US20080108451A1

US20080108451A1 - Golf shaft with an adhesive layer

Info

Publication number: US20080108451A1
Application number: US11/593,786
Authority: US
Inventors: Elliot J. Han
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-11-07
Filing date: 2006-11-07
Publication date: 2008-05-08

Abstract

A golf shaft includes a shaft, a grip that is surrounded with a player's hand and an adhesive layer that secures the grip to the shaft. The grip has a hollow and elongated shape and comprises an outer surface, an inner surface, a top closed end and a bottom open end. The shaft includes a bottom end that fits with a clubhead and a top end that fits into the grip. The adhesive layer is formed for a predetermined length of the shaft starting near or at the top end and secures the grip firmly on the shaft. The adhesive layer includes an adhesive retention layer that includes a thin porous cloth member and retains an adhesive.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to a golf shaft. More particularly, the invention relates to a golf shaft that facilitates replacement of a grip.
The grip is one of the important parts for a golf club, and it is needed for replacing for many reasons. One reason is that the grip is able to defect or becomes old since the grip is made of rubber or leather. When the grip is defected or becomes old, a user may feel to change the grip. Another reason for replacing the grip is that a manufactured grip does not fit with the user's hand, and the user needs to change the grip.
A prior golf shaft had inconvenience of replacing the grip because the user has to wrap the shaft with a masking tape first, and then the grip covers the prewrapped shaft.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention contrives to solve a problem that has not been addressed by the prior art.
An object of the invention is to provide a golf shaft with an adhesive layer that secures a grip to the shaft.
To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a golf shaft includes a shaft, a grip that is surrounded with a player's hand and an adhesive layer that secures the grip to the shaft. The grip has a hollow and elongated shape and includes an outer surface, an inner surface, a top closed end and a bottom open end. The shaft includes a bottom end that fits with a clubhead and a top end that fits into the grip. The adhesive layer is formed for a predetermined length of the shaft starting near or at the top end, and the adhesive layer secures the grip firmly on the shaft.
The shaft is made of a tapered tube, and the shaft is made of metal or graphite fiber.
The grip is made of a rubber, synthetic leather or leather. The grip has a cylindrical shape and the top surface of the grip includes an air vent opening.
The adhesive layer includes an adhesive retention layer that had a thin porous cloth member and retains an adhesive. The adhesive layer includes a heat curing adhesive, a UV curing adhesive, a pressure curing adhesive or other type of adhesives.
The advantages of the present invention are: (1) a user can replace the grip fast and easy when it is needed; (2) the golf shaft does not need a masking tape during replacing the grip; and (3) the golf shaft firmly secures the grip after replacement.
Although the present invention is briefly summarized, the fuller understanding of the invention can be obtained by the following drawings, detailed description and appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects and advantage of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a golf club according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a top end of a shaft and a grip;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the top end of the shaft and the grip with an adhesive layer;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 3 with the grip assembled the shaft;

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the grip; and

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the grip.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a golf club 10 that includes a shaft 12, a grip 14 that is surrounded with a player's hand and a clubhead 16. Typically, the shaft 12 is made of a tapered tube, and the shaft 12 is made of metal or graphite fiber. The grip 14 that has a cylindrical shape and is made of a rubber, synthetic leather or leather. The shaft 12 includes a bottom end that fits with a clubhead 16 and a top end 20 that fits into the grip.
FIG. 2 shows the grip 14 before it is assembled to the top end 20 of the shaft 12. An adhesive layer 18 is formed for a predetermined length of the shaft 12 starting near or at the top end 20. The adhesive layer 18 secures the grip 14 firmly on the shaft 12.
FIG. 4 show the grip 14 after it is secured on the shaft 12. In this bodiment, the adhesive layer 18 includes an adhesive retention layer that had a thin porous cloth member 30 and retains an adhesive. The adhesive layer 18 includes a heat curing adhesive, a UV curing adhesive, a pressure curing adhesive or any other type of adhesive that is suitable for securing the grip 14 to the shaft 12.
FIGS. 3-6 show that the grip 14 has a hollow and elongated shape and includes an outer surface 22, an inner surface 24, a top closed end 26 and a bottom open end 28. The top close surface 26 of the grip 14 includes an air vent opening 32.
While the invention has been shown and described with reference to different embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that variations in form, detail, compositions and operation may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the accompanying claims.

Claims

1. A golf shaft comprising:

a) a shaft;

b) a grip that is adapted to be surrounded with a player's hand; and

c) an adhesive layer that secures the grip to the shaft;

wherein the grip has a hollow and elongated shape and comprises an outer surface, an inner surface, a top closed end and a bottom open end, wherein the shaft comprises a bottom end that is adapted to fit with a clubhead and a top end that fits into the grip, wherein the adhesive layer is formed for a predetermined length of the shaft starting near or at the top end, wherein the adhesive layer secures the grip firmly on the shaft.

2. The golf shaft of claim 1, wherein the shaft is made of a tapered tube.

3. The golf shaft of claim 1, wherein the shaft is made of metal.

4. The golf shaft of claim 1, wherein the shaft is made of graphite fiber.

5. The golf shaft of claim 1, wherein the grip is made of a rubber.

6. The golf shaft of claim 1, wherein the grip is made of synthetic leather.

7. The golf shaft of claim 1, wherein the grip is made of leather.

8. The golf shaft of claim 1, wherein the grip has a cylindrical shape.

9. The golf shaft of claim 1, wherein the top surface of the grip comprises an air vent opening.

10. The golf shaft of claim 1, wherein the adhesive layer comprises an adhesive retention layer that comprises a thin porous cloth member and retains an adhesive.

11. The golf shaft of claim 1, wherein the adhesive layer comprises a heat curing adhesive.

12. The golf shaft of claim 1, wherein the adhesive layer comprises a UV curing adhesive.

13. The golf shaft of claim 1, wherein the adhesive layer comprises a pressure curing adhesive.