IP Library Granted Patent US 8,235,834
Granted Patent B2
US 8,235,834 · App. 12/493,517 · Granted Aug 7, 2012

Interchangeable shaft system

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,235,834
App. No.
12/493,517
Granted
Aug 7, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

A golf club incorporating an interchangeable shaft system includes a shaft, a shaft sleeve, a club head. The shaft sleeve is coupled to an end of the shaft and is received in a hosel included in the club head. The shaft sleeve is removably coupled to the club head. Hosel and shaft sleeve alignment features provide discreet orientations between the shaft and club head.

Claims (20)

1. A golf club, comprising:

a club head including a hosel and a plurality of hosel alignment features, wherein the hosel defines a sleeve bore and the hosel alignment features are disposed closer to a proximal end of the hosel than a distal end of the hosel;

an elongate shaft;

a shaft sleeve coupled to a distal end portion of the shaft, the shaft sleeve including a sleeve body and at least one sleeve alignment feature that is shaped to complement the shape of the hosel alignment features, wherein at least a portion of the shaft sleeve is received within the sleeve bore and the sleeve alignment feature engages at least one of the plurality of hosel alignment features so the shaft sleeve does not rotate in a circumferential direction within the sleeve bore, and wherein the at least one sleeve alignment feature includes curved side edges that forcibly and slidably abut side walls of at least one of the plurality of hosel alignment features when the shaft sleeve is fully inserted within the sleeve bore so that the entire shaft sleeve tilts relative to the hosel; and

a fastener that releasably couples the shaft sleeve to the club head.

2. The golf club of claim 1 , wherein the curved side edges are cylindrical.

3. The golf club of claim 2 , wherein the sleeve tilts relative to the hosel about an axis extending through a center of curvature of the at least one sleeve alignment feature.

4. The golf club of claim 1 , wherein the shaft sleeve defines a sleeve longitudinal axis and the shaft defines a shaft longitudinal axis and the shaft sleeve is coupled to the shaft so that the sleeve longitudinal axis is angled relative to the shaft longitudinal axis.

5. The golf club of claim 1 , wherein the side walls of the hosel alignment features are curved.

6. The golf club of claim 5 , wherein the side walls of the hosel alignment features are cylindrical.

7. A golf club, comprising:

a club head including a hosel and at least one hosel alignment feature, wherein the hosel defines a sleeve bore and the hosel alignment feature is disposed closer to a proximal end of the hosel than a distal end of the hosel;

an elongate shaft;

a shaft sleeve coupled to a distal end portion of the shaft, the shaft sleeve including a sleeve body and a plurality of sleeve alignment features that are shaped to complement the shape of the hosel alignment feature, wherein at least a portion of the shaft sleeve is received within the sleeve bore and the hosel alignment feature engages at least one of the plurality of sleeve alignment features so the shaft sleeve does not rotate in a circumferential direction within the sleeve bore, and wherein the at least one hosel alignment feature includes curved side edges that forcibly and slidably abut side walls of at least one of the plurality of sleeve alignment features when the shaft sleeve is fully inserted within the sleeve bore so that the entire shaft sleeve tilts relative to the hosel; and

a fastener that releasably couples the shaft sleeve to the club head.

8. The golf club of claim 7 , wherein the curved side edges are cylindrical.

9. The golf club of claim 8 , wherein the sleeve tilts relative to the hosel about an axis extending through a center of curvature of the at least one hosel alignment feature.

10. The golf club of claim 7 , wherein the shaft sleeve defines a sleeve longitudinal axis and the shaft defines a shaft longitudinal axis and the shaft sleeve is coupled to the shaft so that the sleeve longitudinal axis is angled relative to the shaft longitudinal axis.

11. The golf club of claim 7 , wherein the side walls of the plurality of sleeve alignment features are curved.

12. The golf club of claim 11 , wherein the side walls of the plurality of sleeve alignment features are cylindrical.

Assignments (6)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 3, 2022
From: ACUSHNET COMPANY
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 061099/0236 →
ASSIGNMENT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS (ASSIGNS 039506-0030) Recorded Aug 3, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS RESIGNING ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS SUCCESSOR ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 061521/0414 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (027346/0222) Recorded Sep 7, 2016
From: KOREA DEVELOPMENT BANK, NEW YORK BRANCH
To: ACUSHNET COMPANY
Reel/Frame 039939/0181 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 28, 2016
From: ACUSHNET COMPANY
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 039506/0030 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 8, 2011
From: ACUSHNET COMPANY
To: KOREA DEVELOPMENT BANK, NEW YORK BRANCH
Reel/Frame 027346/0222 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 29, 2009
From: DE LA CRUZ, NOAH; GOLDEN, CHARLES E.; MORRIS, THOMAS C.
To: ACUSHNET COMPANY
Reel/Frame 022886/0776 →