IP Library Granted Patent US 7,427,240
Granted Patent B2
US 7,427,240 · App. 11/783,227 · Granted Sep 23, 2008

Shaft for golf clubs and golf club

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,427,240
App. No.
11/783,227
Granted
Sep 23, 2008
Kind
B2
Abstract

Each point obtained by plotting flexural rigidity EI measured at ten sites on a shaft is defined as from T( 1 ) to T( 10 ) in this order from the head side, and the formula representing a line K that passes the T( 1 ) and the T( 10 ) is [Y=aX+b 1 ]. The values at the Y-intercepts on the lines that are parallel to the line K and that pass the points of from T( 2 ) to T( 9 ), respectively, are defined as from b 2 to b 9 , respectively, and the minimum value among the values at the Y-intercept b 2 to b 9 is defined as bmin. In this shaft, slope “a” of the line K is 0.04 or greater and 0.06 or less; any one of the b 3 , b 4 , b 5 , b 6 , b 7 and b 8 is smaller than b 1 ; and the bmin is any one of b 4 to b 7 . The value (b 1 −bmin) is 24 (N·m 2 ) or greater and 35 (N·m 2 ) or less, and the value (b 9 −b 1 ) is 0 or greater and 10 (N·m 2 ) or less. This shaft achieves excellent flight distance performance and directionality of the hit ball.

Claims (34)

1. A shaft for golf clubs wherein

provided that:

a position 130 mm away from the head-side end of the shaft is defined as a first position; a position 130 mm away from the grip-side end of the shaft is defined as a tenth position, and positions provided by equally dividing the length between the first position and the tenth position into nine regions are defined as from a second position to a ninth position in this order from the head side;

each flexural rigidity EI measured at ten sites of from the first position to the tenth position is defined as from EI( 1 ) to EI( 10 ) in this order from the head side;

each point obtained by plotting the measurement values at the positions of ten sites on an X-Y coordinate plane, in which the X-axis represents the distance (mm) to the measurement position from the head-side end and the Y-axis represents the value of flexural rigidity EI(N·m 2 ), is defined as from T( 1 ) to T( 10 ) in this order from the head side;

the formula representing a line K that passes the T( 1 ) and the T( 10 ) on the X-Y coordinate plane is [Y=aX+b 1 ];

the values (N·m 2 ) at the Y-intercepts on the lines that are parallel to the line K and that pass the points of from T( 2 ) to T( 9 ), respectively, are defined as from b 2 to b 9 , respectively; and that

the minimum value among the values at the Y-intercept b 2 to b 9 is defined as bmin, the following definition is made,

the slope “a” of the line K is 0.04 or greater and 0.06 or less,

any one of the b 3 , b 4 , b 5 , b 6 , b 7 and b 8 is smaller than b 1 ,

the bmin is any one of b 4 , b 5 , b 6 or b 7 ,

the value (b 1 −bmin) is 24 (N·m 2 ) or greater and 35 (N·m 2 ) or less, and

the value (b 9 −b 1 ) is 0 or greater and 10 (N·m 2 ) or less.

2. The shaft for golf clubs according to claim 1 wherein

provided that the minimum value among from EI( 1 ) to EI( 10 ) is E 1 , and that the maximum value among from EI( 1 ) to EI( 7 ) is E 2 ,

E 1 is EI( 2 ), EI( 3 ), EI( 4 ) or EI( 5 ),

the value E 1 is 16 (N·m 2 ) or greater and 25 (N·m 2 ) or less,

the value (E 2 −E 1 ) is equal to or less than 20 (N·m 2 ), and

the value EI( 10 ) is 60 (N·m 2 ) or greater and 90 (N·m 2 ) or less.

3. The shaft for golf clubs according to claim 1 wherein the overall length of the shaft is equal to or greater than 43 inches.

4. The shaft for golf clubs according to claim 1 wherein the forward flex is 95 mm or greater and 120 mm or less.

5. In a golf club comprising a head, a shaft and a grip,

provided that:

a position 130 mm away from the head-side end of the shaft is defined as a first position; a position 130 mm away from the grip-side end of the shaft is defined as a tenth position, and positions provided by equally dividing the length between the first position and the tenth position into nine regions are defined as from a second position to a ninth position in this order from the head side;

each flexural rigidity EI measured at ten sites of from the first position to the tenth position is defined as from EI( 1 ) to EI( 10 ) in this order from the head side;

each point obtained by plotting the measurement values at the positions of ten sites on an X-Y coordinate plane, in which the X-axis represents the distance (mm) to the measurement position from the head-side end and the Y-axis represents the value of flexural rigidity EI(N·m 2 ), is defined as from T( 1 ) to T( 10 ) in this order from the head side;

the formula representing a line K that passes the T( 1 ) and the T( 10 ) on the X-Y coordinate plane is [Y=aX+b 1 ];

the values (N·m 2 ) at the Y-intercepts on the lines that are parallel to the line K and that pass the points of from T( 2 ) to T( 9 ), respectively, are defined as from b 2 to b 9 , respectively; and

the minimum value among the values at the Y-intercept b 2 to b 9 is defined as bmin, the following definition is made,

said shaft having the slope “a” of the line K being 0.04 or greater and 0.06 or less,

any one of the b 3 , b 4 , b 5 , b 6 , b 7 and b 8 being smaller than b 1 ,

the bmin being any one of b 4 , b 5 , b 6 or b 7 ,

the value (b 1 −bmin) being 24 (N·m 2 ) or greater and 35 (N·m 2 ) or less, and

the value (b 9 −b 1 ) being 0 or greater and 10 (N·m 2 ) or less.

Assignments (3)
MERGER Recorded Apr 17, 2018
From: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
To: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
Reel/Frame 045959/0204 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 12, 2018
From: SRI SPORTS LIMITED
To: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.
Reel/Frame 045932/0024 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 6, 2007
From: TAKEUCHI, HIROYUKI
To: SRI SPORTS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 019205/0417 →