Customizable grip improving device

Abstract

Systems, devices, and methods for the customization and manufacture of grips for equipment, including, but not limited to, sports and recreation equipment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A grip improving device, the device comprising a substantially tubular lattice comprised of an interstitial material and a plurality of apertures configured to improve grip on the device by a user wherein the device is further configured to be inserted onto the handle component of a piece of equipment. 
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of apertures are placed in a substantially uniform pattern. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of apertures are substantially hexagonal in shape. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of apertures are substantially polygonal in shape. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein there are at least two variations of shapes of apertures among the plurality of apertures. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein there is a texture applied to an outward facing surface of the interstitial material of the tubular lattice. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the shape and diameter of each aperture among the plurality of apertures is randomized such that the diameter of each aperture falls within the range of 0.1 millimeter to 1 centimeter. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein there are at least two variations of diameters among the plurality of apertures. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the apertures vary in diameter from a first diameter to a second along a gradient. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the at least two variations of diameters among the plurality of apertures occur in a pattern. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the variability of the diameter of the plurality of apertures is based on the relative location along a length of the lattice. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device is comprised of a polymer. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device is further comprised of a skin configured to cover at least a portion of the lattice. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the skin is comprised of the same material as the lattice. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the skin is comprised of a different material from the lattice. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the skin is manufactured using the same process as the lattice. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the skin has a different durability than the lattice. 
     
     
         18 . A method of creating a grip improving device, the method comprising:
 selecting a piece of equipment intended to be gripped by an intended user;   obtaining at least one piece of information relating to one or more hands of the intended user of the equipment;   determining an improved grip configuration for a substantially tubular lattice grip improvement device comprised of apertures of at least one size based on the information relating to the hands of an intended user; and   fabricating a substantially tubular lattice grip improvement device based on the improved grip configuration.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the method comprises the additional step of making a modification to the improved grip configuration based on at least one of: a preference of the intended user, or the results of testing of the fabricated grip improvement device. 
     
     
         20 . A grip improving device, the device comprising a substantially tubular lattice comprised of an interstitial material and a plurality of substantially similar in diameter apertures configured to improve grip on the device by a user wherein the device is further configured to be inserted onto the handle component of a piece of equipment and wherein the device is constructed via a deposition printing technique and prior to manufacture the diameter of the apertures and their number is determined by the user.