U.S. patent application number 09/479324 was filed with the patent office on 2001-11-15 for rotatable grip assembly for golf clubs.
This patent application is currently assigned to MADELLE. Invention is credited to BOUDREAU, JERALD PETER, MADELLE, JOHN F., ST. PIERRE, THOMAS E..
Application Number | 20010041626 09/479324 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 23903542 |
Filed Date | 2001-11-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010041626 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
MADELLE, JOHN F. ; et
al. |
November 15, 2001 |
ROTATABLE GRIP ASSEMBLY FOR GOLF CLUBS
Abstract
A golf club grip assembly has an upper grip fixedly mounted to a
hollow shaft of a golf club, and a substantially identical lower
grip, interchangeably mountable with the upper grip, and rotatable
relative to the upper grip and the shaft. A selection of lower and
upper mounting members which are interchangeable between the upper
and lower grips are provided to accommodate a variety of sizes and
shapes. A top mounting member encloses the top openings of the
upper grip and shaft, is coupled to the upper grip at an annular
recess, and is coupled to the inner surface of the hollow shaft at
a plug comprising engaging surfaces. A user generally places a
substantial portion of one hand on the rotatable lower grip and the
other hand on the fixed upper grip. Upon swinging the club and
hitting a ball, the lower grip, and thus the one hand, rotates
relative to the upper grip and club shaft.
Inventors: |
MADELLE, JOHN F.; (EAST
BROOKFIELD, MA) ; BOUDREAU, JERALD PETER; (EAST
BROOKFIELD, MA) ; ST. PIERRE, THOMAS E.; (TORRINGTON,
CT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CUMMINGS & LOCKWOOD
GRANITE SQUARE
700 STATE STREET
NEW HAVEN
CT
065091960
|
Assignee: |
MADELLE
|
Family ID: |
23903542 |
Appl. No.: |
09/479324 |
Filed: |
January 6, 2000 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/295 ;
473/303 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 60/00 20151001;
A63B 60/20 20151001; A63B 60/22 20151001; A63B 60/14 20151001; A63B
60/32 20151001; A63B 60/16 20151001; A63B 53/14 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/295 ;
473/303 |
International
Class: |
A63B 053/16 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A grip assembly for a golf club, comprising: a lower grip and an
upper grip, each grip defining an elongated hollow therethrough for
receiving a golf club shaft, and being interchangeably mountable on
the shaft with the other grip; a lower bearing surface coupled to
the lower grip and facing the upper grip; and an upper bearing
surface coupled to the upper grip and facing the lower grip,
wherein the lower and upper bearing surfaces slidably contact each
other to permit rotation of the lower grip relative to the upper
grip, and the upper grip includes at least one mounting surface for
fixedly coupling the upper grip to the golf club shaft and
preventing rotation of the upper grip relative to the shaft.
2. A grip assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the upper and
lower grips are substantially identical.
3. A grip assembly as defined in claim 1, further comprising: a
lower mounting member mountable between the lower grip and the
shaft and defining the lower bearing surface; and an upper mounting
member mountable between the upper grip and the shaft and defining
the upper bearing surface.
4. A grip assembly as defined in claim 3, wherein the lower
mounting member and the upper mounting member are interchangeably
mountable between the upper grip and the lower grip.
5. A grip assembly as defined in claim 1, comprising: a plurality
of first mounting members for mounting the upper grip to the shaft,
each first mounting member defining an approximately cylindrical
mounting surface for slidably mounting the first mounting member on
a golf club shaft between the upper grip and the shaft, and wherein
at least a plurality of the first mounting members define different
sized cylindrical mounting surfaces relative to each other for
mounting the upper grip to any of a plurality of different sized
club shafts; and a plurality of second mounting members for
mounting the lower grip to the shaft, each second mounting member
defining an approximately cylindrical mounting surface for slidably
mounting the second mounting member on a golf club shaft between
the lower grip and the shaft, and wherein at least a plurality of
the second mounting members define different sized cylindrical
mounting surfaces relative to each other for mounting the lower
grip to any of a plurality of different sized club shafts.
6. A grip assembly as defined in claim 3, wherein the lower and
upper mounting members have outer dimensions substantially
identical to one another.
7. A grip assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of
the upper and lower grips defines an outer surface having a first
end and a second end, the first end having an outer diameter and
the second end having an outer diameter, and the outer diameters at
each end being substantially equal.
8. A grip assembly as defined in claim 1, further comprising means
for limiting the angular rotation of the lower grip relative to the
upper grip.
