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 adjustment tube 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 adjustment tube comprising:
 a main portion defining first and second longitudinal ends, an exterior 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, on the exterior of the main portion and associated with the first longitudinal end, configured to engage the adapter rotation restrictor; and   a second main portion rotation restrictor, on the exterior of the main portion, configured to engage the hosel rotation restrictor.   
     
     
         2 . An adjustment tube as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the main portion has a cylindrical outer surface. 
     
     
         3 . An adjustment tube as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the lumen comprises a cylindrical lumen. 
     
     
         4 . An adjustment tube as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the lumen longitudinal axis and the main portion longitudinal axis are angularly offset by an angle of about 5 degrees or less. 
     
     
         5 . An adjustment tube as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the second main portion rotation restrictor is associated with the second longitudinal end of the main portion. 
     
     
         6 . An adjustment tube as claimed in  claim 1 , the first main portion rotation restrictor includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced projections that extend axially away from the first longitudinal end of the main portion. 
     
     
         7 . An adjustment tube as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein
 the circumferentially spaced projections define free ends; and   the free ends of the projections together define a slope that is angularly offset from the main portion longitudinal axis by an angle of about 5 degrees or less.   
     
     
         8 . An adjustment tube as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the circumferentially spaced projections are substantially rectangular in shape. 
     
     
         9 . An adjustment tube as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the circumferentially spaced projections are substantially trapezoidal in shape. 
     
     
         10 . An adjustment tube as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the main portion defines an outer diameter, the adjustment tube further comprising:
 a lip, defining an outer diameter that is greater than the outer diameter of the main portion, located between the first longitudinal end of the main portion and the first main portion rotation restrictor.   
     
     
         11 . An adjustment tube as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the second main portion rotation restrictor includes a plurality of projections and a plurality of recesses. 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus for use with a golf club shaft, the apparatus comprising:
 a golf club head including
 a hosel having a top end and a bottom end, and 
 a hosel rotation restrictor associated with the hosel; 
   an adapter including
 an adapter main portion defining first and second longitudinal ends, an exterior and a main portion longitudinal axis, 
 an adapter lumen, within the adapter main portion and adapted to receive the golf club shaft, 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, and 
 an adapter rotation restrictor at the first longitudinal end on the exterior of the adapter main portion; and 
   an adjustment tube including
 an adjustment tube main portion defining first and second longitudinal ends, an exterior and a main portion longitudinal axis, 
 an adjustment tube lumen, within the adjustment tube main portion and adapted to receive the adapter, defining an opening associated with the first longitudinal end of the adjustment tube main portion and a lumen longitudinal axis that is not parallel to the main portion longitudinal axis, 
 a first adjustment tube rotation restrictor, on the exterior of the adjustment tube main portion and associated with the first longitudinal end, configured to engage the adapter rotation restrictor, and 
 a second adjustment tube rotation restrictor, on the exterior of the main portion, configured to engage the hosel rotation restrictor. 
   
     
     
         13 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the hosel rotation restrictor is located at the bottom end of the hosel. 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the hosel rotation restrictor includes a plurality of projections and a plurality of recesses. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 12 , further comprising:
 an internal connector associated with the second longitudinal end of the adapter main portion.   
     
     
         16 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the adapter lumen longitudinal axis and the adapter main portion longitudinal axis are angularly offset by an angle of about 5 degrees or less. 
     
     
         17 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the adapter rotation restrictor includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced projections that extend outwardly from the main portion. 
     
     
         18 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein
 the adapter main portion defines an outer diameter and includes a lip located at the first longitudinal end of the adapter main portion, the lip defining an outer diameter that is greater than the adapter main portion outer diameter; and   the adapter rotation restrictor includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced projections that extend outwardly from the adapter main portion and extend from the lip toward the second longitudinal end of the adapter main portion.   
     
     
         19 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the adjustment tube lumen defines an adjustment tube lumen diameter; and
 the adapter main portion defines an adapter main portion outer diameter that is substantially equal to the adjustment tube lumen diameter.   
     
     
         20 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein
 the hosel defines a hosel inner diameter;   the adjustment tube main portion defines an adjustment tube main portion inner diameter and an adjustment tube main portion outer diameter that is substantially equal to the hosel inner diameter; and   the adapter main portion defines an adapter main portion outer diameter that is substantially equal to the adjustment tube main portion inner diameter.   
     
     
         21 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the adjustment tube lumen longitudinal axis and the adjustment tube main portion longitudinal axis are angularly offset by an angle of about 5 degrees or less. 
     
     
         22 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the second adjustment tube rotation restrictor is associated with the second longitudinal end of the adjustment tube main portion. 
     
     
         23 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 12 , the first adjustment tube rotation restrictor includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced projections that extend axially away from the first longitudinal end of the adjustment tube main portion. 
     
     
         24 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein
 the circumferentially spaced projections define free ends; and   the free ends of the projections together define a slope that is angularly offset from the adjustment tube main portion longitudinal axis by an angle of about 5 degrees or less.   
     
     
         25 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein
 the adjustment tube main portion defines an outer diameter and includes a lip that defines an outer diameter that is greater than the adjustment tube main portion outer diameter, the lip being located between the first longitudinal end of the adjustment tube main portion and the first adjustment tube rotation restrictor.   
     
     
         26 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the second adjustment tube rotation restrictor includes a plurality of projections and a plurality of recesses. 
     
     
         27 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein
 the adjustment tube includes a bottom end; and   the adjustment tube includes an aperture that extends from the adjustment tube lumen to the bottom end.   
     
     
         28 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 27 , further comprising:
 means for releasably securing the adapter and adjustment tube to the golf club head.   
     
     
         29 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 12 , 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 hosel rotation restrictor are respectively configured such that they can be engaged with one another at a plurality of different rotational orientations.