Composite handle

Abstract

An elongated composite element includes an elongated form comprising a flexible material and having a plurality of holes or a plurality of indentations or the like established thereat, and a core material that either (a) substantially fills an interior cavity of an elongated tubular form and that protrudes at least partially through the holes established in the elongated tubular form, or (b) is disposed along and over a plurality of elongated members and is at least partially received in indentations to adhere the core material to the plurality of elongated wire members. An outer layer may substantially encase the elongated form and the core material to provide an outer surface of the composite tubular element. The elongated composite element may include strengthening elements and the polymeric core portion may be disposed along and over the plurality of strengthening elements.

1 . A method of forming an elongated composite element, said method comprising:
 providing at least one elongated member;   establishing a plurality of indentations at an outer surface of said at least one elongated member;   disposing a polymeric resin along said at least one elongated member, whereby said polymeric resin is at least partially received in said indentations to adhere said polymeric resin to said at least one elongated member; and   curing said polymeric resin to form said composite element whereby said cured polymeric resin limits flexing of said at least one elongated member and said elongated composite element.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing at least one elongated member comprises providing at least one elongated wire member. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein providing at least one elongated wire member comprises providing at least three elongated wire members. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein providing at least three elongated wire member comprises uncoiling a plurality of wires from respective spools of wires and feeding the uncoiled wires to an extruder that extrudes said polymeric resin along said wires in a substantially continuous manner. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising cutting said composite element to a desired length. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing at least one elongated member comprises providing an elongated tubular member having an inner cavity, and wherein disposing a polymeric resin comprises extruding a polymeric resin within said inner cavity of said elongated tubular member. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein establishing a plurality of indentations comprises establishing a plurality of holes through a wall of said elongated tubular member. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein extruding a polymeric resin comprises extruding a polymeric resin within said inner cavity such that some of said polymeric resin flows at least partially through said holes. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising applying an outer layer over said filled elongated member. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein disposing a polymeric resin comprises substantially continuously extruding a polymeric resin along said at least one elongated member as said at least one elongated member is substantially continuously fed through an extruder, and wherein said method further comprises cutting said at least one elongated member and said polymeric resin to form a plurality of elongated composite elements. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing at least one elongated member comprises:
 providing a flexible material;   establishing a plurality of holes in a sheet of said flexible material; and   forming said sheet of flexible material into an elongated tubular form.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein disposing a polymeric resin comprises at least partially filling said elongated tubular form with a core material that at least partially fills an interior cavity of said elongated tubular form and that protrudes at least partially through said holes established in said elongated tubular form. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising applying an outer portion over and around said elongated tubular form and said core material to establish an outer layer of said composite tubular element. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein applying an outer portion comprises extruding an outer portion over and around said elongated tubular form and said core material. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising providing a roll of said flexible material and feeding said flexible material into a device to establish said plurality of holes in said sheet of flexible material. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein establishing said plurality of holes comprises punching holes in said sheet of flexible material and wherein a portion of said flexible material at said holes protrudes into said interior cavity of said elongated tubular form when said flexible material is formed into said elongated tubular form. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said flexible material comprises a metallic material. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said flexible material comprises a paper material. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said core material comprises a polymeric core material with a foaming agent. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein filling said elongated tubular form comprises extruding a core material into said elongated tubular form. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein at least partially filling said elongated tubular form comprises partially filling said elongated tubular form with a core material that partially fills an interior cavity of said elongated tubular form and establishes a hollow cavity or passageway along and within the core portion established by said core material. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein providing a flexible material and establishing a plurality of holes in a sheet of said flexible material and forming said sheet of flexible material into an elongated tubular form are accomplished by weaving a plurality of fibers or wires together to form a woven elongated tubular form. 
     
     
         23 . An elongated composite element comprising:
 an elongated member having a plurality of indentations established therealong;   a core material disposed along said at least one elongated member, whereby said core material is at least partially received in said indentations to adhere said core material to said at least one elongated member; and   an outer layer that substantially encases said elongated member and said core material to provide an outer surface of said composite tubular element.   
     
