Golf club and connection therefor

• US 6,517,447 B2
• Filed: 06/16/1999
• Issued: 02/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Douglas Boyd Buchanan
• Original Assignee: Douglas Boyd Buchanan
• Inventors: Buchanan, Douglas Boyd
• Primary Examiner(s): Sewell, Paul T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VARMA, SNEH K
• Application Number:
  US09/333,950
• Publication Number:
  US 20020019264A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,336 Days
• Field of Search: 473/324, 473/305, 473/306, 473/307, 473/308, 473/309, 473/310-315, 473/332, 473/342, 473/330, 473/331, 473/251, D21/738
• US Class Current: 473/282
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/02 Joint structures between the head and the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0441 with visual indicators for aligning the golf club
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/52 with slits

Abstract

A golf putter is provided. The golf putter includes a head having a cavity. An insert member is supported within the cavity by Neoprene resilient O-rings and a shaft or hosel member is connected to the insert. Because the insert member is insulated from the head by the resilient O-rings, less impact energy is dissipated within the head. The insert member is arranged to be at the sweet spot of the head.

Claims

1. A golf club having a head including a striking face with a sweet spot for impacting a golf ball, the head comprising an outer shell member defining a cavity, an inner insert member defining said sweet spot located within the cavity spaced from the outer shell member by a clearance space by a resilient spacer, said insert member being resiliently supported and fixed within the cavity by said resilient spacer, and a shaft fixed to the insert through the outer shell member.

2. A golf club according to claim 1 wherein the resilient spacer comprises at least one resilient O-ring.

3. A golf club according to claim 1 wherein the shaft is fixed to the insert by a hosel member.

4. A golf club according to claim 3 wherein the hosel member fits within an aperture formed in the insert and stops short of the end of the aperture so that it does not contact the outer shell member.

5. A golf club according to claim 3 wherein the hosel member is hollow.

6. A golf club according to claim 3 wherein the shaft is fitted to the hosel.

7. A golf club according to claim 6 wherein the shaft is hollow and has an outer diameter of from about 25 mm to about 45 mm.

8. A golf club according to claim 2 wherein the O-rings seal the insert within the cavity of the outer shell member.

9. A golf club according to claim 1, said golf club is a putter.

10. A golf club according to claim 1 or claim 3 wherein the outer shell member and the hosel are made of aluminum.

11. A golf club according to claim 1 wherein the insert is made of a soft ductile bronze material.

12. A golf club according to claim 2 wherein the resilient O-rings comprise the material Neoprene.

13. A golf club according to claim 2, wherein the insert is cylindrical.

14. A golf club according to claim 13, wherein the insert has a groove and the at least one O-ring is at least partially disposed inside the groove.

15. A golf club according to claim 3, wherein the hosel and outer shell member are made of aluminum and the insert is made of bronze.

16. A golf club according to claim 1, wherein inertia weights are disposed on first and second sides of said head.

17. A golf club having a head including a striking face with a sweet spot, the head comprising an outer shell member defining a cavity, an inner insert member defining said sweet spot located within the cavity spaced from the outer shell member by a clearance space by a resilient spacer, and a shaft fixed to the insert through the outer shell member, wherein the insert includes a blind rear cavity.

18. A golf club having a head including a striking face with a sweet spot, the head comprising an outer shell member defining a cavity, an inner insert member located within the cavity spaced from the outer shell member by a resilient spacer, and a shaft fixed to the insert through the outer shell member, wherein the cavity in the rear of the insert and part of the cavity in the outer shell member form a void in the head.

19. A golf club comprising:

a head having at least one non-striking surface and a striking face having a blind bore;

an insert having a wall with an opening and an end face, said insert being mounted in said blind bore such that said end face is flush with said striking face;

a first opening in said at least one non-striking surface intersecting said blind bore; and

a shaft extending through said first opening into said second opening.

20. The golf club of claim 19 including at least one spacer between said insert and said blind bore.

21. The golf club of claim 20 wherein said at least one spacer is resilient.

22. The golf club of claim 21 wherein said at least one spacer comprises at least one O-ring.

23. The golf club of claim 19 wherein said blind bore has an end wall and a depth and said insert has a length less than said depth, whereby a void is formed between said insert and said end wall when said end face is flush with said striking face.

24. The golf club of claim 19 wherein said golf club includes a sweet spot located on said end face of said insert.

25. A golf club comprising:

a head having at least one non-striking surface and a striking face having a blind bore;

an insert having a wall with an insert opening and an end face, said insert being mounted in said blind bore such that said end face is substantially flush with said striking face;

a first opening in said at least one non-striking surface intersecting said blind bore; and

a shaft extending through said first opening into said insert opening;

wherein said blind bore has an end wall and a depth and said insert has a length less than said depth, whereby a void is formed between said insert and said end wall when said end face is flush with said striking face,

said insert including a cavity communicating with said void.

26. A golf club comprising a head including a striking face and at least one non-sticking surface, an opening in said striking face including an opening sidewall, and an insert having a first end having an end edge, a second end having an end edge and a sidewall mounted in said opening such that said insert first end edge is spaced apart from said opening sidewall, and a shaft connected to said insert and extending through an opening in said at least one non-striking surface.

27. The golf club of claim 26 wherein said insert first end is flush with said sticking surface.

28. The golf club of claim 27 wherein said insert second end edge is spaced apart from said opening sidewall.

29. The golf club of claim 26 wherein said head includes at least one O-ring between said insert sidewall and said opening sidewall.

30. The golf club of claim 28 wherein said at least one O-ring is resilient.