WO1997027775A1

WO1997027775A1 - Frictional interface between bodies

Info

Publication number: WO1997027775A1
Application number: PCT/US1997/000545
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jeffery A. Broffman
Original assignee: Broffman Jeffery A
Priority date: 1996-01-30
Filing date: 1997-01-30
Publication date: 1997-08-07
Also published as: AU1578597A

Abstract

A frictional interface is provided between a first body such as a person's hand (10) or foot and a second body such as a sporting goods or tool handle (18) or a floor (23) or structural device e.g. railing surface (30). A first material (11) is attached to the first body, and has a series of protrusions (14) in a fixed spaced array. A second material (16) is attached to the second body (18), and has a similar series of protrusions (19). The respective series of protrusions have non-adhesive surfaces and interdigitate with each other when the bodies are brought into abutting parallelism with each other by an applied force such as a gloved hand grasping or a shoed foot stepping on the second material. Lateral displacement of the interdigitated protrusions is substantially prevented, without substantially affecting generally parallel disengagement of the respective series of protrusions when the applied force is removed.

Description

FRICTIONAL INTERFACE BETWEEN BODIES

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an interface between two bodies, more particularly it relates to sporting goods handles or grips, tool handles, construction devices, railings or deck or floor surfaces which are to be grasped and held by a human user's hand or foot. Additionally, the invention relates to materials attached to a hand, glove or foot which interact with a similar material on another body.

Material Art Heretofore others have suggested ways to improve the human grip on an article which is grasped or contacted by the human hand or foot. These articles have included various sporting goods such as tennis or other racquets, footballs, golf clubs, gym equipment, as well as shoes to prevent slipping on a surface. These are exemplified by U.S. 5,234,740 where a sheeting with pyramid-shaped protrusions is attached to sporting equipment handles or surfaces or on tools. U.S. 4,946,527 shows a pressure-sensitive adhesive fastener including bulbous projections for closing parts of a diaper or sanitary napkin. U.S. Patents 3,368,811; 5,028,050; 5,335,916; and 5,451,046 illustrate the use of Velcro® fasteners interlocking a golf club and golf glove and interlocking a ball and a catching glove. U.K. Patent 547946 shows the use of emery cloth or other abrasive frictional material on either a golf club or a golf glove. All of the above patents describe interfaces which either have only one of the articles or hand with the projections or provide both a lateral lock and a lock in the direction of the removal of the applied force i.e. generally perpendicular to the lateral directions of the lateral lock. For example, in the use of the various Velcro® fasteners the gloves in the penultimate listed four patents must be sheared from the article and are not free to be generally disengaged easily from any direction from the article when the gripping force is released.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention and product ("the product") creates improved traction for a variety of human physical applications but at the same time permits easy disengagement. The traction is meant to be improved particularly in the plane perpendicular to the main force applied. As an example, if a person is cjripping a tubular object, this product will significantly prevent movement from side to side as well as in an inferior or superior direction if the tubular object were to be held horizontally. When the main force applied is released, then disengagement easily occurs. In addition, as a safety feature, if too great of a force is applied from a direction perpendicular to the main force, then the traction will be overcome and the "grip" created by the product will be released. This product is designed to be effective both for dry (land) and wet (aquatic) activities.

The invention consists of two identical or matching/integrated irregular surfaces not necessarily made of the same material. One or both may be made either of rubber, plastic or other stiff yet pliable material while the other may be made of a nonflexible substance such as metal, rigid plastic or fiberglass. When these two surfaces are placed together they will interlock or interdigitate. The interdigitation achieved is sufficient to create traction as described above, but releases easily. These surfaces are designed for multiple applications and therefore will be of varying sizes, thicknesses, stiffness, material and design depending on the particular use. One or both of the surfaces may have a self-sticking compound (i.e., tape) or may be attached by any adhesive product (i.e., glue) so that it can be applied to various already existing structures or devices. In one product application a material with protrusions in a fixed spaced array is attached to the volar (gripping) surface of gloves and a material with matching protrusions in a fixed spaced array is attached to the gripping area of a baseball bat, tennis or other racquet, golf club, hockey stick, or the like. This matching configuration of surfaces will achieve desired improved traction and grip as recited above. In another product application the material with protrusions is formed or molded into the volar surface of surgical gloves as described above which interdigitates with the identical or matching configuration and sized protrusions which are generally made of a different material, such as the metal handle on surgical instruments. The material may be placed on the handle of hand tools, or on the plastic handle of a screwdriver. Further one material may be attached to gloves and a matching material from a tape roll of material secured to such objects as construction devices such as a ladder, a railing along a stairway, a doorknob, or the like, for use of those needing a secure initial grip on the object with a quick parallel to the gripping force release. In still another product application a material with the protrusions is attached to the bottom of footwear either by a tape or glue or is an integral molded component and then an identical or matching surface of same or different material is mounted on or provided as an integral component of a surface to be walked on. This includes the placement of one material on the bottom of "deck shoes" and the matching material applied (or as an integral component of) to the deck of a sailboat or other vessel. Still another application would be the material being applied to the bottom of boots and the matching material applied on the floor of a fish, meat or poultry processing plant to prevent employee slips.

