Interchangeable shaft and club head connection system

Abstract

A releasable connection system for assembling a shaft and a club head, e.g., a golf club shaft and a golf club head. The connection system provides interchangeability between a shaft and a club head and allows the head to be adjusted with respect to the shaft. The mating structures between the shaft and the club head may be indexed for reproducible placement. In an embodiment, the connection system also includes retaining structures that maintain the connection fastener position when the head and shaft are separated.

1 .- 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A golf club head comprising:
 a hosel having a joining surface surrounding a shaft-receiving socket;   a heel opening comprising a hole substantially centered with the shaft-receiving socket;   a fastener comprising a retaining shoulder; and   a retaining member coupled to the hole and having a through-passage for the fastener, and comprising protrusions that limit motion of the retaining shoulder when the fastener is inside the through-passage.   
     
     
         21 . The golf club head of  claim 20 , wherein the golf club head is a driver-type golf club head, a hybrid-type golf club head, an iron-type golf club head, or a putter. 
     
     
         22 . The golf club head of  claim 20 , wherein the joining surface is indexed or serrated. 
     
     
         23 . The golf club head of  claim 20 , wherein the retaining member comprises a sleeve having slots spanning a portion of the retaining member. 
     
     
         24 . The golf club head of  claim 23 , wherein the sleeve is constructed from plastic or metal. 
     
     
         25 . The golf club head of  claim 20 , wherein the retaining member comprises a clip having tabs that retain the clip in the hole. 
     
     
         26 . The golf club head of  claim 25 , wherein the clip is constructed from plastic or metal. 
     
     
         27 . The golf club head of  claim 20 , wherein the fastener is a screw or bolt. 
     
     
         28 . The golf club head of  claim 27 , wherein the fastener or screw comprises a head configured to receive a tool. 
     
     
         29 . The golf club head of  claim 28 , wherein the tool has a triangular, square, pentagonal, hexagonal, heptagonal, octagonal, cross, slot, or star shape. 
     
     
         30 . The golf club head of  claim 20 , wherein the hosel is round, triangular, square, pentagonal, hexagonal, heptagonal, octagonal, or star-shaped. 
     
     
         31 . The golf club head of  claim 20 , wherein the hosel comprises an opening for viewing a portion of a shaft after the shaft has been inserted into the hosel. 
     
     
         32 . A golf club comprising:
 a head having a face and a heel, and comprising:
 a hosel; 
 a heel opening comprising a hole substantially centered with the hosel; 
 a fastener comprising a retaining shoulder; and 
 a retaining member coupled to the hole and having a through-passage for the fastener, the retaining member comprising protrusions that limit motion of the retaining shoulder when the fastener is inside the through-passage; and 
   a shaft comprising an opening for engaging the fastener.   
     
     
         33 . The golf club of  claim 32 , wherein the head is reversibly detachable. 
     
     
         34 . The golf club of  claim 33 , wherein the head is detached by rotating the fastener, thereby causing the fastener to disengage the opening in the shaft. 
     
     
         35 . The golf club head of  claim 34 , wherein the retaining member prevents the fastener from leaving the heel opening when the club head is detached.