And Adjustable Lie Angle Patents (Class 473/246)
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Patent number: 8777771Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2012Date of Patent: July 15, 2014Assignee: Acushnet CompanyInventors: Thomas Orrin Bennett, Stephanie Bezilla, Charles E. Golden, Bradford Hughes Hartwell, Scott A. Knutson, Stephen S. Murphy
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Patent number: 8771097Abstract: A golf club with a plurality of protrusions separated by a trough and capable of improving turf interaction for various turf conditions with various turf undulations is disclosed herein. More specifically, the present invention discloses a metal wood type golf club having a plurality of protrusions separated by a trough on its sole that is capable of changing the lie angle of the metal wood type golf club head by varying the combination of protrusions that come into contact with the ground to provide improved turf interaction for various types of lies.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2012Date of Patent: July 8, 2014Assignee: Cobra Golf IncorporatedInventors: Thomas Orrin Bennett, Thomas C. Morris, Thomas W. Preece, Douglas E. Roberts
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Patent number: 8771096Abstract: A golf putter with a multi-component neck providing a novel offset and shaft-attachment design is described and claimed. The club includes a head having a strike surface, a sole, and a top line. The multi-component neck includes a lower neck component and a coupling member. The coupling member is joined to a shaft. The coupling member connects the lower neck component and the shaft such that they are relatively offset. The length of the lower neck component and/or the design of the coupling member determine the distance from the club head center of gravity and the intersection of the projected longitudinal axis of the shaft with the head.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2012Date of Patent: July 8, 2014Assignee: Acushnet CompanyInventor: Don T. Cameron
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Patent number: 8758153Abstract: A wood-type golf club head comprises a body having one or more ribs extending across the internal surface of the sole. The plurality of ribs can include two or more ribs, such as three or four ribs, that converge at a convergence location, such as above a recessed pocket in the sole configured to receive an adjustable sole piece. At least one rib can extend along an internal surface of the recessed pocket and along an internal surface of a surrounding sole region. The ribs can extend from the convergence location to a toe weight port, to a heel weight port, to a rear portion of the body and/or toward the face. At least one rib can extend from a hosel, such as to the toe weight port.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2011Date of Patent: June 24, 2014Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.Inventors: Nathan T. Sargent, Todd P. Beach, Kraig A. Willett, Christopher J. Harbert
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Patent number: 8753221Abstract: A golf club comprising a hosel and a shaft that is fastened to the hosel at the heel-side of the club is disclosed herein. The golf club includes a wedge inserted into an opening on the heel-side of the hosel, which and retains the shaft within the hosel. In an alternative embodiment, a lever is inserted into an opening in the heel side of the hosel to retain the shaft within the hosel.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2012Date of Patent: June 17, 2014Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: Homer E. Aguinaldo, James A. Seluga, Denver Holt
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Patent number: 8727899Abstract: An adjustable hosel assembly allows for adjustment of shaft angle and the distance between the shaft and the club head. The adjustable hosel assembly comprises a hosel portion, a cam piece, a bolt, and a golf club head having a convex or concave surface, wherein the hosel portion can move along the surface of the cam piece, and the cam piece can move along the surface of the club head, to adjust the orientation of a shaft placed within the hosel with respect to the club head, and wherein the bolt secures the cam piece and the hosel to the golf club head.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2012Date of Patent: May 20, 2014Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventor: Yvonne Galloway
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Patent number: 8727906Abstract: An adjustable shaft and hosel assembly allows for dependent and independent adjustment of a golf club's face angle, loft angle, and lie angle. The adjustable shaft and hosel assembly comprises a shaft sleeve, a hosel portion, and at least two tubular adjustment pieces having non-parallel upper and lower surfaces, wherein the tubular adjustment pieces include loft and lie angle indicators that can be added together to determine overall club head loft and lie angles.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2012Date of Patent: May 20, 2014Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: Homer E. Aguinaldo, James A. Seluga, Broadus Perry Wall, Jr.
