Adjustable golf club and system and associated golf club heads and shafts

• US 8,533,060 B1
• Filed: 01/31/2013
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Sander, Raymond J., Arluna, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Airapetian, Mila
• Application Number:
  US13/755,274
• Time in Patent Office: 222 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26.1
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/02 Joint structures between the head and the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/022 allowing adjustable positioning of the head with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/023 adjustable angular orientation
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/025 lie angle only, i.e. relative angular adjustment between the shaft and the club head about an axis parallel to the intended line of play when the club is in its normal address position
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/026 loft angle only, i.e. relative angular adjustment between the shaft and the club head about a horizontal axis perpendicular to the intended line of play when the club is in its normal address position
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/06 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/00 Computer-aided design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

In general, aspects of this invention relate to golf clubs or golf club components incorporating adjustment members that permit ready adjustability of golf club parameters and/or interchangeability of golf club components to change a golf club configuration, and methods for providing golf clubs. According to aspects of this invention, an adjustment member may be utilized to allow the adjustability of a golf club parameter to change a golf club configuration, while ensuring there is substantially no change to other club or club head variables, parameters or characteristics. According to another aspect of this invention, an adjustment member may be utilized to allow the adjustability of two golf club parameters independently to change a golf club configuration, while ensuring there is substantially no change to other club or club head variables, parameters or characteristics.

Claims

1. A method of providing a line of golf clubs to a consumer, the line comprising at least one model of a first club type, the method comprising the steps of:

designing a head for the first club type, wherein the first club type is a metalwood driver, and wherein the head has a reference loft angle;

providing a single club head tool to manufacture the head;

manufacturing the head using the single club head tool to the reference loft angle;

wherein the head permits individual adjustment of at least one adjustable parameter such that the head is adjustable in at least 3 settings for that adjustable parameter, and a set of non-adjustable parameters for the head are substantially unchanged within a predetermined tolerance, such that P*n*x club configurations are provided in the line, wherein P is a number of settings for the adjustable parameter, n is a number of shaft flex options, and x is a number of head types.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the line of golf clubs includes one or more of the following:

a second club type, at least 3 shaft flex options, a second model for the at least one club type.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein P ranges from 3-9.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one adjustable parameter is a loft angle of the head.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of non-adjustable parameters includes one or more of the following:

a location of a sole contact point of the head, a location of a center of gravity of the head, a location of a face center of the head, a moment of inertia of the head, a roll curvature of the head, a bulge curvature of the head.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a second adjustable parameter can be adjusted such that the set of non-adjustable parameters remains substantially unchanged within the predetermined tolerance.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second adjustable parameter is face angle.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the second adjustable parameter is lie angle.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the second adjustable parameter has at least 3 settings.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein the second club type is one of a fairway wood and a hybrid.

11. A method of providing a line of golf clubs to a retailer, the line comprising at least one model of a first club type, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a club head for a first club type, wherein the club head has a reference loft angle;

providing a shaft;

providing an adjustable member, wherein the adjustable member is configured to be fitted to the club head;

wherein the adjustable member permits individual adjustment of a loft angle of the club head such that the adjustable member has at least 3 settings for the loft angle, thereby providing the club head, the shaft, and the adjustable member that is configured to adjust to at least 3 different loft angles, and further wherein a set of parameters for the club head are substantially unchanged within a predetermined tolerance, and

wherein a first number of parts that includes the club heads, the shafts, and the adjustable members that are provided to the retailer are less than a second number of parts that includes a set of club heads with a fixed loft angle and corresponding shafts.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the line of golf clubs includes a second model for the at least one club type.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first model has a first reference face angle, and the second model has a second reference face angle that is different than the first reference face angle.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the second model has a club head volume that is different than a club head volume of the first model.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the set of parameters for the club head that are substantially unchanged within a predetermined tolerance includes one or more of the following:

a location of a sole contact point of the club head, a location of a center of gravity of the club head, a location of a face center of the club head, a moment of inertia of the club head, a roll curvature of the club head, a bulge curvature of the club head.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein a face angle of the club head can be adjusted such that the set of parameters for the club head remains substantially unchanged within the predetermined tolerance.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein a lie angle of the club head can be adjusted such that the set of parameters for the club head remains substantially unchanged within the predetermined tolerance.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the first club type is a metalwood driver.

19. A method of displaying a line of golf clubs to a consumer, the line comprising at least one model of a first club type, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a club head for a first club type, wherein the first club type is a metalwood driver, and wherein the club head has a reference loft angle;

providing a shaft;

providing an adjustable member, wherein the adjustable member is configured to be fitted to the club head and the shaft;

wherein the adjustable member permits individual adjustment of a loft angle of the golf club head such that the adjustable member has at least 3 settings for the loft angle, thereby providing the club head, the shaft, and the adjustable member that is configured to adjust to at least 3 different loft angles, and further wherein a set of parameters for the club head are substantially unchanged within a predetermined tolerance, and

wherein a first number of golf clubs that includes the club heads, the shafts, and the adjustable members that are displayed to the consumer are less than a second number of golf clubs that includes a set of club heads with a fixed loft angle and corresponding shafts.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the set of parameters for the club head that are substantially unchanged within a predetermined tolerance includes one or more of the following:

a location of a sole contact point of the club head, a location of a center of gravity of the club head, a location of a face center of the club head, a moment of inertia of the club head, a roll curvature of the club head, a bulge curvature of the club head.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein a face angle of the club head can be adjusted such that the set of parameters for the club head remains substantially unchanged within the predetermined tolerance.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein a lie angle of the club head can be adjusted such that the set of parameters for the club head remains substantially unchanged within the predetermined tolerance.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the line of golf clubs includes a second club type, and the second club type is one of a fairway wood and a hybrid.

24. A method of providing a line of golf clubs to a consumer, the line comprising at least one model of a first club type, the method comprising the steps of:

designing a head for the first club type, wherein the head has a reference loft angle;

manufacturing the head using a single club head tool to the reference loft angle;

providing a shaft;

providing an adjustable member;

fitting the adjustable member to the head and the shaft,

wherein the adjustable member permits individual adjustment of a loft angle of the head such that the adjustable member has at least 3 settings for the loft angle, and a set of non-adjustable parameters for the head are substantially unchanged within a predetermined tolerance, such that 3*n*x club configurations are provided in the line, wherein 3 is a number of settings for the loft angle, n is a number of shaft flex options, and x is a number of club types.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the line includes one or more of the following:

a second club type, at least 3 shaft flex options, a second model for the at least one club type.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the set of non-adjustable parameters includes one or more of the following:

a location of a sole contact point of the head, a location of a center of gravity of the head, a location of a face center of the head, a moment of inertia of the head, a roll curvature of the head, a bulge curvature of the head.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein a face angle of the head can be adjusted such that the set of non-adjustable parameters remains substantially unchanged within the predetermined tolerance.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein a lie angle of the head can be adjusted such that the set of non-adjustable parameters remains substantially unchanged within the predetermined tolerance wherein the second parameter is a face angle of the head.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein the first club type is a metalwood driver.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein the second club type is one of a fairway wood and a hybrid.