Golf club shaft

Abstract

The a golf club shaft includes a sheet member made of fiber reinforced plastic material, preferably in the form of a mesh member having a reticular or net-like structure, secured circumferentially around a cylindrical outer surface of the grip end of the shaft body. Preferably, this sheet member includes an extension that is visible from outside by extending from the club head end of the grip to achieve a distinct appearance and/or to enhance the mechanical strength of the related part which is known to be subjected to a substantial stress in use. The presence of the sheet member not only improves various mechanical characteristics, such as the bending strength and flattening strength and the vibration damping capabilities of the grip portion but also provides a distinct and attractive appearance to the golf club.

1 . A golf club shaft, comprising: 
 a shaft body including a grip end and a club head end;    a sheet member made of fiber reinforced plastic material secured circumferentially around a cylindrical outer surface of the grip end of said shaft body; and    a grip affixed around an outer surface of said sheet member.    
   
   
       2 . The golf club shaft according to  claim 1 , wherein said sheet member comprises a mesh sheet formed by weaving or knitting fibrous material.  
   
   
       3 . The golf club shaft according to  claim 1 , wherein said sheet member comprises a mesh sheet formed by winding fibrous material around said shaft body by using a filament winding process.  
   
   
       4 . The golf club shaft according to  claim 1 , wherein said sheet member comprises a mesh sheet formed by winding fibrous material around said shaft body by using a braiding process.  
   
   
       5 . The golf club shaft according to  claim 1 , wherein said sheet member comprises a mesh of fibrous material that includes a yarn extending linearly circumferentially around the shaft body.  
   
   
       6 . The golf club shaft according to  claim 1 , wherein said sheet member comprises a mesh of fibrous material that includes a yarn extending linearly axially along a length of the shaft body.  
   
   
       7 . The golf club shaft according to  claim 1 , wherein said sheet member comprises a mesh of fibrous material that includes a yarn extending linearly at an oblique angle with respect to a circumferential line around the shaft body.  
   
   
       8 . The golf club shaft according to  claim 1 , wherein said sheet member comprises a mesh of fibrous material that includes a plurality of yarns extending linearly at different angles.  
   
   
       9 . The golf club shaft according to  claim 8 , wherein the yarns include a first yarn oriented in an axial direction of the shaft body, a second yarn extending circumferentially around the shaft body, a third yarn extending at a 45 degree angle with respect to the second yarn and a fourth yarn extending at a 45 degree angle in an opposite direction with respect to the second yarn.  
   
   
       10 . The golf club shaft according to  claim 1 , wherein said sheet member comprises a mesh of fibrous material which is constructed by weaving a fibrous material using a hexagon mesh weaving process.  
   
   
       11 . The golf club shaft according to  claim 1 , wherein said sheet member comprises a mesh of fibrous material which is constructed so as to form a polygonal pattern by weaving a fibrous material.  
   
   
       12 . The golf club shaft according to  claim 1 , wherein said sheet member comprises a mesh of fibrous material which is constructed by weaving a fibrous material using a prepreg.  
   
   
       13 . The golf club shaft according to  claim 1 , wherein said sheet member includes an extension that extends a prescribed length from a club head end of the grip.  
   
   
       14 . The golf club shaft according to  claim 13 , wherein at least the extension of said sheet member comprises a mesh of fibrous material which defines voids between the fibrous material, the voids being at least semi-transparent by absence of material or by presence of at least semi-transparent plastic material.  
   
   
       15 . The golf club shaft according to  claim 14 , wherein at least the part of the club body underlying the extension of said sheet member is given with a distinct color so as to show through the voids of the sheet material.  
   
   
       16 . The golf club shaft according to  claim 14 , wherein the mesh of fibrous material define one to 30 voids per square centimeter.  
   
   
       17 . The golf club shaft according to  claim 14 , wherein each void defines a circumscribed circle having a diameter of 0.5 mm to 10 mm.  
   
   
       18 . The golf club shaft according to  claim 1 , wherein the sheet member comprises a mesh of fiber material formed by weaving or braiding yarns, and each yarn has a width of 0.2 mm to 5 mm.  
   
   
       19 . The golf club shaft according to  claim 1 , wherein the sheet member comprises a mesh of fiber material formed by weaving or braiding yarns, and each yarn has a thickness of 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm.  
   
   
       20 . The golf club shaft according to  claim 1 , wherein the sheet member comprises a mesh of fiber material formed by weaving or braiding yarns, and weighs 80 g/cm 2  to 240 g/cm 2 .