Golf club with removable components

Abstract

A golf club having removable components includes a club head, a shaft, and a connection assembly. The club head includes a hosel having an upper treaded portion and a lower portion with a faceted cross-section. The connection assembly includes a sleeve mounted on the tip end of the shaft and a screw-cap. The sleeve, which has an aperture for receiving the tip end of the shaft, includes a lower section that has a multi-faceted surface for engaging the lower portion of the hosel. The screw-cap is mounted over the sleeve and includes a body having an upper area and a threaded area, the latter of which is capable of engaging the upper threaded portion of the hosel to removably secure the shaft to the club head.

1 . A golf club comprising:
 a driver-type club head having a body with a metal hosel, the hosel having an upper threaded portion and a lower portion, the upper threaded portion having a threaded cross-section, the lower portion having a first mating contact surface;   a graphite shaft having a tip end and a butt end; and   a connection assembly for removably attaching the club head to the shaft, the connection assembly comprising:
 a titanium alloy sleeve mounted on the tip end of the shaft, the sleeve having a body including a top section and a lower section, the lower section having a second mating contact surface for engaging the first mating contact surface, the top section having an annular groove, the sleeve also comprising an aperture for receiving the tip end of the shaft; 
 a titanium cap having a body with a central aperture, the cap mounted over the sleeve, the body of the cap having an upper area and a threaded area, the threaded area capable of engaging the upper threaded portion of the hosel of the club head for removably securing the shaft to the club head, a compressible polymeric coating provided on at least a portion of the threaded area of the cap; 
 a metal locking ring positioned in the annular groove to retain the cap loosely on the sleeve; and 
 a lightweight, thermoplastic ferrule having a body, an inside surface having a plurality of ribs, and a main aperture, wherein the shaft is placed through the main aperture, and the ferrule is positioned proximate the top section of the sleeve, 
   wherein when the cap is tightened on the sleeve, the cap forces the second mating contact surface against the first mating contact surface and rotation of the shaft relative to the golf club head is mechanically prohibited.   
     
     
         2 . The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the compressible polymeric material is a NYLOK material. 
     
     
         3 . The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the compressible polymeric material has a configuration selected from the group consisting of a patch, a strip, and a pellet. 
     
     
         4 . The golf club of  claim 3 , wherein the compressible polymeric material has a patch configuration, and wherein the patch has a height of 0.1 to 0.2 inch. 
     
     
         5 . The golf club of  claim 4 , wherein the patch covers between one and five threads. 
     
     
         6 . The golf club of  claim 4 , wherein the patch has a thickness of between 0.005 and 0.050 inch. 
     
     
         7 . The golf club of  claim 3 , wherein the compressible polymeric material has a strip configuration, and wherein the strip has a height of 0.1 to 0.2 inch and a thickness of 0.03 to 0.15 inch. 
     
     
         8 . The golf club of  claim 3 , wherein the compressible polymeric material has a pellet configuration, and wherein the pellet has a diameter of between 0.01 and 0.6 inch and a thickness of between 0.03 and 0.15 inch. 
     
     
         9 . The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the hosel is integrally cast with the body. 
     
     
         10 . The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the hosel is composed of a titanium alloy material. 
     
     
         11 . A golf club comprising:
 a driver-type club head having a body with a metal hosel, the hosel having an upper threaded portion and a lower portion, the upper threaded portion having a threaded cross-section, the lower portion having a first mating contact surface;   a graphite shaft having a tip end and a butt end; and   a connection assembly for removably attaching the club head to the shaft, the connection assembly comprising:
 a metal sleeve mounted on the tip end of the shaft, the sleeve having a body including a top section and a lower section, the lower section having a second mating contact surface for engaging the first mating contact surface, the top section having an annular groove, the sleeve also comprising an aperture for receiving the tip end of the shaft; 
 an aluminum alloy cap having a body with a central aperture, the cap mounted over the sleeve, the body of the cap having an upper area and a threaded area, the threaded area capable of engaging the upper threaded portion of the hosel of the club head for removably securing the shaft to the club head, a compressible polymeric coating provided on at least a portion of the threaded area of the cap; 
 a metal locking ring positioned in the annular groove to retain the cap loosely on the sleeve; and 
 a lightweight ferrule having a body, an inside surface having a plurality of ribs, and a main aperture, wherein the shaft is placed through the main aperture, and the ferrule is positioned proximate the top section of the sleeve, 
   wherein when the cap is tightened on the sleeve, the cap forces the second mating contact surface against the first mating contact surface and rotation of the shaft relative to the golf club head is mechanically prohibited.   
     
     
         12 . A golf club comprising:
 a driver-type club head having a body with a metal hosel, the hosel having an upper threaded portion and a lower portion, the upper threaded portion having a threaded cross-section, the lower portion having a first mating contact surface;   a graphite shaft having a tip end and a butt end; and   a connection assembly for removably attaching the club head to the shaft, the connection assembly comprising:
 a metal sleeve mounted on the tip end of the shaft, the sleeve having a body including a top section and a lower section, the lower section having a second mating contact surface for engaging the first mating contact surface, the top section having an annular groove, the sleeve also comprising an aperture for receiving the tip end of the shaft; 
 a stainless steel cap having a body with a central aperture, the cap mounted over the sleeve, the body of the cap having an upper area and a threaded area, the threaded area capable of engaging the upper threaded portion of the hosel of the club head for removably securing the shaft to the club head, a compressible polymeric coating provided on at least a portion of the threaded area of the cap; 
 a metal locking ring positioned in the annular groove to retain the cap loosely on the sleeve; and 
 a lightweight ferrule having a body, an inside surface having a plurality of ribs, and a main aperture, wherein the shaft is placed through the main aperture, and the ferrule is positioned proximate the top section of the sleeve, 
   wherein when the cap is tightened on the sleeve, the cap forces the second mating contact surface against the first mating contact surface and rotation of the shaft relative to the golf club head is mechanically prohibited.