U.S. patent application number 09/779029 was filed with the patent office on 2002-08-08 for grip for sporting implement.
Invention is credited to Lamkin, Michael E., Lamkin, Robert E..
Application Number | 20020107088 09/779029 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25115096 |
Filed Date | 2002-08-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020107088 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lamkin, Robert E. ; et
al. |
August 8, 2002 |
Grip for sporting implement
Abstract
A grip for a sporting implement includes an underlisting of an
elastic material and in one embodiment a removable sleeve adapted
to be releasably seated in an annular recess in the underlisting
and in a second embodiment a material is molded into the annular
recess of the underlisting and in both embodiments, any desired
pattern can be formed in the outer surface of the grip and of any
desired color.
Inventors: |
Lamkin, Robert E.; (Bonita,
CA) ; Lamkin, Michael E.; (Chula Vista, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DORSEY & WHITNEY, LLP
SUITE 4700
370 SEVENTEENTH STREET
DENVER
CO
80202-5647
US
|
Family ID: |
25115096 |
Appl. No.: |
09/779029 |
Filed: |
February 7, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/300 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 60/16 20151001;
A63B 53/14 20130101; A63B 60/00 20151001 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/300 |
International
Class: |
A63B 053/14 |
Claims
We claim:
1. A grip for a sporting implement having a shaft with a butt end
and a tip end comprising in combination: an elongated underlisting
having an axial recess therein, said underlisting being
positionable on said butt end of said shaft with the butt end of
the shaft received in said axial recess and having an outer
generally cylindrical surface, said underlisting further including
an annular recess in said outer surface, an elongated outer sleeve
having an axial passage therein and an outer surface adapted to be
gripped by a user of the implement, said axial passage in said
outer sleeve receiving said underlisting such that said outer
sleeve is seated in said annular recess of said underlisting, and
cooperating inhibitors on said underlisting and said outer sleeve
to inhibit relative axial movement between said underlisting and
said outer sleeve.
2. The grip of claim 1 wherein said cooperating inhibitors include
a cooperating tongue and groove on said underlisting and outer
sleeve.
3. The grip of claim 2 wherein said tongue and groove inhibitors
are in the form of an annular bead and groove with the bead being
on one of said underlisting, and outer sleeve and the groove being
on the other of said underlisting and outer sleeve.
4. The grip of claim 3 wherein there are two of said cooperating
inhibitors at axially spaced locations along the length of said
underlisting and outer sleeve.
5. The grip of claim 2 wherein said underlisting includes annular
collars at opposite ends thereof defining said annular recess
between said collars.
6. The grip of claim 5 wherein said cooperating inhibitor on said
underlisting is positioned within said annular recess.
7. The grip of claim 1 wherein said cooperating inhibitors include
an annular bead in said annular recess of said underlisting and a
mating annular groove in said outer sleeve adapted to be aligned
with said annular bead when said outer sleeve is received on said
underlisting in said annular recess.
8. The grip of claim 1 wherein said underlisting is made of a
harder material than said outer sleeve.
9. The grip of claim 8 wherein said underlisting and outer sleeve
are both made of vulcanized rubber.
10. The grip of claim 9 wherein said underlisting has a durometer
rating in the range of 65-75 and the outer sleeve has a durometer
rating in the range of 35-40.
11. A grip for a sporting implement having a shaft with a butt end
and a tip end comprising in combination: an elongated underlisting
having an axial recess therein, said underlisting being
positionable on said butt end of said shaft with the butt end of
the shaft received in said axial recess, and an annular body molded
onto said underlisting defining an outer gripping surface for a
user of the implement.
12. The grip of claim 11 wherein said underlisting and annular body
are made of different materials.
13. The grip of claim 12 wherein said annular body is made of a
softer material than said underlisting.
14. The grip of claim 13 wherein the durometer rating of said
underlisting is in the range of 65 to 70, and the durometer rating
of said annular body is in the range of 35 to 40.
15. The grip of claim 11 wherein said underlisting includes an
annular recess along its length and said annular body is disposed
in said annular recess.
16. The grip of claim 15 wherein said underlisting includes an
annular collar at opposite ends thereof and said annular recess is
disposed between said annular collars.
