Adjustable connector

Abstract

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an adjustable connector including at least two parts, each having a main body with a bore having a longitudinal axis therein, wherein an external surface of the main body of a first part is configured to bear against an internal surface of the bore of a second part when the first part is at least partially inserted into the bore of the second part to form a connection, characterized in that the positioning of the bores with respect to the main bodies is such that when the parts are connected to each other, rotation of one part with respect to the other changes the inclination of the longitudinal axes of the bores with respect to one another.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A golf club having a coupled head and shaft comprising:
 a connection mechanism to couple the head to the shaft, said connection mechanism including:   a first part having a cylindrical tubular body that includes a first internal bore, wherein the first part engages a hosel of the head and rotates between a first plurality of rotational positions, and   a second part coupled to the shaft at a distal end of the shaft, wherein the second part is rotatable between a second plurality of rotational positions, said second part having a second internal inclined bore that receives said distal end of the shaft,   wherein the combination of the first plurality of rotational positions and the second plurality of rotational positions adjust two angular relationship parameters between the head and the shaft.   
     
     
         2 . The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the two angular relationships are two of the following:
 a lie angle of the head, a loft angle of the head, and a face angle of the head.   
     
     
         3 . The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein at least one part includes a marking configured to indicate one or more of the angular relationship parameters between the head and the shaft. 
     
     
         4 . The golf club of  claim 3 , wherein the marking is arranged around one or more of a rim of the first part and a rim of the second part. 
     
     
         5 . The golf club of  claim 3 , wherein the marking includes a sequence of numbers. 
     
     
         6 . The golf club of  claim 3 , wherein the marking includes a sequence of letters. 
     
     
         7 . The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein at least one part is configured to be releasably connected to either the shaft or the head. 
     
     
         8 . The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of rotational positions includes four discrete rotational positions. 
     
     
         9 . The golf club of  claim 8 , wherein the second plurality of rotational positions includes four discrete rotational positions. 
     
     
         10 . The golf club of  claim 9 , wherein the combination of the first plurality of rotational positions and the second plurality of rotational positions adjust the two angular relationship parameters between the head and the shaft in exactly sixteen different combinations. 
     
     
         11 . A golf club having a releasably coupled head and shaft comprising:
 a connection mechanism to couple the head to the shaft, the connection mechanism including:
 a first part engageable with a hosel of the head, wherein the first part and the hosel have complimentary surfaces that allow the first part to be rotatable between a first plurality of rotational positions, said first part having a first internal bore, and 
 a second part coupled to the shaft at a distal end and having an outer wall configured to fit into said first internal bore, wherein the first part and the second part have complimentary surfaces that allow the second part to be rotatable inside the first internal bore between a second plurality of rotational positions, said second part having a second internal inclined bore with respect to a longitudinal axis of the bore of the second part, said bore receiving the distal end of the shaft, 
   wherein at least one part is releasably connected to either the shaft or the head, further wherein a combination of the first plurality of rotational positions and the second plurality of rotational positions changes a first angular relationship between the head and the shaft and a second angular relationship between the head and the shaft, wherein the second angular relationship is different than the first angular relationship.   
     
     
         12 . The golf club of  claim 11 , wherein the first and second angular relationships are a lie angle of the head and a loft angle of the head. 
     
     
         13 . The golf club of  claim 11 , wherein the first and second angular relationships are a loft angle of the head and a face angle of the head. 
     
     
         14 . The golf club of  claim 11 , wherein at least one part includes a marking configured to indicate at least one of the first and second angular relationship parameters between the head and the shaft. 
     
     
         15 . The golf club of  claim 14 , wherein the marking includes at least one of a sequence of numbers and a sequence of letters. 
     
     
         16 . The golf club of  claim 11 , wherein the first plurality of rotational positions includes four discrete rotational positions. 
     
     
         17 . The golf club of  claim 16 , wherein the second plurality of rotational positions includes four discrete rotational positions. 
     
     
         18 . The golf club of  claim 17 , wherein the combination of the first plurality of rotational positions and the second plurality of rotational positions adjust two angular relationship parameters between the head and the shaft in exactly sixteen different combinations. 
     
     
         19 . A golf club having a coupled golf club head and shaft comprising:
 a connection mechanism to couple the golf club head to the shaft, the connection mechanism including:
 a first part rotatable between a first plurality of rotational positions; and 
 a second part rotatable between a second plurality of rotational positions, 
   the parts having cooperating surfaces such that a first combination of rotational positions between the first part and the second part provides a first orientation between the golf club head and the shaft, and further such that a second combination of rotational positions between the first part and the second part provides a second orientation between the golf club head and the shaft, the second orientation between the golf club head and the shaft being different from the first orientation between the golf club head and the shaft.   
     
     
         20 . The golf club of  claim 19 , wherein the orientation between the golf club head and the shaft are defined by one or more angular relationship parameters between the golf club head and the shaft. 
     
     
         21 . The golf club of  claim 19 , wherein the one or more angular relationship parameters include one or more of the following: a loft angle of the golf club head, a lie angle of the golf club head, and a face angle of the golf club head. 
     
     
         22 . The golf club of  claim 19 , wherein at least one part includes a marking configured to indicate the orientation between the golf club head and the shaft. 
     
     
         23 . The golf club of  claim 19 , wherein the first plurality of rotational positions includes four discrete rotational positions. 
     
     
         24 . The golf club of  claim 23 , wherein the second plurality of rotational positions includes four discrete rotational positions. 
     
     
         25 . The golf club of  claim 24 , wherein the orientation between the golf club head and the shaft includes exactly sixteen different orientations. 
     
     
         26 . A golf club comprising:
 a shaft;   a golf club head; and   an adjustable connector that connects the shaft to the golf club head, the adjustable connector having a first rotatable part that engages the golf club head and a second rotatable part that engages the shaft,   the parts each having a longitudinal axis of a bore that is different from an axis of rotation of the parts thereby defining that the parts are rotatable about their individual axis of rotation at a constant angle of inclination causing their individual longitudinal axis of the bore to rotate with respect to the axis of rotation and further such that the rotation of the parts of the adjustable connector alters the relative orientation of the golf club head and the shaft.   
     
     
         27 . The golf club of  claim 26 , wherein the relative orientation of the golf club head and the shaft includes one or more of the following: a lie angle of the golf club head, a loft angle of the golf club head, and a face angle of the golf club head. 
     
     
         28 . The golf club of  claim 26 , wherein the first part is rotatable between four discrete rotational positions. 
     
     
         29 . The golf club of  claim 28 , wherein the second part is rotatable between four different discrete rotational positions. 
     
     
         30 . The golf club of  claim 29 , wherein the combination of the four discrete rotational positions of the first part and the four discrete rotational positions of the second part alter the relative orientation of the golf club head and the shaft in exactly sixteen different orientations.