RELEASABLE AND INTERCHANGEABLE CONNECTIONS FOR GOLF CLUB HEADS AND SHAFTS
First Claim
1. A golf club comprising:
- a shaft;
a shaft adapter engaged with the shaft, the shaft adapter having a first end and a second end along a first axis, the shaft adapter further comprising a bore extending along a second axis, wherein one end of the shaft extends into the shaft adapter on the second axis, and wherein at least a portion of an exterior surface of the shaft adapter has a noncircular cross-sectional shape;
a head adapter having a first end and a second end along a first axis, the head adapter further comprising a bore having a noncircular cross-sectional shape along a second axis that is shaped to receive and engage the portion of the exterior surface of the shaft adapter having the noncircular cross-sectional shape in a non-rotational manner and in a plurality of different orientations; and
a golf club head having a hosel area engaged with an exterior surface of the head adapter.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Golf club heads are releasably engaged with shafts so they may be readily interchanged and/or so that the shaft orientation with respect to the club head can be readily changed. Assemblies for connecting the club head and shaft may include a shaft adapter and a head adapter. The shaft adapter may have an exterior surface extending along a first axis and a bore having a cross-sectional shape along a second axis configured to attach to a shaft member. The second end of the shaft adapter may have a cross-sectional shape of a regular polygon or a cross-sectional shape defined by splines. The head adapter has a first end and a second end along a first axis and a bore having either a shape of a regular polygon or a cross-sectional shape defined by splines along a second axis that is shaped to receive the second end of the shaft adapter in a plurality of orientations.
255 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A golf club comprising:
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a shaft; a shaft adapter engaged with the shaft, the shaft adapter having a first end and a second end along a first axis, the shaft adapter further comprising a bore extending along a second axis, wherein one end of the shaft extends into the shaft adapter on the second axis, and wherein at least a portion of an exterior surface of the shaft adapter has a noncircular cross-sectional shape; a head adapter having a first end and a second end along a first axis, the head adapter further comprising a bore having a noncircular cross-sectional shape along a second axis that is shaped to receive and engage the portion of the exterior surface of the shaft adapter having the noncircular cross-sectional shape in a non-rotational manner and in a plurality of different orientations; and a golf club head having a hosel area engaged with an exterior surface of the head adapter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for assembling a golf club comprising:
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attaching a shaft member to a shaft adapter having a first end and a second end along a first axis, wherein the shaft member is inserted within a bore defined in the shaft adapter along a second axis, wherein at least a portion of an exterior surface of the shaft adapter has a noncircular cross-sectional shape; and inserting the shaft adapter within a bore of a head adapter, wherein the head adapter comprises a first end and a second end along a first axis and wherein the bore has a noncircular cross-sectional shape along a second axis that is shaped to receive and engage the portion of the exterior surface of the shaft adapter having the noncircular cross-section in a non-rotational manner and in a plurality of different orientations. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A golf club head and shaft connecting system, comprising:
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a shaft adapter having a first end and a second end along a first axis, the shaft adapter further comprising a bore extending along a second axis configured to attach to a shaft member on the second axis, wherein at least a portion of an exterior surface of the shaft adapter is configured to engage a head adapter and has a cross-sectional shape defined by splines along the first axis; and a head adapter having a first end and a second end along a first axis, the head adapter further comprising a bore having a cross-sectional shape defined by splines along a second axis that are shaped to receive and engage with the splines provided on the exterior surface of the shaft adapter in a plurality of orientations, and wherein an exterior surface of the second end of the head adapter is configured to engage a hosel area of a club head. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A golf club comprising:
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a shaft; a shaft adapter engaged with the shaft, the shaft adapter having a first end and a second end along a first axis, the shaft adapter further comprising a bore extending along a second axis, wherein one end of the shaft extends into the shaft adapter on the second axis, and wherein at least a portion of an exterior surface of the shaft adapter has a noncircular cross-sectional shape; and a golf club head having a hosel area integrally formed with a bore having a noncircular cross-sectional shape extending along a first axis that is shaped to receive and engage the portion of the exterior surface of the shaft adapter having the noncircular cross-sectional shape in a non-rotational manner and in a plurality of different orientations.
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Specification