Golf club grip

Details Golf club grip Golf club grip

2003-01-29

2004-11-16

Woodward, Ana (Department: 1711)

Games using tangible projectile

Golf

Club or club support

C473S300000, C525S179000, C525S184000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06817954

ABSTRACT:

This nonprovisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) on Patent Application No. 2002-064619 filed in JAPAN on Mar. 11, 2002, which is herein incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to grips for golf clubs, and more particularly relates to grips made of a cross linked rubber.
2. Description of the Related Art
Although previous grips for mounting on golf clubs were fabricated using leather, grips made of a rubber have been predominantly employed in recent years. Grips made of a rubber can be more readily manufactured, exhibit more excellent water resistance, and are more easily mounted on golf clubs in comparison with grips fabricated with leather. Typical examples of rubbers for use in the grips made of a rubber include natural rubbers, styrene-butadiene copolymers, ethylene-propylene-diene copolymers and polybutadiene.
Golfers prefer grips exhibiting a feel which fits the hands while gripping. Such a feel is described by golfers as a “fit feel”. A fit feel can be improved by using a rubber which has a low hardness. However, grips having low hardness are liable to deform during the swing motion. Significant deformation of the grip may lead to a deterioration in the swing form. In addition, grips having low hardness are apt to become abraded. Accordingly, golfers desire grips which provide a favorable steady feel as well as a fit feel, and exhibit excellent abrasion resistance.
JP-A-246022/1994 discloses a grip made of a rubber having JIS-A hardness in the range of from 35 to 55. JP-A-269523/1994 discloses a grip made of a rubber blended with a specific polymer. JP-A-156140/1996 discloses a grip made of a rubber blended with a tackifier and short fibers. JP-A-192276/1997 discloses a grip made of a rubber, having a laminated structure with a body and a member having a material which differs from that for the body.
These grips of the prior art have advantages and disadvantages respectively. Under such circumstances, there has not yet been provided a grip which is satisfactory in all areas of fit feel, steady feel and abrasion resistance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A grip for a golf club according to the present invention is formed by the crosslinking of a rubber composition. This rubber composition is obtained through kneading a base rubber and a rubber-polyolefin-nylon ternary copolymer. The amount of the rubber-polyolefin-nylon ternary copolymer to be blended with the base rubber is from 1 part by weight to 50 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the base rubber. Nylon fibers included in the rubber-polyolefin-nylon ternary copolymer exert a reinforcing effect. The nylon fibers derived from the rubber-polyolefin-nylon ternary copolymer add a stronger binding capacity to the matrix, and can be dispersed with more uniformity in matrix when compared with common reinforcing fibers which are added alone to a base rubber. This grip is excellent in fit feel, steady feel and abrasion resistance. This grip can be easily obtained. A golf club provided with such a grip mounted thereon provides golfers with excellent usability.
Examples of preferable rubber component for use in the rubber-polyolefin-nylon ternary copolymer include natural rubber component, polyisoprene component, ethylene-propylene-diene copolymer component and hydrogenated acrylonitrile-butadiene copolymer component. Two or more rubber components may be used in combination. These rubber components are hard to gelate upon formation of the rubber-polyolefin-nylon ternary copolymer.
Examples of preferable polyolefin component for use in the rubber-polyolefin-nylon ternary copolymer include a low density polyethylene component, a high density polyethylene component and a polypropylene component. Two or more polyolefin components may be used in combination. Because these polyolefin components have a crystallizing ability, they promote the reinforcing effect of the nylon fibers.
Examples of a preferable nylon component for use in the rubber-polyolefin-nylon ternary copolymer include a nylon-6 component and a nylon-66 component. Both of these may be used in combination. By using such nylon components, the rubber-polyolefin-nylon ternary copolymer can be readily prepared at a low cost.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5948503 (1999-09-01), Yamamoto et al.
patent: 6-246022 (1994-09-01), None
patent: 6-269523 (1994-09-01), None
patent: 8-156140 (1996-06-01), None
patent: 9-192276 (1997-07-01), None
Yamamoto, Shinji et al, Nihon Reoroji Gakkaishi, 1997, vol. 5, No. 25, pp. 275-282.

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