17. A method of manufacturing a grip for a sporting implement
comprising the steps of: forming a tubular underlisting of an
elastic material defining a hollow core, placing a mandrel in the
hollow core, forming a mold having a cavity therein of slightly
larger dimension than said tubular underlisting and with a
passageway for injecting a moldable material into said cavity,
placing the tubular underlisting with the mandrel in the cavity,
and injecting a moldable material into the cavity to form an
annular body of said moldable material around said tubular
underlisting.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein the moldable material is
polyurethane.
19. The method of claim 17 wherein said cavity has a recessed
pattern formed in the walls thereof so that the pattern is molded
into said annular body.
20. The method of claim 17 wherein said mold is a two-piece
mold.
21. The method of claim 17 wherein said tubular underlisting is
formed with an annular recess and said moldable material is
injected into the mold so as only to occupy said annular recess.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] A grip for a sporting implement includes an underlisting
adapted to be received on the handle of the sporting implement and
a sleeve or molded body of material received on the
underlisting.
[0003] 2. Description of the Relevant Art
[0004] Grips for sporting implements have taken numerous forms over
a long period of time with early grips for golf clubs, tennis
rackets and the like simply consisting of a wrap of material, such
as leather, in a helical pattern around the handle portion of the
sporting implement. Through the years such wrap type grips became
more sophisticated in that the leather, and in more recent times,
polyurethane, which was wrapped around the handle of the sporting
implement was wrapped onto an elastic underlisting which typically
takes the form of vulcanized rubber. In the case of golf clubs, the
underlisting is a hollow tubular body having an end cap that is
adapted to be slid over the butt end of the golf club shaft and
defines a seating area where a strip of leather or synthetic
material can be wrapped about the underlisting. The underlisting,
of course, gives a softer surface on which to wrap the leather or
synthetic material thereby providing a different gripping
relationship between an athlete and the sporting implement.
[0005] In the sport of golf, grips evolved from the wrap type grip
to simply vulcanized rubber sleeves that were slipped over the butt
end of the club but had the drawback of being worn fairly quickly
so that the surface of the grip became slippery and undesirable
from a performance standpoint. Such vulcanized rubber grips are
still in use and utilize various recessed patterns on the surface
thereof to improve the gripping surface. Another prevalent problem
with conventional vulcanized rubber tubular grips resides in the
fact that once the grip becomes slippery and is therefore
undesirable from a performance standpoint, the entire grip must be
replaced which is expensive and time consuming.
[0006] Wrap-type grips have always been used but are gaining
increased popularity with the advent of alternative materials from
which to form the strip of material that is wrapped about the
underlisting. For example, polyurethanes have become a popular
material for the strip of wrap material. One disadvantage with wrap
materials resides in the manufacturing process which is fairly time
consuming in that the strip of leather or synthetic material needs
to be carefully wrapped onto an underlisting either prior to or
after the underlisting has been mounted on the shaft of the
sporting implement.
[0007] Accordingly, it would be desirable in the field of sporting
equipment to provide a grip that can be replaced easily and quickly
and/or a grip that simulates a wrap type grip that does not require
the time consuming task of actually wrapping a strip of leather or
synthetic material about an underlisting.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present invention relates to a grip utilizing an
underlisting and in one embodiment a removable sleeve easily
mountable and removable from the underlisting and in another
embodiment a moldable material molded directly onto the
underlisting.
[0009] In the first embodiment, an underlisting of tubular
configuration and having an end cap adapted to abut the end of a
sporting implement such as a golf club is provided with an annular
recess that extends substantially from one end of the underlisting
to the other end. A tubular sleeve is adapted to be removably
seated in the annular recess and is retained in position by collars
at opposite ends of the underlisting and by cooperating inhibitors
provided in an external surface of the annular recessed area of the
underlisting and an internal surface of the tubular sleeve. The
inhibitors in a preferred embodiment consist of an annular bead on
one of the underlisting or outer sleeve and a cooperating annular
groove on the other of the underlisting or outer sleeve with the
inhibitors cooperating with the collars at opposite ends of the
underlisting in releasably securing the sleeve in position.
