Golf Club and Tubular Pad Thereof
A golf club with a tubular pad, which includes a head, a removable assembly and a shaft, is proposed. The head has a through hole and an annular protrusion protruding inwardly from an inner periphery defining the through hole. The removable assembly has a sleeve, a tubular pad and a fixing member, with the sleeve received in an end of the through hole, with the tubular pad received in the through hole, engaging with the annular protrusion and axially extending from a side of the annular protrusion to another side of the annular protrusion, with the fixing member piercing through the tubular pad, coupling with the sleeve by a fixing portion and pressing the annular protrusion via the tubular pad by a head portion. The shaft inserts into and clamped by the sleeve. Accordingly, anti-disengagement and protection of members by a convenient insertion process is easily achieved.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a golf club and, more particularly, to a golf club with a multi-functional tubular pad.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to
With the above structure, undesirable disengagement of the fixing member 84 from the through hole 72 is avoided when the fixing member 84 is uncoupled with the sleeve 81 since an expansion of the first pad 82 for the thread portion 841 to pass through cannot be achieved unless the fixing member 84 is strongly pushed or pulled relatively to the first pad 82. Besides, the second pad 83 sandwiched between the annular protrusion 73 and the head portion 842 is adapted to disperse the stresses between them and thus prolongs the lives of the annular protrusion 73 and the fixing member 84.
However, during the process for arranging the fixing member 84 in the predetermined position, since the first pad 82 is not firmly attached to the first side of the annular protrusion 73 initially, it is difficult to push the first pad 82 to pass though the thread portion 841 unless a tube-shaped tool is used for temporarily receiving the thread portion 841 as well as pushing the first pad 84 toward the annular protrusion 73. Additionally, not only the process for settling the first pad 82 is complicated but tube-shaped tools of different sizes are necessary if there is a change in the size of the fixing member 84 with a different outer diameter of the thread portion 841. As a result, it is necessary to improve the conventional removable assembly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is therefore the objective of this invention to provide a golf club with a tubular pad inside to achieve anti-disengagement and protection of a fixing member, while the tubular is settled by an easy and convenient insertion process.
One embodiment of the invention discloses a golf club, which includes a head, a removable assembly and a shaft. The head has a through hole and an annular protrusion protruding inwardly from an inner periphery defining the through hole, with the annular protrusion serially dividing the through hole into a first section, a narrowed section and a second section, with the narrowed section radially aligned with the annular protrusion. The removable assembly has a sleeve, a tubular pad and a fixing member, with the sleeve received in the first section of the through hole, with the tubular pad received in the through hole, engaging with the annular protrusion and extending from the first section to the second section through the narrowed section, with the fixing member piercing through the tubular pad, coupling with the sleeve by a fixing portion and pressing the annular protrusion via the tubular pad by a head portion. The shaft inserts into and clamped by the sleeve.
In a preferred form shown, the tubular pad has a front part in the first section of the through hole, a rear part in the second section thereof, and a waist part linking the front and rear parts, with each of the front and rear parts having a largest outer diameter larger than a diameter of the narrowed section, with the front part having a smallest inner diameter smaller than a diameter of the fixing portion.
In the preferred form shown, the waist part of the tubular pad extends through the narrowed section and has an outer diameter smaller than the diameter of the narrowed section.
In the preferred form shown, a smallest inner diameter of the waist part and an inner diameter of the rear part are larger than the diameter of the fixing portion.
In the preferred form shown, the front part has an outer incline extending from a free end of the front portion to where the largest outer diameter of the front part locates.
In the preferred form shown, the waist part has a smallest inner diameter equal to or larger than the diameter of the fixing portion, and wherein the tubular pad further has an inner incline linking where the smallest inner diameters of the front and waist parts locate.
In another preferred form shown, the tubular pad has a plurality of axial grooves on a free end of the front part, with the axial grooves radially extending from a center passage of the tubular pad to an outer periphery thereof, with the center passage forming the smallest inner diameter of the front part.
In said another preferred form shown, the axial grooves extend form the free end to positions between where the largest outer diameter of the front part locates and where the waist part links the rear part.
In said another preferred form shown, the axial grooves extend from the free end to where the waist part links the rear part.
