Golf Club Shaft Assemblies With Partially Bonded and Unbonded Permanent Inserts

Abstract

A golf club shaft assembly including a golf club shaft and a permanent shaft insert that is partially bonded, or is unbounded, to the golf club shaft.

1 . A golf club shaft assembly, comprising:
 a golf club shaft having an inner surface; and   a shaft insert defining a tip end, a butt end and a length that extends from the tip end to the butt end, and having an outer surface that abuts the inner surface of the golf club shaft;   wherein the shaft insert is permanently secured within the golf club shaft; and   wherein the shaft insert is either not bonded to the golf club shaft or is bonded to the golf club shaft over less than the entire the length of the shaft insert.   
     
     
         2 . A golf club shaft assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the shaft insert comprises a hollow, tubular shaft insert. 
     
     
         3 . A golf club shaft assembly as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the shaft insert comprises a thin wall and there no structures located inwardly of the thin wall. 
     
     
         4 . A golf club shaft assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the shaft insert comprises a graphite shaft insert. 
     
     
         5 . A golf club shaft assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the shaft insert comprises a tapered shaft insert. 
     
     
         6 . A golf club shaft assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the shaft insert is not bonded to the golf club shaft over at least 90% of the length of the shaft insert, the length being continuous and beginning at the tip end of the insert. 
     
     
         7 . A golf club shaft assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the outer surface of the shaft insert is permanently bonded to the inner surface of the golf club shaft over no more than 50% of the length of the shaft insert. 
     
     
         8 . A golf club shaft assembly as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein outer surface of the shaft insert is permanently bonded to the inner surface of the golf club shaft over no more than 10% of the length of the shaft insert. 
     
     
         9 . A golf club shaft assembly as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein outer surface of the shaft insert is not permanently bonded to the inner surface of the golf club shaft at the tip end of the shaft insert. 
     
     
         10 . A golf club shaft assembly as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the outer surface of the shaft insert is permanently bonded to the inner surface of the golf club shaft with adhesive. 
     
     
         11 . A golf club shaft assembly as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the outer surface of the shaft insert is permanently bonded to the inner surface of the golf club shaft with a weld. 
     
     
         12 . A golf club shaft assembly as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein outer surface of the shaft insert is permanently bonded to the inner surface of the golf club shaft with a bond that extends from a location substantially adjacent to the butt end of the shaft insert towards the tip end of the shaft insert. 
     
     
         13 . A golf club shaft assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plug that abuts the shaft insert butt end and is permanently bonded to the inner surface of the golf club shaft.   
     
     
         14 . A golf club shaft assembly as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the outer surface of the shaft insert is not bonded to the inner surface of the golf club shaft. 
     
     
         15 . A golf club shaft assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the golf club shaft comprises a fiber reinforced shaft. 
     
     
         16 . A golf club shaft assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the tip end and/or the butt end of the shaft insert is longitudinally and/or rotationally movable relative to the adjacent portion of the golf club shaft inner surface. 
     
     
         17 . A golf club shaft assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the tip end and/or the butt end of the shaft insert is in direct contact with the golf club shaft inner surface. 
     
     
         18 . A golf club shaft assembly, comprising:
 a golf club shaft having an inner surface; and   a hollow, tubular shaft insert, defining a tip end and a butt end, permanently secured within the golf club shaft such that the tip end and/or the butt end of the shaft insert is longitudinally and/or rotationally movable relative to the adjacent portion of the golf club shaft inner surface.   
     
     
         19 . A golf club shaft assembly as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the shaft insert comprises a graphite shaft insert. 
     
     
         20 . A golf club shaft assembly as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the shaft insert comprises a tapered shaft insert. 
     
     
         21 . A golf club shaft assembly as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein only one of the tip end and the butt end of the shaft inert is longitudinally and/or rotationally movable relative to the adjacent portion of the golf club shaft inner surface. 
     
     
         22 . A golf club shaft assembly as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein
 the shaft insert is permanently bonded to the golf club shaft at the tip end of the insert or at the butt end of the insert; and   the shaft insert is not bonded to the golf club shaft over at least 90% of the length of the shaft insert.   
     
     
         23 . A golf club shaft assembly as claimed in  claim 22 , wherein the shaft inert is permanently bonded to the golf club shaft with adhesive. 
     
     
         24 . A golf club shaft assembly as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the tip end and/or the butt end of the shaft insert is in direct contact with the golf club shaft inner surface. 
     
     
         25 . A golf club shaft assembly as claimed in  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a plug that abuts the shaft insert butt end and is permanently bonded to the inner surface of the golf club shaft.   
     
     
         26 . A golf club shaft assembly as claimed in  claim 25 , wherein the outer surface of the shaft insert is not bonded to the inner surface of the golf club shaft. 
     
     
         27 . A golf club shaft assembly as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the golf club shaft comprises a fiber reinforced shaft.