Abstract:
A sports utility handle is provided for use with a sports equipment shaft. The handle has curved upper and lower surfaces and a curved termination end. The two side surfaces are parallel to each other. The upper surface of the handle slants upwardly relative to the longitudinal axis of the equipment shaft. The lower surface spline is configured to provide a relaxed wrist grip such that the shaft centerline is generally aligned with the centerline of the user&#39;s forearm.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/615,055 filed Nov. 9, 2009, which is a non-provisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 61/112,484 filed Nov. 7, 2008. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to a handle for sports equipment, and more particularly concerns a handle providing ergonomic and performance improvements to traditional sports equipment. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Ever since the mastery of the concept of tools, humanity has sought to improve or augment human performance through the use of external objects. In its original forms, this pursuit was directed towards utility devices such as levers, hammers, and other tools that aided survival and success. As society and civilization progressed individuals found they had the time and energy to engage in entertainment activities such as sports. Sporting activities naturally made use of tools to implement or facilitate novel play. These tools have developed over the years into well known devices such as bats, rackets, sticks, etc. Often it is these tool based sporting goods that drive the very nature of athletic performance and therefore the direction of the sport itself. 
         [0004]    Recent developments in sporting goods have commonly turned to the development or utilization of high tech materials. Considerable design effort has been expended to make devices stronger, lighter, more or less flexible, and more durable. The principles behind this direction in sports innovation have lead many in the industry to believe the future of traditional sporting goods lies in the introduction of new and improved materials to traditional designs. What the improved material theories fail to address is the fundamental limitations of the traditional designs they seek to improve. A new approach towards rethinking traditional design shapes may produce more significant improvements than the application of material sciences. 
         [0005]    One arena in which traditional sporting and utility tools are lacking stems from a failure to apply decades of knowledge of the human body to age old designs. Often the tools or sports equipment retain designs that are offshoots from the simple sticks from which they were originally formed. As such they largely remain straight shafts with only the most minor modifications. Players or other users must grip the straight shaft from the side. This commonly places the users wrist in a strained position which in turn hampers performance and causes undue stress on the user. In addition, a traditional side gripping stance places the centreline of the user&#39;s forearm on an angle to the centreline of the engaged shaft. This non-linear grip approach prevents the shaft from acting as a true extension of the users arm. The brain and body must compensate for the lack of linear extension constantly during usage of the shaft. This not only adds undue stress to the player but also acts a limiter to the true freedom of motion granted to human form. 
         [0006]    It would be advantageous to have ergonomic handle design that would allow athletes to perform with a reduction of stress as well as a more liberal freedom of motion they already experience in their own limbs. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    A sports utility handle is provided for use with a sports equipment shaft including an upper shaft surface having an upper shaft plane, a lower shaft surface having a lower shaft plane, two side shaft surfaces having side surface planes and a shaft centerline. The handle includes a shaft engagement end, a handle termination end opposite thereto, an upper handle surface, a lower handle surface comprising a lower surface spline extending inwards from the lower shaft plane towards the upper shaft plane in a first lower handle surface beginning at the shaft engagement end. The lower surface spline extending outwards in the lower shaft plane direction in a second lower handle surface beginning at the first lower handle surface and extending towards the handle termination end. A curved stop element runs between the upper handle surface towards the lower handle surface at the handle termination end and is sized to fit within a human palm. Two handle side surfaces run generally parallel to the two side shaft surfaces. The lower surface spline is configured to provide a relaxed wrist grip such that the shaft centerline is generally aligned with a user forearm centerline. 
         [0008]    The present invention has advantages by providing a reduced user stress and increased performance efficiency during operation of the sports equipment in addition to providing an improved range of motion for the operator. The present invention accomplishes this through a unique shape that aligns the forearm with the operational stick centerline. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    For a more complete understanding of this invention, reference should now be made to the embodiments illustrated in greater detail in the accompanying drawings and described below by way of examples of the invention. 
