WO1995001210A1

WO1995001210A1 - Self-locking and self-guiding device for a handle

Info

Publication number: WO1995001210A1
Application number: PCT/FR1993/000669
Authority: WO
Inventors: Calixte Jean-Claude Fauche; Robert Jean Tisserand
Original assignee: Fauche Calixte Jean Claude; Robert Jean Tisserand
Priority date: 1991-12-27
Filing date: 1993-07-01
Publication date: 1995-01-12

Abstract

Self-locking and self-guiding device for a handle, characterized in that it includes at least one projecting lug (8, 9, 22, 31, 32, 43) generally substantially orthogonal to the surface of the handle (1) and adapted to be inserted between the user's fingers. The invention is useful for golf clubs.

Description

SELF-LOCKING AND SELF-GUIDING DEVICE FOR HANDLE

The present invention relates to a self-locking and self-guiding device for a handle. These devices are particularly applicable in cases where the user must hold a handle firmly enough so that it does not slip in his hands both in translation and in rotation.

There are many types of ergonomic handles, that is to say adapted to the morphology of the hand or hands, the aim of which is to ensure the best grip, that is to say an adaptation as perfect as possible between the hand and the handle. This is the case for many tools but also for sports accessories such as the pistol grips for competition shooting. These ergonomic adaptations even go as far as the moldings faithfully reproducing the interior of the hand closed on the handle.

If this technique is perfectly applicable to instruments as diverse as a drill or a pistol, it is much more difficult to apply in cases where extremely important constraints can appear in the use of the instrument, as is the case, for example, when the reaction forces of the latter in the hand can cause significant sliding in translation or in rotation. In what follows, and to illustrate the invention, reference will be made to an extreme case which is that of golf clubs, it being understood that the devices according to the invention can adapt to all kinds of handles and handles for a wide variety of equipment, ranging from hand tools, such as axes, to play accessories, such as polo hammers. The devices according to the invention apply particularly well in cases where significant tensile and / or torsional forces occur and tend to cause the handle to slide in translation and / or in rotation, in particular due to centrifugal forces which increase with the square of the speed and torsional forces generated during certain impacts. The long handles of golf clubs are generally slightly frustoconical, the top of the cone being on the side of the head and the widest part at the end opposite to the head, and have a good grip so that, when it is grips with both hands, the taper tends to increase the gripping forces when the rod tends to escape under the effect of centrifugal force. In golf, this centrifugal force can reach a significant number of G and if the player is not trained, if he is disabled or if osteoarthritis or other disorders that appear with age reduce his grip strength, there is a risk of the handle and the rod escaping from the player, which can be extremely dangerous due to the speeds that cane heads can reach. It is therefore essential that the grip exerted by the hands on the handle (the "grip") can be firm and secure, both to avoid sliding in translation due to centrifugal force and in rotation, in particular at the time of impact, since the head is arranged laterally with respect to the axis of the handle (the "shaft"), which results in a torque which is very often far from negligible and all the more so that the point of impact is distant from the axis of the handle.

It will be noted that, the grip being able to be weakened by sweating, humidity, rain or even excessive tension, it is important that the invention provide means independent of this phenomenon. The invention therefore aims to ensure a better grip for beginners players or players who do not physically have all the forces necessary to ensure perfect maintenance of the handle and therefore the cane during any movement of the cane to strike the ball ("swing" or even "finish"), and in particular during the movement which consists in lowering the cane to strike the ball (the "downswing").

It is also important that the invention provides devices which can either be removable and adaptable, as required, on the handles of golf clubs, or on the contrary which can be an integral part thereof. In the case of beginners, it is obviously preferable to have removable devices, which allows, after a certain training time, to switch to the bare and normal handle, the only one accepted by the way in competition by the regulations, but it is conceivable that a disabled or aging player could have handles integrating said devices as soon as the problem of competition regulations no longer affects them.

The devices according to the invention must obviously be able to be adapted to the way in which each grips the handle. It is also useful for the player to be able to move and adjust the devices to adapt them as best as possible, it being understood that from one type of rod to another, the grip of the handle may be different. It is obvious that the cane (the "putter") intended to roll the ball towards the hole, which causes only very few constraints, can be held in a very different way from the canes used for long distance shots (such than "drives"), or any other approach any other move requiring a "swing".

