Removable and reattachable golf club grip

Abstract

Removable and re-attachable grips design to allow simple, fast changing of grips on shaft. The present disclosure relates in general to a re-changeable or interchangeable grip particularly suited for golf whose attachment requires three basic securing movements. In the first movement, heel components of the grip are first positioned onto the shaft, by either rotational torque or downward pressure, which result in securing the upper, proximal portion of the gripping sleeve onto the shaft. In the second movement, once the grip is situated and secured into place on the shaft, the grip is centered on the shaft by fastening toe components at the lower, distal portion of the grip sleeve onto the shaft, in the third movement, once both heel and toe embodiments of the grip have been fastened to the shaft, the internal core diameter of the grip sleeve is decreased in order to secure the grip to the shaft, such as by rotating or twisting the entire grip sleeve body.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A grip for attaching onto a hollow golf club shaft at a handle region thereof, the grip comprising an annular, longitudinal sleeve with an upper sleeve portion, a lower sleeve portion and a medial sleeve portion between the upper and lower sleeve portions, the grip comprising:
 a first grip component at the upper sleeve portion of the grip, said first grip component configured to be secured onto the golf club shaft at a first portion of the handle region;   a second grip component at the lower sleeve portion of the grip, said second grip component configured to be secured onto the golf club shaft at a second portion of the handle region;   wherein the medial portion of the longitudinal sleeve is configured to rotate in a first direction radially about the golf club shaft between the secured first and second grip components thereby tightening the medial portion onto the golf club shaft by decreasing an internal diameter of the longitudinal sleeve at the medial portion.   
     
     
         2 . The grip of  claim 1 , wherein the first grip component comprises a compression nut and an expandable tube that are configured to be secured to the hollow golf club shaft at the first portion of the handle region. 
     
     
         3 . The grip of  claim 2 , wherein the compression nut and the expandable tube are configured to be inserted into the hollow golf club shaft at the first portion of the handle region. 
     
     
         4 . The grip of  claim 3 , wherein the first grip component further comprises a screw threaded through the compression nut and the expandable tube, wherein the screw is configured to be turned using a rotational torque thereby expanding the expandable tube against an internal surface of the hollow golf club shaft under pressure from the compression nut. 
     
     
         5 . The grip of  claim 4 , wherein an end cap is attached to the screw, whereby rotational torque is applied to the end cap to turn the screw. 
     
     
         6 . The grip of  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal sleeve comprises a material that, upon twisting of the medial portion, is configured to decrease the internal diameter of the longitudinal sleeve thereby tightening the longitudinal sleeve onto the hollow golf club shaft. 
     
     
         7 . The grip of  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal sleeve comprises a textured internal surface that is configured to increase a frictional force between the internal surface of the longitudinal sleeve and an outer surface of the hollow golf club shaft. 
     
     
         8 . The grip of  claim 7 , wherein the textured internal surface prevents backward rotation of the longitudinal sleeve relative to the outer surface of the hollow golf club shaft once the longitudinal sleeve is twisted around the shaft. 
     
     
         9 . The grip of  claim 1 , wherein the medial portion has a relaxed configuration when the internal diameter of the longitudinal sleeve at the medial portion is not tight around the hollow golf club shaft and a secured configuration when the internal diameter of the longitudinal sleeve at the medial portion is tight around the hollow golf club shaft, and wherein tightening the medial portion onto the hollow golf club shaft comprises changing the medial portion from the relaxed configuration to the secured configuration. 
     
     
         10 . The grip of  claim 9 , wherein the medial portion is maintained in the relaxed configuration until after both the first grip component and the second grip component are secured onto the golf club shaft. 
     
     
         11 . A method for attaching a grip onto a hollow golf club shaft at a handle region thereof, the grip having an annular, longitudinal sleeve with an upper sleeve portion, a lower sleeve portion and a medial sleeve portion between the upper and lower sleeve portions, the method comprising:
 securing a first grip component at the upper sleeve portion of the grip onto the golf club shaft at a first portion of the handle region;   securing a second grip component at the lower sleeve portion of the grip onto the golf club shaft at a second portion of the handle region; and   after the first and second grip components are secured at the upper and lower sleeve portions of the grip onto the first and second portions of the handle region, respectively, radially rotating the medial portion of the longitudinal sleeve in a first direction thereby decreasing an internal diameter of the medial portion and tightening the longitudinal sleeve onto the golf club shaft.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first and second grip components remain secured on the first and second portions of the handle region of the golf club shaft, respectively, while radially rotating the medial portion of the longitudinal sleeve. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein securing the first grip component at the upper sleeve portion of the grip onto the golf club shaft at the first portion of the handle region prohibits radial rotation of the first grip component around the golf club shaft. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein securing the second grip component at the lower sleeve portion of the grip onto the golf club shaft at the second portion of the handle region prohibits radial rotation of the second grip component around the golf club shaft.