Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to an improved golf club shaft and grip and an improved method of gripping a golf club.  
         BACKGROUND  
         [0002]    Golf is a recreational and competitive sport that is a popular with large numbers of people of all ages. One of the skills necessary to play the sport well is the ability to maintain control of the golf club before, during, and after swinging the club to contact the golf ball. This skill is particularly important when putting. Many golfers, however, struggle to maintain the proper attitude of the golf club during the swing when using a conventional grip. Thus, the golf club strikes the golf ball at an incorrect angle, causing the golf ball to travel in an undesirable direction.  
           [0003]    Attempts to prevent such extraneous motion of a golf club during a golf swing have included wrist braces intended to prevent movement of the wrist, thereby preventing corresponding movement of the golf club.  
           [0004]    For putters, in particular, various means to better control the golf club during a golf swing have been put forth. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,679,207, discloses the construction of a golf putter that allows the golfer to use a type of croquet stance instead of the conventional golf stance. The shaft of the patented club is considerably longer than a conventional putter and is used by gripping the club at the end of the shaft with one hand while gripping the shaft at the center of balance with the other hand, thus creating a type of fulcrum effect to prevent extraneous motion of the club. Other inventions, such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,592,552, and D201,250, disclose extending the shaft of a golf club above a central grip, resulting in the club having approximately the same weight above as below the grip position. Such counter-weighting is also thought to control extraneous motion of the club during a swing.  
           [0005]    While these approaches may be effective, they do not address a very important aspect of controlling extraneous motion of a golf club being swung: the manner in which the golf club is gripped by a golfer. There is a desire, then, for a golf club providing an improved grip and method for gripping a golf club that controls such undesired motion.  
         SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
         [0006]    The improved golf club shaft and grip and method for gripping a golf club of the present invention proposes to provide golfer with golf club having a club head attached to a shaft via a hosel, wherein the shaft comprises a plurality of alternating circular and rectangular cross-sections extending from the top end of the shaft (opposite the hosel). A grip covering a portion of the shaft, closely follows the alternating cross-sectional contour of the shaft. The rectangular cross-sections allow the shaft of the golf club to fit between chosen fingers on either hand of a golfer, thus stiffening the golfer&#39;s grip on the club without creating additional tension in the golfer&#39;s arms, which can cause extraneous motion. Further, such a grip allows the golfer&#39;s wrists to remain aligned with the hands, again providing a more controlled grip and, subsequently, swing of the golf club.  
           [0007]    The present invention also provides different grip configurations that can be mounted on conventional golf club shafts. These grip configurations provide various locations at which a golfer may grip the golf club shaft during a golf swing.  
           [0008]    The present invention also teaches a method for holding a golf club on which a preferred embodiment of the shaft and/or grip are used, the method providing additional stability during the swing. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0009]    Further features, embodiments, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description with reference to the drawings, wherein:  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a golf club according to one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, illustrating a golfer with the golf club in preparation of swinging the golf club;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is a side elevation illustrating the shape of a preferred embodiment of the golf club shaft and grip;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 is a magnification of an area of FIG. 2, illustrating the transition between club shaft and grip profiles;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4 is a cross-section of the golf club of FIG. 2, taken along the line  4 - 4 , illustrating one profile of the club shaft and grip;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 5 is a cross-section of the golf club of FIG. 2, taken along the line  5 - 5 , illustrating a second profile of the club shaft and grip;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 6 is a front elevation of the golf club of FIG. 2, illustrating the profiles of the club shaft and grip;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 7 is a side elevation, illustrating a golf club having conventional shaft and grip profiles;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 8 shows a golf club shaft similar to that in FIG. 7, illustrating an embodiment of a grip of the present invention surrounding the club shaft;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 9 shows a golf club shaft similar to that in FIG. 7, illustrating another embodiment of a grip of the present invention surrounding the club shaft;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 10 shows a golf club shaft similar to that in FIG. 7, illustrating another embodiment of a grip of the present invention surrounding the club shaft;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 11 shows a golf club shaft similar to that in FIG. 7, illustrating another embodiment of a grip of the present invention surrounding the club shaft;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 12 shows a golf club shaft similar to that in FIG. 7, illustrating another embodiment of a grip of the present invention surrounding the club shaft;  
