PADDLE GRIP

Abstract

A method and apparatus for forming a sporting racquet handle wherein the racquet has a rectangular cross-section handle base. The apparatus comprises a first sleeve portion having a first sleeve interior adapted to engage upon the handle base and a first sleeve exterior shaped to form a first handgrip portion, a second sleeve portion having a second sleeve interior adapted to engage upon the handle base and a second sleeve exterior shaped to form a second handgrip portion, and connectors for securing the first sleeve portion to the second sleeve portion around the handle base so as to mate the first handgrip portion with the second handgrip portion to form a continuous handgrip around the handle base. The method comprises securing a first sleeve portion around the handle base and securing a second sleeve portion around the handle base to as to form a continuous handgrip around the handle base.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/489,933 filed Apr. 25, 2017 entitled Paddle Grip.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention The present invention relates generally to a sports racket handle and in particular to a handle grip for pickleball paddles.

2. Description of Related Art

Pickleball is a fast-growing sport, with roots in badminton, tennis and table tennis. Pickleball is played in a pickleball court, where a perforated ball is hit over a net using paddles, similar to table tennis paddles. Originally, pickleball was played with table tennis or ping-pong paddles, but as the sport evolved the paddle size and materials also evolved, such that pickleball paddles are now unique to the sport. The paddles may be formed using wood or composite materials.

In prior art, as illustrated in FIG. 1, a pickleball paddle 9 is a substantially flat planar member with a handle portion 8. An end cap 7 may be mounted to the distal end of the handle portion 8. The handle portion 8 is traditionally covered with an adhesive grip 6 which is wrapped around the end cap 7 and handle portion 8. Optionally, a pair of gripping members 5, which may be formed of foam or the like, may be placed on either side of the handle portion 8 prior to wrapping it with the adhesive grip 6, improving comfort for the user. Disadvantageously, the flat handle portion 8 may be uncomfortable in use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first embodiment of the present invention there is disclosed an apparatus for forming a sporting racquet handle wherein the racquet is formed of a substantially planar member having a rectangular cross-section handle base.

The apparatus comprises a first sleeve portion having a first sleeve interior adapted to engage upon the handle base and a first sleeve exterior shaped to form a first handgrip portion, a second sleeve portion having a second sleeve interior adapted to engage upon the handle base and a second sleeve exterior shaped to form a second handgrip portion, and connectors for securing the first sleeve portion to the second sleeve portion around the handle base so as to mate the first handgrip portion with the second handgrip portion to form a continuous handgrip around the handle base.

The first and second sleeve portions may have matingly engageable edges. The connectors may comprise pins extending from one of the first or second sleeve portions to be engageable within blind bores in the other of the first or second sleeve portions. The pins and the blind bores may extend perpendicularly to the racquet planar member. The pins and the blind bores may extend parallelly to the racquet planar member.

The first and second sleeve portions may include an end cap formed therewith. The first and second sleeve portions may include an enlarged portion proximate to the end cap.

According to a further embodiment of the present invention there is disclosed a racquet comprising a substantially planar member having a rectangular cross-section handle base, a first sleeve portion having a first sleeve interior adapted to engage upon the handle base and a first sleeve exterior shaped to form a first handgrip portion, a second sleeve portion having a second sleeve interior adapted to engage upon the handle base and a second sleeve exterior shaped to form a second handgrip portion, and connectors for securing the first sleeve portion to the second sleeve portion around the handle base so as to mate the first handgrip portion with the second handgrip portion to form a continuous handgrip around the handle base.

According to a further embodiment of the present invention there is disclosed a method of forming a sport racquet handle around a handle base comprising securing a first sleeve portion having a first sleeve interior in close mating engagement around the handle base and securing a second sleeve portion having a second sleeve interior in close mating engagement around the handle base to as to mate exteriors of the first sleeve portion and the second sleeve portion to form a continuous handgrip around the handle base.

Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the following description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In drawings which illustrate embodiments of the invention wherein similar characters of reference denote corresponding parts in each view,

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a prior art pickleball paddle and grip.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a pickleball paddle and grip according to a first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the pickleball paddle and grip of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the pickleball handle and grip of FIG. 2, taken along the plane 4-4.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a pickleball paddle and grip according to a further embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a pickleball paddle and grip according to a further embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 2, a pickleball paddle handle grip according to a first embodiment of the invention is shown generally at 10. The pickleball paddle 9 is a substantially flat planar member with a handle portion 8, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 3. It is commonly known that the paddle 9 is co-formed with the handle portion 8 such that they are one piece. The grip 10 is secured over the handle portion 8 to form a gripping surface 20.

