Flight Stabilizer

Abstract

A flight stabilizer is adapted to a golf club to replace a significant section of the shaft and provides a golfer with reduced radial torque, heightened flex point, improved shaft cylindrical continuity, and increased blended swing weight, all of which create a more powerful, consistent, reliable, and better performing club. The flight stabilizer creates a smooth transition from the heavy clubhead to the light shaft tip and allows the golfer to minimize shaft rotational oscillation, improve consistency of golf ball impact on the clubface, and achieve better overall control of distance and direction of a golf shot. Additionally, the flight stabilizer enables a golfer and/or a golf professional to efficiently connect an iron-type shaft with a large diameter to a wood-type clubhead with a small diameter. Further, the flight stabilizer offers a bent section that enables the golfer to adjust the shaft to achieve desired clubhead loft.

Claims

1. A flight stabilizing shaft-to-clubhead adapter for golf clubs comprising: a body; a first end; a second end; the first end and the second end being terminally positioned across the body; the body comprising a taper; the taper attenuating from the second end to the first end; the first end being configured to be affixed to a golf clubhead; and the second end being configured to be affixed to a golf shaft.

2. The flight stabilizing shaft-to-clubhead adapter for golf clubs comprising as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body is seven inches in length.

3. The flight stabilizing shaft-to-clubhead adapter for golf clubs comprising as claimed in claim 1 comprising: the body being a cylindrical tube; the first end and the second end being concentrically and distally positioned on the body; and the first end and the second end being open-ended.

4. The flight stabilizing shaft-to-clubhead adapter for golf clubs comprising as claimed in claim 3, wherein the tube thickness of the body is 0.051 inches (1.3 mm).

5. The flight stabilizing shaft-to-clubhead adapter for golf clubs comprising as claimed in claim 3, wherein the outer diameter of the first end of the body is 0.335 inches.

6. The flight stabilizing shaft-to-clubhead adapter for golf clubs comprising as claimed in claim 3 comprising: the body comprising a connecting hole; and the connecting hole being terminally and concentrically positioned on the body adjacent the second end.

7. The flight stabilizing shaft-to-clubhead adapter for golf clubs comprising as claimed in claim 6, wherein the inner diameter of the connecting hole of the body is 0.370 inches.

8. The flight stabilizing shaft-to-clubhead adapter for golf clubs comprising as claimed in claim 2 comprising: the body comprising a first straight connector and a second straight connector; the first straight connector being terminally positioned on the body adjacent the first end; and the second straight connector being terminally positioned on the body adjacent the second end.

9. The flight stabilizing shaft-to-clubhead adapter for golf clubs comprising as claimed in claim 8, wherein each of the first straight connector and the second straight connector of the body is 0.5 inches in length.

10. The flight stabilizing shaft-to-clubhead adapter for golf clubs comprising as claimed in claim 3 comprising: the golf shaft being an iron-type shaft; and wherein the diameter of the golf shaft distal end being connected to the connecting hole of the body is greater than that of the golf clubhead.

11. An adjustable flight stabilizing shaft-to-clubhead adapter for golf clubs comprising: a body; a first end; a second end; a bent section; the first end and the second end being terminally positioned across the body; the body comprising a taper; the taper being attenuating from the first end to the second end; the first end being configured to be affixed to a golf clubhead; the second end being configured to be affixed to a golf shaft; and and the bent section being adjustably positioned anywhere along the body.

12. The adjustable flight stabilizing shaft-to-clubhead adapter for golf clubs as claimed in claim 11, wherein the bent section can be adjustably oriented at an angle between 0.05 to 4.5 degrees with respect to the body.

13. The adjustable flight stabilizing shaft-to-clubhead adapter for golf clubs as claimed in claim 11 comprising: the body being a cylindrical tube; the first end and the second end being concentrically and distally positioned on the body; the first end and the second end being open-ended; and the bent section being a cylindrical tube.

14. The adjustable flight stabilizing shaft-to-clubhead adapter for golf clubs as claimed in claim 11, wherein the body is seven inches in length.

15. The adjustable flight stabilizing shaft-to-clubhead adapter for golf clubs as claimed in claim 11, wherein the tube thickness of the body and the bent section is 0.051 inches (1.3 mm).

16. The adjustable flight stabilizing shaft-to-clubhead adapter for golf clubs as claimed in claim 11, wherein the outer diameter of the first end of the body is 0.335 inches.

17. The adjustable flight stabilizing shaft-to-clubhead adapter for golf clubs as claimed in claim 11 comprising: the body comprising a connecting hole; and the connecting hole being terminally and concentrically positioned on the body adjacent the second end.

18. The adjustable flight stabilizing shaft-to-clubhead adapter for golf clubs as claimed in claim 17, wherein the inner diameter of the connecting hole of the body is 0.370 inches.