9. A grip assembly as defined in claim 1, further comprising at
least one locking member coupled to at least one end of the lower
grip for selectably preventing rotation of the lower grip relative
to the upper grip.
10. A grip assembly as defined in claim 1, further comprising a top
mounting member fixedly mounted to the upper grip and enclosing an
inner surface thereof at one end.
11. A grip assembly as defined in claim 10, wherein the top
mounting member defines an annular channel for receiving an end of
the upper grip.
12. A grip assembly as defined in claim 10, wherein the golf club
shaft is hollow and the top mounting member has a center portion
fixedly mountable within the hollow of the golf club shaft.
13. A grip assembly as defined in claim 12, wherein the top
mounting member further comprises a plurality of engaging surfaces
approximately concentric with a longitudinal axis of the plug and
located substantially on the outer surface of said plug.
14. A grip assembly as defined in claim 1, further comprising a
bottom mounting member coupled to the lower grip which is slidably
mounted on at least one of the lower grip and the golf club
shaft.
15. A grip assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of
the upper and lower grips further comprises a plurality of exterior
ribs spaced relative to each other and defining a plurality of
recesses therebetween.
16. A grip assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the upper and
lower grips each further comprises a plurality of exterior ribs
spaced relative to each other and defining a plurality of recesses
therebetween, and wherein the ribs of the lower grip are rotatably
alignable with the ribs of the upper grip.
17. A grip assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein: the golf club
shaft is coupled to a golf club head defining a striking face; the
upper grip comprises at least two exterior ribs spaced relative to
each other and defining a first plane extending between the
outermost surfaces of two adjacent ribs; and the first plane is
approximately perpendicular to a second plane substantially defined
by the striking face of the golf club head.
18. A grip assembly for a golf club, comprising: first means for
gripping a golf club, said first means being slidably mountable on
a golf club shaft and rotatable relative thereto; second means for
gripping a golf club, said second means being slidably mountable on
the golf club shaft, interchangeably mountable with the first
means, and fixedly secured to the golf club shaft to prevent
rotation of the second means relative go the golf club shaft; third
means coupled to the first means and facing the second means for
slidably contacting at least one of the second means and the golf
club shaft to facilitate rotation of the first means relative
thereto; and fourth means coupled to the second means and facing
the first means for slidably contacting the third means to
facilitate rotation of the first means relative to the second means
and golf club shaft.
19. A grip assembly for a golf club, further comprising means for
means for locking the position of the first means and thereby
preventing rotation of the first means relative to the second means
and golf club shaft.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to grips for golf clubs and
other sporting equipment, and more particularly, to grip assemblies
having one hand grip rotatable relative to another hand grip.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
[0002] Various prior art golf club designs employ rotatable grip
assemblies comprising sleeves, one of which is rotatable on a golf
club shaft during a golf swing, and another one of which is
substantially fixed to the golf club shaft. For example, U.S. Pat.
No. 1,544,226 to De Bus ("the '226 patent") shows in FIG. 2 a golf
club grip having a relatively stationary portion 1 and a rotatable
sleeve 5. One drawback associated with the design of the '226
patent is that the relatively stationary portion 1 is not
interchangeable with the rotatable sleeve 5, and the sleeve 5 must
be custom made for a golf club shaft 2 of given dimensions.
[0003] Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 1,305,952 to Suesman ("the '952
patent") shows a golf club having a rotatable grip portion ("C")
and an immovable grip portion ("B"). One drawback associated with
the design of the '952 patent is that the rotatable portion C does
not have outside dimensions equal to those of the fixed portion B,
and the inside dimensions of the grip sections disclosed by the
'952 patent are entirely dissimilar. Thus, the '952 patent requires
the manufacture of at least two different primary grip sections for
a single golf club grip assembly. Another drawback of the design of
the '952 patent is that the grips are not interchangeable between
shafts of different dimensions.
[0004] The following other patents relate generally to the concept
of a rotatable golf club grip with a fixed section and a rotatable
section: U.S. Pat. No. 2,225,839 to Moore ("the '839 patent"), U.S.
Pat. No. 3,804,413 to Hrivnak ("the '413 patent"), U.S. Pat. No.
3,834,714 to Smolinski ("the '714 patent"), and U.S. Pat. No.
5,413,339 to Martin ("the '339 patent"). One general disadvantage
of these prior art patents is that a fixed grip section is not
manufactured to be interchangeable with a rotatable grip section,
thus requiring design, manufacture, and inventory of additional
parts. Another general disadvantage of the above-referenced prior
art patents is that they require that grips be specifically
manufactured for a given shaft geometry.
