Patent Application
20050125955
The present invention relates to an auxiliary grip for an object.
There is a real need to provide a handle or grip for an object that makes it easier to hold and/or use the object.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved, oversized grip for objects that provides a firmer grip, and facilitates a consistent hand position and better control.
This object, and other objects and advantages of the present invention, will appear more clearly from the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying schematic drawing, in which:
The auxiliary grip of the present application comprises an oversized member that fits over the existing handle or shaft of an object, and forms a handle for the object; the oversized member has an oval or elliptical cross-sectional shape.
The oversized member can be a monolithic part, or can comprise at least two parts that are each provided with a recess and that fit together such that the recesses accommodate the existing handle or shaft of an object.
The auxiliary grip of the present application has a multitude of uses. By way of example only, the auxiliary grip can be used for sports equipment, for example for racquet sports, golf, baseball or softball, for cooking utensils such as pots and pans, for brooms, vacuum sweepers and the like, for hand and garden tools, for ski poles, for fishing rods, etc., in other words, for anything that has a handle or shaft.
For certain applications, the auxiliary grip also has an insulating function, for example with pots and pans. In addition, the auxiliary grip can provide cushioning or shock absorption, such as with a bat or with tools.
Further specific features of the present application will be provided in detail subsequently.
Referring now to the drawing in detail,
The auxiliary grip 20 comprises an oversized member 21, whereby the term oversized means that the member 21 is of a size that is larger than the size of a standard handle. In particular, the oversized member 21 is adapted to be placed over an existing handle of an object, or over a shaft 22 of an object, to thereby form a new, oversized handle for the object. The member 21 is provided with an appropriately sized bore 23, either a through bore or a blind hole, and can be press fit onto a shaft or existing handle of the object, and furthermore can be glued to the shaft or handle to prevent the member 21 from sliding or shifting on the shaft or handle.
The oversized member 21 has an oval or elliptical cross-sectional shape. That end 24 of the member 21 that is remote from the object on which the auxiliary grip 20 is provided has a greater cross-sectional area than does the remainder of the member 21, with this enlarged portion being designated with the reference numeral 25. The enlarged portion 25 expediently tapers from the end 24 toward the remainder of the member 21. This enlarged portion 25 provides a convenient resting place or stop for one of the hands of a user of the object.
The auxiliary grip 20, i.e. the oversized member 21, is expediently made of cork, balsa, foam, such as polyurethane foam, rubber or some other elastomeric material. The use of such materials allows the auxiliary grip 20 to retain/maintain its shape.
The oversized member 21 can be at least partially wrapped with an additional material, especially a grip-enhancing material. By way of example only, such material can be a rubberized friction tape or any other commercially available grip wrap or tape.
Although in the embodiment illustrated in
In the illustrated embodiment of
The surface of the oversized members 21 and 21A can be a non uniform surface; for example, the surface can be provided with projections and/or grooves to enhance the gripping capability of the auxiliary grip 20, 20A.
The present invention is, of course, in no way restricted to the specific disclosure of the specification and drawing, but also encompasses any modifications within the scope of the appended claims.
