A golf club shaft grip having a polyurethane layer bonded to a felt layer. The bonded-together layers are configured as a strip which is spirally wrapped about the shaft. A cap is then telescopically applied over the upper end of the shaft to prevent unraveling of the strip from the shaft.
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0. 14. A grip for a golf club shaft, said grip including a strip having an open-pored felt layer having an inner surface and a smooth closed pore polyurethane layer having its inner surface bonded to the outer surface of the felt layer, with the pores of such polyurethane layer extending generally normal to the longitudinal axis of the strip, and with the felt layer providing strength for the polyurethane layer while the polyurethane layer both absorbs shocks and provides tackiness so as to inhibit slippage of a user's hand relative to the shaft; and
heat compressed reinforcing side edges being formed in the polyurethane layer of the strip along the length of the strip.
0. 12. The combination of a golf club shaft having an upper grip-receiving portion and a grip, wherein the combination includes a strip having an open-pored felt layer having an inner surface and a smooth closed pore polyurethane layer having its inner surface bonded to the outer surface of the felt layer, with the pores of such polyurethane layer extending generally normal to the longitudinal axis of the strip, and with the felt layer providing strength for the polyurethane layer while the polyurethane layer both absorbs shocks and provides tackiness so as to inhibit slippage of user's hand relative to the shaft, with heat compressed recessed reinforcing side edges being formed in the polyurethane layer of the strip along the length of the strip; and
the strip being spirally wrapped about the grip-receiving portion of the shaft.
0. 13. The combination of a golf club shaft having an upper grip-receiving portion and a grip, wherein the combination includes a strip having an open-pored felt layer having an inner surface and a smooth closed pore polyurethane layer having its inner surface bonded to the outer surface of the felt layer, with the pores of such polyurethane layer extending generally normal to the longitudinal axis of the strip, and with the felt layer providing strength for the polyurethane layer while the polyurethane layer both absorbs shocks and provides tackiness so as to inhibit slippage of a user's hand relative to the shaft, with heat compressed recessed reinforcing side edges being formed in the polyurethane layer of the strip along the length of the strip;
a resilient sleeve disposed upon the grip-receiving portion of the shaft; and the strip being spirally wrapped about the sleeve.
1. The combination of a hollow golf club shaft having an upper grip-receiving portion, a grip, and a cap, wherein the grip includes a strip consisting of an open-pored felt layer having an inner surface and a smooth closed pore polyurethane layer having its inner surface bonded to the outer surface of the felt layer, with the pores of such polyurethane layer extending generally normal to the longitudinal axis of the strip, and with the textile layer providing strength for the polyurethane layer while the polyurethane layer both absorbs shocks and provides tackiness so as to inhibit slippage of a user's hand relative to the shaft, with heat compressed recessed reinforcing side edges being formed in the polyurethane layer of the strip along the length of the strip;
the strip being spirally wrappable relative to the shaft to define and grip with the radially extending surfaces of the recessed reinforcing side edges of the strip being in tight abutment whereby the exterior surface of the strip is of non-overlapping configuration, unraveling of the strip is inhibited, the strength of the side edges is increased and frictional contact between a user's hand and the grip is enhanced; and wherein the cap is formed with an inner skirt tightly telescopically received by the interior upper end of the shaft, an outer skirt that depends downwardly over the upper portion of the strip to restrain the strip against unwinding relative to the shaft, and a cover integral with the inner and outer skirts extending over the upper extremity of the shaft.
5. The combination of a hollow golf club shaft having an upper grip-receiving portion, a grip, and a cap, wherein the grip includes a strip consisting of an open-pored felt layer having an inner surface and a smooth closed pore polyurethane layer having its inner surface bonded to the outer surface of the felt layer, with the pores of such polyurethane layer extending generally normal to the longitudinal axis of the strip, and with the textile layer providing strength for the polyurethane layer while the polyurethane layer both absorbs shocks and provides tackiness so as to inhibit slippage of a user's hand relative to the shaft with heat-compressed recessed reinforcing side edges being formed in the polyurethane layer of the strip along the length of the strip;
the strip being spirally wrappable relative to the shaft to define said grip with the radially extending surfaces of the recessed reinforcing side edges of the strip being in tight abutment whereby the exterior surface of the strip is of non-overlapping configuration, unraveling of the strip is inhibited, the strength of the side edges is increased and frictional contact between a user's hand and the grip is enhanced; wherein the cap is formed with an inner skirt tightly telescopically received by the interior upper end of the shaft, an outer skirt that depends downwardly over the upper portion of the strip to restrain the strip against unwinding relative to the shaft, and a cover integral with the inner and outer skirts extending over the upper extremity of the shaft with the inner skirt being formed with a vertically extending expansion slot; and wherein the combination further includes a ferrule interposed between the lower end of the strip and the shaft, with the cap of the ferrule preventing movement of the abutting side edges of the strip along the shaft and also precluding unwrapping of the upper and lower portions of the strip relative to the shaft.
