Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6652388
-
Patent Number
6,652,388
-
Date Filed
Wednesday, January 29, 200321 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, November 25, 200321 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
- Catania; Michael A.
- Lo; Elaine H.
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 473 308
- 473 309
- 473 310
- 473 311
- 473 306
- 473 307
- 473 305
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A method and apparatus for assembling a shaft to a golf club head is disclosed. The club head is positioned in a club head alignment device of the apparatus, which further includes a holding device and a press device with a jaw mechanism. A ferrule and a sleeve are placed on the tip end of the shaft, and the butt end is inserted into the holding device. The tip end of the shaft and the sleeve are inserted into a tapered bore in the hosel of the club head. The jaw mechanism of the press device is then enclosed around the shaft, and the press device is operated to force the sleeve further into the tapered hosel bore. The club head and partially attached shaft are then removed from the apparatus, and the ferrule is secured to the hosel to completely attach the shaft.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not Applicable
FEDERAL RESEARCH STATEMENT
Not Applicable
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to assembling shafts to golf club heads. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for assembling and securing a shaft to a golf club head.
2. Description of the Related Art
The game of golf has benefited greatly from technological advancements throughout its glorious history. Examples include the progression of golf balls from a leather featherie version to the gutta percha version to the dimpled version to the two-piece and three-piece versions of today. Another example of the technological advancement of golf is the progression of the shaft from wood to metal to graphite to the hybrid versions of today. Yet another example of the technological advancement of golf is the progression of woods from persimmon to steel to titanium to the advanced materials of today. All of these advancements have greatly improved the game of golf for golfers everywhere. However, the game of golf is still requires a golf club with a shaft connected to a golf club head in order to strike a golf ball.
The attachment of the shaft to the golf club head requires securing the shaft to the golf club head in a manner that withstands the tremendous forces exerted during swinging and impact with a golf ball. The attachment mechanism could encompass compressive forces, chemical adhesion and/or mechanical means. One preferred manner for attaching a shaft to a metal wood has been the use of an epoxy to secure the shaft within a hosel. This attachment procedure is usually performed manually, with an operator overcoating a tip end of a shaft with epoxy, and then inserting the shaft into the hosel wherein excess epoxy (2 to 4 grams) is flushed onto the golf club head. In a through-bore golf club head, the tip end of the shaft extends through the bore in the sole of the golf club head and is cut during the assembly process. This attachment procedure is wasteful (excess shaft material and epoxy) and detrimental to the operator if performed continuously throughout the day. The current procedure also requires the step of sand blasting the hosel to create a better adhesive surface for the epoxy. Further, such an attachment procedure typically requires heating the golf club in an oven for two hours to cure the epoxy and completely secure the shaft to the golf club head. Such ovens require great amounts of floor space in a factory, and use excessive amounts of energy. In addition, the epoxy may not be evenly dispersed between the shaft and the hosel, leaving voids which would adversely affect the bond between the shaft and the golf club head. Thus, there is a need for an improvement in the attachment of a shaft to a golf club head.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
The present invention provides a solution to the wastefulness and other problems of attaching a shaft to a golf club head. The present invention is able to accomplish this by providing a method and apparatus that eliminates the need for an adhesive or epoxy to secure a shaft to a golf club head, which reduces production time while simplifying the procedure for an operator.
One aspect of the present invention is an apparatus for assembling a shaft to a golf club head. The golf club head has a hosel with a tapered bore. The shaft has a tip end and a butt end. A sleeve and a ferrule are disposed on the shaft. The apparatus includes an upper section and a lower section, a club head alignment device, a holding device, and a press device including a jaw mechanism. The club head alignment device is disposed on the lower section of the frame and receives the golf club head. The holding device receives the butt end of the shaft and is disposed on the upper section of the frame. The holding device is also capable of vertical oscillation. The press device is disposed on the lower section of the frame and is capable of vertical oscillation. The press device has a cavity for receiving the shaft with the ferrule disposed thereon. The jaw mechanism of the press device is capable of enclosing the shaft above the sleeve and forcing the sleeve into the tapered hosel bore of the golf club head during oscillation of the press device.
