Grip component for a hand tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10583550-B2
Application number	US-201715802283-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 2, 2017
Priority date	Nov 2, 2017
Publication date	Mar 10, 2020
Grant date	Mar 10, 2020

Abstract

A hand tool comprising a head portion, a shaft, and a grip component is provided. The shaft is attached to or integral with the head portion, and the grip component is disposed around the shaft. The grip component and the shaft form a handle of the hand tool. The grip component comprises an external portion molded from a first thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) material or thermoplastic urethane (TPU) material, and an inner portion molded from a second TPE material or TPU material. The first TPE or TPU material has a first level of hardness, and the second TPE or TPU material has a lower level of hardness. The inner portion is disposed around the shaft, and the external portion forms a shell around the inner portion and is an exposed user contact surface. The grip component is attached to the shaft via at least a mechanical fastener.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A hand tool, comprising:
a head portion disposed at a first end of the hand tool;
a shaft attached to or integral with the head portion and extending toward a second and opposite end of the hand tool; and
a grip component disposed around the shaft and having an external portion and an inner portion, wherein the grip component and the shaft form a handle of the hand tool; and
an endcap in contact with the grip component and forming the second end of the hand tool,
wherein the grip component is a reverse-molded component formed by:
forming the external portion of the grip component by molding a first thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) material or thermoplastic urethane (TPU) material into a shell that surrounds a first cavity, and
after forming the external portion of the grip component, forming the inner portion of the grip component by injecting a second TPE material or TPU material into the first cavity, wherein the first TPE or TPU material has a first level of hardness, and the second TPE or TPU material has a second level of hardness lower than the first level of hardness,

wherein the inner portion of the grip component is disposed around the shaft, and wherein the external portion of the grip component forms the shell around the inner portion and forms an exposed user contact surface for the grip component, and
wherein the external portion and the inner portion of the grip component form a recessed portion of the grip component that fits around a portion of the endcap.

2. The hand tool of claim 1 , wherein the inner portion of the grip component and the shaft have no adhesive therebetween.

3. The hand tool of claim 1 , wherein the inner portion of the grip component and the shaft have only an adhesive with a lap shear strength of less than or equal to 500 lb/in 2 therebetween.

4. The hand tool of claim 1 , wherein the grip component is mechanically fastened to the shaft via the endcap.

5. The hand tool of claim 1 , wherein the second TPE material or TPU material has a durometer that is less than or equal to shore A-30.

6. The hand tool of claim 1 , wherein the external portion is an injection molded first layer, the inner portion is an injection molded second layer in contact with and chemically or mechanically bonded to the first layer, and wherein the grip component is formed with only the first layer and the second layer, such that the grip component is a two-layer grip component.

7. The hand tool of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the inner portion is greater than a thickness of the external portion.

8. The hand tool of claim 1 , wherein the external portion of the grip component is overmolded on at least one portion of the endcap.

9. The hand tool of claim 1 , further comprising a collar fitted around the shaft and disposed at one end of the grip component, wherein the endcap and the collar are disposed at opposite ends of the grip component.

10. A hand tool, comprising:
a head portion disposed at a first end of the hand tool;
a shaft attached to or integral with the head portion and extending toward a second and opposite end of the hand tool;
a grip component disposed around the shaft and having an external portion and an inner portion, wherein the grip component and the shaft form a handle of the hand tool; and
an endcap in contact with the grip component and forming the second end of the hand tool,
wherein the grip component is a reverse-molded component formed by:
forming the external portion of the grip component by molding a first thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) material or thermoplastic urethane (TPU) material into a shell that surrounds a first cavity, and
after forming the external portion of the grip component, forming the inner portion of the grip component by injecting a second TPE material or TPU material into the first cavity, wherein the first TPE or TPU material has a first level of hardness, and the second TPE or TPU material has a second level of hardness lower than the first level of hardness,

wherein the inner portion of the grip component is disposed around the shaft,
wherein the external portion of the grip component forms the shell around the inner portion and forms an exposed user contact surface for the grip component, and wherein none of the second TPE or TPU material of the inner portion is exposed at a side of the grip component, and
wherein the external portion and the inner portion of the grip component form a recessed portion of the grip component that fits around a portion of the endcap.

Assignees

• Stanley Black & Decker Inc

Inventors

• Lombardi Keith
• Chernyshou Aliaksei
• Pelletier Thomas
• Soria George

Classifications

• B25G1/01 Primary

  Shock-absorbing means (B25G1/02 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B25G3/36

  Lap joints; Riveted, screwed, or like joints (socket, tang, or like fixings B25G3/02) · CPC title

• B25G1/102 Primary

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