Shock-dampening golf club grip

Abstract

The invention consists of a method of fabricating a personalized, uniquely-contoured, shock-dampening grip for a hand-held implement or tool, e.g., a golf club grip, which consists of a molded grip of variable thickness which would fit and enable holding and controlling the implement, such as a golf club, or a tennis racket, or a tool such as a hammer or the handle of a pot or pan. The contour of the grip would be molded during fabrication to the flexed hand or hands of the person for whom it is to be used, so that the grip would afford an optimal degree of holding stability with a minimum degree of flexion exertion in maintaining a strong hold on, and optimal use of, the personalized grip while holding and controlling the implement or tool.

Description

REFERENCES CITED

4,338,270	July 1982	Uffindell	264/46.4
5,057,252	October 1991	Kagawa et al.	525/222, 198
5,145,935	September 1992	Jayashi	528/65, 66
5,498,377	March 1996	Ozaki et al.	264/40.1
5,749,792	May 1998	Engfer	473/300-303, 287-291
6,675,793	January 2004	Saunders	124/89
6,817,956	November, 2004	Dagenais	473/300
6,908,961	June, 2005	Wang et al.	524/495

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

REFRERENCE TO A “MICROFICHE APPENDIX,” SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISK APPENDIX

Not applicable.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to hand grips such as those used in golf clubs, tennis racquets and other sports instruments, as well as those used in hand tools and cooking utensils. The novel elements of the present invention are the method of fabricating the grip to conform uniquely to the grip of the individual in whose grip the material is held during the curing process, and the method of thereby producing a shock-absorbing foam grip which will minimize the impact to the user's hands and wrists during use of the implement upon which the grip is affixed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Implement grips, such as a golf club grip, allow the user to manipulate the implement accurately and with fine control while moving the implement as proscribed by the normal use of the implement.

In the example of a golf club, the grip allows the user to hold, control and manipulate a golf club in such a manner as to strike a stationary ball accurately and with enough force to propel said ball toward a predetermined location. This requires a high moment of impact upon the ball, which is accompanied by an equal and opposite impact on the face of the club head; the latter impact is then transferred to the hands and wrists of the user. Such impact imparts traumatic pressures and movements to the hands and wrists of the user. Certain pathological conditions, such as arthritides or various musculoskeletal disorders, render such impact trauma painful and potentially exacerbating to individuals suffering from such pathological conditions.

It is a principal objective of this invention to fabricate a unique, personalized implement grip which will provide traumatic relief to said individuals while they are utilizing implements attached to grips fabricated using the present invention.

It is a principal objective of this invention to fabricate a unique, personalized implement grip which will render use of implements more easy and pleasant to the user.

It is a principal objective of this invention to fabricate a unique, personalized implement grip which will be easier to grasp and may be held firmly with a lower degree of muscular tension in flexion of the hands and wrists.

It is a principal objective of this invention to fabricate a unique, personalized implement grip with a geometric configuration which minimizes the required gripping pressure, to wit, the degree of flexion of the muscles of the hands, wrists and forearms of the user required to control the implement thus held.

It is a principal objective of this invention to fabricate a unique, personalized implement grip which will minimize the trauma of use by the incorporation of various types of shock-absorbing materials, such as rubber, visco-elastic foams, or gels.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

By means of the present invention, an individual is able to manipulate an implement with greater ease, control and comfort than that afforded by conventional art, by means of a grip that perfectly fits the hand or hands to which it has been molded in fabrication. Furthermore, the present invention has shock-dampening qualities which reduce traumatic effects of such manipulation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Although the present invention is intended for any variety of hand-held implement, the drawings utilize the example of a golf club grip.

FIG. 1 of 4: The shock-dampening Golf Club Grip in Cross-section.

The grip is capped (1) and of dimensions appropriate to fit onto the shaft of a golf club, and of a length consistent with the lengths of golf clubs grips in current use.

The outer sleeve layer of the grip (2) may be of the types of materials currently used in the outer layer of golf club grips, with the objectives of comfort, control and a high coefficient of friction between the grip and the user's hand or hands. It is chemically bound to the middle layer during the curing process.

The novel middle layer (3) contains any of, or a combination of, the shock-absorbing materials available (gels, visco-elastic foams, rubber) which is cured while the grip is being held by the hand or hands of the individual for whom the personalized grip is being fabricated.

The inner layer (4) is a material consistent with prior art of materials which hold a grip onto an implement; it is chemically bound to the middle layer during the curing process.

FIG. 2 of 4: The personalized, shock-dampening Golf Club Grip in Cross-section showing the outer layer of the capped upper end in continuity with the outer sleeve layer (2) which extends to and is contiguous at this point with the inner sleeve layer (4) which slips over the golf club shaft. The middle layer (3), enclosed completely by the outer (2) and inner (4) layers, thins out in diameter toward the lower end where the outer (2) and inner (3) layer join together.

FIG. 3 of 4: The personalized, shock-dampening Golf Club Grip is seen being grasped in the upper portion by a hand (5); the shaft of the golf club is seen extending from the opening of the lower portion of the grip, and the thumb and fingers are seen pressing against the surface layer of the grip, indenting the curing middle layer.

FIG. 4 of 4: The personalized, shock-dampening Golf Club Grip is seen in the top figure in its uncured state: the surface (8) of the outer layer shows no indentation or irregularities as would be produced upon grasping, as seen in FIG. 3. The shock-dampening Golf Club Grip in the bottom figure represents the grip in its cured state: indentations (10) are seen where the pressure points were indented by grasping during the curing process.

In the preferred embodiment such indentations and contour molding will provide an easily grasped shape for the individual whose grip has been used to mold the personalized, shock-dampening Golf Club Grip.

Claims

1. A novel method of fabricating a uniquely and personally contoured grip which is molded permanently to the contour of the grip of the hands of the individual user by allowing the material of said grip to cure while being gripped by the hands of the user.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 utilizing injection molding techniques whereby the reactants are injected, poured or otherwise placed in a flexible sleeve, where it cures while it is being gripped by the individual whose hands are to determine the shape of the fabricated grip.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1, said reactants foaming and expanding to fill the sleeve and press the sleeve into the shape proscribed by the grip of the individual whose hands are to determine the shape of the fabricated grip.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1, said reactants becoming permanently bonded to said flexible sleeve while foaming to produce a shock-dampening grip.