         [0022]    FIGS.  13 - 16  are a series of partial perspective views of a golf club shaft according to one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, illustrating a method of gripping a golf club shaft according to one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 17 shows a golf club shaft similar to that in FIG. 13, illustrating another embodiment of a method a gripping a golf club shaft;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 18 shows a golf club shaft similar to that in FIG. 13, illustrating another embodiment of a method a gripping a golf club shaft;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 19 shows a golf club shaft similar to that in FIG. 13, illustrating another embodiment of a method a gripping a golf club shaft;  
         [0026]    FIGS.  20 - 21  are a series of partial perspective views of a golf club shaft according to one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, illustrating a method of gripping a golf club shaft according to one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention;  
         [0027]    FIGS.  22 - 24  are a series of partial perspective views of a conventional golf club shaft, illustrating a method of gripping a golf club shaft according to one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention; and  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 25 is a cross-section of the golf club similar to that in FIG. 5, illustrating placement of fingers about a golf club shaft using a method of gripping a golf club shaft according to one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION  
       [0029]    Referring now to the drawings, wherein like components are identified by similar numbers, a preferred embodiment of the improved golf club shaft and grip are shown in FIGS.  1 - 12 . As illustrated in FIG. 7, a typical golf club  75  comprises a head  45 , a hosel  55  and a shaft  65 . The shaft  65  has a top end  67  and a bottom end  69 . The bottom end  69  of the shaft  65  is attached to the hosel  55 . The club head  45  is attached to the hosel  55  opposite the shaft  65 . A grip  85  surrounds a portion of the shaft  65 , generally starting at the top end  67  of the shaft  65  and extending along the shaft  65  to a position intermediate the top end  67  and the bottom end  69  of the shaft  65 . As shown in FIG. 1, a golfer  25  typically holds the golf club  75  by grasping the golf club  75  at the grip  185 .  
         [0030]    The club shaft  165  shown in FIGS.  1 - 6  comprises three parts: an upper part U, a lower part B and a middle part M intermediate that upper and lower parts U, B. The upper and lower parts U, B comprise cylinders having circular cross-sections of a defined and uniform diameter. The middle part M of the shaft  165  comprises a plurality of alternating rectangular  165   b  and circular  165   a  and cross-sectional areas. The circular cross-sections  165   a  are uniformly cylindrical and have the same diameter as that of the upper and lower parts U, B of the shaft  165 . The rectangular cross-sections  165   b  have a length L, a width W and a height H. As seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, the length L of the rectangular cross-sections  165   b  is approximately the same as the diameter of the circular cross-sections  165   a . The width W of the rectangular cross-sections  165   b  is less than the length L. Further, the width W and the height H of the rectangular cross-sections  165   b  are of a size to allow a golfer to easily position the rectangular cross-sections  165   b  between two fingers, as shown in FIG. 25. The grip  185  covers the upper part U, the middle part M, and a portion of the lower part B of the shaft  165 , as shown in FIGS.  2 - 6 . Within the middle part M of the shaft  165 , the grip  185  has a convex profile relative to the circular cross-sectional areas  165   a . Such a profile allows the portions of the grip  185  covering the circular cross-sectional areas  165   a  in the middle part M of the shaft  165  to have the same outer diameter as the portions of the grip  185  covering the upper part U and the portion of the lower part B, hence providing a familiar gripping area for the golfer. As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the portions of the grip  185  covering the rectangular cross-sectional areas  165   b  of the middle part M of the shaft  165  are less dense than those portions of the grip  185  covering the circular cross-sectional areas  165   a . This lack of density provides a level of comfort and security to the golfer without impeding the placement of the rectangular cross-sectional areas  165   b  between two fingers of the golfer&#39;s hand, as shown in FIG. 25.  