[0010] The outer surface of the tubular sleeve can include any form
of recessed pattern to provide a desired gripping surface and
further the sleeve as well as the underlisting can be made of any
desired color to add variety to the features of the grip.
Typically, the underlisting would be of a harder material than the
tubular sleeve but could be made of the same material with the
underlisting having a higher durometer rating than the tubular
sleeve.
[0011] The second embodiment of the invention incorporates an
underlisting defining a seating surface around its outer perimeter
to which a body of material is directly molded. Desirably, the
molded body surrounding the underlisting is softer than the
underlisting material itself to provide a desired gripping surface
while the underlisting provides the desired stability or base for
the grip.
[0012] The grip can be manufactured by providing an underlisting
into which a mandrel is inserted prior to placing the underlisting
and mandrel combination in a mold having a cavity that
substantially conforms with but is slightly larger than the outer
dimension of the underlisting. The mold includes an injection
passage so that the moldable material can be injected into the
cavity around the mandrel reinforced underlisting until the
material is molded to and forms a desired outer gripping surface
for the grip.
[0013] The mold cavity could have any pattern formed therein so
that the outer surface of the molded body of the grip is desirably
textured to enhance the gripping features.
[0014] While a grip formed in accordance with the present invention
would find use on numerous types of sporting implements, it will be
described in connection with a golf club but the description is not
intended to be limiting on the field of use of the grip.
[0015] Other aspects, features and details of the present invention
can be more completely understood by reference to the following
detailed description of a preferred embodiment, taken in
conjunction with the drawings and from the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a golf club incorporating a
first embodiment of the grip of the present invention.
[0017] FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary isometric view showing
the grip portion of the golf club illustrated in FIG. 1.
[0018] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the grip incorporated onto the
golf club of FIG. 1.
[0019] FIG. 4 is a partially exploded isometric view showing the
sleeve of the grip of FIG. 1 being slid upon the underlisting.
[0020] FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the assembled grip of FIG. 1
in alignment with the butt end of a golf club shaft on which the
grip is to be mounted.
[0021] FIG. 6 is a section taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 2.
[0022] FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken along line
7-7 of FIG. 6.
[0023] FIG. 8 is an enlarged section taken along line 8-8 of FIG.
6.
[0024] FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken along line
9-9 of FIG. 6.
[0025] FIG. 10 is an fragmentary section similar to FIG. 7
illustrating the butt end of the underlisting of the grip.
[0026] FIG. 11 is a fragmentary section similar to FIG. 9 showing
the tip end of the underlisting.
[0027] FIG. 12 is a fragmentary section similar to FIG. 7 showing
the butt end of the tubular sleeve.
[0028] FIG. 13 is a fragmentary section similar to FIG. 9 showing
the tip end of the tubular sleeve.
[0029] FIG. 14 is an isometric view of one embodiment of the
tubular sleeve of the grip of FIG. 1.
[0030] FIG. 15 is an isometric similar to FIG. 14 showing a second
embodiment of the tubular sleeve.
[0031] FIG. 16 is an isometric similar to FIG. 14 showing still
another embodiment of the tubular sleeve.
[0032] FIG. 17 is an isometric exploded view of a mold for forming
the second embodiment of the present invention and with an
underlisting shown displaced therefrom.
[0033] FIG. 18 is an isometric view of the mold of FIG. 17 shown in
a closed position and with hidden components of the mold and the
underlisting therein being shown in dashed lines.
[0034] FIG. 19 is a section taken along line 19-19 of FIG. 18.
[0035] FIG. 20 is a fragmentary isometric view of a grip formed
with the mold illustrated in FIG. 17-20 and with the grip mounted
on a golf club shaft.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0036] A golf club shaft 22 incorporating a first embodiment of the
grip of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The grip
24, which is possibly best seen in FIGS. 3-5 is a two-piece grip
including an underlisting 26 and an outer tubular sleeve 28. As
will be explained in more detail later, the outer sleeve 28 is
adapted to be releasably seated on the underlisting 26 so that it
can be replaced without replacing the underlisting to save time and
expense in providing a new gripping surface for the club 22.
