Patent Application
20100248858
This invention relates generally to the field of grips for articles of sporting equipment having a gripping end, such as golf clubs and tennis rackets. In particular, the present invention relates to a grip for sporting equipment with grip end portions extending toward the center of the grip for reducing the incidence of leakage of adhesive from areas beneath layers of the grip.
The grip provided on most sporting equipment having a gripping end, such as golf clubs, tennis rackets, and the like, provides cushioning and reduces slippage of the user's hands, thereby improving the user's enjoyment of the sport of choice. To provide the desired cushioned, reduced slippage surface for gripping, a grip 100 for such sporting equipment sometimes takes the form of a single, solid piece 120 with a hollow interior 110 that fits over of the gripping end 12, as illustrated in
Often, users desire large grips, for example, to accommodate the user's hand size and prevent the overlapping of the user's hands. However, increasing the size of the grip typically greatly increases the weight of the grip as well. Further, such an increase in the weight of the grip often significantly inhibits the user's performance in the sport of choice.
Typically, the cushioning layer of a grip is secured to the hollow cylinder using any of a number of adhesives well known in the art. The installer may apply the adhesive to the hollow cylinder or to the cushioning layer, or the hollow cylinder or the cushioning layer may be purchased with an adhesive substance already on the surface. The installer then simply wraps the cushioning layer around the hollow cylinder and slips the hollow cylinder onto the gripping end.
Use of the adhesive between the hollow cylinder and the cushioning layer provides a strong bond. However, over time and with use, the adhesive tends to leak out from the area between the cylinder and the cushioning layer, staining and damaging the cushioning layer. Such staining and damage of the cushioning layer may impair the grip's ability to provide a cushioned, reduced slippage surface, as well as alter the appearance of any information or decorative designs displayed on the cushioning layer. In addition, grips for sporting equipment often rub against or bump into one another, for example, when carried in the bottom of a golf bag. This contact between the grips further damages the grips and the information and decorative designs displayed on the grips.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a means for reducing the incidence of leakage of adhesive from areas beneath layers of a grip of sporting equipment. The means for reducing the incidence of leakage of adhesive should also assist in preventing damage to the grip from contact with other grips. In addition, the means should allow an increase in the size of the grip without resulting in a great increase in the weight of the grip. Also, the means should not interfere with the primary function of providing a secure gripping area for the sporting equipment user or prevent the display of information or decorative designs on the gripping area.
In one aspect, the present invention provides a grip for sporting equipment having a gripping end, comprising at least one grip end, a grip end portion extending from each of the at least one grip ends, and a center portion adapted to receive the gripping end in an interior thereof. Each grip end portion defines a receiver adapted for receiving one or more layers substantially overlaying the center portion. Typically, the grip end portions will be fabricated of a durable material for protecting the at least one grip end from damage and will extend various lengths along the gripping end. Also, the center portion may be a hollow cylinder for receiving the gripping end, and the grip may include an end cap.
It will be appreciated that the grip end portions may be attached to the center portion using any method of attachment known in the art, for example, a friction fit, an adhesive, a combination of adhesive and friction fit, a snap fit structure, and the like. In the alternative, the grip end portions and the center portion may be formed or molded as a single unit using any method of formation or molding known in the art, for example, injection molding, compression molding, extrusion molding, casting, and the like.
Any suitable adhesive as is known in the sporting equipment art may be used to affix the one or more layers to the center portion and to affix the one or more layers to one another. Also, the center portion and the one or more layers may be manufactured of compatible materials such that heat and pressure bond them together.
It will be appreciated that any material having the desired properties, such as where appropriate durability, thickness, strength, cushioning, tackiness, and aesthetically pleasing appearance may be used in fabricating the grip end portions and the receivers. Any number of suitable materials are contemplated, such as rubber, polymers, latex, natural or synthetic leather, closed cell foams, open cell foams, natural material, synthetic material, or any other material currently used in fabricating grips for sports equipment. Any material having the desired properties of strength, durability, thickness, cushioning, and shock absorption required for underlying the layers may be used in fabricating the center portion, such as polymers, rubber, latex, natural or synthetic leather, natural material, synthetic material, or any other material currently used in fabricating grips for sports equipment.
