Methods and apparatus for interchangeably coupling gold club heads and shafts

• US 7,601,075 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2008
• Issued: 10/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Inventors: Schweigert, Brad D., Solheim, John A., Cole, Eric V.
• Primary Examiner(s): BLAU, STEPHEN LUTHER
• Application Number:
  US12/171,207
• Publication Number:
  US 20080268977A1
• Time in Patent Office: 460 Days
• Field of Search: 473305-310, 473/288, 473298-299
• US Class Current: 473/288
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/02 Joint structures between the head and the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/57 Distinct end coupler

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for interchangeably coupling golf club heads and shafts are described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a coupling device for golf clubs, the method comprising:

forming a first portion of a body of the coupling device to interchangeably couple a first golf club head with a golf club shaft, the first golf club head being associated with a right-handed golf club; and

forming a second portion of the body of the coupling device to interchangeably couple a second golf club head with the golf club shaft, the second golf club head being associated with a left-handed golf club;

wherein the first portion is incompatible to couple the second golf club head to the golf club shaft, and the second portion is incompatible to couple the first golf club head to the golf club shaft.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

forming the first portion further comprises;

forming a first set of ridges on a surface of the first portion; and

forming the second portion further comprises;

forming a second set of ridges on a surface of the second portion;

wherein;

the first and second sets of ridges each comprise one or more ridges;

the first set of ridges cannot secure the second golf club head to the golf club shaft; and

the second set of ridges cannot secure the first golf club head to the golf club shaft.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

forming a ridge-less portion between the first and second sets of ridges.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

forming a ridge-less portion between the first and second sets of ridges to comprise a first cross-section that is;

smaller than a second cross-section proximate to a first end of the coupling device; and

greater than a third cross-section proximate to a second end of the coupling device.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

forming a flange proximate to a first end of the coupling device; and

forming a chamfer between the flange and one of the first and second sets of ridges;

wherein the flange comprises a bore to hold a portion of the golf club shaft.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein:

at least one of the first and second sets of ridges comprise at least one of a helical ridge and a spiral ridge.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein:

forming the first set of ridges comprises;

forming at least one external clockwise screw thread on the first portion to couple the first golf club head with the golf club shaft when the first golf club head is rotated onto the at least one external clockwise screw thread of the first portion, and

forming the second set of ridges comprises;

forming at least one external counterclockwise screw thread on the second portion to couple the second golf club head to the golf club shaft when the second golf club head is rotated onto the at least one external counterclockwise screw thread of the second portion.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein:

forming the first set of ridges comprises;

forming at least one external counterclockwise screw thread on the first portion to couple the first golf club head with the golf club shaft when the first golf club head is rotated onto the at least one external counterclockwise screw thread of the first portion; and

forming the second set of ridges comprises;

forming at least one external clockwise screw thread on the second portion to couple the second golf club head to the golf club shaft when the second golf club head is rotated onto the at least one external clockwise screw thread of the second portion.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

forming the second portion further comprises;

forming the second portion to comprise a second cross section area; and

forming the first portion further comprises;

forming the first portion to comprise a first cross section area greater than the second cross section area.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

forming a cavity proximate to one end of the coupling device to hold an insert weight.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein:

forming the first portion further comprises;

forming a diameter of a cross section of the first portion to be substantially constant along a length of the first portion; and

forming the second portion further comprises;

forming a diameter of a cross section of the second portion to be substantially constant along a length of the second portion.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein:

forming the first portion further comprises;

tapering the first portion to fit within a complementary conical section of a bore in the first golf club head; and

forming the second portion further comprises;

tapering the second portion to fit within a complementary conical section of a bore in the second golf club head.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

forming a tapering from a first end to a second end of the coupling device;

wherein;

one of the first portion and the second portion is located proximate to the first end, and

another one of the first portion and the second portion is located proximate to the second end.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein:

forming the second portion of the coupling device further comprises;

forming the second portion with a different diameter than the first portion of the coupling device.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein:

forming the first and second portions of the coupling device further comprises;

forming the coupling device to taper from the first portion to the second portion.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein:

forming the first and second portions of the coupling device further comprises;

forming the coupling device to taper from the second portion to the first portion.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein:

forming the first and second portions of the coupling device further comprises;

forming at least one ridge at each of the first and second portions.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein:

forming the first and second portions of the coupling device further comprises;

forming at least one screw thread at each of the first and second portions.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein:

forming the first and second portions of the coupling device further comprises;

forming each of the first and second portions to comprise a cylindrical shape.