           [0010]      FIGS. 1  is an illustration of an ergonomic sports handle in accordance with the present invention, the ergonomics sports handle illustrated gripped by an athlete; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a detail illustration of the ergonomic sports handle illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the ergonomic sports handle illustrated from a center line side view; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a top view illustration of the ergonomic sports handle illustrated in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is an end view of the ergonomic sports handle illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is an illustration of the ergonomic sports handle illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the ergonomic sports handle illustrated integrated into a tennis racket; 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is an illustration of the ergonomic sports handle illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the ergonomic sports handle illustrated integrated into a fishing rod; 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is an illustration of the ergonomic sports handle illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the ergonomic sports handle illustrated integrated into a baseball bat; 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  is a top view illustration of the baseball bat illustrated in  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional illustration of the ergonomic sports handle illustrated in  FIG. 7  as integrated with a baseball bat; 
           [0019]      FIG. 10  is an illustration of the ergonomic sports handle illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the ergonomic sports handle illustrated integrated into a golf club; 
           [0020]      FIG. 11  is a side view illustration of the ergonomic sports handle illustrated in  FIG. 10 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 12 , is an end view illustration of the ergonomic sports handle illustrated in  FIG. 10 ; and 
           [0022]      FIG. 13  is an illustration of the ergonomic sports handle illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the ergonomic sports handle illustrated integrated into a lacrosse stick. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0023]    In the following description, various operating parameters and components are described for one or more constructed embodiments. These specific parameters and components are included as examples and are not meant to be limiting. 
         [0024]      FIG. 1  is an illustration of a piece of sporting goods equipment  10  in accordance with the present invention, the equipment being held by an athlete  11  during play. The sporting goods equipment  10  is illustrated as a tennis racket, but as will be understood by way of this disclosure, the present invention is applicable to a wide range of sports and sporting good equipment  10 . The present invention, however, significantly diverges from known sports equipment in that if further includes an ergonomic handle  16 . The ergonomic handle  16  may be formed as a unitary piece with the equipment  10  or may be formed as an independent element to be added to an existing piece of equipment  10 . As seen in  FIGS. 2 through 4 , the ergonomic handle  16  may be comprised of a main handle body  18 . The ergonomic handle  16  is intended to integrate with a shaft portion  12  of the piece of equipment  10 . 
         [0025]    The shaft portion  12  is comprised of a an upper shaft surface  22  having an upper shaft plane  24 , a lower shaft surface  26  having a lower shaft plane  28  ( FIG. 2 ) and two side shaft surfaces  30 ,  32  having side surface planes  34 ,  36  ( FIG. 3 ). It should be understood that the use of the term planes is for reference purposes and is not intended to limit the shaft portion  12  to flat surfaces. In the case of cylindrical or oval cross-sections it is contemplated that the planes may be referenced by the tangent of the upper most point, the lower most point, and the farthest side points respectively (see  FIGS. 7-9 ). As can be seen in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the shaft surfaces  22 , 26 , 30 , 32  may be extended to provide a reference for the unique configuration of the handle body  18 . 
         [0026]    The handle body  18  is comprised of a shaft integration end  38  and a handle termination end  40  opposite the shaft integration end  38 . The shaft integration end  38  may simply be the end of the handle body  18  wherein it merges into a uniform cross section of the shaft  12  when discussing unitary assemblies. The handle body  18  is further comprised of an upper handle surface  44 , a lower handle surface  46  and two handle side surfaces  48 . It is contemplated that the lower handle surface  46  is comprised of a lower surface spline  50  extending inwards from the lower shaft plane  28  towards the upper shaft plane  24  in a first lower handle surface portion  54  nearest the shaft integration end  38 . In a second lower handle surface portion  56  nearest the handle termination end  40 , the lower surface spline  50  extends outwards back away from the upper shaft plane  50  so as to form a concave gripping surface. The lower surface spline  50  ends in a rounded downward protrusion portion  58  that acts as a natural stop feel during performance as well as an end grip. The rounded downward protrusion portion  58  is preferably sized to fit within a human palm such that the equipment  10  does not vary enough from the original shape to pose challenges to existing rules or conventions. In addition, by sizing the downward protrusion portion  58  to fit within a human palm allows an improved gripping position with increased performance and comfort. Although a purely concave lower surface spline  50  may be utilized, it is contemplated that an s-shaped lower surface spline  50  may be utilized such than an initial downward bulge  60  abuts the shaft integration end  38  to act as a lower hand stop during performance. The lower surface spline  50  is configured such that it provides a relaxed wrist grip and such that the shaft centreline  62  is generally aligned with a user forearm centreline  64  (see  FIGS. 2 and 3 ). 
