GB2496259A

GB2496259A - Golf club grip comprising a progressively tapering section

Info

Publication number: GB2496259A
Application number: GB1218109.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard Douglas Ferris
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2011-10-13
Filing date: 2012-10-09
Publication date: 2013-05-08
Also published as: US20130095947A1; GB201218109D0

Abstract

A golf club grip 100 for attachment to a golf club shaft 104 formed of an upper section 110 having a first outer diameter, an intermediate tapered transitional area 116 and a lower section 114 having a second outer diameter larger than the upper section outer diameter. The upper section 110 accommodates the ring finger and little finger of the upper hand. The intermediate tapered transitional section 116 accommodates the middle and index fingers and the thumb of the upper hand. The lower section 114 accommodates the fingers of the lower hand. Alternatively, a golf club grip 200 comprises a lower section 214 having a constant diameter accommodating the fingers of the lower hand, a gradually tapering upper section 212 accommodating the fingers of the upper hand, and a butt or cap 210 at the upper end of the golf club grip 200.

Description

bESCRIPUON OF THE bRA WINGS Figure 1 is an devotional view of the golf grip in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along lines 2-2 of figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view token along lines 3-3 of figure 1.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the golf grip of figure 1.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the golf grip attached to the upper end of a full length golf club.

Figure 6 is on devotional view of a second embodiment of a golf grip in CO accordance with the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EM8ODIMENTS U)

Ref erring to Figures 1 to 5, a first embodiment of a full swing golf grip 100 in accordance with the present invention is shown attached to a golf dub 102 on a shaft 104 at the opposite end of the club head 106. The grip 100 is a unitary single molded unit typically made of rubber or similar, generally flexible composite material. The grip is generally cylindrical in shape and has a hol low interior, The grip 100 includes an opening 108 at the lower end to enable it to be placed over the golf dub shaft 104 and a cap at the top or butt end that covers the upper end of the shaft 104.

The grip 100 is formed in three separate, but interconnected, sections, including an upper section 112, a lower section 114 and an intermediate or transitional section 116 between the upper section 112 and the lower section 114. The upper section 112 has a first non-tapered, constant outer diameter along the entire length of the upper section 112, as shown in Figure 2. The lower section 114 has a second constant outer diameter, larger than the first diameter of the upper section 112, along the entire length of the lower section 114, as shown in Figure 3.

The intermediate section 116 is tapered with a gradually decreasing diameter from the larger diameter of the lower section 114 toward the CO smaller diameter of the upper section 112 such that the diameter of the r intermedIate section 116 gradually decreases toward the upper end of the grip 100. U)

1 The upper section 112 is sized to accommodate the uppermost finger only, that is, the pinky finger of the golfer's hand when gripping the golf club 102 in a normal ball striking position. The intermediate section 116 is sized to accommodate the remaining fingers of the upper hand, that is, the ring finger, the middle finger and the index finger. The lower section 114 of the grip 100 accommodates all the fingers of the lower, dominant hand and is slightly less than the total length of the grip 100.

Preferably the overall length of the grip 100 is conventional although it will be appreciated the exact length may vary slightly in keeping within the scope of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the grip has a cap 110 approximately one quarter of an inch or slightly longer to insure the golfer's hands do not slip off the club 102 should the grip 100 become slippery. The upper section 112 preferably is no longer than an inch and a half. This length fits the upper finger of the greater majority of golfers. The intermediate section 116 ls preferably three inches in length to fit the remaining three fingers of the golfer's hand. The lQwer section 15 at least four to five inches to fit all the fingers of the golfer's lower hand.

As with the grip disclosed in my prior potent 7,658,684, the outside diameter of the upper section 112 is preferably between 0,590 inches and 1.102 inches along the entire length. In the present embodiment the CO diameter of the upper section 112 is slightly larger than 0.75 inches. The r lower section 114 has on outside diameter between 0.669 inches and 1.181 0 along the entire length. In the present embodiment the outside diameter of -the lower section is slightly less than 1.00 inches. The tapered intermediate section 116 between the upper section 112 and the lower section 114 tapers at a rote between 0.02 inches to 0.03 inches of diameter per inch of length.

In the present embodiment, the rate of taper is 0.0263 inches per inch of length. The taper of the intermediate section 116 is constant along the length thereof presenting a linear gripping surface.

Referring to Figure 6, an alternate embodiment of a full swing golf grip 200 in accordance with the present invention is shown. It will be appreciated the grip 200 is attached to a golf club on a shaft at the opposite end of the club head in the same manner as described above with respect to the first embodiment. The grip 200 is also a unitary single molded unit typically made of rubber or similar, generally flexible composite material. The grip 200 is generally cylindrical in shape and has a hollow interior. The grip 200 includes an opening 208 at the lower end to enable it to be placed over a golf club shaft and a cap 210 at the top or butt end that covers the upper end of the shaft.

The grip 200 is formed in two separate, but unitary and interconnected, sections, including an upper section 212, and a tower section 214. The upper section 216 is tapered with a gradually decreasing diameter from the larger diameter of the lower section 214 toward the cop 210 such CO that the diameter of the upper section 216 gradually decreases toward the upper end of the grip 200. The lower section 214 has a constant outer 0 diameter along the entire length of the lower section 214, as shown. U)

1 The upper section 212 is sized to accommoddte all the fingers of the golfer's upper hand when gripping a golf club in a normal boll striking position. The lower section 214 of the grip 200 accommodates all the fingers of the lower, dominant hand.

