Apparatus For Connecting A Golf Club Shaft To A Golf Club Head And Golf Clubs Including The Same

Abstract

Apparatus for connecting a golf club shaft to a golf club head, including an adjustment tube, and golf clubs including the same.

1 . An apparatus for use with a golf club shaft adapter having an adapter rotation restrictor and a golf club head with a hosel having a hosel rotation restrictor, the apparatus comprising:
 a main portion defining first and second longitudinal ends and a main portion longitudinal axis;   a lumen, within the main portion and adapted to receive the golf club shaft adapter, defining an opening associated with the first longitudinal end of the main portion and a lumen longitudinal axis that is not parallel to the main portion longitudinal axis;   a first main portion rotation restrictor associated with the cylindrical lumen and configured to engage the adapter rotation restrictor; and   a second main portion rotation restrictor associated with an exterior of the main portion.   
     
     
         2 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the main portion has a cylindrical outer surface. 
     
     
         3 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the lumen comprises a cylindrical lumen. 
     
     
         4 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the lumen longitudinal axis and the main portion longitudinal axis are angularly offset by an angle of about 0.25 degrees to 5 degrees. 
     
     
         5 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein
 the lumen defines a first longitudinal end associated with the opening and a second longitudinal end; and   the first main portion rotation restrictor is associated with the second longitudinal end of the lumen.   
     
     
         6 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the second main portion rotation restrictor is associated with the second longitudinal end of the main portion. 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second main portion rotation restrictors includes a plurality of projections and a plurality of recesses. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein one of the first and second main portion rotation restrictors is a male rotation restrictor and the other of the first and second main portion rotation restrictors is a female rotation restrictor. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the main portion defines an outer surface and at least part of the outer surface is tapered. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising
 an aperture extending from the second longitudinal end of the main portion to the lumen.   
     
     
         11 . An apparatus for use with a golf club shaft and a golf club head with a hosel, the apparatus comprising:
 a tube lock including a tube lock rotation restrictor;   an adapter including an adapter main portion defining an adapter main portion longitudinal axis, an adapter lumen configured to receive the golf club shaft and defining an adapter lumen longitudinal axis, and an adapter rotation restrictor; and   an adjustment tube including an adjustment tube main portion defining an adjustment tube main portion longitudinal axis, an adjustment tube lumen configured to receive the adapter and defining an adjustment tube lumen longitudinal axis, a first adjustment tube rotation restrictor configured to engage the adapter rotation restrictor, and a second adjustment tube rotation restrictor configured to engage the tube lock rotation restrictor;   wherein the adapter lumen longitudinal axis is not parallel to the adapter main portion longitudinal axis and/or the adjustment tube lumen longitudinal axis is not parallel to the an adjustment tube main portion longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         12 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the tube lock is configured to be inserted into the hosel and secured thereto. 
     
     
         13 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the tube lock rotation restrictor includes a plurality of projections and a plurality of recesses. 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the adapter main portion has a cylindrical outer surface. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the adapter main portion defines first and second longitudinal ends and the adapter rotation restrictor is associated with the second longitudinal end. 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the adapter main portion includes a connector associated with the second longitudinal end. 
     
     
         17 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the adapter lumen longitudinal axis and the adapter main portion longitudinal axis are angularly offset by an angle of about 0.25 degrees to 5 degrees. 
     
     
         18 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the adapter rotation restrictor includes a plurality of projections and a plurality of recesses. 
     
     
         19 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the adjustment tube main portion has a cylindrical outer surface. 
     
     
         20 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the adjustment tube main portion has an outer surface and at least part of the outer surface is tapered. 
     
     
         21 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the adjustment tube lumen comprises a cylindrical lumen. 
     
     
         22 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the adjustment tube lumen longitudinal axis and the adjustment tube main portion longitudinal axis are angularly offset by an angle of about 0.25 degrees to 5 degrees. 
     
     
         23 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the first and second adjustment tube rotation restrictors are adjacent to one another. 
     
     
         24 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the first and second adjustment tube rotation restrictors are associated with opposite longitudinal portions of the adjustment tube main portion. 
     
     
         25 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the first and second adjustment tube rotation restrictors includes a plurality of projections and a plurality of recesses. 
     
     
         26 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein one of the first and second adjustment tube rotation restrictors is a male rotation restrictor and the other of the first and second adjustment tube rotation restrictors is a female rotation restrictor. 
     
     
         27 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , further comprising:
 an aperture extending from a longitudinal end of the adjustment tube to the adjustment tube lumen.   
     
     
         28 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , further comprising:
 means for releasably securing the adapter and adjustment tube to the golf club head.   
     
     
         29 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein
 the first adjustment tube rotation restrictor and the adapter rotation restrictor are respectively configured such that they can be engaged with one another at a plurality of different rotational orientations; and   the second adjustment tube rotation restrictor and the tube lock rotation restrictor are respectively configured such that they can be engaged with one another at a plurality of different rotational orientations.   
     
     
         30 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein
 the hosel defines a diameter;   the adjustment tube main portion defines an outer diameter, that is substantially equal to the hosel diameter, and an inner diameter; and   the adapter main portion defines an outer diameter that is substantially equal to the inner diameter of the adjustment tube main portion.   
     
     
         31 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the adapter lumen longitudinal axis is not parallel to the adapter main portion longitudinal axis and the adjustment tube lumen longitudinal axis is not parallel to the an adjustment tube main portion longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         32 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein
 the second main portion rotation restrictor is associated with the first longitudinal end of the main portion.   
     
     
         33 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 32 , wherein
 the lumen defines a first longitudinal end associated with the opening and a second longitudinal end; and   the first main portion rotation restrictor is associated with the second longitudinal end of the lumen.   
     
     
         34 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 32 , wherein
 the second main portion rotation restrictor includes a plurality of projections.   
     
     
         35 . An apparatus for use with a golf club shaft adapter having an adapter rotation restrictor, the apparatus comprising:
 a golf club head including a hosel with a top portion and a hosel rotation restrictor at the top portion of the hosel; and   angular adjustment tube including
 a main portion defining first and second longitudinal ends and a main portion longitudinal axis, 
 a lumen, within the main portion and adapted to receive the golf club shaft adapter, defining an opening associated with the first longitudinal end of the main portion and a lumen longitudinal axis that is not parallel to the main portion longitudinal axis, 
 a first main portion rotation restrictor associated with the cylindrical lumen and configured to engage the adapter rotation restrictor, and 
 a second main portion rotation restrictor associated with the exterior of the first longitudinal end of the main portion. 
   
     
     
         36 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 35 , wherein the hosel rotation restrictor is integral with the top portion of the hosel. 
     
     
         37 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 35 , wherein the second main portion rotation restrictor includes a plurality of projections. 
     
     
         38 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 37 , wherein the hosel rotation restrictor includes a plurality of recesses. 
     
     
         39 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 37 , wherein the hosel rotation restrictor includes a plurality of projections that defines a plurality of spaces therebetween. 
     
     
         40 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 35 , wherein one of the first and second main portion rotation restrictors is a male rotation restrictor and the other of the first and second main portion rotation restrictors is a female rotation restrictor. 
     
     
         41 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 35 , wherein the lumen longitudinal axis and the main portion longitudinal axis are angularly offset by an angle of about 0.25 degrees to 5 degrees.