U.S. patent application number 11/329391 was filed with the patent office on 2006-08-03 for golf club grip.
This patent application is currently assigned to VIAMAX INTERNATIONAL LIMITED. Invention is credited to Hong-Sung Chu.
Application Number | 20060172815 11/329391 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35998103 |
Filed Date | 2006-08-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060172815 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chu; Hong-Sung |
August 3, 2006 |
Golf club grip
Abstract
A golf club grip includes a tubular body, a hard shell cap, and
a single-sheet anti-slip skin. The tubular body includes an end
portion having an end face extending transversely of the end
portion, and a vent hole formed in the end face of the end portion.
The end face is flat and has no projection around the vent hole.
The hard shell cap is fastened removably to the end portion of the
tubular body, and includes a cover plate axially covering the vent
hole and projecting radially from the end face of the end portion
of the tubular body, and a skirt portion extending peripherally and
axially from the cover plate and abutting against an end portion of
the single-sheet anti-slip skin. The single-sheet anti-slip skin
covers correspondingly a wall surface of the tubular body.
Inventors: |
Chu; Hong-Sung; (Taipei
City, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FOLEY AND LARDNER LLP;SUITE 500
3000 K STREET NW
WASHINGTON
DC
20007
US
|
Assignee: |
VIAMAX INTERNATIONAL
LIMITED
|
Family ID: |
35998103 |
Appl. No.: |
11/329391 |
Filed: |
January 11, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/300 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 60/50 20151001;
A63B 60/00 20151001; A63B 60/16 20151001; A63B 53/14 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/300 |
International
Class: |
A63B 53/14 20060101
A63B053/14 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 20, 2005 |
TW |
094101660 |
Claims
1. A golf club grip adapted to be mounted on a golf club shaft
having a grip mounting end portion, said golf club grip comprising:
a tubular body adapted to be sleeved around the grip mounting end
portion of the golf club shaft, and including a first end portion
having an end face extending transversely of said first end
portion, a second end portion opposite to said first end portion
and having a ring protruding from said second end portion and
distal from said end face of said first end portion, a tubular wall
surface extending between said first and second end portions, and a
vent hole formed in said end face of said first end portion, said
end face being flat and having no projection around said vent hole;
a hard shell cap fastened removably to said first end portion of
said tubular body, and including a cover plate axially covering
said vent hole and projecting radially from said end face of said
first end portion of said tubular body, and a skirt portion
extending peripherally and axially from said cover plate in a
direction toward said ring of said second end portion of said
tubular body; and a single-sheet anti-slip skin extending around
and covering said tubular wall surface of said tubular body between
said first and second end portions of said tubular body, and having
a first end portion abutting against said ring, and a second end
portion abutting against said skirt portion.
2. The golf club grip as claimed in claim 1, wherein said skirt
portion of said cap overlaps said second end portion of said
anti-slip skin, and has an inner surface abutting against said
second end portion of said anti-slip skin.
3. The golf club grip as claimed in claim 1, wherein said skirt
portion of said cap has a substantially annular end face opposite
to said cover plate of said cap, said second end portion of said
anti-slip skin having a substantially annular end face abutting
against said substantially annular end face of said skirt portion
of said cap.
4. The golf club grip as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a
fastening member to fasten said skirt portion of said cap to said
first end portion of said tubular body.
5. The golf club grip as claimed in claim 4, wherein said fastening
member includes at least one fastening element, said first end
portion of said tubular body having at least one fastening hole,
said skirt portion of said cap including at least one through hole
aligned with said fastening hole so as to enable said fastening
element to penetrate through said through hole and to engage said
fastening hole.
6. The golf club grip as claimed in claim 4, wherein said fastening
member includes at least one fastening element protruding from said
skirt portion of said cap, and at least one hole formed in said
first end portion of said tubular body and receiving said fastening
element.
7. The golf club grip as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cap
further includes a peripheral flange that protrudes from said cover
plate opposite to said skirt portion.
8. The golf club grip as claimed in claim 7, wherein said cap
further includes at least one inserting recess formed in said cover
plate of said cap, and at least one decorative member inserted in
said inserting recess.