An additional sporting goods application is the attachment of a first material with protrusions to the top or front portion of wetsuit booties (or built integral with the bootie) . The complimentary material (either attached or as an integral unit) is attached to a corresponding undersurface of a footstrap on a sailboard, water ski or the like. This configuration will create traction and grip when the main force (from the foot) is applied upward and be released when the upward force is discontinued. Still further the first material may include roughened protrusions attached to the bottom of shoes and similar roughened protrusions extending from the second material attached to a skateboard. This enables a skateboard user to "jump" the skateboard into the air without losing contact due to the effect of gravity on the skateboard. Therefore, in this application, there would be traction in a direction perpendicular to the main force as well as some traction, though to a lesser degree, parallel to it. The traction parallel to the main force would be designed so that with only minimal effort from the user it could be released.

A frictional interface between a first body and a second body is described herein where an interface includes a first material attached to a first body, the first material having a first series of protrusions in a fixed spaced array, the series of the first protrusions extending from a surface of the first material. A second material is attached to the second body, the second material also having a second series of protrusions in a fixed spaced array extending generally perpendicularly from a surface of the second material. The first and second series of protrusions have non-adhesive surfaces and interdigitate with each other when the first body and second body are brought into abutting parallelism with each other by an applied force, such that lateral displacement of the interdigitated protrusions is substantially prevented, without substantially affecting generally parallel (to the protrusions) disengagement of the first series of protrusions and the second series of protrusions when the applied force is removed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the invention showing the impending interdigitation of protrusions in both a glove material on a hand and on a sporting goods handle. Fig. 2 is a schematic side view of a series of steps with a railing with the railing having a material including a series of protrusions for grasping by the gloved hand of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a schematic side view of the invention showing the impending interdigitation of protrusions on a person's shoe sole and protrusions extending upwardly from a floor surface.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a protrusions-containing glove.

Figs. 5-10 are perspective views of typical shapes and surfaces of the protrusions.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of one of the materials of Fig. 1 showing the spacing of the protrusions on a portion of a material.

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of interdigitated portions of both materials.

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the invention showing the impending interdigitation of protrusions on a water sports foot bootie and protrusions on the underside of a footstrap on a sailboard or the like.

Fig. 14 is an end view of a material tape roll containing the protrusions, with self-stick adhesive and peel-off paper backing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Figs. 1 and 4 shows a first body in the form of a human hand 10 on which is placed a first material 11 formed and sized in the form of a glove to be worn and removably attached to the hand. The glove may have full or partial fingers (Fig. 4) . The material 11 may be a leather, rubber, fabric, e.g. nylon or cotton or plastic glove which contains a series of molded-in- place or stitched or adhesively attached pad-inserts 12 (Fig. 4) , particularly on a volar (palm) surface of the glove, each of which contain a series of columnar protrusions 14, generally extending perpendicularly from regions on the surface 15 of the glove. A second material 16 with matching protrusions 19 on the outside surface, in the form of a tape 17 or sheet, is attached preferably by an adhesive on the reverse side of the material, to a handle 18 of a sporting device such as a baseball bat, hockey or lacrosse stick or tennis, badminton, squash, or other racquet or a weightlifting bar. The handle 18 may also be a tool handle such as a hammer handle, ax handle or a handle for a surgical tool. A padding 9 such as synthetic foam tape or sheet e.g. EVA may be applied and bonded by adhesive under the material 16. In a horizontal orientation of the bat or tool relative movement side to side and in the inferior and superior directions is prevented by the grasping applied force on the materials and protrusions. As seen in Fig. 4 illustrated by glove cut-off lines 15a and 15b the glove may be a half- glove. Also the volar portion may be a protrusions- containing adhesive tape which iε wound around the hand across the palm and back of the hand. This is especially useful when using a weight lifting bar also having protrusions-containing tape wound on spaced portions of the bar.

