U.S. patent application number 09/813608 was filed with the patent office on 2001-08-09 for steel golf shaft with a composite pivot area.
This patent application is currently assigned to SPALDING SPORTS WORLDWIDE, INC.. Invention is credited to Feeney, Brian P..
Application Number | 20010012803 09/813608 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 22293156 |
Filed Date | 2001-08-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010012803 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Feeney, Brian P. |
August 9, 2001 |
Steel golf shaft with a composite pivot area
Abstract
A golf club shaft having an upper hollow portion with a handle
end and a lower hollow portion with a head end and an intermediate
flex portion therebetween. The upper portion has a lower end with a
joining region extending into the flex portion. The lower portion
has an upper end with a joining region extending into the flex
portion. A connector in the flex portion has a central enlarged
cylindrical section with a diameter extending outwardly to a
diameter essentially equal to the exterior surface of the adjacent
shaft portions, the connector also having an upper cylindrical
section with a reduced diameter in interference contact with the
interior surface at the lower end of the upper portion, the
connector also having a lower cylindrical section with a reduced
diameter in interference contact with the interior surface at the
upper end of the lower portion of the shaft.
Inventors: |
Feeney, Brian P.; (East
Windsor, CT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MICHELLE BUGBEE, ASSOCIATE PATENT COUNSEL
SPALDING SPORTS WORLDWIDE INC
425 MEADOW STREET
PO BOX 901
CHICOPEE
MA
01021-0901
US
|
Assignee: |
SPALDING SPORTS WORLDWIDE,
INC.
|
Family ID: |
22293156 |
Appl. No.: |
09/813608 |
Filed: |
March 21, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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09813608 |
Mar 21, 2001 |
|
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09103060 |
Jun 23, 1998 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
473/316 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 60/10 20151001;
A63B 2209/02 20130101; A63B 60/00 20151001; A63B 60/08 20151001;
A63B 60/0081 20200801; A63B 60/14 20151001; A63B 60/06 20151001;
A63B 53/10 20130101; A63B 53/12 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/316 |
International
Class: |
A63B 053/10; A63B
053/12 |
Claims
What is claimed as being new and desired to be protected by Letters
Patent of the United States is as follows:
1. A new and improved golf club comprising a shaft having a handle
end with a grip thereon and a head end with a head thereon and an
intermediate flex portion therebetween comprising, in combination:
a shaft including an upper hollow steel portion about 26 inches in
length constituting between about 55 and 65 percent, preferably
59.6 percent, of the length of the shaft and a lower hollow steel
portion about 12.5 inches in length constituting between about 25
and 33 percent, preferably 28.8 percent of the length of the shaft
with an intermediate flex portion about 9 inches in length with
about 2 inches at each end within the upper and lower portions
leaving about 5 inches therebetween constituting between 9 and 14
percent, preferably 11.6 percent, of the length of the shaft, the
lower end of the upper portion of shaft remote from the handle
having an undercut region extending into the intermediate flex
portion with the upper end of the lower portion of the shaft remote
from the head having an undercut region extending into the
intermediate flex portion; and a cylindrical sleeve formed of a
plurality of layers of a composite material having an upper and
lower radial abutment surface in contact with the lower end of the
upper portion of the shaft and the upper end of the lower portion
of the shaft and having an upper end of a reduced diameter in
contact with the undercut region of the lower end of the upper
portion of the shaft and a lower end of a reduced diameter in
contact with the undercut region of the upper end of the lower
portion of shaft, and with the exterior surface of the cylindrical
sleeve between the upper and lower portion of the shaft forming a
smooth continuation of the shaft through the intermediate flex
portion with the sleeve forming a region of greater flexibility
than the portions of the shaft thereabove and therebelow for
tailoring the playing characteristics of the golf clubs.
2. A golf club shaft having an upper hollow portion with a handle
end and a lower hollow portion with a head end and an intermediate
flex portion therebetween comprising: the upper portion having a
lower end with a joining region extending into the flex portion,
the lower portion having an upper end with a joining region
extending into the flex portion; and a connector in the flex
portion having a central enlarged cylindrical section with a
diameter extending outwardly to a diameter essentially equal to the
exterior surface of the adjacent shaft portions, the connector also
having an upper cylindrical section in interference contact with
the lower end of the upper portion, the connector also having a
lower cylindrical section in interference contact with the upper
end of the lower portion of the shaft.
3. The shaft as set forth in claim 2 wherein the upper and lower
portions of the shaft are fabricated of steel.
4. The shaft as set forth in claim 2 wherein the upper portion of
the shaft constitutes between about 55 and 65 percent of the length
of the shaft.
5. The shaft as set forth in claim 2 wherein the intermediate flex
portion constitutes between about 9 and 14 percent of the length of
the shaft.
6. The shaft as set forth in claim 2 wherein the intermediate flex
portion constitutes up to about 65 percent of the total shaft
length.
