HANDLE GRIP ASSEMBLY FOR SWING-TYPE BALL GAME EQUIPMENT

Abstract

A handle grip assembly for swing-type ball game equipment includes a grip shaft, which defines a mating connection portion, a tail portion provided with two locating devices, and a passage hole axially extending through the mating connection portion and the tail portion for receiving a shaft of a sporting equipment handle, a grip sheath surrounding the outer perimeter of the grip shaft, and a butt cap, which defines a base wall abutted against one end of the grip shaft, an enclosing wall outwardly extended from the border of the base wall and wrapped about the outer surface of the grip sheath and two positioning portions located at the base wall and respectively forced into engagement with the locating devices of the tail portion of the grip shaft. Thus, the handle grip assembly effectively simplifies the manufacturing process.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to sporting equipment handles, and more particularly, to a handle grip assembly for swing-type ball game equipment.

2. Description of the Related Art

In a swing-type ball game, such as golf, croquet or cricket, a piece of sporting equipment, in the form of a club or bat, is used to hit the ball. A club or bat for this purpose generally comprises a head, a shaft and a grip. In order to provide comfort to the hands of the user and to buffer the impact produced at the moment the club or bat hits the ball, the grip of a club or bat is normally covered with a flexible sheath or strap.

FIG. 1 illustrates a grip assembly 1 for golf club. As illustrated, the grip assembly 1 comprises a tubular body 11, an end piece 13 located at one end of the tubular body 11, a lip 131 extended from the end piece 13 and spaced around the outer perimeter 15 of the tubular body 11, an annular groove 133 defined between the lip 131 and the outer perimeter 15 of the tubular body 11, and a sheath 17 surrounding the outer perimeter 15 of the tubular body 11. After the sheath 17 is wrapped about the outer perimeter 15 of the tubular body 11, a pressure must be applied to the sheath 17 relative to the tubular body 11 to squeeze the end edge 171 of the sheath 17 into the annular groove 133, keeping the end edge 171 of the sheath 17 from lifting or curving. This installation procedure is complicated and time consuming.

Thereafter, butt cap is created for fastening to the end of a grip to shield the end edge of the sheath that surrounds the tubular body of the grip, keeping the end edge of the sheath from lifting or curving. Mounting a butt cap in a grip can overcome the aforesaid problems. However, it is difficult to keep the butt cap in axial alignment with the tubular body of the grip. Thus, this design still requires much labor and time during fabrication.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is the main object of the present invention to provide a handle grip assembly for swing-type ball game equipment, which effectively simplifies the manufacturing process and shortens the production time.

To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, a handle grip assembly for swing-type ball game equipment of the invention comprises a grip shaft, a grip sheath and a butt cap. The grip shaft comprises a mating connection portion, a tail portion and a passage hole axially extending through the mating connection portion and the tail portion. The mating connection portion is configured for the insertion of the shaft of a club therethrough into the passage hole. The tail portion comprises two opposing locating devices respectively disposed adjacent to the passage hole. The grip sheath surrounds an outer perimeter of the grip shaft. The butt cap comprises a base wall, an enclosing wall integrally outwardly extended from the border of the base wall, and two positioning portions located at the base wall corresponding to the locating devices. The positioning portions are respectively forced into engagement with the locating devices of the tail portion of the grip shaft. The enclosing wall has an inner surface abutted against an outer surface of the grip sheath. Thus, the handle grip assembly effectively simplifies the manufacturing process and shortens the production time.

Preferably, the butt cap of the handle grip assembly further comprises a center shaft located at the center of the base wall and inserted through the tail portion of the grip shaft into the passage hole. Thus, by means of the center shaft, the butt cap can easily connected to the grip shaft and kept in axial alignment with the grip shaft to further shorten the production time. Further, the base wall and enclosing wall of the butt cap are preferably made of a flexible material to provide much comfort to the hand of the user holding the handle grip assembly. Preferably, the center shaft of the butt cap is made of a relatively harder material to enhance the positioning stability of the butt cap in the grip shaft.

Further, the mating connection portion of the grip shaft provides a positioning mark. Further, the enclosing wall of the butt cap comprises a calibration mark located at an outer surface thereof and kept in alignment with the positioning mark. By means of the positioning mark and the calibration mark, the handle grip assembly can be accurately mounted at the shaft of a sporting equipment handle and kept in axial alignment with the shaft of the sporting equipment handle.

