INTERCHANGEABLE SHAFT SYSTEM

• US 20090264214A1
• Filed: 06/29/2009
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Morris, Thomas C.,, Golden, Charles E., De La Cruz, Noah
• Granted Patent: US 8,235,834 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/307
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/10 with adhesive type surfaces, i.e. hook and loop-type fastener
• 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 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/42 Devices for measuring, verifying, correcting or customising the inherent characteristics of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like, e.g. measuring the maximum torque a batting shaft can withstand

Abstract

A golf club incorporating an interchangeable shaft system includes a shaft, a shaft sleeve, a club head. The shaft sleeve is coupled to an end of the shaft and is received in a hosel included in the club head. The shaft sleeve is removably coupled to the club head. Hosel and shaft sleeve alignment features provide discreet orientations between the shaft and club head.

Claims

1. A golf club, comprising:

a club head including a hosel and at least one hosel alignment feature, wherein the hosel defines a sleeve bore and the hosel alignment feature is disposed adjacent a proximal end of the hosel;

an elongate shaft;

a shaft sleeve coupled to a distal end portion of the shaft, the shaft sleeve including a sleeve body and at least one sleeve alignment feature that is shaped to complement the shape of the hosel alignment feature, wherein at least a portion of the shaft sleeve is received within the sleeve bore and the sleeve alignment feature engages the hosel alignment feature;

a weight member coupled to the shaft sleeve; and

a fastener that releasably couples the shaft sleeve to the club head.

2. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the at least one sleeve alignment feature includes tapered side edges that forcibly abut tapered side walls of the at least one hosel alignment feature.

3. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the weight member is removably coupled to the shaft sleeve.

4. The golf club of claim 1, wherein shaft sleeve includes a shaft portion that receives the distal end portion of the shaft, and a fastener portion that is coupled to the fastener and the weight member is coupled to the fastener portion.

5. The golf club of claim 4, wherein the fastener extends through the club head and threadably engages the fastener portion.

6. The golf club of claim 5, wherein the weight member is annular and the fastener extends through at least a portion of the weight member.

7. The golf club of claim 4, wherein the fastener portion includes a post extending away from the shaft portion and the weight member is coupled to the post.

8. The golf club of claim 7, wherein the weight member is annular and at least a portion of the post extends through the weight member.

9. The golf club of claim 4, wherein the weight member is threadably coupled to the fastener portion.

10. The golf club of claim 4, wherein the weight member is coupled to the fastener portion by a fastener extending radially through the weight member.

11. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the weight member is co-molded with a portion of the shaft sleeve.

12. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the shaft sleeve includes a coating having a nanocrystalline grain structure.

13. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the hosel alignment feature is a plurality of notches spaced about the circumference of the hosel.

14. The golf club of claim 13, wherein the sleeve alignment feature is a tang extending from an outer surface of the shaft sleeve.

15. A golf club, comprising:

a club head including a hosel and a plurality of notches spaced circumferentially about a proximal end of the hosel that extend through at least a portion of a sidewall of the hosel, wherein the hosel defines a sleeve bore;

an elongate shaft;

a shaft sleeve coupled to a distal end portion of the shaft, the shaft sleeve including a sleeve body and a plurality of tangs that extend laterally outward beyond an outer surface of the sleeve body, wherein at least a portion of the shaft sleeve is received within the sleeve bore and the tangs engage the notches;

a weight member coupled to the shaft sleeve; and

a fastener that releasably couples the shaft sleeve to the club head.

16. The golf club of claim 15, wherein the weight member is removably coupled to the shaft sleeve.

17. The golf club of claim 16, wherein shaft sleeve includes a shaft portion that receives the distal end portion of the shaft, and a fastener portion that is coupled to the fastener and the weight member is coupled to the fastener portion.

18. The golf club of claim 17, wherein the fastener portion includes a post extending away from the shaft portion and the weight member is removably coupled to the post.

19. The golf club of claim 17, wherein the weight member is co-molded with a portion of the shaft sleeve.

20. A golf club, comprising:

a club head including a hosel and a plurality of hosel alignment features spaced circumferentially about a proximal end of the hosel, wherein the hosel defines a sleeve bore and the hosel alignment feature is disposed adjacent a proximal end of the hosel;

an elongate shaft;

a shaft sleeve coupled to a distal end portion of the shaft and removably coupled to the club head, the shaft sleeve including a sleeve body and at least one sleeve alignment feature that is shaped to engage at least one of the hosel alignment features, wherein at least a portion of the shaft sleeve is received within the sleeve bore; and

a weight member coupled to the shaft sleeve.