Releasable and Interchangeable Connections for Golf Club Heads and Shafts

• US 20110195798A1
• Filed: 02/18/2011
• Published: 08/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Jones, Sherry Lynn, Wisniewski, Daniel Francis, Boggs, Joshua Michael, Sander, Raymond J., Lehman, Joseph M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,632,417 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/307
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/00 Golf clubs
• 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 60/54 with means for damping vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

Golf club heads are releasably engaged with shafts so that the club heads and shafts can be readily interchanged and/or so that the shaft position with respect to the club head can be readily changed. Assemblies for connecting the club head and shaft may include: (a) a first cylindrical structure having a cylindrical interior chamber for receiving a golf club shaft, a first rotation-inhibiting structure, and a securing structure; (b) a second cylindrical structure having a borehole for receiving the first cylindrical structure, and a second rotation-inhibiting structure that engages the first rotation-inhibiting structure and (c) a securing system for releasably engaging the securing structure. The shaft may extend at an angle from the shaft connection assembly so as to allow adjustment of the shaft position with respect to the club head by rotating the first cylindrical structure or exchanging the second cylindrical structure.

Claims

1. A golf club head/shaft connection assembly, comprising:

a first cylindrical structure having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, wherein the first end includes a first opening that defines a cylindrical interior chamber for receiving a golf club shaft, wherein an exterior surface of the cylindrical structure nearer to the first end than the second end includes a first rotation-inhibiting structure, and wherein the second end includes a securing structure;

a second cylindrical structure having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, wherein the first end defines an opening to a borehole for receiving the first cylindrical structure, wherein an interior surface of the second cylindrical structure nearer to the first end than the second end includes a second rotation-inhibiting structure; and

a securing system for releasably engaging the securing structure.

2. A golf club head/shaft connection assembly according to claim 1, wherein the securing structure includes a threaded hole defined in the second end of the first cylindrical structure and the securing system includes a threaded bolt element that engages the threaded hole.

3. A golf club head/shaft connection assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first rotation-inhibiting structure includes splines and the second rotation-inhibiting structure includes splines.

4. A golf club head/shaft connection assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first rotation-inhibiting structure engages the second rotation-inhibiting structure to prevent rotation of the first cylindrical structure with respect to the second cylindrical structure.

5. A golf club head/shaft connection assembly according to claim 2, wherein the second end of the second cylindrical structure defines a second opening for receiving the securing member, wherein the second opening is sized such that the threaded bolt element is able to pass through the second opening so that the threaded bolt element engages the threaded hole in the first cylindrical structure.

6. A golf club head/shaft connection assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first rotation-inhibiting structure extends less than 35% of an overall axial length of the first cylindrical structure.

7. A golf club head/shaft connection assembly according to claim 1, wherein the second rotation-inhibiting structure extends less than 35% of an overall axial length of the second cylindrical structure.

8. A golf club head/shaft connection assembly according to claim 1, wherein the exterior surface of the first cylindrical structure extends in a first axial direction and the cylindrical interior chamber extends in a second axial direction that differs from the first axial direction, thereby creating an offset angle for the first cylindrical structure.

9. A golf club head/shaft connection assembly according to claim 1, wherein the exterior surface of the second cylindrical structure and the borehole are not coaxial.

10. A golf club head/shaft connection assembly according to claim 1, wherein an outer cylindrical surface of the second cylindrical structure extends in a first axial direction and the interior cylindrical surface of the borehole extends in a second axial direction that differs from the first axial direction, thereby creating an offset angle for the second cylindrical structure.

11. A golf club, comprising:

a golf club head having a hosel area that provides access to a club head chamber defined in the club head, wherein the club head chamber extends completely through the club head and includes a first opening for receiving a securing member;

a club head connection member extending into the club head chamber of the golf club head, having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, wherein the first end defines an opening to a borehole, and wherein an interior surface of the club head connection member nearer to the first end than the second end includes a first rotation-inhibiting structure; and

a shaft connection member extending into the borehole of the club head connection member, the shaft connection member including a cylindrical structure having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, wherein the first end of the shaft connection member includes a second opening that defines a cylindrical interior chamber for receiving a golf club shaft, wherein an exterior surface of the cylindrical structure nearer to its first end than its second end includes a second rotation-inhibiting structure that engages the first rotation-inhibiting structure on the club head connection member, and wherein the second end includes a securing structure;

a shaft engaged in the cylindrical interior chamber of the shaft connection member; and

a securing member extending through the second end of the club head connection member and into the second end of the club head chamber of the golf club head and releasably engaging the securing structure of the shaft connection member to thereby releasably engage the shaft connection member with the club head connection member and the golf club head.

12. A golf club according to claim 11, wherein the securing structure of the shaft connection member includes a threaded hole defined in the second end of the cylindrical structure and the securing member includes a threaded bolt element that engages the threaded hole, and wherein the threaded bolt element releasably engages the golf club head to hold the shaft connection member and the club head connection member in place with respect to the golf club head.

13. A golf club according to claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the first end of the club head connection member includes splines to thereby define the first rotation-inhibiting structure, and wherein a portion of the exterior surface in a longitudinal direction of the cylinder structure of the shaft connection member has a set of mating and correspondingly shaped splines to thereby define the second rotation-inhibiting structure.

14. A golf club according to claim 11, wherein the first rotation-inhibiting structure engages the second rotation-inhibiting structure to prevent rotation of the shaft connection member with respect to the club head connection member.

15. A golf club according to claim 11, wherein a portion of the first end of the shaft connection member remains outside of the borehole of the club head connection member, and wherein the second rotation-inhibiting structure extends into the borehole and engages the first rotation-inhibiting structure.

16. A golf club according to claim 11, wherein a portion of the first end of club head connection member remains outside of the club head chamber of the golf club head.