Fig. 2 shows a further application, where one or two gloves 15 of the type seen in Figs. 1 or 4 are used in conjunction with a railing 30 associated with a set of stairs 31 raising from a floor surface 32. The railing 30 has vertical supports 33 and is covered or partially covered by a tape or sheet material 34 having a series of projections 35 extending therefrom. As a gloved user walks up or down the stairs the user's hand grasps the railing 30 and the respective protrusions on the glove and on the material affixed to the railing interdigitate, preventing slippage of the hand on the railing while permitting easy disengagement of the gloved hand from the railing as each step up or down the stairs is taken. This can be especially useful for infirm persons walking up or down stairs or a railed ramp. The second material may also be applied to the railings or steps of a ladder.

Fig. 3 illustrates an application of the product to a walking or boating shoe 20 where the material 21 with a first series of protrusions 22 is applied to the sole of the shoe. Complementary to the shoe is a floor surface 23 or boat deck or skateboard on which a second material 24 having a second series of protrusions 25 is affixed. As a pedestrian or boater places his or her so-equipped shoes down on the second material in a forward stepping motion (arrow 26) , with an applied force represented by the weight of the person, the first and second series of protrusions interdigitate with each other, as best shown in Fig. 12, to prevent forward and side sliding of the shoe with respect to the floor surface 23 and the fixed attached material 24. In the same stepping time frame, as the step is being completed, the first series of projections are not impeded from releasing or disengaging in a generally parallel direction from between the second series of projections, as the applied force of the step is removed. In one embodiment at least one of the materials may be a relatively stiff but pliable rubber or plastic such as polyurethane or a flexible epoxy. The material attached to the floor surface may be an inflexible material or plastic such as an epoxy or polyethylene with raised integral protrusions as in a skateboard application as seen in Fig. 3.

Figs. 5-10 illustrate that the series of protrusions on both the first material and the second material may be smooth cylinders 40 (Fig. 5) , smooth cubic structures 41 (Fig. 6) , smooth octagonal cylinders 42 (Fig. 7) , a roughened cylinder 43 with projecting cylindrical nubs 44 (Fig. 8) , annular projections 46 on a curved top cylinder 45 (Fig. 9) , or a cubic structure 47 with annular trapezoidal projections 48 (Fig. 10) . The protrusions may be rod- like with a height of from about 1 mm to about 2 cm with a diameter of about 1 mm to about 2 cm. Other smooth or roughened surface areas on the protrusions may be provided, the roughened surfaces providing a predetermined small amount of friction during disengagement of the sets of protrusions as in a skateboard application as seen in Fig. 3.

Fig. 11 illustrates in blow-up that the diametrical space 28 between each of the series of protrusions 14 (Fig. 1) or series of protrusions 19 (Fig. 1) has a diameter A which is larger than the diameter B (or maximum cross-sectional dimension) of the protrusions so that the protrusions of one series will interdigitate and then easily disengage when an applied force is released. Fig. 12 illustrates the actual engagement of one protrusion 19 from one material between four protrusions 14 of another material in a checkerboard grid. The gaps 29 between the interdigitated protrusion are shown as relatively wide for clearer viewing purposes. Gaps of from about 2 mm to about 2 cm may typically be employed. The respective series of protrusions may be of different diameters with the spacing adjusted to form an appropriate small gap between the interdigitating protrusions.

Fig. 13 shows another sporting goods application where a foot bootie 60 is worn by a water sportsperson. A first material 61 (rubber or plastic) in the form of an insert molded into or adhesively attached and/or sewn to the instep 63 of the bootie, contains a series of protrusions 62. A second material 66 is attached to or molded in a footstrap 65 which is mounted to a sailboard or the like. The second material extends from the bottom surface of a central bow 67 of the strap and contains a matching series of protrusions 68. A user places his bootied foot in the strap 65, and moves his or her foot upward to interdigitate the upwardly extending protrusions 62 on the booties instep with the downwardly depending protrusions 68 on the material 66.

Fig. 14 shows a roll of flexible tape 16 including protrusions 19 on one side, with a peel-off backing paper 80 on the other side which can be removed to expose a layer of self-stick adhesive 81 which will affix the tape to a handle, bar or other body or hand as shown in Fig. 1.

The above description ozf embodiments of this invention is intended to be illustrative and not limiting. Other embodiments of this invention will be obvious to those skilled in the art in view of the above disclosure.

Claims

1. A frictional interface between a first body and a second body, said interface comprising: a first material attached to said first body, said first material having a first series of protrusions in a fixed spaced array, said series of said first protrusions extending from a surface of said first material; a second material attached to said second body, said second material having a second series of protrusions in a fixed spaced array, said second series of protrusions extending generally from a surface of said second material; and wherein said first and second series of protrusions have non-adhesive surfaces and interdigitate with each other when said first body and second body are brought into abutting parallelism with each other by an applied force, such that lateral displacement of said interdigitated protrusions is substantially prevented, without substantially affecting generally parallel disengagement of said first series of protrusions and said second series of protrusions when the applied force is removed.