9. The golf club grip as claimed in claim 8, wherein said cap
further includes a protecting lid that engages said peripheral
flange.
10. The golf club grip as claimed in claim 7, wherein said cap
includes a decoration recess confined by said peripheral flange,
and a decorative member disposed in said decoration recess.
11. The golf club grip as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a
binding layer disposed between said tublar body and said anti-slip
skin.
12. The golf club grip as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tubular
body is made by molding.
13. The golf club grip as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
anti-slip skin is a tailored sheet.
14. The golf club grip as claimed in claim 1, wherein said hard
shell cap is made of a material selected from the group consisting
of rubber, plastic, stainless steel, iron, aluminum, gold, gold
alloy, silver, and wood.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority of Taiwanese Application
No. 094101660, filed on Jan. 20, 2005.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The invention relates to a golf club grip, more particularly
to a golf club grip which has a cap that is easy to assemble and
which has a flexible design to meet various specific demands.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 2,721,741 discloses a grip piece for a golf
club shaft. The grip piece includes a hollow cap portion and a
strip portion integrated with the cap portion. The cap portion is
adapted to fit over an end of the shaft on which the grip piece is
attached. Inside an end of the cap is a key, which fits into a
corresponding slot in the end of the shaft. The grip piece is
assembled by wrapping the strip portion around the shaft and
fastening its free end to the shaft with wrapping or the like. The
cap portion is then pulled out from the shaft end and twisted in
the direction of twist in the strip portion to tighten and even the
strip portion on the shaft. Finally, the cap portion is let back on
the end of the shaft, taking care to force the key into the slot in
the end of the shaft. In practice, however, it is relatively
difficult for a golf player to force the key into the slot in the
end of the shaft.
[0006] Referring to FIG. 1, U.S. Pat. No. 5,816,933 discloses a
golf club shaft grip which includes an elongated resilient strip 11
spirally wrapped about a golf club shaft 10, and an annular cap 12
telescopically received by an upper end of the shaft 10 to restrain
the strip 11 from unraveling relative to the shaft 10. The strip 11
has an open-pored felt layer adhered to the golf club shaft 10, and
a smooth closed pore polyurethane layer bonded to the felt layer.
The cap 12 includes an inner skirt 120 and an outer skirt 121. The
cap 12 is secured to an upper open end of the shaft 10 in a manner
in which the inner skirt 120 is tightly and telescopically received
by the upper open end of the shaft 10 and in which the outer skirt
64 can tightly and telescopically enclose the first wrap of the
strip 11. However, the cap 12 is liable to disengage from the upper
open end of the shaft 10 after a period of use. Furthermore, since
the strip 11 is relatively thin, the application of the grip to
various sizes of golf club shafts is limited.
[0007] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, in Taiwanese Patent Publication
No. 559,098, there is disclosed a golf club grip 2 including an
inner tubular body 20, an anti-slip skin 21, and a rigid cap 22.
The tubular body 20 includes a first end portion 202, a second end
portion 201 opposite to the first end portion 202, and a tubular
wall surface 200 extending between the first and second end
portions 202, 201. The first end portion 202 has a cross section
larger than that of the tubular wall surface 200, and is formed
with a vent hole 2030 in a top face thereof and a projection 203
around the event hole 2030. The second end portion 201 is formed as
a ring. The anti-slip skin 21 is a tailored sheet, and extends
around and covers the tubular wall surface 200 of the tubular body
20 between the first and second end portions 202, 201 of the
tubular body 20. The anti-slip skin 21 has a first end portion 211
abutting against the second end portion 201 of the tubular body 20,
and a second end portion 212 proximate to the first end portion 202
of the tubular body 20. A gap 222 is formed between the second end
portion 212 of the anti-slip skin 21 and the first end portion 202
of the tubular body 20. The cap 22 includes a cover plate 223
having a fastening hold 220, and a skirt portion 221 extending
peripherally and axially from the cover plate 223 in a direction
toward the second end portion 201 of the tubular body 20. The cap
22 can be fastened to the first end portion 202 of the tubular body
20 by engaging the fastening hole 220 to the projection 203 of the
first end portion 202 of the tubular body 20.
