Adjustable golf club

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9308430-B2
Application number	US-201213665237-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 31, 2012
Priority date	Oct 31, 2012
Publication date	Apr 12, 2016
Grant date	Apr 12, 2016

Abstract

In an embodiment, a golf club includes a striking face, a top portion, a sole portion opposite the top portion, and a shaft assembly. The shaft assembly can include a shaft having a butt end and a tip end, and a shaft sleeve located at the tip end, the shaft sleeve including indicia, and a hosel extending from the top portion. The hosel can include a sidewall, an internal bore for receiving the shaft assembly, and an aperture extending through, and circumscribed by, the sidewall such that the indicia of the shaft sleeve corresponds with the aperture.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A golf club comprising:
a striking face;
a top portion;
a sole portion opposite the top portion;
a shaft assembly including a shaft having a butt end and a tip end, and a shaft sleeve located at the tip end, the shaft sleeve including indicia; and
a hosel extending from the top portion, the hosel including a sidewall, a tip end, an internal bore for receiving the shaft assembly, a hosel axis, and an aperture extending through, and circumscribed by, the sidewall such that the indicia of the shaft sleeve corresponds with the aperture,
wherein the aperture has a width greater than or equal to 2 mm and less than 4 mm,
wherein the aperture has a top portion and a bottom portion such that at least one of the top portion and the bottom portion, in its entirety, follows a semi-circular path, and
wherein the sidewall circumscribing the aperture includes an inner surface having a first thickness T 1 in a radial direction from the hosel axis and a chamfered edge having a second thickness T 2 in the radial direction, T 1 /T 2 being between approximately 3 and 7.33, and the chamfered edge extending outward of the inner surface to form an interior angle therebetween of between about 110° and 160°.

2. The golf club of claim 1 wherein the aperture is elongated in a direction along the hosel axis.

3. The golf club of claim 2 wherein the aperture has a length less than 22 mm.

4. The golf club of claim 2 wherein the aperture has a width of approximately 3 mm, and a length of approximately 16 mm.

5. The golf club of claim 1 wherein the aperture includes an uppermost point located on a first plane perpendicular to the hosel axis, and the hosel includes an uppermost point located on a second plane, the first plane being parallel to the second plane and separated from the second plane by at least 1 mm, and upward being a direction along the hosel axis toward the tip end of the hosel from the sole portion.

6. A golf club head comprising:
a striking face;
a top portion;
a sole portion opposite the top portion; and
a hosel extending from the top portion, the hosel including a sidewall, a tip end, an internal bore configured to removably secure a shaft assembly to the golf club head, a hosel axis, and an aperture extending through, and circumscribed by, the sidewall,
wherein the aperture has a width greater than or equal to 2 mm and less than 4 mm,
wherein the aperture has a top portion and a bottom portion such that at least one of the top portion and the bottom portion, in its entirety, follows a semi-circular path, and
wherein the sidewall circumscribing the aperture includes an inner surface having a first thickness T 1 in a radial direction from the hosel axis and a chamfered edge having a second thickness T 2 in the radial direction, T 1 /T 2 being between approximately 3 and 7.33, and the chamfered edge extending outward of the inner surface to form an interior angle therebetween of between about 110° and 160°.

7. The golf club head of claim 6 further comprising a throughbore communicating with the internal bore and a bottom surface of the sole portion for accepting a securing member to secure the shaft assembly to the hosel.

8. The golf club head of claim 7 wherein the hosel further includes an exterior surface comprising a threaded portion for association with the securing member.

9. The golf club head of claim 6 wherein the hosel further comprises a rotation inhibiting element.

10. The golf club head of claim 9 wherein the rotation inhibiting element comprises a plurality of grooves elongated in a direction along the hosel axis.

11. The golf club head of claim 9 wherein the rotation inhibiting element comprises a plurality of notches that extends downward from the tip end of the hosel.

12. The golf club head of claim 6 wherein the aperture is elongated in a direction along the hosel axis.

13. The golf club head of claim 12 wherein the aperture has a length less than 22 mm.

14. The golf club head of claim 12 wherein the aperture has a width of approximately 3 mm, and a length of approximately 16 mm.

15. The golf club head of claim 6 wherein the aperture includes an uppermost point located on a first plane perpendicular to the hosel axis, and the hosel includes an uppermost point located on a second plane, the first plane being parallel to the second plane and separated from the second plane by at least 1 mm, and upward being a direction along the hosel axis toward the tip end of the hosel from the sole portion.

16. A golf club comprising:
a striking face;
a top portion;
a sole portion opposite the top portion;
a shaft assembly including a shaft having a butt end and a tip end, and a shaft sleeve located at the tip end, the shaft sleeve including indicia; and
a hosel extending from the top portion, the hosel comprising a hosel axis, a sidewall, an internal bore for receiving the shaft assembly, and an aperture extending through the sidewall such that the indicia of the shaft sleeve corresponds with the aperture,
wherein the aperture extends in a direction along the hosel axis by a first distance and extends circumferentially to the hosel axis by a second distance that is less than the first distance such that the second distance is greater than or equal to 2 mm and less than 4 mm,
wherein the aperture has a top portion and a bottom portion such that at least one of the top portion and the bottom portion, in its entirety, follows a semi-circular path, and
wherein the sidewall through which the aperture extends includes an inner surface having a first thickness T 1 in a radial direction from the hosel axis and a chamfered edge having a second thickness T 2 in the radial direction, T 1 /T 2 being between approximately 3 and 7.33, and the chamfered edge extending outward of the inner surface to form an interior angle therebetween of between about 110° and 160°.

17. The golf club of claim 16 wherein the indicia of the shaft sleeve indicates a position of the golf club when the shaft assembly is associated with the hosel in an operating position.

18. The golf club of claim 17 wherein the aperture is at least partially filled by a non-metallic material.

19. The golf club of claim 18 wherein the non-metallic material is translucent.

20. The golf club of claim 19 wherein the translucent material is configured to magnify the indicia of the shaft sleeve when the indicia is displayed through the aperture.

21. A golf club comprising:
a striking face;
a top portion;
a sole portion opposite the top portion;
a shaft assembly including a shaft having a butt end and a tip end, and a shaft sleeve located at the tip end, the shaft sleeve including indicia;
a hosel extending from the top portion, the hosel comprising a hosel axis, a top section, a sidewall, an internal bore for receiving the shaft assembly, and an aperture having a width greater than or equal to 2 mm and less than 4 mm and extending through the sidewall such that the indicia of the shaft sleeve aligns with the aperture, the aperture having a top portion and a bottom portion such that at least one of the top portion and the bottom portion, in its entirety, follows a semi-circular path,
wherein a portion of the sidewall at the top section of the hosel includes an anti-deformation structure configured to reduce deformation of the top section of the hosel, the anti-deformation structure at least partially defining the aperture, and the indicia of the shaft sleeve indicates a position of the golf

Assignees

• Dunlop Sports Co Ltd
• Dunlop Sports Co Ltd

Inventors

• Nivanh Dan S

Classifications

• A63B71/06 Primary

  Indicating or scoring devices for games or players {, or for other sports activities} · CPC title

• A63B53/0466

  wood-type · CPC title

• A63B53/00 Primary

  Golf clubs · CPC title

• A63B60/00

  Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like · CPC title

• A63B2053/023

  Human Necessities · mapped topic