Abstract:
The golf club ( 20 ) of the present invention allows for the face angle of the golf club to be set after manufacturing of the golf club head ( 22 ). The golf club ( 20 ) of the present invention is able to accomplish this by providing a golf club head ( 22 ) with an internal hosel ( 38 ) (such as a GREAT BIG BERTHA® HAWK EYE® driver), a shaft ( 40 ) and an insert ( 51 ) that is disposed within the internal hosel ( 38 ). The insert ( 51 ) allows for the face angle of the golf club ( 20 ) to be oriented after manufacturing of the golf club head ( 22 ). The golf club ( 20 ) may also include a hosel liner ( 50 ) that is disposed within the insert ( 51 ).

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a wood-type golf club. More specifically, the present invention relates to a wood-type golf club head with the capability to adjust the face angle. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     In order to improve their game, golfers seek customization of their equipment to their particular swing. Golf equipment manufacturers have responded by increasing the different types of clubs available to the average golfer. For drivers, this has included increasing the different number of lofts readily available to the average golfer. Further, the average golfer can choose the type of shaft, whether metal or graphite, appropriate to the golfer&#39;s swing. Additionally, the length of the shaft may be adjusted, and the type of grip can be customized for the golfer. 
     However, golfers demand perfection, and every possible adjustment must be made to fit a particular golfer&#39;s swing. Thus, drivers that allow for adjustments in the lie angle and face angle have been made available to golfers. One such driver is Jackson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,973 for a Golf Club Head With Enlarged Hosel, originally filed in 1996. The insert of Jackson is removable thereby allowing for another insert with a different shaft orientation to be inserted into the hosel. The insert of Jackson has a diameter that is much larger than that of the tip end of the shaft. 
     Another example is Schroder, U.S. Pat. No. 5,197,733, filed in 1990 for a Golf Club. The Schroder patent discloses a club head with an elongated lower shaft portion that can be rotated to adjust the face angle of the golf club. The lower shaft portion is adjustable by rotating the shaft to accommodate the golfer, however, the tip of the shaft will be disposed behind or in proximity to the center of percussion of the golf club. Additionally, Schroder requires a particular shaft, with a lower angled portion, for the golf club head. 
     A further example is Toulon, U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,528, filed in 1996, for a Golf Club Head And Hosel Construction. The Toulon patent discloses a hosel with a slot groove that provides for adjustment of the face angle by five degrees and the lie angle by seven degrees by application of a transverse bending force on the hosel. 
     A further example of such an invention is Wood, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,851,155, which was originally filed in 1997. The Wood patent discloses a hosel that allows for customization of the face angle for a particular golfer by reorienting the club head relative to a neck member of the hosel. 
     Yet a further example is Kubica, U.S. Pat. No. 5,906,549 which was filed in 1997 for a golf club and a multitude of hosels with each hosel having a passage with a different angle relative to the club head. Each hosel has a flat portion for securing the hosel within a bore in the club head. In order to adjust the angle, the hosel must be replaced with another hosel. The hosels are composed of a material softer than the club head. 
     The prior art also contains the use of inserts for non-adjustment purposes. One example of the prior art is Chappell, U.S. Pat. No. 5,688,188 for a golf club. The Chappell patent discloses an iron with a ferrule composed of a thermoplastic material having a modulus of elasticity of 80-1980 pounds per square inch, a specific gravity of 1.15 to 1.22, shore hardness of 60, and an Izod strength of 3.0 to 10.0 ft/lbs. The ferrule is placed within an external hosel, and the exposed end of the ferrule 21 millimeters. The preferred material is a butyrate. 
     Another example is Dekura, U.S. Pat. No. 5,766,089, which was originally filed in Japan in 1994 for a metal wood composed of magnesium or aluminum alloy with a hosel attaching section composed of ABS and epoxy. The rigidity of the hosel attaching section is lower than the shaft to absorb vibration and shock to thereby reduce vibrations through the shaft. 
     Another example is Take et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,723, originally filed in Japan in 1994 for a Golf club With Cushion Material Between Shaft And Head. The Take patent discloses the use of a cushioning member composed of a synthetic resin such as ABS resin, polycarbonate, or epoxy, in order to cushion the shaft within the metal head. 
