club (20) of the present invention includes a shaft (22), a club head (24) and an attachment assembly (30), which allows for an essentially adhesive free connection between the shaft (22) and the club head (24). In one embodiment, the attachment assembly (30) includes a screw (34) and a shaft ring (32). The shaft ring (32) is welded to the interior wall (40) of the shaft (22) near the tip end (41). Another embodiment of the attachment assembly (30) includes a locking sleeve (50).

Claims

1. A golf club comprising:

a shaft having a wall defining a hollow interior, the shaft having a tip end and a butt end;

a club head having a body with a heel end and a toe end, the body having a hosel with an open end and a hollow interior; and

a locking sleeve for securing the tip end of the shaft to the hosel, the locking sleeve engaging an exterior surface of the tip end of the shaft and an interior surface of the hosel, the locking sleeve having a body with a wall defining an aperture extending from a first opening to a second opening, the body having a first slot in the wall, the first slot extending from the first opening to the second opening, the body being tapered in diameter from the first opening to the second opening.

2. The golf club according to claim 1 wherein the length of the locking sleeve is in the range of 0.30 inch to 1.0 inch.

3. The golf club according to claim 1 wherein the body of the locking sleeve has a taper in the range of 1 degree to 5 degrees.

4. The golf club according to claim 3 wherein the taper is approximately 3 degrees.

5. The golf club according to claim 1 wherein the first slot has a width of approximately 0.034.

6. The golf club according to claim 1 wherein the body has a second slot in the wall, the second slot extending from the second opening along the wall and ending prior to the first opening.

7. The golf club according to claim 6 wherein the second slot extends at least twenty-five percent and no more than ninety percent of a length of the locking sleeve.

8. The golf club according to claim 6 wherein the second slot has a length ranging from 0.2 inch to 0.75 inch.

9. The golf club according to claim 6 wherein each of the first slot and the second slot has a width of approximately 0.034 inch.

10. A golf club comprising:

a shaft having a wall defining a hollow interior, the shaft having a tip end and a butt end;

a club head having a body with a heel end and a toe end, the body having a hosel with an open end and a hollow interior; and

a locking sleeve for securing the tip end of the shaft to the hosel, the locking sleeve engaging an exterior surface of the tip end of the shaft and an interior surface of the hosel, the locking sleeve having a body with a wall defining an aperture extending from a first opening to a second opening, the body having a first slot and a second slot in the wall, the first slot extending from the first opening to the second opening, the second slot extending from the second opening toward the first opening, the second slot extending no more than ninety percent of a length of the locking sleeve, the body being tapered in diameter from the first opening to the second opening.

11. The golf club according to claim 10 wherein the length of the locking sleeve is in the range of 0.30 inch to 1.0 inch.

12. The golf club according to claim 10 wherein the locking sleeve has a taper in the range of 1 degree to 5 degrees.

13. The golf club according to claim 10 wherein the second slot has a length ranging from 0.2 inch to 0.75 inch.

14. The golf club according to claim 10 wherein each of the first slot and the second slot has a width of approximately 0.034 inch.