Golf club heads with hosel inserts and related methods

Abstract

Embodiments of golf coupling mechanisms are presented herein. Other examples and related methods are also disclosed herein.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A golf coupling mechanism between a golf club head and a golf club shaft;
 the golf club head comprising:   a sole comprising a sole bottom end, a top portion opposite the sole portion, a heel portion, a toe portion opposite the heel portion, a rear portion, a front portion opposite the rear portion, the front portion comprising a strike face; and   a hosel;   the golf coupling mechanism comprising:
 a shaft sleeve having a shaft sleeve height, measured perpendicularly from a shaft sleeve bottom end to a shaft sleeve top end, configured to be coupled to an end of the golf club shaft and a hosel; 
 wherein:
 the shaft sleeve having a fastener region, an intermediate region, a coupler region, and a cap interface region comprises:
 a shaft bore open at a shaft sleeve top end and comprising a bore bottom surface, such that the shaft bore is configured to receive the end of the golf club shaft; 
 a shaft sleeve body having a shaft sleeve body mass and comprising a sleeve outer wall; 
  wherein the shaft sleeve body further comprises a shaft sleeve body height measured perpendicularly between a shaft sleeve bottom end to a shaft sleeve top end; 
 a shaft sleeve cap having a shaft sleeve cap mass and configured to be coupled with the shaft sleeve; 
 wherein the shaft sleeve cap further comprises a shaft sleeve cap total height, measured parallel to a shaft sleeve height between a shaft sleeve cap top end and a shaft sleeve cap bottom, and a shaft sleeve cap top height; 
 a coupler set comprising: 
 a first coupler protruding from the sleeve outer wall; 
 a second coupler protruding from the sleeve outer wall; 
 a third coupler protruding from the sleeve outer wall; and 
 a fourth coupler protruding from the sleeve outer wall; 
 
 the first coupler comprises a first arcuate surface curved throughout the first coupler; 
 
 the second coupler comprises a second arcuate surface curved throughout the second coupler; 
 the third coupler comprises a third arcuate surface curved throughout the third coupler; 
 the fourth coupler comprises a fourth arcuate surface curved throughout the fourth coupler; 
 a shaft sleeve mass, consisting of the shaft sleeve body mass, and the shaft sleeve cap mass defining 
 a shaft sleeve center of gravity with a vertical distance of less than 50 mm above an exterior of the sole bottom end; 
   wherein the first arcuate surface, second arcuate surface, third arcuate surface, and fourth arcuate surface are symmetric in profile;   wherein the shaft bore is further configured to receive and retain a tip weight; and   wherein the tip weight is disposed between the bore bottom surface and the end of the golf club shaft.   
     
     
         2 . The golf coupling mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the shaft sleeve height ranges between 2.00 inches and 2.20 inches;   the shaft sleeve body height ranges between 1.78 inches and 1.90 inches;   the shaft sleeve cap total height ranges between 0.46 inch and 0.50 inch; and   the shaft sleeve cap top height ranges between 0.23 inch and 0.27 inch.   
     
     
         3 . The golf coupling mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first arcuate surface, the second arcuate surface, the third arcuate surface, and the fourth arcuate surfaces are configured to restrict rotation of the shaft sleeve relative to the golf club head.   
     
     
         4 . The golf coupling mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the shaft bore comprises a shaft bore diameter and the maximum shaft bore diameter is greater than 0.400 inch and less than 0.450 inch.   
     
     
         5 . The golf coupling mechanism of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the shaft bore diameter at the bore bottom surface is in a range between 0.320 inch and 0.365 inch inclusive.   
     
     
         6 . The golf coupling mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first coupler, the second coupler, the third coupler, and the fourth coupler each comprise a coupler length; and   the coupler length is greater than or equal to approximately 0.260 inch and less than or equal approximately 0.38 inch.   
     
     
         7 . The golf coupling mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the tip weight comprises a tip weight mass ranging from 3 grams to 7 grams and a tip weight height between 0.200 inch and 0.500 inch.   
     
     
         8 . A golf coupling mechanism for a golf club head and a golf club shaft;
 the golf club head comprising:   a sole comprising a sole bottom end, a top portion opposite the sole portion, a heel portion, a toe portion opposite the heel portion, a rear portion, a front portion opposite the rear portion, the front portion comprising a strike face; and   a hosel;   the golf coupling mechanism comprising:
 a shaft sleeve having a shaft sleeve height, measured perpendicularly from a shaft sleeve bottom end to a shaft sleeve top end, configured to be coupled to an end of the golf club shaft and a hosel; 
 wherein:
 the shaft sleeve having a fastener region, an intermediate region, a coupler region, and a cap interface region comprises: 
 a shaft bore open at a shaft sleeve top end and comprising a bore bottom surface, such that the shaft bore is configured to receive the end of the golf club shaft; 
 a shaft sleeve body having a shaft sleeve body mass and comprising a sleeve outer wall;
 wherein the shaft sleeve body further comprises a shaft sleeve body height, measured perpendicularly between a shaft sleeve bottom end to a shaft sleeve top end; 
 