Referring to FIGS. 2 through 4, the grip 10 is formed using two sleeve portions 12, which fit together to form the gripping surface 20. The sleeve portions 12 each extend between first and second ends, 14 and 16, respectively, and between first and second sides, 24 and 26, respectively, with a widened, tapered end cap portion 18 proximate to the first end 14. The end cap portion 18 is formed in any shape, as is commonly known, and allows for a firm hold on the gripping surface 20 while reducing slippage within the user's hand. The gripping surface 20 may be formed in any desirable shape, such as, by way of non-limiting example, oval, hexagonal, rectangular, or ridged surface, although other surface shapes may be used, as well.

Each sleeve portion 12 has a mating surface 22 which joins together with the mating surface 22 on a second sleeve portion 12 to form a unitary handle grip. Upright walls along the first and second sides 24 and 26 and along the first end 14 form a central cavity 28 with an inside surface 30. The inside surface 30 may be a solid continuous surface, as illustrated in FIG. 5, or it may be a ribbed or textured surface, as illustrated in FIG. 3. When two sleeve portions 12 are joined together along the mating surface 22, the central cavities 28 cooperate to surround the handle portion 8, with the inside surface 30 engaging upon the handle portion 8.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2 through 4, the sleeve portions 12 may join together over the handle top and bottom, 4 and 3, respectively, although it will be appreciated that sleeve portions 12 may join together over the handle first and second sides, 1 and 2, respectively, as illustrated in FIG. 5.

The sleeve portions 12 may be joined together by any method as is commonly known. One method of joining is illustrated in FIG. 5. Each sleeve portion 12 may include a plurality of pins 40 extending from the mating surface 22 along the first side 24 which may be received within associated bores 42 within the opposite mating surface 22 along the second side 26. As illustrated, each sleeve portion 12 may be formed in the same manner with both pins 40 and bores 42 on the mating surfaces 22 such that they line up on either side of the handle portion 8. It will be appreciated that two different sleeve portions 12 may be formed, with one sleeve portion 12 including the pins 40, while the other sleeve portion includes the bores 42. It will be appreciated that this method of joining may be incorporated with the first embodiment of the invention, as well.

Other methods of joining the two sleeve portions 12 together without pins may also be utilized, such as, by way of non-limiting example, with snap tabs, latches, adhesives or other methods as are commonly known in the art.

Turning now to FIG. 6, a further embodiment of the invention is illustrated whereby the sleeve portions 12 are formed similarly as described 10 above, with the mating surface 22 formed along the end cap portion 18 only. In this embodiment, the inside surface 30 primarily engages upon the handle top and bottom 4 and 3, with the end cap portion 18 forming the sleeve at the first end 14. As outlined above, the two sleeve portions 12 may be joined to the handle portion 8 by any method as is commonly known, such as, by way of non-limiting example, adhesive between the inside surface 30 and the handle portion 8.

It will be appreciated that the sleeve portions 12 may be covered by an adhesive grip 6, by methods as are commonly known in the art, following installation on the handle portion 8.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated, such embodiments should be considered illustrative of the invention only and not as limiting the invention as construed in accordance with the accompanying claims.

Claims

1. An apparatus for forming a sporting racquet handle wherein the racquet is formed of a substantially planar member having a rectangular cross-section handle base, the apparatus comprising:

a first sleeve portion having a first sleeve interior adapted to engage upon the handle base and a first sleeve exterior shaped to form a first handgrip portion;

a second sleeve portion having a second sleeve interior adapted to engage upon the handle base and a second sleeve exterior shaped to form a second handgrip portion; and

connectors for securing said first sleeve portion to said second sleeve portion around the handle base so as to mate said first handgrip portion with said second handgrip portion to form a continuous handgrip around the handle base.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first and second sleeve portions have matingly engageable edges.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said connectors comprise pins extending from one of said first or second sleeve portions to be engageable within blind bores in the other of said first or second sleeve portions.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said pins and said blind bores extend perpendicularly to the racquet planar member.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said pins and said blind bores extend parallelly to the racquet planar member.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first and second sleeve portions include an end cap formed therewith.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said first and second sleeve portions include an enlarged portion proximate to said end cap.

8. A racquet comprising:

a substantially planar member having a rectangular cross-section handle base;

a first sleeve portion having a first sleeve interior adapted to engage upon said handle base and a first sleeve exterior shaped to form a first handgrip portion;

a second sleeve portion having a second sleeve interior adapted to engage upon said handle base and a second sleeve exterior shaped to form a second handgrip portion; and

connectors for securing said first sleeve portion to said second sleeve portion around said handle base so as to mate said first handgrip portion with said second handgrip portion to form a continuous handgrip around said handle base.

9. A method of forming a sport racquet handle around a handle base comprising:

securing a first sleeve portion having a first sleeve interior in close mating engagement around the handle base; and

securing a second sleeve portion having a second sleeve interior in close mating engagement around the handle base to as to mate exteriors of said first sleeve portion and said second sleeve portion to form a continuous handgrip around the handle base.