US5042804A — Hand grip for sporting equipment or tools

Claim 1

Independent Claim 82 words

A hand grip for a handle shaft, comprising: an elongate sleeve of elastomeric material having an inner surface for fitting over the outer surface of a handle shaft and an outer, gripping surface; at least one surface of the sleeve having regions of varying softness, the softer regions each having a plurality of indentations, and the harder regions having fewer or no indentations, said softer regions allowing a greater degree of deflection of the surface in that area under normal impact loads.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 82 words

A hand grip for a handle shaft, comprising: an elongate sleeve of elastomeric material having an inner surface for fitting over the outer surface of a handle shaft and an outer, gripping surface; at least one surface of the sleeve having regions of varying softness, the softer regions each having a plurality of indentations, and the harder regions having fewer or no indentations, said softer regions allowing a greater degree of deflection of the surface in that area under normal impact loads.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 26 words

The grip as claimed in claim 1, wherein adjacent indentations are separated by web portions having a height to width ratio of at least 30 percent.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 19 words

The grip as claimed in claim 1, wherein the width of the web portions is less than their height.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 17 words

The strip as claimed in claim 1, wherein the indentations comprise a series of spaced elongate grooves.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 31 words

The grip as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the inner and outer surfaces of the sleeve has a plurality of indentations extending over at least part of its area.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 34 words

The grip as claimed in claim 5, wherein the indentations on the outer and inner surface of the sleeve remove sufficient material to reduce the overall weight of the sleeve by at least 10%.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 48 words

The grip as claimed in claim 5, wherein the indentations on both surfaces of the sleeve are arranged in regions of varying hardness, the softer regions each having a plurality of indentations and the harder regions having less or no indentations and being located between the softer regions.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 21 words

The grip as claimed in claim 1, wherein the indentations comprise holes extending only partially through the thickness of the grip.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 20 words

The grip as claimed in claim 8, wherein the hole depth is at least half the thickness of the grip.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 48 words

The grip as claimed in claim 8, wherein the inner and outer surfaces are of octagonal cross-section, including upper and lower flats, and side flats separated from the upper and lower flats by diagonal flats, and the indentations are provided at least on the upper and lower flats.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 28 words

The grip as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner and outer surfaces are of corresponding, polygonal cross-section comprising a plurality of flats with edges between adjacent flats.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 51 words

The grip as claimed in claim 11, wherein indentations of depth less than the thickness of the grip are provided at least on the flats of each of the inner and outer surfaces which are parallel to an impact face of an implement with which the sleeve is to be used.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 26 words

The grip as claimed in claim 12, wherein there are at least fewer indentations on at least the outer surface on the edges between adjacent flats.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 41 words

The grip as claimed in claim 11, wherein indentations are provided on at least some of the flats on at least the outer surface, and the edges between adjacent flats have at least fewer indentations along their length than the flats.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 13 words

The grip as claimed in claim 14, wherein the edges have no indentations.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 14 words

The grip as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sleeve is of circular cross-section.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 21 words

The grip as claimed in claim 1, wherein the material has a hardness in the range from 40-90 Shore A Durometer.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 15 words

The grip as claimed in claim 17, wherein the material is a thermoplastic rubber alloy.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 75 words

A hand grip for a handle shaft, comprising: an elongate sleeve of resilient material having an internal surface for fitting over a handle shaft and an outer gripping surface; the sleeve having alternating elongate areas of varying softness around its periphery, the elongate areas being aligned with the longitudinal axis of the shaft with the softer areas comprising at least those areas to which pressure is applied by a hand gripping the sleeve on impact.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 75 words

A hand grip for a handle shaft, comprising: an elongate sleeve of resilient material having an internal surface for fitting over a handle shaft and an outer gripping surface; the sleeve having alternating elongate areas of varying softness around its periphery, the elongate areas being aligned with the longitudinal axis of the shaft with the softer areas comprising at least those areas to which pressure is applied by a hand gripping the sleeve on impact.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 47 words

The grip as claimed in claim 19, wherein the areas of varying hardness comprise alternating elongate regions having a greater and lesser number of indentations of depth less than the thickness of the grip on at least one of the inner and outer surfaces of the sleeve.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 96 words

An implement for impacting an object, comprising: a head portion having an impact face for impacting an object; a handle shaft projecting from the head portion; a hand grip comprising a sleeve of elastomeric material extending over at least part of the length of the handle shaft for gripping by a user; the hand grip having an internal surface for fitting closely over the handle shaft and an outer gripping surface, at least the outer gripping surface having regions of varying softness with the softer regions being provided in areas generally parallel to the impact face.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 96 words

An implement for impacting an object, comprising: a head portion having an impact face for impacting an object; a handle shaft projecting from the head portion; a hand grip comprising a sleeve of elastomeric material extending over at least part of the length of the handle shaft for gripping by a user; the hand grip having an internal surface for fitting closely over the handle shaft and an outer gripping surface, at least the outer gripping surface having regions of varying softness with the softer regions being provided in areas generally parallel to the impact face.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 19 words

The implement as claimed in claim 21, wherein the softer regions comprise surface areas having a plurality of indentations.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 31 words

The implement as claimed in claim 22, wherein the softer regions are separated by harder regions generally perpendicular to the impact face having at least fewer indentations than the softer regions.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 14 words

The implement as claimed in claim 23, wherein the harder regions have no indentations.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 24 words

The grip as claimed in claim 1, wherein the indentations are located at least on the outer surface of the grip and comprise slots.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 19 words

The grip as claimed in claim 25, wherein the slots extend transverse to the longitudinal axis of the grip.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1994-08-26	1995-02-25	1995-08-27	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1998-08-26	1999-02-25	1999-08-27	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2002-08-26	2003-02-25	2003-08-27	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Hand grip for sporting equipment or tools

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