Golf club weighting system with under-grip retention

Abstract

In a novel approach to golf club counter-weighting, directed to incorporation in a golf club at original manufacture as well as in the after-market, required secure longitudinal retention of the weighting device is accomplished by structure differing from known practice in that the required longitudinal retention is referenced to the top end surface of the golf club shaft by an annular flange configured at the top end of the weighting device and held securely between the cap portion of an original unmodified golf club grip and the top end of the shaft, thus accomplishing the required longitudinal retention of the weighting device with no need for grip modification or friction-gripping the interior surface of the shaft. The flange diameter is sized to fit closely inside the grip so as to also provide lateral retention at the top end of the thusly cantilevered weighting device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A golf club weighting system, for installation at an upper region of an upright open-top hollow golf club shaft having a flat annular top end surface with designated inner and outer diameter, comprising:
 a weighting device, made from relatively heavy metal, configured topside with a flange portion having a circular planar top surface and configured underside with (a) an annular flat surface forming a circular flange with an outer diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the top end surface of the shaft and an inner diameter less than the inner diameter of the shaft top end, and (b) a cylindrical weight element portion configured as an axial downward extension of the flange portion, made integral therewith and having an outer diameter equal to the inner diameter of the flange portion;   said weighting device being installed downwardly into the open top end of the shaft with the flange portion seated coaxially interfacing and bearing down on the top end surface of the shaft so as to upwardly support the weight element portion disposed within the shaft in a designated working location, extending downwardly from the flange portion; and   a golf club grip of resilient material, sized and shaped to fit closely over an upper portion of the shaft, secured in place frictionally, configured with an integral cap portion forming a topside enclosure made and arranged to interface and bear down onto the planar top surface of the flange portion whereby the flange, thusly constrained firmly between the cap portion of said grip and the top end surface of the shaft, serves to constrain said weight element longitudinally, cantilevered in the working location within the shaft.   
     
     
         2 . The golf club weighting system as defined in  claim 1  wherein said weighting device further comprises a resilient sleeve, surrounding a designated portion of said weight element, sized to bear against surrounding shaft interior surface and thus provide lateral constraint, vibration damping and avoidance of metal-to-metal contact. 
     
     
         3 . The golf club weighting system as defined in  claim 1  further comprising a resilient lining of resilient material adhesively applied around an inner shaft surface extending over a designated area corresponding to potential working locations to be occupied by a weight element, said lining being sized to bear against a contained weight element so as to provide the weight element with required lateral constraint, vibration damping and avoidance of metal-to-metal contact 
     
     
         4 . The golf club weighting system as defined in  claim 1  wherein said grip is configured with a relatively small vent opening configured topside traversing the cap portion co-axially for purposes of preventing air pressure surge build-up within the shaft during installation of said grip. 
     
     
         5 . The golf club weighting system as defined in  claim 1  wherein said weight element is configured underside with weighting-component-attachment structure made and arranged to enable removable attachment of an additional weighting component. 
     
     
         6 . The golf club weighting system as defined in  claim 5  wherein the weight element's weighting-component-attachment structure comprises a member of a male/female threaded coupling pair, and the weighting device is thusly configured with at least one additional weighting component selected from a pair of structures including (1) an additional weight element, and (2) a spacer of relatively light-weight material, configured topside and underside with a member of a male/female threaded coupling pair, and thusly attached underside to an additional weight element thusly secured, located at a desired working location in the shaft. 
     
     
         7 . A golf club weighting system comprising:
 (1) a weighting device, for installation at an upper region of an upright open-top hollow golf club shaft having a flat annular top end surface with designated inner and outer diameter, comprising:   (a) a flange portion, disposed topside in said weighting device, having a circular planar top surface and configured underside with (1) an annular flat surface forming a circular flange with an outer diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the top end surface of the shaft and an inner diameter less than the inner diameter of the shaft top end, and (2) weighting-component-attachment structure comprises a member of a male/female coupling pair;   (b) a weighting portion, including at least one cylindrical weight element, attached to said flange portion underside thereof via the flange portion's weighting-component-attachment structure;   (2) said weighting device being installed downwardly into the open top end of the shaft with the flange portion seated coaxially interfacing and bearing down on the top end surface of the shaft so as to upwardly support the weight element portion disposed within the shaft in a designated working location, extending downwardly from the flange portion; and   (3) a golf club grip of resilient material, sized and shaped to fit closely over an upper portion of the shaft, secured in place frictionally, configured with an integral cap portion forming a topside enclosure made and arranged to interface and bear down onto the planar top surface of the flange portion whereby the flange, thusly constrained firmly between the cap portion of said grip and the top end surface of the shaft, serves to constrain said weight element longitudinally, cantilevered in the working location within the shaft.   
     
