Golf club grip mold apparatus and method

Abstract

A method for forming a negative image of a golf club grip design in a golf club grip mold cavity comprises translating an initial golf club grip design to an electric discharge machine electrode, cutting the design into the electrode surface, and rotating and translating the electrode within the mold cavity while engaging in electric discharge machining. The translation from the initial golf club grip design to the electrode comprises cordally scaling the design elements such that their cordal relationship is preserved when the design is subsequently formed into the grip mold cavity.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A mold for casting golf club grips, comprising: 
 a generally cylindrical cavity having at least one tapered portion; and    said cavity including a negative image of a golf club grip design formed thereon by an electrical discharge machine.    
     
     
         2 . The mold of  claim 1  wherein said negative image of a golf club grip design is based on an initial golf club grip design and wherein said negative image and said initial golf club grip design include corresponding design elements.  
     
     
         3 . The mold of  claim 1  wherein said mold is formed by: 
 transferring a surface design from an initial golf club grip design to an electrode associated with said electrical discharge machine; and  
 moving said electrode with the transferred surface design thereon adjacent said mold cavity so as to form said negative image of a golf club grip design in said mold cavity that corresponds to said initial golf club grip design.  
 
     
     
         4 . The mold of  claim 3  wherein both said initial golf club grip design and said electrode include at least one tapered segment, and wherein at corresponding positions along its length said electrode is of a smaller diameter than said initial golf club grip design.  
     
     
         5 . The mold of  claim 4  wherein the diameter of said electrode at any position along its length is a function of the diameter of said initial golf club grip design at a corresponding point, the maximum feature height of said design elements in said cavity, and the offset of said electrode from said cavity.  
     
     
         6 . The mold of  claim 4  wherein the transferred surface design occupies a greater angular coverage across the surface of said electrode than said surface design occupies across said initial golf club grip design.  
     
     
         7 . A mold for molding a golf club grip, comprising: 
 a cavity having a surface and at least one tapered segment for molding a golf club grip; and    an array of EDM formed design elements disposed about the surface of the cavity for forming corresponding design elements into said golf club grip during a molding process.    
     
     
         8 . The mold of  claim 7  wherein said EDM formed design elements are formed by an electrode having a plurality of corresponding design elements formed thereon; and wherein said design elements are formed about the surface of said cavity by both rotating and translating said electrode within said cavity.  
     
     
         9 . The mold of  claim 7  wherein said EDM formed design elements are formed by an electrode having a plurality of corresponding design elements formed thereon; and wherein said design elements are formed about the surface of said cavity by radially stepping said electrode within said cavity.  
     
     
         10 . The mold of  claim 8  wherein said design elements formed on said electrode are based on and patterned after a series of corresponding design elements associated with an initial golf club grip design.  
     
     
         11 . The mold of  claim 10  wherein said design elements of said initial golf club grip design comprise a plurality of tool paths, and wherein said tool paths are cordally scaled and transferred to said electrode.  
     
     
         12 . The mold of  claim 10  wherein said design elements of said initial golf club grip design comprise a plurality of lines, and wherein endpoints of said lines are translated to said electrode, and wherein said translated points on said electrode may be reconnected, thereby translating said design elements to said electrode.  
     
     
         13 . The mold of  claim 12  wherein said translation of said endpoints to said electrode comprises cordally scaling said endpoints by the ratio of a selected size parameter associated with said initial golf club grip design to a corresponding size parameter associated with said electrode.  
     
     
         14 . The mold of  claim 2 , formed by: 
 providing an initial golf club grip design comprising a plurality of design elements;    utilizing an EDM electrode having a diameter at points along its length that is less than the diameter of said initial golf club grip design at corresponding points;    forming a plurality of design elements in the surface of said electrode that generally correspond to said design elements of said initial golf club grip design;    positioning said electrode having said design elements thereon adjacent said cavity; and    moving said electrode relative to said cavity and cutting design elements into the surface of said cavity that generally correspond to said design elements formed in the surface of said electrode.    
     
     
         15 . The mold of  claim 14  wherein said design elements formed on said electrode are cordally scaled upward relative to said design elements associated with said initial golf club grip design.  
     
     
         16 . The mold of  claim 15  wherein said design elements formed on said electrode are cordally scaled upward by a factor proportional to or generally equal to the ratio of a selected size parameter associated with said initial golf club grip design to a corresponding size parameter associated with said electrode.  
     
     
         17 . The mold of  claim 16  wherein said size parameters are selected from the group including diameter, cord length, radius, and circumference.  
     
     
         18 . A method of transferring a surface design for a golf club grip design to an EDM electrode wherein the surface design includes an array of design elements, comprising: 
 selecting two corresponding size parameters, a first parameter associated with said golf club grip design and a second parameter associated with said electrode;    determining the ratio of said first size parameter to said second size parameter;    cordally scaling the design elements associated with said design by a function of said ratio of size parameters, and    transferring the scaled design to said electrode.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said size parameter ratio is greater than one.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said two corresponding size parameters are diameters of the cross-sectional circles of said golf club grip design and said electrode, respectively.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said two corresponding size parameters are cord lengths for a selected angle from a reference position along the surface of said golf club grip design and said electrode, respectively.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18  wherein cordally scaling the design elements associated with said golf club grip design by a function of said ratio of size parameters comprises, for selected points in said design element: 
 determining a first angle from a reference position to a selected point;  
 scaling said first angle by said ratio of size parameters to obtain a second angle; and  
 locating said a scaled point at said second angle from said reference position.  
 
     
     
         23 . A method of transferring a golf club grip design to an EDM electrode, comprising, for at least one design element of said surface design: 
 identifying at least one tool path segment for said design element; and    cordally scaling said tool path segment by the ratio of a size parameter associated with said golf club grip design to a corresponding size parameter associated with said electrode;    
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising cutting said cordally scaled tool path segment into said electrode using a cutting tool that is of a dimension corresponding to said at least one design element of said golf club grip design.  
     
     
         25 . A method of producing a cavity for molding a golf club grip, comprising: 
 forming a golf club grip design in the surface of an EDM electrode; and    employing said EDM electrode for cutting a corresponding design in the surface of said cavity.    
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein forming a golf club grip design in the surface of an EDM electrode comprises transferring a surface design from an initial golf club grip design to said electrode and cutting said transferred surface design into the surface of said electrode.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the diameter of said electrode is smaller than the corresponding diameter of said initial golf club grip design, and wherein said surface design occupies a greater angular coverage across the surface of said electrode than across the corresponding surface of said initial golf club grip design.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein said initial golf club grip design comprises a plurality of design elements, and wherein transferring said surface design from said initial golf club grip design to said electrode comprises cordally scaling said design elements based on the ratio of a size parameter associated with said initial golf club grip design to a corresponding size parameter associated with said electrode.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said cutting is performed by simultaneously rotating and translating said electrode within said cavity while engaging in electrical discharge machining.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein translating said electrode comprises moving said electrode in a generally arcuate path within said cavity.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said cutting is performed by radially stepping said electrode within said cavity.