The said embodiment of the invention also discloses a tubular pad of golf club, which includes a front part, a rear part, a waist part and a center passage. The front part has a largest outer diameter and a smallest inner diameter. The rear part has a largest outer diameter. The waist part links the front and rear parts. The center passage extends through the front, waist and rear parts serially to form the smallest inner diameter of the front part. The front and rear parts are adapted to engage an annular protrusion surrounding the waist part, located between the front and rear parts, and having a circumferential edge defining a diameter smaller than the largest outer diameters of the front and rear parts.
In a preferred form shown, a smallest inner diameter of the waist part and an inner diameter of the rear part are larger than the smallest inner diameter of the front part.
In the preferred form shown, the front part has an outer incline extending from a free end of the front portion to where the largest outer diameter of the front part locates.
In the preferred form shown, the tubular pad further comprises an inner incline linking where the smallest inner diameters of the front and waist parts locate.
In another preferred form shown, the tubular pad further comprises a plurality of axial grooves on a free end of the front part, with the axial grooves radially extending from the center passage to an outer periphery of the tubular pad.
In said another preferred form shown, the axial grooves extend form the free end to positions between where the largest outer diameter of the front part locates and where the waist part links the rear part.
In said another preferred form shown, the axial grooves extend from the free end to where the waist part links the rear part.
The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinafter and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:
In the various figures of the drawings, the same numerals designate the same or similar parts. Furthermore, when the term “first,” “second,” “third,” “top,” “bottom,” “inner,” “outer” and similar terms are used hereinafter, it should be understood that these terms refer only to the structure shown in the drawings as it would appear to a person viewing the drawings, and are utilized only to facilitate describing the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONReferring to
The removable assembly 2 has a sleeve 21, a tubular pad 22 and a fixing member 23. The sleeve 21 is inserted in the first section S1 of the through hole 12 and has a compartment 211 and a fixed portion 212, with the compartment 211 receiving an end of the shaft 3, and with the fixed portion 212 being disposed at an end of the sleeve 21 extending toward the annular protrusion 13. The tubular pad 22 is received in the through hole 12, engages with the annular protrusion 13, and extends from the first section S2 to the second section S3 through the narrowed section S1. The fixing member 23 pierces through the tubular pad 22 and has a fixing portion 231, a shank portion 232 and a head portion 233. The fixing portion 231 firmly couples with the fixed portion 212 of the sleeve 21, the shank portion 232 extends through the tubular pad 22, and the head portion 233 presses the second axial face 133 of the annular protrusion 13 via the tubular pad 22. Preferably, the fixing portion 231 is made of a screw bolt while the fixed portion 212 has a screw hole, with threads of the screw bolt and screw hole matching each other.
The shaft 3 inserts into the compartment 211 of the sleeve 21 and is clamped by the sleeve 21, so as to detachably but firmly combine with the head 1 by the removable assembly 2.
Specifically, this preferred embodiment of the present invention is characterized in the tubular pad 22. Please refer to
Furthermore, there are still some specific designs of the tubular pad 22. Please refer to
As a result, during the insertion of the tubular pad 22 into the through hole 12 via the second opening 122, the outer incline 221a can guide the front part 221 to slightly deform and to slide through the narrowed section S1 till the annular protrusion 13 is axially engaged between the front and rear parts 221, 222. In the insertion step of the fixing member 23 after the tubular pad 22 is settled, the fixing portion 231 is guided to a center line of the center passage 224 by the inner incline 225 while the fixing member 23 enters the center passage 224 and moves toward the front part 221. With a pressure upon the inner cline 225, the front part 221 can be temporarily and recoverably expanded for the fixing portion 231 to pass through. During the processing of the above step, the tubular pad 22 is kept from totally passing through the annular protrusion 13 since the outward abutting face 222a can surely abut against the second axial face 133 to prevent the rear part 222 from entering the narrowed section S1. Although the inner cline 225 is useful in the above insertion step, it is not definitely needed since a guidance function can also be achieved by a taper shape of a free end of the fixing portion 231.
With the relationship between the diameter Dx and the smallest inner diameter Df2, once the above insertion step is done for the shank portion 232 to axially extend though the whole center passage 224, the fixing portion 231 can be surely kept in the first section S2 no matter the fixing portion 231 is engaged with the fixed portion 212 or not. Thus, the front part 221 of the tubular pad 22 can efficiently avoid disengagement of the fixing member 23. On the other hand, the rear part 222 is sandwiched between the head portion 233 and the second axial face 133 after the fixing portion 231 firmly couples with the fixed portion 212. Accordingly, stresses between the head portion 233 and the annular protrusion 13 are thus dispersed via the rear part 222 made of the flexible material. Besides, with the waist part 223 integrally links the front and rear parts 221, 222, only one insertion process for settling the tubular pad 22 is needed.