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Patent number: 8727905Abstract: 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 discrete orientations between the shaft and club head.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2011Date of Patent: May 20, 2014Assignee: Acushnet CompanyInventors: Stephen S. Murphy, Darryl C. Galvan
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Patent number: 8727900Abstract: A golf club comprises a shaft, a club head, and a connection assembly that allows the shaft to be easily disconnected from the club head. In particular embodiments, the connection assembly includes a removable hosel sleeve that allows a shaft to be supported a desired predetermined orientation relative to the club head. In this manner, the shaft loft and/or lie angle of the club can be adjusted without resorting to traditional bending of the shaft. In another embodiment, the club head has an adjustable sole that can be adjusted upwardly and downwardly relative to the strike face of the club head, which is effective to adjust the face angle of the club head.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2013Date of Patent: May 20, 2014Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.Inventors: Todd P. Beach, Mark V. Greaney, Ian C. Wright, Kraig A. Willett, Nathan T. Sargent, Matthew D. Johnson, Gery M. Zimmerman
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Patent number: 8715102Abstract: An adjustable shaft and hosel assembly allows for dependent and independent adjustment of a golf club's face angle, loft angle, and lie angle. The adjustable shaft and hosel assembly comprises a shaft sleeve, a hosel portion, and a ball joint, wherein the ball joint is located either on the shaft sleeve or the hosel portion and fits within, and is rotatable along various axes within, a socket.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2011Date of Patent: May 6, 2014Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: Homer E. Aguinaldo, Broadus Perry Wall, Jr., Denver Holt, James A. Seluga, Scott Manwaring
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Patent number: 8715104Abstract: An adjustable shaft and hosel assembly allows for dependent and independent adjustment of a golf club's face angle, loft angle, and lie angle. The adjustable shaft and hosel assembly comprises a shaft sleeve and a tubular adjustment piece, which may be a shim or a wheel, that encircles at least a part of the shaft sleeve and is disposed within a hosel bore.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2012Date of Patent: May 6, 2014Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: Broadus Perry Wall, Jr., Homer E. Aguinaldo, Denver Holt, James A. Seluga, Scott Manwaring
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Patent number: 8715103Abstract: An adjustable shaft and hosel assembly allows for dependent and independent adjustment of a golf club's face angle, loft angle, and lie angle. The adjustable shaft and hosel assembly comprises a shaft sleeve, a hosel portion, and at least two tubular adjustment pieces having non-parallel upper and lower surfaces, wherein the tubular adjustment pieces include loft and lie angle indicators that can be added together to determine overall club head loft and lie angles.Type: GrantFiled: February 29, 2012Date of Patent: May 6, 2014Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: Homer E. Aguinaldo, James A. Seluga, Broadus Perry Wall, Jr.
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Patent number: 8696486Abstract: An adjustable shaft and hosel assembly allows for dependent and independent adjustment of a golf club's face angle, loft angle, and lie angle. The adjustable shaft and hosel assembly comprises a shaft sleeve with a joint portion, a hosel portion, and a fitting piece, wherein the joint portion fits within the fitting piece and the fitting piece fits within the hosel portion.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2012Date of Patent: April 15, 2014Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: Homer E. Aguinaldo, Broadus Perry Wall, Jr., Denver Holt, James A. Seluga, Scott Manwaring
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Patent number: 8696488Abstract: A length adjustment system for joining a golf club head to a shaft is provided. The length adjustment system may be utilized to produce a minor length and an intermediate length of a golf club. In a minor length configuration, the length adjustment system includes a shaft sleeve attached to an end of the shaft. The minor length configuration also features a minor length weight system. The intermediate length configuration further includes a first hosel sleeve and an intermediate length weight system. The length adjustment system results golf club that has similar characteristics in each configuration.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2013Date of Patent: April 15, 2014Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.Inventors: Michael Scott Burnett, Jason Sulak
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Patent number: 8696487Abstract: A golf club comprises a shaft, a club head, and a connection assembly that allows the shaft to be easily disconnected from the club head. In particular embodiments, the connection assembly includes a removable hosel sleeve that allows a shaft to be supported a desired predetermined orientation relative to the club head. In this manner, the shaft loft and/or lie angle of the club can be adjusted without resorting to traditional bending of the shaft. In another embodiment, the club head has an adjustable sole that can be adjusted upwardly and downwardly relative to the strike face of the club head, which is effective to adjust the face angle of the club head.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2012Date of Patent: April 15, 2014Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.Inventors: Todd P. Beach, Mark V. Greaney, Ian C. Wright, Kraig A. Willett, Nathan T. Sargent, Matthew D. Johnson, Gery M. Zimmerman, Kevin R. Harper
