Patent Publication Number: US-9415500-B2

Title: Bi-directional grip structure

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/800,977, filed, Mar. 15, 2013, the entire teachings of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to gripping features, and, more particularly, to a bi-directional grip structure for hand-held articles. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Hand-held articles, such as knives, hammers, or other tools, typically include a working portion (e.g. a blade) and a handle portion that is adapted to be gripped by the hand of a user so that the working portion can be manipulated. One problem associated with such articles is that slippage of the article can occur when excessive force is applied by the user to the article or when the user&#39;s grip on a portion of the article, such as the handle, loosens. Such slippage can seriously injure the user or others in the vicinity of the user. Some hand-held articles are adapted to reduce slippage in one direction or have a uniform surface pattern to reduce slippage equally in all directions without consideration of the direction of applied force. However, some designs are not well suited to adequately reduce slippage in multiple directions, e.g., both the forward and backward directions. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Features and advantages of the claimed subject matter will be apparent from the following detailed description of embodiments consistent therewith, which description should be considered with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of one embodiment of a bi-directional grip structure on a handle portion of a utility knife consistent with the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the knife handle of  FIG. 1  illustrating the bi-directional grip structure in greater detail; 
         FIG. 3  is a enlarged perspective view of the bi-directional grip structure consistent with the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 4  is a side cross-sectional view of a portion of the bi-directional grip structure consistent with the present disclosure; and 
         FIG. 5  illustrates another article having a bi-directional grip structure consistent with the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a side view of a utility knife  12  having one embodiment of a bi-directional grip structure  10  consistent with the present disclosure. As shown, the grip structure  10  is covering the handle portion  14  of the knife. As described in greater detail herein, the bi-directional grip structure  10  is configured to reduce slippage of a users&#39;s hand while the user is utilizing a hand-held article, such as, for example, the utility knife  10 . 
     It should be noted that, although the bi-directional grip structure consistent  10  with the present disclosure is described with respect to a particular type of tool, specifically a knife, it should be appreciated that references to a knife are for illustrative purposes to describe bi-directional grip structure of the present disclosure. Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the bi-directional grip structure of the present disclosure is not limited to knives and may be included on all type of hand-held articles, including tools, sports equipment, and the like, as well as any other article that allows a user to grasp a portion thereof, such as, for example, a steering wheel. 
       FIG. 2  is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the knife handle  14  of  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 3  is an enlarged perspective view of the bi-directional grip structure of  FIG. 2  illustrating the bi-directional grip structure  10  in greater detail. As shown, the grip structure  10  generally includes a plurality of discrete protrusions extending away from a base  20  (shown in  FIG. 4 ). More specifically, the grip structure  10  generally includes a first set of discrete protrusions  16  and a second set of discrete protrusions  18  mixed with one another positioned throughout the entire base  20  of the grip structure  10 . For example, as most clearly shown in  FIG. 3 , the first and second sets of protrusions  16 ,  18  are positioned across the entire surface of the knife handle  14  rather than being separated from each other on opposing ends of the knife handle  14 . In one embodiment, the grip structure  10  may have a pattern in which a protrusion from the first set  16  is positioned adjacent to a protrusion from the second set  18  in an alternating fashion. 
     Each of the discrete protrusions of the first set  16  is shaped and/or sized to provide friction against an object (e.g. user&#39;s hand) in a first direction to prevent slippage in that direction. Similarly, each of the discrete protrusions of the second set  18  is shaped and/or sized to provide friction against an object in a second direction to prevent slippage in that direction, wherein the second direction may oppose the first direction. 
     For example, in the instance of a knife, a user may use a back and forth movement when cutting an item. As such, the user&#39;s hand moves with a forward motion and then a backward motion. In this instance, the first set of discrete protrusions  16  may be configured to provide friction against the user&#39;s hand when the user is making a forward motion, thereby preventing slippage in the forward direction. In this example, the second set of discrete protrusions  18  may be configured to provide friction against the user&#39;s hand when the user makes a backward motion, thereby preventing slippage in the backward direction. Accordingly, the grip structure  10  provides grip to the user in at least two directions. 
     Accordingly, a bi-directional grip structure consistent with the present disclosure may be applied to any product that uses a handle, wherein the motion required to use the product or is a forward and backward motion. Such products may include, for example, a toothbrush or hand saw. Additionally, the bi-directional grip structure  10  may be utilized in any product that uses a forward motion some of the time and then a backward motion some of the time. Such products may include, for example, a shovel, turf edger (long handle or “D-grip” (dig in and pull out)), hammer (swing to hit nail, reverse motion to pull nail), steering wheel grip (turn right/turn left), wheel barrow, baby stroller (push &amp; pull), etc. 
       FIG. 4  is a side cross-sectional view of a portion of the bi-directional grip structure  10  consistent with the present disclosure. As shown, the protrusions of the first and second sets  16 ,  18  extend away from a base  20 . In the illustrated embodiment, a protrusion of the first set  16  has a first surface  22   a  and a second surface  22   b  intersecting one another and defining an apex  24 . The first surface  22   a  is generally angled in a first direction relative to the second surface  22   b . In particular, the second surface  22   b  is generally perpendicular with the base  20  and the first surface  22   a  extends from the base  20  at an inclined angle, generally forming an acute included angle with the second surface  22   b  and forming the apex  26 . Accordingly, a protrusion of the first set  16  is generally angled in the first direction. 