Further, the locating devices of the tail portion of the grip shaft have different sizes. Further, the positioning portions of the butt cap are respectively configured to fit the sizes of the locating devices. Thus, the butt cap can be rapidly and accurately fastened to the grip shaft.

Other advantages and features of the present invention will be fully understood by reference to the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference signs denote like components of structure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a handle grip assembly for swing-type ball game equipment according to the prior art.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a handle grip assembly for swing-type ball game equipment in accordance with the present invention where the grip sheath and the grip shaft kept secured together.

FIG. 3 corresponds to FIG. 2, illustrating an alternate form of the butt cap.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of FIG. 3, illustrating the butt cap fixedly secured to the distal end of the grip shaft.

FIG. 5 is a schematic drawing of the present invention, illustrating the handle grip assembly attached to the shaft of a golf club.

FIG. 6 is a schematic drawing of the present invention, illustrating the handle grip assembly used in a golf club.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 2, a handle grip assembly 10 for swing-type ball game equipment in accordance with the present invention is shown. The handle grip assembly 10 comprises a grip shaft 20, a grip sheath 30, and a butt cap 40.

The grip shaft 20 in this embodiment is (but not limited to) a hollow tubular member made of rubber in one piece, comprising a mating connection portion 21 located at one end thereof, a tail portion 23 located at an opposite end thereof, and a passage hole 25 extending through the mating connection portion 21 and the tail portion 23. As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4, the mating connection portion 21 is formed by turning one end of the hollow tubular member inside out and wrapping it about the outer perimeter 201 of the hollow tubular member, and processed to provide a positioning mark 211 that extends in a parallel manner relative to the axis of the grip shaft 20. There is no particular limitation on the configuration of the positioning mark 211. For example, the positioning mark 211 can be a linear dot pattern. The tail portion 23 is processed to provide two locating devices 231 located at an outer end face thereof at two opposite sides adjacent to the passage hole 25 and aligned in line. In this embodiment, these two locating devices 231 are locating grooves of different widths. The passage hole 25 extends axially through the center of axis of the grip shaft 20. When making a golf club C, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, one end of the shaft S is press-fitted through the mating connection portion 21 of the grip shaft 20 into the inside of the passage hole 25.

The grip sheath 30 is a sleeve member made of, for example, but not limited to, flexible rubber, and adapted to provide comfort and to buffer the impact when the user hits the ball. As the grip sheath 30 is of the known art and not within the scope of the technical features of the present invention, no further detailed description in this regard will be necessary. When assembling the handle grip assembly 10, as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4, attach the grip sheath 30 to the outer perimeter 201 of the grip shaft 20, and then turn one end of the grip shaft 20 inside out to form the mating connection portion 21 that surrounds a part of the outer perimeter 201 and shield the end edge of the grip sheath 30. In this embodiment, the grip sheath 30 sleeve member made of flexible rubber. Alternatively, the grip sheath 30 can be formed by spirally wrapping a strap (not shown) about the outer perimeter 201 of the grip shaft 20.

The butt cap 40 is made of a flexible material to provide much comfort to the user holding the handle grip assembly 10. The butt cap 40 comprises a base wall 41, an enclosing wall 43 integrally and outwardly extending around the border area of the base wall 41, and two positioning portions 411 located at the base wall 41. As shown in FIG. 4, the enclosing wall 43 is a tapered tubular wall gradually reducing in direction from the base wall 41 toward the grip shaft 20. The two positioning portions 411 are respectively configured to fit the dimensions of the locating devices 231. In this embodiment, each positioning portion 411 is shaped like an insert column. However, this configuration is not a limitation. Further, the enclosing wall 43 is processed to provide a calibration mark 433 at an outer surface 431 thereof. There is no particular limitation on the configuration of the calibration mark 433. For example, the calibration mark 433 can be a linear dot pattern.

It is to be noted that, as shown in FIG. 5, the arrangement of the positioning mark 211 of the grip shaft 20 and the calibration mark 433 of the butt cap 40 is adapted to help the worker adjust the relative position between the handle grip assembly 10 and the shaft S of the golf club C when the worker installs the handle grip assembly 10 in the shaft S, and thus, the handle grip assembly 10 and the shaft S of the golf club C can be accurately kept in line, avoiding misalignment.

