Carbon fiber putter golf shaft and tip with one or more bends

Abstract

A carbon fiber tip to connect a straight carbon fiber golf shaft with a golf club head includes: a first end that is cylindrical and that is configured to be joined with the golf club head; a second end that opposite the first end, that is cylindrical, and that is configured to be joined with a tip end of the straight carbon fiber golf shaft; and a bend disposed between the first end and the second end that changes an axis along which the carbon fiber tip extends.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A carbon fiber tip to connect a straight carbon fiber golf shaft with a golf club head, the carbon fiber tip comprising:
 a first end that is cylindrical and that is configured to be joined with the golf club head;   a second end that opposite the first end, that is cylindrical, and that is configured to be joined with a tip end of the straight carbon fiber golf shaft; and   a bend disposed between the first end and the second end that changes an axis along which the carbon fiber tip extends,   wherein the carbon fiber tip is hollow from the first end to the second end.   
     
     
         2 . A golf club, comprising:
 the straight carbon fiber golf shaft having a tip end and a grip end that is opposite the tip end;   the golf club head; and   the carbon fiber tip of claim  1 ,   wherein the first end of the carbon fiber tip is joined with the golf club head and the second end of the carbon fiber tip is joined with the tip end of the straight carbon fiber golf shaft.   
     
     
         3 . The golf club of  claim 2  wherein the golf club head is a putter head. 
     
     
         4 . The golf club of  claim 2  wherein the first end of the carbon fiber tip is fixed to the golf club head via an adhesive. 
     
     
         5 . The golf club of  claim 2  wherein the second end of the carbon fiber tip is fixed to the tip end of the straight carbon fiber golf shaft via an adhesive. 
     
     
         6 . The golf club of  claim 2  wherein the second end of the carbon fiber tip is fixed to the tip end of the straight carbon fiber golf shaft via the carbon fiber tip and the straight carbon fiber golf shaft having been cured together. 
     
     
         7 . The carbon fiber tip of  claim 1  wherein the first end includes a cylindrical recessed portion configured to receive a cylindrical post on the golf club head. 
     
     
         8 . The carbon fiber tip of  claim 7  wherein the first end includes one or more apertures that extend through the carbon fiber tip to the cylindrical recessed portion. 
     
     
         9 . The carbon fiber tip of  claim 1  wherein an outer diameter of the first end is between 0.3 inches to 0.4 inches. 
     
     
         10 . A tip comprising:
 the carbon fiber tip of  claim 1 ; and   a cylindrical tube disposed within the second end that extends outwardly past the second end of the carbon fiber tip.   
     
     
         11 . The tip of  claim 10  wherein the carbon fiber tip is co-molded onto the cylindrical tube. 
     
     
         12 . The tip of  claim 10  wherein the cylindrical tube is to extend into a tip end of the straight carbon fiber golf shaft. 
     
     
         13 . The tip of  claim 10  wherein the cylindrical tube is made of one of steel, a metal, an alloy, and carbon fiber. 
     
     
         14 . The carbon fiber tip of  claim 1  wherein the straight carbon fiber golf shaft is straight axially and does not include any bends along the axis of the straight carbon fiber golf shaft. 
     
     
         15 . The carbon fiber tip of  claim 1  further comprising a second bend disposed between (a) the bend and (b) the first end. 
     
     
         16 . The carbon fiber tip of  claim 15  wherein the carbon fiber tip:
 extends axially along a first axis between the bend and the second end; 
 extends axially along a second axis between the bend and the second bend; and 
 extends axially along a third axis between the second bend and the first end, 
 wherein the first axis is not coaxial with the second axis, and the second axis is not coaxial with the third axis. 
 
     
     
         17 . The carbon fiber tip of  claim 16  wherein the first axis is not coaxial with the third axis. 
     
     
         18 . The carbon fiber tip of  claim 16  wherein the first axis intersects the second axis at only one point, and the second axis intersects the third axis at only one point. 
     
     
         19 . A golf shaft for a putter, the golf shaft comprising:
 a straight carbon fiber golf shaft having a tip end and a grip end that is opposite the tip end; and   the carbon fiber tip of  claim 1 ,   the first end of the carbon fiber tip to be joined with the golf club head and the second end of the carbon fiber tip to be joined with the tip end of the straight carbon fiber golf shaft.   
     
     
         20 . A one piece carbon fiber golf shaft for a putter, the one piece carbon fiber golf shaft including:
 a grip end that is cylindrical and that is configured to be fixed within a golf grip;   a tip end that is cylindrical and that is configured to be joined with a putter head, where the tip end is opposite the grip end; and   at least one bend disposed between the grip end and the tip end, the at least one bend changing an axis along which the one piece carbon fiber golf shaft extends,   wherein the one piece carbon fiber golf shaft is hollow from (a) the at least one bend to (b) the tip end.