GOLF CLUB WITH A RIGID SHAFT BAND

• US 20110183773A1
• Filed: 01/27/2010
• Published: 07/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Cameron, Don T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,182,360 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/282
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/007 Putters
• 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: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations

Abstract

A golf club with a rigid shaft band is disclosed herein. More specifically, the present invention discloses a golf club with a rigid shaft band that is placed at a precise location on the shaft itself, utilizing a precise taper within the internal surface of the rigid shaft band to control the location. Even more specifically, the rigid shaft band may be placed at a distance that is greater than about 1 inch and less than about 3 inches away from the butt end of the golf club with a tapered internal surface of greater than about 0.573 degrees and less than about 1.146 degrees.

Claims

1. A golf club comprising:

a grip at a proximal end of said golf club;

a head at a distal end of said golf;

a shaft connecting said grip and said head; and

a rigid shaft band circumferentially encompassing said shaft further comprising;

an external surface;

an internal surface;

a top lip; and

a bottom lip,

wherein said top lip is positioned at a first distance away from said grip, and

wherein greater than 90% of said internal surface of said rigid shaft band engages an external shaft surface of said shaft.

2. The golf club of claim 1, wherein said first distance is greater than about 1 inch and less than about 3 inches.

3. The golf club of claim 2, wherein said first distance is about 2 inches.

4. The golf club of claim 3, wherein said internal surface of said rigid shaft band comprises a depression.

5. The golf club of claim 4, wherein said depression comprises less than 10% of said internal surface of said rigid shaft band.

6. The golf club of claim 5, wherein said depression is circular in shape, rotationally traversing said internal surface of said rigid shaft band.

7. The golf club of claim 5, wherein said depression is in the shape of a continuous spiral rotationally traversing said internal surface of said rigid shaft band.

8. The golf club of claim 5, wherein said depression is filled with a bonding material.

9. The golf club of claim 5, wherein said depression is filled with a vibration dampening material.

10. The golf club of claim 5, wherein said internal surface of said rigid shaft band is tapered at a first angle that matches a second angle of a taper of said external shaft surface.

11. The golf club head of claim 10, wherein said first angle of said internal surface of said rigid shaft band is greater than about 0.573 degrees and less than about 1.146 degrees.

12. The golf club of claim 10, wherein said external surface of said rigid shaft band is tapered at a third tilt angle that matches said first tilt angle and said second tilt angle.

13. A golf club comprising:

a grip at a proximal end of said golf club;

a head at a distal end of said golf;

a shaft connecting said grip and said head; and

a rigid shaft band circumferentially encompassing said shaft further comprising;

an external surface;

an internal surface;

a top lip; and

a bottom lip,

wherein said rigid shaft band is located substantially near a fulcrum of said golf club, and

wherein greater than 90% of said internal surface of said rigid shaft band engages an external shaft surface of said shaft.

14. The golf club of claim 13, wherein said rigid shaft band is located less than 1 inch away from said fulcrum of said golf club.

15. The golf club of claim 14, wherein said internal surface of said rigid shaft band comprises a depression.

16. The golf club of claim 15, wherein said depression comprises of less than 10% of said internal surface of said rigid shaft band.

17. The golf club of claim 16, wherein said depression is filled with a bonding material.

18. The golf club of claim 17, wherein said internal surface of said rigid shaft band is tapered at a first angle that matches a second angle of a taper of said external shaft surface.

19. A rigid shaft band comprising:

an external surface;

an internal surface;

a top lip; and

a bottom lip,

wherein said internal surface of said rigid shaft band is tapered at an angle of greater than about 0.573 degrees and less than about 1.146 degrees.

20. The rigid shaft band of claim 19, wherein said internal surface of said rigid shaft band comprises a depression, and said depression is filled with a bonding material.