Golf club grip

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10099097-B2
Application number	US-201615248654-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 26, 2016
Priority date	Dec 14, 2015
Publication date	Oct 16, 2018
Grant date	Oct 16, 2018

Abstract

Provided is a grip for a golf club having a body with an axial passage extending substantially the length of the body and an air passage extending through a side wall of the body into the axial passage to allow air to escape from the axial passage as the shaft of the golf club is advanced into the axial passage.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A grip for a golf club including:
a body including:
a grip portion having first and second ends with a pair of longitudinally extending parallel flat sides extending from the first end to the second end and each joined to a pair of longitudinally extending curved sides that are mirror images of one another and extending from the first end to the second end, and a bore extending longitudinally through the grip portion for a shaft of the golf club,
a taper portion adjacent to the first end of the grip portion tapering away from the grip portion and having a bore in communication with the bore of the grip portion, and
an end portion having a first end adjacent to the second end of the grip portion, a second end spaced from the first end, a bore extending longitudinally through the end portion, and a vent passage in communication with and substantially perpendicular to the bore and opening to an outer surface of the end portion; and

a wrap surrounding the grip portion, the wrap having an outer surface substantially flush with an adjacent outer surface of the taper portion and an adjacent outer surface of the end portion,
wherein the taper portion and the end portion each have a cross-sectional area adjacent the first and second ends of the grip portion respectively that is greater than a cross-sectional area of the grip portion,
wherein the grip portion and end portion are one piece, and
wherein the bore of the end portion is in communication with the bore of the grip portion.

2. The grip according to claim 1 , further include a plug secured to the grip portion at the second end to close off the bore of the end portion to prevent air and/or solvent from escaping the bore at the second end.

3. The grip according to claim 1 , wherein the bore of the grip portion has a first diameter and the bore of the end portion has a second diameter less than the first diameter.

4. The grip according to claim 1 , wherein the grip portion, the taper portion, and the end portion are one piece.

5. The grip according to claim 1 , wherein the grip portion and the taper portion are separate pieces.

6. The grip according to claim 1 , wherein the grip portion and the taper portion are separate pieces, wherein the taper portion includes an upper portion configured to abut the grip portion, and a lower portion configured to abut the upper portion, and wherein the upper portion includes first and second halves configured to connect together around the shaft and the lower portion includes third and fourth halves configured to connect together around the shaft.

7. The grip according to claim 1 , wherein the grip portion and the taper portion are separate pieces, wherein the taper portion includes an upper portion configured to abut the grip portion, and a lower portion configured to abut the upper portion, and wherein the upper portion has a first end configured to abut the lower portion and a second end configured to abut the first end of the grip portion, wherein the first end of the upper portion has a geometry that matches a geometry of the first end of the grip portion, and wherein the second end of the upper portion has a substantially circular geometry.

8. The grip according to claim 1 , wherein the elongate body is substantially obround in shape such that the cross-sectional shape of the body has two parallel lines of equal length and two arcs that are mirror images of one another and whose chords are less than a full diameter.

9. The grip according to claim 1 , wherein the end portion has a first end adjacent to the second end of the grip portion and a second end opposite the first end, and wherein the second end is closed such that air only exits the end portion via the vent passage.

10. The grip according to claim 1 , wherein the end portion includes a counterbore at the first end opening to the bore, and wherein the plug is disposed in the counterbore.

11. A golf club grip including:
an elongate body having an axial length, first and second ends, an opening at the first end, and a counterbore at the second end;
an axial passage within the body extending substantially the length of the body, the passage having a first end that opens to the opening at the first end of the body to allow a shaft of a golf club to be advanced into the axial passage and a second end that opens to the counterbore at the second end;
an air passage extending through inner and outer surfaces of the body perpendicular to and into the axial passage to allow air to escape the grip from the axial passage as the shaft of the golf club is advanced into the axial passage; and
a plug disposed in the counterbore and secured to the second end to close the second end of the axial passage without blocking communication between the air passage and the axial passage,
wherein the inner surface of the body forms the axial passage and the outer surface of the body surrounds the inner surface.

12. The golf club grip according to claim 11 , wherein the air passage is proximate the second end of the body.

13. The golf club grip according to claim 11 , wherein the air passage is substantially perpendicular to the axial passage.

14. The golf club grip according to claim 11 , wherein the axial passage includes a first portion having a first diameter substantially equal to a diameter of the shaft of the golf club and a second portion having a second diameter less than the first diameter.

15. The golf club grip according to claim 11 , wherein the elongate body has a first portion with a first cross-sectional area, a second portion proximate the first end with a second cross-sectional area, and a third portion proximate the second end with a third cross-sectional area, and wherein the cross-sectional areas of the second and third portions are greater than the cross-sectional area of the first portion.

16. The golf club grip according to claim 11 , wherein the plug includes a first portion perpendicular to the axial passage and a second portion parallel to the axial passage.

17. The golf club grip according to claim 11 , wherein the plug has a first portion with a geometry that matches a geometry of the counterbore to close the counterbore, and a second portion with a geometry matching a geometry of the axial passage adjacent the counterbore and which extends into the axial passage.

18. The golf club grip according to claim 17 , wherein the counterbore is substantially obround, the first portion of the plug is substantially obround, and the second portion of the plug is substantially cylindrical.

19. The golf club grip according to claim 11 , wherein the counterbore and the plug are substantially obround.

Assignees

• Winston Products Llc
• Winston Products Llc

Inventors

• Breeden Iii Winston H
• Giannatti Nick
• Giannatti Ron F
• Spain Charles Eugene

Classifications

• A63B53/14 Primary

  Handles · CPC title

• B25G3/18

  comprising catches or pawls · CPC title

• B25G1/102

  the shape being specially adapted to facilitate handling or improve grip · CPC title

• A63B2225/01

  Special aerodynamic features, e.g. airfoil shapes, wings or air passages · CPC title

• A63B60/50

  with through-holes (A63B60/18 takes precedence; for stringing purposes A63B49/00) · CPC title