Abstract:
The invention comprises a non-slip foam pad that provides an ergonomically shaped grip for the hands for use on a personal water craft surface, such as a surfboard or body board, to provide for maximum grip during maneuvers which involve moving through oncoming water while maintaining a grip on said watercraft.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally accessories for personal watercraft that provide greater user control over the device, and more particularly to gripping surfaces that can be applied to a surfboard to facilitate paddling through oncoming waves. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A number of recreational pursuit employ personal watercraft that ride, plane or glide over varying water surfaces. Perhaps the most widely known and widely practiced of these pursuits is surfing, wherein a user maneuvers a surfboard onto the face of a breaking wave and attempts to balance on and control the board while being carried along with the wave. As can be appreciated, it is critical that the user have adequate friction to engage the board and have sufficient control to perform as desired. 
     Historically, friction between a user&#39;s feet and the surfboard has been increased by applying wax to the surface of the board. Although useful and still commonly used, using wax to increase traction involves a number of drawbacks. The process of applying the wax is time consuming and must be repeated whenever the wax melts or rubs off. Further, the sticky nature of the wax makes it extremely susceptible to contamination by sand. This requires the user to exercise considerable care to avoid contacting the surfboard surface with sand and the laborious removal of the wax and reapplication when sand inevitably gets stuck in the wax. 
     To overcome some of the deficiencies of wax, various configurations of foam traction pads have been used to provide engagement for the user&#39;s feet. In general, such pads have been popular and their use has spread to many sports that require a user to stand on a personal watercraft. 
     However, the prior art has offered very few methods for improving control of a personal watercraft when the user is not guiding the board with the user&#39;s feet or otherwise riding the board in its primary mode. For example, the prior art traction pads discussed above improve friction between the user&#39;s feet and the board when the user is riding the board on the face of the wave. Yet, when the user is lying on the board and paddling to get in position to catch a wave, the traction pads offer little or no help. 
     Accordingly, what has been needed is a device that improves a user&#39;s control over the personal watercraft. Similarly, there is a need for device that engages with a user&#39;s hand to provide such improved control. This invention satisfies these and other needs. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention comprises a non slip foam pad that provides an ergonomically shaped grip for the hands for use on a personal water craft surface, such as a surfboard or body board, to provide for maximum grip during maneuvers which involve moving through oncoming water while maintaining a grip on said watercraft. 
     In one embodiment, the invention is a grip for improving control over a personal watercraft, comprising a sheet of material and a wedge of increased thickness positioned within a perimeter defined by the sheet, wherein the sheet is sized to correspond to a user&#39;s palm, index finger and thumb of a user&#39;s hand and wherein the wedge is configured to engage between the user&#39;s index finger and thumb when the user&#39;s hand is positioned on the grip. Preferably, the sheet has a textured surface. Also, the sheet can be formed from a resilient material, such as foam. In the noted embodiment, the grip also includes a pressure sensitive adhesive applied to an underside to allow the grip to be affixed to the personal watercraft. In a further embodiment, the sheet of material has a relatively broad back end tapering to a relatively narrow front end. 
     Another aspect of the invention, in combination with a personal watercraft having a generally planar board configuration, is an ergonomic grip, the grip comprising a sheet of material and a wedge of increased thickness positioned within a perimeter defined by the sheet, wherein the sheet is sized to correspond to a user&#39;s palm, index finger and thumb of a user&#39;s hand, wherein the wedge is sized to engage between the user&#39;s index finger and thumb when the user&#39;s hand is positioned on the grip, and wherein the grip is affixed to the watercraft. 
     Yet another aspect of the invention is a method for improving control over a personal watercraft comprising the steps of providing a personal watercraft having a generally planar board configuration, providing a grip comprising a sheet of material and a wedge of increased thickness positioned within a perimeter defined by the sheet, wherein the sheet is sized to correspond to a user&#39;s palm, index finger and thumb of a user&#39;s hand, wherein the wedge is sized to engage between the user&#39;s index finger and thumb when the user&#39;s hand is positioned on the grip, affixing the grip to the watercraft and controlling the watercraft by grasping the grip. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will be readily understood by the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like structural elements, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a top perspective view of a grip having features of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a side view of a grip, according to the invention; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates placement of grip on a surfboard, according to the invention; 
         FIG. 4  shows a detail view of a user&#39;s hands in position on the grips, according to the invention; and 
         FIG. 5  is a graphical representation of a user employing a surfboard with grips to perform a duck dive, according to the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the invention is provided below along with accompanying figures that illustrate the principles of the invention. While the invention is described in conjunction with such embodiment(s), it should be understood that the invention is not limited to any one embodiment. On the contrary, the scope of the invention is limited only by the claims and the invention encompasses numerous alternatives, modifications, and equivalents. For the purpose of example, numerous specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. These details are provided for the purpose of example, and the present invention may be practiced according to the claims without some or all of these specific details. For the purpose of clarity, technical material that is known in the technical fields related to the invention has not been described in detail so that the present invention is not unnecessarily obscured. 
