Thermoplastic grip and method for making same
AssigneesDebra A. Sullivan, John W. Boukamp
InventorVernon R. Sexton, I
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The grip is comprised of a deformable cover formed of a thermoplastic material which is stable and semi-rigid at normal ambient temperatures and is soft and deformable when heated in boiling water. The cover is attached to an implement handle heated and deformed to the shape required by a specific implement user. The method of forming the grip includes the steps of coating the implement handle with a cover material, heating the implement handle until the material has become softened, and grasping an implement handle while the cover is soft and deformable, thereby causing the cover to be molded to a user's specific shape. The high coefficient of friction and the moldability of the material results in a superior grip.
Claims25
A handle for an elongated implement to be held by the hand of a user comprising:
- a tubular deformable cover formed of a thermoplastic material which is stable and semi-rigid at normal ambient temperatures and is soft and deformable when heated, said cover consisting essentially of a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate softening at a temperature in a range from above ambient temperature to the temperature of boiling water, said cover having a bore extending therethrough enabling the cover to be telescopically installed upon said implement, with the inner surface of the cover adhering to the implement and the outer surface of the cover being deformable when in the heated state to provide a contoured gripping surface unique to and directly grippable by the hand of a specific user.
A method of preventing cumulative trauma disorders in a hand at risk to such disorders, said method comprising:
- covering outer surface portions of an implement handle with a layer of thermoplastic material which is stable and semirigid at normal ambient temperatures and soft and deformable when heated in boiling water, said thermoplastic material being a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate softening at a temperature in the range from above ambient temperature to the temperature of boiling water;
- heating the material until the cover is soft and deformable;
- grasping the thermoplastic material while the cover is soft and deformable thereby causing the cover to be molded to the user's hand;
- and
- directly gripping the molded cover when using the implement.
A grip for attachment to opposing jaws of a mechanical hand designed to manipulate parts, said grip comprising:
- a grip pad formed of a deformable thermoplastic material which is stable and semi-rigid at ambient temperatures and is soft and deformable when heated, the thermoplastic material being a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate softening at a temperature in the range from above ambient temperature to the temperature of boiling water;
- and
- attachment means for attaching said grip pad to a jaw of a mechanical hand, wherein said grip pad may be heated to a softened state, and molded into a contoured gripping shape by grasping the part to be manipulated by the mechanical hand.
In an apparatus having a structure with an outer surface to be gripped, the improvement comprising:
- a deformable thermoplastic layer on the structure, said thermoplastic layer being a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate softening at a temperature in the range of above ambient temperature to the temperature of boiling water, inner surfaces of the layer adhering to a portion of the outer surface of the structure and the outer surface of the thermoplastic layer being directly grippable, the material providing a sufficiently high coefficient of friction to thereby eliminate the need for additional high friction covers for the structure.
A method of forming a grip for an implement, said method comprising:
- forming a tube of moldable thermoplastic material being a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate softening at a temperature in a range of above ambient temperature to the temperature of boiling water;
- spiral cutting the tube into a helical strip;
- and
- wrapping the strip around the implement to form a grip.
A method of making a grip for an implement having a given shape, said method comprising:
- providing moldable, thermoplastic material being a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate softening at a temperature in a range above ambient temperature to the temperature of boiling water on a temporary carrier having substantially the same configuration as the implement;
- heating the thermoplastic material;
- molding the thermoplastic material;
- removing the molded thermoplastic material from the temporary carrier;
- and
- installing the molded thermoplastic material onto the implement.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.