SILICONE GRIPS FOR GOLF CLUBS AND METHODS OF MAKING SAME

Abstract

A grip for a golf club is provided. The grip comprises an elongated flexible sleeve that slips onto the shaft of a golf club and an elongated flexible panel of silicone material wrapped around and integrally bonded to the sleeve. The flexible panel comprises opposite first and second surfaces, opposite first and second edge portions joined together to define a longitudinal seam, and printed indicia on the panel first surface, wherein the printed indicia comprises silicone ink.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a flexible sleeve for a golf club grip, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the flexible sleeve of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the sleeve of FIG. 1 taken along Lines 3-3.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the sleeve of FIG. 2 taken along Lines 4-4.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the sleeve of FIG. 2 taken along Lines 5-5.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a flexible silicone panel that is configured to be wrapped around and bonded to the flexible sleeve of FIG. 1, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the flexible silicone panel of FIG. 6 with printed indicia and an additional layer of clear silicone thereon, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the flexible silicone panel of FIG. 7 taken along Lines 8-8.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a flexible silicone panel, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the flexible silicone panel of FIG. 9 taken along Lines 10-10.

FIG. 11 is a plan view of a flexible silicone panel, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the flexible silicone panel of FIG. 11 taken along Lines 12-12.

FIG. 13 is a side elevational view of a flexible sleeve for a golf club grip that is configured to receive the flexible silicone panel of FIG. 11, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a golf club grip wherein the flexible panel of FIG. 7 has been wrapped around and integrally bonded to the flexible sleeve of FIG. 1, according to some embodiments of the present invention,

FIG. 15 is a side elevational view of the golf club grip of FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of the golf club grip of FIG. 14 taken along Lines 16-16.

FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view of the golf club grip of FIG. 14 illustrating the mating relationship of opposite edge portions of the flexible panel, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 18 is an enlarged partial view of the mating relationship of opposite edge portions of the flexible panel of FIG. 17.

FIG. 19 is a flow chart of operations for forming a grip for a golf club, or other apparatus, according to some embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A grip for a golf club, comprising: an elongated flexible sleeve that slips onto the shaft of a golf club; andan elongated flexible panel of silicone material wrapped around and integrally bonded to the sleeve, wherein the panel comprises: opposite first and second surfaces;opposite first and second edge portions joined together to define a longitudinal seam; andprinted indicia on the panel first surface, wherein the printed indicia comprises silicone ink.

2. The grip of claim 1, wherein the sleeve comprises silicone material.

3. The grip of claim 1, wherein the panel first and second edges are joined together in mating relationship.

4. The grip of claim 1, wherein the panel first and second edges are joined together to form a lap joint.

5. The grip of claim 1, wherein the sleeve comprises a registration aperture formed therein, wherein the panel comprises a registration pin extending outwardly from the panel second surface, and wherein the registration pin engages the registration aperture.

6. The grip of claim 1: wherein the sleeve comprises: a proximal end and an opposite distal end;a first registration aperture formed within the sleeve adjacent the proximal end and a second registration aperture formed within the sleeve adjacent the distal end; andwherein the panel comprises: a proximal end and an opposite distal end;a first registration pin extending outwardly from the panel second surface adjacent the proximal end and a second registration pin extending outwardly from the panel second surface adjacent the distal end, wherein the first registration pin engages the first registration aperture and the second registration pin engages the second registration aperture.

7. The grip of claim 1, wherein the panel comprises a layer of clear silicone bonded to the panel first surface and overlying the printed indicia.

8. The grip of claim 1, further comprising a nipple at a proximal end of the sleeve, wherein the nipple comprises an upwardly facing circumferential slot, and wherein a proximal end of the panel is received within the slot.

9. The grip of claim 1, further comprising a cap at a distal end of the sleeve, wherein the cap comprises a downwardly facing circumferential slot, and wherein a distal end of the panel is received within the slot.

10. A grip for a golf club, comprising: an elongated flexible sleeve of silicone material that slips onto the shaft of a golf club, wherein the sleeve comprises: a proximal end and an opposite distal end;a first registration aperture formed within the sleeve adjacent the proximal end and a second registration aperture formed within the sleeve adjacent the distal end; andan elongated flexible panel of silicone material wrapped around and integrally bonded to the sleeve, wherein the panel comprises: a proximal end and an opposite distal end;opposite first and second surfaces;a first registration pin extending outwardly from the sleeve second surface adjacent the panel proximal end and a second registration pin extending outwardly from the panel second surface adjacent the panel distal end, wherein the first registration pin engages the first registration aperture and the second registration pin engages the second registration aperture; opposite first and second edge portions joined together in mating relationship to define a longitudinal seam; andprinted indicia on the panel first surface, wherein the printed indicia comprises silicone ink.

11. The grip of claim 10, wherein the panel first and second edges are joined together to form a lap joint.

12. The grip of claim 10, wherein the panel comprises a layer of clear silicone bonded to the panel first surface and overlying the printed indicia.

13. The grip of claim 10, further comprising a nipple at the sleeve proximal end, wherein the nipple comprises an upwardly facing circumferential slot, and wherein the panel proximal end is received within the slot.

14. The grip of claim 10, further comprising a cap at the sleeve distal end, wherein the cap comprises a downwardly facing circumferential slot, and wherein the panel distal end is received within the slot.

15. A method of forming a grip for a golf club, the method comprising: applying silicone ink to a first surface of a flexible panel of silicone material to form printed indicia thereon, wherein the panel comprises opposite first and second edge portions, and opposite first and second surfaces;wrapping the flexible panel around an elongated flexible sleeve configured to slip onto the shaft of a golf club, wherein the flexible panel second surface is in face-to-face contacting relationship with the sleeve, and wherein the panel first and second edge portions are joined together to define a longitudinal seam; andsubjecting the panel and sleeve to conditions sufficient to integrally bond the panel to the sleeve without the use of adhesive material.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising applying a layer of silicone material to the panel first surface in overlying relationship with the printed indicia prior to wrapping the panel around the sleeve.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the sleeve comprises silicone material.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the panel first and second edges are joined together in mating relationship.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the panel first and second edges are joined together to form a lap joint.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the sleeve comprises a registration aperture formed therein, wherein the panel comprises a registration pin extending outwardly from the panel second surface, and wherein wrapping the panel around the sleeve comprises inserting the registration pin within the registration aperture.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the sleeve comprises a proximal end and an opposite distal end, wherein the panel comprises a proximal end and an opposite distal end, wherein a nipple is located at the sleeve proximal end and comprises an upwardly facing circumferential slot, and wherein wrapping the panel around the sleeve comprises inserting the panel proximal end within the slot.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the sleeve comprises a proximal end and an opposite distal end, wherein the panel comprises a proximal end and an opposite distal end, wherein a cap is located at the sleeve distal end and comprises a downwardly facing circumferential slot, and wherein wrapping the panel around the sleeve comprises inserting the panel distal end within the slot.