Patent Publication Number: US-2010126301-A1

Title: Grip for bicycle handlebars

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention generally relates to bicycle handlebar grips, particularly to a bicycle handlebar grip with an outer layer formed by a spirally wrapped strip. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     It is well known that, for decades, cylindrical handlebar grips have been utilized on the ends of bicycle handlebars to improve a cyclist&#39;s ability to grasp the handlebars of the bicycle. These grips typically consist of a cylindrical rigid body and an over molding elastomer. The primary disadvantage of such a prior art grip is that the over-molded elastomer can not be easily replaced when damaged by normal wear and tear. 
     Thus, there is a need for a new bicycle handlebar grip with an outer layer that can be easily attached and removed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A bicycle handlebar grip in accordance with the present invention includes a cylindrical sleeve made of a material sufficiently rigid to retain the shape of the grip. The sleeve has an open end to be pierced therein by one end of a handlebar of a bicycle. A resilient intermediate layer tightly covers the surface of the sleeve. A strip then spirally wraps about said intermediate layer to be an outer layer of the grip. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention may be more clearly understood with reference to the following detailed description, in conjunction with the appended drawings of which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a handlebar grip in accordance with the present invention mounted on one end of a bicycle handlebar; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the handlebar grip of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a partly exploded view of the handlebar grip of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view taken along the line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view taken along the line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring firstly to  FIG. 1 , a handlebar grip  10  according to the present invention is fitted to one end of a handlebar  2  of a bicycle. An outer layer  20  of the grip  10  and a tightening means  30  can be seen in this drawing. 
     Referring secondly to  FIGS. 2-5 , it can be seen that, in addition to outer layer  20  and tightening means  30 , grip  10  also includes a cylindrical sleeve  40  and an intermediate layer  60 . 
     Cylindrical sleeve  40  is an injection molded article formed from suitable rigid plastic materials such as PP or PA, to be a unitary underlying support structure. It has a cylindrical body  42  with two open ends  44  provided respectively on each side thereof. A number of elongated slots  46  extend axially along a lengthwise portion of cylindrical body  42 . Each of open ends  44  is provided an annular flange  48  with a pair of gaps  50  oppositely disposed thereon. 
     Intermediate layer  60  is cylindrically shaped and made of a resilient material with anti-skid characteristics. In this embodiment, it is a molded article formed from synthetic rubber. Intermediate layer  60  is tightly attached to and covers the surface of cylindrical body  42  of cylindrical sleeve  40 . 
     Outer layer  20  is an elongated strip made of leather, fabric or plastic materials in a variety of colors. In this embodiment, outer layer  20  has a front tapered end  22  and a rear tapered end  24 . During assembly, it is spirally wrapped about the surface of intermediate layer  60  in such a way that each of tapered ends  22  and  24  is respectively and firmly attached to each of annular flanges  48 . 
     Tightening means  30  is used to securely mount grip  10  on one end of handlebar  2 . It includes a biasing member  32 , a tightening ring  34  and a fastener  36 . Biasing member  32  is made of resilient metals and is C-shaped to have a first flat end  322  and a second flat end  324 . Biasing member  32  nests in annular flange  48  in such a way that first end  322  fits in one gap  50  thereof and second end  324  fits in another gap  50  thereof. 
     Tightening ring  34  has two threaded through holes  342  oppositely disposed and is sleeved onto the surface of annular flange  48  of grip body  42  in such a way that biasing member  32  is sandwiched between tightening ring  34  and annular flange  48  of grip body  42  and each of threaded through holes  342  respectively aims at first flat end  322  and second flat end  324  of biasing member  32 . 
     Fastener  36 , in this embodiment, is a bolt. It threads through threaded hole  342  of tightening ring  34  and engages therewith in such a way that a bottom end of fastener  36  protrudes out of threaded through hole  342  to lean against first flat end  322  of biasing member  32  so that annular flange  48  of grip body  42  clamps tightly against one end of handlebar  2 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     During assembly, before nesting biasing member  32 , tapered ends  22  and  24  of outer layer strip  20  are respectively inserted into gaps  50  of annular flanges  48 , as shown in  FIG. 3 , so that after biasing member  32  nests therein, each end of strip  20  is firmly attached to grip body  42 .