The present invention essentially involves the use of at least one protruding lug substantially orthogonal, as a whole, relative to the surface of the handle and adapted to be inserted between the fingers, which prevents the longitudinal sliding of the handle in the hands, and if at least two lugs are used, at least one for each hand, and if the lugs are placed in the vicinity of the birth of the fingers between which they are housed, this also prevents a sliding in rotation as will be seen in the description which follows. These pins are therefore necessarily at least one and preferably at least two in number, that is to say at least one per hand, in the case of devices such as golf clubs requiring gripping with two hands . At least some of these lugs can be either removable mounting, either installed permanently on the handle or handle in a fixed or adjustable manner. These lugs can have various shapes, as will also be seen in the examples which follow and, if they are not linear, they can be considered mounted in rotation to best adapt to the position of the player's hands. They can be curled to identify at least part of the finger.

These lugs preferably have at least a height which corresponds approximately to the thickness of the hand at the location of the birth of the fingers between which the lugs will be housed. This is noticeably different from systems with an ergonomic handle, the protrusions of which are generally less than half this thickness since they apply only to the internal part of the hand, the four fingers outside the thumb being generally pressed against each other. other.

To better understand the technical characteristics and advantages of the present invention, we will describe some embodiments, it being understood that these are not limiting as to their mode of implementation and to the applications that can be made of them. make.

We will refer to the following figures which schematically represent:

FIG. 1, a perspective view of a golf club handle held conventionally in the hands of a right-handed person (the position for the left-handed person is generally reversed); Figure 2, in perspective a removable and therefore removable device according to the present invention.

Figures 3, 4 and 5 show variants of lug shapes seen in plan in Figures a, in profile in Figures b, and in front of Figures C.

Figures 6 and 7 in elevation a, in longitudinal section b and in cross section c, two embodiments of the invention with lugs with adjustable position.

FIG. 8 represents an alternative embodiment in perspective.

Figure 1 shows a classic way of holding a golf club for a right-handed person. We designated by 1 the handle and 2 the handle of the cane, 3 the right hand and 4 the left hand. We note that the right hand is closest to the head of the cane and that the left hand is the closest to the other end, that is to say the widest part of the slightly frustoconical handle. It is conventional, as shown in the figure, for the index finger of the left hand 5 to pass inside the right hand between the ring finger 6 and the little finger 7 of this right hand, this left index finger 5 and the right little finger 7 being inside the two closed hands and therefore being each under the palm of the other hand. In this way, the tightening is improved since the two hands tighten a finger between the handle and the palm, the two hands not being able to move away from each other since two fingers are interdigitated. In this figure, pins 8 and 9 have been designated in accordance with the invention drawn diagrammatically to illustrate one preferred location. The lower lug 8 is therefore located between the middle finger 10 and the ring finger 6 of the right hand 3 and the other lug 9 between the middle finger 11 and the ring finger 12 of the left hand 4. This conventional position of the hands can give place with number of variants; of course the position for a dear left person being reversed with respect to that of FIG. 1 and for the application of the invention to other articles or instruments than golf clubs, the positions of the hands can be totally different. However, as pointed out above, by way of illustration of the invention, we will remain in the case of golf clubs which represent a case where the tensile and torsional stresses are extremely high.

Figure 2 shows a removable and removable device according to the present invention. It comprises two supports or plates 13 and 14 which are placed longitudinally on the handle 1, these two supports 13 and 14 being interconnected by any suitable system such as a curved tongue 15 of the support 14 passing through a slot 16 in the support 13; these elements can be made of any suitable metal. The support 14 has a slot 17 through which an elastic ribbon 18 sewn up to form a loop as indicated according to the dotted line. This elastic band is itself sewn to a band, for example a textile band 19 which is fixed, by a sewn loop 20, in a slot 21 of the support 13. A lug 22 is mounted on the support 13 and is integral therewith. Due to the elasticity of the band 18, all of the above has been described as a bracelet that can be extended in diameter. which can therefore be adapted to handles of different diameters or varying from one cross-section plane to another and in particular a device, such as in FIG. 2 can be adapted into several zones of a handle 1 ( Figure 1) frustoconical; for this 5 the support 13 is put in place, the band 19 and the elastic band 18 are passed around the handle and by pulling on the hook 15, it is placed in the slot 16 of the support 13.