[0008] While production efficiency of the golf club grip 2 is
increased, the fastening hole 220 of the cap 22 is required for
fastening the cap 22 to the first end portion 202 of the tubular
body 20. Since the cover plate 223 of the cap 22 is not formed with
a continuously smooth top face, the integral appearance of the
cover plate 223 of the cap 22 is destroyed, and the flexibility in
the selection of materials and in the design of the golf club grip
is limited.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide
a golf club grip which can overcome the shortcomings of the
aforesaid prior art.
[0010] Accordingly, the golf club grip of this invention includes a
tubular body, a hard shell cap, and a single-sheet anti-slip
skin.
[0011] The tubular body is adapted to be sleeved around a grip
mounting end portion of a golf club shaft, and includes a first end
portion having an end face extending transversely of the first end
portion, a second end portion opposite to the first end portion and
having a ring protruding from the second end portion and distal
from the end face of the first end portion, a tubular wall surface
extending between the first and second end portions, and a vent
hole formed in the end face of the first end portion. The end face
is flat and has no projection around the vent hole.
[0012] The hard shell cap is fastened removably to the first end
portion of the tubular body, and includes a cover plate axially
covering the vent hole and projecting radially from the end face of
the first end portion of the tubular body, and a skirt portion
extending-peripherally and axially from the cover plate in a
direction toward the ring of the second end portion of the tubular
body.
[0013] The single-sheet anti-slip skin extends around and covers
the tubular wall surface of the tubular body between the first and
second end portions of the tubular body, and has a first end
portion abutting against the ring, and a second end portion
abutting against the skirt portion.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] Other features and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent in the following detailed description of the
preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings,
of which:
[0015] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a conventional golf club shaft
grip;
[0016] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of another
conventional golf club grip;
[0017] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the conventional golf club
grip of FIG. 2;
[0018] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the first
preferred embodiment of a golf club grip according to this
invention;
[0019] FIG. 5 is a fragmentary axial sectional view of the first
preferred embodiment;
[0020] FIG. 6 is a radial sectional view of the first preferred
embodiment showing a connection manner of edge portions of an
anti-slip skin used in the preferred embodiment;
[0021] FIG. 7 is a radial sectional view of the first preferred
embodiment showing another connection manner of the edge portions
of the anti-slip skin used in the preferred embodiment;
[0022] FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view of the second
preferred embodiment of a golf club grip according to this
invention;
[0023] FIG. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view of the third
preferred embodiment of a golf club grip according to this
invention;
[0024] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the third preferred
embodiment;
[0025] FIG. 11 is a fragmentary sectional view of the fourth
preferred embodiment of a golf club grip according to this
invention;
[0026] FIG. 12 is a fragmentary sectional view of the fifth
preferred embodiment of a golf club grip according to this
invention; and
[0027] FIG. 13 is a fragmentary sectional view of a variant of the
fifth preferred embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0028] Before the present invention is described in greater detail,
it should be noted that like elements are denoted by the same
reference numerals throughout the disclosure.
[0029] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the first preferred embodiment
of a golf club grip 3 according to this invention is shown to be
adapted to be mounted on a golf club shaft 40 having a grip
mounting end portion 41. The golf club grip 3 includes a tubular
body 5, a hard shell cap 7, and a single-sheet anti-slip skin
6.
[0030] The tubular body 5 is adapted to be sleeved around the grip
mounting end portion 41 of the golf club shaft 40, and includes a
first end portion 52 having an end face 521 extending transversely
of the first end portion 52, a second end portion 51 opposite to
the first end portion 52 and having a ring 511 protruding outwardly
from the second end portion 51 and distal from the end face 521 of
the first end portion 52, a tubular wall surface 54 extending
between the first and second end portions 52, 51, and a vent hole
520 formed in the end face 521 of the first end portion 52. The end
face 521 is flat and has no projection around the vent hole 520.
