Adjustable golf club with hydrodynamic lock-up

• US 6,348,009 B1
• Filed: 07/19/2000
• Issued: 02/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Delphi Oracle Corporation
• Original Assignee: Delphi Oracle Corporation
• Inventors: Dischler, Louis
• Primary Examiner(s): BLAU, STEPHEN LUTHER
• Application Number:
  US09/619,432
• Time in Patent Office: 580 Days
• Field of Search: 473/244, 473/245, 473/246, 473/247, 473/248, 473/326
• US Class Current: 473/247
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/02 Joint structures between the head and the shaft
• 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 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/06 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like

Abstract

The various embodiments of the invention are directed to a golf club head having an adjustable loft, wherein the loft angle is hydrodynamically locked during impact of the club head with the ball.

Claims

1. A club head having an adjustable loft angle, comprising:

a surface for impacting a golf ball;

a pivot shaft mounted in the club head;

toothed means for preventing rotation of the club head about said pivot shaft;

means for axially biasing said club head on said pivot shaft into a rotatably locked position relative to said pivot shaft; and

means for generating a hydrodynamic bias pressure, said bias pressure resisting axial movement of said club head relative to said pivot shaft during impact of the club head with said golf ball;

whereby the loft angle of the club head remains unchanged during impact with said golf ball.

2. A club head having an adjustable loft angle as recited in claim 1, wherein said means for generating a hydrodynamic bias pressure comprises a first chamber having a first variable volume, a second chamber having a second variable volume, and a restrictive fluid conduit placing said first chamber in fluid communication with said second chamber;

said first chamber, said second chamber and said restrictive fluid conduit all filled with a substantially incompressible fluid, whereby axial motion of the club head on said pivot shaft flows said incompressible fluid between said first chamber and said second chamber.

3. A club head having an adjustable loft angle as recited in claim 2, wherein said axial motion of the club head on said pivot shaft creates a pressure differential between said first chamber and said second chamber, said pressure differential tending to resist said axial motion, and said pressure differential tending to increase as the velocity of said axial motion increases.

4. A club head having an adjustable loft angle as recited in claim 2, said means for axially biasing said club head on said pivot shaft comprising a spring.

5. A club head having an adjustable loft angle as recited in claim 2, said means for axially biasing said club head on said pivot shaft comprising a third chamber having a variable volume comprising a compressible fluid under a pressure greater than atmospheric, said compressible fluid urging the club head into an non-rotatable position on said pivot shaft, and said compressible fluid pressurizing said incompressible fluid.

6. A club head having an adjustable loft angle as recited in claim 5, said toothed means for preventing rotation of the club head about said pivot shaft comprising axially aligned splines.

7. A club head having an adjustable loft angle as recited in claim 5, said third chamber comprising a piston slideably mounted within the club head.

8. A club head having an adjustable loft angle as recited in claim 5, said third chamber isolated from said second chamber by a flexible diaphragm.

9. A club head having an adjustable loft angle as recited in claim 5, said third chamber isolated from said second chamber by a flexible diaphragm wherein said flexible diaphragm is metallic.

10. A club head having an adjustable loft angle as recited in claim 5, said third chamber having a variable volume comprising a flexible fluid cell having a continuous surface.

11. A club head having an adjustable loft angle as recited in claim 10, said fluid cell enclosing a sealed volume, said fluid cell comprising a permeable elastomeric, polymeric, or rubber surface material surrounded by said incompressible fluid, said sealed volume inflated with a compressible fluid to a value greater than atmospheric, said gaseous medium in said chambers comprising an inert, non-polar gas, said gaseous medium comprising a partial pressure of air substantially less than atmospheric, said surface material having characteristics of relatively low permeability with respect to said gas to resist diffusion of said gas from said sealed volume through said surface material, and of relatively high permeability with respect to air.

12. A club head having an adjustable loft angle as recited in claim 11, said gas comprising one of more of the gasses selected from the group consisting of perfluoropentane, perfluorohexane, perfluoroheptane, octafluorocyclobutane, perfluorocyclobutane, hexafluoropropylene, tetrafluoromethane, monochloropentafluoroethane, 1,2-dichlorotetrafluoroethane;

1,1,2-trichloro-1,2,2 trifluoroethane, chlorotrifluorethylene, bromotrifluoromethane, and monochlorotrifluoromethane, hexafluoroethane, sulfur hexafluoride, perfluoropropane, and perfluorobutane.

13. A club head having an adjustable loft angle as recited in claim 12, said compressible fluid contained within a flexible fluid cell, whereby bubbles of air contaminating said incompressible fluid, when in contact with said fluid cell tend to diffuse into said fluid cell and are thereby scavenged from said incompressible fluid.

14. A club head having an adjustable loft angle as recited in claim 10, said flexible fluid cell comprising a gas having a permeability through said fluid cell surface substantially less than that of either nitrogen or oxygen.

15. A club head having an adjustable loft angle as recited in claim 5, said compressible fluid comprising a gas.

16. A club head having an adjustable loft angle as recited in claim 15, said compressible fluid comprising one of more of the gasses selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, oxygen, argon, methane, ethane, propane, butane, fluoroform, neo-pentane, perfluoropentane, perfluorohexane, perfluoroheptane, octafluorocyclobutane, perfluorocyclobutane, hexafluoropropylene, tetrafluoromethane, monochloropentafluoroethane, 1,2-dichlorotetrafluoroethane;

1,1,2-trichloro-1,2,2 trifluoroethane, chlorotrifluorethylene, bromotrifluoromethane, and monochlorotrifluoromethane, hexafluoroethane, sulfur hexafluoride, perfluoropropane, and perfluorobutane.