Another aspect of the present invention is a method for assembling a shaft to a golf club head. The golf club head has a hosel with a tapered bore. The shaft has a tip end and a butt end. The method begins with positioning the golf club head in a club head alignment device of an assembly apparatus. Next, a ferrule and a sleeve are placed on the shaft proximate the tip end. The butt end of the shaft is then positioned into a holding device of the assembly apparatus. Next, a portion of the tip end of the shaft and a portion of the sleeve are placed into the tapered bore of the hosel of the golf club head. A jaw mechanism of the press device then encloses around a portion of the shaft between the sleeve and the ferrule. Next, the press device moves to engage a top end of the sleeve and force the sleeve into the tapered bore of the hosel of the golf club head to create a golf club head with partially attached shaft. When the press device moves away from the golf club head, the jaw mechanism disengages. Next, the golf club head with the partially attached shaft is removed from the assembly apparatus. Finally, the ferrule is secured to the hosel to create a golf club head with a completely attached shaft.
Still another aspect of the present invention is a golf club including a golf club head and a shaft. The golf club head may be a wood-type or an iron-type golf club head. The golf club head includes a hosel having a tapered bore. A tip end of the shaft with a tapered sleeve disposed thereon is inserted into the tapered bore of the hosel. The golf club further includes a ferrule secured to the hosel to retain the sleeve and shaft in place.
Having briefly described the present invention, the above and further objects, features and advantages thereof will be recognized by those skilled in the pertinent art from the following detailed description of the invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a side perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus.
FIG. 1A
is an enlarged view of circle A of FIG.
1
.
FIG. 2
is a front perspective view of the apparatus of FIG.
1
.
FIG. 2A
is an enlarged view of circle A of FIG.
2
.
FIG. 3
is a side view of the apparatus of
FIG. 1
with a golf club head and shaft in a pre-pressing position.
FIG. 3A
is an enlarged cross-sectional view
FIG. 3
along line A—A.
FIG. 4
is a side view of the apparatus of
FIG. 1
with a golf club head and shaft in a post-pressing position.
FIG. 4A
is an enlarged cross-sectional view
FIG. 4
along line A—A.
FIG. 5
is an isolated view of a wood-type golf club head.
FIG. 5A
is a cross-sectional view of the wood-type golf club head of
FIG. 5
along line A—A.
FIG. 6
is an exploded view of a wood-type golf club.
FIG. 7
is a front view of a wood-type golf club.
FIG. 7A
is a cross-sectional view of the wood-type golf club head of
FIG. 7
along line E—E.
FIG. 8
is an isolated view of an iron-type golf club head.
FIG. 8A
is a cross-sectional view of the iron-type golf club head of
FIG. 8
along line A—A.
FIG. 9
is an exploded view of an iron-type golf club.
FIG. 10
is a front view of an iron-type golf club.
FIG. 10A
is a cross-sectional view of the iron-type golf club head of
FIG. 10
along line A—A.
FIG. 11
is an isolated perspective view of a retention nut.
FIG. 12
is a bottom plan view of the retention nut of FIG.
11
.
FIG. 13
is a side view of the retention nut of FIG.
11
.
FIG. 14
is an isolated perspective view of a sleeve for use with a wood-type golf club head.
FIG. 15
is a side view of the sleeve of FIG.
14
.
FIG. 16
is an opposite side view of the sleeve of FIG.
15
.
FIG. 17
is a top plan view of the sleeve of FIG.
14
.
FIG. 18
is an isolated perspective view of a sleeve for use with an iron-type golf club head.
FIG. 19
is a side view of the sleeve of FIG.
18
.
FIG. 20
is an opposite side view of the sleeve of FIG.
19
.
FIG. 21
is a top plan view of the sleeve of FIG.
18
.