20. A method for manufacturing a golf club coupling system, the method comprising:

providing a body having a first end and a second end, the body tapers from the first end to the second end;

providing a non-threaded bore at the first end to interchangeably couple the body to a portion of a shaft;

providing a first male threaded portion at or proximate to the first end to interchangeably mate with a first female threaded portion, the first female threaded portion being associated with a first golf club head having a first characteristic;

providing a second male threaded portion at or proximate to the second end to interchangeably mate with a second female threaded portion, the second female threaded portion being associated with a second golf club head having a second characteristic; and

providing a non-threaded portion between the first male threaded portion and the second male threaded portion;

wherein;

the first and second characteristics are opposite of each other; and

the body, the first and second male threaded portions, and the non-threaded portion form a single piece.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein:

the first characteristic is a right-handed golf club; and

the second characteristic is a left-handed golf club.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein:

providing the non-threaded portion further comprises;

forming the non-threaded portion to comprise a first circumference;

providing the first male threaded portion further comprises;

forming the first male threaded portion to comprise a second circumference greater than the first circumference; and

providing the second male threaded portion further comprises;

forming the second male threaded portion to comprise a third circumference smaller than the first circumference.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein:

providing the first male threaded portion further comprises;

forming the first male threaded portion to comprise a first circumference; and

providing the second male threaded portion further comprises;

forming the second male threaded portion to comprise a second circumference greater than the first circumference.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein:

providing the first male threaded portion further comprises;

forming the first male threaded portion to comprise at least one first thread and a substantially constant first diameter when excluding the at least one first thread; and

providing the second male threaded portion further comprises;

forming the second male threaded portion to comprise at least one second thread and a substantially constant second diameter when excluding the at least one second thread.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

forming a flange proximate to the first end of the body; and

forming a chamfer between the flange and at least one of the first and second male threaded portions.

26. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

forming a cavity at the second end to hold an insert weight.

27. A method for manufacturing a golf club coupling system, the method comprising:

providing a first golf club head;

providing a second golf club head;

providing a shaft; and

providing a coupling device;

wherein providing the coupling device comprises;

configuring a first end of the coupling device to couple with the shaft;

configuring a first portion of the coupling device to;

be compatible for coupling with the first golf club head; and

be incompatible for coupling with the second golf club head; and

configuring a second portion of the coupling device to;

be compatible for coupling with the second golf club head; and

be incompatible for coupling with the first golf club head.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising:

coupling together the golf club shaft and the coupling device.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising at least one of:

coupling the first golf club head to the coupling device by turning the first portion of the coupling device in a first direction onto the first golf club head;

or

coupling the second golf club head to the coupling device by turning the second portion of the coupling device in a second direction onto the second golf club head.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

configuring the golf club coupling system for at least one of;

a first configuration wherein;

the first direction is clockwise;

the second direction is counterclockwise;

the first golf club head is right-handed; and

the second golf club head is left-handed;

a second configuration wherein;

the first direction is clockwise;

the second direction is counterclockwise;

the first golf club head is left-handed; and

the second golf club head is right-handed;

a third configuration wherein;

the first direction is counterclockwise;

the second direction is clockwise;

the first golf club head is right-handed; and

the second golf club head is left-handed;

or

a fourth configuration wherein;

the first direction is counterclockwise;

the second direction is clockwise;

the first golf club head is left-handed; and

the second golf club head is right-handed.