[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 4,365,807 to Melby ("the '807 patent") and
U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,168 to McGuire ("the '168 patent") show
adjustable golf club grips which are not rotatable during a swing.
The grips of these patents have many of the disadvantages of
generally non-rotatable grips in that they include no means for
isolating the twisting motions of a user's primary hand during a
golf swing. These grips are only adjustable prior to making a
swing, and are fixed relative to a golf club shaft during a
swing.
[0006] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
overcome the above-described drawbacks and disadvantages of the
prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The present invention is directed to a golf club grip
assembly having an upper grip fixedly mounted to a golf club shaft,
and a lower grip, interchangeably mountable with the upper grip,
spaced below the upper grip, and rotatable relative to the upper
grip and the golf club shaft. The grips are interchangeably
mountable in the sense that a given grip may be mounted in the
position of a lower or an upper grip without change to ancillary
components, nor loss of functionality. The grip assembly further
comprises lower and upper mounting members that are interchangeably
mountable between the upper grip and the lower grip. A top mounting
member enclosing a top opening of the upper grip and affixed to a
golf club shaft is coupled to the upper grip at an annular recess,
and is coupled to the inner surface of the hollow golf club shaft
at a plug comprising integrally molded engaging surfaces.
[0008] One advantage of grip assemblies embodying the present
invention is that they are rotatable during a user's golf swing, as
opposed to being merely adjustable prior to a user's swing. Thus,
grips of the present invention are capable of isolating the
twisting motions of a user's primary hand during a golf swing.
[0009] Another important advantage of the present invention is that
the substantially fixed grip portion is interchangeably mountable
with the rotatable grip portion. Therefore, only one type of grip
portion need be manufactured, stocked, or supplied in order to
practice the invention on a given golf club.
[0010] Another advantage of the present invention is that the upper
and lower mounting members of the grip assembly permit any one
interchangeably mountable upper or lower grip to be adapted for use
on a vast variety of golf club shafts of various shapes and sizes,
thus dividing design, manufacture, and inventory requirements for
the upper and lower grips themselves by a factor far greater than
two.
[0011] Other objects and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent in view of the following detailed description of
the preferred embodiments and accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a rotatable golf club
grip assembly embodying the present invention, mounted on a typical
golf club comprising a shaft and a head.
[0013] FIG. 2 is an exploded side elevational view of the rotatable
golf club grip assembly of FIG. 1 with the shaft and club head
removed for clarity.
[0014] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A of
FIG. 1.
[0015] FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a rotatable golf club
grip assembly similar to that depicted in FIG. 1, but further
comprising a locking mechanism embodying the present invention.
[0016] FIG. 5 is an exploded side elevational view of the rotatable
golf club grip assembly of FIG. 4 with the shaft and club head
removed for clarity.
[0017] FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the lower mounting member of
the grip assembly of FIGS. 4 and 5 taken along line 6-6 of FIG.
5.
[0018] FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of the locking ring of the grip
assembly of FIGS. 4 and 5 taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 5.
[0019] FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of another embodiment of
the rotatable golf club grip assembly of the present invention
without exterior ribs and comprising an alternate end cap.
[0020] FIG. 9 is an exploded side elevational view of the rotatable
golf club grip assembly of FIG. 8 with the shaft and club head
removed for clarity.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments
[0021] In FIGS. 1 and 2, a first preferred embodiment of a golf
club grip assembly embodying the present invention is indicated
generally by the reference numeral 10. The grip assembly 10
comprises a lower grip 12, an upper grip 14 which is substantially
identical to the lower grip 12, a lower mounting member 16, an
upper mounting member 18, a bottom mounting member 20, and a top
mounting member in the form of an end cap 22. The lower grip 12
defines a plurality of ribs 24 on an exterior surface thereof, and
the upper grip 14 similarly defines a plurality of ribs 26 on an
exterior surface thereof. The grip assembly 10 is mounted on a golf
club shaft 27 having attached to one end thereof a club head 28
defining a striking face 29. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the
striking face 29 defines a plane "B" which is approximately
perpendicular to a plane "A" extending between the outermost
surfaces of two adjacent ribs 24, 26. The ribs 24, 26 extend in the
axial direction of each grip, and are spaced relative to each other
to define recesses therebetween to enable a user to place his or
her thumb or other fingers between or across the recesses for
convenient and repeatable orientation of the striking face 29
relative to the user's hand.
