Golf club grip assembly

Abstract: A grip assembly for the handle of a golf club where the grip assembly includes a resilient underlisting sleeve over which is spirally wrapped a resilient strip. The lower end of the underlisting sleeve includes a nipple formed with an upward facing circumferential groove. The lower end of the strip is urged into the confines of the groove to secure the lower end of the strip to the underlisting sleeve.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an improved grip assembly for golf clubs and other sporting equipment employing handles subject to shock when such devices are impacted. It is well known that the shock generated by impact between a golf club and a golf ball can adversely effect muscle tissue and arm joints. The energy generated by such impact is usually of high frequency and short duration with rapid decay and which is often known as "impact shock." Tight grasping of a golf club grip to keep it from slipping in a users hands contributes to such impact shock. Applicant has previously developed resilient grips which successfully reduce or even eliminate impact shock to the muscle and arm joint of the users of golf clubs. See for example U.S. Patent No. 5,797,813, granted to applicant August 25, 1998. Such earlier grips utilize a polyurethane layer bonded to a felt layer to define a resilient strip, which is spirally wrapped around an underlisting sleeve, with such underlisting sleeve being slipped over the handle portion of a golf club shaft. After the underlisting sleeve has been properly positioned upon the golf club shaft, a synthetic plastic ferrule such as designated 56 in Fig. 18 of my U.S. Patent No. 5,895,329 secures the grip in place on the handle of the golf club shaft. Alternatively, the lower end of the resilient strip may be secured to the lower end of the underlisting sleeve by a length of finishing tape. Installation of a ferrule is labor intensive, while the use of finishing tape does not provide a high quality commercial image. Document DE 91108680 describes the use of a foldable sleeve fixed to the shaft for securing the lower end of the resilient strip. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The golfclub grip assembly of my present invention as claimed in claim 1 eliminates the disadvantages of the afore mentioned synthetic plastic ferrule, or the use of finishing tape between the lower end of the grip and the handle of a golf club shaft. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figs. 1, 2 and 3 show typical prior art golf club grip assemblies which are subject to the aforementioned disadvantages; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of an underlisting sleeve of a golfclub grip assembly embodying the present invention; Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the underlisting sleeve of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken in enlarged scale along line 6-6 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a side elevational view of the underlisting sleeve after it has been removable positioned upon a mandrel; Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view taken in enlarged scale along 8-8 of Fig.7; Fig. 9 is a broken side elevational view of a resilient strip being spirally wrapped about the underlisting sleeve; Figs. 10 and 11 are broken side elevational views the showing the lower portion of the resilient strip being wrapped about the lower end of the underlisting sleeve; Fig. 12 is a broken side elevational view showing how the lower end of the resilient strip is retained upon the lower end of the underlisting sleeve; and Fig. 13 is a sectional view taken enlarged scale along line 13-13 of Fig. 12. DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 and 2 show typical prior art golf club grip assemblies wherein the golf club C has a shaft 20 upon the handle portion of which is installed a resilient slip-on grip G provided with a prior art ferrule F that secures the lower end of the grip G to the golf club shaft. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the encircled area 2 of Fig. 1. Figs. 1 and 2 correspond to Figs. 17 and 18 of my U.S. Patent No. 5,895,329. Ferrule F is made of an inelastic synthetic plastic material. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing a length of finishing tape T spirally wrapped about the lower end of a resilient strip S to secure the lower end of such strip to an underlisting sleeve in accordance with the prior art. Referring now to Figs. 4 and 5, there is shown a resilient underlisting sleeve U employed in my new grip assembly. Such sleeve U is similar to that described in my U.S. Patent No. 5,797,813 and includes an integral cap 22. The lower end of the sleeve is formed with an integral nipple 24. The upper portion of the sleeve U is formed with a groove 26 to receive the upper tip of a polyurethane-felt strip S, such as that described in my U.S. Patent No. 5,797,813. Strip S is spirally wrapped about the body of the underlisting sleeve U, as shown in Fig. 9-13. An adhesive 27 is applied to the underside of the strip. Referring to Figs. 6, 7 and 8, the upper portion of nipple 24 is formed with an upwardly-facing circumferential groove 36 that receives the lowermost wrap 38 of resilient strip S, as indicated in Figs. 11, 12, and 13. In Figs. 7 and 8, underlisting sleeve U is shown after it has been longitudinally positioned upon a mandrel M. In Fig. 9 the resilient strip S is shown being spirally wrapped about the underlisting sleeve U, starting at the upper end of the underlisting sleeve. In Fig. 10 the lower portion of the strip S is shown after it has been spirally wound to a position wherein its horizontally cut lower edge 39 is disposed in horizontal alignment with the lower portion of nipple groove 36. Thereafter, as indicated in Fig.11 the lower end portion of the strip is manually urged into the confines of the groove 36 by temporarily expanding the peripheral lip 40 formed outwardly of the groove so as to admit the lower edge of the strip into the groove. When the lip 40 returns to its original position, the lip will securely retain the lower end of the strip to the upper portion of the nipple, as shown in Figs 12 and 13. The sleeve and strip combination may then be removed from the mandrel and slipped onto the handle portion of a golf club shaft in a conventional manner. From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the resilient strip S may be installed on the underlisting sleeve U quickly and easily with a minimum amount of expenditure of labor by a golf club manufacturer. Moreover, a golf club grip assembly embodying the present invention provides a far more professional appearance that prior art grips utilizing finishing tape and at a lower cost that where finishing tape is utilized. My present grip also eliminates the cost of prior art ferrules and the labor required for their installation by a golf club manufacturer. It will be understood that various modifications and changes may be made with respect to the above-described embodiment without departing from the scope of the claims.

