Hand grip attachment

Abstract

A hand grip attachment for the handle end of a hand-operated member has a cylindrical member of a pliable and resilient material to establish the firmness for the hand grip attachment. The cylindrical member has an exterior surface and an interior surface defining a handle receiving space to enable the hand grip attachment to be mounted about the handle end of the hand-operated member, a wall between the exterior surface and the interior surface has at least one longitudinally extending groove and at least one longitudinally extending ridge member forming at least one sized and shaped air space having a predetermined volume, and elongated ridges with engagement members on the interior to form the handle receiving space, and the volume of air in the at least one air space in combination with the pliable and resilient cylinder member to establish the feel of the hand grip attachment.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates generally to hand grip attachments for the handle end of a handle-operated member and more particularly to hand grips for attachment to hand-operated sporting equipment members in which the hand grip attachment has means for adjusting the firmness and feel of such hand-operated members and may be affixed as original equipment by the manufacturer of such sporting equipment or may serve as a repair or replacement member by the owner or user of such hand-operated member.

[0002] In sporting goods and equipment which are hand operated, such as the racquets used in tennis, racket ball and squash or golf clubs, the handles or shafts often have improved hand grips applied for various reasons, such as reducing the shock generated during impact and use of these sporting goods or equipment and for improving the gripping quality for such handles or shafts.

[0003] The hand grip attachment of the present invention, in addition to other advantages, provides a relatively simple means for adjusting the firmness for such hand grip attachments by making the attachment from a pliable and generally resilient material and the feel by combining the optional and selected material with sized and shaped internal grooves and ridges in the wall of the hand grip attachment to create at least one or more sized and shaped air spaces which yield like all gases and fluids when the hand grip attachment is gripped during use, more or less, as a function of the volume of the air established in the one or more air spaces. Although the embodiments are illustrated with respect to improving the handle end for golf club shafts, those skilled in the art will recognize that this is only by way of illustration and that the present invention is also applicable to handles on members and shafts for other types of sporting goods and equipment such as racquets, baseball bats, or even other handle-operated devices such as hammers, shovels and other tools and equipment without departing from the scope of the present invention. These advantages and other features of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description which follows below.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] Accordingly, in one aspect the present invention covers a hand grip attachment for a handle-operated member having, a generally elongated cylindrical member made of a pliable and resilient material for adjusting the firmness of the hand-operated member, said cylindrical member has, an exterior surface, an interior surface defining a handle receiving space extending end-to-end therethrough and opening on at least one end of the cylindrical member, and a wall having a predetermined thickness between the exterior surface and the interior surface for at least a portion of the length of the cylindrical member, at least one predetermined sized and shaped groove formed in the wall of the cylindrical member and extending along the interior surface of the cylindrical member to form a sized and shaped air space and a ridge with an engagement face on said interior surface to enable the cylindrical member to be mounted about the handle end of the hand-operated member in assembled position in the handle receiving space, and the operative relation of sized and shaped air space formed by said at least one groove with the generally pliable and resilient materials from which the cylindrical member is made to adjust the feel of the hand grip attachment.

[0005] It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a hand grip attachment for the handle end of a hand-operated member having a cylindrical member generally circular in cross-section and made of a pliable and resilient material to adjust the firmness of said hand grip attachment, said cylindrical member having, an exterior surface, and an interior surface defining a handle receiving space, said exterior surface and interior surface defining a wall on said cylindrical member of predetermined thickness at least a portion of the length of said cylindrical member, at least one groove and at least one ridge member in said wall extending along the interior surface of the cylindrical member to form at least two sized and shaped air space, and the operative relation of the at least one sized and shaped air space and the generally pliable and resilient cylindrical member to adjust the feel of the hand grip attachment.

[0006] It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a hand grip attachment for the handle end of a hand-operated member having, a generally cylindrical member made of a pliable and resilient material to adjust the firmness of the hand grip attachment, said cylindrical member generally circular in cross-section and, having an upper end, a lower end, an exterior surface and an interior surface defining a handle receiving space extending end-to-end therethrough and open at the upper end and lower end of the cylindrical member, a wall formed on said cylindrical member between said exterior surface and interior surface of predetermined thickness at least a portion of the length of the cylindrical member, a plurality of generally alternatively disposed longitudinally extending grooves and longitudinally extending ridge members in said wall extending to form sized and shaped air spaces each having a predetermined volume, shaped engagement means formed at the interior end of each of the plurality of longitudinally extending ridge members forming part of the handle receiving space to enable the cylindrical members to be mounted about and to hold the handle end of the hand-operated member in assembled position, and the operative relation of the plurality of sized and shaped air spaces with the generally pliable and resilient cylindrical member to adjust the feel of the hand grip attachment.