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Patent number: 8684859Abstract: An adjustable shaft and hosel assembly allows for dependent and independent adjustment of a golf club's face angle, loft angle, and lie angle. The adjustable shaft and hosel assembly comprises a shaft sleeve with a joint portion, a hosel portion, and a fitting piece, wherein the joint portion fits within the fitting piece and the fitting piece fits within the hosel portion.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2011Date of Patent: April 1, 2014Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: Homer E. Aguinaldo, Broadus Perry Wall, Jr., Denver Holt, James A. Seluga, Scott Manwaring
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Publication number: 20140080617Abstract: An adjustable golf club is disclosed. The club can be adjusted by moving one or more sliders located proximate the heel of the club. The sliders can move to enable the loft and lie of the club to be adjusted independently. To adjust the club, a user can loosen a fastener, reposition the sliders, and re-tighten the fastener. The one or more sliders can slide against a spherical surface with its origin at the center of rotation of the shaft. In this configuration, when the sliders are pressed against the spherical surface, the spherical surface can enable the club to remain properly adjusted.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 9, 2013Publication date: March 20, 2014Applicant: Mizuno USA, Inc.Inventors: David Llewellyn, Tetsuya Kanayama
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Patent number: 8668596Abstract: A golf club comprising an adjustable fitting member semi-permanently attached rearwardly on a sole is disclosed herein. The fitting member can be rotated to adjust the measured and perceived face angle of the golf club head at address without changing the relative relationship of the club with respect to the shaft, which would alter the lie and loft of the golf club head.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2013Date of Patent: March 11, 2014Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: Matthew T. Cackett, D. Clayton Evans, Alan Hocknell
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Patent number: 8668597Abstract: A golf club 2 is provided with a head 4, a shaft 6, a tip member 8, and a screw member 10. The shaft 6 is inserted into a shaft hole of the tip member 8, and a tip part of the shaft 6 is fixed to the shaft hole. An axis line s1 of the shaft 6 is inclined with respect to an axis line z1 of the tip member 8. The head 4 has a head hole into which the tip member is inserted, a head side engaging part capable of being engaged with the tip member 8 inserted into the head hole, and a through hole into which the screw member 10 can be inserted. The tip member 8 has a shaft side engaging part 38 capable of being engaged with the head side engaging part. Circumferential relative positions A in which the head side engaging part and the shaft side engaging part can be engaged with each other are M kinds.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2010Date of Patent: March 11, 2014Assignee: Dunlop Sports Co. Ltd.Inventor: Akio Yamamoto
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Publication number: 20140057733Abstract: A golf club 2 is provided with a head 4, a shaft 6, a tip member 8, and a screw member 10. The shaft 6 is inserted into a shaft hole of the tip member 8, and a tip part of the shaft 6 is fixed to the shaft hole. An axis line s1 of the shaft 6 is inclined with respect to an axis line z1 of the tip member 8. The head 4 has a head hole into which the tip member is inserted, a head side engaging part capable of being engaged with the tip member 8 inserted into the head hole, and a through hole into which the screw member 10 can be inserted. The tip member 8 has a shaft side engaging part 38 capable of being engaged with the head side engaging part.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 29, 2013Publication date: February 27, 2014Applicant: DUNLOP SPORTS CO. LTD.Inventor: Akio YAMAMOTO
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Patent number: 8628430Abstract: A golf club head with a leading end of a shaft mountable thereon, the golf club head includes: a head main body, formed with a hosel insertion hole; a hosel, formed with a shaft case insertion hole and removably mounted in the hosel insertion hole; and a shaft case, formed with a shaft insertion hole and removably mounted in the shaft case insertion hole.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2012Date of Patent: January 14, 2014Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.Inventors: Fumiaki Sato, Hiroshi Takahashi, Hideo Matsunaga
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Patent number: 8622847Abstract: A golf club comprises a shaft, a club head, and a connection assembly that allows the shaft to be easily disconnected from the club head. In particular embodiments, the connection assembly includes a removable hosel sleeve that allows a shaft to be supported a desired predetermined orientation relative to the club head. In this manner, the shaft loft and/or lie angle of the club can be adjusted without resorting to traditional bending of the shaft. In another embodiment, the club head has an adjustable sole that can be adjusted upwardly and downwardly relative to the strike face of the club head, which is effective to adjust the face angle of the club head.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2009Date of Patent: January 7, 2014Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.Inventors: Todd P. Beach, Mark V. Greaney, Ian C. Wright, Kraig A. Willett, Nathan T. Sargent, Matthew D. Johnson, Gery M. Zimmerman
