Nested Spherical Hosel Assembly for Golf Club Adjustment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing golf club hosel adjustment systems provide limited adjustment capacity and require increased hosel volume, compromising geometry and durability.

Innovation Solution

An adjustable hosel assembly utilizing a nested set of partial spherical shells or cams with distributed detents allows for precise adjustments of shaft orientation by moving the hosel and cam piece along a convex or concave surface, secured by a bolt, enabling discrete angle changes of a few degrees.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If annular wedge spacers are used to adjust shaft orientation, then loft and lie angle can be adjusted, but adjustment capacity is limited and hosel volume increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadjustment capacityVSAvoidhosel volume

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The hosel assembly employs nested spherical components where a cam piece with cam surface is positioned within the hosel bore, and the shaft is inserted through the cam piece. This nested arrangement allows multiple adjustment functions (loft, lie, face angle) to be achieved within a compact volume, resolving the contradiction between adjustment capacity and hosel volume.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention utilizes spherical interfaces including a spherical cam surface on the cam piece and a spherical bore in the hosel. The shaft inserts at an angle relative to the cam surface normal, allowing angular adjustments of loft and lie angles through rotation along the spherical interface. This curved geometry enables continuous adjustment capacity without requiring increased hosel volume.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Adaptability or versatility

If hosel bending is used to adjust shaft angle, then loft and lie can be modified, but manufacturing complexity and precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveshaft angle adjustmentVSAvoidhosel bending precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The hosel is segmented into separate functional components: the hosel body with spherical bore, the cam piece with cam surface, and the shaft. Adjustment is achieved by rotating the cam piece relative to the hosel body rather than bending the entire hosel, which simplifies manufacturing precision requirements while maintaining adjustment versatility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The cam piece acts as an intermediary component between the hosel body and the shaft. By rotating the cam piece along its cam surface, the shaft orientation is adjusted without requiring precision bending of the hosel itself. This intermediary mechanism transfers the adjustment function from a complex bending operation to a simpler rotational operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS8727899B1Adjustable golf club hosel assembly

Publication Date: 2014.05.20 CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANY

AI summary

An adjustable hosel assembly allows for adjustment of shaft angle and the distance between the shaft and the club head. The adjustable hosel assembly comprises a hosel portion, a cam piece, a bolt, and a golf club head having a convex or concave surface, wherein the hosel portion can move along the surface of the cam piece, and the cam piece can move along the surface of the club head, to adjust the orientation of a shaft placed within the hosel with respect to the club head, and wherein the bolt secures the cam piece and the hosel to the golf club head.