[0022] With reference to FIG. 2, the lower grip 12 further defines
an elongated hollow 30 formed by a cylindrical interior surface
extending from one end of the grip to the other, a countersunk
cylindrical relief 32 at one end, and an annular protrusion 34 at
the other end. The upper grip 14 similarly defines an elongated
hollow 36 formed by a cylindrical interior surface extending from
one end of the grip to the other, a countersunk cylindrical relief
38 at one end, and an annular protrusion 40 at the other end. As
shown typically in FIGS. 1 and 2, the lower and upper grips 12 and
14 define the same shapes and dimensions, and therefore may be
interchangeably mounted on the golf club shaft 27. Thus, the grip
assembly of the present invention may be made, if desired, with a
single part defining both the upper and lower grips. In the
preferred embodiments of the present invention, the upper and lower
grips are made of a resilient polymeric material, and preferably,
are injection molded in the same mold (or substantially identical
mold cavities).
[0023] As also shown in FIG. 2, the lower mounting member 16
defines an annular lower mounting surface 42 having a subordinate
outer diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the
relief 32 of the lower grip 12, in order to allow the annular
mounting surface to be slidably received within the lower grip. The
lower mounting member 16 further defines an annular lower bearing
surface 44 having a superior outer diameter for slidably contacting
the upper mounting member 18, and an interior mounting surface 43
having a substantially cylindrical shape dimensioned to be slidably
received over the golf club shaft 27. The upper mounting member 18
similarly defines an annular upper mounting surface 46 having a
subordinate outer diameter substantially equal to an inner diameter
of the relief 38 of the upper grip 14 in order to allow the annular
mounting surface to be slidably received within the upper grip. The
upper mounting member 18 further defines an annular upper bearing
surface 48 having a superior outer diameter substantially equal to
the superior outer diameter of the lower bearing surface 44 for
slidably contacting the lower mounting member 16, and an interior
mounting surface 45 having a substantially cylindrical shape
dimensioned to be slidably received over the golf club shaft 27. In
the illustrated embodiment of the present invention, the lower and
upper mounted members 16 and 18, respectively, are substantially
identical in size and shape. However, as will be recognized by
those skilled in the pertinent art based on the teachings herein,
the upper and lower mounting members may be shaped and/or
dimensioned differently relative to each other in order to mount
the identical upper and lower grips onto shafts of different sizes
and shapes.
[0024] As also shown in FIG. 2, the bottom mounting member 20
defines a substantially cylindrical mounting surface 50 extending
through the interior of the mounting member and dimensioned to be
slidably received on the golf club shaft 27. The bottom mounting
member 20 further defines a bottom countersunk cylindrical relief
52 dimensioned to slidably receive therein the annular protrusion
34 of the lower grip 12, and a bearing surface 53 on the upper end
thereof for the slidably contacting opposing surface of the lower
grip 12.
[0025] The top mounting member 22 defines a cap portion 54, and an
annular recess or channel 56 formed in the cap for receiving the
annular protrusion 40 of the upper grip 14. A generally cylindrical
plug 58 of the top mounting member 22 projects outwardly from the
cap portion 54, and a plurality of engaging ribs or like projecting
surfaces 60 are spaced relative to each other on the exterior
surface of the plug for engaging the interior surface of the hollow
club shaft 27 and thereby fixedly securing the cap to the
shaft.
[0026] In order to assemble the grip assembly 10 to the golf club
shaft 27, the top mounting member or end cap 22 is affixed to the
shaft by slidably inserting the plug 58 into the hollow end of the
shaft. The top mounting member 22 is preferably made of a
relatively resilient polymeric material, and therefore the ribs 60
of the plug 58 flexibly engage the interior surfaces of the shaft
to fixedly secure the plug to the shaft. If desired, an adhesive of
a type known to those skilled in the pertinent art may be applied
to the plug to further secure the end cap 22 to the shaft. In
accordance with a first preferred method for assembling the grip
assembly to the shaft, the parts of the grip assembly are initially
slipped over the opposite end of the shaft prior to attachment of
the club head thereto. Accordingly, the upper grip 14 is slidably
mounted over the top portion of the shaft 27 with the annular
protrusion 40 of the upper grip received into the annular channel
of the end cap 22. If desired, a pressure sensitive adhesive tape
and/or adhesive of the type known to those skilled in the pertinent
art for performing the functions described herein may be applied
between upper grip 14 and the shaft 27, or may be applied between
only select portions of the upper grip and shaft to further secure
the upper grip to the shaft and prevent these parts from rotating
relative to each other. The upper mounting member 18 is slidably
received onto the shaft 27 with the upper mounting surface 46
received into the recess 38 of the upper grip. As described above,
the interior mounting surface 45 of the upper mounting member 18 is
preferably dimensioned to slidably contact the underlying portion
of the shaft 27 to mount the upper grip to the shaft and further
prevent relative movement between the upper grip and shaft.
