Golf clubs and golf club heads

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9101805-B2
Application number	US-201313907430-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2013
Priority date	May 31, 2012
Publication date	Aug 11, 2015
Grant date	Aug 11, 2015

Abstract

Golf club heads include a golf club head body, a ball striking face, and a shaft engaging member configured to engage a golf club shaft with the golf club head body. Further, the shaft engaging member may be configured to engage the golf club head body and the shaft below a center of gravity of the golf club head.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A golf club head comprising: a golf club head body having a striking face configured for striking a ball, the golf club head body having a connecting structure; a shaft engaging member engaged with the connecting structure of the golf club head body, wherein the shaft engaging member is configured to be engaged with a golf club shaft to connect the shaft to the golf club head body, the shaft engaging member comprising a first portion and a second portion that are angled with respect to each other, wherein the first portion extends upward and away from the golf club head body and the second portion is received in the connecting structure and extends into the golf club head body in a heel-to-toe direction, and wherein a gap is defined between the first portion and a heel of the golf club head body; and a shroud engaged with at least one of the golf club head body and the shaft engaging member and extending between the golf club head body and the shaft engaging member to at least partially cover the gap and the connecting structure, wherein the shroud receives at least a portion of the first portion of the shaft engaging member therein, wherein the connecting structure and the shaft engaging member have complementary rotational locking structures to rotationally lock the shaft engaging member with the connecting structure, and wherein the rotational locking structure is adjustable, such that the shaft engaging member is configured to be engaged with the connecting structure in at least a first rotational position and a second rotational position with respect to the golf club head body, wherein a loft angle of the golf club head in the first position is different from the loft angle of the golf club head in the second position.

2. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the connecting structure comprises a hole in the golf club head body and wherein the shaft engaging member comprises a protrusion that is received in the hole and extends into the golf club head body in a heel-to-toe direction, wherein the rotational locking structures comprise a plurality of complementary teeth on the protrusion and the hole that engage each other to rotationally lock the shaft engaging member with the connecting structure.

3. The golf club head of claim 2 , wherein the protrusion is positioned completely below the center of gravity of the golf club head body and completely below a geometric center of the striking face.

4. The golf club head of claim 2 , wherein the protrusion has a gear portion occupying a portion of a length of the protrusion proximate a heel edge of the golf club head body, wherein the teeth on the protrusion are located on the gear portion.

5. The golf club head of claim 2 , wherein the teeth are located around an entire periphery of the protrusion and around an entire inner periphery of the hole.

6. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the connecting structure comprises a hole in the golf club head body and wherein the shaft engaging member comprises a protrusion that is received in the hole and extends into the golf club head body in a heel-to-toe direction, wherein the rotational locking structures comprise a plurality of complementary teeth on the protrusion and the connecting structure that engage each other to rotationally lock the shaft engaging member with the connecting structure, and wherein the teeth extend over a majority of a length of the protrusion.

7. The golf club head of claim 1 , further comprising a releasable securing member engaged with the golf club head body, wherein the securing member engages the shaft engaging member to retain the shaft engaging member in connection with the golf club head body, and wherein the securing member is releasable to allow for the shaft engaging member to be disconnected and adjusted.

8. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the golf club head body further comprises a perimeter weighting member extending rearward from the striking face and a rear cavity positioned behind the striking face and at least partially defined by the perimeter weighting member, wherein the connecting structure further comprises a first arm and a second arm extending from the perimeter weighting member over a portion of the rear cavity, wherein the first arm and the second arm both engage the shaft engaging member to secure the shaft engaging member to the golf club head body, and wherein the rotational locking structure of the connecting structure is located on the first arm and the second arm.

9. The golf club head of claim 1 , wherein the shaft engaging member is configured to be engaged with the connecting structure in a plurality of rotational positions with respect to the golf club head body, wherein the loft angle of the golf club head in each of the plurality of positions is different.

10. A golf club head comprising: a golf club head body having a striking face configured for striking a ball, the golf club head body having a connecting structure; a shaft engaging member engaged with the connecting structure of the golf club head body, wherein the shaft engaging member is configured to be engaged with a golf club shaft to connect the shaft to the golf club head body, the shaft engaging member comprising a first portion and a second portion that are angled with respect to each other, wherein the first portion extends upward and away from the golf club head body and the second portion is engaged with the connecting structure and extends into the golf club head body in a heel-to-toe direction; and a shroud engaged with at least one of the golf club head body and the shaft engaging member and extending between the golf club head body and the shaft engaging member to at least partially cover the gap and the connecting structure, wherein the shroud receives at least a portion of the first portion of the shaft engaging member therein, wherein the connecting structure and the second portion of the shaft engaging member have complementary rotational locking structures to rotationally lock the shaft engaging member with the connecting structure, and wherein the rotational locking structure is adjustable, such that the second portion of the shaft engaging member is configured to be engaged with the connecting structure in at least a first rotational position and a second rotational position with respect to the golf club head body, wherein a loft angle of the golf club head in the first position is different from the loft angle of the golf club head in the second position.

11. The golf club head of claim 10 , wherein the connecting structure comprises a hole in the golf club head body and wherein the second portion of the shaft engaging member comprises a protrusion that is received in the hole and extends into the golf club head body in the heel-to-toe direction, wherein the rotational locking structures comprise a plurality of complementary teeth on the protrusion and the hole that engage each other to rotationally lock the shaft engaging member with the connecting structure.

12. The golf club head of claim 11 , wherein the protrusion has a gear portion occupying a portion of a length of the protrusion proximate a heel edge of the golf club head body, wherein the teeth on the protrusion are located on the gear portion.

13. The golf club head of claim 11 , wherein the teeth are located around an entire periphery of the protrusion and around an entire inner periphery of the hole.

14. The golf club head of claim 10 , wherein the connecting structure comprises a hole in the golf club head body and wherein the second portion of the shaft engaging member comprises a protrusion that is received in the hole and extends int

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Stites John T
• Tai Chewei

Classifications

• A63B59/0088

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• A63B53/0466

  wood-type · CPC title

• A63B53/047 Primary

  iron-type · CPC title

• A63B53/02 Primary

  Joint structures between the head and the shaft · CPC title

• A63B2053/026

  Human Necessities · mapped topic