The end face 521 can be planar or convex. The tubular body 5 can be
adhered to the grip mounting end portion 41 of the golf club shaft
40 using a double-sided adhesive tape 31 or other suitable adhesive
medium. The tubular body 5 can be made by molding any suitable
material, such as rubber, thermoplastic elastomer, plastic, or the
like.
[0031] The hard shell cap 7 is fastened removably to the first end
portion 52 of the tubular body 5, and includes a cap body 70. The
cap body 70 has a cover plate 700 axially covering the vent hole
520 and projecting radially outward from the end face 521 of the
first end portion 52 of the tubular body 5, and a skirt portion 701
extending peripherally and axially from the cover plate 700 in a
direction toward the ring 511 of the second end portion 51 of the
tubular body 5. Preferably, the skirt portion 701 of the cap body
70 has a length ranging from 4 to 22 mm to overlap the second end
portion 61 of the anti-slip skin 6, as best shown in FIG. 5. The
cover plate 700 has a flat inner surface corresponding to the end
face 521 of the first end portion 52 of the tubular body 5. The
diameter of the flat inner surface of the cover plate 700 is
greater than that of the end face 521 of the first end portion 52
of the tubular body 5, but not greater than twice thickness of the
anti-slip skin 6. Therefore, the skirt portion 701 of the cap body
70 can be sleeved firmly on the anti-slip skin 6 and the first end
portion 52 of the tubular body 6. The cap body 70 is made of any
suitable material, such as rubber, plastic, stainless steel, iron,
aluminum, gold, gold alloy, silver, wood, or the like.
[0032] The cap body 70 further includes a peripheral flange 702
that protrudes from the cover plate 700 opposite to the skirt
portion 701, a plurality of inserting recesses 703 formed in the
cover plate 700 of the cap body 70, and a plurality of decorative
members 72 (such as gemstones, enamel, or the like) inserted
respectively in the inserting recesses 703.
[0033] The hard shell cap 7 further includes a fastening member 71
to fasten the skirt portion 701 of the cap body 70 to the first end
portion 52 of the tubular body 5. Preferably, the fastening member
71 is composed of a plurality of fastening elements 711, such as
tapping screws. The first end portion 52 of the tubular body 5 has
a plurality of fastening holes 523. The skirt portion 701 of the
cap body 700 includes a plurality of through holes 704 respectively
aligned with the fastening holes 523 so as to enable the fastening
elements 711 to penetrate through the through holes 704,
correspondingly, and to engage the fastening holes 523,
respectively.
[0034] The single-sheet anti-slip skin 6 extends around and covers
the tubular wall surface 54 of the tubular body 5 between the first
and second end portions 52, 51 of the tubular body 5, and has a
first end portion 60 abutting against the ring 511, and a second
end portion 61 abutting against the skirt portion 701. In this
embodiment, the skirt portion 701 of the cap body 70 overlaps the
second end portion 61 of the anti-slip skin 6. In particular, the
skirt portion 701 of the cap body 70 has an inner surface 7011
abutting against the second end portion 61 of the anti-slip skin 6.
Preferably, the anti-slip skin 6 is a tailored sheet made of
natural leather, synthetic leather, cloth, other fibrillous
material, or the like. Preferably, the anti-slip skin 6 is adhered
to the tubular wall surface 54 of the tubular body 5 using a
suitable binding layer 30, such as a resin layer.
[0035] Referring to FIG. 6, two edges portions 62, 63 of the
anti-slip skin 6 abut against each other along an axial direction
of the tubular body 5. Referring to FIG. 7, alternatively, the edge
portions 62, 63 of the anti-slip skin 6 can be formed respectively
with short butt sections 620, 630 that overlap each other along a
transverse direction transverse to the axial direction. The total
thickness of the butt sections 620, 630 should be equal to the
thickness of the anti-slip skin 6 so as to result in a neat joint
for the butt sections 620, 630 along the axial direction of the
tubular body 5.