However, if necessary, a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape of a type
known to those skilled in the pertinent art may be attached between
the club shaft and upper mounting member 18 to fill any space
between the mounting member and shaft, and, in turn, fixedly secure
the mounting member to the shaft.
[0027] The lower mounting member 16 is slidably mounted over the
shaft 27 with the lower bearing surface 44 slidably contacting the
corresponding surface 48 of the upper mounting member 18. The lower
grip 12 is slidably mounted over the shaft 27 below the lower
mounting member 16 with the mounting surface 42 of the lower
mounting member slidably received within the recess 32 of the lower
grip. As indicated above, the lower and upper grips 12 and 14,
respectively, are preferably made of a flexible polymeric material.
Accordingly, as also indicated above, the annular surface 42 of the
lower mounting member 16 and recess 32 of the lower grip 12 are
dimensioned to allow the grip to frictionally engage the lower
mounting member and thereby prevent relative rotation of the parts.
As a result, the lower grip 12 and lower mounting member 16 rotate
as a unit relative to the upper grip 14 and upper mounting member
18.
[0028] The bottom mounting member 20 is slidably mounted over the
shaft 27 with the annular protrusion 34 of the lower grip 12
received within the recess 52 of the bottom mounting member, and
the bearing surface 53 of the bottom mounting member slidably
contacting the opposing surface of the lower grip. The recess 52 of
the bottom mounting member and annular protrusion 34 of the lower
grip are dimensioned relative to each other to allow the annular
protrusion to freely rotate within the recess. The cylindrical
mounting surface 50 of the bottom mounting member is fixedly
secured to the shaft 27 with adhesive tape and/or other adhesive
(not shown). Accordingly, the lower grip 12 and lower mounting
member 16 are allowed to freely rotate relative to the other
components of the grip assembly which are fixedly secured to the
golf club shaft.
[0029] In accordance with a second preferred method for assembling
the grip assembly 10 to the golf club shaft 27, adhesive tape or
like spacer material is applied to the shaft 27 at the locations
where the mounting surfaces of the grip assembly are to be attached
in order to increase the effective diameter of the shaft where
necessary, and the parts of the grip assembly 10 are slidably
mounted over the end of the shaft opposite the club head.
Accordingly, adhesive tape is preferably applied to the shaft at
the desired location of the bottom mounting member 20, and the
bottom mounting member is then slidably mounted over the adhesive
tape and fixedly secured to the shaft by the tape. Then, the lower
grip 12 is slidably mounted over the shaft, and the annular
protrusion 34 of the lower grip is slidably received within the
recess 52 of the bottom mounting member as described above. The
lower mounting member 16 is then slidably mounted over the shaft 12
with the annular mounting surface 42 received within the recess 32
of the lower grip and frictionally engaging the grip to allow the
lower grip and lower mounting member to rotate as a unit relative
to the shaft and other components of the grip assembly. The upper
mounting member 18 and upper grip 12 are then mounted to the shaft
27 in the manner described above with adhesive type or like
adhesive mechanism interposed between the mounting member and/or
grip and the shaft to fixedly secure the components to the shaft,
and prevent relative rotation of the grip and shaft. Preferably,
the upper grip 14 is aligned with the striking face 29 of the club
head so that the plane "A" formed between the outermost surfaces of
two adjacent ribs 24, 26 is substantially perpendicular to the
plane "B" defined by the striking face. The step of aligning the
upper grip 14 may be accomplished by placing a planar 90 degree
square simultaneously against the striking face 29 and the shaft
27, and rotating the grip 14 until the plane formed between the two
adjacent ribs is perpendicular to the plane of the square. The top
mounting member or end cap 22 is then secured to the end of the
hollow shaft in the same manner as described above to further
secure the grip assembly to the shaft.
[0030] The operation of the grip assembly of the invention is
hereinafter described with reference to a user's primary and
secondary hands, where the primary hand is the right hand for a
user who golfs or plays "right-handed", or the left hand for a user
who golfs or plays "left-handed". In operation, a user places a
secondary hand on the upper grip portion 14 and a substantial
portion of the primary hand on the lower grip portion 12. An
especially desirable hand position may be achieved when the user
places the thumb of the secondary hand between the two adjacent
ribs 26 which form the plane "A" substantially perpendicular to the
plane "B" of the striking face 29 of the golf club head 28. This
structure permits convenient and repeatable orientation of the
user's thumb relative to the striking face 29. Upon swinging a club
and hitting a ball, the rotatable sub-assembly comprising the lower
grip portion 12 and the lower mounting member 16, and thus the
primary hand, is permitted to rotate relative to the substantially
fixed sub-assembly comprising at least the upper grip portion 14
and the golf club shaft 27, and thus the secondary hand. In the
particular embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 3, the lower mounting
member 16 rotates relative to the substantially fixed upper
mounting member 18, and the lower grip portion 12 rotates relative
to the substantially fixed bottom mounting member 20. The upper
mounting member 18, and all components above it are substantially
fixed, as are the bottom mounting member 20 and all components
below it. As a result, any twisting effect of the user's primary
hand is substantially negated by the swivel or rotating action of
the lower grip 12, thus facilitating the user's ability to hit the
ball in the desired direction, as opposed to a slice or hook.
[0031] In FIGS. 4 through 7, a second preferred embodiment of the
golf club grip assembly of the present invention is indicated
generally by the reference numeral 110. The grip assembly 110 of
FIGS. 4 through 7 is substantially similar to the grip assembly 10
of FIGS. 1 through 3, and therefore like reference numerals
preceded by the numeral 1 are used to indicate like elements. The
primary difference between the grip assembly 110 and the grip
assembly 10 described above, is that the grip assembly 110 includes
means for selectively locking the position of the lower grip 112,
and thereby preventing relative rotation between the lower and
upper grips. In addition, as can be seen, the ribs 124 and 126 of
the grips 112 and 114, respectively, define a different
configuration than do the ribs shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. However, the
grips 112 and 114 remain interchangeably mountable with each other
as well as individually interchangeable with the grips of other
preferred embodiments, such as the grips 12 or 14 of FIGS. 1
through 3. Otherwise, the assembly and operation of the grip
assembly 110 is essentially the same as that described above in
connection with the grip assembly 10.
[0032] As shown in FIG. 5, the bottom mounting member 120 is
essentially the same as the bottom mounting member 20 described
above; however, the bottom mounting member 120 defines a pair of
locking surfaces 155 spaced relative to each other on the annular
surface defining the cylindrical relief 152, and projecting
radially inwardly toward the axis of the mounting member and club
shaft. As shown best in FIGS. 5 and 7, the grip assembly 110
further includes a locking ring 121 defining a cylindrical recess
162 formed on one side thereof for receiving an annular protrusion
134 of the lower grip 112, and a locking detent 164 projecting
outwardly from the opposite side of the locking ring in the axial
direction thereof, and a central aperture 166 is formed through the
locking ring to slidably mount the locking ring over the club shaft
127.
[0033] As can be seen, when assembled, the protrusion 134 of the
lower grip 112 is received within the annular recess 162 of the
locking ring to fixedly secure the lower grip to the locking ring.
Preferably, the lower grip is made of a relatively resilient
polymeric material allowing the protrusion 134 to frictionally
engage the annular recess 162 of the locking ring. However, if
desired, the lower grip 112 may be adhesively or otherwise attached
to the locking ring. In addition, the locking detent 164 is
received within the recess 152 of the lower mounting member 120,
and thereby allows the lower grip 112 to rotate relative to the
bottom mounting member. However, when the locking detent 164 is
rotated into engagement with the locking surfaces 155, and if
sufficient rotational force is applied to push the locking detent
between the two locking surfaces 155, the locking surfaces may
frictionally retain the locking detent and, in turn, lock the
position of the locking ring and lower grip in place. The user may
then unlock the lower grip 112 by simply twisting the lower grip
with sufficient force to release the locking detent 164 from the
locking surfaces 155. As will be recognized by those skilled in the
pertinent art based on the teachings herein, numerous different
mechanisms which are currently or later become known to those
skilled in the pertinent art may be employed to perform the
function of the locking ring and locking surfaces described herein.
