Interchangeable shaft for a golf club

Abstract

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 ).

We claim as our invention: 
     
         1 . A golf club having an interchangeable shaft for connection to a golf club head, the golf club comprising:
 a shaft comprising a shaft body with a tip end;   a golf club head comprising a face, a sole, a crown and an interior hosel having a sole opening and a crown opening;   a sleeve having an upper section and a lower section, the upper section having a first opening for receiving the tip end of the shaft and the lower section having a second opening with a threaded internal surface, the sleeve connected to the tip end of the shaft;   a tube having an anti-rotation portion, the tube having an opening for receiving the sleeve;   a mechanical fastener; and   a clip,   wherein the tube is integrally formed with the interior hosel;   wherein the mechanical fastener is inserted through the sole opening and into the tube, and engages the threaded internal surface of the second opening in the sleeve lower section;   wherein the clip retains the mechanical fastener within the tube;   wherein the clip is located proximate the tube and the sleeve when the golf club is fully assembled; and   wherein the first opening of the sleeve has an axis S that is off-angle from an axis L of the lower section of the sleeve and off-angle with an axis of the internal hosel of the golf club head, allowing for the effective loft, lie and face angle of the golf club to be adjusted by rotation of a subassembly of the shaft and sleeve.   
     
     
         2 . The golf club of  claim 1  wherein the sleeve is composed of a metal material. 
     
     
         3 . The golf club of  claim 1  wherein the sleeve is composed of an aluminum alloy. 
     
     
         4 . The golf club of  claim 1  wherein the sleeve is composed of a titanium alloy. 
     
     
         5 . The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is composed of a composite material. 
     
     
         6 . The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the lower section of the sleeve has an exterior surface with a keyed portion that is complementary to and mates with the anti-rotation portion of the tube. 
     
     
         7 . The golf club of  claim 6 , wherein the keyed portion has a splined configuration. 
     
     
         8 . The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the mechanical fastener includes a head and a threaded end, and wherein the clip is affixed to the threaded end of the mechanical fastener. 
     
     
         9 . A golf club having an interchangeable shaft for connection to a golf club head, the golf club comprising:
 a shaft comprising a shaft body with a tip end;   a golf club head comprising a face, a sole, a crown and an interior hosel having a sole opening and a crown opening;   a sleeve having an upper section and a lower section, the upper section having a first opening for receiving the tip end of the shaft and the lower section having a second opening with a threaded internal surface, the sleeve connected to the tip end of the shaft;   a tube having an anti-rotation portion, the tube having an opening for receiving the sleeve;   a mechanical fastener; and   a cap,   wherein the tube is integrally formed with the interior hosel;   wherein the mechanical fastener is inserted through the sole opening and into the tube, and engages the threaded internal surface of the second opening in the sleeve lower section;   wherein the cap retains the mechanical fastener within the tube; and   wherein the first opening of the sleeve has an axis S that is off-angle from an axis L of the lower section of the sleeve and off-angle with an axis of the internal hosel of the golf club head, allowing for the effective loft, lie and face angle of the golf club to be adjusted by rotation of a subassembly of the shaft and sleeve.   
     
     
         10 . The golf club of  claim 9 , wherein the cap is located proximate the sole opening. 
     
     
         11 . The golf club of  claim 10 , wherein the cap is bonded to the sole opening. 
     
     
         12 . The golf club of  claim 10 , wherein the cap is integrally formed with the sole opening. 
     
     
         13 . The golf club of  claim 9 , wherein the cap allows access to the mechanical fastener. 
     
     
         14 . The golf club of  claim 11 , wherein the cap comprises a flap and a hinge, and wherein the hinge yields to admit a tool into the sole opening.