Golf club grip for accommodating selectable weight assembly

• US 7,481,716 B1
• Filed: 02/17/2007
• Issued: 01/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: John Johnson
• Original Assignee: John Johnson
• Inventors: Johnson, John
• Primary Examiner(s): BLAU, STEPHEN LUTHER
• Application Number:
  US11/707,725
• Time in Patent Office: 710 Days
• Field of Search: 473/295, 473300-303, 473282-286, 473/318, 473297-299
• US Class Current: 473/297
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/14 Handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/22 Adjustable handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/24 Weighted handles

Abstract

A golf club grip of conventional appearance and resilient material is configured internally at its upper end with a specialized hole for accommodating a counter-weight assembly, extending into the upper end of the shaft, that is user-selectable from various available weights, which may be added to the counter-weight assembly and secured in place by a machine screw, which tightened in place, compresses a compliant bushing expanding it radially against the inner wall of the shaft, locking the grip and counter-weight assembly to the shaft to act as a single unit. This configuration of counter-weight assembly known as “TOUR LOCK Technology” provides the ability to easily interchange counter-weight assemblies of different mass.

Claims

1. A golf club grip of resilient material directed to accommodating addition of a counter-weight assembly in a golf club having a known shaft of hard material in a manner that prevents any direct contact between the shaft and any hard material in the counter-weight assembly by interposing resilient material therebetween, comprising:

a grip body, of resilient material, configured internally with a cylindrical main bore that extends coaxially and uniformly over a major portion of the grip body down to the lower end, and a cylindrical cavity that extends upwardly, coaxial with the shaft, to a top opening at the upper end of the grip body, extending uniformly to the top opening with a diameter no less than that of the main bore;

an annular flange formed integrally from the resilient material, disposed between the main bore and the cavity, extending inwardly to a circular flange opening, coaxial with the shaft, thus defining a limit of shaft insertion and dimensioning the cavity with a perimeter greater than that of the flange opening; and

an interchangeable weight plug, for installation in the cavity of said golf grip, comprising;

a primary cylindrical weight element of predetermined weight having an outer diameter dimensioned to pass through the annular flange opening and having a central screw clearance opening;

a cylindrical expansion element of compliant material having an outer diameter dimensioned to pass through the annular flange opening and having a central screw clearance opening;

a threaded member located at a lower region of the expansion element; and

a machine screw having a main threaded shaft traversing, in order, the weight element, and the expansion element, and threadedly engaging the threaded member, the bolt head being configured with a top-accessible drive tool recess by which, with a mating drive tool, the machine screw can be rotated relative to the other elements, such that said weight plug, inserted into the shaft, may be secured in place for playing golf by rotating the machine screw to apply pressure that expands the expansion element radially to become tightly compressed against inner surfaces of the shaft, and said weight plug can be removed for replacement by another weight plug of different mass by rotating the machine screw to release the expansion element from the shaft.

2. The golf club grip as defined in claim 1, wherein said weight element is configured with an exposed flat top surface located generally flush with a flat top surface of said grip body, the head of the machine screw being countersunk into an upper region of said weight element.

3. The golf club grip as defined in claim 1 further comprising at least one additional cylindrical weight element of predetermined mass disposed between said primary cylindrical weight element and said cylindrical expansion element.