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Patent number: 8622848Abstract: Disclosed herein is a golf club including a shaft, a club head and several devices for releasably connecting the shaft to the club head.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2012Date of Patent: January 7, 2014Assignee: Acushnet CompanyInventors: Thomas Orrin Bennett, Michael Scott Burnett, Noah De La Cruz, Charles E. Golden, Christopher D. Harvell, Scott A. Knutson, Stephen S. Murphy, Kenneth C. Scott, Daniel S. Callinan
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Patent number: 8616996Abstract: A golf club head with an adjustable hosel that sits within a cavity loaded with filler material. The cavity may generally extend from crown to sole or, in the alternative, extend only a partial amount of the distance from the crown to the sole.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2012Date of Patent: December 31, 2013Assignee: Acushnet CompanyInventor: Steve Murphy
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Patent number: 8616990Abstract: A golf putter with an offset and shaft-attachment design is disclosed and claimed. The club includes a head having a strike surface, a sole, and a top line. A tube is coupled to the head, a coupling member is coupled to the distal end of the tube, and a shaft is also coupled to the coupling member. The coupling member connects the tube and the shaft such that they are relatively offset. The longitudinal axes of the tube and the shaft may be substantially parallel. An alignment indicia is provided on the club head. The tube is coupled to the head at an angle such that it blocks the indicia from a user's view at address when the head is aligned properly. If the club head is not properly aligned, the golfer will be able to see the indicia and therefore know to adjust the club head before putting.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2004Date of Patent: December 31, 2013Assignee: Acushnet CompanyInventor: Don T. Cameron
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Patent number: 8597135Abstract: Golf club heads are releasably engaged with shafts so that the club heads and shafts can be readily interchanged and/or so that the shaft position with respect to the club head can be readily changed. Assemblies for connecting the club head and shaft may include: a shaft adapter, a shaft retainer, and a club head having an interior chamber. The club head and shaft may be changed by releasing the securing system and exchanging the original parts with different parts. Furthermore, the shaft may be bent or otherwise extend at an angle from the shaft adapter so as to allow adjustment of the shaft position with respect to the club head.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2012Date of Patent: December 3, 2013Assignee: Nike, Inc.Inventors: Raymond J. Sander, James S. Thomas, Vincent Contini, Scott Allen Harris, Matthew Paul Rubal, James Alan Prescott, Gregory A. Trees
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Patent number: 8585511Abstract: A golf club head includes: a head main body formed with a hosel column inserting hole; a hosel column which is formed with a shaft inserting hole and is installed on the hosel column inserting hole; a bolt inserting hole penetrating from a sole side of the head main body to the hosel column inserting hole; and a bolt which is inserted into the bolt inserting hole and is screwed into the hosel column, wherein: the hosel column includes a trunk portion provided with a shaft inserting hole, and a leg portion which protrudes from a lower end surface of the trunk portion and is inserted into the hosel column inserting hole; and at least a lower end side of the leg portion and an inner portion of the hosel column inserting hole are polygonal sectional shape portions and are engaged with each other.Type: GrantFiled: November 11, 2010Date of Patent: November 19, 2013Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.Inventors: Fumiaki Sato, Kozue Wada, Hideo Matsunaga
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Patent number: 8574093Abstract: A golf club head includes: a head main body having a shaft holder inserting hole; a shaft holder which has a shaft inserting hole and is attachably and detachably installed in the shaft holder inserting hole; a bolt inserting hole which penetrates from a sole side of the head main body to the shaft holder inserting hole; and a bolt which is inserted into the bolt inserting hole, screwed into the shaft holder, and fixes the shaft holder to the head main body, an axis center of the shaft inserting hole and an axis center of the shaft holder inserting hole being non-coaxial shapes, wherein a lower end side of the shaft holder and an inner portion of the shaft holder inserting hole are polygonal sectional shape portions and are engaged with each other.Type: GrantFiled: November 11, 2010Date of Patent: November 5, 2013Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.Inventors: Fumiaki Sato, Hiroshi Takahashi, Hideo Matsunaga
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Patent number: 8562452Abstract: This invention relates generally to golf clubs or golf club heads, having an adjustable ball striking face. The golf club head includes a club head body, a ball striking face, and a brace extending from a sole of the club head body to an inner surface of the ball striking face. The brace may further include an end portion engaged with the inner surface of the ball striking face, a fixed rod located between the end portion and an inner surface of the club head at the sole, a biasing member attached to the fixed rod. The biasing member may provide a biasing force to the ball striking face such that the ball striking face is adjustable between a first direction thereby adjusting a face angle of the club head and a second direction thereby adjusting a loft angle of the club head.Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 2012Date of Patent: October 22, 2013Assignee: Nike, Inc.Inventors: Michael E. Finn, Andrew G. V. Oldknow