         [0031]    In a preferred embodiment, transitions between the circular cross-sectional areas  165   a  and the rectangular cross-sectional areas  165   b  of the middle part M and the transitions between the upper U and lower B parts with the middle part M may be conical shaped to prevent excessive wear or abrasion at the transitions.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 7, as discussed above, illustrates and typical golf club  75  with a shaft  65  and grip  85 . In other preferred embodiments, as illustrated in FIGS.  8 - 11 , the shaft  65  (as shown in FIG. 7) maintains a uniform, cylindrical, shape from the top end  67  to the bottom end  69  while the grip  85  changes contour. In FIGS.  8 - 11 , the grip  285 ,  385 ,  485 ,  585  comprises a first part  287 ,  387 ,  487 ,  587  and a second part  289 ,  389 ,  489 ,  589 . The first parts  287 ,  387 ,  487 ,  587  of each grip  285 ,  385 ,  485 ,  585  comprise a contour similar to a conventional grip of a golf club  75 , as shown in FIG. 7. The second parts  289 ,  389 ,  489 ,  589  of each grip  285 ,  385 ,  485 ,  585  comprises at least one contoured area having a profile different than that of a conventional grip.  
         [0033]    As shown in FIG. 8, the first part  287  of the grip  285  covers the shaft  65  starting at the top end  67  and extending to abut the second part  289  of the grip  285 . The second part  289  of the grip  285  extends between the abutting-first part  287  and the bottom end  69  of the shaft  65 . The second part  289  of the grip is convex.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate grips  385 ,  485  in which the second parts  389 ,  489  each has a conventional portion  389   a ,  489   a  and a protruding portion  389   b ,  489   b . In FIG. 9, the conventional portion  389   a  of the second part  389  is located intermediate the first part  387  of the grip  385  and the protruding portion  389   b  of the second part  389  of the grip  385 . The protruding portion  389   b  surrounds the shaft  65  in a uniform, geometric shape. In FIG. 9, the protruding portion  389   b  resembles a vertical hexagonal.  
         [0035]    In FIG. 10, the protruding portion  489   b  is intermediate the conventional portion  489   a  of the second part  489  and the first part  487  of the grip  485 . The protruding portion  489   b  surrounds the shaft  65  in a uniform, geometric shape. In FIG. 10, the protruding portion  489   b  is convex.  
         [0036]    As shown in FIG. 11, the second part  589   b  of the grip  585  may include multiple contours. The first part  587  of the grip  585  extends from the top end  67  of the shaft  65  to abutting proximity to the second part  589 . The second part  589  extends from a terminus of the first part  587  toward the bottom end  69  of the shaft  65 . The second part comprises protruding portions  589   b  connected by a short conventional portion  589   a . The protruding portions  589   b  may be the same or different shapes. In FIG. 11, the protruding portions  589   b  are the same shape. Further, the protruding portions  589   b  may be of any geometric shape. In FIG. 11, the protruding portions  589   b  are barrel shaped.  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 12 illustrates a preferred embodiment combining elements of the contoured golf club shaft  665  as shown in FIGS.  1 - 6 , and of the contoured grip  685 , as shown in FIG. 8. The shaft  665  comprises three sections: an upper section U and a lower section B, both of which have a conventionally cylindrical shape; and a middle section M intermediate the upper and lower sections U, B of the shaft  665 . The middle section M of is cylindrically shaped with a circular cross-section having a diameter between about 0.25 and 0.5 that of the diameter of the upper and lower sections U, B. Transitions between the sections may be abrupt or gradual. As illustrated in FIG. 12, the transition between the upper section U and the middle section M is substantially an abrupt, square-edged demarcation, while the transition between the middle section M and the lower section B is a gradual, conically shaped transition. The grip  685  comprises a first part  687  and a second part  689 . The first part  687  comprises a contour similar to a conventional grip of a golf club  75 , as shown in FIG. 7. The second part  689  of the grip  685  comprises at least one contoured area having a profile different than that of a conventional grip. As shown in FIG. 12, the first part  687  of the grip  685  covers the shaft  665  starting at the top end  667  and extending to abutting engagement with the second part  689 . The second part  689  of the grip  685  extends between the abutting first part  687  and the bottom end  669  of the shaft  665 . The second part  689  of the grip  665  may have any geometric shape. The second part  689  of the grip  665  shown in FIG. 12 is convex.  
