Handgrip for sporting equipment and method of use

Abstract

A handgrip for placement about an elongated member is disclosed. The handgrip includes a resilient body member having an arcuate gripping surface adapted to conform to the outer surface of the elongated member. A plurality of outwardly extending curvilinear projections are adapted to conform to the shape of a hand of a user. A finger engaging member extends from the resilient body member. The finger engaging member is adapted to retain the handgrip on the hand of a user after the elongated member is released.

1 . A handgrip for use on an elongated member having an outer surface, the handgrip comprising:
 a resilient body member including inner and outer surfaces, the outer surface of the resilient body member substantially defined by a plurality of outwardly extending curvilinear projections adapted to conform to a shape of a hand of a user, the plurality of curvilinear projections defining a longitudinal axis of the resilient body member;   an arcuate gripping surface defined by the inner surface of the resilient body member, the arcuate gripping surface extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the resilient body member and between first and second ends of the resilient body member, the arcuate gripping surface configured to conform to and releasably engage the outer surface of the elongated member; and   a finger engaging member coupled to and outwardly extending from the outer surface of the resilient body member, the finger engaging member positioned parallel to the longitudinal axis of the resilient body member in spaced relation to the outwardly extending curvilinear projections.   
     
     
         2 . The handgrip of  claim 1  wherein the finger engaging member is positioned intermediate the first and second ends of the resilient body member 
     
     
         3 . The handgrip of  claim 1  wherein the finger engaging member is elastically deformable such that the finger engaging member is extendable at least along the longitudinal axis of the resilient body member. 
     
     
         4 . The handgrip of  claim 3  wherein the resilient body member and the finger engaging member comprise integrally molded thermoplastic elastomer. 
     
     
         5 . The handgrip of  claim 1  wherein the finger engaging member comprises first and second coupling arms, the first and second coupling arms of the finger engaging member coupled to the outer surface of the resilient body member, a width of the finger engaging member wider than a width of each of the coupling arms. 
     
     
         6 . The handgrip of  claim 5  wherein the first and second coupling arms of the finger engaging member are coupled to at least one of the plurality of curvilinear projections. 
     
     
         7 . The handgrip of  claim 6  wherein the first coupling arm of the finger engaging member couples to a first one of the plurality of curvilinear projections and the second coupling arm of the finger engaging member couples to a second one of the plurality of curvilinear projections, the second one of the plurality of curvilinear projections independent of the first one of the plurality of curvilinear projections. 
     
     
         8 . The handgrip of  claim 7  wherein a third one of the plurality of curvilinear projections is positioned intermediate the first and second ones of the plurality of curvilinear projections, the third one of the plurality of curvilinear projections independent of each of the first and second ones of the plurality of curvilinear projections. 
     
     
         9 . The handgrip of  claim 1  wherein:
 a first one of the plurality of curvilinear projections is juxtaposed with the first end of the resilient body member; and 
 a lower finger recess is juxtaposed with the second end of the resilient body member adjacent a second one of the plurality of curvilinear projections. 
 
     
     
         10 . The handgrip of  claim 9  further comprising an orientation indicator coupled to the outer surface of the resilient body member and positioned proximate the second end of the resilient body member, the orientation indicator configured to aid the user in orientating the second end of the resilient body member of the handgrip on the hand of the user, wherein an orientation of the second end of the resilient body member depends on a type of the elongated member. 
     
     
         11 . A method of using a handgrip on an elongated member having an outer surface, the method comprising:
 providing an elongated member having an arcuate outer surface;   providing a handgrip, the handgrip comprising a resilient body member and a finger engaging member, the resilient body member comprising an arcuate gripping surface defined by an inner surface of the resilient body member, the finger engaging member coupled to and extending from an outer surface of the resilient body member, the outer surface of the resilient body member configured to receive a hand of a user;   providing the hand of the user, the hand of the user comprising at least one digit;   placing the at least one digit of the hand of the user intermediate the finger engaging member and the resilient body member of the handgrip whereby the handgrip is retained on the hand of the user;   placing the handgrip on the outer surface of the elongated member whereby the arcuate gripping surface of the resilient body member of the handgrip releasably engages the outer surface of the elongated member;   swinging the elongated member;   removing the handgrip from the outer surface of the elongated member; and   retaining the handgrip on the hand of the user, wherein the finger engaging member retains the handgrip on the hand of the user.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising the steps of:
 providing a second handgrip, the second handgrip comprising a resilient body member and a finger engaging member, the resilient body member comprising an arcuate gripping surface defined by an inner surface of the resilient body member, the finger engaging member coupled to and extending from an outer surface of the resilient body member, the outer surface of the resilient body member configured to receive the hand of the user; 
 providing a second hand of the user, the second hand of the user comprising at least one digit; 
 placing the at least one digit of the second hand of the user intermediate the finger engaging member and the resilient body member of the second handgrip whereby the second handgrip is retained on the second hand of the user; 
 placing the second handgrip on the outer surface of the elongated member whereby the arcuate gripping surface of the resilient body member of the second handgrip releasably engages the outer surface of the elongated member; and 
 positioning the second handgrip on the outer surface of the elongated member proximate the first handgrip. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the first and second handgrips each further comprise an orientation indicator coupled to the outer surface of the resilient body member and positioned proximate a second end of the resilient body member, the orientation indicator configured to aid the user in orientating the second end of the resilient body member of the on each of the first and second hands of the user; and
 the positioning step further comprises:
 determining a type of the elongated member; 
 orientating the first and second handgrips in a first position upon determining that the elongated member is of a first type; 
 orientating the first and second handgrips in a second position upon determining that the elongated member is of a second type, the second position of the first and second handgrips independent of the first position of the first and second handgrips, the second type of elongated member independent of the first type of elongated member. 
 