7. The shaft as set forth in claim 2 wherein the lower portion of
the shaft constitutes between about 9 and 14 percent of the length
of the shaft.
8. The shaft as set forth in claim 2 wherein the connector is
formed of a non-metallic material.
9. The shaft as set forth in claim 2 wherein the connector is
formed of a composite material with inextensible strands from
between about 0 degrees and 45 degrees with respect to the axis of
the shaft.
10. The shaft as set forth in claim 2 wherein the connector is
formed of plastic.
11. The shaft as set forth in claim 2 wherein the upper end and
lower end are selected from the class of metals including aluminum,
titanium and other metal alloys.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a steel golf shaft with a
composite pivot area and more particularly pertains to tailoring
the playing characteristics of golf clubs through an intermediate
pivot area in the shaft.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] The use of golf shafts with variable playing characteristics
of various designs and configurations is known in the prior art.
More specifically, golf shafts with variable characteristics of
various designs and configurations heretofore devised and utilized
for the purpose of tailoring the playing characteristics of golf
clubs through various methods and apparatus are known to consist
basically of familiar, expected, and obvious structural
configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed
by the crowded prior art which has been developed for the
fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
[0005] By way of example, note U.S. Pat. No. 5,439,219 to Vincent,
U.S. Pat. No. 5,308,062 to Hogan and U.S. Pat. No. 5,467,984 to
Veux.
[0006] While these devices fulfill their respective, particular
objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not
describe a golf shaft with a composite or plastic pivot area that
allows tailoring the playing characteristics of golf clubs through
an intermediate pivot area in the shaft.
[0007] In this respect, the golf shaft with a composite pivot area
according to the present invention substantially departs from the
conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so
provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of
tailoring the playing characteristics of golf clubs through an
intermediate pivot area in the shaft.
[0008] Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a
continuing need for a new and improved golf shaft with a composite
pivot area which can be used for tailoring the playing
characteristics of golf clubs through an intermediate pivot area in
the shaft. In this regard, the present invention substantially
fulfills this need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known
types of golf shafts with variable playing characteristics of
various designs and configurations now present in the prior art,
the present invention provides an improved golf shaft with a
composite pivot area. As such, the general purpose of the present
invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail,
is to provide a new and improved a golf shaft with a composite
pivot area and method which has all the advantages of the prior art
and none of the disadvantages.
[0010] To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises
a new and improved golf club comprising a shaft having a handle end
with a grip thereon and a head end with a head thereon and an
intermediate flex portion therebetween. One embodiment of the shaft
is for a driver and would include an upper hollow steel portion
about 26 inches in length constituting between about 55 and 65
percent, preferably 59.6 percent, of the length of the shaft. Also
included in the shaft is a lower hollow steel portion about 12.5
inches in length constituting between about 25 and 33 percent,
preferably 28.8 percent of the length of the shaft. An intermediate
flex portion about 9 inches in length with about 2 inches at each
end is positioned within the upper and lower portions leaving about
5 inches therebetween constituting between 9 and 14 percent,
preferably 11.6 percent, of the length of the shaft. The lower end
of the upper portion of the shaft remote from the handle having an
exterior undercut region extending into the intermediate flex
portion with the upper end of the lower portion of the shaft remote
from the head having an exteriorly undercut region extending into
the intermediate flex portion. A cylindrical sleeve is formed of a
plurality of layers of an overwrap of a composite material having
an upper and lower radial abutment in contact with the lower end of
the upper portion of the shaft and the upper end of the lower
portion of the shaft and having an upper end of a reduced diameter
in contact with the undercut region of the lower end of the upper
portion of the shaft and a lower end of a reduced diameter in
contact with the undercut region of the upper end of the lower
portion of shaft, and with the exterior surface of the cylindrical
sleeve between the upper and lower portion of the shaft forming a
smooth continuation of the shaft through the intermediate flex
portion with the sleeve forming a region of greater flexibility
than the portions of the shaft thereabove and therebelow for
tailoring the playing characteristics of the golf clubs.
[0011] There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more
important features of the invention in order that the detailed
description thereof that follows may be better understood and in
order that the present contribution to the art may be better
appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the
invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form
the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
[0012] In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment
of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the
invention is not limited in its application to the details of
construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in
the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The
invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced
and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that
the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose
of descriptions and should not be regarded as limiting.
[0013] As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the
conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be
utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods
and systems for calling out the several purposes of the present
invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded
as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not
depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
[0014] It is therefore an object of the present invention to
provide a new and improved golf shaft with a composite pivot area
which has all of the advantages of the prior art golf shafts with
variable playing characteristics of various designs and
configurations and none of the disadvantages.
[0015] It is another object of the present invention to provide a
new and improved golf shaft with a composite pivot area which may
be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
[0016] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
new and improved golf shaft with a composite pivot area which is of
durable and reliable constructions.
