Claims for Patent: 5,373,616

Summary for Patent: 5,373,616

Title:	Apparatus for applying hangrips to articles such as sports equipment and the like
Abstract:	A method and apparatus for installing an elastomeric handgrip on an article. The handgrip is initially stretched over a hollow core consisting of one or more sections that can be removed from within the handgrip using slight tension. The proximal end of the assembly is placed over the article with the distal end of the handgrip aligned with the desired position, in some cases a positioning member being used to ensure proper alignment. The core is removed by tensioning the distal end, permitting the tubular handgrip to contract progressively starting from the distal end. In one embodiment, the core is a thin flat strip wound spirally and connected along abutting edges to form a helical tear line. The free end of the strip passes longitudinally through the bore from the distal to proximal end. Tension on the free end breaks the leading edge of the tear line, causing the strip to unwind and sequentially collapse each looped segment due to the force exerted by the handgrip. In another embodiment, the core is formed from sections mating along longitudinal seams. Longitudinal strips of tape material are disposed between the handgrip and core, with their free ends extending through the bore from the distal to proximal end. The strips have a lower friction surface contacting the core and a higher friction surface contacting the handgrip. Tension on the free ends slidably withdraws the core from the handgrip, which contracts onto the article.
Inventor(s):	Biersdorf; Jack S. (Wayzata, MN), Biersdorf; Lee A. (Minneapolis, MN)
Assignee:	BOA, Inc. (Wayzata, MN)
Application Number:	08/040,871
Patent Claims:	1. An assembly for mounting a handgrip on a handle segment of an article of sporting goods in a predetermined position by a user, said handgrip being mounted on said handle segment such that a first reference point on said handgrip is generally aligned with a second reference point on said handle segment when said handgrip is in said predetermined position, said assembly comprising: a core member, said core member having a plurality of segments, said plurality of segments mating with one another to define an outer surface having an outer circumference, an inner surface, and a bore extending through said core member, said core member having a distal end and a proximal end and a portion that may be manually gripped by the user; and a sleeve member, said sleeve defining the handgrip and having a gripping surface exposed to the user which may be gripped by the user during use of the article to prevent the article from slipping from the grip of the user, said sleeve member being fabricated from a generally elastomeric material and having a generally tubular shape, said sleeve member having a relaxed circumference and an expanded circumference, said relaxed circumference being generally less than said outer circumference of said outer surface of said core member, said sleeve member initially being expanded and disposed in circumscribing relation on said core member in generally a same configuration as the handgrip is to be mounted on the handle segment of the article, said core member or said sleeve member or both including an alignment aid for verifying that the first reference point on the handgrip is generally aligned with the second reference point on the handle segment when the handgrip is in the predetermined position, whereby the handle segment of the article is received at least partially within the bore of the core member from the proximal end thereof such that at least a portion of the sleeve member is adjacent to the predetermined position, and the user grips the portion of the core member and manually applies tension to the portion to remove the core member from within the sleeve member such that the sleeve member contracts progressively into contact with the handle segment of the article from the distal end toward the proximal end, thereby disposing the gripping surface exposed to the user such that it is gripped by the user during use of the article to prevent the article from slipping from the grip of the user. 2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the plurality of segments of the core member mate with one another along a plurality of generally transverse seams. 3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the core member is a single strip of generally flat material wound into a generally spiral helix defining a generally hollow cylindrical shape. 4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the core member is a strip wound into a spiral having a series of abutting loops, each of said series of abutting loops being generally circular, said series of abutting loops forming the inner surface and the outer surface. 5. The assembly of claim 4 wherein each of the series of abutting loops is connected to at least an adjacent one of the series of abutting loops along a separable tear line, said separable tear line permitting the series of abutting loops to be separated from one another when the user applies the tension on the core member. 6. The assembly of claim 4 wherein the strip defines a free end extending from and connected to the distal end of the core member, said free end extending through the bore of the core member and projecting from the proximal end thereof such that said free end is the portion of the core member gripped by the user. 7. The assembly of claim 4 wherein the user grips the free end of the strip and applies the tension thereto in order to unwind the spiral and separate the series of abutting loops progressively from the distal end to the proximal end of the core member. 8. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the inner surface of the core member is generally cylindrical, and wherein the outer surface of the core member is generally cylindrical. 9. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the plurality of segments of the core member mate with one another along a plurality of generally longitudinal seams. 10. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the plurality of segments of the core member mate with one another along a single generally longitudinal seam. 11. The assembly of claim 9 wherein the core member has a generally hollow cylindrical shape. 12. The assembly of claim 9 wherein the core member further comprises: at least one strip, said at least one strip having a lower friction side and a higher friction side, said at least one strip being disposed between the sleeve member and the core member with said lower friction side contacting the core member and said higher friction side contacting the sleeve member, said at least one strip having a free end, said free end being folded over the distal end of the core member and extending through the bore of the core member and projecting from the proximal end thereof such that said free end is the portion gripped by the user. 13. The assembly of claim 12 wherein the user grips the free end of the at least one strip and applies the tension thereto in the direction of the proximal end in order to slidably withdraw the plurality of segments of the core member from within the sleeve member. 14. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the article is a bat defining a generally knob-shaped projection disposed adjacent to the handle segment, said knob-shaped projection having a diameter, and wherein the bore of the core member has a diameter greater than the diameter of said knob-shaped projection, such that said knob-shaped projection may be at least partially received within the bore of the core member. 