     Another example is Allen, U.S. Pat. No. 5,888,149 which was originally filed in 1999 for a shortened hosel and an extended ferrule. The primary object of the Allen patent is to reduce hosel weight without sacrificing shaft support or cosmetic integrity. The Allen patent discloses a hosel with a length of 0.625 inch to 0.750 inch, and an extended ferrule composed of a high strength thermoplastic. 
     One of the earliest example is Offutt, U.S. Pat. No. 1,167,922, originally filed in 1914 for a golf club head with an enlargement on a tubular metal shaft to provide a fluted surface. 
     However, golfers want a high performance golf club that can be easily customized to them while golf equipment manufacturers need to provide as much standardization as possible in order to prevent escalation of manufacturing costs. Thus, although the prior art has presented many inventions for providing customization, the prior art has failed to provide a cost effective method of customization. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a solution to the cost-effective customization of golf clubs while provide golfers with golf clubs that they currently play and trust to give them optimal performance. The present invention is able to accomplish this by providing a wood-type golf club head with an insert for orientation of the golf club face angle subsequent to the manufacturing of the golf club head. 
     A golf club head is typically manufactured using a casting procedure or a forging procedure. Typically, the face angle of the golf club is fixed at the time of manufacture since the location and orientation of the hosel is integrally manufactured with the entirety of the golf club head. Depending on manufacturing tolerances, the intended face angle, or effective loft angle, could be off several degrees or more. The present invention overcomes this problems by fixing the face angle of the golf club post-manufacturing through use of an insert. 
     One aspect of the present invention is a golf club including a golf club head, an insert and a shaft. The golf club head has a crown, a sole, a striking plate and an internal hosel. The internal hosel has a hosel wall defining a bore that extends from a crown opening below a top of the crown to a sole opening at the sole. The insert is disposed within the internal hosel. The insert has a cylindrical body that extends from the crown opening to the sole opening. The cylindrical body defines a bore that extends from the crown opening to the sole opening. The bore is disposed at a predetermined angle within the cylindrical body to define a face angle of the golf club. The shaft has a tip end and a butt end. The tip end of the shaft is positioned through the bore of the insert to the sole opening. 
     Another aspect of the present invention is a method for manufacturing a golf club. The method begins with providing a golf club head having a crown, a sole, a striking plate and an internal hosel extending from the crown to the sole. The internal hosel has a hosel wall defining a bore that extends from a crown opening below a top of the crown to a sole opening in the sole. The next step is attaching a removable insert to a tip end of a shaft. The insert has a cylindrical body that defines a bore extending therethrough. The shaft is positioned within the bore. The next step is orienting the insert to define the face angle of the golf club. The next step is placing the shaft, while attached to the insert, within the internal hosel of the golf club head. An excess portion of the tip end of the shaft and an excess portion of the insert extends further than the sole opening. The next step is cutting the excess portions of the tip end of the shaft and the insert at the sole opening to define a relatively smooth sole surface. 
     Yet another aspect of the present invention is a golf club including a golf club head, an insert, a hosel liner and a shaft. The golf club head has a crown, a sole, a striking plate and an internal hosel extending from the crown to the sole. The internal hosel has a hosel wall defining a bore that extends from a crown opening below a top of the crown to a sole opening in the sole. The insert is disposed within the bore of the internal hosel. The insert has a cylindrical body that extends from the crown opening to the sole opening. The cylindrical body defines a bore that has an upper chamber in communication with the crown opening and a lower chamber in communication with the upper chamber and the sole opening. The bore defines a face angle of the golf club. The hosel liner has an upper portion, a lower portion and a bore therethrough. The upper portion has a greater diameter than the lower portion, and the lower portion positioned within the upper chamber of the bore of the insert. The hosel liner has a shoulder below the upper portion that engages the crown, and the hosel liner is composed of a polymer material. The shaft has a tip end and a butt end. The tip end of the shaft is positioned through the bore of the hosel liner and through the bore of the insert to the sole opening. 
     Having briefly described the present invention, the above and further objects, features and advantages thereof will be recognized by those skilled in the pertinent art from the following detailed description of the invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a front plan view of the golf club of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the golf club of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a heel end side view of the golf club of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 is a toe end side view of the golf club of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the golf club of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the golf club of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 7 is a front plan view of the golf club of FIG. 1 with the internal hosel, removable insert and hosel liner in phantom. 
     FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of line  8 — 8  of FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 9 is an exploded view of FIG.  8 . 
     FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the front of the golf club head. 
     FIG. 11 is an isolated top view of the removable insert. 