     In one embodiment, the ergonomic grip pad design is a thin flexible foam top layer whose surface may be additionally textured to generate increase friction with a user&#39;s hand to provide for maximum traction. Positioned within the perimeter of the foam pad, approximately in the center, is a raised foam wedge designed to fit comfortably in the pit at the base of the thumb and index finger while the user is gripping the watercraft. The bottom layer of the ergonomic grip design preferably has a removable protective layer over a pressure-sensitive adhesive that allows the ergonomic grips to be attached to the watercraft. 
     Further details of the invention are shown in the Figures. Turning to  FIG. 1 , a hand grip  10  of the invention is shown in a top view a generally comprises a relatively thin sheet  12  of resilient material having a surface area substantially corresponding to a user&#39;s palm, index finger and thumb. A wedge  14  is configured to fit between the pit of a user&#39;s thumb and index finger when the user&#39;s hand is closed around grip  10 . One end  16  of sheet  12  is relatively broad and sized to accommodate a user&#39;s palm. Preferably, the other end  18  tapers around wedge  14 , and defines a region  20  for the user&#39;s thumb and another region  22  for the user&#39;s index finger. Preferably, the length L of sheet  12  from end  16  to end  18  is in the range of approximately 4 to 6 in. (10.2 to 15.2 cm), and more preferably, approximately 5 in (12.7 cm). Alternatively, length L should be the approximate length of a user&#39;s hand from wrist to index finger tip. 
     Generally, sheet  12  is formed from any suitable flexible foam material, such as olefinic material, urethane material, vinylchloride material, polyethylene material, cross-linked polyethylene materials and the like. Preferably, the foam material has a foam density configured to provide resilience under a user&#39;s hand force to increase engagement of the user&#39;s hand with the grip  10 . For example, suitable foam densities are in the range of approximately 2 pcf to 12 pcf or more, and more preferably in the range of approximately 4 to 8 pcf. Generally, the foam material may also vary in thickness and be in the range of approximately 0.125 to 0.75 in. (3.2 to 19 mm), and preferably in the range of approximately 0.25 to 0.625 in. (6.3 to 16 mm) in thickness. In one embodiment, sheet  12  is formed from EVA foam. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , wedge  14  can be formed by cutting a corresponding profile in sheet  12  and positioning foam insert  24  underneath sheet  12 . Alternatively, any other suitable construction technique to form wedge  14  can be used. For example, sheet  12  can comprise a multi layered material and foam insert  14  can be laminated between the layers, without cutting a relief in sheet  12  or insert  24  can simply be positioned between sheet  12  and the personal watercraft. Preferably, the thickness T of wedge  14  is in the range of approximately 0.5 to 1.5 in. (13 to 38 mm), and more preferably approximately 1 in. (25 mm). Alternatively, thickness T should be slightly thicker than the depth of a user&#39;s hand from the palm to the back of the hand. 
     Preferably, the underside of sheet  12 , and if appropriate, foam insert  24 , has a pressure-sensitive adhesive to facilitate attachment of grip  10  to a personal watercraft. Even more preferably, a removable sheet (not shown) protects the adhesive, allowing a user to peel off the sheet to expose the adhesive prior to application. 
       FIG. 3  shows an exemplary personal watercraft in the form of surfboard  26 . As can be seen, two grips  10  are affixed to surfboard  26  towards the front of the board. Grips  10  are handed so that the appropriate configuration can be used for the user&#39;s right and left hands. Generally, grips  10  should be positioned approximately even with a user&#39;s shoulders when the user is lying on surfboard  26  in a paddling position.  FIG. 4  shows a detail view of user&#39;s hands  28  in position on grips  10 . 
     As discussed above, ergonomic grips  10  provide a user with increased control over surfboard  26  when gripped. In one noted example, grips  10  facilitate a common surfing maneuver known as a “duck-dive” which involves moving through an oncoming mass of water while maintaining a grip on the watercraft. One having skill in the art will appreciate that the force of the oncoming wave will tend to push surfboard  26  backwards, causing wedge  14  of grip  10  engage securely into the base of the thumb and forefinger of a user&#39;s hand  28 .  FIG. 4  graphically depicts such a duck dive, in which a user  30  forces the surfboard  26  underneath surface of water  32 , allowing the user to substantially avoid wave  34 . 
     All references cited herein are intended to be incorporated by reference. Although the present invention has been described above in terms of specific embodiments, it is anticipated that alterations and modifications to this invention will no doubt become apparent to those skilled in the art and may be practiced within the scope and equivalents of the appended claims. For example, the use of a foam material can be substituted for a soft rubber or plastic and the general shape of the pad may be modified into a circular, elongated, or die cut decorative pattern. Similarly, a preferred embodiment has been described with respect to the sport of surfing, however the invention may be practiced with any suitable recreational activity that requires a user to control a personal watercraft with hands, such as boogie boarding, kneeboarding, and the like. 
     The present embodiments are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein. It is therefore intended that the disclosure and following claims be interpreted as covering all such alterations and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.