 a shaft sleeve cap having a shaft sleeve cap mass and configured to be coupled with the shaft sleeve;
 wherein the shaft sleeve cap further comprises a shaft sleeve cap total height, measured parallel to a shaft sleeve height between a shaft sleeve cap top end and a shaft sleeve cap bottom, and a shaft sleeve cap top height; 
 
 a coupler set comprising: 
 a first coupler protruding from the sleeve outer wall; 
 a second coupler protruding from the sleeve outer wall; 
 a third coupler protruding from the sleeve outer wall; and 
 a fourth coupler protruding from the sleeve outer wall; 
 the first coupler comprises a first arcuate surface curved throughout the first coupler; 
 
 the second coupler comprises a second arcuate surface curved throughout the second coupler; 
 the third coupler comprises a third arcuate surface curved throughout the third coupler; 
 the fourth coupler comprises a fourth arcuate surface curved throughout the fourth coupler; and
 the shaft receiver comprises: 
 a fifth coupler indented into a receiver inner wall; 
 a sixth coupler indented into the receiver inner wall; 
 a seventh coupler indented into the receiver inner wall; and 
 an eighth coupler indented into the receiver inner wall;
 the fifth coupler comprises a fifth arcuate surface curved throughout the fifth coupler; 
 
 
 the sixth coupler comprises a sixth arcuate surface curved throughout the sixth coupler; 
 the seventh coupler comprises a seventh arcuate surface curved throughout the seventh coupler; 
 the eighth coupler comprises an eighth arcuate surface curved throughout the eighth coupler; 
   wherein the coupler set is asymmetric in profile such that the first coupler is longer at a first part of a sleeve body outer wall of the shaft sleeve than the second, third, and fourth couplers;   wherein the shaft bore is further configured to receive and retain a tip weight; and   wherein the tip weight is disposed between a bottom surface of the shaft bore and the end of the golf club shaft.   
     
     
         9 . The golf coupling mechanism for a golf club head and a golf club shaft of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the second coupler, third coupler, and fourth coupler are symmetrical in profile.   
     
     
         10 . The golf coupling mechanism for a golf club head and a golf club shaft of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the fifth coupler is longer at a first part of the receiver inner wall than the sixth coupler, the seventh coupler, and the eighth coupler.   
     
     
         11 . The golf coupling mechanism for a golf club head and a golf club shaft of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the sixth coupler, seventh coupler, and eighth coupler are symmetrical in profile.   
     
     
         12 . The golf coupling mechanism for a golf club head and a golf club shaft of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the receiver coupler set of the shaft receiver is configured to engage the coupler set of the shaft sleeve and restrict rotation of the shaft sleeve relative to the golf club head.   
     
     
         13 . The golf coupling mechanism for a golf club head and a golf club shaft of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the coupler set protrudes from a top section of the sleeve outer wall towards the sleeve top end.   
     
     
         14 . The golf coupling mechanism for a golf club head and a golf club shaft of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the receiver coupler set is indented into a top section of the receiver inner wall.   
     
     
         15 . The golf coupling mechanism for a golf club head and a golf club shaft of  claim 8 , wherein:
 a portion of one or more of the first coupler, second coupler, third coupler, and fourth coupler, of the sleeve coupler set, protrudes past a top end of the shaft receiver.   
     
     
         16 . The golf coupling mechanism for a golf club head and a golf club shaft of  claim 8 , wherein:
 a portion of one or more of the fifth coupler, sixth coupler, seventh coupler, and eighth coupler, of the sleeve coupler set, may protrude past a bottom end of one or more couplers of the coupler set.   
     
     
         17 . The golf coupling mechanism for a golf club head and a golf club shaft of  claim 8 , wherein:
 a contact area defined by the interface between the first coupler and one of the sixth coupler, seventh coupler, and eight coupler is approximately 51% to approximately 79%.   
     
     
         18 . The golf coupling mechanism for a golf club head and a golf club shaft of  claim 8 , wherein:
 a contact area defined by the interface between the first coupler and the fifth coupler is approximately 90% to approximately 95%.   
     
     
         19 . The golf coupling mechanism for a golf club head and a golf club shaft of  claim 8 , wherein:
 a contact area defined by the interface between one of the second coupler, third coupler, and fourth coupler, and one of the sixth coupler, seventh coupler, and eighth coupler is approximately 90% to approximately 95%.   
     
     
         20 . The golf coupling mechanism for a golf club head and a golf club shaft of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the shaft sleeve height ranges between 2.00 inches and 2.20 inches;
 the shaft sleeve body height ranges between 1.78 inches and 1.90 inches; 
 the shaft sleeve cap total height ranges between 0.46 inch and 0.50 inch; and 
 the shaft sleeve cap top height ranges between 0.23 inch and 0.27 inch.