The one or more layers may take any of a variety of forms, such as a hollow cylinder, a planar sheet having two side edges, a top edge, and a bottom edge, or the like. Again, any material having the desired properties, such as where appropriate durability, thickness, strength, cushioning, tackiness, and aesthetically pleasing appearance may be used in fabricating any of the one or more layers, such as polymers, closed cell foams, open cell foams, latex, rubber, natural or synthetic leather, natural material, synthetic material, or any other material currently used in fabricating grips for sports equipment.
In addition, any of the one or more layers may be fabricated of any suitable lightweight material, such as closed cell foams, open cell foams, polymers, or synthetic materials. The thickness of the layers formed of such a lightweight material may be increased without greatly increasing the weight of the grip, thereby increasing the size of the grip without greatly increasing the weight of the grip. Any of the one or more layers also may be fabricated of a suitable substantially transparent material and may protect a design placed on the grip while still allowing visualization of the design.
The receivers may take any form suitable to receive the one or more layers, including but not limited to a flange, rim, projecting edge, lip, slant, groove, bevel, channel, slot, slit, notch, and the like. Advantageously, the receivers assist in preventing the leakage of adhesive from an area between the center portion and the one or more layers as well as from areas between the one or more layers. In addition, the receivers assist in protecting opposed ends of the one or more layers from damage.
In another embodiment, the grip may comprise a center portion adapted to receive the gripping end, and a grip end portion adapted for connection to the center portion. The grip end portion defines a receiver adapted to receive one or more layers substantially overlaying the center portion. Typically, the grip end portion will be fabricated of a durable material for protecting the one or more layers from damage. Also, the grip may include an end cap.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a method of manufacturing a grip for sporting equipment for reducing leakage of an adhesive from the grip, comprising placing at least one layer to substantially overlay a center portion, and attaching a grip end portion to the center portion such that a receiver portion of the grip end portion receives the at least one layer. As described above, the receivers may take any form suitable to receive the one or more layers, and any method of attachment known in the art may be used to attach the grip end portion to the center portion to accomplish the method of the present invention.
Still other aspects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in this art from the following description wherein there is shown and described a preferred embodiment of this invention, simply by way of illustration of one of the modes best suited to carry out the invention. As it will be realized, the invention is capable of other different embodiments and its several details are capable of modification in various, obvious aspects all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions will be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.
The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of the specification illustrate several aspects of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:
a is a perspective view of a prior art grip having a hollow cylinder and an overlapping cushioning layer;
b shows an exploded view of the prior art grip of
Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
In accordance with the need identified in the foregoing description, the present invention provides a grip 10 for sporting equipment having a gripping end 12 that reduces the incidence of leakage of adhesive from areas beneath layers of the grip 10.
As illustrated in
The center portion 18, which may take the form of a hollow cylinder, is located between the grip end portions 16a and 16b. The center portion is adapted for receiving the gripping end 12 in an interior thereof, as shown in
The receivers 17a and 17b may be adapted to receive a first layer, such as a layer 22 or 62, disposed over the center portion. In this manner, the receivers 17a and 17b assist in protecting opposed ends of the first layer from damage. The receivers 17a and 17b may take any form suitable to receive the first layer. Exemplary forms of the receivers 17a and 17b include, without limitation, a flange, rim, projecting edge, lip, slant, groove, bevel, channel, slot, slit, or notch. The first layer may also take any of a variety of forms, such as a hollow cylinder, a planar sheet having two side edges, a top edge, and a bottom edge, or the like. A second layer, such as a layer 32, may also be disposed over the first layer, and the receivers 17a and 17b may be adapted also to receive the second layer. Accordingly, the receivers 17a and 17b may also assist in protecting opposed ends of the second layer from damage.
As illustrated in
Returning to
Also, a suitable adhesive may be coated onto an outer surface of the center portion 18 to affix the first layer, such as the layer 22, to the center portion 18. Alternatively, the adhesive may be coated onto an inner surface of the first layer, or onto both surfaces. Still further, the center portion or the first layer may be pre-coated with the adhesive during manufacture. Numerous suitable adhesive substances are known in the art. In other embodiments, the center portion and the first layer may be manufactured of compatible materials such that heat and pressure bond them together. The first layer may then be placed over or wrapped around the center portion 18 and received in the receivers 17a and 17b. In this manner, the receivers 17a and 17b may assist in preventing the leakage of adhesive from an area between the first layer and the center portion 18.