         [0027]    It is contemplated that the lower surface spline  50  in the second handle surface portion  56  (along with a complimentary section of the upper surface spline  68 ) is configured such that the users wrist is rotated less than 20 to 30 degrees (approximately) to reduce strain and improve performance. The rotation angle is preferably determined by measuring the angle of the wrist rotation about the forearm centreline  64  with zero degrees achieved when the palm center  66  is in line with the forearm centreline  64 . In addition, the rounded downward protrusion portion  58  engages the approximate palm centre  66  when gripped. Although it is contemplated that the palm centre  66  will remain close to the forearm centreline  64  in one embodiment, in another it is contemplated to drop approximately 0.5 inches to accommodate a greater wrist angle. Another way to describe the same structure is that the lower surface spline  50  in the second handle surface portion  56  is configured to maintain a wrist rotation of less than 20 or 30 degrees while keeping the forearm centreline  64  parallel with the shaft centreline  62 . The first handle surface portion  54  is then configured to move upwards from the shaft centreline  62  until the forearm centreline  64  is approximately in line with the shaft centreline. In still another method of describing the lower surface spline  50  is that the second handle surface portion  56  is configured for proper ease of grip and then the lower surface spline is raised until the shaft centreline  62  and the forearm centreline  64  are approximately aligned. This results in an approximate rise of four degrees of the upper surface spline  68  away from the upper shaft plane  24 . These are simply additional ways of describing the unique geometry of the present invention. 
         [0028]    It is preferable that the palm center  66  is maintained above or at the lower shaft plane  28 . This both relaxes the wrist as well as bringing up the forearm centreline  64  to approximately be in line with the shaft centreline  62 . An upper surface spline  68  generally parallels the lower surface spline  50  so as to maintain shaft handle depth  70  to a value suitable for gripping. Therefore the upper surface spline  68  is convex in nature extending away from the upper shaft plane  24  near the shaft integration end  38  and returning to and dropping below the upper shaft plane  24  and the rounded downward protrusion portion  58 . The upper surface spline  68  preferably extends from the upper shaft plane  24  in a direction away from the lower shaft plane  26  in a first upper handle surface portion  74  (corresponding to the first lower handle surface portion  54 ) and extending back in the upper shaft plane  24  direction in a second upper handle surface portion  76  (corresponding to the second lower handle surface portion  56 ). 
         [0029]    The advantage of the present configuration is that it eliminates or minimizes the arc of wrist movement present in conventional handles by moving the rotation center of wrist and forearm to align with the shaft centreline  62 . This drastically changes the feel and control during play such that an previously unknown range of new control is provided. It is contemplated that the downward portion  58  does not protrude below the lower shaft plane  28  by more than the original shaft depth  72  so as to not negatively impact the shaft profile. The rounded downward protrusion portion  58  and the initial downward bulge  60  act as natural stops for the users grip such that the equipment  10  may be passed between hands during play without concern for loss or proper hand placement. This allows a previously unknown level of ambidextrous play also never realized before in the sport. These advantages along with untold others are provided by this unique and novel ergonomic handle design. It should be understood that a wide variety of modifications would be motivated by the present disclosure. 
         [0030]    Referring now to  FIG. 5  which is an illustration of the ergonomic sports handle  16  as integrated into a tennis racket  80 . In this embodiment, it is preferable that the handle side surfaces  48  are aligned with the racket face  82  containing netting  84 . As will be understood, the tennis racket is gripped with the rounded downward protrusion  58  towards the ground. Since the shaft centreline  62  is aligned with the forearm centreline  64  as discussed before, the tennis racket  80  provides improved single hand performance. When utilized with flat handle side surfaces  48  as shown in  FIG. 4 , the ergonomic sports handle  16  provides a natural and direct connection between the users hand and the angle of the racket face  82 . In this fashion, the athlete  11  is constantly aware of the precise angle of the racket face  82  with relation to his wrist even when transferring the racket  80  during play between hands. This improved adds an additional subconscious orientation and muscle memory during usage. It is contemplated that even in sports where the ergonomic sports handle  16  may not be officially recognized for professional play, it may be used to build muscle memory during practice as well as used by amateurs. 