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Patent number: 8535173Abstract: A golf club head with an improved Moment of Inertia (MOI) is disclosed herein. More specifically, the present invention relates to a golf club head with a releasable hosel mechanism that is leaner and more lightweight, it allows a significant amount of weight to be saved from the hosel portion of the golf club head and used to improve Center of Gravity (CG) location of the golf club head; which contributes to the improvement of the MOI of the golf club head.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 2010Date of Patent: September 17, 2013Assignee: Acushnet CompanyInventors: Charles E. Golden, Christopher D. Harvell
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Patent number: 8523701Abstract: 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 discrete orientations between the shaft and club head.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2011Date of Patent: September 3, 2013Assignee: Acushnet CompanyInventors: Scott A. Knutson, Gery M. Zimmerman, Joshua C. Stokes
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Patent number: 8517856Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2012Date of Patent: August 27, 2013Assignee: Acushnet CompanyInventors: Thomas Orrin Bennett, Stephanie Bezilla, Charles E. Golden, Bradford Hughes Hartwell, Scott A. Knutson, Stephen S. Murphy
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Patent number: 8517851Abstract: A golf club comprising an adjustable fitting member semi-permanently attached rearwardly on a sole is disclosed herein. The fitting member can be rotated to adjust the measured and perceived face angle of the golf club head at address without changing the relative relationship of the club with respect to the shaft, which would alter the lie and loft of the golf club head.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2011Date of Patent: August 27, 2013Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: Matthew T. Cackett, D. Clayton Evans, Alan Hocknell
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Publication number: 20130184091Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer readable media for changing and controlling settings for adjustable golf clubs are described. Such setting adjustment systems may alter one or more of: lie angle, loft angle, face angle, shaft stiffness, shaft kickpoint location, weighting, weight positioning, face flexibility, maximum face flex location, etc. These systems and methods may use various types of information to determine the appropriate settings, such as: ball launch monitor data, swing path data, weather input data, course condition input data for a location of play, course design input data for a location of play, daily course layout input data for a location and a time of play, golfer past performance data (e.g., recent past performance, past performances at the location of play, past performance during an ongoing round of golf (i.e., on earlier played holes), etc.), current adjustable club setting information, and information indicating specific holes to be played.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 13, 2012Publication date: July 18, 2013Applicant: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: William F. Rauchholz, James A. Niegowski
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Patent number: 8449404Abstract: Golf club heads are releasably engaged with shafts so they may be readily interchanged and/or so that the shaft orientation with respect to the club head can be readily changed. Assemblies for connecting the club head and shaft may include a shaft adapter and a head adapter. The shaft adapter may have an exterior surface extending along a first axis and a bore having a cross-sectional shape along a second axis configured to attach to a shaft member. The second end of the shaft adapter has a cross-sectional shape of a regular polygon. The head adapter has a first end and a second end along a first axis and a bore having a shape of a regular polygon along a second axis that is shaped to receive the second end of the shaft adapter in a plurality of orientations.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2011Date of Patent: May 28, 2013Assignee: Nike, Inc.Inventors: James S. Thomas, Gregory A. Trees, Vincent J. Contini, Raymond J. Sander, James Alan Prescott, Scott Allen Harris, Matthew Paul Rubal
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Publication number: 20130102405Abstract: According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an adjustable connector including at least two parts, each having a main body with a bore having a longitudinal axis therein, wherein an external surface of the main body of a first part is configured to bear against an internal surface of the bore of a second part when the first part is at least partially inserted into the bore of the second part to form a connection, characterized in that the positioning of the bores with respect to the main bodies is such that when the parts are connected to each other, rotation of one part with respect to the other changes the inclination of the longitudinal axes of the bores with respect to one another.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2012Publication date: April 25, 2013Applicant: NIKE, Inc.Inventor: NIKE, Inc.
