US4934024A — Thermoplastic grip and method for making same

Claim 1

Independent Claim 130 words

A handle for an elongated implement to be held by the hand of a user comprising: a tubular deformable cover formed of a thermoplastic material which is stable and semi-rigid at normal ambient temperatures and is soft and deformable when heated, said cover consisting essentially of a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate softening at a temperature in a range from above ambient temperature to the temperature of boiling water, said cover having a bore extending therethrough enabling the cover to be telescopically installed upon said implement, with the inner surface of the cover adhering to the implement and the outer surface of the cover being deformable when in the heated state to provide a contoured gripping surface unique to and directly grippable by the hand of a specific user.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 130 words

A handle for an elongated implement to be held by the hand of a user comprising: a tubular deformable cover formed of a thermoplastic material which is stable and semi-rigid at normal ambient temperatures and is soft and deformable when heated, said cover consisting essentially of a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate softening at a temperature in a range from above ambient temperature to the temperature of boiling water, said cover having a bore extending therethrough enabling the cover to be telescopically installed upon said implement, with the inner surface of the cover adhering to the implement and the outer surface of the cover being deformable when in the heated state to provide a contoured gripping surface unique to and directly grippable by the hand of a specific user.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 24 words

The handle of claim 1 wherein said tubular deformable cover is slidable axially along said implement when the cover is not being loaded radially.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 11 words

The handle of claim 2 wherein the implement is a pencil.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 17 words

The handle of claim 3 wherein the thermoplastic material is grasped by the hand of a human.

Claim 6

Independent Claim 120 words

A method of preventing cumulative trauma disorders in a hand at risk to such disorders, said method comprising: covering outer surface portions of an implement handle with a layer of thermoplastic material which is stable and semirigid at normal ambient temperatures and soft and deformable when heated in boiling water, said thermoplastic material being a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate softening at a temperature in the range from above ambient temperature to the temperature of boiling water; heating the material until the cover is soft and deformable; grasping the thermoplastic material while the cover is soft and deformable thereby causing the cover to be molded to the user's hand; and directly gripping the molded cover when using the implement.

Claim 7

Independent Claim 120 words

A method of preventing cumulative trauma disorders in a hand at risk to such disorders, said method comprising: covering outer surface portions of an implement handle with a layer of thermoplastic material which is stable and semirigid at normal ambient temperatures and soft and deformable when heated in boiling water, said thermoplastic material being a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate softening at a temperature in the range from above ambient temperature to the temperature of boiling water; heating the material until the cover is soft and deformable; grasping the thermoplastic material while the cover is soft and deformable thereby causing the cover to be molded to the user's hand; and directly gripping the molded cover when using the implement.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 33 words

The method of claim 5 further comprising the moving of the implement handle during the grasping step so that the cover is molded in a shape to accommodate a range of implement movements.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 63 words

The method of claim 5 wherein the step of covering the implement handle further comprises the following steps: cutting a sheet of deformable thermoplastic material to a size corresponding to the periphery of the implement handle; heating the deformable sheet to a softened state; applying a layer of adhesive between the implement handle and the deformable material; and deforming the material while softened.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 114 words

A grip for attachment to opposing jaws of a mechanical hand designed to manipulate parts, said grip comprising: a grip pad formed of a deformable thermoplastic material which is stable and semi-rigid at ambient temperatures and is soft and deformable when heated, the thermoplastic material being a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate softening at a temperature in the range from above ambient temperature to the temperature of boiling water; and attachment means for attaching said grip pad to a jaw of a mechanical hand, wherein said grip pad may be heated to a softened state, and molded into a contoured gripping shape by grasping the part to be manipulated by the mechanical hand.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 114 words

A grip for attachment to opposing jaws of a mechanical hand designed to manipulate parts, said grip comprising: a grip pad formed of a deformable thermoplastic material which is stable and semi-rigid at ambient temperatures and is soft and deformable when heated, the thermoplastic material being a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate softening at a temperature in the range from above ambient temperature to the temperature of boiling water; and attachment means for attaching said grip pad to a jaw of a mechanical hand, wherein said grip pad may be heated to a softened state, and molded into a contoured gripping shape by grasping the part to be manipulated by the mechanical hand.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 100 words

In an apparatus having a structure with an outer surface to be gripped, the improvement comprising: a deformable thermoplastic layer on the structure, said thermoplastic layer being a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate softening at a temperature in the range of above ambient temperature to the temperature of boiling water, inner surfaces of the layer adhering to a portion of the outer surface of the structure and the outer surface of the thermoplastic layer being directly grippable, the material providing a sufficiently high coefficient of friction to thereby eliminate the need for additional high friction covers for the structure.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 100 words

