Releasable and Interchangeable Connections for Golf Club Heads and Shafts

• US 20090062029A1
• Filed: 08/28/2007
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Tavares, Gary G., Franklin, David N., Thomas, James S., Stites, John Thomas
• Application Number:
  US11/846,370
• Publication Number:
  US 20090062029A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/288
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/00 Golf clubs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/02 Joint structures between the head and the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/022 allowing adjustable positioning of the head with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/023 adjustable angular orientation
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/42 Devices for measuring, verifying, correcting or customising the inherent characteristics of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like, e.g. measuring the maximum torque a batting shaft can withstand
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49 Method of mechanical manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49817 with other than ancillary treating or assembling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49948 Multipart cooperating fastener [e.g., bolt and nut]

Abstract

Golf club heads are releasably engaged with shafts so that the club heads and shafts can be readily interchanged and/or so that the shaft position with respect to the club head can be readily changed. Assemblies for connecting the club head and shaft may include: (a) a cylindrical structure having a cylindrical interior chamber for receiving a golf club shaft, a rotation-inhibiting structure, and a securing structure; and (b) a securing system for releasably engaging the securing structure. The club head and shaft may be changed by releasing the securing system and exchanging the original parts with different parts. Furthermore, the shaft may be bent or otherwise extend at an angle from the shaft connection assembly so as to allow adjustment of the shaft position with respect to the club head.

Claims

1. A golf club head/shaft connection assembly, comprising:

a cylindrical structure having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, wherein the first end includes a first opening that defines a cylindrical interior chamber for receiving a golf club shaft, wherein an exterior surface of the cylindrical structure nearer to the first end than the second end includes a rotation-inhibiting structure, and wherein the second end includes a securing structure; and

a securing system for releasably engaging the securing structure.

2. A golf club head/shaft connection assembly according to claim 1, wherein the securing structure includes a threaded hole defined in the second end of the cylindrical structure and the securing system includes a threaded bolt element that engages the threaded hole.

3. A golf club head/shaft connection assembly according to claim 1, wherein the rotation-inhibiting structure includes plural flat sides that extend in an axial direction of the cylindrical structure.

4. A golf club head/shaft connection assembly according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the exterior surface in a longitudinal direction of the cylinder structure has a non-round cross section to thereby provide the rotation-inhibiting structure.

5. A golf club head/shaft connection assembly according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the exterior surface in a longitudinal direction of the cylinder structure has a polygonal shaped cross section to thereby provide the rotation-inhibiting structure.

6. A golf club head/shaft connection assembly according to claim 1, wherein the rotation-inhibiting structure extends less than 35% of an overall axial length of the cylindrical structure.

7. A golf club head/shaft connection assembly according to claim 1, wherein the exterior surface of the cylindrical structure and the cylindrical interior chamber are coaxial.

8. A golf club head/shaft connection assembly according to claim 1, wherein the exterior surface of the cylindrical structure and the cylindrical interior chamber are not coaxial.

9. A golf club head/shaft connection assembly according to claim 1, wherein the exterior surface of the cylindrical structure at the first end includes a tapered portion that tapers from a narrower width at the first end to a wider width proximate to a location where the rotation-inhibiting structure begins on the exterior surface, and wherein the exterior surface of the cylindrical structure abruptly changes width in an axial direction thereof such that the exterior surface abruptly changes width with from the wider width to a narrower width corresponding to the rotation-inhibiting structure.

10. A golf club head/shaft connection assembly according to claim 1, wherein the exterior surface of the cylindrical structure at the first end includes a rotational position indicator located between the first end and a location where the rotation-inhibiting structure begins.

19. A golf club according to claim 11, wherein the shaft includes a shaft axial direction change region.

11. A golf club, comprising:

a golf club head having a shaft-receiving chamber, wherein a first end of the shaft-receiving chamber includes a first rotation-inhibiting structure and a second end of the shaft-receiving chamber includes a first opening for receiving a securing member;

a shaft connection member extending into the shaft-receiving chamber of the golf club head, the shaft connection member including a cylindrical structure having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, wherein the first end of the shaft connection member includes a second opening that defines a cylindrical interior chamber for receiving a golf club shaft, wherein an exterior surface of the cylindrical structure nearer to its first end than its second end includes a second rotation-inhibiting structure that engages the first rotation-inhibiting structure, and wherein the second end includes a securing structure;

a shaft engaged in the cylindrical interior chamber of the shaft connection member; and

a securing member extending into the second end of the shaft-receiving chamber of the golf club head and releasably engaging the securing structure of the shaft connection member to thereby releasably engage the shaft connection member with the golf club head.

12. A golf club according to claim 11, wherein the securing structure of the shaft connection member includes a threaded hole defined in the second end of the cylindrical structure and the securing member includes a threaded bolt element that engages the threaded hole, and wherein the threaded bolt element releasably engages the golf club head to hold the shaft connection member in place with respect to the golf club head.

