Patent Publication Number: US-6981310-B2

Title: Handgrip installation tool

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention is a tool for installing and removing a hollow, elastically extensible handgrip on a tubular member. 
   2. Prior Art 
   Numerous types of handgrips are known in the art for providing a comfortable, stable gripping surface for operating a device such as a tool or a bicycle/motorcycle. Handlebar grips have been designed to make bicycle riding more comfortable and to minimize the slippage of the hand on the handlebar. Handlebar grips are provided to increase the gripping surface and slip resistance. Various types of both smooth grips and textured grips have been designed. All such handgrips are hollow, having an axial cylindrical cavity therewithin and may have indentations and projections on the outer surface thereof to provide a desirable gripping surface. Examples of such designs are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. D. 144,446; D. 231,044 and D. 248,616. Such handgrips are normally affixed to the outer surface of a tubular member comprising a handle portion of the device such as, for example, a bicycle handlebar, by sliding the handgrip over an end of the tubular member until correctly positioned. Accordingly, most such handgrips are elastically extensible, or have an elastically extensible or compressible inner surface on the wall of the cylindrical cavity therewithin, to permit a snug fit against the cylindrical, usually inelastic outer surface of the tubular member. Friction between the tubular member and the inner surface of the handgrip desirably provides a resistant force that resists or prevents the unintentional removal of the handgrip from the tubular member. Frictional forces also make it difficult to advance the handgrip over the tubular member during the installation thereof. 
   Lubricants can be used to facilitate the installation of such handgrips but do not enable secure attachment of the handgrip to the tubular member after installation. Lubricants are of limited value in removing a handgrip from a tubular member. Further, bicycles and motorcycle handlebars have control mechanisms such as brakes or clutches mounted thereon adjacent to the handgrip which impede access to the handgrip for removal from the handlebar. There is a current need for a tool and a method for using the tool to facilitate the installation and removal of a handgrip from a tubular member. 
   SUMMARY 
   It is an object of the present invention to provide a tool that delivers compressed air into the interface between an elastically extensible inner wall of a hollow handgrip and the cylindrical outer surface of a tubular member enveloped by the handgrip in order to facilitate movement of the handgrip over the tubular member during installation or removal of the handgrip. 
   The above objectives of the invention are met by the provision of a device operable for injecting a fluid medium from a source of fluid medium such as compressed air, the source having a fluid output port, into an interface between a handgrip and a tubular member, wherein the handgrip comprises an elongate, substantially cylindrical member comprised of an elastomeric material and having a cylindrical recess in an open end thereof, said cylindrical recess defining a cavity. The device comprises a handle portion and an insertion tip attached to, or integral with, the handle portion. The handle portion is adapted to be grasped by a hand, and has a proximal end adapted to sealingly engage the fluid outlet port of the source of fluid medium, a distal end and a first fluid-conducting conduit between the proximal and distal ends thereof. The insertion tip has a proximal end affixed to and sealingly engaging the distal end of the handle portion, a distal end having an opening therein and a second fluid-conducting conduit in fluid communication with the first fluid-conducting conduit and the opening in the distal end of the insertion tip. The distal end of the insertion tip preferably has an arcuate transverse cross-section. The handle portion and the insertion tip are integral with one another and may be either unitary in construction or modular. The handle portion preferably further comprises a manually operable valve operable for contolling fluid flow through either the first or second fluid-conducting conduits. The preferred fluid medium is compressed air. 
   The features of the invention believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. However the invention itself, both as to organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof may be best understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a pneumatic handgrip tool in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the tool illustrated in  FIG. 1  rotated 90°. 
       FIG. 3  is an end view of a tool in accordance with  FIGS. 1 and 2  viewed from left to right. 
       FIG. 4  is a longitudinal plan view of the first preferred embodiment of the pneumatic handgrip tool of  FIGS. 1–3 . 
       FIG. 5  is a longitudinal plan view of the tool of  FIG. 4  rotated 90°. 
       FIGS. 6–10  are a series of perspective views of the handgrip tool of  FIGS. 1–5  being employed to install a handgrip on a motorcycle handlebar. 