FIG. 22
is a perspective view of a ferrule for use with a wood-type golf club head.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
As shown in
FIGS. 1
,
1
A,
2
and
2
A, an assembly apparatus is generally designated
30
. The apparatus
30
preferably has an upper section
31
and a lower section
32
. The apparatus
30
preferably has an elongated bar
33
connected to a base
34
. The elongated bar
33
will generally have a length corresponding to the length of a shaft, which varies depending on the golf club (generally 30 to 52 inches). The apparatus
30
is preferably composed of a metal material, such as aluminum.
The apparatus
30
is constructed for the attachment of a shaft to a golf club head without the use of an epoxy or other adhesive to secure the shaft to the hosel of the golf club head. The apparatus
30
preferably includes a club head alignment device
35
for positioning a club head in the apparatus
30
for attachment of a shaft thereto. The apparatus
30
also preferably includes a holding device
36
disposed in the upper section
31
of the apparatus
30
. The holding device
36
, which is movable in a vertical direction with respect to the club head alignment device
35
, retains the shaft during the attachment process. The apparatus
30
also preferably includes a press device
37
disposed in the lower section
32
of the apparatus
30
. The press device
37
assists in attaching the shaft to the golf club head through use of a jaw mechanism
40
, which has first and second jaws
41
a
and
41
b
. The press device
37
preferably includes an open cavity
45
in a main member
46
, which is connected to the base
34
by a pair of stanchions
44
a
and
44
b
. The cavity
45
, which is preferably approximately 4 inches in length, is open on a front surface
47
of the main member
46
. The main member
46
preferably oscillates in a vertical direction within a set a range (preferably 0.5 inch to 3 inches) along the stanchions
44
a
and
44
b.
The holding device
36
preferably includes a retaining member
48
with an aperture (not shown) for receiving the shaft. The retaining member
48
holds the shaft during operation of the press device
37
as discussed below.
The club head alignment device
35
has a projection base
42
with a projection
43
thereon for retaining and aligning the golf club head within the apparatus
30
. Those skilled in the pertinent art will recognize that other means may be used for aligning the golf club head within the apparatus
30
without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.
The apparatus
30
also preferably includes a lateral arm
38
connected to the elongated bar
33
. The lateral arm
38
has a shaft alignment device
39
for aligning the shaft graphics with the face of the golf club head. The shaft alignment device
39
is preferably a laser alignment device, such as a Mini Laser Line
1049
with Industrial Housing available from H-W Fairway International, Inc. of Kent, Ohio.
Referring to
FIGS. 5
,
5
A and
6
, a wood-type golf club head
50
has a hosel
52
with a tapered bore
54
. The tapered bore
54
has an upper portion
56
and a lower portion
58
, wherein the diameter of the bore
54
tapers from the upper portion
56
to the lower portion
58
. In a preferred embodiment, the upper portion
56
has a diameter D that ranges from 0.25 inch to 0.625 inch, and the lower portion
58
has a diameter D′ that ranges from 0.25 inch to 0.50 inch, with the upper portion diameter D being greater than the lower portion diameter D′ such that the upper portion
56
of the tapered bore
54
preferably has about a 1° taper on each side, or about a 2° included taper. The golf club head
50
preferably has an interior hosel
52
, however, those skilled in the pertinent art will recognize that external hosel golf club heads are well within the scope and spirit of the present invention. One example of a golf club head
50
with an interior hosel is the STEELHEAD PLUS® driver available from the Callaway Golf Company of Carlsbad, Calif. With a golf club head
50
with an interior hosel
52
, the golf club head
50
preferably has a crown opening
60
and a sole opening
62
for accessing the tapered bore
54
. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the upper portion
56
of the tapered bore
54
of the hosel
52
has a threaded portion (not shown) for receiving a retention nut, as described below.