     FIG. 12 is an isolated side view of the removable insert. 
     FIG. 13 is an isolated perspective view of the removable insert. 
     FIG. 14 is an isolated side view of an alternative removable insert with a different bore angle. 
     FIG. 15 is an isolated perspective view of the hosel liner. 
     FIG. 16 is an isolated bottom view of the hosel liner. 
     FIG. 17 is an isolated top view of the hosel liner. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     As shown in FIGS. 1-4, a golf club is generally designated  20 . The golf club  20  has a golf club head  22 , a shaft  40  and a hosel liner  50 . The golf club head  22  has a body  23  with a crown  24 , a sole  26 , a ribbon  28  and a striking plate  30 . The striking plate  30  generally extends from a heel end  32  to a toe end  34  of the front of the golf club head  20 . The body  23  preferably has a hollow interior  36  with an internal hosel  38  for receiving the tip end of a shaft  40  through the hosel liner  50  which is disposed within an insert  51 . As will be explained in greater detail below, the insert  51  allows for post-manufacturing adjustment of the face angle of the golf club  20 . 
     The golf club head  22  has a body  23  that is preferably composed of a metal material such as titanium, titanium alloy, stainless steel, or the like, and is most preferably composed of a forged titanium material. However, those skilled in the pertinent art will recognize that the body  23  may be composed of alternative materials such as composites such as a pre-peg resin with carbon strands. 
     The body  23 , when designed as a driver, preferably has a large volume, typically greater than 300 cubic centimeters, and is most preferably 350 cubic centimeters for a body  23  composed of titanium. However, when designed as a driver, a body  23  composed of stainless steel may have a volume range of 200 cubic centimeters to 275 cubic centimeters, and a body  23  composed of a composite material may have a volume of 325 cubic centimeters to 400 cubic centimeters. The body  23 , when designed as a driver, preferably weighs no more than 215 grams, and most preferably weighs between 180 and 205 grams. When the body  23  is designed as a fairway wood, the body  23  weighs from 135 grams to 180 grams, and preferably from 140 grams to 165 grams. 
     The shaft  40  is preferably composed of a graphite material, however, it may be composed of a lightweight metal material such as titanium. Alternatively, the shaft  40  may be composed of a hybrid of graphite and metal. Yet further, the shaft  40  may be composed of a thin stainless steel material. The weight of the shaft  40  preferably ranges from 40 grams to 80 grams, more preferably from 50 grams to 75 grams, and is most preferably 65 grams. 
     The shaft  40  is attached to the golf club head  22  through the hosel liner  50  and the insert  51 . The insert  51  is positioned within the internal hosel  38  of the golf club head  22 . The hosel liner  50  is positioned within insert  51 . 
     The internal hosel  38  does not substantially extend beyond the surface of the crown  24  of the golf club head  22 . More precisely, the internal hosel  38  is lower than the top of the crown  24  when the golf club  20  is in the address position to strike a golf ball. The internal hosel  38  is positioned within the hollow interior  36  of the golf club head  22 , nearest the heel end  32 . As best shown in FIGS. 7-9, the internal hosel  38  includes a wall  60  that defines a bore  39  that opens at a crown opening  52  and a sole opening  62  of the body  23 . The bore  39  is sized to accommodate the insert  51 . The insert  51  is secured within the bore  39  of the internal hosel  38  through application of an adhesive, such as an epoxy, to the external surface of the insert  51 . The internal hosel  38  is preferably cast with the body  23  of the golf club head  22 . Alternatively, the internal hosel  38  may be welded within the hollow interior  36  in alignment with the crown opening  52  and the sole opening  62  of the body  23 . The diameter of the bore  39  is not much greater than the outer diameter of the removable insert  51  thereby allowing for a tight and secure fit of the insert  51  within the bore  39 . 
     The insert  51  has a cylindrical body  57  with a wall  55  that defines a bore  77  that includes an upper chamber  54 , a lower chamber  56  and a transition region  58 . The upper chamber  54  is in flow communication with a top opening  59  of the insert  51  into which the hosel liner  50  is secured with the insert  51 . The lower chamber  56  is in open communication with a bottom opening  61  of the insert  51 . The upper chamber  54  is in open communication with the transition region  58  that is in open communication with the lower chamber  56 . The upper chamber  54  has a diameter A and the lower chamber  56  has a diameter B. Diameter A is greater than diameter B in order to provide a mechanical locking mechanism for securing of the hosel liner  50 . The shaft  40  will extend through the hosel liner  50 , into the transition region  58  and then into the lower chamber  56  of the insert  51 . The insert is preferably composed of a metal material, however, it may be composed of a polymer material. A preferred metal material is aluminum. Other metal materials are stainless steel, titanium, titanium alloys and the like. Polymer materials include thermoplastic polyurethanes, phenoxies, polyamides and the like. 
