US20050049071A1

US20050049071A1 - Handle cover for a golf club

Info

Publication number: US20050049071A1
Application number: US10/653,077
Authority: US
Inventors: Chao-Jan Chuang
Original assignee: Sport Yard Ind Co Ltd
Current assignee: Sport Yard Ind Co Ltd
Priority date: 2003-09-03
Filing date: 2003-09-03
Publication date: 2005-03-03

Abstract

A handle cover for a golf club includes a hollow cylindrical body fitted around a handle portion of a golf club in a tight condition and an end cap closed up an upper end of the cylindrical body. The cylindrical body has an elastic member to let the cylindrical body provided with comparatively good elasticity to be easily expanded so that a user can fit it around a golf club without using any tool.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a handle cover for a golf club, particularly to one easily fitting tightly around a handle portion of a golf club so as to permit a user combine it on a golf club without need of any tool.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In order to increase friction of a handle portion of a golf club to be gripped by a user easily with both hands, the handle portion is generally covered with a rubber sleeve. As golf has become very popular, not a small number of people have their own golf clubs, and a variety of DIY handle covers are on shelves of a large mall or special stores for golfers to select. The handle cover not only increases friction for gripping, it also has another aim of presenting a holistic beauty for a golfer to sport disparate golf clubs. But a problem often come to a buyer, “How to fit the handle cover on the golf club?” So the diameter of a handle cover should be a little smaller than that of a golf club in order to tightly fit around the handle portion of a golf club. Generally, a golf club is shaped to tapered down to the lower end gradually and made of rubber, having some extensibility and expandability, but hardly expandable to a needed diameter without some tool. Then a user are unable to expand a DIY handle cover got on the market without an auxiliary tool, or has to ask a skilled technician of a special store to do it, and has to pay some bucks. In addition, the DIY handle cover loses its objective.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The purpose of the invention is to offer a handle cover for a golf club possible to be fitted around a golf club by a user without any tool, and very tightly fitting around.
The feature of the invention is a handle cover consisting of a cylindrical body possible to fit around a handle portion of a golf club in an elastically tight condition, and an end cap closing up the upper end of the golf club. The cylindrical body has an elastic member to permit the cylindrical body easily expanded and shrunk for tightly fitted around a handle portion of a golf club without need of any tool.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

This invention will be better understood by referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a handle cover for a golf club in the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a cylindrical body in the first embodiment of a handle cover for a golf club in the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the first embodiment of a handle cover fitted around a golf club in the present invention;
FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of a handle over for a golf club in the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a cylindrical body combined with a expandable member in the second embodiment of a handle cover for a golf club in the present invention; and,
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the second embodiment of a handle cover fitted around a golf club in the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A first embodiment of a handle cover for a golf club in the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, includes a hollow cylindrical body 11 and an end cap 12.
The hollow cylindrical body 11 is made of rubber, and having a diameter a little smaller than that of a golf club, as shown in FIG. 3 and a lengthwise wrinkled member 111 (maybe one or plural) to function as an elastic member of the cylindrical body 11 to permit the cylindrical body 11 expand easily outward by external force (i.e. expanding the inner diameter of the cylindrical body 11).
The end cap 12 is also made of rubber to close up the upper end of the cylindrical body 11 after fitted around the golf club. The end cap 12 is also possible to be formed with the cylindrical body 11 integral as one unit.
Next, FIG. 3 shows the handle cover 1 is combined with a golf club 2. A user can smoothly expand the cylindrical body 11 to a proper extent by means of the lengthwise wrinkled member 111, which enables the cylindrical body 11 expand to increase the diameter of the cylindrical body 11. (At the same time the wrinkled member 111 is also undoubtedly expanded). Then the handle cover can fit around the outer periphery of the golf club 2, with the cylindrical body 11 moved to the proper location and with the wrinkled member 111 automatically shrinking to a tight condition against the golf club to keep the cylindrical body 11 tightly around the golf club 2. Lastly the end cap 12 is closed up the upper end of the cylindrical body 11, finishing assemblage of the first embodiment.
A second embodiment of a handle cover for a golf club according to the invention is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, including a cylindrical body 11, an end cap 12 and an elastic member 13 of the same shape as the cylindrical body 11.
The cylindrical body 11 is made of rubber, having a lengthwise straight opening 112.
The end cap 12 is also made of rubber, closing up the upper end of the cylindrical body 11 after combined with a golf club 2.
The elastic member 13 is made of an elastic material such as an elastic band, having the same shape as the cylindrical body 11 to overlap around the cylindrical body 1 tightly to function as an elastic source for the cylindrical body 11 to easily expand diametrically (i.e. expanding the inner diameter of the cylindrical body 11).
Next, FIG. 5 shows the assembled condition of the second embodiment, with the elastic member 13 overlapped around the cylindrical body 11, and with the two ends of the elastic member 13 overlapped a little and then sewn together with the cylindrical body 11 with seams 14 at two sides of the opening 112 as well as seams 14 in the rest portion in a radial direction. Then the end cap is closed up the upper end of the elastic member 13 to make up the complete handle cover 1.
FIG. 6 shows the cylindrical body 11 and the elastic member 13 of the second embodiment are properly expanded before they are to be fitted around a golf club 2, with the opening 112 is a little expanded. Then they are moved to fit around the golf club 2 until the cylindrical body 11 reaches a proper location, and then they are released to let them automatically shrink, with the opening 112 also closing a bit so that the cylindrical body 11 may tightly fit around the outer surface of the golf club 2. Finally, the end cap 13 is closed up the upper end of the cylindrical body 11. Thus the second embodiment can also be assembled with a golf club by a user, having the advantage of tightly fitting around a golf club, as the first embodiment.
In general, the critical point of the invention is enhanced elasticity of the cylindrical body 11 of a handle cover for a golf club, without need of any tool for fitting it around a golf club. After the cylindrical body 11 is fitted around a golf club at a proper location by a user, the elastic characteristics of the cylindrical body 11 and the elastic member 13 automatically shrink to maintain the handle cover around the handle portion of the golf club, solving the problem and improving the drawback of the conventional DIY handle cover for a golf club.
While the preferred embodiments have been described above, it will be recognized and understood that various modifications may be made therein and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications that may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A handle cover for a golf club comprising:

A hollow cylindrical body fitted around a handle portion of a golf club in a tight condition:

An end cap closed on an upper end of said cylindrical body: and

Characterized by said cylindrical body having an elastic member to let said cylindrical body provided with comparatively good elasticity to be easily expanded so that a user herself/himself can it fit around a golf club.

2. The handle cover for a golf club as claimed in claim 1, wherein said elastic member is a lengthwise wrinkled section formed integral on the cylindrical body.

3. The handle cover for a golf club as claimed in claim 1, wherein said elastic member consists of a lengthwise opening formed in said cylindrical body, and an elastic element of the same shape as said cylindrical body overlapped around said cylindrical body and then sewn together with said cylindrical body.

4. The handle cover as claimed in claim 3, wherein said elastic element is an elastic band.