         [0038]    FIGS.  13 - 18  illustrate a preferred method for gripping the golf club  75  shown in FIGS.  1 - 6 . The golfer  25  first positions the golf club  75  with the head  45  of the golf club  75  adjacent to a striking surface (e.g., a greens area on a golf course) and a golf ball  35  and perpendicular to the golfer  25 , as shown in FIG. 1. The golfer  25  positions a first hand  27  in proximity to the golf club  75 , fingers of the first hand  27  oriented toward one of the rectangular cross-sectional areas  165   b  of the shaft covered by and identified by the corresponding grip  185   b , as illustrated in FIG. 13. The golfer then inserts the rectangular cross-sectional area  185   b  of the shaft  165  between two fingers of the first hand  27 , as illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 25. As shown in FIGS. 14, 16 and  17 , the rectangular cross-sectional area  185   b  of the shaft  165  is insertable between any two fingers of the first hand: between index and middle fingers (FIG. 14); between middle and ring fingers (FIG. 16); and between ring and little fingers (FIG. 17).  
         [0039]    Once the shaft  165  is properly positioned between fingers of the first hand  27 , the fingers of the first hand are closed about the shaft  165 , enclosing the shaft  165  within a fist made of the first hand  27 , as shown in FIG. 14. Fingers of a second hand  29  are wrapped around the shaft  165 , at least partially overlapping the first hand  27 . A thumb of the first hand  27  may be covered by the second hand  29  or situated atop the second hand  29  after the second hand  29  is wrapped around the shaft, as illustrated in FIGS. 15 and 18. Once the first and second hands  27 ,  29  are properly positioned, the golfer  25  may address the golf ball  35 , as shown in FIG. 1, and prepare for swinging the golf club  75 .  
         [0040]    Another embodiment of the method described above is shown in FIG. 19, wherein the shaft  165  is positioned between fingers of the first hand  27  and of the second hand  29 . The first and second hands  27 ,  29  may either utilize the same rectangular cross-sectional area  185   b  (illustrated in FIG. 19), or different rectangular cross-sectional areas  185   b . After properly positioning the shaft between fingers of both hands, the first and second hands  27 ,  29  are closed about the shaft  165 , completing the gripping method.  
         [0041]    Another embodiment of the method of gripping a golf club is illustrated in FIGS. 20 and 21, wherein the first hand  27  is positioned as discussed above and illustrated in FIGS.  13 - 18 . The second hand  29  is closed about the shaft  165  at a position spaced apart from the first hand  27 . Preferably, the second hand  29  is positioned intermediate the first hand  27  and the top end  67  of the shaft  165 .  
         [0042]    A feature of the method as described above is illustrated in FIGS.  22 - 24 , wherein any of the above grips is employed with a conventional golf club (shown in FIG. 7).  
         [0043]    It will therefore be readily understood by those persons skilled in the art that the present invention is susceptible of broad utility and application. Many embodiments and adaptations of the present invention other than those herein described, as well as many variations, modifications and equivalent arrangements, will be apparent from or reasonably suggested by the present invention and the foregoing description thereof, without departing from the substance or scope of the present invention. Accordingly, while the present invention has been described herein in detail in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that this disclosure is only illustrative and exemplary of the present invention and is made merely for purposes of providing a full and enabling disclosure of the invention. The foregoing disclosure is not intended or to be construed to limit the present invention or otherwise to exclude any such other embodiments, adaptations, variations, modifications and equivalent arrangements, the present invention being limited only by the claims appended hereto and the equivalents thereof.

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