Golf club adjustable hosel assembly

Abstract

An adjustable assembly includes a golf club shaft having a tip portion, a golf club head, a hosel insert, a shaft adapter and a fastener. The hosel portion defines an upper hosel opening. The hosel insert is secured to the hosel portion and includes a first set of upwardly extending projections. The shaft adapter extends about a first longitudinal axis, and defines a shaft opening for engaging the tip portion. The shaft adapter includes a second set of downwardly extending projections for selectable engagement with the first set of projections. The first and second sets of projections are shaped to enable rotational movement of the shaft adapter about the first axis with respect to the hosel insert in a first rotational direction, and to inhibit rotational movement of the shaft adapter with respect to the hosel insert in a second rotation direction, opposite the first rotational direction.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An adjustable assembly comprising:
 a golf club shaft having a tip portion;   a golf club head including a body having a crown, a sole, a striking plate and a hosel portion, the hosel portion defining an upper hosel opening;   a hosel insert secured to the hosel portion, the hosel insert including a first set of upwardly extending projections;   a shaft adapter extending about a first longitudinal axis, the shaft adapter defining a shaft opening for engaging the tip portion of the shaft; the shaft adapter including a second set of downwardly extending projections for selectable engagement with the first set of projections, the first and second sets of projections shaped to enable rotational movement of the shaft adapter about the first longitudinal axis with respect to the hosel insert in a first rotational direction, and to inhibit rotational movement of the shaft adapter with respect to the hosel insert in a second rotation direction, opposite the first rotational direction; and   a fastener releasably coupled to the club head and the shaft adapter, the assembly being adjustable between a plurality of locked positions by loosening the fastener, rotating the shaft adapter in the first rotational direction without removing the shaft adapter from the hosel of the club head, and tightening the fastener to the club head and the shaft adapter.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of locked positions includes at least one of a separate loft position, a separate lie position and a separate face angle position. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the shaft adapter includes a marker, wherein the marker is positioned to be within the hosel when the shaft adapter is in one of the plurality of locked positions. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the marker is defined by at least one of at least one marking on the shaft adapter, one or more recesses formed in the shaft adapter, and one or more outwardly extending projections on the shaft adapter. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the assembly is adjustable between the plurality of locked positions by after loosening the fastener, moving the shaft adapter longitudinally along the first axis in a direction toward a proximal end of the shaft by a first predetermined distance. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the marker is visible on the shaft adapter when the shaft adapter is longitudinally moved by the first predetermined distance. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second sets of projections are first and second sets of corresponding gear teeth. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the first set of gear teeth each include a second leading surface and a second trailing surface, and wherein each of the second set of gear teeth include a second leading surface and a second trailing surface. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the shaft adapter includes a first shoulder having a lower surface, and wherein the second set of projections is positioned on the lower surface of the first shoulder. 
     
     
         10 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first set of projections is positioned on an upper surface of the hosel insert. 
     
     
         11 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein one of the first and second sets of projections includes at least two pawls. 
     
     
         12 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first set of projections is positioned on an upper surface of the hosel portion. 
     
     
         13 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the shaft extends along a second longitudinal axis, and wherein the first and second longitudinal axes are angled with respect to each other, and wherein the first angle is within the range of 0.25 to 3 degrees. 
     
     
         14 . The assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the first angle is within the range of 1.0 to 1.5 degrees. 
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the lower region of the shaft adapter defines a lower opening, and wherein the fastener is a threaded fastener extending through a portion of the club head and into the lower opening. 
     
     
         16 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of locked positions define a plurality of separate loft positions, and wherein loft angle is defined as the angle between a center striking plate normal vector and a ground plane when the head is in a square face address position. 
     
     
         17 . The assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of separate loft angles are selected from the group consisting of the range of 8.0 to 10.5 degrees, the range of 8.5 to 11.5 degrees, the range of 9.5 to 12.0 degrees, the range of 12.0 to 14.5 degrees, the range of 12.5 to 15.5 degrees, the range of 14.0 to 17.0 degrees, the range of 16.0 to 19.0 degrees, the range of 16.0 to 18.0 degrees, the range of 18.0 to 20 degrees, the range 20 to 22 degrees, and the range of 22.0 to 24.0 degrees. 
     
     
         18 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of locked positions define a plurality of separate lie positions, wherein each lie position defines a separate lie angle within the range of 50 to 66 degrees, and wherein lie angle is defined as the angle between the first longitudinal axis and a ground plane when the club head is in a grounded address position. 
     
     
         19 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the shaft adapter includes a second shoulder, and wherein the second shoulder bears against an upper end of the hosel portion. 
     
     
         20 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the hosel portion includes a hosel flange, and wherein when the assembly is in one of the plurality of locked positions, a lower end of the shaft adapter is spaced apart from the hosel flange. 
     
     
         21 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the assembly is configured for organized, competitive play.