     
         24 . The elongated composite element of  claim 23 , wherein said elongated member comprises an elongated tubular form comprising a flexible material, and wherein said indentions comprise a plurality of holes established through the wall of said elongated tubular form, and wherein said core material substantially fills an interior cavity of said elongated tubular form and said core material protrudes at least partially through said holes established in said elongated tubular form. 
     
     
         25 . The elongated composite element of  claim 24 , wherein a portion of said flexible material at said holes protrudes into said interior cavity of said elongated tubular form when said flexible material is formed into said elongated tubular form. 
     
     
         26 . The elongated composite element of  claim 24 , wherein said flexible material comprises one of (a) a metallic material and (b) a paper material. 
     
     
         27 . The elongated composite element of  claim 24 , wherein said flexible material comprises a paper material and wherein said core material comprises a polymeric core material having a foaming agent. 
     
     
         28 . The elongated composite element of  claim 24 , wherein said composite tubular element comprises an elongated handle for a tool. 
     
     
         29 . The elongated composite element of  claim 23 , wherein said elongated member comprises a plurality of elongated wire members having a plurality of indentations at an outer surface of said plurality of elongated wire members, and wherein said core material is disposed along and over said plurality of elongated wire members, whereby said core material is at least partially received in said indentations to adhere said core material to said plurality of elongated wire members, and wherein said core material limits flexing of said plurality of elongated wire members and said elongated composite element. 
     
     
         30 . The elongated composite element of  claim 29 , wherein said plurality of elongated wire members comprises at least three elongated wires. 
     
     
         31 . The elongated composite element of  claim 23 , wherein said core material comprises a polymeric core material that is extruded along said elongated member. 
     
     
         32 . An elongated composite element comprising:
 a plurality of strengthening elements;   a polymeric core portion disposed along and over said plurality of strengthening elements, whereby said polymeric core portion is at least partially received in and around said strengthening elements; and   wherein said polymeric core portion limits flexing of said plurality of strengthening elements and said elongated composite element.   
     
     
         33 . The elongated composite element of  claim 32 , wherein said strengthening elements comprise a plurality of metal strands or fibers. 
     
     
         34 . The elongated composite element of  claim 33 , wherein said strengthening elements comprise a steel wool material. 
     
     
         35 . The elongated composite element of  claim 34 , wherein said strengthening elements comprise a plurality of elements having hooks or protrusions protruding outwardly therefrom to join or hook to hooks or protrusions of other of said plurality of strengthening elements to establish a network of said strengthening elements in said polymeric core portion. 
     
     
         36 . The elongated composite element of  claim 35 , wherein said strengthening elements comprise metallic elements. 
     
     
         37 . The elongated composite element of  claim 35 , wherein said strengthening elements comprise polymeric elements having a melting temperature that is greater than the melting temperature of said polymeric core portion. 
     
     
         38 . The elongated composite element of  claim 37 , wherein said polymeric core portion, when in a liquid form is mixed with said strengthening elements, and wherein said mixed resin is extruded to form the desired form of said elongated composite element. 
     
     
         39 . The elongated composite element of  claim 32 , wherein an outer layer is applied over and substantially encases said polymeric core portion to provide an outer surface of said elongated composite element. 
     
     
         40 . The elongated composite element of  claim 32 , wherein said strengthening elements comprise alternating layers of a paper layer and a polymeric layer disposed around said polymeric core portion. 
     
     
         41 . The elongated composite element of  claim 40 , wherein said alternating layers comprise a first paper layer disposed around said polymeric core portion, a first polymeric layer disposed around said first paper layer, a second paper layer disposed around said first polymeric layer, and a second polymeric layer disposed around said second paper layer. 
     
     
         42 . The elongated composite element of  claim 41 , wherein said second polymeric layer comprises an outer polymeric layer that provides an outer surface of said elongated composite element.