Pliable handle

• US 6,968,599 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2003
• Issued: 11/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ShedRain Corporation
• Original Assignee: ShedRain Corporation
• Inventors: Blauer, Stan, Blauer, Jeff
• Primary Examiner(s): Mah, Chuck Y.
• Application Number:
  US10/418,811
• Publication Number:
  US 20040205937A1
• Time in Patent Office: 957 Days
• Field of Search: 164/30, 164/31, 164/35, 164/36, 164/21, 16D/IG.12, 16D/IG.18, 16D/IG.19, 151/431, 151/441, 151/45, 154/43, 811/771, 811/776, 814/89, 745/511, 745/519, 745/57, 745/58, 401 6- 8, 401/88, 156/218, 156/212, 473/300, 473/301, 473/302, 473/303, 303/22, 303/23, 303/40, D3 5- 6, D3/10, D3/12, 135/25.41, 135/25.4, 135/15.1, 135/19
• US Class Current: 16/431
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/26 Special adaptations of handles A45C13/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 5/00 Holders or carriers for hand articles; Holders or carriers for use while travelling or camping
• CPC Class Codes: B25G 1/102 the shape being specially adapted to facilitate handling or improve grip
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 16/12 Hand grips, preformed and semi-permanent
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 16/19 Cast or molded handles

Abstract

A pliable handle for a hand-held device is provided. The handle includes a core member, an outer sheath disposed about the core member, and gel disposed between the core member and the outer sheath. The outer sheath is deformable, such that when a hand grips the pliable handle, the force applied causes the pliable handle to deform and conform to the shape of the hand, and the applied force causes load movement of the gel. The pliable handle has a so-called memory effect, meaning that after the grip on the handle is released, the deformation in the handle will remain for a period of time before the handle returns to its original shape.

Claims

1. A pliable handle comprising:

a core member;

an outer sheath disposed about the core member; and

a gel disposed between the core member and the outer sheath;

wherein the outer sheath is deformable, and a force applied to the outer sheath causes load movement of the gel; and

wherein the core member has first and second annular flanges, which partially define a gel-containing portion therebetween, provided near respective ends of the outer surface of the core member, and at least one gel injection through bore is formed through the first annular flange such that an axis of a line extending through the at least one gel injection through bore is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis extending from one end to the other end of the core member.

2. The pliable handle of claim 1, wherein the deformable outer sheath and gel together have a memory effect causing a deformation to remain for a period of time before the sheath returns substantially to its original shape.

3. The pliable handle of claim 1, wherein the gel is in intimate contact with the core member.

4. The pliable handle of claim 1, wherein the core member has a substantially cylindrical shape.

5. The pliable handle of claim 1, wherein the core member has first and second connecting portions formed on an outer surface thereof at first and second ends, respectively, of the core member.

6. The pliable handle of claim 5, further comprising an end cap that is connected to the second connecting portion of the core member.

7. The pliable handle of claim 6, wherein the outer sheath has at its ends a first shoulder and a second shoulder, respectively, and an outer diameter of the end cap is substantially similar to the diameter of the second shoulder.

8. The pliable handle of claim 6, wherein the end cap has an open end and a closed end, and formed in the open end is a threaded bore designed to secure the end cap to the second connecting portion of the core member.

9. The pliable handle of claim 8, further comprising a loop provided on the closed end of the end cap.

10. The pliable handle of claim 5, further comprising an end cap that has two open ends and is connected to the first connecting portion of the core member.

11. The pliable handle of claim 10, wherein the end cap has at a first end a shoulder and a concentric annular lip that defines a hole and has a diameter that is smaller than that of the shoulder.

12. The pliable handle of claim 11, wherein the diameter of a second end of the end cap is larger than the diameter of the first end, and is substantially similar to the diameter of a shoulder of the outer sheath.

13. The pliable handle of claim 10, wherein in an inner circumference of one of the open ends of the end cap are threaded bores to secure the cap to the first connecting portion of the core member.

14. The pliable handle of claim 1, wherein the at least one gel injection through bore receives gel during an assembly process.