A shaft
70
has a tip end
72
, which is inserted into the hosel
52
of the golf club head
50
. The shaft
70
may be composed of a stainless steel or a graphite material. A ferrule
84
, a retention nut
82
and a sleeve
80
are placed over the tip end
72
of the shaft
70
. The sleeve
80
is then inserted with the tip end
72
of the shaft
70
into the tapered bore
54
as described below. The retention nut
82
is then threaded into the hosel
52
, and the ferrule
84
threaded onto the retention nut
82
, as described below.
Referring now to
FIGS. 3 and 3A
, the golf club head
50
is positioned on the golf club head alignment device
35
by placing the hosel
52
over the projection
43
. Next, the shaft
70
, with the ferrule
84
, retention nut
82
and sleeve
80
placed over the tip end
72
, is positioned within the holding device
36
by inserting a butt end
74
of the shaft
70
into the aperture (not shown) of the retaining member
48
. The holding device
36
is then moved along the elongated bar
33
away from the the golf club head alsignment device
35
. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that although the assembly apparatus
30
is illustrated in a vertical orientation, other orientations, such as horizontal, may also be used.
Next, a portion of the shaft
70
with the ferrule
84
and the retention nut
82
are placed within the cavity
45
of the press device
37
. The sleeve
80
and the tip portion
72
of the shaft
70
are then inserted into the tapered bore
54
of the hosel
52
of the golf club head
50
, which is positioned in the golf club head alignment device
35
. A portion of the sleeve
80
extends above the crown opening
60
of the golf club head
50
. Next, the jaws
41
a
and
41
b
of the jaw mechanism
40
enclose about a portion of the shaft
70
below the retention nut
82
and above the sleeve
80
. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the jaws
41
a
and
41
b
do not engage the shaft. Preferably, the bottom of each of the jaws
41
a
and
41
b
engages the top surface of the sleeve
80
. Next, the press device
37
moves toward the golf club head
50
to force the sleeve
80
further into the tapered bore
54
as shown in
FIGS. 4 and 4A
. Approximately 3800 pounds of force are used to insert the sleeve
80
in the tapered bore
54
. The press travels between approximately 0.25 inch and 1.00 inch toward the club head alignment device
35
. The decreasing diameter of the tapered bore
54
collapses the sleeve
80
around the shaft
70
, thereby retaining the shaft
70
within the tapered bore
54
of the hosel
52
of the golf club head
50
without the use of an epoxy or other adhesive.
The golf club head
50
with the partially attached shaft
70
is then removed from the apparatus
30
. Next, the retention nut
82
is threaded into the hosel
52
to provide an additional means of securing the sleeve
80
within the tapered bore
54
. The ferrule
84
may then be threaded onto the retention nut
82
or the hosel
52
to completely attach the shaft
70
to the golf club head
50
.
FIGS. 7 and 7A
illustrate the golf club head
50
with the shaft
70
completely attached. Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the retention nut
82
is an optional element, providing additional assurance that the sleeve is secured in the tapered bore
54
. If a retention nut is not used, then the ferrule
84
is secured within the tapered bore
54
of the hosel
52
.
The assembly apparatus
30
may also be used to attach a shaft to an iron-type golf club head. Referring to
FIGS. 8
,
8
A and
9
, an iron-type golf club head
50
′ has a hosel
52
′ with a tapered bore
54
. The tapered bore
54
has an upper portion
56
and a lower portion
58
, wherein the diameter of the bore
54
tapers from the upper portion
56
to the lower portion
58
. In a preferred embodiment, the upper portion
56
has a diameter D that ranges from 0.25 inch to 0.625 inch, and the lower portion
58
has a diameter D′ that ranges from 0.25 inch to 0.50 inch, with the upper portion diameter D being greater than the lower portion diameter D′ such that the upper portion
56
of the tapered bore
54
preferably has about a 1° taper on each side, or about a 2° included taper. One example of a golf club head
50
′ is the STEELHEAD® X-14® iron available from the Callaway Golf Company of Carlsbad, Calif. The golf club head
50
′ preferably has a crown opening
60
and a sole opening
62
for accessing the tapered bore
54
. The upper portion
56
of the tapered bore
54
of the hosel
52
′ has a threaded portion (not shown) for receiving a retention nut, as described below.