 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the orientating the first and second handgrips in a first position upon determining the elongated member is of a first type step further comprises:
 placing the second end of the first handgrip adjacent an end of the elongated member of the first type, wherein the orientation indicator of the first handgrip is juxtaposed with the end of the elongated member of the first type; and 
 placing the second end of the second handgrip adjacent a first end of the first handgrip, wherein the orientation indicator of the second handgrip is juxtaposed with the first end of the first handgrip. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the orientating the first and second handgrips in a second position upon determining the elongated member is of a second type step further comprises:
 placing a first end of the first handgrip adjacent an end of the elongated member of a second type; and 
 placing the second end of the second handgrip adjacent the second end of the first handgrip, wherein the orientation indicator of the second handgrip is juxtaposed with the orientation indicator of the first handgrip. 
 
     
     
         16 . A grip assembly for use on an elongated member having an outer surface, the grip assembly comprising:
 a first handgrip, the first handgrip comprising:
 a resilient body member comprising inner and outer surfaces, the outer surface substantially defined by a plurality of outwardly extending curvilinear projections adapted to conform to a shape of a hand of a user, the plurality of curvilinear projections defining a longitudinal axis of the resilient body member; 
 one of the plurality of curvilinear projections juxtaposed with a first end of the resilient body member; 
 a lower finger recess juxtaposed with a second end of the resilient body member; 
 an orientation indicator coupled to the outer surface of the resilient body member and positioned proximate the second end of the resilient body member, the orientation indicator configured to aid the user in orientating the second end of the resilient body member of the first handgrip on the hand of the user; 
 a finger engaging member coupled to and outwardly extending from the outer surface of the resilient body member, the finger engaging member positioned parallel to the longitudinal axis of the resilient body member; and 
 an arcuate gripping surface defined by the inner surface of the resilient body member, the arcuate gripping surface extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the resilient body member, 
 wherein the arcuate gripping surface of the resilient body member is configured to frictionally engage and grip the outer surface of the elongated member thereby reducing rotational or axial movement of the first handgrip relative to the elongated member; and 
   a second handgrip, the second handgrip juxtaposed with the first handgrip, the second handgrip comprising:
 a resilient body member comprising inner and outer surfaces, the outer surface substantially defined by a plurality of outwardly extending curvilinear projections adapted to conform to the shape of the hand of the user, the plurality of curvilinear projections defining a longitudinal axis of the resilient body member; 
 one of the plurality of curvilinear projections juxtaposed with a first end of the resilient body member; 
 a lower finger recess juxtaposed with a second end of the resilient body member; 
 an orientation indicator coupled to the outer surface of the resilient body member and positioned proximate the second end of the resilient body member, the orientation indicator configured to aid the user in orientating the second end of the resilient body member of the second handgrip on the hand of the user; 
 a finger engaging member coupled to and outwardly extending from the outer surface of the resilient body member, the finger engaging member positioned parallel to the longitudinal axis of the resilient body member; and 
 an arcuate gripping surface defined by the inner surface of the resilient body member, the arcuate gripping surface extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the resilient body member, 
 wherein the arcuate gripping surface of the resilient body member is configured to frictionally engage and grip the outer surface of the elongated member thereby reducing rotational or axial movement of the second handgrip relative to the elongated member. 
   
     
     
         17 . The grip assembly of  claim 16  wherein:
 the second end of the resilient body member of the second handgrip is positioned adjacent the first end of the resilient body member of the first handgrip; and 
 the lower finger recess of the second handgrip is positioned intermediate one of the plurality of curvilinear projections proximate the second end of the second handgrip and one of the plurality of curvilinear projections proximate the first end of the first handgrip. 
 
     
     
         18 . The grip assembly of  claim 16  wherein:
 the lower finger recess of the first handgrip is positioned intermediate one of the plurality of curvilinear projections proximate the second end of the resilient body member of the first handgrip and the second end of the resilient body member of the first handgrip; 
 the second end of the resilient body member of the second handgrip is positioned adjacent the second end of the resilient body member of the first handgrip; and 
 the lower finger recess of the second handgrip is positioned intermediate one of the plurality of curvilinear projections proximate the second end of the resilient body member of the second handgrip and the lower finger recess of the first handgrip. 
 
     
     
         19 . The grip assembly of  claim 16  wherein:
 the orientation indicator of the first handgrip comprises an arrow pointing towards the second end of the first handgrip; and 
 the orientation indicator of the second handgrip comprises an arrow pointing towards the second end of the second handgrip. 
 
     
     
         20 . The grip assembly of  claim 16  wherein:
 the resilient body member and finger engaging member of the first handgrip comprise integrally molded thermoplastic elastomer; and 
 the resilient body member and finger engaging member of the second handgrip comprise integrally molded thermoplastic elastomer.