     As shown in FIGS. 11-14, the insert  51  has a length that extends from the crown opening  52  to the sole opening  62 . The bore  77  is angled relative to a central axis  79  of the cylindrical body  57  such that a central axis  81  of the bore  77  is at an angle of between 0 to 3.5 degrees relative to the central axis  79  of the insert  51 . The wall  55  varies in thickness from upper chamber  54  having a thickness of  55   b  to transition having a thickness of  55   c  to the lower chamber  56  having a thickness of  55   d.  Further, due to the angling of the bore  77 , the thickness on one side is different than the thickness on the other side. Additionally, a flange  73  at the top opening  59  has a thickness  55   a.  The flange  73  allows for facilitated retention and accuracy of location of the insert  51  within the internal hosel  38  during manufacturing of the golf club  20 . 
     The internal angling of the bore  77  relative to the cylindrical body  57  allows for the adjustment of the face angle of the golf club  20 . Further, a quarter rotation of the insert  51  within the internal hosel  38  will change the face angle of the golf club  20  by a predetermined amount. A half rotation will further adjust the face angle, and a three-quarters adjustment will modify the face angle even further. Additional adjustments to the face angle of the golf club  20  are accomplished by exchanging a first insert  51  having a first bore angle relative to a central axis  79  of the cylindrical body  57  with a second insert  51  having a second bore angle relative to a central axis  79  of the cylindrical body  57 . Thus, the golf club head  22  may be manufactured within predetermined specifications for a genus of golfers (an example would be golfers requiring a particular driver) while each insert  51  allows for a specific species of golfers (example would be golfers requiring a specific face angle). 
     The hosel liner  50  generally includes an upper portion  64  and a lower portion  66 . The hosel liner has an external opening  63  and an internal opening  65 . The lower portion  66  is positioned within the upper chamber  54  of the insert  51 . The diameter A of the upper chamber  54  should securely accommodate the diameter of the lower portion  66 . The upper portion  64  rests above the crown  24 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 15-17, the upper portion  64  has an exterior surface  68  with a plurality of recesses  70  therein. The surface  68  of the upper portion is curved, and the outer diameter increases in size toward the lower portion  66 . The upper portion  64  ends at a shoulder  72  that rests on the crown  24  of the golf club head  22  when the lower portion of the hosel liner  50  is placed within the insert  51 . The curved surface  68  of the upper portion  64  of the hosel liner  50  is discontinuous with the surface of the crown  24 . 
     The lower portion  66  has a cylindrical surface  73  with major slots  74  and minor slots  76 . 
     The major slots extend along a substantial portion of the surface  73  and are open at the internal opening  65 . The interior surface of the lower portion  66  has projections  78  that engage the shaft  40 . The hosel liner  50  is preferably composed of a polymer material such as a polycarbonate material. The hosel liner  50  is designed to relieve stress that is placed on the shaft  40  during the impact between a golf club head  22  impact and a golf ball. The hosel liner  50  prevents substantial contact between the shaft  40 , typically graphite, and the metal golf club head  22 . 
     In manufacturing the golf club  20 , the tip end of a shaft  40  is inserted through the external opening of the hosel liner  50 . Then, the hosel liner  50  and the shaft  40  are inserted through the top opening  59  of the insert  51 . Then, the shaft  40 , hosel liner  50  and insert  51  are inserted through the crown opening  52 . An excess portion  95  of the tip end of the shaft  40  and an excess portion  97  of the insert  51  extend beyond the surface of the sole  26 . These excess portions  95  and  97  are cut to create a smooth surface at the sole opening  62 . 
     From the foregoing it is believed that those skilled in the pertinent art will recognize the meritorious advancement of this invention and will readily understand that while the present invention has been described in association with a preferred embodiment thereof, and other embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, numerous changes, modifications and substitutions of equivalents may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention which is intended to be unlimited by the foregoing except as may appear in the following appended claims. Therefore, the embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined in the following appended claims.