8. The combination of a hollow golf club shaft having an upper grip-receiving portion, a grip, and a cap, wherein the grip includes a strip consisting of an open-pored felt layer having an inner surface and a smooth closed pore polyurethane layer having its inner surface bonded to the outer surface of the felt layer, with the pores of such polyurethane layer extending generally normal to the longitudinal axis of the strip, and with the textile layer providing strength for the polyurethane layer while the polyurethane layer both absorbs shocks and provides tackiness so as to inhibit slippage of a user's hand relative to the shaft, with heat compressed recessed reinforcing side edges being formed in the polyurethane layer of the strip along the length of the strip the upper end of the strip being cut away at an angle to define a first tongue having a notch, and the lower end of the strip being formed with a second tongue;
the strip being spirally wrappable relative to the shaft to define said grip with the first tongue fitting snugly within the notch to provide a smooth transition of the strip relative to the shaft, and with radially extending surfaces of the recessed reinforcing side edges of the strip being in tight abutment whereby the exterior surface of the strip is of non-overlapping configuration, unraveling of the strip is inhibited, the strength of the side edges is increased and frictional contact between a user's hand and the grip is enhanced; the upper end of the strip being cut away at an angle to define a first tongue having a notch, and the lower end of the strip being formed with a second tongue; wherein the cap is formed with an inner skirt tightly telescopically received by the interior upper end of the shaft, an outer skirt that depends downwardly over the upper portion of the strip to restrain the strip against unwinding relative to the shaft, and a cover integral with the inner and outer skirts extending over the upper extremity of the strip; wherein the second tongue provides a smooth transition of the lower end of the strip relative to the shaft; and wherein the combination further includes a ferrule interposed between the lower end of the strip and the shaft, with the cap and the ferrule preventing movement of the abutting side edges of the strip along the shaft and also precluding unwrapping of the lower portion of the strip relative to the shaft.
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This is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 07/637,931 filed on Jan. 14, 1991 (now abandoned). Ser. No. 07/890,383 filed on May 26, 1992 (now abandoned). Ser. No. 07/953,190 filed on Sep. 29, 1992 now abandoned, Ser. No. 08/058,313 filed on May 3, 1993 pending. Ser. No. 08/542,009 filed on Nov. 13, 1995 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,645,501. Ser. No. 08/567,339 filed on Dec. 28, 1995 now abandoned.
The present invention relates to an improved golf club shaft grip.
It is well known that shock generated by impact between a golf club and a golf ball can adversely affect muscle tissue and arm joints such as elbow joints. The energy generated by such shock is usually of high frequency and short duration with rapid decay, and which is often known as "impact shock." Tight grasping of a grip to keep it from slipping contributes to the shock to the muscle tissue and arm joints of the users golf clubs.
Prior art golf club shaft grips have utilized a layer of polyurethane backed with a layer of felt. In general, the felt layer has a thickness of about 1.40 mm. The polyurethane layer is generally thinner than 0.25, and has been considered only as providing tackiness, i.e., resistance to the slip caused by a sweaty hand. The polyurethane has not been considered to be useful for inhibiting shock. The felt was relied upon to cushion the user's arm and hand against the shock created when the club strikes the ball.
Applicant has previously developed resilient grips which successfully reduce shock to the muscle and arm joints of the users of golf clubs, tennis racquets, racquet ball racquets, baseball bats, and other impact imparting devices such as hammers. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,374,059 granted to applicant Dec. 20, 1994. Such earlier grips utilize a polyurethane layer bonded to a felt layer to define a strip which is spirally wrapped around the handle of a golf club or racquet to conform to the external configuration of such handle. In such earlier grips of applicant's design the thickness of polyurethane layer relative to the thickness of the felt layer as compared to prior art resilient grips, i.e. the ratio of the thickness of the polyurethane layer to the thickness of the felt layer was a minimum of approximately 0.18, with the thickness of the polyurethane layer hag been about equal to or thicker than the thickness of the textile layer in a typical grip of my design. In certain of such grips the handle-abutting side of the strip utilized skiving, with the felt layer tapering from a transverse central region upwardly and outwardly towards the transverse side edges of the strip. The side edges of the strip are overlapped as the strip was wrapped around the shaft so that the strip did not have a smooth configuration along its length. Additionally, the skiving tended to weaken the grip. Moreover, the side edges of the strip tended to unravel in use. It was also determined that where the strip was not properly applied to the shaft, the grip would tend to loosen relative to the shaft. Likewise, prior golf club grips employed caps which failed to adequately prevent unraveling of the grip from the golf club shaft.