     A protrusion of the second set  18  is similarly configured as a protrusion of the first set  16  but is angled in the opposing second direction. As shown, the protrusion of the second set  18  has a first surface  26   a  and a second surface  26   b  intersecting one another and defining an apex  28 . The first surface  26   a  is generally angled in a second direction relative to the second surface  26   b . In particular, the second surface  26   b  is generally perpendicular with the base  20  and the first surface  26   a  extends from the base  20  at an inclined angle, generally forming an acute included angle with the second surface  26   b  and forming the apex  28 . Accordingly, a protrusion of the second set  18  is generally angled in the second direction and generally opposing a protrusion of the first set  16 . Also, the second surface  22   b  of each of the first set of protrusions  16  may be positioned in an opposed facing relationship to the second surface  26   b  of an associated one of the second set of protrusions  18 . 
     When a user makes a forward motion, the user&#39;s hand will generally apply a force (indicated by arrow A) against protrusions of both the first and second sets  16 ,  18 . When moving in the forward direction, the user&#39;s hand may easily slide along the first surface  26   a  of the protrusions of the second set  18 , as the first surface  26   a  is at an incline and generally does not provide friction against the user&#39;s hand during a forward motion. However, the apex  24  of a protrusion of the first set  16  will generally provide friction against the user&#39;s hand, thereby preventing slippage in the forward motion. 
     When a user makes a backward motion, the user&#39;s hand will generally apply a force (indicated by arrow B) against protrusions of both the first and second sets  16 ,  18 . In this instance, the user&#39;s hand may easily slide along the first surface  22   a  of the protrusions of the first set  16 , as the first surface  22   a  is at an incline and generally does not provide friction against the user&#39;s hand during a backward motion. However, the apex  28  of a protrusion of the second set  18  will generally provide friction against the user&#39;s hand, thereby preventing slippage in the backward direction. In addition to the protrusions of the first and second sets  16 ,  18 , the grip structure  10  may also include non-directional discrete protrusions  30 , which may allow for more separation between protrusions of each of the first and second sets  16 ,  18 . Each of the non-directional discrete protrusions  30  may have a flat top surface  31  positioned between the base  20  and the apexes  24 ,  28  of the protrusions of the first and second sets  16 ,  18 . 
       FIG. 5  illustrates another article, specifically a glove  32 , having a bi-directional grip structure  10   b  consistent with the present disclosure. As previously described, other hand-held articles and products having handles or allowing a user grasp may include bi-directional grip structure consistent with the present disclosure. In addition, other articles, such as a glove  32 , may include a bi-directional grip structure  10   b  and may be used to cooperate with the bi-directional grip structure  10   a  of another article, such as the knife  12  of  FIG. 1 , thereby providing increased grip for the user. In this instance, the grip structure  10   a  of the knife  12 , specifically each of the protrusions of the first and second sets  16 ,  18  may correspond to the protrusions of the first and second sets  16 ,  18  of the grip structure  10   b  of the glove  32  and matingly engage one another. 
     According to one aspect of the disclosure, there is thus provided a bi-directional grip structure including a base; a first set of protrusions extending away from the base, each protrusion of the first set of protrusions comprising a first surface and a second surface, the first surface extending in a first direction at an inclined angle to form an acute included angle with the second surface, the second surface extending substantially perpendicularly to the base; and a second set of protrusions extending away from the base, each protrusion of the second set of protrusions comprising a first surface and a second surface, the first surface extending in a second direction at an inclined angle to form an acute included angle with the second surface, the second surface extending substantially perpendicularly to the base, wherein the first direction and the second direction are opposing directions. A hand tool with a bi-directional grip structure disposed on a handle of the hand tool is also provided. 
     While several embodiments of the present invention have been described and illustrated herein, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily envision a variety of other means and/or structures for performing the functions and/or obtaining the results and/or one or more of the advantages described herein, and each of such variations and/or modifications is deemed to be within the scope of the present invention. More generally, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that all parameters, dimensions, materials, and configurations described herein are meant to be exemplary and that the actual parameters, dimensions, materials, and/or configurations will depend upon the specific application or applications for which the teachings of the present invention is/are used. Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific embodiments of the invention described herein. It is, therefore, to be understood that the foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only and that, within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereto, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described and claimed. The present invention is directed to each individual feature, system, article, material, kit, and/or method described herein. In addition, any combination of two or more such features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and/or methods, if such features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and/or methods are not mutually inconsistent, is included within the scope of the present invention. 
     All definitions, as defined and used herein, should be understood to control over dictionary definitions, definitions in documents incorporated by reference, and/or ordinary meanings of the defined terms. 
     Unless otherwise stated, use of the word “substantially” may be construed to include a precise relationship, condition, arrangement, orientation, and/or other characteristic, and deviations thereof as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, to the extent that such deviations do not materially affect the disclosed methods and systems. The indefinite articles “a” and “an,” as used herein in the specification and in the claims, unless clearly indicated to the contrary, should be understood to mean “at least one.” The phrase “and/or,” as used herein in the specification and in the claims, should be understood to mean “either or both” of the elements so conjoined, i.e., elements that are conjunctively present in some cases and disjunctively present in other cases. Other elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified by the “and/or” clause, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified, unless clearly indicated to the contrary.