17. A pivot cartridge in combination with a golf club head having an adjustable loft angle, comprising:

said pivot cartridge having a pivot shaft comprising an attachment extension, a first cylindrical bearing surface, a second cylindrical surface, and at least one toothed shaft segment therebetween;

said pivot cartridge having a bushing comprising a third cylindrical bearing surface and a inner surface for mounting to said second cylindrical surface;

said pivot cartridge having a pivot cylinder comprising a fourth cylindrical bearing surface slideably engaging said first shaft bearing surface, a fifth cylindrical bearing surface slideably engaging said third cylindrical bearing surface, and at least one toothed segment therebetween engageable with said at least one toothed shaft segment, wherein said pivot cylinder is axially moveable between a distal and a proximal end position relative to said attachment extension of said pivot shaft, wherein said toothed cylinder segment is disengaged with said toothed shaft segment in said proximal position and is engaged in said distal position, and wherein said pivot shaft is not removable from said pivot cylinder; and

said head comprising a surface for impacting a golf ball, and a blind hole behind and substantially parallel to said surface, wherein said hole the pivot cartridge is inserted.

18. A pivot cartridge in combination with golf club head having an adjustable loft angle as recited in claim 17, further comprising:

said pivot cartridge having a first seal sealing between said first cylindrical bearing surface of said pivot shaft and said fourth cylindrical bearing surface of said pivot cylinder;

said pivot cartridge having a second seal sealing between said fifth cylindrical bearing surface and said third cylindrical bearing surface of said bushing; and

said pivot cartridge having an incompressible fluid substantially filling all the voids of the internal volume bounded by the exterior surface of said pivot shaft, the interior surface of said pivot cylinder, and said first and second seals.

19. A pivot cartridge in combination with a golf club head having an adjustable loft angle as recited in claim 18, said incompressible fluid comprising a lubricating oil or grease.

20. A pivot cartridge for a club head having an adjustable loft angle, comprising:

a pivot shaft comprising an attachment extension, a first cylindrical bearing surface, a second cylindrical surface, and at least one toothed shaft segment therebetween;

a bushing having a third cylindrical bearing surface and a inner surface for mounting to said second cylindrical surface;

a pivot cylinder comprising a fourth cylindrical bearing surface slideably engaging said first shaft bearing surface, a fifth cylindrical bearing surface slideably engaging said third cylindrical bearing surface, and at least one toothed segment therebetween engageable with said at least one toothed shaft segment, wherein said pivot cylinder is axially moveable between a distal and a proximal end position relative to said attachment extension of said pivot shaft, and wherein said at least one toothed cylinder segment is disengaged with said at least one toothed shaft segment in said proximal position and is engaged in said distal position;

a first and second chambers within the club head containing a substantially incompressible fluid; and

at least one restrictive conduit between said first and second chambers, whereby axial movement of said pivot cylinder along said pivot shaft forces fluid between said first and second chambers.

21. A pivot cartridge for a club head having an adjustable loft angle as recited in claim 20, said attachment extension comprising a hosel.

22. A pivot cartridge for a club head having an adjustable loft angle as recited in claim 20, said attachment extension comprising a splined shaft for attachment to a hosel.

23. A pivot cartridge for a club head having an adjustable loft angle as recited in claim 22, said attachment extension comprising a threaded shaft for fastening to a hosel.

24. A pivot cartridge for a club head having an adjustable loft angle as recited in claim 20, said incompressible fluid comprising a lubricating oil or grease.

25. A pivot cartridge for a club head having an adjustable loft angle as recited in claim 20, said restrictive fluid conduit comprising the clearance between said toothed cylinder segment and said toothed shaft segment.

26. A pivot cartridge for a club head having an adjustable loft angle as recited in claim 20, said attachment extension comprising a hosel adapted to receive a shaft.

27. A golf club head having an adjustable loft angle, comprising a surface for impacting a golf ball, and a blind hole behind and substantially parallel to said surface, wherein said hole a pivot cartridge as recited in claim 20 is inserted.

28. A golf club head having an adjustable loft angle as recited in claim 27, further comprising a handle shaft and a hosel connecting said handle shaft to the club head.

29. A golf club head with a loft angle adjustable by externally applied compressive and twisting forces, comprising:

a club head having a surface for striking a golf ball, said club head pivotably mounted on a pivot shaft having an axis, said pivot shaft having a proximal end for mating to a hosel and a distal end extending into the club head, the club head having a first and a second axial end orientations on said pivot shaft, said first orientation distally oriented relative to said second orientation, said first orientation non-rotatable relative to said pivot shaft, said second orientation rotatable relative to said pivot shaft, said pivot shaft and the club head creating a first variable volume therebetween, said first variable volume substantially filled with an incompressible fluid, said club head comprising a second variable volume substantially filled with an incompressible fluid, at least one restrictive conduit for fluid communication between said first variable volume and said second variable volume whereby fluid in said first variable volume may be flowed by the externally applied compressive force into said second variable volume, while said restrictive conduit preventing substantial fluid flow while striking said golf ball.

30. A golf club head with a loft angle adjustable by externally applied compressive and twisting force as recited in claim 29 wherein, said incompressible fluid comprises a lubricating oil or grease.

31. A golf club having a face for striking a golf ball, comprising:

a club head mounted on a shaft having an axis, a hosel connecting said shaft to a handle for swinging the golf club, a plurality of interconnected chambers within said club head, said chambers filled with an incompressible fluid wherein at least two of said plurality of interconnected chambers have volumes that vary with axial motion of said head on said shaft, whereby said incompressible fluid is driven from one of said interconnected chambers having a variable volume into another said interconnected chamber having a variable volume to produce an axially directed force resisting said axial motion.

32. A golf club having a face for striking a golf ball as recited in claim 31, said incompressible fluid comprising a lubricating oil or grease.