Hosel construction and method of making the same

• US 6,273,828 B1
• Filed: 05/22/1998
• Issued: 08/14/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Golfsmith Licensing LLC
• Original Assignee: Zevo Golf Co., Inc. (Dick's Sporting Goods Incorporated)
• Inventors: Wood, Donald C., Means, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US09/084,032
• Time in Patent Office: 1,180 Days
• Field of Search: 473/324, 473/305, 473/306, 473/307, 473/308, 473/309, 473/310, 473/313, 473/314, 473/287, 473/288, 473/245, 473/246, 473/248, 473/409
• US Class Current: 473/246
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/02 Joint structures between the head and the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/023 adjustable angular orientation
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like

Abstract

The hosel construction includes a plug member extending downwardly for engaging a club head having a club face. A neck member, extending angularly upwardly from the plug member, engages a shaft to complete a golf club. The neck member extends in a generally transverse dimension to determine a lie angle between the shaft and the club head. The neck member also extends in a generally longitudinal dimension to determine a longitudinal angle, such as a face angle for the club face.

Claims

1. A hosel construction for connecting a shaft to a club head having a given generally upwardly directed pre-formed opening and a club face, comprising:

a plug member adapted to be received in the given pre-formed opening, said plug member having a plurality of sides, the pre-formed opening being complementary shaped for substantially limiting the rotation of said plug member within the pre-formed opening;

a neck member extending generally angularly relative to said plug member for engaging the shaft wherein the plug member is connected to the neck member to enable the shaft and the club member to be connected fixedly together at a predetermined angular relationship in a manner to resist any change in said angular relationship;

said neck member and said plug member securing the shaft relative to the club head to cause the shaft to be extending in a generally transverse dimension to position the shaft at a desired lie angle relative to the given pre-formed opening in the club head; and

said neck member and said plug member securing the shaft relative to the club head to cause the shaft to be extending in a generally longitudinal dimension to position the club face at a desired longitudinal angle relative to the given pre-formed opening in the club head.

2. A hosel construction according to claim 1, wherein said plug member is connected integrally to said neck member.

3. A hosel construction according to claim 2, wherein said neck member extends generally rearwardly in said longitudinal dimension relative to said plug member.

4. A hosel construction according to claim 2, wherein said neck member extends generally forwardly in said longitudinal dimension relative to said plug member.

5. A hosel construction according to claim 2, wherein said neck member extends generally outwardly in said transverse dimension relative to said plug member.

6. A hosel construction according to claim 2, wherein said neck member extends generally inwardly in said transverse dimension relative to said plug member.

7. A hosel construction according to claim 1, further including means for securing said plug member within the given pre-formed opening.

8. A hosel construction according to claim 1, further including means for aligning said plug member in the given pre-formed opening.

9. The hosel of claim 1 wherein said plug and neck members are composed of a material selected from one of the group consisting of thermoplastic, carbon-graphite, and metal.

10. A method of making a golf club, comprising:

providing a golf club head and a shaft, the golf club head having a pre-formed opening;

selecting discreet combinations of lie angle and longitudinal angle that most nearly correspond to particular golfing characteristics of golfers;

constructing hosels for implementing said selected discreet combinations of lie angle and longitudinal angle, the hosels each having a neck portion and a plug portion, the plug portion constructed to be received into the pre-formed opening in the golf club head, and the neck portion and the plug portion formed to connect fixedly the golf club head and the shaft at a fixed angular relationship corresponding its selected discreet combination; and

utilizing one of said hosels to interconnect the club head via its pre-formed opening and the shaft to form the golf club.