Handle and a method for manufacturing a handle

Abstract

A handle for a hand tool includes a rigid body and a surface portion arranged to cover at least a part of the rigid body. The rigid body includes protrusions arranged in a predetermined pattern. The surface portion is arranged to cover at least a part of the rigid body such that the predetermined pattern of protrusions is present in an outer surface of the surface portion, and a thickness of the surface portion at the protrusions is the same or almost the same as a thickness of the surface portion at locations between the protrusions.

1 . A handle for a hand tool comprising:
 a rigid body with a surface which is provided with protrusions arranged in a predetermined pattern, and   a surface portion arranged to cover at least a part of the rigid body, the surface portion has a uniform thickness and is arranged to cover at least a part of the rigid body by tightly following the shape of the surface of the rigid body such that the predetermined pattern of protrusions is present in an outer surface of the surface portion, and a thickness of the surface portion at the protrusions is the same or almost the same as a thickness of the surface portion at locations between the protrusions.   
     
     
         2 . The handle according to  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined pattern is provided such that a user grabbing the handle can by feeling the predetermined pattern determine which part of the handle the user has grabbed. 
     
     
         3 . The handle according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the handle has an outer shape with different dimensions at different locations of the handle along a longitudinal direction of the handle, and   the predetermined pattern is such that a user grabbing the handle can by feeling the predetermined pattern and the outer shape of the handle determine which part of the handle the user has grabbed.   
     
     
         4 . The handle according to  claim 1 , wherein the protrusions are present in a predetermined pattern where each part of the pattern is unique and present in only one location. 
     
     
         5 . The handle according to  claim 1 , wherein the protrusions are present in the surface portion in a predetermined pattern including a first sub-pattern which is present in at least two locations of the predetermined pattern and one or more other sub-patterns which are present between the locations of the first sub-pattern. 
     
     
         6 . The handle according to  claim 1 , wherein the handle is a handle of a gardening tool. 
     
     
         7 . The handle according to  claim 1 , wherein the handle is a handle of an axe. 
     
     
         8 . The handle according to  claim 1 , wherein the surface portion is softer than the rigid body. 
     
     
         9 . A method for manufacturing a handle comprising:
 manufacturing a surface portion for the handle,   arranging the surface portion having a uniform thickness in a mould to contact a surface of the mould and to cover cavities which are provided in the surface in a predetermined pattern,   pressing those parts of the surface portion that cover the cavities into the cavities with a mass that is introduced into the mould, and   removing the handle from the mould once the mass has cured to form a rigid body which is at least partly covered by the surface portion from which protrusions arranged in the predetermined pattern protrude.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the predetermined pattern is provided such that a user grabbing the handle can by feeling the predetermined pattern determine which part of the handle the user has grabbed. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein
 the handle is manufactured to have an outer shape with different dimensions at different locations of the handle along a longitudinal direction of the handle, and   the predetermined pattern is provided such that a user grabbing the handle can by feeling the predetermined pattern and the outer shape of the handle determine which part of the handle the user has grabbed.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the method comprises providing cavities in the surface in a predetermined pattern where each part of the pattern is unique and present in only one location. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the method comprises providing cavities in the surface in a predetermined patter including a first sub-pattern which is present in at least two locations of the predetermined pattern and one or more other sub-patterns which are present between the locations of the first sub-pattern.