Ergonomic handle

• US 5,556,092 A
• Filed: 10/24/1994
• Issued: 09/17/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Randall R. Theken
• Original Assignee: Randall R. Theken
• Inventors: Theken, Randall R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Grieb, William H.
• Application Number:
  US08/328,027
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• Field of Search: 81/177.1, 81/489, 7/167, 7/168, 16/110 R, 16/121, 606/79, 606/167, 606/1, 273/73 R, 273/75
• US Class Current: 473/538
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 49/08 with special construction of the handle
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/08 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/10 with means for indicating correct holding positions A63B60/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/12 contoured according to the anatomy of the user's hand
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/14 Coverings specially adapted for handles, e.g. sleeves or ribbons
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/52 with slits

Abstract

A handle grip is provided which has undulating surfaces to provide a comfortable, non-slip interface with the user'"'"'s hand, the handle having first and second concentric gripping ridges separated by gripping valleys from a thumb ridge and reach other, respectively. The valleys include a plurality of ovoid dimples to increase the surface of interface between the user'"'"'s fingers and the handle.

Claims

1. A handle grip having a longitudinal axis, extending between an instrument end and a butt end, the grip comprising a first concentric gripping ridge, and a second concentric gripping ridge, the area between the instrument-end of the handle and the first concentric gripping ridge defining a first gripping valley, the area between the second concentric gripping ridge and the first concentric gripping ridge defining a second gripping valley, said first gripping valley and said second griping valley each including flattened grip areas which comprise ovals with the longitudinal axis in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the handle grip and wherein there are about 4 to about 8 ovals about the circumference of each valley, and the area between the butt-end of the instrument and the second gripping ridge defining a gripping sloped area, the diameter of the first gripping ridge exceeding the diameter of the first gripping valley, the diameter of the second gripping ridge exceeding the diameter of the first gripping ridge and the butt-end of the instrument forming a smooth, generally rounded profile.

2. A handle grip as set forth in claim 1, in which the first concentric gripping ridge is located at from about 0.2 to about 0.4 of the length X of the longitudinal axis of the handle, and the second gripping ridge is located at about 0.5 to about 0.75 of the length X along the longitudinal axis.

3. A handle grip as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first concentric ridge has a diameter of from about 0.75 inch to about 1.25 inches, said second valley has a diameter of about 1.0 inch to about 1.5 inches, and wherein said second gripping ridge has a diameter of from about 1.25 to about 1.75 inches.

4. A handle grip as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first concentric ridge has a diameter of from about 0.3 inch to about 2.4 inches, said second valley has a diameter of about 0.3 inch to about 2.3 inches, and wherein said second gripping ridge has a diameter of from about 0.3 inch to about 2.7 inches.

5. A handle grip as set forth in claim 1, further including a thumb grip area and the first concentric gripping valley having a diameter which is smaller than the diameter of first concentric ridge, and the first concentric gripping ridge having a diameter which is smaller than the diameter of the second concentric gripping ridge and the second concentric gripping valley having a diameter which is smaller than the diameter of the second concentric gripping ridge.

6. A handle grip for use with a medical instrument, the handle grip having a longitudinal length of about 4.0 to about 8.0 inches extending from an instrument end to a butt end, and having a circumferential surface defining a gripping surface, and comprising a thumb ridge having a diameter of about 0.8 inch to about 1.5 inches, a first concentric ridge having a diameter of from about 1.0 inch to about 1.5 inches, and a first gripping valley therebetween having a diameter of about 1.3 to about 1.5 inches;

a second concentric ridge having a diameter of from about 1.2 to about 1.8 inches and a second valley between said second concentric ridge and said first concentric ridge, said second valley having a diameter from about 1.0 inch to about 1.5 inches;

said first and second valleys including textured gripping surfaces; and

a rounded butt end and such handle being substantially devoid of sharp edges on its gripping surface; and

said handle grip being comprised of a sterilizable material having a Notched Izod value of at least 10 as measured by ASTM test D256A.

7. A handle grip as set forth in claim 6, wherein said grip is comprised of polyphenylsulfone.

8. A handle grip as set forth in claim 6, wherein the handle is part of an orthopedic tool.

9. A sports handle grip for an implement which is a tennis racquet, a racquetball racquet, a squash racquet, or a badminton racquet, having a longitudinal axis and a length X, extending between an implement end and a butt end, the grip comprising a first concentric gripping ridge and a second concentric gripping ridge, the area between the implement-end of the handle and the first concentric gripping ridge defining a first gripping valley, the area between the second concentric gripping ridge and the first concentric gripping ridge defining a second gripping valley, and the area between the butt-end of the implement and the second gripping ridge defining a gripping sloped area, the diameter of the first gripping ridge exceeding the diameter of the first griping valley, the diameter of the second gripping ridge exceeding the diameter of the first gripping ridge and the butt-end of the implement forming a smooth, generally rounded profile.

10. A sports handle grip as set forth in claim 9, in which the first concentric gripping ridge is located at from about 0.2 to about 0.4 of the length X of the longitudinal axis of the handle, and the second gripping ridge is located at about 0.5 to about 0.75 of the length X along the longitudinal axis.

11. A sports handle grip as set forth in claim 10, in which the handle further includes flattened grip areas on at least the first and second gripping valleys.

12. A sports handle grip as set forth in claim 11, in which said flattened grip areas comprise ovals with the longitudinal axis running in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the handle, and wherein there are about 4 to about 8 ovals about the circumference of each valley.