Handles such as 1 are designed to prevent slipping and are most often covered with a material to

10 high coefficient of friction such as rubber. To prevent the whole bracelet of FIG. 2 from sliding or turning, it is possible to provide at least one of the two supports 13 and 14, preferably the support 13, with small points towards the inside which are anchored when we apply the support

15 13 on the handle 1, in the rubberized surface and will prevent any movement of translation or rotation around the axis of the handle 1, which moreover will facilitate the positioning of the hook 15 by avoiding, when the this hook is pulled to tension the elastic band 18, that the support 13

20 moves, which makes it possible to introduce the hook 15 into the slot 16. The bracelet is of course arranged so that the lug 22 comes to be placed in positions 8 or 9 in FIG. 1. Two bracelets can thus be placed , such as that of FIG. 2, one so that its lug 22 comes into position 9, the other in

25 position 8. The lug 22 may be metallic and be integral with the support 13; it can also be rotatably mounted so that it fits better between the fingers, especially if it has a curved shape so as to go back a little to the back of the hand, as shown in Figure 1 and as will be seen below in Figures 3, 4 and 5. Bracelets, such as that of Figure 2, may have several lugs if one wants for example to pass two lugs in two interdigital spaces with the same hand; they can also have spaced apart lugs, for example one for each hand like 8 and 9 in FIG. 1, but the advantage of one lug per bracelet is obviously to allow the distance between the lugs 8 and 9 to be adjusted according to the 'user; moreover, these lugs 8 and 9 may not be aligned along a generator of the handle 1 but be angularly offset according to the gripping position of the hands of the user.

The pins can be made of any suitable material and in particular metal or polymer, but according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, they are made of elastic material, such as rubber, with a solid core, such as made of metal, which is particularly convenient in the case where the pins are rotated. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is useful for one of the bands 18 or 19, preferably the elastic band 18, to be provided with a flexible tongue 23 which allows, by pulling, to release the hook 15 from the slot 16.

The points of the support 13 facing inwards are not shown in FIG. 2.

The assembly of plates 13 and 14 can also be done by any other means, by a system of press studs, using strips such as those known under the brand "Velcro", or by any other stapling system.

Figures 3,4 and 5 respectively represent different possible forms of lugs. The first is finger-shaped which fits between two fingers of the hand and tilts over the back of the hand. The lug of Figure 4 is based on the same arrangement, but in a thinner profile in the shape of a "shark fin", it provides better resistance to longitudinal sliding and is suitable for fine hands than the device in Figure 3. would spread too much. The device of FIG. 5 proposes a lug in the general shape of a T, the upper part of which covers the back of the two adjacent fingers; this makes it possible to apply the fingers better against the handle, therefore increases the pressure of the fingers and the grip, avoiding a separation between the fingers and the surface of the handle, which further increases the gripping force.

According to an alternative embodiment, it is possible, when two bracelets, such as that of FIG. 2, are mounted on the same handle 1, to connect the respective supports 13 and 14 of the two bracelets by an adjustable length link, which prevents accidental separation between the two straps.

FIG. 6 represents the central part of a handle 1 constituted by a frustoconical body 24 with central bore in which is threaded an axial and cylindrical rod 25 which can, moreover, be an extension of the handle 2 of FIG. outer body 24 has a longitudinal notch 26 revealing the rod 25. Between the body 24 and the rod 25 is formed a space 27 wider than the notch 26 for example through the introduction, between the body 24 and the rod 25, of a spacer 28 formed by a half-tube. The rod 25 has, at the level of the notch 26, a series of depressions 29, for example in the form of spherical caps. Sliders 30 carrying pins 31 and 32 have a wide base 33,34 which is introduced into the space 27 formed between the body 24 and the rod 25. This base 33,34 has projections which come to lock in position in the depressions 29. The base 33, 34 is preferably elastic so as to be applied, by its wings, against the body 24 and by its central part and in particular by its projections in the depressions 29. Each slider 30 may have one or more several projections whose spacing corresponds to the spacing between the depressions 29. The shape of the bases can be generally rectangular, polygonal, circular, elliptical or any other suitable shape. The pins 31 and 32 can be integral with the bases 33 and 34, but can also be mounted for rotation as has been emphasized above. 7 shows a variant of the device of Figure 6 where we find with the same reference numbers the same elements. The rod 25 here has two threads of opposite directions 35 and 36, passing through sliders which are themselves annular and threaded 38 and 39 carrying the pins 31 and 32. The rod 25 being rotatably mounted in the body 24, it is possible , by any suitable means, to rotate the rod 25 in the body 24 and therefore to remove or bring the sliders 38 and 39 closer.

