Abstract: A metal foil satisfies following conditional equations (1), (2) and (3) to smoothly increase rigidity in the longitudinal direction of the shaft main body from a distal end side to a base end side while increasing a weight of a wound part of the metal foil 0.50<Lmf/Ls??(1) Lmr/Ls<0.90??(2) 0.03<Wm/Ws<0.09??(3) where Lmf: a length from a distal end position in the longitudinal direction of the shaft main body to a winding start position of the metal foil, Lmr: a length from the distal end position in the longitudinal direction of the shaft main body to a winding end position of the metal foil, Ls: a length of the shaft main body, Wm: a weight of the metal foil, and Ws: a weight of the shaft main body.

Abstract: Disclosed a hybrid golf shaft in which one or more aramid fiber containing prepregs (H) are laminated in a length section of 5 cm or more of the whole length of the golf shaft, and three or more carbon fiber prepregs (C) are laminated in a length section of 50 cm or more of the whole length of the golf shaft. The golf shaft is configured in that aramid prepregs (H1) or hybrid prepregs (H2) with excellent impact absorbability are arranged in a length section of 5 to 50 cm from a thin end of the golf shaft or along the whole length (L) in an axial direction of the golf shaft, to thereby effectively reduce the number of vibrations in the golf shaft when the golf ball is hit.

Abstract: Light-weight and/or low density paint and coating formulations that yield light-weight coatings which exhibit advantageous durability and wear resistance, including golf club shafts incorporating such paint and coating formulations.

Abstract: The subject golf clubs have a shaft and clubhead. The shaft has a tip-end coupled to the clubhead, a butt-end, a reduced-EI portion located adjacent the tip-end, and a remaining portion extending between the butt-end and the reduced-EI portion. The portions are coupled together at an interface. The remaining portion exhibits a respective rate of stiffness reduction as a function of distance from the butt-end. The reduced-EI portion is typically shorter than and has less stiffness than the remaining portion. The reduced-EI portion exhibits a respective rate (which can be zero) of stiffness reduction as a function of distance toward the tip-end. These rates can be similar or different. The interface can exhibit a greater rate in stiffness reduction than the other portions.

Abstract: Light-weight and/or low density paint and coating formulations that yield light-weight coatings which exhibit advantageous durability and wear resistance, including golf club shafts incorporating such paint and coating formulations.

Abstract: Articles for automotive, manufacturing and industrial applications including shafts or tubes used, for example, as golf club shafts, ski and hiking poles, fishing rods or bicycle frames, skate blades and snowboards are at least partially electroplated with fine-grained layers of selected metallic materials. Parts with complex geometry can be coated as well. Alternatively, articles such as conical or cylindrical golf club shafts, hiking pole shafts or fishing pole sections, plates or foils and the like can also be electroformed of fine-grained metallic materials on a suitable mandrel or temporary substrate to produce strong, ductile, lightweight components exhibiting a high coefficient of restitution and a high stiffness for use in numerous applications including sporting goods.

Abstract: Ball striking devices may include: (a) a sole member; (b) at least one intermediate body member; (c) a crown member; and (d) a face member. The materials making up the sole member, the intermediate body member(s), and the crown member may be selected so that the densities of the materials generally increase as one moves in a direction from the sole member toward the crown member. Such devices may be formed as golf club heads and/or golf clubs (such as “wood-type” golf clubs and golf club heads).

Abstract: A golf shaft includes: a hollow tubular structure; and a gradient structure in which an amount of retained austenite is increased from an approximate center in a thickness direction of the hollow tubular structure to a surface of the hollow tubular structure.

Abstract: A club shaft composed of a club shaft body and a single- or multi-layered coating film covering said club shaft body, wherein said coating film includes a coating layer having good scratch or scuff resistance and high resilience. The club shaft keeps its good appearance owing to its self-healing ability even though it is damaged during carry in a caddie bag.

Abstract: A golf club shaft formed by winding prepregs of an angular layer and those of a straight layer around a mandrel (10) having a steeply tapered part (10B) formed at a tip side thereof and a gently tapered part (10C) formed, at a butt side thereof, continuously with the steeply tapered part (10B). Prepregs (17, 18) of the angular layer are disposed at the tip side of the mandrel (10). Butt-side ends (17a, 18a) of the prepregs (17, 18) of the angular reinforcing layer at the tip side of the mandrel (10) are disposed at the butt side of the mandrel (10) with respect to a boundary position (P2) disposed at a boundary between the steeply tapered part (10B) and the gently tapered part (10C). A distance from the butt-side ends (17a, 18a) of the prepregs (17, 18) of the angular reinforcing layer at the tip side of the mandrel (10) to the boundary position (P2) is not less than 5% nor more than 30% of a whole length of the shaft.

Abstract: A hollow golf club shaft of circular cross-section comprises a tubular cover layer formed from an isotropic material and a tubular core layer formed from a non-isotropic material, wherein the cover layer and the core layer coextend substantially the entire length of the shaft.

Abstract: An improved golf club shaft is disclosed. The golf club shaft includes a shaft body made of a composite material, such as carbon/epoxy, and a metal foil wrapped in a spiral pattern around at least a portion of the shaft body. The metal foil increases the torsional stiffness of the shaft and improves its bending stiffness, thereby enabling the first and second frequencies of a golf club employing the shaft to remain in a desired range.

