As you probably know from my prior post regarding shaft technology, I am overwhelmed by the lack of patenting activity directed to golf club shaft technology. Well, finally an interesting shaft patent application published this week!

Fujikura Rubber had a shaft patent application publish this week as US Publication No. 20070072697 titled “Golf Club Shaft.”

The goal of the invention is to provide a golf club shaft superior in accuracy by minimizing displacement between thermosetting resin layers. The golf club shaft incorporates a torsional rigidity holding layer made of thermosetting resin including reinforcing fibers diagonally crossed in the longitudinal direction of the shaft and a UD flexural rigidity holding layer made of thermosetting resin including reinforcing fibers aligned in parallel to the longitudinal direction of the shaft. At least a part of the torsional rigidity holding layer includes a plain weave fabric layer obtained by winding and curing like a shaft-shape a plain weave prepreg which lets a plain weave fabric having mutually woven warps and wefts impregnate with thermosetting resin in such a way that said warps and wefts are diagonally crossed in the longitudinal direction of the shaft.

I know it sounds complex but the application really is interesting. Check it out.

Dave Dawsey – Watching for Innovative Golf Club Shaft Patents