[0007] It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a hand grip attachment for the handle end of a hand-operated member having a generally cylindrical member, having an upper end, a lower end, an exterior surface and an interior surface defining a handle receiving space extending end-to-end therethrough and open at the upper end and lower end of the cylindrical member to enable the handle end of the hand-operated member to be mounted and held therein, an end cover for the open upper end of the cylindrical member, means on the upper end of the cylindrical member for affixing the end cover thereon to cover the open upper end thereof, and means for adjusting the firmness and feel of the handgrip attachment.

[0008] It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a hand grip attachment for the handle end of a hand-operated member, having a generally elongated cylindrical member made of a pliable and resilient material with an exterior surface, an interior surface defining a handle receiving space extending end-to-end through and open on at least one end of the cylindrical member to enable the cylindrical member to be mounted about the handle end of the hand-operated member, and the exterior surface of the cylindrical member having alternately spaced annular ridges and spaced circumferential dimples or indentations to provide better hand engagement when the hand grip attachment is in assembled position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] FIG. 1 is a foreshortened front view of a golf club having one embodiment of the hand grip attachment thereon in accordance with the present invention showing an enlarged middle section of the hand grip attachment partly in vertical section.

[0010] FIG. 2 is a side view partly in vertical section of the embodiment of the hand grip attachment shown in FIG. 1 with the handle end of the golf club shaft removed.

[0011] FIG. 3 is an enlarged top view of the embodiment of the hand grip attachment shown in FIG. 2.

[0012] FIG. 4 is an enlarged top view with the cover removed of the embodiment of the hand grip attachment shown in FIG. 2.

[0013] FIG. 5 is a cross-section taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 2.

[0014] FIG. 6 is a longitudinal cross-section taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 2.

[0015] FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view also partly in vertical section of the embodiment of the hand grip attachment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 with the handle end of the golf club shaft removed.

[0016] FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view partly in vertical section of just the upper end of the cylindrical member of another embodiment of the hand grip attachment in accordance with the present invention.

[0017] FIG. 9 is a cross-section taken on line 9-9 of the embodiment of the hand grip attachment in accordance with the present invention shown in FIG. 9.

[0018] FIG. 10 is another fragmentary perspective view partly in vertical section of just the upper end of the cylindrical member of still another embodiment of the hand grip attachment in accordance with the present invention.

[0019] FIG. 11 is a cross section taken on line 11-11 of the embodiment of the hand grip attachment in accordance with the present invention shown in FIG. 10.

[0020] FIG. 12 is another fragmentary perspective view partly in vertical section of just the upper end of the cylindrical member of a further embodiment of the hand grip attachment in accordance with the present invention.

[0021] FIG. 13 is a cross section taken on line 13-13 of the embodiment of the hand grip attachment in accordance with the present invention shown in FIG. 12.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] Referring to the drawings, FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 show one embodiment of the hand grip attachment generally designated 10 in accordance with the present invention mounted on or affixed to the handle end 11, only for illustration purposes, of a foreshortened length of a golf club shaft 12 for a golf club 13 having a golf club head 14 at the end of the golf club shaft remote from the handle end 4. Golf clubs are well known types of sporting equipment to which a hand grip attachment is applied to enhance gripping and use of the golf club. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the description of the hand grip attachment as applied and used on the handle end of a golf club shaft is only for the purpose of illustrating the present invention and not by way of limitation.

