Adjustable Golf Club Shaft Assembly for Length and Swing Weight
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing golf clubs lack an efficient method for adjusting shaft length without significantly impacting total weight, swing weight, or aesthetics, leading to increased costs and modifications that alter the club's performance.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of an adjustable length shaft assembly and an adjustable mass assembly within the golf club, allowing for selective adjustment of club length and swing weight while maintaining the overall weight and aesthetics of the club.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the shaft length is adjusted by replacing the original shaft with a new shaft of different length, then the shaft length is changed, but additional cost is incurred and the club's total weight, swing weight, and stiffness are adversely affected
Solution Approach 1:
The shaft is divided into a fixed portion and an adjustable portion that can be independently modified. The adjustable portion includes components such as an extension tube or telescopic mechanism that can be added or removed without affecting the fixed portion, allowing shaft length adjustment while preserving the original shaft's performance characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustment mechanism is extracted as a separate component from the original shaft. This includes removing the grip to access the shaft end, and installing an independent extension tube or telescopic assembly that can be adjusted without replacing the entire shaft, thereby maintaining the original shaft's stiffness and performance.
2Length of moving object
If the shaft length is adjusted by cutting off a portion of the butt end or installing a shaft extension, then the shaft length is changed, but the total weight, swing weight, and shaft stiffness are modified
Solution Approach 1:
When the shaft is lengthened by adding an extension tube, counterweights are added to the club head or shaft to compensate for the increased weight. This allows the shaft length to be adjusted while maintaining the original swing weight and balance characteristics of the club.
Solution Approach 2:
The shaft extension tube is designed with adjustable parameters including length, diameter, and wall thickness. By selecting appropriate parameters for the extension tube and associated components, the added weight can be minimized or precisely controlled to maintain the club's original weight characteristics.
3Length of moving object
If the shaft length is adjusted, then the club length is customized, but the aesthetics of the golf club are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The extension tube and adjustment components are designed to be visually indistinguishable from the original shaft when installed. The components match the shaft's diameter, surface finish, and color, and are positioned in locations that are not visible during normal play, such as within the grip or hosel area, thereby maintaining the club's aesthetic appearance.
Solution Approach 2:
The grip and hosel serve as intermediaries that conceal the adjustment mechanism. The extension tube is installed within the hosel or beneath the grip, where it is not visible from the exterior. This allows the shaft length to be adjusted while the club maintains its original aesthetic appearance from a distance.
Data Source
AI summary
A golf club has a first shaft coupled to a club head, a second shaft configured to slidably engage a portion of the first shaft, a grip coupled to the second shaft, and an adjustable length shaft assembly received by the second shaft and configured to allow a portion of the first shaft to slide in relation to the second shaft in a first configuration, and to restrict a portion of the first shaft from sliding in relation to the second shaft in a second configuration. The grip is restricted from rotation about the first shaft or the second shaft as the first shaft slides in relation to the second shaft.