Patent Publication Number: US-9844711-B2

Title: Flexible grip and cap therefor

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The present invention relates to a tubular flexible grip for attachment to the handle of a golf club and particularly to golf clubs having a tubular steel handle where the tubular handle is open when the flexible grip is attached. Golf clubs are usually carried or transported in a bag specifically designed for golf clubs. In use, the clubs are upon return to the bag, commonly dropped handle first by the user into the open end of the bag, thereby allowing the club to fall until the end of the grip impacts the bottom of the bag. The end of the flexible grip is typically closed by a cap which is either molded with the grip or attached to the grip during or after molding. Thus when the user drops the club grip end first into the golf bag, the end of the steel tubular handle of the club compresses the closed end of the grip when the grip impacts the bottom of the bag. 
     In providing a flexible tubular grip for a putter golf club, it has been found desirable to form the flexible grip of relatively soft elastomeric material to enhance the user&#39;s “feel” of the club when used for putting. In view of the limited stroke and relatively slow speed of movement of a putter as compared to other golf clubs which are swung with speed and force, the use of relatively soft elastomeric material for the grip enables the user to have an increased sense of the force applied to the club during the relatively short stroke. Flexible grips for putters are also commonly formed with a non-circular cross-section with a flattened portion of the periphery to facilitate gripping of the club by the user during the putting stroke. 
     The increased number of times the putter is used, as compared to other clubs, results in many more times the club is removed and dropped into the golf club bag and more frequent occurrences of compressing the closed end of the grip by the end of the steel shaft; and, after many such impacts, rupture or punching through of the shaft against the closed end has a frequent occurrence. Thus, it has been desired to provide a way or means of protecting the closed end of the flexible grip employed for a golf club, particularly a putter having a relatively soft grip, to prevent the closed end from being ruptured by the club shaft when the club is dropped in the bag. 
     Furthermore, it has been desired to provide a contour shape to the closure or cap for a putter grip to add to the aesthetic appeal of the grip. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION 
     The present disclosure describes a flexible elastomeric grip for a golf club such as a putter with the end closure for the tubular grip having a raised ridge formed around the portion of the periphery of the closure or cap. The tubular grip may have, in one version, a non-circular cross-section with a portion of the periphery flattened. In this version, the raised ridge extends continuously over the flattened portion. In one version, the raised ridge extends at least half the periphery of the cross-section of the grip. The central region of the closure or cap for the grip may also have a discrete raised portion which, in one version, has a domed or spherical shape and in another version, an ellipsoid configuration. The raised dome provides for a bumper or cushion to protect the cap from being ruptured by the open end of the steel club shaft when the club is dropped handle first into a golf bag. The raised central portion may have graphics molded thereon to add information describing the grip, particularly when used for a grip of a putter. The raised portion particularly with a domed shape undergoes some deflection to absorb the impact of the club handle striking the bottom of the club bag. The raised ridge may have a width in the range of 2-6 millimeters, and in one version has a width of 3-5 millimeters. The raised ridge may have a height in the range of 1-3 millimeters; and, in one version, has a height in the range of 1.5-2 millimeters. The discrete central portion may extend 1-2 millimeters below the ridge and may also extend 2-4 millimeters above the ridge. In one version, the discrete central portion extends above the ridge an amount in the range of 2-3 millimeters. The ridge extends over at least 25% of the periphery of the closure member of cap; and in one version, the ridge extends about half the periphery of the grip. The grip tubular member may have a durometer hardness not greater than 45 on the Shore “A” scale; and, in one version the tubular member has a durometer hardness in the range of 30-35 on the Shore “A” scale. The closure member or cap may have a durometer hardness not less than 50 on the Shore “A” scale; and, in one version, the cap has a durometer hardness in the range of 60-80 on the Shore “A” scale. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of a flexible grip of the present disclosure showing a contoured end closure as received over the end of a golf club shaft shown in dashed outline; 
         FIG. 2  is a section view taken along section indicating lines  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the end closure of the grip of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of the closure of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a bottom view of the closure of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a left side view of the closure of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a right side view of the closure of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a front view of the closure of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a back or reverse side view of the closure of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of another version of the closure or cap of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 11  is a top view of the closure of  FIG. 10 ; 
         FIG. 12  is a bottom view of the closure of  FIG. 10 ; 
         FIG. 13  is a right side view of the closure of  FIG. 10 ; 
         FIG. 14  is a left side view of the closure of  FIG. 10 ; 
         FIG. 15  is a front view of the closure of  FIG. 10 ; and, 
         FIG. 16  is a back or reverse side view of the closure of  FIG. 10 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     With reference to  FIG. 1 , the flexible tubular grip of the present disclosure is indicated generally at  10  has a tubular body portion  16  as received over the typically metal shaft  12  of a golf club, indicated generally in dashed outline in  FIG. 1 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the tubular member  16  is shown as having a non-circular cross-section with a flattened portion  18  of the cross-section periphery which is commonplace for the configuration of the grip as employed for a putter golf club. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , one version of an end cap  14  for closing the free end of the tubular body portion  16  (not shown in  FIG. 3 ) is shown as having a non-circular configuration with a flattened portion  18  and includes an aperture  20  therethrough for providing air circulation to the interior of the club shaft. The cap  14  has a base surface  22  or end face thereof provided with a peripheral raised ridge  24  which extends continuously around a portion of the periphery of the cap  14 . In the version of  FIG. 3 , the raised ridge  24  extends continuously around at least one half the periphery of the cap  14  and includes the flattened portion  18 . 
