Grip for sporting equipment

Abstract

A grip for sporting equipment includes a base defining a receiver for receiving a gripping end. The base includes a pair of opposed grip base ends and an intervening center portion. At least one sheet of material is provided for encircling at least the base center portion whereby opposed edges of the sheet of material define a gap. A stitching pattern secures the two opposed edges one to the other and closes the gap to define a closed seam. A sealing strip may overlay the closed seam and stitching. Optionally, the opposed abutting edges are beveled whereby the closed seam and stitching are disposed within a groove formed by closing the gap. In turn, items of sporting equipment and methods for providing grips for sporting equipment are described.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A grip for sporting equipment having a gripping end, comprising:
 a base defining a receiver for receiving the gripping end, the base comprising a pair of opposed grip base ends and an intervening center portion having a lesser width dimension than the opposed grip base ends;   at least one resilient sheet of material including opposed edges and being dimensioned whereby when the sheet of material is disposed to encircle the base center portion the opposed edges are spaced apart to define a gap; and   stitching securing the opposed edges one to the other without passing through the base center portion, the gap being closed by the stitching wherein a compressive force between the at least one sheet of material and the base center portion is increased and a closed seam is defined.   
     
     
         2 . The grip of  claim 1 , further including a compacted and bonded said closed seam and stitching defining a substantially flush top surface, caused by a suitable application of heat and/or pressure. 
     
     
         3 . The grip of  claim 2 , wherein the sheet of material opposed edges are beveled to define a groove or channel having the stitching disposed in an interior thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The grip of  claim 2 , further including a sealing strip overlaying the closed seam and stitching. 
     
     
         5 . The grip of  claim 4 , further including a compacted and bonded said closed seam, stitching, and sealing strip defining a substantially flush top surface, caused by a suitable application of heat and/or pressure. 
     
     
         6 . The grip of  claim 1 , wherein the stitching is selected from one of a continuous running stitch, a baseball stitch, or a running locked stitch. 
     
     
         7 . An article of sporting equipment, comprising;
 a shaft extending from a distal end to a gripping end; and   a grip positioned on the gripping end;   wherein the grip comprises:   a base defining a receiver for receiving the gripping end, the base comprising a pair of opposed grip base ends and an intervening center portion having a lesser width dimension than the opposed grip base ends;   at least one resilient sheet of material including opposed edges and being dimensioned whereby when the sheet of material is disposed to encircle the base center portion the opposed edges are spaced apart to define a gap; and   stitching securing the opposed abutting edges one to the other without passing through the base center portion, the gap being closed by the stitching whereby a compressive force between the at least one sheet of material and the base center portion is increased and a closed seam is defined.   
     
     
         8 . The article of  claim 7 , further including a compacted and bonded said closed seam and stitching defining a substantially flush top surface, caused by a suitable application of heat and/or pressure. 
     
     
         9 . The article of  claim 7 , wherein the sheet of material opposed edges are beveled to define a groove or channel having the stitching disposed in an interior thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The article of  claim 7 , further including a sealing strip overlaying the closed seam and stitching. 
     
     
         11 . The article of  claim 10 , further including a compacted and bonded said closed seam, stitching, and sealing strip defining a substantially flush top surface, caused by a suitable application of heat and/or pressure. 
     
     
         12 . The article of  claim 7 , wherein the stitching is selected from one of a continuous running stitch, a baseball stitch, or a running locked stitch. 
     
     
         13 . A method of making a grip for sporting equipment having a gripping end, comprising:
 providing a base defining a receiver for receiving the gripping end, the base comprising a pair of opposed grip base ends and an intervening center portion having a lesser width dimension than the opposed grip base ends;   providing at least one resilient sheet of material having opposed edges and being dimensioned whereby when the sheet is disposed to encircle the base center portion the opposed edges are spaced apart to define a gap;   encircling the base center portion with the at least one at least one sheet of material; and   securing the opposed edges one to the other by stitching passing through the sheet of material but not the base whereby the stitching increases a compressive force between the sheet of material and the base and closes the gap to define a closed seam.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further including compacting and bonding the closed seam and stitching to define a substantially flush top surface by a suitable application of heat and/or pressure. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further including providing the sheet of material having opposed beveled edges to define a groove or channel having the stitching disposed in an interior thereof after the securing. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , further including overlaying the closed seam and stitching with a sealing strip. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further including compacting and bonding the closed seam, stitching, and sealing strip to define a substantially flush top surface by a suitable application of heat and/or pressure. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , including the step of selecting the stitching from one of a continuous running stitch, a baseball stitch, or a running locked stitch.