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Patent number: 8419567Abstract: Embodiments of golf coupling mechanisms are presented herein. Other examples and related methods are also disclosed herein.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2012Date of Patent: April 16, 2013Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing CorporationInventors: Marty R. Jertson, Ryan M. Stokke
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Patent number: 8403770Abstract: An adjustable shaft and hosel assembly allows for dependent and independent adjustment of a golf club's face angle, loft angle, and lie angle. The adjustable shaft and hosel assembly comprises a shaft sleeve with a joint portion, a hosel portion, and a fitting piece, wherein the joint portion fits within the fitting piece and the fitting piece fits within the hosel portion.Type: GrantFiled: April 4, 2012Date of Patent: March 26, 2013Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: Homer E. Aguinaldo, Broadus Perry Wall, Jr., Denver Holt, James A. Seluga, Scott Manwaring
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Patent number: 8398503Abstract: A golf club comprises a shaft, a club head, and a connection assembly that allows the shaft to be easily disconnected from the club head. In particular embodiments, the connection assembly includes a removable hosel sleeve that allows a shaft to be supported a desired predetermined orientation relative to the club head. In this manner, the shaft loft and/or lie angle of the club can be adjusted without resorting to traditional bending of the shaft. In another embodiment, the club head has an adjustable sole that can be adjusted upwardly and downwardly relative to the strike face of the club head, which is effective to adjust the face angle of the club head.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 2012Date of Patent: March 19, 2013Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.Inventors: Todd P. Beach, Mark V. Greaney, Ian C. Wright, Kraig A. Willett, Nathan T. Sargent, Matthew D. Johnson, Gery M. Zimmerman
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Patent number: 8382607Abstract: A length adjustment system for joining a golf club head to a shaft is provided. The length adjustment system may be utilized to produce a minor length, an intermediate length, and an extended length of a golf club. In a minor length configuration, the length adjustment system includes a shaft sleeve attached to an end of the shaft. A retainer releasably secures the shaft and shaft sleeve to the golf club head. The minor length configuration also features a minor length weight system. The intermediate length configuration further includes a first spacer, a first hosel sleeve, and an intermediate length weight system. The extended length configuration further includes a second spacer, a second hosel sleeve, and an extended length weight system. The length adjustment system incorporates the discovery of unique relationships among its components so that the resulting golf club has similar characteristics in each configuration.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2010Date of Patent: February 26, 2013Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, IncInventors: Michael Scott Burnett, Jason Sulak
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Patent number: 8376874Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2011Date of Patent: February 19, 2013Assignee: Acushnet CompanyInventors: Thomas Orrin Bennett, Stephanie Bezilla, Charles E. Golden, Bradford Hughes Hartwell, Scott A. Knutson, Stephen S. Murphy
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Patent number: 8337319Abstract: A golf club comprises a shaft, a club head, and a connection assembly that allows the shaft to be easily disconnected from the club head. In particular embodiments, the connection assembly includes a removable hosel sleeve that allows a shaft to be supported a desired predetermined orientation relative to the club head. In this manner, the shaft loft and/or lie angle of the club can be adjusted without resorting to traditional bending of the shaft. In some embodiments, the club head has an adjustable sole piece that can be adjusted upwardly and downwardly relative to the sole of the club head, which is effective to adjust the face angle of the club head.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2009Date of Patent: December 25, 2012Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.Inventors: Nathan Sargent, Todd P. Beach, Kraig A. Willett
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Patent number: 8303429Abstract: A golf club having a golf club head 20 with a keel zone that makes the actual face angle of the golf club appear differently when the golf club is at address. The golf club head 20 has a keel zone that is preferably 0.5 inch wide in the fore-aft direction and 1.0 inch wide in the heel-toe direction, which changes the appearance of the face angle while the golf club is at address.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2010Date of Patent: November 6, 2012Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: Matthew T. Cackett, Alan Hocknell