     
         8 . The golf club weighting system as defined in  claim 7  wherein the flange portion's male/female coupling pair structure is configured as a plug/socket pair secured together adhesively. 
     
     
         9 . The golf club weighting device as defined in  claim 7  wherein the flange portion's weighting-component-attachment structure is made and arranged to enable removable attachment of the weighting portion to the flange portion. 
     
     
         10 . The golf club weighting system as defined in  claim 9  wherein the flange portion's weighting-component attachment structure is configured as a member of a male/female threaded coupling pair, thus providing removable attachment of the weighting portion to the flange portion. 
     
     
         11 . The golf club weighting system as defined in  claim 10  wherein said flange portion's weighting-component-attachment structure comprises:
 a downward cylindrical shaped extension of the circular flange portion, made smaller in diameter than the designated inner top end shaft diameter, the flange portion, including said extension, being traversed by a coaxial cylindrical through-opening with an enlarged upper end portion; and 
 a machine screw with a head portion recessed in the enlarged upper end portion of the through-opening and a threaded portion extending down through the through-opening so as to enable engagement with a mating threaded opening of a weighting component thusly attached therebeneath. 
 
     
     
         12 . The golf club weighting system as defined in  claim 10  further comprising:
 a cylindrical weight element, of relatively heavy-weight material, constituting a weighting component, configured with a coaxial threaded opening mating and engaged by said machine screw and thereby attached and secured in place, located immediately beneath said flange portion, at a desired working location in the shaft. 
 
     
     
         13 . The golf club weighting system as defined in  claim 12  wherein said weighting device further comprises a resilient sleeve, surrounding a designated portion of said weight element, sized to bear against surrounding shaft interior surface so as to provide the weight element with required lateral constraint, vibration damping and avoidance of metal-to-metal contact. 
     
     
         14 . The golf club weighting system as defined in  claim 12  further comprising a resilient lining of resilient material adhesively applied around an inner shaft surface extending over a designated area corresponding to potential working locations to be occupied by a weight element, said lining being sized to bear against a contained weight element, thusly provided with required lateral constraint, vibration damping and avoidance of metal-to-metal contact. 
     
     
         15 . The golf club weighting system as defined in  claim 11  further comprising:
 a cylindrical spacer, of relatively light-weight material, configured with a cylindrical coaxial through=opening, interposed between the flange portion and the weighting component; 
 said machine screw, extending through and beyond the spacer through-opening, so as to enable engagement with a mating threaded opening of a weighting component thusly attached therebeneath. 
 
     
     
         16 . The golf club weighting system as defined in  claim 15  further comprising:
 a cylindrical weight element, of relatively heavy-weight material, constituting a weighting component, configured topside with a coaxial threaded opening mating and engaged by said machine screw and thereby attached and secured in place, located beneath said spacer and thereby displaced from said flange portion by a designated dimension of said spacer, and thus secured at a desired working location within the shaft. 
 
     
     
         17 . The golf club weighting system as defined in  claim 16  wherein said weighting device further comprises a resilient sleeve, surrounding a designated portion of said weight element, sized to bear against surrounding shaft interior surface and thus provide lateral constraint, vibration damping and avoidance of metal-to-metal contact. 
     
     
         18 . The golf club weighting system as defined in  claim 1  further comprising a resilient lining of resilient material adhesively applied around an inner shaft surface extending over a designated area corresponding to potential working locations to be occupied by a weight element, said lining being sized to bear against a contained weight element so as to provide the weight element with required lateral constraint, vibration damping and avoidance of metal-to-metal contact.