Graphically designed protective system for sports equipment
A graphically-designed protective system for customizing and protecting sports equipment including a customized vinyl decal having a front and back side, a first and second end, an adhesive layer on the back side, and a polymer heat-shrinkable protective tubing. In an alternative embodiment, the graphically-designed protective system contains a customized vinyl decal having a front and back side, a first and second end, an adhesive layer on the back side, and a protective layer of polymer material on the front side. Suitably sized, the system provides customized sports equipment with additional protection from damage for the equipment. In addition to protection and customization, the system provides the user with increased control in sporting events.
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This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/673,161, filed Apr. 20, 2005.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates generally to the field of grips or handles for sports equipment having a gripping end, such as hockey sticks, lacrosse sticks, golf clubs and tennis rackets. In particular, the present invention relates to the means for incorporating a printed media or design element into grips for sporting equipment such as hockey sticks and lacrosse sticks.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONMany participants in athletic events desire to customize the tools of their sports by applying decals and other informative means, such as inscribing their name or adding a particular design. The present invention meets this need by allowing users to customize their sports equipment with unique graphics that not only allows the user to personalize the equipment, but also provides improved grip of the equipment, thus increasing control of the sports equipment and subsequently the object in play. Moreover, the present invention meets the need of sports teams desiring to unify the team by allowing users to customize their sports equipment to contain the team's logo, mascot, color, and/or design.
There is a need in the local sporting clubs, schools, private sporting organizations, and major sporting franchises for an effective yet easy to use graphically-designed protective system that allows users to customize their equipment. Other inventions and patented items require users to take apart their equipment and add decorative label, thus forcing the user to spend more time preparing the equipment than actually using it. Still other inventions and patented items require special manufacturing processes to allow users to customize their equipment. The present invention overcomes these disabilities by providing the user a simple, effective, and decorative product that any user can apply without difficulty.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention overcomes the previous product disadvantages by offering the user/athletic participant a customized, specialized, easy-to-use product.
A preferred embodiment of the invention includes a customized graphic designed sports equipment protection system with two components. The first component includes a customized graphical design that is created by a graphic artist and is then printed onto a vinyl, adhesive-backed material (decal). The second component is a heat-shrinkable polymer tube that is slipped over the piece of sporting equipment on top of the vinyl, adhesive-backed first component that has been attached to the piece of sporting equipment. Once the heat-shrinkable polymer tube is in place, it is reduced in size to a customized fit by using any commercially available hand-held hair dryer.
Another embodiment of the invention includes a customized graphical design that is created by a graphic artist and is then printed onto a vinyl, adhesive-backed material (“decal”). The decal also contains a protective layer of polymer material on the top portion of the decal, thus providing the decal with the desired protection. The decal is then applied to the user's equipment.
Accordingly, several objectives and advantages of the invention are to provide an easily customizable, easy-to-use, and easy to apply product that allows the user to customize his/her equipment, protects the equipment from normal wear and tear, and provides a better gripping surface on the equipment, thus providing the user better control. Further objectives and advantages will become apparent from a study of the description and accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
10 Graphically-designed adhesive-backed vinyl material (decal)
12 Heat-shrinkable polymer tubing
14 Graphically-designed adhesive-backed vinyl material (decal)
16 Heat-shrinkable polymer tubing
18 Front side
20 Adhesive layer
22 Back side
24 Front side.
26 Protective layer of polymer material
28 Adhesive layer
30 Back side
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to
Turning now to
The method of using the graphically designed protective system for sports equipment 10 is as follows. Referring to
Having thus described the present invention, various modifications and improvements will become apparent to those having skill in the art that do not depart from the scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. A graphically-designed protective system for customizing and protecting sports equipment, comprising:
- (a) a decal with a front side and back side and at least a pair of ends; and
- (b) protective tubing.
2. The graphically-designed protective system of claim 1 wherein said decal is comprised of vinyl material.
3. The graphically-designed protective system of claim 1 or 2, further including an adhesive layer on the back side of said decal.
4. The graphically-designed protective system of claim 1, wherein said protective tubing is comprised of a polymer heat-shrinkable material.
5. The compression device of claims 1 or 4, wherein said protective tubing has an interior void extending the length of the rod.
6. The compression device of claims 1 or 4, wherein said protective tubing has at least two ends.
7. A graphically-designed protective system for customizing and protecting sports equipment, comprising:
- (a) a decal with a front side and back side and at least a pair of ends.
8. The graphically-designed protective system of claim 7 wherein said decal is comprised of vinyl material.
9. The graphically-designed protective system of claim 7 or 8, further including an adhesive layer on the back side of said decal.
10. The graphically-designed protective system of claim 7, 8, or 9 wherein said front side contains a layer of protective material comprised of polymer.
11. A method for using a graphically-designed protective system for customizing and protecting sports equipment, comprising the steps of:
- (a) positioning the back side of said graphically-designed protective system against a piece of sports equipment;
- (b) peeling off the back side of the graphically designed protective system revealing an adhesive layer;
- (c) applying the graphically designed protective system by pressing it onto the piece of sports equipment such that the adhesive layer makes contact with the equipment;
- (d) sliding the heat-shrinkable polymer tubing over the piece of sports equipment, such that it covers the front side of the graphically designed protective system; and
- (e) heating the heat-shrinkable polymer tubing with a commercially available hand-held hair dryer to the point where the tube will shrink onto the sports equipment.
12. Another method for using a graphically-designed protective system for customizing and protecting sports equipment, comprising the steps of:
- (a) positioning the back side of said graphically-designed protective system against a piece of sports equipment;
- (b) peeling off the back side of the graphically designed protective system revealing an adhesive layer; and
- (c) applying the graphically designed protective system by pressing it onto the piece of sports equipment such that the adhesive layer makes contact with the equipment.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 19, 2006
Publication Date: Nov 9, 2006
Applicant:
Inventors: Terry Fenimore (Highlands Ranch, CO), Donald Dart (Highlands Ranch, CO)
Application Number: 11/406,596
International Classification: A63B 53/12 (20060101);