Golf club

• US 8,517,855 B2
• Filed: 11/28/2011
• Issued: 08/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Inventors: Beach, Todd P., Sargent, Nathan, Willett, Kraig Alan, Hoffman, Joseph Henry
• Primary Examiner(s): BLAU, STEPHEN LUTHER
• Application Number:
  US13/305,523
• Publication Number:
  US 20120071263A1
• Time in Patent Office: 638 Days
• Field of Search: 473/288, 473/307, 473/309, 473244-248
• US Class Current: 473/307
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0694 Visual indication, e.g. Indicia
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/02 with reinforcing fibres, e.g. carbon, polyamide fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/023 Long, oriented fibres, e.g. wound filaments, woven fabrics, mats
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/02 Joint structures between the head and the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/023 adjustable angular orientation
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0425 the face insert comprising two or more different materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0454 Strengthening ribs on the rear surface of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0458 with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate
• 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 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence

Abstract

A golf club comprises a shaft, a club head, and a connection assembly that allows the shaft to be easily disconnected from the club head. In particular embodiments, a sleeve including a top portion, a middle portion connected to the top portion is described. The middle portion includes a thin wall thickness. A bottom portion is connected to the middle portion including a plurality of engaging surfaces. A central longitudinal axis and an offset angle offset from the central longitudinal axis is described. The offset angle allows a maximum loft change of about 0.5 degrees to about 4.0 degrees. The total weight of the sleeve is less than 9 g.

Claims

1. A golf club head comprising:

a body comprising a face plate, a crown, a hosel, and a sole, with the hosel defining a hosel opening, an annular shoulder, and an upper bearing surface, and the sole defining an opening that is in communication with the hosel opening and an internal bearing surface;

an adjustable head-shaft connection system configured to allow the golf club head to be adjustably attachable to a golf club shaft in a plurality of different positions resulting in different combinations of loft angle, face angle, and lie angle, with the adjustable head-shaft connection system having a sleeve with an upper portion, the upper portion including an annular bearing surface, the annular bearing surface directly engaging the upper bearing surface of the hosel, the adjustable head-shaft connection system including a threaded lower opening and a screw extending through the opening in the sole and having a head defining a bearing surface engaging the internal bearing surface of the body and a threaded region engaging the threaded lower opening of the sleeve;

a hosel insert secured inside the hosel and contacting the annular shoulder, the hosel insert of a height dimension less than a height dimension of the hosel including a rotation prevention portion with splines configured to mate with a rotation prevention portion of the adjustable head-shaft connection system; and

at least two weights attachable to and removable from the body at a plurality of different positions relative to the body;

wherein at least a portion of the crown has an areal weight of less than about 0.36 g/cm².

2. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein at least 50% of the crown has an areal weight of less than about 0.36 g/cm².

3. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the crown has an areal weight of between about 0.18 g/cm2 and about 0.36 g/cm².

4. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein at least 50% of the crown has an areal weight of between about 0.18 g/cm2 and about 0.36 g/cm².

5. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the crown has an areal weight of less than about 0.27 g/cm².

6. The golf club head of claim 1, wherein at least 50% of the crown has an areal weight of less than about 0.27 g/cm².

7. The golf club head of claim 3, wherein the center of gravity of the golf club head has a Z-axis coordinate of less than or equal to about 0 mm.

8. The golf club head of claim 7, wherein the golf club head moment of inertia about a head center of gravity X-axis is between about 200 kg·

mm² and about 500 kg·

mm².

9. The golf club head of claim 8, wherein the golf club head moment of inertia about a head center of gravity Z-axis is between about 400 kg·

mm² and about 500 kg·

mm².

10. The golf club head of claim 9, wherein the volumetric displacement of the golf club head is greater than about 400 cm³.

11. A golf club head comprising:

a body comprising a striking face, a crown, a sole, and a hosel, with the hosel defining a hosel opening, an annular shoulder, and an upper bearing surface, and the sole defining an opening that is in communication with the hosel opening and an internal bearing surface;

an adjustable head-shaft connection system configured to allow the golf club head to be adjustably attachable to a golf club shaft in a plurality of different positions wherein a longitudinal center axis of the hosel is offset from a longitudinal center axis of the shaft, with the adjustable head-shaft connection system having a sleeve with an upper portion engaging the upper bearing surface of the hosel and a threaded lower opening, and a screw extending through the opening in the sole and having a head defining a bearing surface engaging the internal bearing surface of the body and a threaded region engaging the threaded lower opening of the sleeve;

a hosel insert secured inside the hosel and contacting the annular shoulder, the hosel insert of a height dimension less than a height dimension of the hosel including a rotation prevention portion with splines configured to mate with a rotation prevention portion of the adjustable head-shaft connection system; and

at least two weights attachable to and removable from the body at a plurality of different positions relative to the body;

wherein the center of gravity of the golf club head has a Z-axis coordinate of less than or equal to about 0 mm.

12. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the center of gravity of the golf club head has a Z-axis coordinate of less than or equal to about −

1 mm.

13. The golf club head of claim 11, wherein the center of gravity of the golf club head has a Z-axis coordinate of less than or equal to about −

2 mm.

14. A golf club head comprising:

a body comprising a striking face, a crown, a sole, and a hosel, with the hosel defining a hosel opening, an annular shoulder, and an upper bearing surface, and the sole defining an opening that is in communication with the hosel opening and an internal bearing surface;

an adjustable head-shaft connection system configured to allow the golf club head to be adjustably attachable to a golf club shaft in a plurality of different positions resulting in different combinations of loft angle, face angle, and lie angle, with the adjustable head-shaft connection system having a sleeve with an upper portion engaging the upper bearing surface of the hosel and a threaded lower opening, and a screw extending through the opening in the sole and having a head defining a bearing surface engaging the internal bearing surface of the body and a threaded region engaging the threaded lower opening of the sleeve;

a hosel insert secured inside the hosel and contacting the annular shoulder, the hosel insert of a height dimension less than a height dimension of the hosel including a rotation prevention portion with splines configured to mate with a rotation prevention portion of the adjustable head-shaft connection system; and

at least two weights attachable to and removable from the body at a plurality of different positions relative to the body;

wherein a golf club head moment of inertia about the head center of gravity X-axis is between 200 kg·

mm² and 500 kg·

mm².

15. The golf club head of claim 14, wherein the golf club head moment of inertia about a head center of gravity X-axis is between 200 kg·

mm² and 300 kg·

mm².

16. A golf club head comprising:

a body comprising a striking face, a crown, a sole, and a hosel, with the hosel defining a hosel opening, an annular shoulder, and an upper bearing surface, and the sole defining an opening that is in communication with the hosel opening and an internal bearing surface;

an adjustable head-shaft connection system configured to allow the golf club head to be adjustably attachable to a golf club shaft in a plurality of different positions wherein a longitudinal center axis of the hosel is offset from a longitudinal center axis of the shaft, with the adjustable head-shaft connection system having a sleeve with an upper portion engaging the upper bearing surface of the hosel and a threaded lower opening, and a screw extending through the opening in the sole and having a head defining a bearing surface engaging the internal bearing surface of the body and a threaded region engaging the threaded lower opening of the sleeve;

a hosel insert secured inside the hosel and contacting the annular shoulder, the hosel insert of a height dimension less than a height dimension of the hosel including a rotation prevention portion with splines configured to mate with a rotation prevention portion of the adjustable head-shaft connection system; and

at least two weights attachable to and removable from the body at a plurality of different positions relative to the body;

wherein a golf club head moment of inertia about the head center of gravity Z-axis is between 400 kg·

mm² and 500 kg·

mm².

17. The golf club head of claim 16, wherein the golf club head moment of inertia about a head center of gravity Z-axis is between 420 kg·

mm² and 450 kg·

mm².

18. A golf club head comprising:

a body comprising a striking face, a crown, a sole, and a hosel, with the hosel defining a hosel opening, an annular shoulder, and an upper bearing surface, and the sole defining an opening that is in communication with the hosel opening and an internal bearing surface;

an adjustable head-shaft connection system configured to allow the golf club head to be adjustably attachable to a golf club shaft in a plurality of different positions resulting in different combinations of loft angle, face angle, and lie angle, with the adjustable head-shaft connection system having a sleeve with an upper portion engaging the upper bearing surface of the hosel and a threaded lower opening, and a screw extending through the opening in the sole and having a head defining a bearing surface engaging the internal bearing surface of the body and a threaded region engaging the threaded lower opening of the sleeve;

a hosel insert secured inside the hosel and contacting the annular shoulder, the hosel insert of a height dimension less than a height dimension of the hosel including a rotation prevention portion with splines configured to mate with a rotation prevention portion of the adjustable head-shaft connection system; and

at least two weights attachable to and removable from the body at a plurality of different positions relative to the body;

wherein the volumetric displacement of the golf club head is greater than 400 cm³.

19. The golf club head of claim 18, wherein the volumetric displacement of the golf club head is between 420 cm³ and 475 cm³.