Applicant has discovered that polyurethane and felt golf club shaft grips of the aforedescribed nature can be made without skiving to thereby afford a stronger, longer lasting grip. Instead, in the grip of the present invention the side edges of the strip are butted together as the strip is wrapped about the golf club shaft. The resulting grip provides a smoother configuration over the entire grip surface and also resists unraveling from the shaft. The improved grip of the present invention also incorporates an adhesive material that covers the inner surface of the felt layer to facilitate wrapping the strip about the golf club shaft and afford increased securement of the grip to the shaft as the grip is used, with the tighter the grasp of the player the tighter the securement of the grip to the shaft. The grip of the present invention additionally reduces the manufacturing time and therefore the cost of the grip to the user as compared to prior grips. Moreover, it is easier to properly wrap the strip onto the shaft so that even an amateur can obtain a firm attachment of a replacement grip to the shaft.
The grip of the present invention also preferably utilizes sidewardly and outwardly curved reinforcement side edges along its length. Such side reinforcement edges inhibit unraveling of the grip from the golf club shaft, enhances the frictional grip of the user and provides an improved appearance over existing grips. This feature also reduces interference with other golf club grips as club is withdrawn from a golfer's bag. The grip of the present invention may either be used to as a replacement grip, or, alternatively be fabricated as original equipment by a manufacturer of golf clubs. The grip may include a tapered rubber-like sleeve about which the strip is spirally wrapped, or the strip may be spirally wrapped directly upon the handle portion of golf club shaft.
It is an important feature of the grip of the present invention mat the grip includes a unique cap which cooperates with the spirally wound strip to prevent unraveling of the strip from the golf club shaft both during play, and more importantly as a golf club is withdraw from and returned to a golfer's bag.
The golf club grip of the present invention has been found to greatly cushion the shock transferred from a golf club to the golfer's body and thereby prevent me danger of injury to the golfer during a golf swing. Yet me golf club grip of the present invention can be made lighter than conventional grips to reduce me grip weight of a golf club permitting redistributing me weight to me golf club head thereby increasing me moment of inertia with a resulting increase in me distance of travel of a golf ball. The golf club grip of me present invention can also reduce me total weight of a golf club and thereby permits a higher club head speed for greater distance of travel of a golf ball.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Referring to the drawings, a preferred grip G embodying the present invention utilizes an elongated resilient strip S shown in
More particularly, grip G includes an open-pored felt layer, generally designated 22, having an inner or bottom surface 24 which is adhered to a golf club shaft 20 as shown in
The polyurethane layer 30 provides a cushioned grasp of the player's hand on a golf club shaft and also enhances the player's grip by providing increased tackiness between the player's hand and the grip. The felt layer 22 provides strength to the polyurethane layer 30 and serves as a means for attaching the bonded-together polyurethane and felt strip to golf club shaft 20. As shown in
The felt layer 22 of the strip is formed of a suitable open-pored material and has its upper or outer surface bonded to the lower surface 40 of the polyurethane layer 30. As indicated in
In
As indicated in
Referring now to
As indicated in
Referring now particularly to
Cap C is secured to the upper end of shaft 20 after strip S has been spirally wrapped thereabout. It is important that the outer skirt 64 extend downwardly a sufficient distance over the upper portion of the wrapped strip to ensure the strip does not unravel relative to the shaft when a golf club is being used in play, and particularly when the club is being removed from and returned to a golf bag with contact with the other golf clubs in the bag. The dimensions of the outer skirt, however, should not interfere with the golfer's grasp of the club. Cap C is seen to cooperate with the abutting recessed reinforcing side edges 46 and 48 and ferrule 56 to effectively prevent unraveling of the strip from the shaft. Thus, cap C and ferrule 56 prevent movement of strip's abutting side edges away from one another along the shaft and also prelude unwrapping of the upper and lower portions of the strip wraps relative to the shaft.
In
Referring now to
It should also be particularly noted that with the aforedescribed grip of the present invention the exterior surface of the polyurethane layer provides tackiness that assures a firm contact of the golfer's hands with the grip at all times. This advantage can be enhanced by the provision of the perforations described hereinbefore. The use of the perforations not only increases absorption and allows for faster drying of the grip, but also further enhances a cushioning effect of the grip by providing a controlled restriction of air escaping from within the pores of the textile layer when the grip is grasped by the golfer.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
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