Ergonomic, Shock-Absorbing Hand Grip
AssigneeSideStix Ventures Inc.
InventorsSarah Doherty, Kerith Perreur-Lloyd, Barbara Poerschke
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hand grip for use on a handle of an assistive mobility device or a bicycle has a body and an integral fin. Both are designed to damp vibration and reduce the force experienced by a user's hand. This is accomplished by using different thicknesses of an elastomeric material in the structural layer of the hand grip and by designing the fin to flex. The grip is covered with a soft elastomeric outer layer that provides additional cushioning.
Claims20
An ergonomic hand grip for use on a handle, the grip comprising a body and a fin, wherein:
- the body comprises:
- a structural layer consisting of a single material of variable thickness, a central bore extending along a longitudinal axis for accepting the handle;
- an outer layer consisting of a single material of essentially consistent thickness;
- a proximal end;
- and a distal end;
- the fin comprises:
- a structural layer consisting of a single material of variable thickness;
- and an outer layer consisting of a single material of essentially consistent thickness;
- the fin is shaped to flexibly support a user's thenar eminence and extends from the body laterally and longitudinally, terminating in a fin tip distally and having a fin return defining, with the body, a concave region;
- and
- the structural layer is harder than the outer layer.
An assembly for use with an assistive mobility device, the assembly comprising a handle and an ergonomic hand grip, the hand grip comprising a body, a fin, and a clamp, wherein:
- the body comprises a proximal end, a distal end, and a core therebetween, the core defining a central bore along a longitudinal axis for accepting the handle, the core having slots and a retainer aperture in the vicinity of the proximal end;
- both the body and fin comprise a structural layer of a single material of variable thickness, and an outer layer of a single material of essentially consistent thickness;
- the core has a durometer rating of at least about 85 A, the structural layer has a durometer rating of about 30 A to about 50 A and the outer layer has a durometer rating of about 20 A to about 35 A;
- the fin is shaped to flexibly support a user's thenar eminence, extends from the body laterally and longitudinally, terminates in a fin tip distally, has a lateral offset relative to a vertical axis of the hand grip of about 15 to about 30 degrees, has a lateral depression, decreases in hardness distally and is integral with the body;
- and
- the clamp adjustably retains the hand grip to the handle.
An ergonomic, force-absorbing hand grip for use on a bicycle handlebar, the hand grip comprising:
- a body, the body comprising:
- a structural layer of variable thickness;
- a central bore for accepting the handlebar;
- an outer layer of essentially consistent thickness, the structural layer being harder than the outer layer;
- an inboard end;
- an outboard end, and a centrally located protrusion;
- a fin, the fin being integral with and extending laterally from the body, terminating in a distally disposed tip, and having a fin return defining, with the body, a concave region, and comprising:
- the structural layer;
- and the outer layer, the structural layer of variable thickness and the outer layer of essentially consistent thickness;
- and
- a clamp, the clamp for releasably retaining the hand grip on the handlebar,
- wherein differences in thickness in the structural layer provide differences in force-absorption in the hand grip.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.