[0023] Hand grip attachment 10 is an elongated cylindrical member 15 made of a generally pliable and resilient material. The material and composition from which the hand grip attachment is made can be adjusted in order to vary the performance characteristics and firmest of the hand grip. For example, the firmness of the hand grip attachment in accordance with the present invention can be varied such that it feels either soft, medium or hard when gripped. Similarly the composition can be varied so that the hand grip attachment transmits to the user's hands more or less energy from the shaft after contact is made with, a golf ball in the case of the illustrated golf club, or any other object or surface depending on the type of device using the handle attachment. This is readily accomplished by the use of polymeric, and more particularly elastomeric, materials that have been mixed with various fillers, extenders and optionally cross-linked or vulcanized in the desired molded shape when being fabricated. Thus, the cylindrical member 15 of hand grip attachment 10 can be made of a composition that utilizes natural or synthetic rubbers such as polyisoprene, styrene butadiene, polybutadiene, neoprene, butyl, chlorinated butyl, brominated butyl, isobutylene-paramethylstyrene (IB-PMS), brominated IB-PMS, ethyl-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM), chlorinated polyethylene, chlorosulfonated polyethylene, epichlorohydrin, silicon rubber and other well known to those skilled the art of rubber compounding. Furthermore, compounding ingredients such as carbon black, mineral fillers and other additives can be used in combination with extenders such as processing oils to modify hardness and other characteristics of the cylindrical member of the hand grip attachment for obtaining the desired soft, medium or hard feeling when gripped. Additionally, the composition can be cured, vulcanized or cross-linked by the use of chemical compounds known as curatives or cross-linking agents in varying amounts to achieve different characteristics including those to customized the hand grip attachment to suit individual preferences

[0024] Finally, additional additives can be employed including colorants and processing aids as well as compounds used to achieve improved resistance to heat, sunlight and other environmental degradients. Reference is made to The Vanderbilt Rubber Handbook edited by R. F. Ohm (Thirteenth Edition, R.T. Vanderbilt Company 1990) and the Blue Book of materials and compounding ingredients, machinery and services for the rubber industry edited by D. R. Smith (Rubber World 2000), each of which are incorporated herein by reference useful in the present invention for achieving various hand grip properties and characteristics including hardness and resiliency for providing the desired soft, medium or hardness when gripped. Properties and characteristics can be further varied in the manner of elastomeric compositions as above described by the use of different types of fillers, additives and extenders. See for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,037,954; 4,851,468; 4,593,062 and 4,885,341 and similar technology assigned to Advanced Elastomer Systems, L.P. all of which are incorporated herein by reference to the extent permitted.

[0025] Further, thus it will be clear that the methods of mixing. formulating and fabricating such rubber and elastomeric polymer compositions are well known to those skilled in the art including the use of internal mixers such as a Banbury Mixer, twin screw extruder-mixer, mill mixer and the like and all the ingredients and products as above described for these purposes are readily available in the commercial marketplace, hence the fabrication and methods of manufacture and further information on the materials will not be more fully described.

[0026] Cylindrical member 15 is generally circular in transverse section throughout the longitudinal length of the cylindrical member and forms a generally tapered cone shape, being wider at the upper end and narrower at the lower end. Those skilled in the art will again recognize that, while the transverse cross-sectional shape is shown as generally circular, the transverse cross-sectional shape may also be square, oval, rectangular, octagon or irregular without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0027] Further, cylindrical member 15 has a length as a function of the space necessary to accommodate the hands of a user of a golf club with the hand grip attachment 10 thereon. Thus the cylindrical member 15 of the hand grip attachment 10 may have a length in a range from 8 to 11 inches and preferably about 10 inches, a length which accommodates the average hand size of users of such hand grip attachments. Similarly, the diameter of the cylindrical member 15 will be in a range from ¾to 1-½inches and preferably for average hand sizes about 1 inch, all as generally shown by FIGS. 1, 2, 6 and 7 of the drawings.

[0028] FIGS. 1, 2 and 7 show that in this embodiment of the present invention, the exterior or outer surface of the cylindrical member 15 has spaced annular ridges 16a, 16b, 16c, 16d, etc. which extend and are in spaced relation to each other along the longitudinal length of the exterior surface of cylindrical member 15. Interspersed between each pair of the spaced annular ridges are a plurality of circumferentially spaced dimples or indentations as at 17a, 17b and 17c, etc. The spaced annular ridges and circumferentially spaced dimples or indentations are designed to enhance the gripping engagement of the hands when the hand grip attachment 10 is connected into assembled position about the handle end 11 of the golf club shaft 12.