[0017] An even further object of the present invention is to
provide a new and improved golf shaft with a composite pivot area
which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to
both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible
of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such
golf shaft with a composite pivot area economically available to
the buying public.
[0018] Even still another object of the present invention is to
provide a golf shaft with a composite pivot area for tailoring the
playing characteristics of golf clubs through an intermediate pivot
area in the shaft.
[0019] Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide
a new and improved golf club shaft having an upper hollow portion
with a handle end and a lower hollow portion with a head end and an
intermediate flex portion therebetween. The upper portion has a
lower end with a joining region extending into the flex portion.
The lower portion has an upper end with a joining region extending
into the flex portion. A connector is provided in the flex portion
having a central enlarged cylindrical section with a diameter
extending outwardly to a diameter essentially equal to the exterior
surface of the adjacent shaft portions, the connector also having
an upper cylindrical section with a reduced diameter in
interference contact with the interior surface at the lower end of
the upper portion, the connector also having a lower cylindrical
section with a reduced diameter in interference contact with the
interior surface at the upper end of the lower portion of the
shaft.
[0020] These together with other objects of the invention, along
with the various features of novelty which characterize the
invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed
to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better
understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the
specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to
the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is
illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] The invention will be better understood and objects other
than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration
is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such
description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
[0022] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of
a golf club employing a shaft with a composite pivot area
constructed in accordance with the principles of the present
invention.
[0023] FIGS. 1a, 1b, and 1c illustrate alternate embodiments of the
invention wherein the insert is of varying lengths.
[0024] FIG. 2 is perspective showing of the shaft employed in a
golf club of FIG. 1.
[0025] FIG. 3 is an enlarged showing of the intermediate flex
region of the golf club shaft taken at circle 3 of FIG. 2.
[0026] FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along line 4 of FIG.
3.
[0027] FIG. 5 is a side elevational view taken at line 5-5 of FIG.
4.
[0028] FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view similar to FIG. 3 but
illustrating an alternate embodiment of the invention.
[0029] The same reference numerals refer to the same parts through
the various Figures.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0030] With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
FIG. 1 thereof, the preferred embodiment of the new and improved
golf shaft with a composite pivot area embodying the principles and
concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the
reference numeral 10 will be described.
[0031] The present invention, the golf shaft with a composite pivot
area, is comprised of a plurality of components. Such components in
their broadest context include a shaft with a metal upper portion
and a metal lower portion and with a non-metallic flex portion
therebetween. Such components are individually configured and
correlated with respect to each other so as to attain the desired
objective.
[0032] The primary component of the present invention is a shaft
12. Such shaft has a handle end 14 with a grip 16 thereon. It also
has a head end 18 with a head 20 formed thereon. In addition, the
shaft includes an intermediate flex portion 22 between the upper
and lower ends.
[0033] In the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1, there is shown the
invention including a shaft about 44 inches in length, a normal
shaft length for a driver. Such shaft has an upper hollow steel
portion 24 about 26 inches in length and constitutes between about
55 and 65 percent, preferably 59.6 percent, of the length of the
shaft. The shaft also has a lower hollow steel portion 26 about
12.5 inches in length and constitutes between about 25 and 33
percent, preferably 28.8 percent, of the length of the shaft. The
shaft also has an intermediate flex portion 22 about 9 inches in
length with about 2 inches at each end within the upper and lower
portions. This leaves about 5 inches therebetween constituting
between 9 and 14 percent, preferably 11.6 percent, of the length of
the shaft.
[0034] The lower end of the upper portion of the shaft remote from
the handle has an undercut or joining region 32 which extends into
the intermediate flex portion. The upper end of the lower portion
of the shaft remote from the head has an undercut or joining region
34 extending into the intermediate flex portion.
[0035] A cylindrical sleeve 38 is formed of a plurality of layers
of a composite material. The sleeve has an upper and lower radial
abutment surface 40, 42 in contact with the lower end of the upper
portion of the shaft and the upper end of the lower portion of the
shaft.
[0036] The sleeve has an upper end 44 of a reduced diameter in
contact with the undercut region of the lower end of the upper
portion of the shaft. The sleeve also has a lower end 46 of a
reduced diameter in contact with the undercut region of the upper
end of the lower portion of shaft. The exterior surface of the
cylindrical sleeve between the upper and lower portion of the shaft
forms a smooth continuation of the shaft through the intermediate
flex portion with the sleeve forming a region of greater
flexibility than the portions of the shaft thereabove and
therebelow. This allows for tailoring the playing characteristics
of the golf clubs. It should be noted that the preferred embodiment
illustrates the intermediate portion as having undercut ends for
the accommodation of the adjacent portions of the upper and lower
portions. It should be understood, that an inverted relationship
could be utilized with the intermediate portion being tubular of a
common diameter throughout its length and with the adjacent ends of
the upper and lower portions being of a reduced diameter
thereadjacent to fit within the hollow interior of the intermediate
section.