13. A golf club according to claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the first end of the shaft-receiving chamber includes an opening having a non-round cross section to thereby provide the first rotation-inhibiting structure, and wherein a portion of the exterior surface in a longitudinal direction of the cylinder structure of the shaft connection member has a mating and correspondingly shaped non-round cross section to thereby provide the second rotation-inhibiting structure.

14. A golf club according to claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the first end of the shaft-receiving chamber includes an opening having a polygonal shaped cross section to thereby provide the first rotation-inhibiting structure, and wherein a portion of the exterior surface in a longitudinal direction of the cylinder structure of the shaft connection member has a mating and correspondingly shaped polygonal shaped cross section to thereby provide the second rotation-inhibiting structure.

15. A golf club according to claim 11, wherein a portion of the first end shaft connection member remains outside of the shaft-receiving chamber of the golf club head, and wherein the second rotation-inhibiting structure extends into the shaft receiving chamber and engages the first rotation-inhibiting structure.

16. A golf club according to claim 11, wherein the exterior surface of the cylindrical structure proximate the first end of the shaft connection member includes a first rotational position indicator, wherein the first rotational position indicator is located on the exterior surface between the first end of the shaft connection member and a location where the second rotation-inhibiting structure begins, and wherein the golf club head includes a second rotational position indicator located proximate to the shaft-receiving chamber.

17. A golf club according to claim 11, wherein the first opening of the shaft receiving chamber is located at a sole surface of the golf club head.

18. A golf club according to claim 11, wherein the shaft-receiving chamber includes an interior surface through which the first opening of the shaft-receiving chamber is defined.

20. A golf club according to claim 11, wherein the shaft includes at least two shaft axial direction change regions.

21. A method of producing a golf club head/shaft connection assembly, comprising:

producing a shaft connection member as a cylindrical structure having a first end and a second end opposite the first end;

producing an open cylindrical interior chamber for receiving a golf club shaft at the first end of the shaft connection member;

forming a rotation-inhibiting structure as part of an exterior surface of the cylindrical structure nearer to the first end than the second end;

forming a securing structure at the second end of the shaft connection member; and

providing a securing member for engaging the securing structure.

22. A method of assembling a golf club, comprising:

providing a golf club head having a shaft-receiving chamber, wherein a first end of the shaft-receiving chamber includes a first rotation-inhibiting structure and a second end of the shaft-receiving chamber includes a first opening for receiving a securing member;

engaging a shaft with a shaft connection member, wherein the shaft connection member includes a cylindrical structure having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, wherein the first end of the shaft connection member includes a second opening that defines a cylindrical interior chamber for receiving a golf club shaft, wherein an exterior surface of the cylindrical structure nearer to its first end than its second end includes a second rotation-inhibiting structure that engages the first rotation-inhibiting structure, and wherein the second end of the shaft connection member includes a securing structure;

placing at least a portion of the shaft connection member into the shaft-receiving chamber of the golf club head such that the first rotation-inhibiting structure engages the second rotation-inhibiting structure to inhibit rotation of the shaft connection member with respect to the golf club head;

placing a securing member into the second end of the shaft-receiving chamber; and

releasably engaging the securing member with the securing structure of the shaft connection member to thereby releasably engage the shaft connection member with the golf club head.

23. A method according to claim 22, further comprising:

releasing the shaft connection member with respect to the golf club head;

engaging a second shaft with a second shaft connection member, wherein the second shaft connection member includes a cylindrical structure having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, wherein the first end of the second shaft connection member includes a second opening that defines a cylindrical interior chamber for receiving a golf club shaft, wherein an exterior surface of the cylindrical structure of the second shaft connection member nearer to its first end than its second end includes a third rotation-inhibiting structure, and wherein the second end of the second shaft connection member includes a second securing structure;

placing at least a portion of the second shaft connection member into the shaft-receiving chamber of the golf club head such that the first rotation-inhibiting structure engages the third rotation-inhibiting structure to inhibit rotation of the second shaft connection member with respect to the golf club head;

placing the securing member into the second end of the shaft-receiving chamber; and

releasably engaging the securing member with the second securing structure of the second shaft connection member to thereby releasably engage the second shaft connection member with the golf club head.

24. A method according to claim 22, further comprising:

releasing the shaft connection member with respect to the golf club head; and

releasably engaging an assembly including a second shaft with the shaft-receiving chamber of the golf club head.

25. A method according to claim 22, further comprising:

disengaging the shaft connection member from the golf club head;

changing a position of the shaft connection member with respect to the golf club head to thereby alter a position of a free end of the shaft with respect to a ball striking face of the club head; and

releasably engaging the securing member with the securing structure of the shaft connection member to thereby releasably engage the shaft connection member with respect to the golf club head at the changed position.