[0037] The underlisting 26 is an elongated tubular body made of an
elastic material such as vulcanized or synthetic rubber. While the
durometer rating of the rubber could be as desired for a particular
application, it has been found that a durometer rating of 65 to 70
provides desirable results for a golf club. The underlisting is of
hollow tubular construction having an axial recess 29 therein with
the underlisting tapering slightly in a converging manner on both
its inner and outer surfaces from a butt end to a tip end so as to
conform with the taper of the golf club shaft. The taper of the
outer surface can be varied as desired to vary the gripping surface
of the grip as will become clear later. The underlisting has a
collar 30 at the butt end of the club in the form of an end cap and
a collar 32 at the tip end in the form of a tapered frustconical
body. Between the end cap 30 and the tip collar 32 is an annular
recessed region 34 defining a seating surface for the outer sleeve
28. An inhibitor in the form of an annular bead 36 is formed in the
annular recessed area 34 immediately adjacent to the collars at the
butt and tip end of the underlisting which, as will be explained
later, cooperate with mating inhibitors on the outer sleeve 28 to
assist in retaining the outer sleeve in the annular recess of the
underlisting. A passageway 38 is provided through the end cap 30,
as with most golf grips, which functions as a vent to facilitate
mounting of the underlisting on the butt end of the golf club shaft
22.
[0038] The outer sleeve 28 is a tubular member that is also of
somewhat tapered construction to conform with the taper on the
underlisting 26. The outer sleeve has an inner generally
cylindrical surface 40 that is of a diameter slightly less than the
outer diameter of the annular recess 34 in the underlisting and is
tapered in conformity with the taper of the annular recess 34 in
the underlisting. The diameter of the outer surface 42 of the outer
sleeve 28, or the gripping surface of the grip, conforms
substantially to the diameter of the end cap 30 and the tip collar
32 of the underlisting, and the outer surface is tapered in
conformity with the desired taper of the gripping surface of the
grip. Adjacent to the butt end and the tip end of the outer sleeve,
an annular groove 44 is provided in the inner surface 40 that is
adapted to mate with the annular beads 36 on the underlisting 26 so
that when the outer sleeve is seated in the annular recess of the
underlisting, the annular beads 36 are retained within the annular
grooves 44 to inhibit movement of the outer sleeve. The outer
sleeve can be made of any suitable material but a vulcanized or
synthetic rubber has been found suitable. Further, while the
durometer rating of the outer sleeve could be in any desirable
range for the purpose intended, for a golf club a durometer rating
in the range of 35 to 40 has been found desirable. When assembling
the grip 24 on a golf club, the outer sleeve 28 is first advanced
over the butt end of the golf club shaft 22 with the tip end
leading as the sleeve is slid over the butt end of the shaft. The
sleeve is advanced far enough along the shaft so that the
underlisting 26 can next be mounted on the butt end of the shaft in
a conventional manner without interference from the sleeve. A
double-faced adhesive tape or the like (not shown) is preferably
placed around the butt end of the shaft and a solvent exposed
thereto prior to mounting the underlisting so that the underlisting
can be easily slid onto the shaft in a conventional manner and be
gripped by the adhesive once the solvent has evaporated.
[0039] With the underlisting 26 mounted on the butt end of the
shaft 22 so that the end cap 30 abuts the butt end of the shaft,
the outer sleeve 28 is slid upwardly as illustrated in FIG. 4 onto
the underlisting until the outer sleeve is seated within the
annular recess 34 of the underlisting with the annular grooves 44
receiving and mating with the annular beads 36.
[0040] The outer sleeve 28 is shown fully mounted on the
underlisting 26 in FIGS. 6-9 with FIGS. 7-9 being cross-sectional
views illustrating the relationship of the outer sleeve to the
underlisting and the underlisting to the shaft 22 of the golf
club.
[0041] FIGS. 14-16 illustrate various surface finishes for the
outer sleeve 28 and as will be appreciated, the outer surface can
be preformed in a molding process to simulate a wrap type grip as
in FIG. 14, a dimpled pattern as in FIG. 15, or a stippled pattern
as in FIG. 16. Any desired pattern can be molded into the outer
surface of the sleeve as would be within the skill of those in the
art.