[0029] The interior or inner surface of cylindrical member 15 defines a mounting bore or handle receiving space 18 which extends end-to-end along the longitudinal line of the cylindrical member 15 forming an upper end opening 18a and a lower end opening 18b to enable the hand grip attachment to be mounted on and about the handle end 11 of the golf club shaft 12 so as to bring the handle end 11 into assembled position in the handle receiving space 18 formed in the hand grip attachment 10 all of which is shown in FIGS. 1, 5, 6 and 7 of the drawings.

[0030] Although, an upper opening and a lower opening are shown for the invention as shown in FIGS. 1 to 7 of the drawings, those skilled in the art will recognize that the cylindrical member 15 may only have one opening to enable it to be mounted on and about of the golf club or other hand operated device. the handle end of the hand operated member

[0031] For this purpose the inner diameter of the handle receiving space or mounting bore 18 will be sized depending on how it will be affixed to the exterior of the handle end 11 of the golf club shaft 12. Thus, the inner diameter of the handle receiving space or mounting bore 18 may be sized to provide a friction fit to enable the hand grip attachment 10 to be removably mounted in assembled position on the handle end of the golf club shaft 11, or the inner diameter of the handle receiving space or mounting bore 18 can be sized to be adhesively affixed so that the hand grip attachment 10 cannot be easily removed from the golf club shaft or, if removed, may be so damaged that it can no longer be replaced into assembled position. Another technique for affixing or connecting the hand grip attachment 10 into assembled position is to provide an annular ferrule 19 as shown at FIG. 1. In this arrangement the annular ferrule 19 is affixed at a predetermined distance along the handle end 4 of the golf club shaft 12, and the cylindrical member 15 of the hand grip attachment 10 can be mounted on the handle end 11 of the golf club shaft 12 and moved into engagement with and held in assembled position by the ferrule 19. The use of the ferrule 19 can be combined with either the friction fit or adhesive attachment of the cylindrical member 15 on or about the handle end 11 of the golf club shaft 12.

[0032] In order to achieve one of the main advantages of the present invention, namely, the feel of the hand grip attachment, the cylindrical member 14 must be fabricated to establish a wall 20, having a predetermined thickness, between the exterior surface and the interior surface defining the handle receiving space or mounting bore 18. Wall 20 is formed in the generally tapered cone shape of the cylindrical member 15 and extends longitudinally along the length thereof from the wider upper end to the narrower lower end of the hand grip attachment 10. In the illustrated embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 7, since the cylindrical member 15 is tapered from the upper end to the lower end, the wall has a predetermined thickness that will also be tapered along the same longitudinal length of the cylindrical member 15 being thicker at the upper end and progressively thinner as it extends towards the lower end of the cylindrical member 15. The selected thickness of the wall 20 must be adequate to enable at least one or more and preferably a plurality of circumferentially spaced and sized grooves 21a, 21b, 21c and 21d, etc. to be formed in and along the longitudinal line of the interior surface defining the handle receiving space 18 in wall 20. The length of the elongated grooves depends on the length of the wall 20 having adequate thickness to maintain the integrity of the elongated grooves 21a, 21b, 21c and 21d, etc. without piercing the side of the cylindrical member 15, all of which is shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7 of the drawings for this embodiment of the invention.

[0033] In the embodiment of the invention illustrated at FIGS. 1 to 7 of the drawings, the cylindrical member 15 is shown as having eight elongated sized and shaped grooves 21a, 21b, 21c, 21d, etc. which are sized so that they can be circumferentially spaced at about 45° arcuate intervals. It has been found that this can be achieved for the average size cylindrical member as above described where the width of the respective elongated grooves 21a, 21b, 21c, 21d, etc. is about {fraction (3/16)}ths of an inch. This width enables the elongated grooves to be sized and shape to define corresponding sized and shaped air spaces as at 22a, 22b, 22c and 22d, etc. each having a predetermined volume of air which is important to obtaining the feel of the hand grip attachment 10 when combined with the desired firmness of the material from which the cylindrical member 15 is fabricated as above described. Further, however, while in this embodiment of the invention the elongated groves defining the corresponding air spaces are shown as having a uniform size and shape this is not by way of limitation because the elongated grooves and their defined air spaces can have other sizes and shapes such as square, triangular, octagon, oval, etc. and can be spaced other than at uniform intervals as is hereinafter illustrated depending on the desired variations in firmness and feel needed for a given hand grip attachment to be used on the handle end of a golf club shaft, the handle end of a particular piece of sporting equipment or any handle-operated member.