19. The adjustable flight stabilizing shaft-to-clubhead adapter for golf clubs as claimed in claim 13 comprising: the body comprising a first straight connector and a second straight connector; the first straight connector being terminally positioned on body adjacent the first end; and the second straight connector being terminally positioned on body adjacent the second end.

20. The adjustable flight stabilizing shaft-to-clubhead adapter for golf clubs as claimed in claim 19, wherein both the first straight connector and the second straight connector of the body is 0.5 inches in length.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] FIG. 1 is an isometric perspective view of the present invention.

[0014] FIG. 2 is a front view of the present invention.

[0015] FIG. 3 is a back view of the present invention.

[0016] FIG. 4 is a front view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] FIG. 5 is a front view of one embodiment with straight connectors on each end of the present invention.

[0018] FIG. 6 is a front view of one embodiment with a bent section of the present invention.

[0019] FIG. 7 is a field test data sheet for the performance testing of the present invention versus other golf clubs.

[0020] FIG. 8 is a laboratory static test datasheet for the shaft performance testing of the present invention versus an existing golf shaft.

DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION

[0021] All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0022] As can be seen in FIG. 1 to FIG. 9, the present invention comprises a flight stabilizer 20 that is adapted between a golf club shaft 30 and a golf clubhead 10 to reduce radial torque, heighten flex point, improve shaft cylindrical continuity, and increase blended swing weight. Additionally, the present invention allows a golfer to make adjustments of the shaft to achieve desired loft of the clubhead. More specifically, the present invention comprises the clubhead 10, the flight stabilizer 20, the shaft 30, and a grip 40. As can be seen in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, the flight stabilizer 20 is attached between the golf clubhead 10 and the golf club shaft 30, while the grip 40 is attached to the golf club shaft 30, opposite to the flight stabilizer 20.

[0023] As can be seen in FIG. 1 to FIG. 9, the flight stabilizer 20 of the present invention comprises a body 21, a taper 22, a first end 23, and a second end 24. More specifically, both the first end 23 and the second end 24 are terminally positioned across the body 21. The taper 22 exteriorly traverses the body 22 and attenuating from the second end 24 to the first end 23. Additionally, the first end 23 is connected to the golf clubhead 10, and the second end 24 is connected to the golf club shaft 30.

[0024] As can be seen in FIG. 4 to FIG. 5, the body 21 of the flight stabilizer 20 includes, but is not limited to a cylindrical tube. Additionally, the tube thickness of the body 21 can include, but is not limited to, 0.051 inches (1.3 mm). The material of the present invention includes, but is not limited to, carbon steel, satin carbon steel, but may include other suitable steel materials such as stainless steel, titanium, etc., and/or any combination of materials thereof. The first end 23 and the second end 24 are concentrically and distally positioned on the body 21. Further, the first end 23 and the second end 24 are open-ended to be able to connect to the golf clubhead 10 and the golf club shaft 30. In the preferred embodiment as seen in FIG. 4, the flight stabilizer 20 includes, but is not limited to, a length of seven inches. Further, the body 21 comprises a connecting hole 28, and the connecting hole 28 is terminally and concentrically positioned on the body 21 adjacent the second end 24. The inner diameter of the connecting hole 28 of the body 21 includes, but is not limited to, 0.370 inches, while the outer diameter of the first end 23 of the body 21 includes, but is not limited to, 0.335 inches. In an alternative embodiment as seen in FIG. 5, the body 21 comprises a first straight connector 26 and a second straight connector 27. The first straight connector 26 is terminally positioned on the body 21 adjacent the first end 23, and the second straight connector 27 is terminally positioned on the body 21 adjacent the second end 24. Additionally, the first straight connector 26 includes, but is not limited to, 0.5 inches in length, and the second straight connector 27 includes, but is not limited to, 0.5 inches in length.

[0025] As can be seen in FIG. 6, the flight stabilizer 20 of the present invention offers the golfer an adjustable flight stabilizer so that the golfer can adjust the loft of the golf clubhead 10. More specifically, the adjustable flight stabilizer 20 comprises a bent section 25 that can be adjustably positioned anywhere along the body 21. The bent section 25 can be adjustably oriented at any angle between 0.05 to 4.5 degrees with respect to the body 21, but can include other suitable angles. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the bent section 25 of the adjustable flight stabilizer can comprise, but is not limited to, a length of 1.33 inches and can be positioned at the first end 23, as seen in FIG. 6. In this embodiment, the first end 23 is the distal end of the bent section 25. Additionally, the bent section 25 can comprise a cylindrical tube that is the same as the body 21. Further, the adjustable flight stabilizer 20 allows the golfer to rotate the present invention with the bent section 25 forward, ahead of the golfer with respect to the swing direction of the golf swing to add a desired loft, for example 1.5 degrees to the golf clubhead 10. Conversely, the golfer can rotate the present invention with the bent section 25 backward, behind of the golfer with respect to the swing direction of the golf swing to decrease a desired loft, for example 1.5 degrees to the golf clubhead 10. Further, the golfer can rotate the present invention with the bent section 25 upward, more upright from the ground to add a desired upright, for example 1.5 degrees to the golf clubhead 10 comparing with the flight stabilizer 20 with no bent section 25. Additionally, the golfer can rotate the present invention with the bent section 25 downward towards the ground to decrease the upright, for example 1.5 degrees to the golf clubhead 10 comparing with the flight stabilizer 20 with no bent section 25 to make the golf clubhead 10 more flatter.

