Weighting assembly for golf club

Abstract

A weighting assembly for a golf club is adapted to be removably attached to the upper portion of a golf club shaft. This weighting assembly includes a threaded fastener, an upper shaft component, a weight and a weight support component. The upper shaft component is adapted to be secured within the top end of the golf club shaft, and it has a hole that is threaded to receive the threaded fastener. The weight support component is adapted to receive the weight. The upper shaft component and the weight support component each have detent features that cooperate to produce a detent mechanism that is adapted to prevent movement of the weight support component with respect to the golf club shaft when the threaded fastener is threaded into the hole in the upper shaft component.

1 . A weighting assembly for a golf club that is adapted to be removably attached to the upper portion of a golf club shaft, said weighting assembly comprising:
 (a) a threaded fastener;   (b) an upper shaft component that:
 (i) is adapted to be secured within the top end of the golf club shaft; 
 (ii) has a hole that is threaded to receive the threaded fastener; 
 (iii) includes an upper shaft component detent feature; 
   (c) a weight;   (d) a weight support component that:
 (i) is adapted to receive the weight; 
 (ii) includes a weight support component detent feature; 
   wherein the upper shaft component detent feature and the weight support component detent feature comprise a detent mechanism that is adapted to prevent movement of the weight support component with respect to the golf club shaft when the threaded fastener is threaded into the hole in the upper shaft component.   
     
     
         2 . The weighting assembly of  claim 1  wherein the weight support component is adapted to receive the weight in such a manner that the weight support component and the weight together comprise a hole through which the threaded fastener may pass. 
     
     
         3 . The weighting assembly of  claim 1  which includes a plurality of interchangeable weights, each of which:
 (a) has a different density; 
 (b) is adapted to be received by the weight support component. 
 
     
     
         4 . The weighting assembly of  claim 1  which includes:
 (a) a plurality of interchangeable weight support components, each of which comprises:
 (i) a base; 
 (ii) a portion of a solid cylinder; 
 
 (b) a plurality of interchangeable weights, each of which comprises a portion of a solid cylinder that is complementary with one of the plurality of interchangeable weight support components. 
 
     
     
         5 . The weighting assembly of  claim 1  which includes a cap that:
 (a) is adapted to cover the weight and the weight support component; 
 (b) includes a hole through which the threaded fastener may pass. 
 
     
     
         6 . The weighting assembly of  claim 1  which includes a cap that:
 (a) is adapted to cover the weight and the weight support component; 
 (b) is integrally formed with the threaded fastener. 
 
     
     
         7 . The weighting assembly of  claim 1  wherein the weight is integrally attached to the threaded fastener. 
     
     
         8 . The weighting assembly of  claim 1  wherein:
 (a) the weight support component includes a detent feature comprising a radially extending projection; 
 (b) the upper shaft component includes a detent feature comprising a slot; 
 wherein the radially extending projection of the weight support component is adapted to be received in the slot of the upper shaft component to comprise a detent mechanism that is adapted to prevent movement of the weight support component with respect to the golf club shaft when the threaded fastener is threaded into the hole in the upper shaft component. 
 
     
     
         9 . The weighting assembly of  claim 1  which includes clocking markings associated with the detent features that may be aligned to facilitate removably securing the weight support component to the golf club shaft in a desired rotational position. 
     
     
         10 . The weighting assembly of  claim 1  wherein the detent features on each of the weight support component and the upper shaft component comprise a series of adjacent angled detent surfaces that are arranged to intersect at peak lines and valley lines. 
     
     
         11 . The weighting assembly of  claim 10  wherein:
 (a) the golf club shaft has a longitudinal axis; 
 (b) the peak lines and valley lines are perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the golf club shaft. 
 
     
     
         12 . The weighting assembly of  claim 10  wherein:
 (a) each pair of adjacent detent surfaces on the weight support component that intersect at a peak line form an angle θ; 
 (b) each pair of adjacent detent surfaces on the weight support component that intersect at a valley line form the angle φ that is equal to 180°−θ; 
 (c) each pair of adjacent detent surfaces on the upper shaft component that intersect at a valley line form an angle θ; 
 (d) each pair of adjacent detent surfaces on the upper shaft component that intersect at a peak line form the angle φ that is equal to 180°−θ; 
 
     
     
         13 . The weighting assembly of  claim 12  wherein:
 (a) the angle θ between each pair of adjacent detent surfaces on the weight support component that intersect at a peak line is within the range of about 45° to about 150°; 
 (b) the angle θ between each pair of adjacent detent surfaces on the upper shaft component that intersect at a valley line is within the range of about 45° to about 150°. 
 
     
     
         14 . A weighting assembly for a golf club that is adapted to be removably attached to the upper portion of a golf club shaft, said weighting assembly comprising:
 (a) a threaded fastener;   (b) an upper shaft component that:
 (i) is adapted to be secured within the top end of the golf club shaft; 
 (ii) has a hole that is threaded to receive the threaded fastener; 
 (iii) includes an upper shaft component detent feature; 
   (c) a weight comprising a portion of a solid cylinder;   (d) a weight support component that is adapted to receive the weight, said weight support component comprising:
 (i) a base; 
 (ii) a portion of a solid cylinder that is complementary with the weight; 
 (iii) a weight support component detent feature; 
   (e) a cap that is adapted to cover the weight and the weight support component;   wherein the upper shaft component detent feature and the weight support component detent feature comprise a detent mechanism that is adapted to prevent movement of the weight support component with respect to the golf club shaft when the threaded fastener is threaded into the hole in the upper shaft component.   
     
     
         15 . The weighting assembly of  claim 14  which includes:
 (a) a plurality of interchangeable weight support components, each of which comprises:
 (i) a base; 
 (ii) a portion of a solid cylinder; 
 (iii) a weight support component detent feature; 
 
 (b) a plurality of interchangeable weights, each of which comprises a portion of a solid cylinder that is complementary with one of the plurality of interchangeable weight support components. 
 
     
     
         16 . The weighting assembly of  claim 14  which includes a cap that includes a hole through which the threaded fastener may pass. 
     
     
         17 . The weighting assembly of  claim 14  which includes a cap that is integrally formed with the threaded fastener.