HOSEL CONSTRUCTION
The present invention relates to a hosel for connecting a shaft to a club head. In one aspect of the invention, the hosel comprises a body having an undercut, wherein the undercut has a maximum cross section which tapers to a minimum cross section and increases to the maximum cross section immediately adjacent the club head. The hosel further comprises a flange section below the hosel and hosel bore above the undercut, the hosel bore section having a length of at least one inch. In another aspect of the invention, the hosel tapers in diameter from a maximum to a minimum width, and has a maximized interior mold line (IML) to improve bendability and weight savings.
1 . A golf club head comprising:
a head body comprising a hollow interior having an interior mold line; and
a hosel for connecting a shaft to the golf club head, the hosel comprising:
a hosel body having an undercut; and
a hose bore,
wherein the hosel bore is located above the undercut,
wherein the hosel bore has a length of at least one inch,
wherein the undercut has a maximum cross section which tapers to a minimum cross section and increases to the maximum cross section adjacent the head body, and
wherein the interior mold line extends into the hosel.
2 . The golf club head according to claim 1 , wherein the interior mold line is encircled by the undercut.
3 . The golf club head according to claim 1 , wherein the undercut extends a full 360 degrees around the hosel body.
4 . The golf club head according to claim 1 , wherein the undercut extends only partially around the hosel body.
5 . The golf dub head according to claim 1 , wherein the vertical length of the undercut is from 0.025 to 1.500 inches.
6 . The golf club head according to claim 1 , further comprising a split collar sized to mask the undercut.
7 . The golf club head according to claim 1 , wherein the golf club head comprises a flange section located immediately below the hosel.
8 . The golf club head according to claim 7 , wherein the flange section has a thickness of 0.020 to 0.050 inch.
9 . The golf club head according to claim 1 , wherein the hollow interior is separated from the hose bore by a barrier.
10 . The golf club head according to claim 9 , wherein the barrier is approximately 0.040 inch thick.
11 . The golf club head according to claim 1 , wherein the undercut has a curved cross-sectional shape.
12 . The golf club head according to claim 1 , wherein the undercut has a polygonal cross-sectional Shape.
13 . The golf club head according to claim 1 , wherein the hosel is integrally formed with the head body.
14 . A golf club head comprising:
a hosel comprising:
hosel body having a maximum diameter and a minimum diameter; and
a hose bore having a length of at least one inch; and
ahead body comprising an interior hollow section that flanks the hosel bore on first and second sides,
wherein the interior hollow section is separated from the hosel bore by a barrier on the first and second sides, and
wherein the hosel bore is encircled by a portion of the hosel body having the minimum diameter.
15 . The golf club head according to claim 14 , wherein the head body comprises a flange Section.
16 . The golf club head according to claim 15 , wherein the flange section has a thickness of 0.020 to 0.050 inch.
17 . The golf club head according to claim 14 , wherein the barrier flanking the first side is approximately 0.040 inch thick
18 . The golf club head according to claim 14 , wherein the barrier flanking the second side is approximately 0.029 inch thick.
19 . The golf club head according to claim 14 , wherein the maximum diameter is approximately 0.50 inch and the minimum diameter is approximately 0.47 inch.
20 . The golf club head according to claim 14 , wherein the hosel bore is approximately 1.53 inches in length.