[0037] The preferred materials for the sleeve include any
conventional matrix material for the binder and with essentially
inextensible strands therethrough as of graphite, carbon, glass,
and other known materials for its intended purpose. The strands may
be axially aligned with the shaft or at any angle, preferably up to
45 degrees to assist in varying the flex characteristics of the
shaft. This arrangement forms a region of greater flex than the
portions of the shaft thereabove and therebelow for tailoring the
playing characteristics of the golf clubs as a function of the
materials of the components, the angle of the strands, in
combination with the size and positioning of the connector and
sleeve with respect to the shaft portions.
[0038] In the preferred embodiment, the connector is fabricated as
a composite hollow cylinder with a plurality of layers. Each layer
includes aligned strands of inextensible fibers such as graphite,
carbon, glass or any of the conventional materials utilized
conventionally in composite materials. The strands are held in
position by a flexible polymer functioning as the matrix binder
material. Such matrix binder material may be of any of the
conventional binder materials normally used in composite
technology. The fibers in the preferred embodiment are aligned at
any desired angle. They are shown in FIG. 5 as extending at about
forty-five degrees from the axis of the shaft. They may be placed
at any angle preferably lower down to zero degrees, at an
orientation parallel with the axis of the shaft. The angular
orientation will vary the flux of the connector in the one flex
portion of the club.
[0039] Note is taken that the shaft above and below the connector
are the stiffest portion of the shaft. The portion of the connector
between the shaft is the region of greatest flex. The regions under
the adjacent ends of the shaft which are undercut and provided with
composite material of a lesser thickness are of an intermediate
flexibility.
[0040] The current preferred embodiment of the invention for a
driver shaft utilizes a composite connector between two steel
tubes. The butt section of the steel is 26 inches in length. The
tip portion of the steel shaft is 12.5 inches in length. The hollow
composite section is 9 inches in length. Two inches at either end
of the composite pieces slide into the steel portions of the shaft
to which they are adhesively bonded. Thus, the total active length
of the shaft is 43.5 inches. The composite tube is produced via a
bladder molding operation. It has a wall thickness of about 0.040
inches and is composed of approximately 7 layers of graphite epoxy
material. The fibers are oriented at angles that range from 0
degrees, along the length of the shaft, to 45 degrees. The exact
fiber orientation is varied from shaft to shaft depending on the
desired amount of flexibility.
[0041] In the FIG. 6 embodiment, the connector 50 is fabricated of
plastic in a hollow configuration. This embodiment has a
cross-section of a connector similar to that of the primary
embodiment described above. Such connector provides further cost
advantages over that of the primary embodiment.
[0042] FIGS. 1a, 1b, and 1c show alternate inserts where the flex
portions are of varying lengths. In the FIG. 1a embodiment, the
intermediate flex portion is of a length less than that of the
primary embodiment; in the embodiment of FIG. 1b, the intermediate
flex portion is of a length greater than that of the primary
embodiment but less than half the length of the shaft.
[0043] In the embodiment of FIG. 1c, the intermediate flex portion
is of a length greater than 50 percent of the length of the shaft,
preferably about 65 percent of the total length of the shaft. A low
cost version of the shaft would be to use a small middle section,
from between about five and nine inches in length, and steel upper
and lower portions. This would tend to be a fairly heavy shaft when
compared to an all-composite shaft. A more expensive, and higher
performance version of this shaft, would incorporate a much larger
middle section composed of composite materials, preferably graphite
fibers in an epoxy matrix. The composite section in this case
could, as mentioned above, account for up to 65 percent of the
total length of the shaft.
[0044] It should also be understood that, although the primary
embodiment discloses the upper and lower portions of the shaft as
being of steel tubes, other metals could be utilized. The other
metals that could be utilized include metals selected from the
class of metals including aluminum, titanium and other metal
alloys.
[0045] The major benefit to this type of shaft would be to offer a
controlled kick point in a shaft. By varying the stiffness of the
composite region only, shafts of significantly different
performance can be produced. The shaft should also transmit less
shock and vibration to players hands when compared to traditional
steel shafts, but may offer more feedback than an all graphite
shaft. By utilizing steel in the tip portion and a composite mid
section, it should be possible to produce a durable, low torque
shaft, that still adds club head speed due to its localized flex
point.
[0046] As to the manner of usage and operation of the present
invention, the same should be apparent from the above description.
Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage
and operation will be provided.
[0047] With respect to the above description then, it is to be
realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts
of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape,
form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are
deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and
all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings
and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed
by the present invention.
[0048] Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only
of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous
modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in
the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact
construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly,
all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to,
falling within the scope of the invention.
* * * * *