Stock material or miscellaneous articles – Pile or nap type surface or component – Flock surface
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-24
2001-01-09
Morris, Terrel (Department: 1771)
Stock material or miscellaneous articles
Pile or nap type surface or component
Flock surface
C428S086000, C428S096000, C427S200000, C427S202000, C427S203000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06171677
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an electrostatic flocking material exhibiting a high non-slip effect, and in particular to an electrostatic flocking material which is preferably used for a grip of articles such as sporting goods including golf clubs and tennis rackets, or tools including hammers in order to improve the non-slip function of the grip.
PRIOR ART
Since sporting goods such as golf clubs or tennis rackets are held and swung by hand, a grip thereof normally incorporates a non-slip material in order to stably play a game under severe conditions such as sweaty or rainy weather conditions. Further, a tool such as a hammer has a grip which should incorporate a non-slip function for preventing occurrence of a slip caused by sweat or grease in order to ensure safety during use. Explanation will be hereinbelow made of the non-slip incorporated in the grip of, for example, a golf club which is used under most severe conditions.
Heretofore, there have been proposed various kinds of non-slip materials for a grip. For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent No. 6-205861 discloses a rubber or synthetic resin covering material adapted to be applied on a grip, in which countless micro-concavities and -convexities are formed so as to increase the frictional coefficient of the material in order to enhance the non-slip effect, in particular, in a rainy weather condition.
Further, Japanese Laid-Open Patent No. 6-57601 discloses a technology relating to a non-slip member in which fibrous material such as polyurethane elastic yarns are braided, which is adapted to be applied to a grip, and which is excellent in stretchability.
By the way, the above-mentioned conventional grips have offered the following disadvantages. That is, as to a structure such that concavities and convexities are formed in a rubber cover material of a grip as disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent No. 6-205861, although it can increase the frictional coefficient in comparison with normal grips, this rubber cover material (or seal fabric) even having convexities and concavities becomes slippery or sticky if the grip is wet with rain water or sweat, and accordingly, normal (ideal) swings cannot be made. Thus, this cover material cannot exhibit sure non-slip effect at a high degree of possibility. Further, from this reason, the higher the level of technique of a player (professional), the higher the trend of disliking the rubber material formed with concavities and convexities (non-slip member), many player have used a glove in order to cope with this slippery problem).
Meanwhile, as to such a technology that fibrous materials are braided and incorporated in a grip as disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent No. 6-57601, although it is effective for application to a glove (or gloves), socks or the like, the braided knits are shifted upon swinging so that hindrance to playing is possibly caused although a certain effect can be expected for slipping caused by rain water or sweat if it is used for a grip of a golf club or a tennis racket.
It is noted that pile (fine fibers electrostatically flocked) exhibiting point contact with respect to the palm of a hand is effective for increasing the frictional coefficient of a grip in order to improve the touch and to surely prevent occurrence of a slip caused by rain water or sweat. However, such pile has offered such a problem that the pile comes off after the repetitions of hitting by several thousand times since a severe external force is applied to the grip of a golf club.
An object of the present invention is to propose an electrostatic flocking material which is subjected to electrostatic flocking, which can surely prevent occurrence of a slip caused by rain water or sweat, and which can maintain satisfactory touch obtained upon gripping by a hand, for a long time, a method of manufacture the material, and a grip for articles, incorporating the material.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
To the end, according to he present invention, there is provided an electrostatic flocking material subjected to electrostatic flocking, characterized by a covering layer covering over the entire surface of the material and having edges at the front end part thereof. Further, according to the present invention, the electrostatic flocking material is made of fibrous pile preferably having a fiber cross-sectional diameter of 10 to 40 deniers and a length of 0.3 to 0.8 mm.
Further, there is provided a method of manufacturing an electrostatic flocking material, characterized by the steps of subjecting a surface of a base material composed of an elastic resin layer to electrostatic flocking after the base material is coated over its surface with an adhesive, then subjecting the surface thereof a coating process so as to form a covering layer, subsequently brushing the surface so as to make the wall thickness of the coating layer uniform, and wiping the surface with the use of an water-absorbable fabric so as to form edges in the covering layer at the front end of the flocking material.
Further, the present inventions there is provided a grip for an article, comprising an elastic resin layer surrounding at least a part of a body part of the article, and an electrostatic flocking material with which the outer surface of the elastic resin layer is covered, wherein the electrostatic flocking material is provided with a covering layer with which the outer surface of the electrostatic flocking material is covered in its entirety, and which has edges at the front end part of the flocking material. The electrostatic flocking material is composed of fibrous pile having a fiber cross-sectional diameter of 10 to 40 deniers, and a length of 0.3 to 0.8 mm.
Further, the articles prescribed by the present invention include sporting goods such as golf clubs or tennis rackets, and tools such as hammers, but may also include steering wheels in automobiles, and all of those gripped by the hands.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3418186 (1968-12-01), Wetzel
patent: 3956553 (1976-05-01), Palmer et al.
patent: 4734307 (1988-03-01), Thorsrud
patent: 5134008 (1992-07-01), Alm
patent: 5798754 (1998-08-01), Selker et al.
patent: 3-154671 (1991-07-01), None
patent: 6-57601 (1994-03-01), None
patent: 6-205861 (1994-07-01), None
patent: 60-99362 (1995-06-01), None
patent: 08206262 (1996-08-01), None
Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP
Morris Terrel
Pratt Christopher C.
Zeom Co., Ltd.
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