Claims: A golf club grip assembly comprising: a resilient underlisting sleeve (U) formed at its upper end with a cap (22) and at its lower end with a nipple (24); an upwardly facing circumferential groove (36) formed in the upper portion of the nipple (24), the outer portion of the groove (36) being defined by a flexible circumferential lip (40) and a resilient strip (S), characterised in that the sleeve further comprises the resilient strip (S) is wrapped about and adhered to the underlisting sleeve (U) between the underside of the cap (22) and the lower portion of the groove (36) of the nipple (24) and the lip (40) is expandible outwardly to admit and securely retain the lower end of the strip (S) within the groove (36) thereby retaining the lower portion (38) of the strip (S) to the lower portion of the underlisting sleeve (U). A golf club grip assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which the underlisting sleeve (U) is formed with a first groove (26) below the cap (22) and a resilient strip (S) is spirally wrapped around about the underlisting sleeve (U), the upper portion of the strip (S) being formed with a tip received in the first groove (26). A golf club assembly as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 further comprising an adhesive (27) applied to the underside of the strip (S). A method of making a golf club grip utilising a frusto-conical mandrel (M), said method including the steps of providing a resilient underlisting sleeve (U) formed at its upper end with a cap (22) and at its lower end with a nipple (24), the nipple (24) having an upwardly facing circumferential groove (36) formed in its upper portion, the outer portion of the groove (36) being defined by a flexible circumferential lip (40); providing a resilient strip (S); spirally wrapping the resilient strip (S) about and adhering the strip (S) to the underlisting sleeve (U) between the underside of the cap (22) and the lower portion of the nipple groove (36); expanding the lip (40) outwardly to receive and securely retain the lower end of the strip (S) within the groove (36) to thereby secure the lower portion (38) of the strip (S) to the lower portion of the underlisting sleeve (U) adhering the strip (S) to the sleeve (U); and removing the assembled sleeve (U) and strip (S) from the mandrel (M). A method of making a golf club grip as claimed in claim 4 in which the underlisting sleeve (U) is formed with a first groove (26) and the resilient strip (S) is formed at its upper end with a tip, wherein the tip of the sleeve (U) is first disposed in the first groove (26).

Inventors: HUANG BEN, HUANG, BEN
Applicants: HUANG BEN, HUANG, BEN
Application year: 2000
Main classification: A63B53
IPC codes: A63B53, A63B49