Attachment system for detachably securing a component to a shaft-like member

Abstract

An interchangeable threaded attachment means for securing a given object to a shaft. By way of example and not limitation, the attachment means is embodied in a golf club assembly, providing for the use of multiple golf club heads with a single shaft. The assembly means comprises a threaded collet adaptor which clamps onto the lower portion of a golf club shaft and is threaded into a female aperture on the top of a golf club head. The threaded female aperture has a series of progressively ramped threads which locks the male threaded collet adapter securely in place when tightened, thereby eliminating the lateral thread clearance and converting some of the axial tension, seen in typical 60° threads, to radial or compressive forces on the male threads. This design utilizes the compressive forces to compress the male thread component, gripping the shaft, and eliminating all clearances in the threaded joint that can allow vibration or noise in the joint.

1 . A golf club system comprising:
 a club shaft having a manually engageable gripping portion at one end thereof and a golf club head attachment portion at the opposite end thereof;   at least one golf club head having a shaft attachment portion cooperable with and adapted to be removably connected to said golf club attachment portion of said shaft;   an attachment member interposed between said attachment portion of said shaft and said attachment portion of said at least one golf club head;   the exterior of said attachment member having a first helical thread form threadably engaged with a second helical thread form within a bore of said shaft attachment portion of said at least one golf club head;   threaded engagement of said first thread form with said second thread form causing said attachment member to compressingly engage the exterior of said attachment portion of said shaft so as to retain said at least one golf club head on said golf club shaft, and   threaded disengagement of said first thread form from said second thread form releasing the compression force on said golf club head attachment portion of such shaft to permit removal of said at least one golf club head from said shaft and permit replacement of the same or an alternate golf club head on said shaft;   one of said thread forms comprising a locking ramp adapted for engagement with the other of said thread forms to cause said attachment member to compressingly engage said attachment portion of said shaft.   
   
   
       2 . A golf club system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said golf club head attachment portion comprises an internally threaded bore, and wherein said one thread form is provided within said bore. 
   
   
       3 . A golf club system as set forth in  claim 2 , which comprises a plurality of interchangeable golf club heads, each of said golf club heads having an internally threaded bore with said one thread form provided therein. 
   
   
       4 . A golf club system as set forth in  claim 2  wherein said attachment member has a plurality of recesses formed therein to permit radially deformation upon threaded engagement of said thread forms on said attachment portion of said one golf club head and on said attachment portion of said shaft. 
   
   
       5 . A golf club system as set forth in  claim 1  which comprises O-ring means to provide frictional resistance to threaded disengagement of said thread forms and to keep debris and moisture away from said thread forms. 
   
   
       6 . A golf club system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said attachment member comprises gripping means to facilitate manual rotation thereof to threadably engage or disengage said thread forms on said attachment member and said one golf club head. 
   
   
       7 . A golf club system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the terminal end of said golf club head attachment portion of said shaft is tapered and is adapted for engagement with a tapered internally threaded bore in said one golf club head to resist relative movement therebetween. 
   
   
       8 . A golf club system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said attachment member comprises a shoulder adapted to engage a mating surface on said one golf club head upon threaded engagement of said thread forms for resisting relative movement between said thread forms and hence between said shaft and said at least one golf club head. 
   
   
       9 . A golf club system as set forth in  claim 4  wherein said attachment member comprises a plurality of axially extending radially spaced recesses permitting radially deformation of at least a portion of said attachment member whereby to compressingly engage said golf club head attachment portion of said shaft upon threaded engagement of said thread forms.