PRESS FIT HOZEL RECEIVER
a means and method of assembling a golf club head and hozel together using mechanical means is presented. The method includes precision drilling of placement holes and press fitting a locater device into said hole to receive a characteristically shaped golf club hozel end. The mechanical means is sufficient to hold the club head and hozel together, but can be supplemented with gluing or brazing.
This application claims the benefit of Provisional Application 61/038,772.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates to golf club shaft design and construction, specifically to means of attaching a golf club head to the hozel.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThere are many techniques for assembling golf clubs. They include metal to metal welding, soldering, brazing, gluing, and mechanical connections, such as crews and rivets. The techniques have various advantages and disadvantages when compared to each other, and cost is an important criterion.
Low-cost assembly techniques often result in clubs that come apart under mechanical stress, such as a strong golf swing, or inadvertent contact with the ground or another immovable object. Such clubs will also torque and bend at the connection points, deforming the shaft to head angle and other club parameters.
More expensively produced clubs can hold up under such stresses better and maintain the correct shaft angles and head orientations even after extensive use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention is a technique for assembling the shaft to the head of a golf club, using a pressure fitting as the primary means of attaching the shaft to the head.
The technique involves preparing the head such that the hole where the shaft is to be inserted is drilled to a precise size, a press fitting constructed of a rigid material is placed in the receiving hole such that it rests on the bottom of the hole, and inserting a hozel with a characteristically shaped end into the hole such that it encounters the characteristically shaped press fitting.
The shape of the end of the hozel and the press fitting are matched such that physically pressing the hozel into the hole and forcing the hozel end into firm contact with the press fitting will create a physical gripping of the hozel by a combination of the hole shaft walls and the press fitting.
A supplementary attachment means can be used to add additional strength to the bond holding the press fitting and hozel in the shaft hole in the golf club head. A variety of glues and brazing means can be applied to set the parts of the system together more firmly.
The mechanical components of the invention are shown in
The preferred method is comprised of the steps of preparing the club head 101 such that the hozel placement hole 102 where the hozel 104 is to be inserted is drilled to a precise size, press fitting a hozel locater 103 constructed of a rigid material in the hozel placement hole 102 such that it rests on the bottom of the hole 102 as in
As shown in
A supplementary attachment means can be used to add additional strength to the bond holding the hozel locater 103 and hozel 104 in the hozel placement hole 102 hole in the golf club head 101. A variety of glues and brazing means can be applied to set the parts of the system together more firmly.
Although the invention has been described and a preferred embodiment has been provided, equivalent features may be employed and substitutions made within this specification without departing from the scope of the invention as recited in the claims.
Claims
1. a golf club hozel assembly, comprised of a club head, a hozel placement hole, a cylindrical hozel locater, a hozel, and a golf club shaft,
- the hozel comprised of a hozel shaft and a hozel base,
- the hozel placement hole drilled into the upper surface of the club head, the diameter of the hozel placement hole sized to be 0.003 inches smaller than then the diameter of the hozel locater and the hozel base,
- the golf club shaft attached fixedly to the end of the hozel away from the hozel base,
- the hozel base and the locater shaped in a characteristic manner such that they mate when pressed together,
- The golf club head comprised of a rigid material, the hozel locater and hozel comprised of a rigid material.
2. A golf club hozel assembly as in claim 1, where the golf club head, the hozel locater, and the hozel are comprised of stainless steel.
3. A method of assembling a golf club as in claim 1, comprised of the steps of
- drilling a hozel placement hole in the club head such that the hozel placement hole is less than 0.003 inches in diameter smaller than the diameter of the locater and hozel base,
- finishing the hozel base surface with knurling,
- press fitting the hozel locater into the correct orientation in the hozel placement hole until it rests on the bottom of the hole using a half-ton press,
- inserting the hozel with the characteristically-shaped hozel base into the hole such that it mates with the characteristically shaped hozel locater,
- using an attachment means selected from the list of vacuum brazing and gluing to fasten the hozel in the hozel placement hole.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 20, 2009
Publication Date: Sep 24, 2009
Inventors: Richard De La Cruz (Carlsbad, CA), Richard D. De La Cruz (Encinitas, CA)
Application Number: 12/407,799
International Classification: A63B 53/02 (20060101);