Abstract: At step 1, a golf ball model is divided into a large number of elements composed of a large number of nodal points in the form of meshes; a physical property of a material for the golf ball is inputted; a simulation is executed by an analysis based on a finite element method, assuming that a golf club head collides with the golf ball; and a strain amount generated in the golf ball model at the time of the collision is computed. At step 2, a stress and a strain component of each element of the golf ball model and coordinate values of the nodal points of each element are outputted; and a value of a stress and a strain of each of six components of each element are computed momently. At step 3, the relationship between the stress and the strain of each component of each element is found from the value of the stress and the strain of each of the six components; and energy loss values of each element are computed.

Abstract: A golf club shaft, set of shafts, or golf clubs having shafts which have been produced by a process that includes a hydroforming step. By utilizing a hydroforming step, a metal or metal matrix composite golf club shaft can be formed into a variety of configurations or shapes heretofore not possible and can include hydroformed ornamental design features. The hydroformed shafts offer enhanced club feel and/or performance.

Abstract: A method of making a golf club shaft with a bent angular tip using a main shaft body mandrel and a secondary tip mandrel disposed at an angle therewith and a mandrel apparatus for the same.

Abstract: A golf club shaft is formed of an upper tubular body and a lower tubular body, which are different in flexibility from each other and are coaxially coupled by a connection rod in conjunction with a washer.

Abstract: A golf club shaft is provided with a weighted segment located at the tip end thereof for lowering the position of center of gravity of the golf club shaft, a reinforced segment located near the butt end thereof, and a flexing segment located between the weighted segment and the reinforced segment for confining the position of the flexing point of the golf club shaft.

Abstract: A shaft having an outer surface with an aerodynamic cross-sectional configuration. In one series of embodiments, the shaft (20) includes a central core (22) and a fairing (24) surrounding the core. In another embodiment, the shaft does not include a central core. Instead, the shaft (500) includes a central portion (502) that provides structural rigidity and has an outer surface with an aerodynamic cross-sectional configuration. Separate end members (540, 550) are attached to the central portion. The invention includes golf clubs (600, 700) incorporating the aerodynamic shafts and a golf club (800) having a special aerodynamic shaft.

Abstract: A golf club shaft comprises three interconnected tubular members whose diameters, flexional rigidities, lengths, materials, etc. are selected to make the golf club shaft more flexible near a club head or a club grip or at a middle portion.

Abstract: The present invention provides a damper comprising a compressible and resilient shaft and at least one constrained layer damping section attached to the exterior of the shaft via an adhesive. The damper can be compressed and inserted into a cavity or hollow in an article to be damped whereupon it can expand and provide vibration damping properties as well as optional acoustic absorbing properties. The present invention also provides the damped article and a method of damping the article.

Abstract: A lightweight shaft 22 of generally tubular configuration, for with a golf club 20, is formed with a first layer 34 of a non-metallic composite material of a given density including graphite fibers 86 and cured epoxy resin 86. A second layer 38 of the shaft 22 is composed of a two foam half-forms 124, or a foam full-form 142, having a density which is lower than the given density and which are located around at least a portion of the length of the first layer 34. A third layer 40 of the shaft 22 is also composed of a non-metallic composite material including graphite fibers 86 and cured epoxy resin 86 which is located around the second layer 38 of the shaft 22. A portion of the third layer 38 is also located about the first layer 34 at a tip end 30 of the shaft 22.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel damped golf clubs and balls bats having at least one non-tubular constrained layer damper attached to the golf club shaft or bat, respectively.

Abstract: A lightweight shaft 22 of generally tubular configuration, for use with a golf club 20, is formed with a first layer 34 of a non-metallic composite material of a given density including graphite fibers 86 and cured epoxy resin 86. A second layer 38 of the shaft 22 is composed of a two foam half-forms 124, or a foam full-form 142, having a density which is lower than the given density and which are located around at least a portion of the length of the first layer 34. A third layer 40 of the shaft 22 is also composed of a non-metallic composite material including graphite fibers 86 and cured epoxy resin 86 which is located around the second layer 38 of the shaft 22. A portion of the third layer 38 is also located about the first layer 34 at a tip end 30 of the shaft 22.

Abstract: A system measures and records deflection of an elongated shaft such as the shaft of a golf club and provides a trace or diagram of the swing of the club. The system includes an elongated rod, mounted to the golf club shaft, and a separate recording system. Preferably the recording system is a writing platform mounted to the golf club shaft. The recording member is biased into contact with the writing platform. During swing of the golf club, deflection of the golf club shaft causes relative movement between the writing implement and the writing platform and a trace or diagram of the golf club swing is created.

Abstract: A shaft for a hockey stick comprised of a non-metallic elongated member having a generally rectangular cross-section; a first layer comprised of a resilient yet tough material bonded to the member; a second layer comprised of metal applied to the first layer by a metal deposition process; and a third layer comprised of a clear resilient, tough material encasing said second layer of metal.

Abstract: A golf putter comprises a putter shaft having two opposite ends including a grip end and a head end, a grip attached to the grip end of the putter shaft, and a putter head attached to the end of the putter shaft. The putter shaft has a substantially uniform outer diameter and a wall thickness which is smaller in a region of the grip and greater in the region of the putter head.