15. The pliable handle of claim 1, wherein the core member has a fastener formed in a first end of the core member for fastening the pliable handle to a device.

16. The pliable handle of claim 15, wherein the fastener is a threaded bore.

17. The pliable handle of claim 1, wherein the core member is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of PVC, ABS, PE, and PP plastic.

18. The pliable handle of claim 1, wherein the outer sheath is substantially cylindrical in shape.

19. The pliable handle of claim 1, wherein the outer sheath is tapered.

20. The pliable handle of claim 1, wherein the outer sheath is contoured to conform to a hand.

21. The pliable handle of claim 1, wherein the outer sheath has at its ends a first shoulder and a second shoulder, respectively.

22. The pliable handle of claim 21, wherein at least one of the shoulders is flanged.

23. The pliable handle of claim 21, wherein the diameter of each of the first and second shoulders of the outer sheath corresponds with the diameter of the respective first and second annular flanges of the core member.

24. The pliable handle of claim 23, wherein the first and second shoulders of the outer sheath form gel seals with the first and second annular flanges, respectively.

25. The pliable handle of claim 1, wherein the outer sheath has first and second annular lips defining holes at first and second ends, respectively, of the outer sheath.

26. The pliable handle of claim 25, wherein the core member has first and second connecting portions formed on the outer surface of first and second ends, respectively, of the core member, and wherein the first and second connecting portions of the core member project through the holes defined by the first and second annular lips, respectively.

27. The pliable handle of claim 1, wherein the outer sheath is formed of vulcanized silicone.

28. The pliable handle of claim 1, wherein the outer sheath is one of colorless, colored, and multicolored.

29. The pliable handle of claim 1, wherein the outer sheath is transparent.

30. The pliable handle of claim 1, wherein the outer sheath is opaque.

31. The pliable handle of claim 1, wherein the gel is uniformly disposed about the core member.

32. The pliable handle of claim 1, wherein the sheath is uniformly disposed about the core member substantially from a first to a second end of the gel-containing portion.

33. The pliable handle of claim 1, wherein the pliable handle is an umbrella handle.

34. The pliable handle of claim 1, wherein the pliable handle is a tool handle.

35. The pliable handle of claim 1, wherein the pliable handle is selected from the group consisting of a handle of a cane, walking stick, sports equipment, garden equipment, kitchen tool, cleaning equipment, writing instrument, and beauty equipment.

36. The pliable handle of claim 1, wherein the outer sheath has ribs formed on the outer surface thereof.

37. The pliable handle of claim 1, wherein the core member has an annular flange and a dome-shaped portion, which partially define a gel-containing portion therebetween, provided at respective ends of the outer surface of the core member.

38. The pliable handle of claim 37, wherein the outer sheath has an open end and a closed end.

39. The pliable handle of claim 37, wherein a diameter of a shoulder of the outer sheath corresponds with a diameter of the annular flange of the core member.

40. The pliable handle of claim 39, wherein the shoulder of the outer sheath forms a seal with the annular flange.

41. The pliable handle of claim 1, wherein the outer sheath has an open end and a closed end.

42. The pliable handle of claim 1, wherein the pliable handle is attached to a curved handle portion.

43. A pliable handle comprising:

a solid non-tubular core member;

an outer sheath disposed about the core member and sealingly mated therewith to define a gel-containing compartment; and

a gel disposed within the gel-containing compartment;

wherein the core member includes means for introducing gel from outside of the handle to the gel-containing compartment such that the outer sheath and gel provide a deformable member that accommodates a force applied thereto by locally deforming, and once the applied force is removed, memory properties of the deformable member cause it to at least substantially assume its original shape.

44. A pliable umbrella handle comprising:

a solid non-tubular core member;

an outer sheath disposed about the core member and sealingly mated therewith to define a gel-containing compartment; and

a gel disposed within the gel-containing compartment;

wherein the core member includes means for introducing gel from outside of the handle to the gel-containing compartment such that the outer sheath and gel provide a deformable member that accommodates a force applied thereto by locally deforming, and once the applied force is removed, memory properties of the deformable member cause it to at least substantially assume its original shape.