A suitable adhesive may also be coated onto an outer surface of the first layer, such as the layer 22, onto an inner surface of the second layer, such as the layer 32, or onto both surfaces to affix the surfaces together. Alternatively, the first layer or the second layer may be pre-coated with the adhesive during manufacture. Again, numerous suitable adhesive substances are known in the art. In yet another embodiment, the layers may be manufactured of compatible materials such that heat and pressure bond them together. The second layer may then be placed over the first layer and received in the receivers 17a and 17b. In this regard, the receivers 17a and 17b may also assist in preventing the leakage of adhesive from an area between the second layer and the first layer.
Turning to
Returning to
Any material having one or more desired properties of durability, thickness, strength, cushioning, tackiness, and aesthetically pleasing appearance may be used in fabricating the grip end portions 16a and 16b and the receivers 17a and 17b, such as rubber, polymers, latex, natural or synthetic leather, closed cell foams, open cell foams, natural material, synthetic material, or any other material currently used in fabricating grips for sports equipment. In addition, an elongated strip with a locking mechanism as is described in the present inventor's U.S. Pat. No. 6,971,959 for a Grip for Sports Equipment, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference, may be used to form the grip end portions. The thickness of the grip end portions may be varied in accordance with the needs of the user, i.e. in accordance with the preferred grip thickness.
Any material having one or more desired properties of durability, thickness, strength, cushioning, tackiness, and shock absorption required for underlying the layers may be used in fabricating the center portion 18, such as polymers, rubber, latex, natural or synthetic leather, natural material, synthetic material, or any other material currently used in fabricating grips for sports equipment. The thickness of the center portion may also be varied in accordance with the needs of the user, i.e. in accordance with the user's hand size and preferred grip thickness.
Also, any material having the desired properties of cushioning, tackiness, aesthetics, durability, thickness, strength, and aesthetically pleasing appearance required for a slip-resistant grip may be used in fabricating any of the layers, such as polymers (for example polystyrene or polyurethane), closed cell foams, open cell foams, latex, rubber, natural or synthetic leather, natural material, synthetic material, or any other material currently used in fabricating grips for sports equipment. The thickness of any of the layers may be varied in accordance with the needs of the user, i.e. in accordance with the user's hand size and preferred grip thickness.
In addition, any of the layers may be fabricated of any suitable lightweight material, such as closed cell foams, open cell foams, polymers (for example polystyrene or polyurethane), or synthetic foams. As illustrated in
Any of the layers also may be fabricated of a suitable substantially transparent material and may protect a design placed on the grip while still allowing visualization of the design. Such a system is described in the present inventor's U.S. Pat. No. 6,718,675 for a Display Grip for Sports Equipment, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Accordingly, the grip of the present invention provides several advantages over conventional grips. For example, because the receivers 17a and 17b of the grip receive the layers, the incidence of leakage of the adhesive from the inner surfaces of the layers of the grip is reduced. In this manner, staining and damaging of the layers from leaking adhesive is also reduced, and the grip's ability to provide a cushioned, reduced slippage surface without damage from leaking adhesive is enhanced. Also, the reduction of leaking adhesive lessens damage to information and decorative designs displayed on the grip.
In addition, the grip of the present invention includes grip end portions, which reduce damage to the grip from contact with other grips. Also, any of the layers of the grip of the present invention may be fabricated of any suitable lightweight material, allowing the size of the grip to be increased without greatly increasing the weight of the grip. At the same time, the grip of the present invention does not compromise the desirable properties of the grip or prevent the display of information on the gripping area.
The foregoing description of a preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. For example, an end cap may overlay an end of the grip end portion 16a on the distal portion of gripping end 12, either before or after the grip 10 of the present invention is installed thereon, using a combination of adhesive and a friction fit as is known in the art. A rib and groove structure as is described in the present inventor's U.S. Pat. No. 6,718,675 for a Display Grip for Sports Equipment may also be used to secure the grip end portion 16a to the end cap.
The embodiment described was chosen to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally and equitably entitled.
