Pneumatically enhanced golf clubs

• US 5,540,625 A
• Filed: 07/27/1995
• Issued: 07/30/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: John A. Koch, Louise Koch
• Original Assignee: John A. Koch, Louise Koch
• Inventors: Koch, John A., Koch, Louise
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US08/508,352
• Time in Patent Office: 369 Days
• Field of Search: 273/170, 273/171, 273/80 R, 273/81 B, 273/80 B, 273/80 A, 273/81 R, 273/77 R, 273/77 A, 273/167 R, 473/318, 473/332
• US Class Current: 473/318
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/00 Golf clubs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like

Abstract

A golf club having shafts and club heads comprised of either: metals, composites, or ceramics which are gas permeable and possess the properties of hollows and cavities respectively. Whereas upon sealing the union of the shaft and the club head renders same air tight. Further, introducing a gas induction valve at the shafts upper end thereby enabling gas induction while also providing a check valve seal to prohibit gas loss after pressurization provides a hermetically sealed golf club. This art applies to any provider of golf club components meeting these generic requirements. Whereas the compilation of components aforementioned while inducing compressed gas dependent upon the type golf club, will enhance the performance of any golf club so modified.

Claims

1. A golf club comprising:

(a) a club head having an abutting external face and a cavity therein;

(b) a hollow, elongated tubular shaft, thereby forming an axial passageway therethrough, said passageway being in fluid communication with said cavity, said hollow shaft and cavity being sealed; and

,

(c) means for allowing the input of a fluid under a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure into said shaft and cavity, but preventing the discharge of said fluid under pressure therefrom, said fluid under pressure thereby straightening said shaft and adding rigidity to said shaft and club head.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said shaft has a first or upper end portion and a second or lower end portion, said means for allowing and preventing being provided in said first end portion of said shaft.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said passageway and said cavity are connected at the second end portion of said shaft.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said elongated shaft is conical therealong.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising gripping means circumferentially provided on an exterior surface of said first end portion of said shaft.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said fluid under pressure is a compressed gas.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for allowing and preventing is a valve means further comprising:

(a) a valve body having a fluid induction bore axially therethrough;

(b) means seated in an annular seat about said valve body for sealably engaging said first end portion of said shaft.

8. A golf club comprising:

(a) a club head having an abutting external face and a cavity therein;

(b) a hollow, elongated tubular shaft, thereby forming an axial passageway therealong, said shaft having a first or upper end portion and a second or lower end portion, said passageway being in fluid communication with said cavity, said hollow shaft and cavity being sealed; and

,

(c) valve means for allowing the input of a fluid under a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure into said shaft and cavity, but preventing the discharge of said fluid under pressure therefrom, said means being provided in said first end of said shaft, said fluid under pressure thereby straightening said shaft and adding rigidity to said shaft and club head.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said passageway and said cavity are connected at the second end portion of said shaft.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said elongated shaft is conical therealong.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising gripping means circumferentially provided on an exterior surface of said first end portion of said shaft.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said fluid under pressure is a compressed gas.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said valve means for allowing and preventing is a check valve further comprising:

(a) a valve body having a fluid induction bore axially therethrough;

(b) seal means seated in an annular seat about said valve body for engaging said first end portion of said shaft and threads provided about said valve body for engaging mating threads in said first end portion of said shaft.

14. A golf club comprising:

(a) a club head having an abutting external face and a cavity therein;

(b) a hollow, elongated tubular shaft, thereby forming an axial passageway therealong, said shaft having a first or upper end portion and a second or lower end portion, said passageway being in fluid communication with said cavity, said hollow shaft and cavity being sealed; and

,

(c) valve means for allowing the input of a fluid under a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure into said shaft and cavity, but preventing the discharge of said fluid under pressure therefrom, said means being provided in said first end of said shaft, said fluid under pressure thereby straightening said shaft and adding rigidity to said shaft and club head, thereby providing the club head a more direct and accurate on tangent approach to an object golf ball and thus allowing less concavity to the club head face upon impact with a golf ball.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said passageway and said cavity are connected at the second end portion of said shaft.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said elongated shaft is conical therealong.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising gripping means circumferentially provided on an exterior surface of said first end portion of said shaft.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said fluid under pressure is a compressed gas.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said valve means for allowing and preventing is a pneumatic induction check valve further comprising:

(a) a valve body having a fluid induction bore axially therethrough;

(b) an O-ring seal seated in an annular seat on said valve body for engaging said first end portion of said shaft and threads provided about said valve body for sealably engaging mating threads in said first end portion of said hollow shaft.