In addition, if desired, a visual and/or tactile indicator may be
applied to the exterior surfaces of the locking ring, lower grip,
and/or other components of the grip assembly 110 in order to
visually indicate whether the lower grip is locked or unlocked. For
example, when in an unlocked position, the components could be
rotated to reveal a visually prominent colored strip, alignment
mark or other indicator to reveal the unlocked condition of the
grip assembly. Then, when rotated into the locked position, the
colored strip or other visual indicator would be automatically
concealed, or would reveal a color strip or indicator of another
color, to show that the grip is in the unlocked position.
Accordingly, numerous different such indicators which now or later
become known for performing such function equally may be
employed.
[0034] The preferred methods for assembling the grip assembly 110
to the golf club shaft 127 are substantially similar to the methods
described above in connection with the previous embodiment.
However, the locking ring 121 also must be assembled to the club
shaft 127 as described above and illustrated in the drawings.
[0035] In operation, the grip assembly 110 may be utilized in a
manner similar to the grip assembly 10. One difference, however, is
that the normally rotatable lower grip 112 may be locked by a user
to substantially prevent rotation relative to the upper grip 114
and the golf club shaft 127. As discussed above, this is
accomplished by rotatably positioning the detent 164 of locking
ring 121 between the locking surfaces 155 of bottom mounting member
120. Another difference is that when the locking ring 121 is in an
unlocked position, the ring will rotate with the lower grip 112
relative to the bottom mounting member 120 during play. Upon
swinging a club and hitting a ball, the rotatable sub-assembly
comprising the lower grip portion 112, the locking ring 121, and
the lower mounting member 116, and thus the primary hand, is
permitted to rotate relative to the substantially fixed
sub-assembly comprising at least the upper grip portion 114 and the
golf club shaft 127, and thus the secondary hand. In the particular
embodiment of FIGS. 4 through 7, the lower mounting member 116
rotates relative to the substantially fixed upper mounting member
118, and the lower grip portion 114 and locking mechanism 121
rotate relative to the substantially fixed bottom mounting member
120.
[0036] In FIGS. 8 and 9, another golf club grip assembly embodying
the present invention is indicated generally by the reference
numeral 210. The grip assembly 210 is substantially similar to the
grip assembly 10 of FIGS. 1 through 3, and therefore like reference
numerals preceded by the numeral 2 are used to reference like
elements. The primary differences between the grip assembly 210 and
the above-described grip assembly 10 are embodied by the grips 212
and 214, and the top mounting member in the form of an end cap 222.
As shown best in FIG. 8, the grips 212 and 214 differ from the
grips 12 and 14 in that they lack external ribs. However, like the
grips described above, each of the grips 212 and 214 define
approximately equal outer diameters on opposite ends of each grip.
Similarly, as shown in FIG. 8, the interior surface 230 of each
grip defines a slight taper from one end to the other in order to
have sufficient draft to release itself from the mold. In addition,
the end cap 222 does not include a plug, but rather is simply
adhesively attached to the end portion of the upper grip 214 by
inserted in the annular protrusion 240 into the recess 256 of the
end cap. If desired, an adhesive may be employed to fixedly secure
the end cap to the upper grip. Thus, the end cap 222 may be mounted
on a golf club shaft 227 having a solid end. Otherwise, the methods
of assembly of the golf club grip assembly 210 are substantially
similar to those described above in connection with the previous
embodiments. In operation, the grip 210 of FIGS. 8 and 9 operates
in a manner substantially similar to that of the grip 10 of FIGS. 1
through 3, except that there are no ribs for placing a user's thumb
therebetween.
[0037] Accordingly, one advantage of the grip assemblies of the
present invention is that they are rotatable during a user's golf
swing, as opposed to being merely adjustable prior to a user's
swing. Thus, grips of the present invention are capable of
isolating the twisting motions of a user's primary hand during a
golf swing.
[0038] Although prior art references show the basic concept of a
golf club grip having a rotatable portion in addition to a fixed
portion, none show both rotatable and fixed grips interchangeably
mountable on a golf club shaft. Therefore, another advantage of the
present invention is that the grips disclosed are interchangeably
mountable as either the fixed or rotatable portions on a golf club
shaft. Such interchangeability of the largest or most expensive
parts of the rotatable grip of the present invention allows for
reduced manufacturing costs as well as reduced replacement parts
inventory requirements, among other advantages recognizable by
those skilled in the pertinent art. Therefore, only one type of
grip portion need be manufactured, stocked, or supplied in order to
practice the invention on a given golf club.