[0034] In addition to forming the air spaces as above described, between each pair of longitudinally extending grooves 21a, 21b, 21c, 21d, etc. and alternatively disposed elongated, longitudinally extending ridge members 23a, 23b, 23c, 23d, etc. formed and serving to define the side walls of the air spaces 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d, etc.

[0035] Further, at the respective ends on each of the ridge members 23a, 23b, 23c, 23d, etc. at and on the interior surface of the cylindrical member 15, a plurality of shaped engagement members as at 24a, 24b, 24c, 24d, etc. are formed. The outer face of each of the plurality of shaped engagement members is part of the interior surface and therefore when the cylindrical member is mounted about the handle end of the golf club or hand-operated members, as the case may be, the engagement members act to engage the handle end 11 of the golf club shaft 12 to hold the hand grip attachment in assembled position.

[0036] Further however, while the handle receiving space or mounting bore 18 is illustrated as formed by the shape and sized engagement surface or plurality of the engagement surfaces of the ridge member or plurality of ridge members, as the case may be, this is not intended to be a limitation because the inner wall defined by the respective engagement surface or engagement surfaces of the ridge member or the plurality of ridge members as the case may be may form an integral interior surface so that the handle receiving space or mounting bore 18 will provide an integral or continuous surface as distinguished from the illustrate plurality of engagement surfaces at the inner end of the respective ridge members. Effectively, this will result in the formed air spaces being closed at their inner ends so they are formed into elongated bores or pockets of to hold predetermined volumes of air.

[0037] In the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 of the drawings, the engagement members 24a, 24b, 24c, 24d and 24e have a rounded-exterior shape on the face thereof on the interior surface defining the handle receiving space 18. The relative stiffness of the longitudinally extending ridge members and the diameter of the handle receiving space and the area of the interior surface at the handle receiving space and the number of the engagement members will enable the forces exerted against the handle end 11 of the golf club 12 to hold the hand grip attachment 10 in assembled position on the golf club shaft 12. Thus, by varying the diameter of the handle receiving space 18, the stiffness of the elongated ridges or the area of the engagement members on the elongated ridges and/or any combination of these characteristics will permit the forces exerted to hold the hand grip attachment in assembled position to be adjusted as may be necessary for a given golf club or hand-operated member, as the case may be.

[0038] FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7 also show that an end cap or cover 25 can be removably connected by threaded, snap-on or other means as at 26 about the upper end opening 18a in the cylindrical member 15 of hand grip attachment 10.

[0039] While in the description of the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 7 references have been made to the formation of sized and shaped air spaces 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d etc, in the hand grip attachment 10, the use of the word air is intended as a generic reference to mean any type of non-toxic gas or fluid that can be held in or charged into said sized and shaped air spaces to accomplished the advantages and unexpected results of the present invention

[0040] Another embodiment of the hand grip attachment 110 in accordance with the present invention is shown at FIG. 8 and 9 of the drawings which shows only a fragmentary portion of a cylindrical member 215 to illustrate how the elongated longitudinally extending grooves as at 210a, 210b, 210c and 210d can be modified to provide different sized and shape air spaces as at 220a, 220b, 220c and 220d and elongated and longitudinally extending ridge members between each of the elongated grooves as at 230a, 230b, 230c and 230d. Further, that each of the elongated ridge members will also have an associated engagement member 240a, 240b, 240c and 240d on the interior surface of the respective ridge members which differs from the engagement member 24 for the form of the present invention shown at FIGS. 1 to 7 of the drawings.