A shaft
70
has a tip end
72
, which is inserted into the hosel
52
′ of the golf club head
50
′. A ferrule
84
′, a retention nut
82
and a sleeve
80
′ are placed over the tip end
72
of the shaft
70
′. The sleeve
80
′ is then inserted with the tip end
72
of the shaft
70
′ into the tapered bore
54
in the same manner as described above with respect to the wood-type golf club head
50
.
After the assembly apparatus
30
has been used to partially attach the shaft
70
′ to the golf club head
50
′, the golf club head
50
′ with the partially attached shaft
70
′ is removed. The retention nut
82
is then threaded into the hosel
52
′, and the ferrule
84
′ is secured to either the retention nut
82
or the hosel
52
′. As discussed above with respect to the wood-type golf club head
50
, the retention nut
82
may be omitted.
FIGS. 10 and 10A
illustrate the golf club head
50
′ with the shaft
70
completely attached.
The present invention provides a golf club with a shaft securely attached to the club head without the use of epoxy. A pull test was performed on several golf clubs assembled in accordance with the present apparatus and method. For this test, the shaft of each golf club is cut between 4 inches and 5 inches above the club head, and a pin is inserted into the shaft. The golf club head is then mounted in a fixture to prevent movement of the club head during the test. First and second clamps are respectively fastened to the pin and the lower end of the shaft proximate the club head. The first clamp is coupled to a transducer, which measures the force required to remove the shaft from the head. The golf clubs of the present invention all recorded a pull force of greater than 2000 lbs. to remove the shaft from the club head. The present invention preferably produces golf clubs with a pull force of within the range of 2000 lbs. and 4000 lbs.
FIGS. 11-13
illustrate the retention nut
82
in greater detail. The retention nut
82
includes a cylindrical body
92
. The cylindrical body
92
has a length Lr that ranges preferably from 0.15 inch to 0.30 inch, more preferably from 0.18 inch to 0.25 inch, and most preferably approximately 0.21 inch. The cylindrical body
92
may have an outer diameter Dr preferably between 0.4 inch and 0.55 inch, and more preferably approximately 0.47 inch, and an inner diameter D′r preferably between 0.30 inch and 0.45 inch, and more preferably approximately 0.37 inch. The retention nut
82
has an external thread
93
for engaging the threaded portion of the upper portion
56
of the tapered bore
54
. Diametrically opposed notches
94
a
and
94
b
are formed in the cylindrical body
92
at one end and are designed to receive a tool, such as a spanner wrench, for installing the retention nut
82
. Notches
94
a
and
94
b
may have a width Wn of approximately 0.125 inch and a depth Dn of approximately 0.060 inch.
FIGS. 14-17
illustrate the sleeve
80
for use with the wood-type golf club head
50
in greater detail. The sleeve
80
includes a generally cylindrical body
85
having a length Ls
1
preferably between 0.50 inch and 2.0 inches, more preferably between 0.70 inch and 1.0 inch, and most preferably approximately 0.860 inch. The cylindrical body
85
of sleeve
80
preferably has an included taper of approximately 2°, with about a 1° taper on each side. The tapered cylindrical body
85
preferably has an outer diameter Ds
0
at its widest end of preferably between 0.35 inch and 0.50 inch, and more preferably approximately 0.407 inch, and an inner diameter Ds
1
of preferably between 0.25 inch and 0.40, and more preferably approximately 0.348 inch. The sleeve
80
has a first slit
86
and a second slit
88
that enable sleeve
80
to close around the shaft
70
within the hosel
52
. Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that any number of slits may be used. The first slit
86
extends along the entire length Ls
1
of the cylindrical body
85
, while the second slit
88
extends along the majority of the length Ls
1
. The second slit
88
has a length Ls
2
of preferably between 0.60 inch to 0.85 inch, and more preferably about 0.752 inch. Each of the first and second slits
86
and
88
has a width Ws of preferably between 0.02 inch and 0.06 inch, and more preferably approximately 0.03 inch. The sleeve
80
is preferably composed of a metal material, such as aluminum, stainless steel, or titanium, but, alternatively, may be composed of a plastic material, such as a polyamide.