[0026] To install the present invention after acquiring one flight stabilizer 20, the golfer first chooses an existing golf club and cuts the golf club shaft 30 to a desired length. Then the golfer inserts the golf club shaft 30 into the flight stabilizer 20 at the second end 24, through the connection hole 28, and seals seam. Next, the golfer can use the existing golf clubhead 10 or choose any other desired clubhead and inserts the flight stabilizer 20 into the golf clubhead 10. By installing the flight stabilizer 20, the golfer not only repairs the existing club, but also substantially improves the performance of the club.

[0027] The preferred embodiment of the seven-inch flight stabilizer 20 provides the golfer a reduced radial torque, for instance, from 4.0 torque rating to 2.0, which will help the golfer straighten mishit shots significantly. Secondly, the flight stabilizer 20 heightens the flex point of the club, especially for a graphite shaft, which will improve the ball flight pattern after impact. This feature benefits the golfer with longer shots, better control of the ball trajectory, and maneuverability especially in windy conditions. Thirdly, the flight stabilizer 20 pures the golf club shaft 30 substantially and economically, thus improving the shaft cylindrical continuity to provide more accuracy and longer shots than before installing the present invention. Fourthly, the flight stabilizer 20 smoothly increases the blended swing weight and provides a blended transition from the tip of the light golf club shaft to the heavy golf clubhead golf club shaft, especially for a titanium driver, fairway metal wood and hybrids, etc. This added swing weight gives the golfer a better feel during the golf swing and impact, thus improves the swing consistency dramatically. Furthermore, the flight stabilizer 20 of the present invention provides the golfer a much more reliable club shaft 30 that reduces the breakage potential substantially and allows the golfer to quickly repair any broken clubs more efficiently.

[0028] As can be seen in FIG. 7, a study was conducted by an independent equipment testing company, Golf Laboratories, Inc. for the present invention in April 2019. The study used a Byron II robotic field tester to measure the swing data, launch data, flight data, descent data, landing data and wind data. A TaylorMade driver club with and without the flight stabilizer 20 of the present invention was tested to compare the performance. Among the measured data, as seen in FIG. 7, the driver with the flight stabilizer 20 (TaylorMade stabilized) showed less ball spin, lower maximum height of the ball flight trajectory, and less dispersion than the driver without the flight stabilizer 20 (TaylorMade). The less ball spin of the driver with the flight stabilizer 20 (TaylorMade stabilized) resulted in straighter golf shots comparing with the driver without the flight stabilizer 20 (TaylorMade). Additionally, the lower ball flight trajectory resulted in a longer distance of the shot. As can be seen in FIG. 8, Another study was performed in an independent company, Golf Works, which includes a static comparison testing between a regular, ungripped graphite shaft without the flight stabilizer 20 and a graphite shaft with the flight stabilizer 20. Each of the shafts compared was tested on a frequency machine with a 2-lb. and a 7-lb. weight attached to the tip of the shaft, respectively. The test results showed that the graphite shaft with the flight stabilizer 20 achieved higher bend point under each weight than the graphite shaft without the flight stabilizer 20, which normally results in a lower golf ball flight trajectory, thus longer distance. Additionally, the measured torque for the graphite shaft with the flight stabilizer 20 is lower under each weight than that for the graphite shaft with the flight stabilizer 20, which normally results in less dispersion, thus straighter shot.

[0029] As can be seen in FIG. 7, the study conducted by the Golf Laboratories, Inc. included a TaylorMade driver club with the flight stabilizer 20 of the present invention (TaylorMade Iron Shaft) and an iron shaft 30, which under normal applications is rarely implemented. Most existing iron shafts comprise a tip diameter that is larger than the tip diameter of clubheads of most existing drivers, thus posing difficulties to golfers and golf professionals to efficiently build a wood club such as a driver using a regular iron shaft and a clubhead. The flight stabilizer 20 of the present invention, however, can efficiently and effectively overcome such difficulties due to the taper 22 of the body 21, which can attach to an iron shaft through the connecting hole 28 on the second end 24 and the clubhead 10 on the first end 23, as seen in FIG. 1 to FIG. 6.

[0030] Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.