[0041] In this embodiment of the invention, except for the elongated longitudinal grooves 210a, 210b, 210c and 210d, the sized and shaped longitudinally extending air spaces 220a, 220b, 220c and 220d formed by these grooves, and the elongated ridge members 230a, 230b, 230c and 230d with their respective engagement members 240a, 240b, 240c and 240d, everything is identical with the form of the hand grip attachment 10 shown in FIGS. 1 to 7 of the drawings as above described

[0042] Thus in the hand grip attachment shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, only four longitudinally extending grooves are illustrated which provides large volume air spaces. Additionally, the engagement means have a general shape so that when the hand grip attachment of each of the shaped engagement members makes minimal contact onto the outer face of the handle end of the golf club or the hand-operated member, as the case may be, to allow for movement of air, gas or other fluid between the longitudinally extending air spaces to provide a softer feel for the hand grip attachment in assembled position.

[0043] Still another embodiment of the hand grip attachment 310 in accordance with the present invention is shown at FIGS. 10 and 11 of the drawings which again shows only a fragmentary portion of the cylindrical member 315 to again illustrate how the elongated longitudinally extending grooves as at 310a, 310b, 310c and 310d can be modified to provide different sized and shape air spaces as at 320a, 320b, 320c and 320d and elongated and longitudinally extending ridge members between each of the elongated grooves as at 330a, 330b, 330c and 330d. Further, that each of the elongated ridge members will also have an associated engagement member 340a, 340b, 340c and 340d on the interior wall end of the respective ridge members which differs from the engagement member 24 for the form of the present invention shown at FIGS. 1 to 7 of the drawings.

[0044] In this embodiment of the invention, at shown at FIGS. 10 and 11 and similar to FIGS. 8 and 9, except for the elongated longitudinal sized and shaped grooves 310a, 310b, 310c and 310d, the sized and shaped longitudinally extending air spaces 320a, 320b, 320c and 320d formed by these sized and shape grooves and the elongated ridge members 330a, 330b, 330c and 330d with their respective engagement members 340a, 340b, 340c and 340d and 9, everything is identical with the form of the hand grip attachment 10 shown in FIGS. 1 to 7 of the drawings as above described.

[0045] Thus, in the hand grip attachment shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, only four longitudinally extending grooves are illustrated. These provide corresponding enlarged or wide air spaces, hence a larger volume of air is present when the hand grip attachment is squeezed. In this embodiment the engagement members 340a, 340b, 340c and 340d have large areas formed on the interior surface of the wall which defines the handle receiving space 18 and therefor provides a larger contact surface with the outer face of the handle end of the golf club or hand-operated member, as the case may be, then the earlier forms of the present invention as above described which acts to confine air, gas or other fluid in these longitudinally extending air, gas or fluid spaces to maintain the desired feel for a given hand grip attachment.

[0046] A still further embodiment of the hand grip attachment 410 in accordance with the present invention is shown at FIGS. 12 and 13 of the drawings which again shows only a fragmentary portion of the cylindrical member 415 to again illustrate how the elongated longitudinally extending grooves as at 410a, 410b 410c and 410d can be modified to provide different sized and shape air spaces as at 420a, 420b, 420c and 420d and elongated and longitudinally extending ridge members between each of the elongated grooves as at 430a, 430b, 430c and 430d. Further, that each of the elongated ridge members will also have an associated engagement member 440a, 440b, 440c and 440d on the interior wall end of the respective ridge members which differs from the engagement members 24a, 24b, 24c and 24d for the form of the present invention shown at FIGS. 1 to 7, engagement members 240a, 240b, 240c and 240d for the form of the present invention shown at FIGS. 8 and 9 and engagement members 340a, 340b, 340c and 340d for the form of the invention shown at FIGS. 10 and 11 of the drawings.

[0047] In this embodiment of the invention as shown at FIGS. 12 and 13 except for the elongated sized and shaped grooves 410a, 410b, 410c and 410d, the sized and shaped longitudinally extending air, gas or fluid spaces 420a, 420b, 420c and 420d formed by the sized and shaped grooves and the elongated ridge members 439a, 430b, 430c and 430d with the respective engagement members 440a, 440b, 440c and 440d, everything is otherwise identical to the form of the handgrip attachment shown at FIGS. 1 to 7 of the drawings as above described.

[0048] Thus, in the hand grip attachment shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, only four longitudinally extending grooves are illustrated. Four longitudinal grooves provide wide air, gas or fluid spaces, hence a larger volume of air, gas or fluid is present when the hand grip attachment is squeezed. In this embodiment the engagement members 440a, 440b, 440c and 440d have large contact areas formed on the interior surface of the wall which defines the handle receiving space 18 and therefor provides a larger surface contact with the outer face of the handle end of the golf club or hand-operated member, as the case may be, and therefore provides the same advantages as above described for the form of the invention shown at FIGS. 10 and 11.