As with the first embodiment, the overall length of the grip 200 is conventional although it will be appreciated the exact length may vary slightly in keeping within the scope of the present invention, In the present embodiment, the grip 200 has a cap 210 approximately one quarter of an inch or slightly longer to insure the golfer's hands do not slip off the club should the grip 200 become slippery. The upper section 212 preferably is approximately four inches tong. This length fits the fingers of the upper hand of the greater majority of golfers. The lower section is at least four to five inches to fit all the fingers of the golfer's lower hand and may be slightly longer.

The outside diameter of the upper section 212 tapers at a rate between 0.02 inches to 0.03 inches of diameter per inch of length. In the present embodiment, the rate of taper is 0.0263 inches per inch of length.

The taper of the intermediate section 116 is constant along the length thereof presenting a linear gripping surface. The tower section 214 has on outside diameter between 0.669 inches and 1.181 along the entire length. In CO the present embodiment the outside diameter of the lower section is r slightly less than 1.00 inches.

0 aoth embodiments of the golf grips of the present invention permit U) i-the golfer to grip the club ergonomically with a comfortable and confident feeling of club control. In addition, the golfer is able to use a set-up position that will be identical to the ball impact position eliminating the need for manipulation of the club during the golf swing.

Whereas the present embodiments have been described in terms of conventional sizes, it will be appreciated the grips may be made smaller or larger to accommodate various golfers as long as the relative sizes of the sections are maintained.

S

Claims

<claim-text>CLAIMS1. A unitary golf club grip for attachment to the shaft of a golf club comprising: a lower end section of said grip having a first outer diameter constant along said lower end section; on upper end section having a second outer diameter constant along said upper end section, said second outer diameter being smaller than said first outer diameter; an intermediate section located between said upper end section and CO said lower end section, said intermediate section having an outside diameter progressively tapering between said upper end section and said lower end 0 section toward said upper end section; said upper end characterized by having a size providing a gripping surface to accommodate only the upper finger of a golfer's upper hand; said intermediate section characterized by having a Size providing a gripping surface for the remaining three fingers of the upper hand; and, said lower section characterized by having a size providing sufficient gripping surface to accommodate all the fingers of the golfers lower hand.</claim-text> <claim-text>2. The unitary golf grip of claim 1 wherein said intermediate section located between said upper end section and said lower end section being further defined by the change in outer diameter from one end to the other of the intermediate section being at a rate rangrng between 0.02 to 0.03 inches per diameter per inch of length.</claim-text> <claim-text>3. The unitary golf grip of claim 2 wherein said change in outer diameter is 0.0263 inches per diameter per inch of length.</claim-text> <claim-text>CO 4. The unitary golf grip of claim 1 wherein the length of said upper end section is between one and one and a hcilf inches and the length of said lower end section is at least four inches. U)</claim-text> <claim-text>5. The unitary golf grip of claim 4 wherein the length of said intermediate section is between approximately between three and four inches.</claim-text> <claim-text>6. A unitary golf club grip for attachment to the shaft of a golf club comprising: a lower end section of said grip having a first outer diameter constant along said lower end section; on upper end section having a second outer diameter constant of ong said upper end section, said second outer diameter being smaller than said first outer diameter; an intermediate section located between said upper end section and said tower end section, said intermediate section having an outside diameter CO progressively tapering between said upper end section and said tower end section toward said upper end section; 0 said upper end characterized by having a size providing a gripping i-surface to accommodate only the upper finger of a golf eras upper hand; said intermediate section characterized by having a size providing a gripping surface for the remaining three fingers of the upper hand; and, said lower section characterized by having a size providing sufficient gripping surface to accommodate all the fingers of the golfer's lower hand.; said intermediate section located between said upper end section and said lower end section being further defined by the change in outer diameter from one end to the other of the intermediate section being at a rote ranging between 0.02 to 0.03 inches per diameter per inch of length.</claim-text> <claim-text>7. A unitary golf club grip for attachment to the shaft of a golf club comprising; a butt section at the upper end of said golf club grip; a lower end section of said grip having en outer diameter constant along said lower end section; an upper end section located above said lower end section, said upper end section having an outside diameter progressively tapering away from said lower end section toward said butt section; said upper end characterized by having a size providing a gripping CO surface to accommodate all the fingers of a golfer's upper hand; and, said tower section characterized by having a size providing 0 sufficient gripping surface to accommodate all the fingers of the golfer's U) -lower hand.</claim-text> <claim-text>8. The unitary golf grip of claim 7 wherein said upper section is further defined by the change in outer diameter from one end to the other of the upper section being at a rate ranging between 0.02 to 0.03 inches per diameter per inch of length.</claim-text> <claim-text>9. The unitary golf grip of claim 7 wherein said upper section and said lower section are each at least four inches in length.</claim-text> <claim-text>10, The unitary golf grip of claim 7 wherein said upper section is characterized as having on additional second section with an outer constant diameter portion along the uppermost portion of said upper end section, said second outer diameter being smaller than said first outer diameter of said lower portion; said upper end characterized by having a size providing a gripping surface to accommodate only the upper finger of a golfer's uppeP hand; and said section characterized with a progressively tapering diameter accommodating the other three fingers of the golfer's hand. C) U)</claim-text>