[0039] Another advantage of the present invention is that the only
parts which are individually selected for application to a given
golf club shaft of a particular shape or diameter are the small and
inexpensively manufactured mounting members. In fact, these
mounting members are so inexpensive to manufacture that a plurality
of such mounting members may be included in a retail rotatable grip
retrofit kit at negligible additional expense, thereby facilitating
simple installation of a grip embodying the present invention on a
multitude of different golf club shafts. Accordingly, several sets
of upper and lower mounting members, and bottom mounting members
may be supplied with each pair of identical upper and lower grips,
wherein each set of three mounting members defines respective
internal diameters (or other requisite internal shapes and/or
dimensions) for slidably contacting a respective size and/or type
of golf club shaft. Accordingly, the grip assembly of the present
invention is uniquely adapted to provide one rotatable grip
assembly usable with virtually any size and/or configuration of
golf club shaft
[0040] Another advantage of a preferred embodiment of the present
invention is that the inside dimensions of the rotatable and fixed
grip sections are substantially equal. Thus, upper and lower
mounting members may each be selected from the same group of
mounting members having identical outer mounting surfaces but
varied inner mounting surfaces for mounting on golf club shafts of
various shapes and sizes. This single feature may reduces the
inventory requirements for these mounting members by up to about
50%.
[0041] A further advantage is that the upper and lower mounting
members of the present invention allow a single, interchangeably
mountable upper or lower grip to be adapted for use on a vast
variety of golf club shafts of various shapes and sizes, thus
dividing design, manufacture, and inventory requirements for the
upper and lower grips themselves by a factor far greater than
two.
[0042] Yet another advantage of a preferred embodiment of the
present invention is that the top mounting member is connectable to
two other substantially fixed components on two separate surfaces,
thereby providing for an attachment capable of withstanding forces
in excess of those which might cause a mounting member connectable
to only one component or connectable on only one surface to lose
adhesion. The integral engaging surfaces of the top mounting member
embodying the present invention are also believed to provide for
better adhesion than available under the prior art.
[0043] Another advantage of the present invention is that a user
may be able to hit a golf ball farther and straighter with a
rotatable grip comprising the present invention than with a
conventional fixed or adjustable grip.
[0044] Another advantage of the present invention is that the
rotatable or lower grip portion has outside dimensions
substantially equal to those of the fixed or upper grip portion,
allowing for approximately equal wraparound of a typical user's
hands. This may be a significant advantage for players that tend to
grip the shaft on the lower portion of the grip, particularly when
hitting relatively short strokes.
[0045] Yet another advantage of the present invention is that
injuries to users' muscles and joints may be generally reduced by
providing a rotatable grip to reduce the stress of opposing inputs
from one hand tending to twist a rigid golf club shaft while the
other hand resists the twisting motion.
[0046] As will be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the
pertinent art based on the teachings herein, numerous changes and
modifications may be made to the above-described and other
embodiments of the present invention without departing from its
scope as defined in the appended claims. For example, a locking
mechanism may be mounted at the upper end of the lower grip to
supplement or replace the locking mechanism 121 described above.
Adjustable locking mechanisms also may be used, such as, for
example, a first limiting surface affixed to the lower grip and a
second limiting surface adjustably affixed by a threaded collar to
the golf club shaft, wherein the first and second limiting surfaces
define longitudinally offset cams of generally elliptical surface
and cylindrical cross-section, axially aligned with the golf club
shaft for limiting the angular rotation of the lower grip relative
to the upper grip. Alternatively, a grip assembly having lower and
upper bearing surfaces defining longitudinally offset arc sections
may be used for limiting the angular rotation of the lower grip
relative to the upper grip.
[0047] Also, the upper and lower mounting members or supports
therefor could be split along a longitudinal axis to facilitate
ease of installation on a golf club shaft or to promote a snug fit
on shafts having irregular shapes. Alternatively, a washer of
suitable thickness and of lesser outer diameter than the superior
outer diameters of the lower and upper mounting members, but of
greater inner diameter than that of the lower and upper mounting
members, could be recessed between the upper and lower mounting
members in order to positively center the lower mounting member
relative to the upper mounting member. If desired, a lower grip of
any or no rib design may be paired with a different type upper grip
of no or any rib design in order to suit individual tastes or
applications. Likewise, grips of substantially identical dimensions
may be manufactured to achieve a particular hardness or compliance
to suit individual tastes or applications. These and other
variations recognizable to those skilled in the pertinent art may
be made to a golf club grip assembly embodying the present
invention without departing from the scope and spirit of the
invention. Accordingly, this detailed description of preferred
embodiments is to be taken in an illustrative as opposed to a
limiting sense.
* * * * *