[0036] Since the skirt portion 701 of the cap body 700 overlaps the
second end portion 61 of the anti-slip skin 6, the outer appearance
of the golf club grip 3 will not be affected even though a
clearance is formed between the second end portion 61 of the
anti-slip skin 6 and the first end portion 52 of the tubular body 6
due to a manufacturing tolerance of the tubular body 5.
Furthermore, due to the absence of the projection 203 around the
vent hole 2030, which is required in the prior art of FIGS. 2 and 3
described hereinabove, the cover plate 700 of the cap 7 has a
continuous top surface, which can be utilized sufficiently.
Therefore, there is greater flexibility in the selection of
materials and in the design of the golf club grip 3.
[0037] The golf club grip 3 of this invention can be assembled with
relative ease through the following steps:
[0038] 1) adhering the anti-slip skin 6 to the tubular wall surface
54 of the tubular body 5;
[0039] 2) mounting the tubular body 5 adhered with the anti-slip
skin 6 on the grip mounting end portion 41 of the golf club shaft
40; and
[0040] 3) mounting and fastening the hard shell cap 7 to the first
end portion 52 of the tubular body 5.
[0041] When it is desired to remove the hard shell cap 7 from the
tubular body 5, such as when replacing with a new cap, the
fastening member 71 is first loosened to remove the cap body 70
such that a new cap body can be mounted and fastened afterward.
[0042] Referring to FIG. 8, the second preferred embodiment of a
golf club grip 3 according to this invention is shown to be similar
to the first preferred embodiment. However, in this embodiment, the
hard shell cap 7 further includes a protecting lid 73 which is made
of an anti-abrasive material, such as crystal glass. The peripheral
flange 702 is formed with an engaging portion 7020. The protecting
lid 73 engages the engaging portion 7020 of the peripheral flange
702.
[0043] Alternatively, the peripheral flange 702 of the hard shell
cap 7 can be made of a material different from that of the cover
plate 700 of the hard shell cap 7 so as to enhance aesthetic appeal
of the hard shell cap 7. For example, the peripheral flange 702 of
the hard shell cap 7 can be made of gold alloy, and the cover plate
700 of the hard shell cap 7 can be made of stainless steel.
[0044] Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, the third preferred embodiment
of a golf club grip 3 according to this invention is shown to be
similar to the first preferred embodiment. However, in this
embodiment, the hard shell cap 7 includes a decoration recess 705
confined by the peripheral flange 702, and a decorative member 72
(such as sapphire, emerald, or other gemstones) disposed in the
decoration recess 705. Furthermore, in this preferred embodiment,
the cover plate 700 of the hard shell cap 7 has a flat top surface
that does not include the inserting recesses 703 and the decorative
members 72 of the first and second preferred embodiments.
[0045] Referring to FIG. 11, the fourth preferred embodiment of a
golf club grip 3 according to this invention is shown to be similar
to the first preferred embodiment. However, in this embodiment, the
fastening member 71 includes a plurality of fastening elements 802
protruding inwardly from the skirt portion 701 of the cap body 70,
and a plurality of blind holes 524 formed in the first end portion
52 of the tubular body 5 and receiving the fastening elements 802,
respectively, so as to fasten the hard shell cap 7 on the first end
portion 52 of the tubular body 5. Furthermore, in this preferred
embodiment, there are no through holes 704 on the outer surface of
the skirt portion 701, therefore providing an extra continuous
space for commercial design.
[0046] Referring to FIG. 12, the fifth preferred embodiment of a
golf club grip 3 according to this invention is shown to be similar
to the fourth preferred embodiment. However, the fastening
mechanism used in the first preferred embodiment is employed in
this preferred embodiment.
[0047] Referring to FIG. 13, alternatively, the skirt portion 701
of the cap body 70 has a substantially annular end face 7012
opposite to the cover plate 700 of the cap body 70. The second end
portion 61 of the anti-slip skin 6 has a substantially annular end
face 611 abutting against the substantially annular end face 7012
of the skirt portion 701 of the cap body 70.
[0048] While the present invention has been described in connection
with what is considered the most practical and preferred
embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to
the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various
arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest
interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and
equivalent arrangements.
* * * * *