FIGS. 18-21
illustrate the sleeve
80
′ for use with the iron-type golf club head
50
′ in greater detail. The sleeve
80
′ includes a generally cylindrical body
85
′ having a length L′s
1
preferably between 0.30 inch and 1.5 inches, more preferably between 0.50 inch and 1.0 inch, and most preferably approximately 0.60 inch. The cylindrical body
85
′ of sleeve
80
′ preferably has an included taper of approximately 2°, with about a 1° taper on each side. The tapered cylindrical body
85
′ preferably has an outer diameter D′s
0
at its widest end of preferably between 0.375 inch and 0.55 inch, and more preferably approximately 0.455 inch, and an inner diameter D′s
1
of preferably between 0.27 inch and 0.45 inch, and more preferably approximately 0.375 inch. The sleeve
80
′ has a first slit
86
′ and a second slit
88
′ that enable sleeve
80
′ to close around the shaft
70
within the hosel
52
′. Alternatively, a single slit or more than two slits may also be used. The first slit
86
′ extends along the entire length L′s
1
of the cylindrical body
85
′, while the second slit
88
′ extends along the majority of the length L′s
1
. The second slit
88
has a length L′s
2
of preferably between 0.30 inch and 0.50 inch, and more preferably about 0.417 inch. Each of the first and second slits
86
′ and
88
′ has a width W′s of preferably between 0.02 inch and 0.06 inch, and more preferably approximately 0.03 inch. Like sleeve
80
, sleeve
80
′ is preferably composed of a metal material, such as aluminum, stainless steel, or titanium, but, alternatively, may be composed of a plastic material, such as a polyamide.
FIG. 22
illustrates the ferrule
84
for use with the wood-type golf club head
50
in greater detail. The ferrule
84
provides added support to the shaft
70
during a golf swing. The ferrule
84
includes a body
100
having a threaded portion
102
for engagement with the retention nut
82
. Although not illustrated, the ferrule
84
′ for use with the iron-type golf club head
50
′ also a threaded portion for engagement with the retention nut
82
.
From the foregoing it is believed that those skilled in the pertinent art will recognize the meritorious advancement of this invention and will readily understand that while the present invention has been described in association with a preferred embodiment thereof, and other embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, numerous changes, modifications and substitutions of equivalents may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention which is intended to be unlimited by the foregoing except as may appear in the following appended claims. For example, the orientation of the assembly apparatus
30
need not be vertical, but may also be horizontal. In addition, the press device
37
is not required to have a cavity. Therefore, the embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined in the following appended claims.
Claims
- 1. A golf club comprising:a golf club head including a hosel having a tapered bore; a shaft having a tip end inserted into the tapered bore of the hosel; a tapered sleeve disposed on the tip end of the shaft in the tapered bore of the hosel, the sleeve composed of a metal, and the sleeve having at least one slit; and a retention nut disposed on the shaft between the sleeve and a ferrule, and the retention nut secured in the tapered bore.
- 2. The golf club according to claim 1, wherein the golf club head is a wood-type golf club head.
- 3. The golf club head according to claim 2, wherein the hosel is an interior hosel having a crown opening and a sole opening.
- 4. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the golf club head is an iron-type golf club head.
- 5. The golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the ferrule has a threaded portion for engagement with the hosel.
- 6. The golf club according to claim 1, wherein the sleeve has a length ranging from 0.5 inch to 2.0 inches.
- 7. The golf club according to claim 1, wherein the shaft is composed of a graphite material.
- 8. The golf club according to claim 1, wherein the shaft is composed of a stainless steel material.
- 9. The golf club according to claim 1, wherein the ferrule is coupled to the retention nut.
US Referenced Citations (17)