Self-centering mandrel for golf club hosels

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11504591-B2
Application number	US-202117469379-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 8, 2021
Priority date	Jun 5, 2019
Publication date	Nov 22, 2022
Grant date	Nov 22, 2022

Abstract

A laser mandrel system that self-centers within a hosel bore of a golf club head to allow for precision adjustment of lie and loft is disclosed herein. The mandrel includes a one-piece housing with upper and lower portions, a laser centered within the upper portion of the housing, and a plurality of o-rings extending around an exterior or interior surface of a lower portion of the housing.

First claim

I claim as my invention:

1. A method comprising the steps of:
providing a self-centering mandrel comprising
a one-piece housing with upper and lower portions, the upper portion comprising a tapered section with a window, the lower portion comprising a plurality of grooves, and a housing bore extending into both of the upper and lower portions,
a laser disposed within the housing bore within the upper portion, the laser comprising a beam emitter and a laser housing that is at least partially visible through the window, the laser aligned with an outer surface of the one-piece housing to within less than 0.35 milliradian,
at least one o-ring extending around an external surface of the lower portion of the housing and disposed within one of the plurality of grooves, and
a plurality of set screws extending through the one-piece housing, contacting the laser, and aligning the laser within the one-piece housing, each set screw of the plurality of set screws comprising a thread locker;

providing a golf club head comprising a hosel with a hosel bore;
inserting at least the lower portion of the mandrel into the hosel so that the at least one o-ring is disposed within the hosel bore; and
measuring at least one of a loft and lie of the hosel,
wherein the at least one o-ring creates pressure within the hosel bore to center the mandrel within the hosel bore.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one-piece housing is composed of A2 steel and the at least one o-ring is composed of a high durometer polyurethane.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the outer surface of the one-piece housing comprises a coating.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the coating is titanium aluminum nitride.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of set screws comprises eight set screws.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the thread locker is composed of a nylon material.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the upper portion has a length of 3 inches to 6 inches.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lower portion has a length of 1 inch to 2 inches.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein an alignment between the one-piece housing and a laser beam emitted by the beam emitter is less than 0.5 milliradian.

10. A method comprising the steps of:
providing a self-centering mandrel comprising
a one-piece housing with hollow upper and lower portions, the upper portion comprising a tapered section with a window, the lower portion comprising a plurality of grooves, and a housing bore extending into both of the upper and lower portions,
a laser disposed within the housing bore within the upper portion, the laser comprising a beam emitter and a laser housing that is at least partially visible through the window, the laser aligned with an outer surface of the one-piece housing to within less than 0.35 milliradian,
at least one o-ring disposed within the hollow lower portion and extending around an inner surface of the lower portion of the housing and disposed within one of the plurality of grooves, and
a plurality of set screws extending through the one-piece housing, contacting the laser, and aligning the laser within the one-piece housing, each set screw of the plurality of set screws comprising a thread locker;

providing a golf club head comprising an extruded hosel;
inserting at least a portion of the extruded hosel into the lower portion of the housing so that the at least one o-ring encircles the extruded hosel; and
measuring at least one of a loft and lie of the hosel,
wherein the at least one o-ring creates pressure around the extruded hosel to center the mandrel around the extruded hosel.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the one-piece housing is composed of A2 steel and the at least one o-ring is composed of a high durometer polyurethane.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the outer surface of the one-piece housing comprises a coating.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the coating is titanium aluminum nitride.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the upper portion has a length of 3 inches to 6 inches.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the lower portion has a length of 1 inch to 2 inches.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein an alignment between the one-piece housing and a laser beam emitted by the beam emitter is less than 0.5 milliradian.

Assignees

• Callaway Golf Co
• Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp

Inventors

• Power Alex

Classifications

• A63B53/02

  Joint structures between the head and the shaft · CPC title

• G01B11/26

  for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes · CPC title

• A63B60/42 Primary

  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 · CPC title

• A63B2220/16

  Angular positions · CPC title

• A63B2220/805

  Optical or opto-electronic sensors · CPC title