15. The assembly of claim 14 wherein the knob-shaped projection is received entirely through the bore of the core member. 16. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the sleeve member at least partially encloses the distal end of the core member. 17. The assembly of claim 16 wherein the sleeve member completely encloses the distal end of the core member. 18. An assembly for mounting a handgrip on a handle segment of an article of sporting goods in a predetermined position by a user, said handgrip being mounted on said handle segment such that a first reference point on said handgrip is generally aligned with a second reference point on said handle segment when said handgrip is in said predetermined position, said assembly comprising: a core member, said core member having an outer surface having an outer circumference and a generally hollow bore extending through said core member, said core member having a distal end and a proximal end and a portion that may be manually gripped by the user; and a sleeve member, said sleeve member being fabricated from a generally elastomeric material and having a generally tubular shape, said sleeve member having a relaxed circumference and an expanded circumference, said relaxed circumference being generally less than said outer circumference of said outer surface of said core member, said sleeve member initially being expanded and disposed in circumscribing relation on said core member in generally a same configuration as the handgrip is mounted on the handle segment of the article, said core member or said sleeve member or both including an alignment aid for verifying that the first reference point on the handgrip is generally aligned with the second reference point on the handle segment when the handgrip is in the predetermined position, whereby the handle segment of the article is received at least partially within the generally hollow bore of the core member from the proximal end thereof, the portion of the core member being gripped adjacent to the proximal end thereof by the user with tension applied manually by the user to the portion of the core member to remove the core member from within the sleeve member such that the sleeve member contracts progressively into contact with the handle segment of the article from the distal end to the proximal end. 19. The assembly of claim 18 wherein the alignment aid further comprises: a positioning member, said positioning member being connected to the sleeve member such that said positioning member is maintained in a fixed position relative to the sleeve member when the sleeve member is disposed in circumscribing relation on the core member prior to mounting the handgrip on the handle segment of the article, said positioning member defining a surface which contacts a specified portion of the article when the handle segment of the article is received within the generally hollow bore of the core member and the sleeve member is in the predetermined position relative to the handle segment of the article, whereby the user positions and aligns the sleeve member of the assembly at the predetermined position on the handle segment of the article by receiving the handle segment of the article within the generally hollow bore of the core member until the surface of the positioning member contacts the specified portion of the article, and may maintain such contact as the mounting of the handgrip on the handle segment of the article is started to ensure that the handgrip is mounted at the predetermined position on the handle segment of the article. 20. The assembly of claim 19 wherein the assembly further comprises: an external housing, said external housing being disposed surrounding at least a portion of the core member and the sleeve member, said external housing defining the positioning member. 21. The assembly of claim 19 wherein the housing comprises the commercial display packaging for the assembly. 22. The assembly of claim 19 wherein the positioning member is releasably attached directly to a portion of the sleeve member. 23. The assembly of claim 19 wherein the positioning member is attached directly to a portion of the core member. 24. An assembly for mounting an elastomeric covering material in a predetermined position on an article of sporting goods by a user, said handgrip being mounted on said handle segment such that a first reference point on said handgrip is generally aligned with a second reference point on said handle segment when said handgrip is in said predetermined position, said assembly comprising: a core member, said core member having at least one segment, said at least one segment defining an outer surface having an outer circumference, an inner surface, and a bore extending through said core member, said core member having a distal end and a proximal end and a portion that may be manually gripped by the user; and a sleeve member, said sleeve member being fabricated from a generally elastomeric material and having a generally tubular shape, said sleeve member having a relaxed circumference and an expanded circumference, said relaxed circumference being generally less than said outer circumference of said outer surface of said core member, said sleeve member initially being expanded and disposed in circumscribing relation on said core member in generally a same configuration as the handgrip is mounted on the handle segment, said core member or said sleeve member or both including an alignment aid for verifying that the first reference point on the handgrip is generally aligned with the second reference point on the handle segment when the handgrip is in the predetermined position, whereby the handle segment of the article is received at least partially within the bore of the core member from the proximal end thereof, at least a portion of the core member being gripped adjacent to the proximal end thereof by the user with tension applied manually by the user to said portion of the core member to remove the core member from within the sleeve member such that the sleeve member contracts progressively into contact with the handle segment of the article from the distal end toward the proximal end. 25. The assembly of claim 24 wherein the at least one segment of the core member further comprises: a plurality of ring segments, each of said plurality of ring segments adjoining at least one of said plurality of ring segments along at least one generally transverse seam line. 26. The assembly of claim 25 wherein the bore of the core member has a generally longitudinal axis, and wherein at least one of the at least one generally transverse seam line is oriented at an angle that is generally perpendicular to said generally longitudinal axis. 27. The assembly of claim 25 wherein the bore of the core member has a generally longitudinal axis, and wherein at least one of the at least one generally transverse seam line is oriented at an angle that is not generally perpendicular to said generally longitudinal axis. 28. The assembly of claim 24 wherein the article is selected from the group consisting of: a baseball bat, a softball bat, a tennis racquet, a racquetball racquet, a squash racquet, a badminton racquet, a ping-pong paddle, a golf club, a hockey stick, a field hockey stick, a lacrosse stick, a bicycle handlebar, a handle for exercise equipment, a weight lifting bar, an archery bow, a fishing rod, or a fishing net.

Details for Patent 5,373,616

Applicant	Tradename	Biologic Ingredient	Dosage Form	BLA	Approval Date	Patent No.	Expiredate
Emergent Biosolutions Canada Inc.	BAT	botulism antitoxin heptavalent (a, b, c, d, e, f, g) - (equine)	Solution	125462	March 22, 2013	5,373,616	2013-03-31