[0049] Those skilled in the art will again recognize that, while the hand grip attachments 210, 310 and 410 may differ from the embodiment the present invention as shown at FIGS. 1 to 7 that these embodiments are only for purposes of illustration and not by way of limitation and that the embodiments of the invention shown in FIGS. 9 to 14 are equally adapted for the handle end of sporting equipment such as tennis, racket ball and squash rackets, baseball bats or other hand operated members, as the case may be, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0050] Although the invention herein has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it is to be understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and applications of the present invention. It is therefore to be understood that numerous modifications may be made to the illustrative embodiments and that other arrangements may be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A hand grip attachment for the handle end of a handle-operated member comprising:

a. a generally elongated cylindrical member made of pliable and resilient material to impart the desire degree of firmness to the hand grip attachment

b. said cylindrical member having, an exterior surface, and an interior surface defining a handle receiving space extending end-to-end in the cylindrical member to enable the cylindrical member to be mounted about the handle end of the handle-operated member,

c. said cylindrical member having a wall formed between the exterior surface and the interior surface,

d. at least one elongated longitudinally extending groove means and at least one elongated longitudinally extending ridge member in the wall of the cylindrical member to form at least one corresponding elongated air space with a predetermined volume of air, and

e. said at least one air space together with the pliable and resilient cylindrical member to provide the desired feel to the hand grip attachment

2. A hand grip attachment for the handle end of a handle-operated member comprising:

a. a generally elongated cylindrical member made of pliable and resilient material to impart the desire degree of firmness to the hand grip attachment

b. said cylindrical member having, an exterior surface, and an interior surface defining a handle receiving space extending end-to-end in the cylindrical member to enable the cylindrical member to be mounted about the handle end of the handle-operated member,

c. said cylindrical member having a wall formed between the exterior surface and the interior surface,

d. a plurality of alternately disposed elongated longitudinally extending groove means and elongated longitudinally extending ridge members in the wall of the cylindrical member to form in said wall a plurality of corresponding elongated air spaces each with a predetermined volume of air,

e. each of said ridge members having at its inner end an engagement surface forming a part of the said interior surface defining the handle receiving space,

f. said plurality of air spaces together with the pliable and resilient cylindrical member to provide the desired feel to the hand grip attachment

3. In the hand grip attachment as in claim 1 or 2 wherein the pliable and resilient material for the cylindrical member is a composition from the group of natural and synthetic rubbers such as polyisoprene, styrene butadiene, neoprene, butyl, chlorinated butyl, brominated butyl, IB-PMS, brominated IB-PMS, EPDM, chlorinated polyethylene, chlorosulfonated polyethylene, epichlorohydrin and silicon rubbers to adjust the relative hardness of the cylindrical member.

4. In the hand grip attachment as in claim 1 or 2 wherein the pliable and resilient material for the cylindrical member is a composition from the group of natural and synthetic rubbers such as polyisoprene, styrene butadiene, neoprene, butyl, chlorinated butyl, brominated butyl, IB-PMS, brominated IB-PMS, EPDM, chlorinated polyethylene, chlorosulfonated polyethylene, epichlorohydrin and silicon rubbers, and additives, extenders and modifications in fabrication to adjust the relative hardness of the cylindrical member.

5. In the hand grip attachment as in claim 1 or 2 wherein:

a. the handle receiving space forms an upper end opening at the upper end and a lower end opening at the lower end of the cylindrical member, and

b. a closure member to be removeably connected to the upper end opening

6. In the hand grip attachment as in claim 1 or 2 including, an annular member at the lower end of the handle grip attachment to engage and hold the handle grip attachment in assembled position on the handle end of the hand-operated member.

7. In the hand grip attachment as in claim 1 or 2, having a length of about 10 inches.

8. The hand grip attachment as in claim 1 or 2 wherein the wall has a predetermined thickness to accommodate a plurality of alternatively spaced elongated longitudinally extending grooves and ridge members for forming corresponding sized and shaped air spaces in the wall of the cylindrical member.