Now, please refer to
Referring to
In sum, each one of the tubular pads 22, 22′, 22″ in the preferable embodiment of the present invention not only can avoid undesirable disengagement of the fixing member 23 from the though hole 12 when the fixing portion 231 is uncoupled with the fixed portion 212 of the sleeve 21, but also can disperse the stresses between the head portion 233 and the annular protrusion 13, as well as improves the convenience in assembly by its single piece structure.
Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to its presently preferable embodiments, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims.
Claims
1. A golf club, comprising:
- a head having a through hole and an annular protrusion protruding inwardly from an inner periphery defining the through hole, with the annular protrusion serially dividing the through hole into a first section, a narrowed section and a second section, with the narrowed section radially aligned with the annular protrusion;
- a removable assembly having a sleeve, a tubular pad and a fixing member, with the sleeve received in the first section of the through hole, with the tubular pad received in the through hole, engaging with the annular protrusion and extending from the first section to the second section through the narrowed section, with the fixing member piercing through the tubular pad, coupling with the sleeve by a fixing portion and pressing the annular protrusion via the tubular pad by a head portion; and
- a shaft inserting into and clamped by the sleeve.
2. The golf club as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tubular pad has a front part in the first section of the through hole, a rear part in the second section thereof, and a waist part linking the front and rear parts, with each of the front and rear parts having a largest outer diameter larger than a diameter of the narrowed section, with the front part having a smallest inner diameter smaller than a diameter of the fixing portion.
3. The golf club as claimed in claim 2, wherein the waist part of the tubular pad extends through the narrowed section and has an outer diameter smaller than the diameter of the narrowed section.
4. The golf club as claimed in claim 2, wherein a smallest inner diameter of the waist part and an inner diameter of the rear part are larger than the diameter of the fixing portion.
5. The golf club as claimed in claim 2, wherein the front part has an outer incline extending from a free end of the front portion to where the largest outer diameter of the front part locates.
6. The golf club as claimed in claim 2, wherein the waist part has a smallest inner diameter equal to or larger than the diameter of the fixing portion, and wherein the tubular pad further has an inner incline linking where the smallest inner diameters of the front and waist parts locate.
7. The golf club as claimed in claim 2, wherein the tubular pad has a plurality of axial grooves on a free end of the front part, with the axial grooves radially extending from a center passage of the tubular pad to an outer periphery thereof, with the center passage forming the smallest inner diameter of the front part.
8. The golf club as claimed in claim 7, wherein the axial grooves extend form the free end to positions between where the largest outer diameter of the front part locates and where the waist part links the rear part.
9. The golf club as claimed in claim 7, wherein the axial grooves extend from the free end to where the waist part links the rear part.
10. A tubular pad of golf club, comprising:
- a front part having a largest outer diameter and a smallest inner diameter;
- a rear part having a largest outer diameter;
- a waist part linking the front and rear parts; and
- a center passage extending through the front, waist and rear parts serially to form the smallest inner diameter of the front part,
- wherein the front and rear parts are adapted to engage an annular protrusion surrounding the waist part, located between the front and rear parts, and having a circumferential edge defining a diameter smaller than the largest outer diameters of the front and rear parts.
11. The tubular pad of golf club as claimed in claim 10, wherein a smallest inner diameter of the waist part and an inner diameter of the rear part are larger than the smallest inner diameter of the front part.
12. The tubular pad of golf club as claimed in claim 10, wherein the front part has an outer incline extending from a free end of the front portion to where the largest outer diameter of the front part locates.
13. The tubular pad of golf club as claimed in claim 11, further comprising an inner incline linking where the smallest inner diameters of the front and waist parts locate.
14. The tubular pad of golf club as claimed in claim 10, further comprising a plurality of axial grooves on a free end of the front part, with the axial grooves radially extending from the center passage to an outer periphery of the tubular pad.
15. The tubular pad of golf club as claimed in claim 14, wherein the axial grooves extend form the free end to positions between where the largest outer diameter of the front part locates and where the waist part links the rear part.
16. The tubular pad of golf club as claimed in claim 14, wherein the axial grooves extend from the free end to where the waist part links the rear part.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 27, 2013
Publication Date: Jan 1, 2015
Inventor: Chia-Hao Kuo (Taipei)
Application Number: 13/928,483
International Classification: A63B 53/02 (20060101);