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Patent number: 8277333Abstract: Golf club heads are releasably engaged with shafts so that the club heads and shafts can be readily interchanged and/or so that the shaft position with respect to the club head can be readily changed. Assemblies for connecting the club head and shaft may include: a shaft adapter, a shaft retainer, and a club head having an interior chamber. The club head and shaft may be changed by releasing the securing system and exchanging the original parts with different parts. Furthermore, the shaft may be bent or otherwise extend at an angle from the shaft adapter so as to allow adjustment of the shaft position with respect to the club head.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2010Date of Patent: October 2, 2012Assignee: Nike, Inc.Inventors: James S. Thomas, Gregory A. Trees, Vincent Contini, Raymond J. Sander, James Alan Scott, Scott Allen Harris, Matthew Paul Rubal
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Patent number: 8262497Abstract: A golf club head is presented comprising a sole including a removable panel secured to the sole via a non-threaded attachment assembly. Further, the removable panel may have a large surface area relative to its thickness, resulting in a chip-like or wafer-like weight member. This design allows the mass of the removable panel to be spread substantially along the surface of the sole as opposed to in the interior of the club head. The golf club head may comprise more than one removable panel. A removable panel of the present invention may generally comprise one or more discrete areas of higher basis weight or higher density. Even further, the removable panel may generally be releasably attached via a quick disconnect mechanism that allows easy interchangeability.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2011Date of Patent: September 11, 2012Assignee: Acushnet CompanyInventors: Joshua G. Breier, Karl A. Clausen, Douglas E. Roberts, Peter L. Soracco
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Patent number: 8262499Abstract: A golf club head with an adjustable hosel that sits within a cavity loaded with filler material. The cavity may generally extend from crown to sole or, in the alternative, extend only a partial amount of the distance from the crown to the sole.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2009Date of Patent: September 11, 2012Assignee: Acushnet CompanyInventor: Steve Murphy
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Patent number: 8262496Abstract: A wood-type golf club head with an adjustable keel zone member is disclosed herein. The golf club head includes a body and an adjustable keel zone member. The body has a front portion, a crown portion and a sole portion. The body also having a heel end, a toe end and an aft end. The sole portion has only a single keel point. The adjustable keel zone member is disposed within a keel zone of the sole and located preferentially with respect to the center of gravity. The keel zone member is capable of adjusting the face angle of the wood-type golf club head.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2012Date of Patent: September 11, 2012Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: Matthew T. Cackett, D. Clayton Evans, Alan Hocknell
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Patent number: 8257193Abstract: A golf club (20) having a club head (22) with an interchangeable shaft (40) is disclosed herein. The golf club (20) includes a tube (44, 144) mounted in the club head (22), and a sleeve (46, 146) mounted on a tip end (50) of the shaft (40). The tube (44, 144) includes a tapered portion (60, 160) and a rotation prevention portion (62, 162). The sleeve (46, 146) has a frustoconical portion (72, 172) and a keyed portion (74, 174) that are respectively received in the tapered portion (60, 160) and the rotation prevention portion (62, 162) of the tube (44, 144). The golf club (20) further includes a mechanical fastener (48, 148) for removably securing the shaft (40) to the club head (22).Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2011Date of Patent: September 4, 2012Assignee: Callaway Golf CompanyInventors: Alan Hocknell, Matthew T. Cackett, Denver Holt, D. Clayton Evans, Daniel M. Stevens, James C. Wenck, Steven S. Ogg, Konrad Lenhof, Jerry V. Blanke, Joel B. Erickson, Broadus Perry Wall, Jr.
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Patent number: 8246484Abstract: A golf club head with a leading end of a shaft mountable thereon, the golf club head includes: a head main body, formed with a hosel insertion hole; a hosel, formed with a shaft case insertion hole and removably mounted in the hosel insertion hole; and a shaft case, formed with a shaft insertion hole and removably mounted in the shaft case insertion hole.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2009Date of Patent: August 21, 2012Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.Inventors: Fumiaki Sato, Hiroshi Takahashi, Hideo Matsunaga
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Patent number: 8235839Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2011Date of Patent: August 7, 2012Assignee: Acushnet CompanyInventors: Thomas Orrin Bennett, Stephanie Bezilla, Charles E. Golden, Bradford Hughes Hartwell, Scott A. Knutson, Stephen S. Murphy