Appeal No. 97-0754 Page 9
Application No. 08/408,478
35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over Pelz in view of
Steffes.
Claim 1 recites in a golf club shaft the improvement
comprising: a plurality of separate shaft sections presenting
shaft section ends having an inner surface and an outer surface
wherein the adjoining shaft section ends comprise a smaller end
and a larger end for overlapping the smaller end and means for
connecting the adjoining ends of the shaft sections.
Pelz discloses a golf club having a quick connect-disconnect
coupling between the golf club shaft and the club head. Pelz
does not disclose a golf club shaft formed in two sections with
means for connecting the adjoining ends of the shaft sections.
In that regard, it is our view that one skilled in this art would
readily appreciate the difference between "a golf club shaft" and
the hosel of "a golf club head." Accordingly, it is our opinion
that it is not appropriate to consider Pelz's hosel 16 or hosel
sleeve 18 to be part of a golf club shaft. Our opinion is
reinforced by Pelz's own teaching that his golf club 10 is formed
from a shaft 12 and club head 14 formed with the hosel 16 and
hosel sleeve 18.
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