Sports equipment with wound fiber

Abstract

A golf club shaft includes: a butt end; a tip end, where the golf club shaft is tapered between the butt end and the tip end; coils of fiber wound helically relative to an axis of the golf club shaft; and one or more layers of composite material wrapped around the coils of fiber and disposed radially outwardly of the coils of fiber.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A golf club shaft, comprising:
 a butt end;   a tip end,   wherein the golf club shaft is tapered between the butt end and the tip end;   coils of fiber wound helically relative to an axis of the golf club shaft; and   one or more layers of composite material wrapped around the coils of fiber and disposed radially outwardly of the coils of fiber.   
     
     
         2 . The golf club shaft of  claim 1  further comprising a second one or more layers of composite material, wherein the coils of fiber are wound helically around the second one or more layers of composite material, and the second one or more layers of composite material are disposed radially inwardly of the coils of fiber. 
     
     
         3 . The golf club shaft of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the one or more layers of composite material include graphite, an epoxy, and a resin. 
     
     
         4 . The golf club shaft of  claim 1  wherein a diameter of the fiber is less than 15 microns. 
     
     
         5 . The golf club shaft of  claim 1  wherein the golf club shaft includes at least five thousand of the coils of fiber wound helically relative to the axis of the golf club shaft. 
     
     
         6 . The golf club shaft of  claim 1  wherein each of the coils is disposed approximately perpendicular to the axis. 
     
     
         7 . The golf club shaft of  claim 1  wherein each of the coils is disposed approximately parallel to the axis. 
     
     
         8 . The golf club shaft of  claim 1  wherein each of the coils is disposed at an angle of between 1 degree and 89 degrees relative to the axis. 
     
     
         9 . The golf club shaft of  claim 1  wherein the fiber is coated with a resin. 
     
     
         10 . The golf club shaft of  claim 1  wherein the fiber has a circular cross-section. 
     
     
         11 . The golf club shaft of  claim 1  wherein the fiber is selected from a group consisting of steel, titanium, aluminum, copper, tungsten, and an alloy of one of steel, titanium, aluminum, copper, tungsten. 
     
     
         12 . The golf club shaft of  claim 1  wherein adjacent ones of the coils contact each other. 
     
     
         13 . The golf club shaft of  claim 1  wherein the golf club shaft is hollow inside of the coils of fiber. 
     
     
         14 . A tubular portion of one of a hockey stick, a lacrosse stick, and a baseball bat, the tubular portion comprising:
 one or more layers of composite material; and   coils of fiber wound helically relative to an axis of the tubular portion,   wherein one of:
 the one or more layers of composite material are wrapped around the coils of fiber and disposed radially outwardly of the coils of fiber; and 
 the coils of fiber are wrapped around the one or more layers of composite material and disposed radially outwardly of the one or more layers of composite material. 
   
     
     
         15 . The tubular portion of  claim 14  wherein the one or more layers of composite material are wrapped around the coils of fiber and disposed radially outwardly of the coils of fiber, and 
 wherein the tubular portion further includes a second one or more layers of composite material, wherein the coils of fiber are wound helically around the second one or more layers of composite material, and the second one or more layers of composite material are disposed radially inwardly of the coils of fiber. 
 
     
     
         16 . The tubular portion of  claim 14  wherein the coils of fiber are wrapped around the one or more layers of composite material and disposed radially outwardly of the one or more layers of composite material. 
     
     
         17 . The tubular portion of  claim 14  wherein at least one of the one or more layers of composite material include graphite, an epoxy, and a resin. 
     
     
         18 . The tubular portion of  claim 14  wherein the fiber is selected from a group consisting of steel, titanium, aluminum, copper, tungsten, and an alloy of one of steel, titanium, aluminum, copper, tungsten. 
     
     
         19 . The tubular portion of  claim 14  wherein the fiber has a circular cross-section with a diameter of less than 15 microns. 
     
     
         20 . A method of forming tubular sports equipment, the method comprising:
 winding coils of fiber helically around a tubular member; and   wrapping one or more layers of composite material around the coils of fiber such that the one or more layers of composite material are disposed radially outwardly of the coils of fiber.