[0042] The second embodiment 50 (FIGS. 19 and 20) of the grip of
the present invention consists of an underlisting 26 of the type
described previously, which may or may not include the annular
beads 36. For purposes of the present disclosure, the underlisting
26 has been shown to be identical to that previously described but
underlistings of other configurations could be utilized.
[0043] In forming the second embodiment of the grip of the present
invention, a mold 54 is provided having upper and lower halves 56
and 58, respectively, with confronting faces 60 with cavities 62
defined therein. The cavities are positioned so as to be
confronting when the mold halves are positioned in face to face
confronting relationship to define a joined cavity 63. Accordingly,
each cavity is of substantially semicylindrical configuration so
that when they are in confronting relationship, the joined cavity
63 conforms with a finished grip 50 and is adapted to receive and
seat an underlisting 26 prior to a molding process. It will
therefore be appreciated that the completed or joined cavity formed
from the cavities 62 in the two mold halves 56 and 58 are slightly
larger in configuration than the underlisting 26 with the joined
cavity conforming precisely at tip and butt ends to the tip collar
32 of the underlisting and the end cap 30, respectively. The joined
cavity 63 is formed to be slightly larger than the annular recess
34 in the underlisting so that when the underlisting is positioned
in the joined cavity 63, an annular space 66 is defined between the
annular recess 34 and the walls of the joined cavity. A moldable
material 68 can be injected into the annular space 66.
[0044] Each mold half has half of an injection passage 70 formed
therein and with one half passage 72 adapted to confront a
corresponding half passage 74 in the other mold half so that the
moldable material 68 can be injected into the cavity 63 through the
injection passage 70 when the underlisting 26 is positioned
therein. As is conventional in injection molding, a vent passage 76
is also defined by two vent passage halves 78 and 80 in each of the
mold halves 56 and 58, respectively, that communicates with an
opposite end of the joined cavity 63 from the injection passage
70.
[0045] The mold halves include alignment pins 82 and holes 84 so
that when the halves are placed in face to face relationship as
shown in FIG. 18, the cavity and passage halves are
confronting.
[0046] Prior to molding, a cylindrical mandrel 86 is positioned in
the hollow interior of the underlisting 26 to support the
underlisting, and the underlisting is then positioned within the
cavity 62 on one half of the mold. The other half of the mold is
then positioned in confronting relationship as shown in FIG. 18,
and the mold halves clamped or otherwise held together. With the
mold halves clamped together, the underlisting is confined within
the joined cavity 63 and held in position so as to define the
annular gap 66 around the annular recess 34 in the underlisting.
The moldable material 68 is thereafter injected into the mold
through the injection passage 70 and allowed to flow into the
annular gap as air in the annular gap is vented through the vent
passage 76. Once the entire annular gap 66 has been filled with the
moldable material, the injection of the moldable material is
terminated and the moldable material allowed to cure. The movement
of the moldable material 68 from the injection passage 70 toward
the vent passage 76 is illustrated in FIG. 19.
[0047] After the moldable material has cured, the mold halves 56
and 58 are separated and the completed grip 50 removed from the
mold. Finally, the mandrel 86 is removed from the underlisting
26.
[0048] A recessed pattern (FIG. 17) can be provided in each cavity
of the mold halves to define a desired recessed pattern for the
outer surface of the molded body 88 (FIG. 20) of the grip. Of
course, the pattern can be any desired pattern including those
illustrated in FIGS. 14-16.
[0049] The underlisting 26 for the molded grip could, as described
previously, be a vulcanized or synthetic rubber and while the
durometer rating of the rubber could be chosen for a selected use,
for golf club grips, a durometer rating in the range of 65 to 70
has been found desirable. The moldable material 68 could be any
suitable material but a polyurethane material has been found
desirable. The polyurethane could take on various desired
characteristics depending upon the intended use but a polyurethane
having a durometer rating in the range of 35 to 40 has shown to be
desirable.
[0050] Although the present invention has been described with a
certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present
disclosure has been made by way of example, and changes in detail
or structure may be made without departing from the spirit of the
invention as defined in the appended claims.
* * * * *