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Golf club gripRelated Patent Categories: Games Using Tangible Projectile, Golf, Club Or Club Support, GripGolf club grip description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070219015, Golf club grip. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] The present invention relates to a grip for a golf club and in particular, but not exclusively, for a putter. The invention also relates to a golf club that includes the grip. [0002] Most modern putters are fitted with a grip that is made from a rubber or latex material and is typically approximately 10'' (260 mm) long and tapers from a width of 0.8'' (20 mm) and a depth of 1'' (25 mm) at its upper end to a width of 0.6'' (15 mm) and a depth of 0.6'' (15 mm) at its lower end. The grip is hollow, allowing it to be fitted over the steel shaft of a golf club. [0003] The putter is normally held with one hand slightly above the other and the thumbs on top of the grip, with the fingers underneath. The hands may be partially overlapping. With an orthodox grip, a right-handed player will place the left hand towards the upper end of the grip, and right hand below. Alternatively, a reverse grip may be adopted with the positions of the hands reversed. In either case, because the hands are at different heights, the player's shoulders will not be level when addressing the ball. This can make it more difficult to strike the ball in the intended direction. [0004] This problem has been addressed by U.S. Pat. No. 4,067,573 which provides a golf putter grip arranged such that the hands can be placed level with one another, with the two thumbs side-by-side on top of the grip. This allows the player to address the ball with the shoulders level, which may result in an improved putting stroke. However, the shape of the grip is very unusual to golfers and it has not proved popular. It has also been found that the rounded shape of the club tends to cause the golfer to swing the club along a curved path which is detrimental to the accuracy of the shot played. [0005] Another disadvantage of most existing putter grips is that the length of the grip cannot be adjusted. If a golfer wants to adjust the length of a club he removes the grip and trims the length of the shaft and reapplies the grip. [0006] According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a grip for a golf club, the grip including a wide portion of substantially uniform, substantially rectangular cross-section, said wide portion having a front face, a rear face and two side faces, wherein the wide portion is of sufficient width to allow the club to be gripped by a golfer with both hands at he same height and both thumbs side-by-side on the front face of the wide portion, and the width to depth ratio of the wide portion is in the range 1.3 to 2.0:1. [0007] The width to depth ratio is the ratio of the maximum width between the two side faces to the maximum depth between the front and rear faces of the wide portion. It has been found that this grip shape is easier for golfers to use and has the effect that some golfers swing the golf club more squarely which consequently leads to improved putting performance. [0008] Preferably the front face is convex, the rear face and side faces are substantially planar, and the side faces are arranged substantially perpendicular to the rear face. [0009] According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a grip for a golf club, the grip including a wide portion of substantially uniform, substantially rectangular cross-section, said wide portion having a front face, a rear face and two side faces, wherein the wide portion is of sufficient width to allow the club to be gripped by a golfer with both hands at the same height and both thumbs side-by-side on the front face of the wide portion, and wherein the front surface is convex, the rear face and side faces are substantially planar, and the side faces are arranged substantially perpendicular to the rear face, [0010] Preferably the width to depth ratio of the grip is in the range 1.3 to 2.0:1. [0011] The following paragraphs describe features of the invention that are applicable to the first and second aspects of the invention. [0012] The width to depth ratio is preferably in the range 1.4 to 1.8:1, and more preferably in the range 1.4 to 1.6:1, and more preferably still is approximately 1.5:1. It has been found that grips having width to depth ratios in these narrower ranges are the most comfortable for golfers to use. [0013] Preferably the wide portion of the grip has a width at the widest point thereof in the range 30-60 mm, and more preferably in the range 40-50 mm. The wide portion may have a length in the range 150-300 mm, and is preferably in the range 180-250 mm. The overall length of the grip may be in the range 200-400 mm, and is preferably in the range 250-300 mm [0014] The front face can be arcuate, having a radius of curvature in the range 50-65 mm. This provides a more comfortable grip for the golfer since the hands are turned slightly outwards which provides a more natural and less strained grip. Preferably the intersections of the front face and the rear face with each side face are preferably rounded. The rounded edges provide a more comfortable grip for the golfer. [0015] Advantageously the grip may include a tapered portion at its lower end. [0016] The grip may include an elongate body member and a separate end cap for attachment to the upper end of the body member. This enables the length of the grip to be trimmed to the correct length to suit a user. The end cap is reattached to the grip after the trimming operation so that the aesthetic appearance of the grip is not spoilt. Preferably the end cap includes locating formations for engagement with the body member, for example the end cap may include lugs for engagement with elongate bores in the body member. The bores may extend along a substantial part of the length of the grip, for example the bores may extend along substantially the full length of the wide portion, and preferably extend along 20-90% of the length of the wide portion. [0017] According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a grip for a golf club, wherein the grip includes an elongate body member and a separate end cap for attachment to the upper end of the body member. This enables the length of the grip to be trimmed to the correct length to suit a user. The end cap is reattached to the grip after the trimming operation so that the aesthetic appearance of the grip is not spoilt. [0018] Preferably the body member has a portion of uniform cross-section at its upper end. [0019] Advantageously the end cap includes locating formations for engagement with the body member, for example the end cap includes lugs for engagement with elongate bores in the body member. Preferably the elongate bores extend along a substantial part of the length of the grip, and more preferably at least 20% percent of the length of the grip. For example, the elongate bores may extend along 25 to 90% of the length of the grip, and preferably between 30% to 80% of the length of the grip. [0020] The grips described above can be applied to any type of golf club, but are most applicable to golf putters. [0021] According to a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided a method of adjusting the length of a golf club grip, wherein the grip includes a body member and a separate end cap attached thereto, said method including detaching the separate end cap from the body member, removing part of the body member, and reattaching the separate end cap to the remainder of the body member. This is a more satisfactory method of reducing the length of a golf club than be reducing the length of the shaft. [0022] The end cap is applied to an upper end of the body member and the grip is trimmed such that material is removed from the upper end. The end cap is reattached to the upper end of the body member. [0023] The method may include using a body member having elongate bores formed in the body member and a separate end cap that includes formations for engaging the elongate bores. [0024] The method may be applied to any configuration of the grip is as described above. Continue reading about Golf club grip... Full patent description for Golf club grip Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Golf club grip patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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