Golf Shaft and Club Flex Neutralization/Matching and Method for Manufacturing Same
OwnerDavid Patrick Spencer, David Bryant Bechtelinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In accordance with the present invention, this method encompasses a shaft with a neutral flex point mark and identification mark/sticker of quantitative characteristics that has been achieved by deflecting a shaft, at its tip, a specific distance while resting in a free floating position. Shafts are then sorted by the quantitative measurement of its propensity to bend(flex weight) into sets of shafts to be assembled into golf clubs by aligning the neutral flex point mark on the golf shaft to the neutral point mark on a golf club head.
Claims14
A golf shaft and club flex neutralization/matching and method for manufacturing same for a method to quickly identify and manufacturer golf shafts and golf clubs whereby the unique negative flex characteristics of each golf shaft and golf club have been neutralized and matched based on those characteristics to enable more accurate use of a golf club or golf clubs within a set, comprising:
- means for maintaining an accurate reference point when working with shafts of different lengths (woods and irons) and to provide a free-floating trough for the shaft to sit in;
- means for maintaining a level height for the shaft tip to sit within a trough tray of pre-defined trough width based on varying shaft tip diameters for woods and irons;
- means for establishing a pre-defined shaft tip location to ensure consistent and reproducible measurements of flex weight force;
- means for moving the shaft to a pre-defined location so that the tip of the shaft rests at a uniform and pre-defined tip reference point, ensuring the flex weight measurement is obtained from the exact same point on the tip of a shaft irregardless of shaft overall length within the same shaft type;
- means for exerting pressure against the golf shaft at the butt area in a counter balancing effort against the moveable base to simulate a golfers grip during a golf swing. it is furthermore the function of this element to adjust pressure exerted on the golf shaft for the expressed purpose of regulating flex weight force during humidity and temperature changes to the environment;
- means for “deflecting” the shaft to a fixed distance and identifying the required amount of force (flex weight) required to deflect that shaft a given distance at the tip;
- means for permanently affixing a “neutral flex point” mark and record unique flex weight and identification characteristics on a golf shaft at its “neutral flex point” location;
- means for assembling a neutralized and flex weight matched golf club;
- and
- means for matching shafts together in sets of relative size (7,8,12, etc).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.