     The cap  14  of  FIG. 3  has a discrete central portion or region  26  of the end face or base surface  22  provided with a curved surface which may be raised slightly above the top of the ridge  24 ; and, in the version shown in  FIG. 3  comprises a dome shape. In the present practice, it has been found satisfactory for the curved discrete central portion  26  or dome shaped portion to have a height in the range of 3-6 millimeters and, in one version, has a width of 4-5 millimeters. In the present practice, it is satisfactory to have the raised ridge  24  with a height in the range of 1-3 millimeters; and, in one version, ridge  24  has a height in the range of 1.5-2 millimeters. This height is measured from the low point of surface  22  to the maximum height of the dome  26  measured parallel to the axis of the grip. 
     In the present practice, it has been found satisfactory to have the discrete central portion or domed portion  26  extend one of 2 millimeters below the height of the ridge and 3 millimeters above the height of the ridge. In one version, the discrete central portion, in the form of the dome  26 , extends above the height of the ridge an amount in the range of 2-3 millimeters. In the present practice, it has been found satisfactory to have the ridge extend over at least 25% of the periphery of the closure member or cap. 
     In the present practice, it has been found satisfactory to form the tubular flexible body  16  of elastomeric material having a durometer hardness not greater than 45 on the Shore “A” scale; and in one version, the tubular member  16  has a durometer hardness in the range of 30-35 on the Shore “A” scale. The closure member or cap  14  may have a durometer hardness not less than 50 on the Shore “A” scale; and, in the one version, the cap has a durometer hardness in the range of 60-80 on the Shore “A” scale. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the cap  14  has a reduced diameter cylindrical portion  28  provided on the side opposite the end face; and, the reduced diameter cylindrical portion  28  is sized and configured to be received in the inner periphery of the end of the tubular body  16 . The reduced diameter cylindrical portion  28  is located to allow the curved surface  26  to overhang further on the side distal the flattened portions as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . The cap or closure member  14  may be pre-cured and subsequently cured in place with the flexible body  16  or may be pre-cured and adhesively bonded to the end of the tubular member  16 . If desired, decorative indicia  30 ,  32  may be provided on the end face  22  of the closure or end cap  14 . The reduced diameter cylindrical portion  28  may vary in length and diameter as desired. Alternatively, the reduced diameter cylindrical portion may be eliminated. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , portions of the ridge  24  have been broken away to show the termination of the discrete central portion or dome  26  onto the end face or base surface  22 . It will be noted that in the versions illustrated in  FIGS. 3-7  that the base surface  22  or end face is curved such that the curvature of the domed surface terminates concurrently into the end of the cap opposite the end having the flattened portion  18  such that the flattened portion  18  has a greater thickness than the edge of the cap on the opposite side and giving an ellipsoidal configuration to the curved portion  14 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 10-16 , another version of the end cap for the grip  10  is indicated generally at  40  and has an upper portion  42  which is configured to conform to the outer periphery of the tubular member  16  and a reduced diameter cylindrical portion  44  which is configured to be received in the inner periphery of the tubular member  16 . The cap  40  has a flattened portion of the periphery  46  to conform with the configuration of a putter grip and has the end face  48  thereof formed in a generally flat plane configuration such that the periphery of the upper portion  42  is generally constant in thickness. The cap  40  has a raised ridge  50  provided about a portion of the periphery and extends continuously over the flattened portion  46  as shown in  FIG. 10 . The cap  40  has a raised discrete central portion  52  with an aperture  54  provided therein for air circulation as described hereinabove with respect to the version  14 . A discrete central portion is domed and extends to the lower edge of the cap opposite of the flattened portion; however, the periphery of the upper portion  42  has a substantially uniform thickness about the periphery. Ridge  50  and discrete central portion may have the same height and width as the version  14  previously described. 
     The present disclosure thus describes a flexible tubular grip for a golf club, particularly a putter, with a relatively soft tubular portion with the closure or end cap thereon having a peripherally raised ridge on the end face thereof extending over at least 25% of the periphery and has a discrete central portion which is raised and curved such that the discrete central portion absorbs the impact and prevents the tubular metal shaft of the club from rupturing or punching through the end of the grip when the club is dropped in a golf bag. The grip of the present disclosure with the ridged and domed end cap thus also have decorative indicia provided on the end face of the closure or cap. The closure or cap may be integrally molded with the tubular portion of the grip or may be pre-cured and adhesively attached after molding of the tubular portion. 
     The exemplary versions have been described with reference to the drawings. Obviously, modifications and alterations will occur to others upon reading and understanding the preceding detailed description. It is intended that the exemplary versions be construed as including all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.