         [0031]    Referring now to  FIG. 6  which is an illustration of the ergonomic sports handle  16  as integrated into a fishing rod  86 . The alignment of the shaft centreline  62  with the forearm centreline  64  in addition to the relaxed wrist orientation allows for increased casting duration and performance. In addition when utilized with utilized with flat handle side surfaces  48  as shown in  FIG. 4 , the ergonomic sports handle  16  provides a natural and direct connection between the users hand and the fishing rod reel  88 . This allows a fisherman to make casts and engage the reel  88  without looking down. After a short usage the hand will automatically find the reel  88  due to the unique shape of the handle  16 . 
         [0032]    Referring now to  FIGS. 7-9  which are illustrations of the ergonomic sports handle  16  as integrated into a baseball bat  90 . In this embodiment, it is contemplated that the cross-section of the sports handle  16  will be spherical or elliptical as illustrated in  FIG. 9 . In this embodiment, it should be understood that the use of the terms shaft planes  24 , 28 ,  34 ,  36  are comprised of a plane formed by the outermost edge point of the bat  90  in the appropriate direction. Although the baseball bat  90  is typically continuously tapered, the shape of the ergonomic handle  16  allows for a clear indication of where it begins and thus where the shaft points  92  are determined. By aligning planes parallel to the shaft centreline  62  of the bat at these shaft points  92  the appropriate planes can be identified. The ergonomic handle  16  as applied to the baseball bat  90  provides batters with an extended reach for outside balls. In addition, it provides a relaxed wrist position and forearm alignment in the exact middle of the typical baseball swing as the ball crosses the plate. In this fashion, the players arms are in the most advantageous alignment to provide both maximum force as well as protect against injury. 
         [0033]    Referring now to  FIGS. 10-12 , which are illustrations of the ergonomic sports handle  16  as integrated into a golf club  94 . It is contemplated that the golf club  94  may comprise drivers, irons and even putters. Although it is contemplated that the handle  16  as aforementioned described may be directly applied, it is further contemplated that this embodiment contemplate a larger degree of wrist flex (up to 30 degrees) while allowing palm centre  66  to drop approximately 1 inch or less to accommodate a greater wrist angle. This additional allowance, however, is not necessary for the proper practice of this invention as shown in  FIGS. 2-4 . In either case, the present invention provides considerable advantages to performance. By aligning the forearm with the shaft, the present invention may provide an increase in power and driving distance. In addition, the when utilized with flat handle side surfaces  48  as shown in  FIG. 4 , the ergonomic sports handle  16  provides a natural and direct connection between the golfers hand and the angle of the club face  96 . In this fashion, the golfer  11  is constantly aware of the precise angle of the club face  96  with relation to his wrist throughout the swing. This improved adds an additional subconscious orientation and muscle memory during usage. It is contemplated that even in sports where the ergonomic sports handle  16  may not be officially recognized for professional play, it may be used to build muscle memory during practice as well as used by amateurs. 
         [0034]    Finally,  FIG. 13  is an illustration of the ergonomics sports handle to a lacrosse stick  98 . It is contemplated that the flat handle side surfaces  48  be aligned with the lacrosse head  99  in order to improve handling ability in certain shots. It should be understood that in all embodiments, the present invention continues to allow the athlete  11  to choke up on any of the equipment in a traditional fashion while still providing the claimed benefits when used in the conditions where it is most advantageous. 
         [0035]    From the foregoing, it can be seen that there has been brought to the art a new and improved sports utility handle with improved ergonomics. While the invention has been described in connection with one or more embodiments, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to those embodiments. On the contrary, the invention covers all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.