17. A golf club according to claim 11, wherein the first opening of the shaft receiving chamber is located at a sole surface of the golf club head.

18. A golf club according to claim 11, wherein the exterior surface of the shaft connection member extends in a first axial direction and the cylindrical interior chamber extends in a second axial direction that differs from the first axial direction, thereby creating an offset angle for the shaft connection member.

19. A golf club according to claim 11, wherein an outer cylindrical surface of the club head connection member extends in a first axial direction and the interior cylindrical surface of the borehole extends in a second axial direction that differs from the first axial direction, thereby creating an offset angle for the club head connection member.

20. A golf club according to claim 11, wherein the club head connection member is non-rotatable with respect to the golf club head.

21. A golf club according to claim 11, wherein the second end of the club head connection member defines a notch that cooperates with the club head chamber thereby making the club head connection member non-rotatable with respect to the golf club head.

22. A method of assembling a golf club, comprising:

providing a golf club head having a hosel area that provides access to a club head chamber defined in the club head, wherein the club head chamber extends completely through the club head and includes a first opening for receiving a securing member;

placing at least a portion of a club head connection member into the club head chamber, wherein the club head connection member has a first end and a second end opposite the first end, wherein the first end defines an opening to a borehole, and wherein an interior surface of the club head connection member nearer to the first end than the second end includes a first rotation-inhibiting structure;

engaging a shaft with a shaft connection member, wherein the shaft connection member includes a cylindrical structure having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, wherein the first end of the shaft connection member includes a second opening that defines a cylindrical interior chamber for receiving a golf club shaft, wherein an exterior surface of the cylindrical structure nearer to its first end than its second end includes a second rotation-inhibiting structure that engages the first rotation-inhibiting structure, and wherein the second end of the shaft connection member includes a securing structure;

placing at least a portion of the shaft connection member into the bore hole of the club head connection member such that the first rotation-inhibiting structure engages the second rotation-inhibiting structure to inhibit rotation of the shaft connection member with respect to the club head connection member and the golf club head;

placing a securing member into the second end of the club head chamber; and

releasably engaging the securing member with the securing structure of the shaft connection member to thereby releasably engage the shaft connection member with the club head connection member and the golf club head.

23. A method according to claim 22, further comprising:

disengaging the securing member from the securing structure of the shaft connection member;

releasing the shaft connection member with respect to the club head connection member and the golf club head;

releasing the club head connection member with respect to the club head chamber of the golf club head;

placing at least a portion of a second club head connection member into the club head chamber, wherein the second club head connection member has a first end and a second end opposite the first end, wherein the first end defines an opening to a borehole, and wherein an interior surface of the second club head connection member nearer to the first end than the second end includes a third rotation-inhibiting structure;

placing at least a portion of the shaft connection member into the borehole of the second club head connection member such that the second rotation-inhibiting structure engages the third rotation-inhibiting structure to inhibit rotation of the shaft connection member with respect to the second club head connection member and the golf club head;

placing the securing member into the second end of the club head chamber; and

releasably engaging the securing member with the securing structure of the shaft connection member to thereby releasably engage the shaft connection member with the second club head connection member and the golf club head.

24. A method according to claim 23, wherein an outer cylindrical surface of the first club head connection member extends in a first axial direction and the interior cylindrical surface of the borehole of the first club head connection member extends in a second axial direction that differs from the first axial direction, thereby creating a first offset angle for the first club head connection member.

25. A method according to claim 24, wherein an outer cylindrical surface of the second club head connection member extends in a third axial direction and the interior cylindrical surface of the borehole of the second club head connection member extends in a fourth axial direction that differs from the third axial direction, thereby creating a second offset angle for the second club head connection member.

26. A method according to claim 25, wherein the first offset angle is different than the second offset angle.

27. A method according to claim 26, further comprising:

disengaging the securing member from the securing structure of the shaft connection member;

releasing the shaft connection member with respect to the club head connection member and the golf club head;

releasing the second club head connection member with respect to the club head chamber of the golf club head;

placing at least a portion of a third club head connection member into the club head chamber, wherein the third club head connection member has a first end and a second end opposite the first end, wherein the first end defines an opening to a borehole, and wherein an interior surface of the third club head connection member nearer to the first end than the second end includes a fourth rotation-inhibiting structure;

placing at least a portion of the shaft connection member into the borehole of the third club head connection member such that the second rotation-inhibiting structure engages the fourth rotation-inhibiting structure to inhibit rotation of the shaft connection member with respect to the third club head connection member and the golf club head;

placing the securing member into the second end of the club head chamber; and

releasably engaging the securing member with the securing structure of the shaft connection member to thereby releasably engage the shaft connection member with the third club head connection member and the golf club head.

28. A method according to claim 27, wherein an outer cylindrical surface of the third club head connection member extends in a fifth axial direction and the interior cylindrical surface of the borehole of the third club head connection member extends in a sixth axial direction that differs from the fifth axial direction, thereby creating a third offset angle for the third club head connection member.

29. A method according to claim 28, wherein the third offset angle is different than both the first offset angle and the second offset angle.

30. A method according to claim 22, further comprising:

disengaging the shaft connection member from the golf club head;

changing a position of the shaft connection member by rotating the shaft connection member within the club head connection member to thereby alter a position of a free end of the shaft with respect to a ball striking face of the club head; and

releasably engaging the securing member with the securing structure of the shaft connection member to thereby releasably engage the shaft connection member with respect to the club head connection member and the golf club head at the changed position.

31. A method according to claim 30, wherein the exterior surface of the shaft connection member extends in a first axial direction and the interior cylindrical chamber extends in a second axial direction that differs from the first axial direction, thereby creating an offset angle for the shaft connection member.