9. The hand grip attachment as in claim 1 or 2 wherein the cylindrical member is generally circular in cross-section and the wall has a selected thickness to accommodate a plurality of elongated longitudinally extending grooves to form corresponding sized and shaped air spaces spaced in the wall at predetermined circumferential angles from each other to provide a desired volume of air as a function of the desired feel to be obtained for the hand grip attachment.

10. A hand grip attachment for the handle end of a hand-operated member such as sporting equipment comprising:

a. a generally elongated cylindrical member made of a pliable and resilient material having, an upper end, a lower end, a tapered exterior wall and an interior wall defining a handle receiving space extending end-to-end through the cylindrical member,

b. said handle receiving space forming at least one opening to provide means for mounting the elongated cylindrical member on the handle end of the hand-operated member,

c. the elongated cylindrical member having a predetermined wall thickness between the tapered exterior wall and the interior wall defining the handle receiving space,

d. at least one elongated longitudinally extending groove and one elongated longitudinally extending ridge member extending from the upper end of said cylindrical member through a portion of the length of said wall to form at least one corresponding sized and shaped air space having a predetermined volume, and

e. said at least one sized and shaped air space in the wall of the cylindrical member in combination with the pliable and resilient cylindrical member for adjusting the feel of the handle grip attachment when it is in assembled position on the handle end of the hand-operated member.

11. A hand grip attachment for the handle end of a hand-operated member such as sporting equipment comprising:

a. a generally elongated cylindrical member made of a pliable and resilient material having, an upper end, a lower end, a tapered exterior wall and an interior wall defining a handle receiving space extending end-to-end through the cylindrical member,

b. said handle receiving space forming at least one opening to provide means for mounting the elongated cylindrical member on the handle end of the hand-operated member,

c. the elongated cylindrical member having a predetermined wall thickness between the tapered exterior wall and the interior wall defining the handle receiving space,

d. a plurality of alternately disposed elongated longitudinally extending groove means and elongated longitudinally extending ridge members in the wall of the cylindrical member to form in said wall a plurality of corresponding elongated air spaces each with a predetermined volume of air,

e. each of said ridge members having at its inner end an engagement surface forming a part of the said interior surface defining the handle receiving space,

f. said plurality of air spaces together with the pliable and resilient cylindrical member to provide the desired feel to the hand grip attachment

12. In the hand grip attachment in claim 10 or 11 including, closure means, said closure means removably connected to the upper end of the elongated cylindrical member.

13. In the hand grip attachment as in claim 10 or 11 wherein the pliable and resilient material for the cylindrical member is a composition from the group of natural and synthetic rubbers such as polyisoprene, styrene butadiene, neoprene, butyl, chlorinated butyl, brominated butyl, IB-PMS, brominated IB-PMS, EPDM, chlorinated polyethylene, chlorosulfonated polyethylene, epichlorohydrin and silicon rubbers to adjust the relative hardness of the cylindrical member.

14. In the hand grip attachment as in claim 10, or 11 including, an annular member at the lower end of the handle grip attachment to engage and hold the handle grip attachment in assembled position on the handle end of the hand-operated member.

15. The hand grip attachment as in claim 10 or 11, having a length of about 10 inches.

16. In the hand grip attachment as in claim 10 or 11 wherein the interior surface defining the elongated longitudinally extending handle receiving space forms an opening at the upper end of the cylindrical member, connecting means formed in the upper end opening in the cylindrical member, closure means for said cylindrical member, said closure means is removeably connected into the connecting means formed in the upper end opening in the elongated cylindrical member.

17. In the hand grip attachment as in claim 16 wherein the closure means is threadably mounted in the opening formed at the upper end of the handle receiving space in the elongated cylindrical member.

18. The hand grip attachment as in claim 10 or 11 wherein the wall has a predetermined thickness to accommodate a plurality of elongated longitudinally extending grooves forming corresponding sized and shaped air spaces having a predetermined volume of air in the wall of the cylindrical member.

19. The hand grip attachment as in claim 10 or 11 wherein the cylindrical member is generally circular in cross-section and the wall has a predetermined thickness to accommodate a plurality of elongated longitudinal grooves forming corresponding air spaces spaced circumferentially in the interior surface of the wall for the cylindrical member.