       FIGS. 11–13  are a series of perspective views of the handgrip tool of  FIGS. 1–5  illustrating steps wherein the handgrip tool is employed to remove a handgrip from a motorcycle handlebar. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Turning now to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a handgrip tool in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention is indicated at numeral  10 .  FIG. 2  shows the tool  10  rotated 90° from the view shown in  FIG. 1 . The tool  10  has a handle portion  11 , an extension portion  12  and an insertion tip portion  13  having an air injection port  14  in a distal end thereof. The proximal end  15  of the handle portion  11  has compressed air line attachment means  30  ( FIG. 3 ) such as a ⅜″ male threaded hole or a “quick coupler” type of connector therein. The handle portion  11  preferably includes valve actuation means  16 , such as, for example, a button or lever-actuated piston valve of the type that is well known in the art, operable for controlling airflow between the compressed air line attachment means  30  and the air injection port  14 . An airflow conduit  31  ( FIG. 3 ) provides fluid communication between the proximal end  15  of the tool  10  and the air injection port  14 . 
   With reference now to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the extension portion  12  of the tool  10  extends distally from the handle portion and supports an insertion tip  13 . The insertion tip is disposed at an angle θ, preferably about 90°, with respect to the direction of the conduit  31  disposed within, and coextensive with, the handle portion  11  and the extension portion  12  of the tool  10 . The insertion tip  13  is preferably crescent-shaped in transverse end view, as shown in  FIG. 4 , having a generally cylindrically concave lower surface  41  with a curvature that substantially conforms to the curvature of the cylindrical outer surface of a tubular member  60  ( FIG. 6 ) to which a prior art handgrip  61  is to be attached, and a generally cylindrically convex upper surface  42  that substantially conforms to the curvature of the inner surface of the cylindrical cavity within a handgrip. The air injection port  14  at the distal end of the insertion tip portion  13  is the distal terminus of the air-conducting conduit  31 . A valve  40  controls the flow of air through the conduit  31  and is actuated by depressing a button  50  or a lever. The valve actuating means such as a depressable button or lever may be disposed either on the handle portion  11  or the extension portion  12  of the tool  10 . 
   With reference now to  FIGS. 6–10 , the method for using the handgrip tool of the present invention to install a handgrip  61  on a tubular member  60  comprising a motorcycle handlebar is illustrated in perspective view. The open end of an elastically deformable handgrip  61  is inserted over an end of the tubular member  60  as shown in  FIG. 6 . The insertion tip  13  is inserted between the handgrip and the tubular member as shown in  FIG. 7 . This step can be facilitated by lifting the handstop on the handgrip to provide a space, usually crescent-shaped, in which to insert the insertion tip of the tool. The handgrip is then grasped by the installer&#39;s hand as shown in  FIG. 8 . The valve  40  is then actuated to force air between the handgrip and the tubular member and the handgrip is simultaneously advanced onto the tubular member, moving the insertion tip with the handgrip as it&#39;s advanced, as illustrated in  FIG. 9 . When the handgrip is fully advanced, as shown in  FIG. 10 , the insertion tip is removed from the interface between the handgrip and the tubular member and the airflow terminated. In the event that the tubular member is hollow, it may be desirable to plug the opposing end of the tubular member during installation to prevent leakage of compressed air from the interface between the inner surface of the handgrip and the cylindrical outer surface of the tubular member. 
   To remove a previously installed handgrip from a tubular member, the above steps are reversed as shown in  FIGS. 11–13 . First, the insertion tip is inserted between the handgrip and the tubular member as illustrated in  FIG. 11 . In practice, the handgrip is usually adjacent to a control mechanism  110  mounted on the handlebar  111 . By making the insertion tip portion short, and disposing the insertion tip at a 90° angle with respect to the axis of the handle portion, it is possible to insert the insertion tip between the handgrip and control mechanism and advance the insertion tip into the interface between the handgrip and the handlebar. Once the insertion tip is positioned within the interface, the valve is actuated to inject compressed air into the interface between the inner surface of the handgrip and the outer surface of the tubular member while applying traction to the handgrip as shown in  FIG. 12 . The tool is moved along with the handgrip to keep the insertion tip within the interface as the handgrip is removed from the tubular member as shown in  FIG. 13 . 
   While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, while the example presented herein shows the injection of compressed air into the interface between a handgrip and a tubular member to facilitate installation and removal of the handgrip, other fluidic mediums such as a liquid could also be used. In addition, the handle portion, extension portion and the insertion tip may be molded and have either unitary or integral construction. It is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention.