Tennis grip securing strip with integral grip indicator

Abstract

A tennis grip securing strip for a tennis racket is provided, with a handle of the tennis racket being fitted or fittable with a tennis grip, the tennis grip typically being wound around the racket handle and terminating at a loose end proximate an upper end of the tennis racket handle. An underside of the tennis grip securing strip comprises a tacky or sticky portion to enable the securing strip to be wound around the loose end of the tennis grip and the shaft portion of the racket frame, thereby securing the tennis grip to the shaft portion. An upper, exposed side of the tennis grip securing strip includes a plurality of markings spaced along its length, wherein the markings may be used by a player playing with the racket to adjust his/her grip depending upon the shot that is to be played.

1 .- 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . A tennis grip securing strip for a tennis racket, with a handle of the tennis racket being fitted or fittable with a tennis grip, the tennis grip typically being wound around the racket handle and terminating at a loose end proximate an upper end of the tennis racket handle, wherein a shaft of the racket frame proximate the upper end of the tennis grip defines a plurality of faces comprising two opposed relatively long faces corresponding to the front and rear of the racket, to opposed relatively shorter faces corresponding to the sides of the racket and four corner faces at the corners of the shaft, an underside of the tennis grip securing strip comprising a tacky or sticky portion to enable the securing strip to be wound around the loose end of the tennis grip and the shaft of the racket frame, thereby securing the tennis grip to the shaft, with an upper, exposed side of the tennis grip securing strip including a plurality of markings spaced along its length, wherein the markings may be used by a player playing with the racket to adjust his/her grip depending upon the shot that is to be played, wherein the tennis grip securing strip includes a plurality of panels, the lengths of which vary depending on the girth of the racket frame proximate the upper end of the tennis grip, with the tennis grip securing strip comprising at least a first, unnumbered base panel, to which the end of the strip may be secured on top of, a second panel to overlie a corner face, a third panel to overlie one of the relatively long faces, and a fourth panel to overlie a corner face. 
     
     
         13 . The tennis grip securing strip of  claim 12 , wherein the tennis grip securing strip further includes a fifth panel to overlie a relatively shorter face, a sixth panel to overlie a corner face, a seventh panel to overlie one of the relatively long faces, an eighth panel to overlie a corner face and a ninth panel to overlie a relatively shorter face and to be secured to the first, unnumbered base panel. 
     
     
         14 . The tennis grip securing strip of  claim 13 , wherein the sixth, seventh and eighth panels may be merged into a single, unnumbered panel, since these panels will not be visible to the player. 
     
     
         15 . The tennis grip securing strip of  claim 12 , wherein the markings take the form of written or printed numbers spaced along the length of the strip. 
     
     
         16 . The tennis grip securing strip of  claim 15 , wherein each number corresponds to one of the conventional grips, namely continental grip, eastern grip or western grip. 
     
     
         17 . The tennis grip securing strip of a  claim 12 , wherein the tennis grip securing strip may be made from a synthetic resin or plastic material. 
     
     
         18 . The tennis grip securing strip of  claim 12 , wherein the tennis grip securing strip may carry advertising material. 
     
     
         19 . A sheet comprising a plurality of tennis grip securing strips of the type defined in  claim 12 , each strip being removable from the sheet, ready for use.