Referring to FIG. 2 again, when mounting the butt cap 40, force the positioning portions 411 into engagement with the respective locating devices 231 of the tail portion 23 of the grip shaft 20 to keep the inner surface 431 of the enclosing wall 43 in abutment against the outer surface of the grip sheath 30 and to have the end edge of the grip sheath 30 be surrounded by the enclosing wall 43. Because the positioning portions 411 have different sizes, the butt cap 40 can be rapidly positioned in the grip shaft 20 and kept in axial alignment with the grip shaft 20. After installation of the butt cap 40 in the grip shaft 20, the calibration mark 433 and the positioning mark 211 are aligned in line. Thus, the worker needs not to perform a further time-consuming alignment procedure to keep the calibration mark 433 and the positioning mark 211 in alignment, shortening the production time.

In actual practice, when compared with the prior art design, the butt cap 40 can be rapidly positioned in the grip shaft 20 and kept in axial alignment with the grip shaft 20 even if the positioning portions 411 and the locating devices 231 have the same size.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, an alternate form of the butt cap 40 is shown. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the butt cap 40 of this alternate form further comprises a center shaft 413 located at the center of the base wall 41. The two positioning portions 411 are respectively disposed adjacent to the center shaft 413. Further, the center shaft 413 can be made of a material relatively harder than the base wall 41 and the enclosing wall 43. When mounting the butt cap 40, insert the center shaft 413 through the tail portion 23 of the grip shaft 20 into the inside of the passage hole 25 of the grip shaft 20. The arrangement of the center shaft 413 enables the butt cap 40 to be easily kept in axial alignment with the grip shaft 20, further reducing the production time. Further, because the center shaft 413 is made of a relatively harder material, it enhances the positioning stability of the butt cap 40 in the grip shaft 20.

In conclusion, the invention provides a handle grip assembly 10 formed of a grip shaft 20, a grip sheath 30, and a butt cap 40. When compared with the prior art design, the butt cap 40 of the handle grip assembly 10 can be rapidly positioned in the grip shaft 20 to shield the end edge of the grip sheath 30. Further, the butt cap 40 can be accurately kept in axial alignment with the grip shaft 20. Thus, the handle grip assembly 10 of the invention can effectively simplify the manufacturing process and shorten the production time. Further, the design of the positioning mark 211 and calibration mark 433 of the handle grip assembly 10 enables the worker to accurately attach the handle grip assembly 10 to the shaft S, keeping the handle grip assembly 10 and the shaft S in axial alignment.

Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A handle grip assembly for swing-type ball game equipment, comprising:

a grip shaft comprising a mating connection portion, a tail portion and a passage hole axially extending through said mating connection portion and said tail portion, said mating connection portion being configured for the insertion of a shaft of a sporting equipment handle therethrough into said passage hole, said tail portion comprising two opposing locating devices respectively disposed adjacent to said passage hole;

a grip sheath surrounding an outer perimeter of said grip shaft; and

a butt cap comprising a base wall, an enclosing wall integrally outwardly extended from the border of said base wall and two positioning portions located at said base wall corresponding to said locating devices, said positioning portions being respectively forced into engagement with said locating devices of said tail portion of said grip shaft, said enclosing wall having an inner surface abutted against an outer surface of said grip sheath.

2. The handle grip assembly for swing-type ball game equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein said locating devices of said tail portion of said grip shaft are locating grooves; said positioning portions of said butt cap are insert columns respectively forced into engagement with said locating grooves.

3. The handle grip assembly for swing-type ball game equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein said butt cap further comprises a center shaft located at the center of said base wall and inserted through said tail portion of said grip shaft into said passage hole.

4. The handle grip assembly for swing-type ball game equipment as claimed in claim 3, wherein said center shaft of said butt cap is relatively harder than said base wall and said enclosing wall.

5. The handle grip assembly for swing-type ball game equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mating connection portion of said grip shaft provides a positioning mark; said enclosing wall of said butt cap comprises a calibration mark located at an outer surface thereof and kept in alignment with said positioning mark.

6. The handle grip assembly for swing-type ball game equipment as claimed in claim 5, wherein said locating devices of said tail portion of said grip shaft have different sizes; said positioning portions of said butt cap are respectively configured to fit the sizes of said locating devices.

7. The handle grip assembly for swing-type ball game equipment as claimed in claim 6, wherein said locating devices of said tail portion of said grip shaft are locating grooves; said positioning portions of said butt cap are insert columns respectively press-fitted into said locating grooves.

8. The handle grip assembly for swing-type ball game equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base wall and said enclosing wall of said butt cap are made of a flexible material.

9. The handle grip assembly for swing-type ball game equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein said enclosing wall of said butt cap is a tapered tubular wall gradually reducing in direction from said base wall toward said grip shaft.