Apparatus for gripping sporting equipment and method of using it

Abstract

A sports equipment grip apparatus having a grip member having a side wall, a lengthwise opening disposed between a first end and a second end permitting insertion of a sports equipment item, the side wall being configured to snugly conform to the sports equipment item; a plurality of coplanar rings extending radially from the side wall, being equal in size and fitting onto a user's fingers; wherein the apparatus trains the user in holding and using a sports equipment item with a relaxed grip and in a suitable position, by forcing the user to place the sports equipment item near user's finger base into the grip member before gripping the sports equipment item, such that the sports equipment item is gripped primarily with user's fingers, and in the relaxed grip by providing a supplemental grip of the sports equipment item exercised by the grip member.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sports equipment grip apparatus, comprising:
 a grip member having a virtually cylindrical side wall, a first open end and a second open end, and a lengthwise opening disposed between a lengthwise proximal cut and a lengthwise distal cut into the cylindrical side wall and extending between the first end and the second end, the lengthwise opening being configured to permit insertion of a portion of a sports equipment item into the cylindrical side wall, the cylindrical side wall being configured to snugly conform to the portion of the sports equipment item;   a plurality of coplanar rings extending radially from the proximal cut of the cylindrical side wall, the coplanar rings being equal in size and being configured to fit onto a user's fingers; and   wherein the sports equipment grip apparatus is configured to train the user in holding and using a sports equipment item with a relaxed grip and in a suitable position, by forcing the user to place the sports equipment item near user's finger base into the grip member before gripping the sports equipment item, such that the sports equipment item is gripped primarily with user's fingers, and in the relaxed grip by providing a supplemental grip of the sports equipment item exercised by the grip member,   and wherein the sports equipment grip apparatus is configured to be worn selectively on user's left or right hand and selectively with the lengthwise opening facing the user's palm or with the lengthwise opening facing the user's fingers.   
     
     
         2 . The sports equipment grip apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the grip member is integrally formed. 
     
     
         3 . The sports equipment grip apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the grip member is divided into a plurality of lengthwise segments with gaps in between, thus providing flexibility of gripping irregular sports equipment. 
     
     
         4 . The sports equipment grip apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the grip member extends for the entire combined length of the plurality of rings. 
     
     
         5 . The sports equipment grip apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the lengthwise opening extends for about 180 degrees. 
     
     
         6 . The sports equipment grip apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the lengthwise opening is narrower by extending for less than 180 degrees, the side wall being flexible to allow insertion of the sports equipment item through the narrower lengthwise opening and thus achieve a stronger grip by causing the side wall to snugly surround the portion of the sports equipment item for more than 180 degrees. 
     
     
         7 . The sports equipment grip apparatus of  claim 6 , the grip member having an original shape, a shape memory and being flexible such that the portion of the sports equipment item is snapped into the lengthwise opening by applying force to the grip member, thus widening the lengthwise opening to receive the portion of the sports equipment item and returning to the original shape to fit snugly around the portion of the sports equipment item. 
     
     
         8 . The sports equipment grip apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of coplanar rings is two rings. 
     
     
         9 . The sports equipment grip apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of coplanar rings is three rings. 
     
     
         10 . A sports equipment grip system, comprising:
 a grip member having a virtually cylindrical side wall, a first open end and a second open end, and a lengthwise opening disposed between a lengthwise proximal cut and a lengthwise distal cut into the cylindrical side wall and extending between the first end and the second end, the lengthwise opening being configured to permit insertion of a portion of a sports equipment item into the cylindrical side wall, the cylindrical side wall being configured to snugly conform to the portion of the sports equipment item;   a glove for a user's left or right hand; and   an attachment means for securing the grip member to the glove;   wherein the sports equipment grip system is configured to train the user in holding and using the sports equipment item with a relaxed grip and in a suitable position, by forcing the user to place the sports equipment item near user's finger base into the grip member before gripping the sports equipment item, such that the sports equipment item is gripped primarily with user's fingers, and in the relaxed grip by providing a supplemental grip of the sports equipment item exercised by the grip member.   
     
     
         11 . The sports equipment grip system of  claim 10 , wherein the grip member and the glove are integral with each other. 
     
     
         12 . The sports equipment grip system of  claim 10 , wherein the grip member is removable from the glove. 
     
     
         13 . The sports equipment grip system of  claim 12 , the glove further comprising a pocket for receiving a clip associated with the grip member. 
     
     
         14 . The sports equipment grip system of  claim 13 , wherein the clip is substantially rectangular, and extends for the entire length of the grip member. 
     
     
         15 . The sports equipment grip system of  claim 10 , wherein the lengthwise opening is a narrow lengthwise opening and extends for less than 180 degrees, the side wall being flexible to allow insertion of the sports equipment item through the narrow lengthwise opening and thus achieve a stronger grip by causing the side wall to snugly surround the portion of the sports equipment item for more than 180 degrees;
 the grip member having an original shape, a shape memory and being flexible such that the portion of the sports equipment item is snapped into the lengthwise opening by applying force to the grip member, thus widening the lengthwise opening to receive the portion of the sports equipment item and returning to the original shape to fit snugly around the portion of the sports equipment item.   
     
     
         16 . A method of holding and using a first sports equipment item, comprising the steps of:
 providing a sports equipment grip apparatus comprising a grip member having a virtually cylindrical side wall, a first open end and a second open end, and a lengthwise opening disposed between a lengthwise proximal cut and a lengthwise distal cut into the cylindrical side wall and extending between the first end and the second end, the lengthwise opening being configured to permit insertion of a portion of the first sports equipment item into the cylindrical side wall, the cylindrical side wall being configured to snugly conform to the portion of the first sports equipment item;   wearing the sports equipment grip apparatus;   applying force to the grip member with the first sports equipment item;   widening the lengthwise opening by applying force to the grip member with the first sports equipment item, the grip member having a shape memory and being flexible such that the portion of the first sports equipment item is pushed and received into the lengthwise opening;   aligning the portion of the first sports equipment item with bases of the user's fingers, grasping the first sports equipment item with the user's hands, such that the portion of the sports item is held in the user's fingers, with a relaxed grip and in a suitable position;   moving the user's arms while holding the relaxed grip and being in the suitable position; and   making contact between the first sports equipment item and a second sports equipment item.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the moving step is a swinging motion. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , the sports equipment grip apparatus further comprising a plurality of coplanar rings extending radially from the proximal cut of the cylindrical side wall, the coplanar rings being equal in size and being configured to fit onto a user's fingers, and wherein the wearing step is achieved by the user placing one of the user's fingers into each ring of the plurality of coplanar rings. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of coplanar rings is two rings. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of coplanar rings is three rings.