Patent Publication Number: US-2007094884-A1

Title: Golf club grip dryer

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
      This application is closely related to and claims benefit from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/732,814, filed on Nov.  2 ,  2005 . 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates, in general, to devices used to dry moisture disposed on predetermined objects and, more particularly, the invention relates to a device for drying moisture disposed on a golf club grip.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Prior to the conception and development of the present invention, as is generally well known in the prior art, golfers have been seeking ways to keep the grip portion of their golf clubs dry during play. Being able to grip a golf club without it slipping from the hands is an important aspect to any golf swing.  
      Golf club grips can become wet out on the golf course for various reasons. Some obvious reasons are rainwater, laying a golf club down on wet grass, perspiration or beverage condensation on a golfer&#39;s hands being transferred to the grip, etc. Golfers often use a towel to try and dry their hands and grips. However, the towel often becomes saturated with moisture to where it becomes ineffective in drying either their hands or grips.  
      One known device for drying golf club handles in the prior art is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,066. Disclosed therein is a golf club handle drying device comprising a tubular piece that is closed at a first end and open at a second end, a cap, a desiccant, and means for removing desiccant from the golf club handle. A wet golf handle is dried by placing it in the tubular piece in contact with the desiccant.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 5,873,178 discloses a portable hand dryer for drying wetness from an individual&#39;s hands as well as from the instruments or objects being held in their hands. The portable hand dryer includes a casing having an upper housing defining a through opening and a lower housing defining an interior cavity, an air current generator disposed within the through opening of the upper housing, a motor received in the inner cavity of the lower housing, and at least one control to operate the hand dryer. In operation, manipulation of the control activates the motor to power the air current generator to create an air current to dry an object placed within the stream of that current.  
      However, none of the above noted prior art devices disclose a device specifically designed for drying a golf club grip according to the present invention described in greater detail below.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention provides a device for drying moisture disposed on a golf club grip. The device includes a generally hollow housing member formed from a first predetermined material and having each of a predetermined shape and a predetermined size. The housing member is open at a first end and closed at a second end thereof. A first means is disposed within the housing member adjacent the open end thereof for generating a flow of air. A second means is connected to the first means for operating such first means at a pre-selected speed. A grate like member, formed from a second predetermined material and having a pre-selected number of perforations formed therethrough, is connected to the open end of the housing member on a first side thereof for allowing air passage therethrough. Finally, a generally hollow tubular member, formed from a third predetermined material, is connected at a first end thereof to a second side of the grate like member for receiving the golf club grip therein to be dried by such airflow.  
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION  
      It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of the present invention to provide a device for drying moisture disposed on a golf club grip to aid in a golf swing.  
      Another object of the present invention is to provide a golf club grip drying device that can be easily attached directly to a golf bag and rotate while attached thereto for inserting the golf club grip therein at a predetermined angle.  
      Still another object of the present invention is to provide a golf club grip drying device that can supply a flow of air that is cool or heated depending on the type of airflow that is needed to dry the golf club grip.  
      Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a golf club grip drying device which is easy to use.  
      Even another object of the present invention is to provide a golf club grip drying device that is simple in design.  
      In addition to the above described objects and advantages of the present invention, various additional objects and advantages of the golf club grip dryer according to the instant invention will become more readily apparent to those persons skilled in the relevant art from the following more detailed description, particularly, when such description is taken in conjunction with the attached drawing figures and with the appended claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a side elevation view, partially in cross section, of the golf club grip dryer according to the present invention showing the various components of the device; and  
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the golf club grip dryer, illustrated in  FIG. 1 , showing the device attached to a golf bag. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PRESENTLY PREFERRED AND VARIOUS ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION  
      Prior to proceeding to the more detailed description of the present invention it should be noted that, for the sake of clarity in understanding the invention, identical components having identical functions have been identified with identical reference numerals throughout the several views illustrated in the drawings.  
      Now reference is made, more particularly, to the drawing  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Illustrated therein is a device, generally designated  10 , for drying moisture disposed on a handle grip  12 , shown in dashed outline in  FIG. 2 , of a golf club  14 . The device  10  includes a generally hollow housing member  16  formed from a first predetermined material and having each of a predetermined shape and a predetermined size. Housing member  16  is open at a first end  18  and closed at a second end  22  thereof.  
      A first means, generally designated  20 , is disposed within the housing member  16  adjacent the open end  18  thereof for generating airflow. A second means, generally designated  30 , is connected to the first means  20  for operating the first means  20  at a pre-selected speed.  
      A grate like member  24 , formed from a second predetermined material and having a pre-selected number of perforations formed therethrough, is connected to the open end  18  of the housing member  16  on a first side thereof for allowing airflow therethrough.  
      A generally hollow tubular member  26 , formed from a third predetermined material, is connected at a first end  28  thereof to a second side of the grate like member  24  for receiving the golf club grip  12  therein to be dried by such airflow.  
      Each of the first, second and third predetermined materials will preferably be durable, water resistant materials, such as various types of plastic or rubber. Also, it is preferred that each of such first, second and third predetermined materials used be substantially identical.  
      In a presently preferred embodiment, the housing member  16 , grate like member  24  and tubular member  26  will be adhesively bonded together. However, it is within the scope of this invention that the housing member  16 , grate like member  24  and tubular member  26  could be threadedly connected together in a well known manner.  
      In another presently preferred embodiment, the tubular member  26  will be wider at the first end  28  connected to the grate like member  24  than at a second end  32  that receives such golf club grip  12 , and interior surface walls of the tubular member  26  will have ribs  34  for promoting better airflow around such golf club grip  12 .  
      The first means  20  of device  10  will preferably include a unidirectional fan  36 . The second means  30  will preferably include a motor  38  and a power source, generally designated  40 , for supplying energy to the motor  38  for operating the unidirectional fan  36 .  
      The power source  40  can be an electric power source such as one of a rechargeable battery  42  and a non-rechargeable battery (not shown) that can be removed from the housing member  16  through the closed end  22  thereof.  
      In still another presently preferred embodiment, the power source  40  will be the rechargeable battery  42 . The device  10  will further include at least one electrical contact  44  on and extending through a predetermined surface of housing member  16  to conduct electrical current from an external power source (not shown) to the rechargeable battery  42 .  
      The device  10  preferably includes a first control switch  46  disposed on an outside surface of the housing member  16  for activating the power source  40  to energize the motor  38 .  
      In yet another presently preferred embodiment of the invention, the device  10  further includes a third means, generally designated  50 , disposed between unidirectional fan  36  and the grate like member  24  for heating such airflow generated by the unidirectional fan  36 . The third means  50  will preferably include at least one heating coil  48 .  
      The device  10  will preferably include a second control switch  52  disposed adjacent the first control switch  46  for activating the power source  40  to energize the at least one heating coil  48 .  
      The device  10  may include a clip member  54  having a first end  56  and a second end  58 . The first end  56  is engageable with the housing member  16  and the second end  58  clips the device  10  to a golf bag  62 . The clip member  54  may include a swivel member  64  connected to housing member  16  and the first end  56  of clip member  54  for allowing the device  10  to swivel or rotate at least about 90° while being clipped on the golf bag  62 .  
      While a presently preferred and various alternative embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above it should be understood that various other embodiments of the invention can be envisioned by those persons skilled in the relevant art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.