RELEASABLE THREADED COMPONENT FOR A GOLF CLUB HAVING A MECHANISM FOR PREVENTING OVER ROTATION

• US 20150190687A1
• Filed: 03/20/2015
• Published: 07/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cobra Golf Company (Puma SE)
• Original Assignee: Cobra Golf Company (Puma SE)
• Inventors: Clausen, Karl, Beno, Tim A., Kroloff, Caleb, Roberts, Douglas E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,616,301 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0694 Visual indication, e.g. Indicia
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/08 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/10 with adhesive type surfaces, i.e. hook and loop-type fastener
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/74 with powered illuminating means, e.g. lights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/02 Joint structures between the head and the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0437 with special crown configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0475 with one or more enclosed cavities
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/06 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/002 Resonance frequency related characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence
• 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 60/52 with slits
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 : with means for damping vibrations

Abstract

The invention provides a releasable threaded component for use on a golf club head, the component having an anti-over rotation mechanism configured to prevent overtightening of the component to a corresponding mounting portion on the golf club head.

Claims

1. A releasable component for a golf club head, the releasable component comprising:

a component body comprising;

an externally threaded distal end configured to engage an internally threaded mounting portion of a golf club head; and

a proximal end having a flange member for engaging a corresponding flange member of the mounting portion upon threaded engagement with the mounting portion, wherein the flange member of the releasable component has a surface profile configured to prevent over rotation of the component when engaged with the flange member of the mounting portion.

2. The releasable component of claim 1, wherein the surface profile comprises at least one raised portion and at least one lowered portion along a length of the flange member.

3. The releasable component of claim 2, wherein the surface profile comprises at least two raised portions and at least two lowered portions along a length of the flange member.

4. The releasable component of claim 3, wherein the raised portions and lowered portions alternate relative to one another along the length of the flange member such that one raised portion is adjacent to one lowered portion.

5. The releasable component of claim 2, wherein a total elevation change between the at least one raised portion and the at least one lowered portion is based, at least in part, on a thread pitch of the externally threaded distal end of the component body.

6. The releasable component of claim 5, wherein a total elevation change between the at least one raised portion and the at least one lowered portion is approximately equal to the thread pitch.

7. The releasable component of claim 5, wherein a total elevation change between the at least one raised portion and the at least one lowered portion is between 25 percent and 75 percent of the thread pitch.

8. The releasable component of claim 2, wherein the flange member of the mounting portion has a surface profile configured to interact with the surface profile of the releasable component flange member to prevent over rotation of the component when engaged with the mounting portion.

9. The releasable component of claim 8, wherein the at least one raised portion and the at least one lowered portion of the surface profile of the releasable component flange member are configured to mate with corresponding lowered and raised portions of the surface profile of the mounting portion flange member, respectively.

10. The releasable component of claim 9, wherein engagement between the corresponding surface profiles of the flange members of the releasable component and mounting portion is sufficient to resist over rotation upon at least one of vibration and elastic deformation due to impact forces imparted upon the golf club head.

11. The releasable component of claim 1, wherein the component body is selected from a group consisting of a face insert, a damping insert, a weight member, a crown panel, a sole panel, a heel panel, a toe panel, a skirt panel, and a combination of at least two thereof.

12. The releasable component of claim 11, wherein the component body comprises a port configured to provide a view from the exterior of the club head into an interior cavity of the club head body.

13. A golf club head comprising:

a club head body;

a releasable component configured to be releasably coupled to the club head body, the releasable component comprising a component body comprising;

an externally threaded distal end configured to engage an internally threaded mounting portion of a golf club head; and

a proximal end having a flange member for engaging a corresponding flange member of the mounting portion upon threaded engagement with the mounting portion,

wherein the flange member of the releasable component has a surface profile configured to prevent over rotation of the component when engaged with the flange member of the mounting portion.

14. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein the surface profile comprises at least one raised portion and at least one lowered portion along a length of the flange member.

15. The golf club head of claim 14, wherein the surface profile comprises at least two raised portions and at least two lowered portions along a length of the flange member.

16. The golf club head of claim 15, wherein the raised portions and lowered portions alternate relative to one another along the length of the flange member such that one raised portion is adjacent to one lowered portion.

17. The golf club head of claim 14, wherein a total elevation change between a raised portion and a lowered portion is based, at least in part, on a thread pitch of the externally threaded distal end of the component body.

18. The golf club head of claim 17, wherein a total elevation change between the raised portion and the lowered portion is approximately equal to the thread pitch.

19. The golf club head of claim 17, wherein a total elevation change between the at least one raised portion and the at least one lowered portion is between 25 percent and 75 percent of the thread pitch.

20. The golf club head of claim 13, wherein the flange member of the mounting portion has a surface profile comprising at least one raised portion and at least one lowered portion along a length of the mounting portion flange member, wherein raised and lowered portions are configured to engage the raised and lowered portions of the surface profile of the releasable component flange member, wherein engagement between the corresponding surface profiles of the flange members of the releasable component and mounting portion is sufficient to resist over rotation upon at least one of vibration and elastic deformation due to impact forces imparted upon the golf club head.