It is obvious that, once the ideal positions, shape and number of lugs have been defined, it is possible to design 5 handles with fixed or possibly rotating integrated lugs.

One can also replace the stretch bracelets with clasps with clasps ensuring a tightening of any suitable type, in particular clasps with elastic hinges.

In FIG. 8 is shown in perspective a variant which can be of any suitable material and in particular of metal.

The bracelet 40 essentially consists of two bands 41 and 42, one of which 41 is made integral with the lug 43 by any suitable means. This strip 41 has notches 15 44 in the shape of an L, the tongue 45 of which is raised slightly towards the outside, so as to be able to receive the two ends 46, 47 in the shape of a transverse bar of a T whose base 48 is integral of band 42.

It is therefore possible to fix the T in any one of the 20 pairs of L-shaped notches, the T being held by the tabs such as 45, in the position of application against the external face of the strip 41.

In the lug 43 is provided a slide in which the end strip 52 of the strip 42 slides. This strip is

25 ends with a part 49 at 90 degrees into which the screw 50 is screwed. This screw 50 is kept rotatable without translation by any suitable means not shown. The rotation of the screw 50 thus makes it possible to adjust in translation the ribbon 52 of the band 42 and therefore the tightening of the assembly 41,42,43.

The bands 41 and 42 may for example be pierced with holes such as 51. This device of FIG. 8 does not therefore call for elasticity when extending the bracelet 40 but for a tightening system.

Claims

1.- Self-locking and self-guiding device for handle characterized in that it comprises at least one lug

(8,9,22,31,32,43) protruding, substantially orthogonal as a whole relative to the surface of the handle (1) and adapted to be inserted between the fingers of a user.

2.- Device according to claim 1 characterized in that it comprises at least two pins (8,9,31,32,43), including at least one for each hand of the user, said pins being adapted for s 'insert between the fingers of the user, in the vicinity of the birth of said fingers between which they are housed.

3.- Device according to one of claims 1 or 2 characterized in that at least some of these lugs (8,9) are an integral part of the handle (1).

4.- Device according to one of claims 1 to 3 characterized in that at least some of these lugs (22,31,32,43) are removably mounted on the handle (1).

5.- Device according to one of claims 1 to 4 characterized in that at least some of these lugs (8,9,22,31,32,43) are bent to surround at least a finger part.

6.- Device according to one of claims 1 to 3 characterized in that at least some of these lugs (8,9,22) are rotatably mounted adaptably to the position of the hands of the user.

7.- Device according to one of claims 1 to 6 characterized in that at least one lug is mounted on a bracelet (13 to 21.40) adapted to be fixed on the handle (1).

8.- Device according to claim 7 characterized in that the bracelet (13 to 21) is fixed elastically on the handle (1).

9.- Device according to claim 8 characterized in that the bracelet (13 to 21) comprises an elastic ribbon (18).

10.- Device according to claim 8 characterized in that the bracelet (13 to 21) comprises an elastic clasp.

11.- Device according to claim 10 characterized in that the bracelet (13 to 21) comprises a clasp with elastic hinge.

12.- Device according to one of claims 1 to 11 characterized in that the pins (31,32) are mounted on supports (33,34,38,39) adjustable in longitudinal position in the handle (1).

13.- Device according to one of claims 1 to 7 characterized in that the bracelet (40) is fixed by clamping means (49.50) on the handle.

14.- Device according to claim 13 characterized in that the lug (43) contains a screw clamping system moving the end of a band (42) constituting the bracelet

(40) relative to the end of the other strip (41) constituting said bracelet.

15.- Device according to one of claims 13 or 14 characterized in that the bands (41) and (42) constituting of the bracelet (40) are fixed to each other by a T-shaped band (46,47,48), one (42) fixing in notches (44) of the other (41) .

16.- Device according to one of claims 1 to 15 characterized in that it is applied to a handle (2) subjected during use to longitudinal tensile forces.

17.- Device according to one of claims 1 to 16 characterized in that it is applied to a handle subjected, during use, to axial torsional forces.

18.- Device according to one of claims 1 to 17 characterized in that it is applied to a golf club.