In an apparatus having a structure with an outer surface to be gripped, the improvement comprising: a deformable thermoplastic layer on the structure, said thermoplastic layer being a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate softening at a temperature in the range of above ambient temperature to the temperature of boiling water, inner surfaces of the layer adhering to a portion of the outer surface of the structure and the outer surface of the thermoplastic layer being directly grippable, the material providing a sufficiently high coefficient of friction to thereby eliminate the need for additional high friction covers for the structure.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 21 words

The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said deformable thermoplastic layer is a spiral adapted to be positioned onto the structure.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 46 words

The improvement of claim 9 wherein said thermoplastic layer is initially in the form of a tube having a bore with a diameter large enough so that the tube is slidable axially along the outer surface of the structure when the tube is not loaded radially.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 11 words

The improvement of claim 11 wherein the structure is a pencil.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 62 words

The improvement of claim 9 wherein outer surfaces of the thermoplastic layer have been deformed by a thing for gripping the structure, the material being substantially noncompressible resulting in indentations in the material where gripped and peaks above the original surface of the material adjacent to the gripped areas thereby increasing mechanical intervention, surface contact area and leverage when using the grip.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 12 words

The improvement of claim 13 wherein the thing is a human hand.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 19 words

The improvement of claim 9 wherein the thermoplastic layer surrounds the structure and is bonded thereto with an adhesive.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 16 words

The improvement of claim 15 wherein the adhesive is a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate.

Claim 21

Independent Claim 63 words

A method of forming a grip for an implement, said method comprising: forming a tube of moldable thermoplastic material being a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate softening at a temperature in a range of above ambient temperature to the temperature of boiling water; spiral cutting the tube into a helical strip; and wrapping the strip around the implement to form a grip.

Claim 22

Independent Claim 63 words

A method of forming a grip for an implement, said method comprising: forming a tube of moldable thermoplastic material being a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate softening at a temperature in a range of above ambient temperature to the temperature of boiling water; spiral cutting the tube into a helical strip; and wrapping the strip around the implement to form a grip.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 30 words

The method of claim 17 which further comprises: heating the material to soften it; molding the material while soft; and allowing the material to cool to form a molded grip.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 14 words

The method of claim 18 wherein the tube is formed by extruding the material.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 38 words

The material of claim 19 which further comprises: wrapping the helical strip around the implement so that a plurality of overlapping layers are provided on the implement to thereby form a stop adjacent molded portions of the material.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 56 words

THe method of claim 18 which further comprises: cutting the molded grip; peeling the molded grip away from the implement; molding a second grip for a second person; removing the second grip; and replacing the first grip onto the implement whereby the implement can be used by different users, each having their own moldable molded grip.

Claim 27

Independent Claim 82 words

A method of making a grip for an implement having a given shape, said method comprising: providing moldable, thermoplastic material being a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate softening at a temperature in a range above ambient temperature to the temperature of boiling water on a temporary carrier having substantially the same configuration as the implement; heating the thermoplastic material; molding the thermoplastic material; removing the molded thermoplastic material from the temporary carrier; and installing the molded thermoplastic material onto the implement.

Claim 28

Independent Claim 82 words

A method of making a grip for an implement having a given shape, said method comprising: providing moldable, thermoplastic material being a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate softening at a temperature in a range above ambient temperature to the temperature of boiling water on a temporary carrier having substantially the same configuration as the implement; heating the thermoplastic material; molding the thermoplastic material; removing the molded thermoplastic material from the temporary carrier; and installing the molded thermoplastic material onto the implement.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 39 words

The method of claim 22 wherein said temporary carrier is made of material that will generally not stick to the thermoplastic material thereby enabling the molded thermoplastic material to be easily slipped off of the temporary carrier after molding.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 40 words

The method of claim 23 wherein the heating step is carried out by dipping the thermoplastic material in boiling water while on the temporary carrier; and wherein the molding step comprises grasping the heated thermoplastic material with a user's hand.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 13 words

The method of claim 24 wherein said temporary carrier is made of polyethylene.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1993-06-18	1993-12-18	1994-06-19	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1997-06-18	1997-12-18	1998-06-19	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2001-06-18	2001-12-18	2002-06-19	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Thermoplastic grip and method for making same

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag