Golf Putter Grip Accessory

Abstract

A golf putter grip accessory includes a protruding grip body and a clamping assembly. The grip body includes an inner surface designed to face a golf putter grip when the golf putter grip accessory is removably attached to a golf putter, and an outer surface that is ergonomically contoured to provide a gripping surface for an extended index finger of a user to assist a user in holding the golf putter straight. The clamping assembly is attached to the grip body and designed to releasably attach the golf putter grip accessory to the golf putter.

Claims

1. A golf putter grip accessory comprising: a protruding grip body comprising an inner surface configured to face a golf putter grip when the golf putter grip accessory is removably attached to a golf putter, and an outer surface that is ergonomically contoured to provide a gripping surface for an extended index finger of a user to assist a user in holding a golf putter straight; and a clamping assembly attached to said grip body and configured to releasably attach the golf putter grip accessory to a golf putter.

2. The golf putter grip accessory of claim 1, wherein said grip body is elongated and configured to run along the length of a portion of a golf putter grip when the golf putter grip accessory is removably attached to a golf putter.

3. The golf putter grip accessory of claim 1, wherein said outer surface has a concave cross-sectional profile.

4. The golf putter grip accessory of claim 1, wherein said grip body has a curved, arched profile wherein said outer surface slopes downwardly in opposite directions from a central portion to a pair of end portions.

5. The golf putter grip accessory of claim 1, wherein said grip body and said clamping assembly comprise metal, plastic, or a combination thereof.

6. The golf putter grip accessory of claim 1, wherein: said grip body is elongated and configured to run along the length of a portion of a golf putter grip when the golf putter grip accessory is removably attached to a golf putter, said outer surface has a concave cross-sectional profile, said grip body has a curved, arched profile wherein said outer surface slopes downwardly in opposite directions from a central portion to a pair of end portions, and said grip body and said clamping assembly comprise metal, plastic, or a combination thereof.

7. The golf putter grip accessory of claim 1, wherein said clamping assembly is configured to releasably clamp onto a golf putter shaft adjacent a golf putter grip.

8. The golf putter grip accessory of claim 7, wherein said clamping assembly projects away from said inner surface a sufficient distance to position said grip body away from a golf putter shaft and over a golf putter grip.

9. The golf putter grip accessory of claim 7, wherein said clamping assembly comprises a cylindrical inner surface to permit rotational adjustment and placement of said protruding grip body at any position about an exterior surface of a golf putter grip.

10. The golf putter grip accessory of claim 7, wherein said clamping assembly comprises a first clamping portion attached to said grip body and a second clamping portion detachably connected to said first clamping portion by attachment structures.

11. The golf putter grip accessory of claim 10, wherein said clamping assembly comprises a cylindrical inner surface to permit rotational adjustment and placement of said protruding grip body at any position about an exterior surface of a golf putter grip.

12. The golf putter grip accessory of claim 11, wherein said cylindrical inner surface is divided into two sections, one on each of said first clamping portion and said second clamping portion.

13. The golf putter grip accessory of claim 10, wherein said attachment structures comprise screws insertable through passages in said second clamping portion and into corresponding threaded orifices in said first clamping portion.

14. The golf putter grip accessory of claim 13, wherein said first clamping portion is integrally formed with said grip body.

15. The golf putter grip accessory of claim 1, wherein: said clamping assembly is configured to releasably clamp onto a golf putter shaft adjacent a golf putter grip, said clamping assembly projects away from said inner surface a sufficient distance to position said grip body away from a golf putter shaft and over a golf putter grip, and said clamping assembly comprises a cylindrical inner surface to permit rotational adjustment and placement of said protruding grip body at any position about an exterior surface of a golf putter grip.

16. The golf putter grip accessory of claim 15, wherein: said clamping assembly comprises a first clamping portion attached to said grip body and a second clamping portion detachably connected to said first clamping portion by attachment structures, said attachment structures comprise screws insertable through passages in said second clamping portion and into corresponding threaded orifices in said first clamping portion, said first clamping portion is integrally formed with said grip body, and said cylindrical inner surface is divided into two sections, one on each of said first clamping portion and said second clamping portion.

17. A golf putter grip accessory comprising: a protruding grip body comprising an inner surface configured to face a golf putter grip when the golf putter grip accessory is removably attached to a golf putter, and an outer surface that is ergonomically contoured to provide a gripping surface for an extended index finger of a user to assist a user in holding a golf putter straight, wherein: said grip body is elongated and configured to run along the length of a portion of a golf putter grip when the golf putter grip accessory is removably attached to a golf putter, said outer surface has a concave cross-sectional profile, said grip body has a curved, arched profile wherein said outer surface slopes downwardly in opposite directions from a central portion to a pair of end portions, said grip body and said clamping assembly comprise metal, plastic, or a combination thereof; and a clamping assembly attached to said grip body and configured to releasably attach the golf putter grip accessory to a golf putter, wherein: said clamping assembly is configured to releasably clamp onto a golf putter shaft adjacent a golf putter grip, said clamping assembly projects away from said inner surface a sufficient distance to position said grip body away from a golf putter shaft and over a golf putter grip, said clamping assembly comprises a cylindrical inner surface to permit rotational adjustment and placement of said protruding grip body at any position about an exterior surface of a golf putter grip, said clamping assembly comprises a first clamping portion attached to said grip body and a second clamping portion detachably connected to said first clamping portion by attachment structures, wherein: said attachment structures comprise screws insertable through passages in said second clamping portion and into corresponding threaded orifices in said first clamping portion, said first clamping portion is integrally formed with said grip body, said cylindrical inner surface is divided into two sections, one on each of said first clamping portion and said second clamping portion.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

[0012] The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

[0013] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a golf putter grip accessory according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0014] FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0015] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure in use.

[0016] FIG. 4 is a side view of an embodiment of the disclosure in use.

[0017] FIG. 5 is a side view of an alternative embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 5 thereof, a new golf putter grip accessory embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

[0019] As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5, the golf putter grip accessory 10 generally comprises a protruding grip body 12 and a clamping assembly 14. The protruding grip body 12 includes an inner surface 16 designed to face a golf putter grip 62 when the golf putter grip accessory 10 is removably attached to a golf putter 60, and an outer surface 18 that is ergonomically contoured to provide a gripping surface for an extended index finger 66 of a user to assist a user in holding the golf putter 60 straight. The clamping assembly 14 is attached to the grip body 12 and designed to releasably attach the golf putter grip accessory 10 to the golf putter 60.

[0020] The grip body 12 is elongated and designed to run along the length of a portion of the golf putter grip 62 when the golf putter grip accessory 10 is removably attached to the golf putter 60, as shown in FIG. 3. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the outer surface 18 has a concave cross-sectional profile, such that the outer surface 18 essentially cradles the index finger 66 of a user. However, the outer surface 18 could also have a straight or flat cross-sectional profile. The grip body 12 has a curved, arched profile wherein the outer surface 18 slopes downwardly in opposite directions from a central portion 20 to a pair of end portions 22. The grip body 12 and the clamping assembly 14 comprise metal, plastic, or a combination thereof. In the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 2, the inner surface 16 has a concave cross-sectional profile and essentially straight edges. However, other designs are possible, such as an inner surface 16 having a straight or flat cross-sectional profile, or an inner surface 16 having curved edges such that the inner surface 16 has a curved shape similar to the curved, arched profile of the grip body 12 at the outer surface 18, such as shown in the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 5.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 4, the clamping assembly 14 is designed to releasably clamp onto a golf putter shaft 64 adjacent the golf putter grip 62. The clamping assembly 14 projects away from the inner surface 16 a sufficient distance to position the grip body 12 away from the golf putter shaft 64 and over the golf putter grip 62. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the clamping assembly 14 includes a cylindrical inner surface 24. The cylindrical inner surface 24 permits rotational adjustment and placement of the protruding grip body 12 at any position about an exterior surface of the golf putter grip 62. This design allows for the user to position the golf putter grip accessory 10 in any position 360 degrees about the golf putter shaft 64, such as for unusual or customized grip styles or for right-handed or left-handed putters.

[0022] In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the clamping assembly 14 includes a first clamping portion 26 attached to the grip body 12 and a second clamping portion 28 detachably connected to the first clamping portion 26 by attachment structures 30. The attachment structures 30 comprise screws 30 insertable through passages 32 in the second clamping portion 28 and into corresponding threaded orifices 34 in the first clamping portion 26. The screws 30 allow the second clamping portion 28 to be tightly secured to the first clamping portion 26 to promote a tight grip on the golf putter shaft 64. The first clamping portion 26 is integrally formed with the grip body 12, though it could be attached or connected to the grip body 12 in a known manner. The cylindrical inner surface 24 is divided into two sections, one on each of the first clamping portion 26 and the second clamping portion 28. In one possible embodiment, the first clamping portion 26 could be partially attached to the second clamping portion 28 on one side or edge in a hinged manner, such that the first clamping portion 26 can be pivoted away from the second clamping portion 28 to open the clamping assembly 14.

[0023] FIG. 4 shows an example of a user gripping the golf putter grip 62 with the golf putter grip accessory 10 attached to the golf putter shaft 64. The user rests his index finger 66 on the outer surface 18 of the grip body 12, which assists the user in holding the golf putter 60 straight. The user has the option to adjust the position of the golf putter grip accessory 10 by releasing the clamping assembly 14, rotating the golf putter grip accessory 10, and then securing the clamping assembly 14 in the new position on the golf putter shaft 64.

[0024] With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0025] Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word comprising is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded.

[0026] A reference to an element by the indefinite article a does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.