2. The interface of Claim 1 wherein said first body is a glove and said first material is attached to the volar surface of the glove and said second body is a sporting goods handle and said second material is attached to a gripping area of said handle.

3. The interface of Claim 2 wherein said first and second materials are flexible materials and said first series of protrusions comprise first integral spaced cylinders and said second series of protrusions comprise matching second integral spaced cylinders interfitting with said first integral spaced cylinders.

4. The interface of Claim 2 wherein said handle is a tubular handle, the glove comprises one or two gloves worn on the hands of a person, and the applied force is a gripping force by the person on said tubular handle, and wherein upon gripping, relative movement of the glove or gloves and tubular handle side to side and in inferior and superior directions is prevented.

5. The interface of Claim 2 wherein said sporting goods handle is a baseball bat handle.

6. The interface of Claim 2 wherein said sporting goods handle is a tennis racquet handle.

7. The interface of Claim 2 wherein said sporting goods handle is a golf club shaft.

8. The interface of Claim 2 wherein said sporting goods handle is a hockey stick handle.

9. The interface of Claim 2 wherein said sporting goods handle is a lacrosse stick handle.

10. The interface of Claim 2 wherein said sporting goods handle is a weightlifting bar.

11. The interface of Claim 1 wherein said first body is a walking shoe and said first material is attached to the shoe sole; said second body is a floor surface and said second material is attached to the floor surface; and the applied force is the weight of a person wearing the shoe, such that upon a step by person onto the second material, the shoe is prevented from sliding relative to the floor surface and when the step is completed and the applied force released, disengagement of the interdigitated protrusions occurs.

12. The interface of Claim 1 wherein at least one of said first material and said second material is a relatively stiff and pliable rubber or plastic.

13. The interface of Claim 1 wherein one of said first and second materials is an inflexible material of metal or plastic.

14. The interface of Claim 1 wherein the first body is a human hand or foot and said first material is an adhesive tape attached to the hand or foot; and said second body is a hand or foot gripping body and said second material is attached to or integral with such hand or foot gripping body.

15. The interface of Claim 1 wherein each of the series of protrusions are a series of rods of from about 1 mm to about 2 cm in height, said rods being spaced from each other such that the rods of the first series of protrusions interdigitate with the rods of the second series of protrusions.

16. The interface of Claim 1 wherein said first body is a surgical glove and said first material extends from a volar surface of the glove and said second body is a surgical instrument.

17. The interface of Claim 1 wherein said first body is a glove or tape on a person's hand and said second body is a ladder or a railing.

18. The interface of Claim 1 wherein said first body is a wetsuit bootie and said second body is a footstrap of a sailboard.

19. The interface of Claim 18 wherein the first material is located on the instep of said bootie and the second material is located on an underside of the footstrap.

20. The interface of Claim 1 wherein the first body is a deck shoe and said first material extends from the soles of the shoe; and said second body is a boat deck.

21. The interface of Claim 1 wherein said first and second series of protrusions extend generally perpendicularly from said first and second materials, respectively.

22. The interface of Claim 1 wherein at least one of said surfaces of said first and second series of protrusions includes a roughened surface to create partial traction in a direction parallel to the applied force.

23. The interface of Claim 22 wherein the first body is a sporting shoe and the second body is a skateboard such that the roughened surface permits a skateboarder to jump the skateboard into the air without losing contact with the board due to gravitational force.

24. The interface of Claim 1 wherein said first and second series of protrusions are of the same size and in a checkerboard grid on the respective first and second materials.

25. The interface of Claim 1 wherein said first and second series of protrusions vary in size.

26. The interface of Claim 1 further comprising a padding on at least one of said first and second materials under at least one of the first and second series of protrusions.

AMENDED CLAIMS

[received by the International Bureau on 27 May 1997 (27.05.97); original claim 21 cancelled; original claims 1 and 2 amended; remaining claims unchanged (6 pages)]

1. A frictional interface between a first body and a second body, said interface comprising: a first material attached to said first body, said first material having a first series of protrusions in a fixed spaced array, said first series of said protrusions extending generally perpendicular from a surface of said first material ; a second material attached to said second body, said second material having a second series of protrusions in a fixed spaced array, said second series of protrusions extending generally perpendicular from a surface of said second material; and wherein said first and second series of protrusions have non-adherent matching surfaces and interdigitate with each other without interlocking when said first body and second body are brought into abutting parallelism with each other by a continuing applied force, with said first series of protrusions having longitudinal generally smooth surfaces which are parallel to longitudinal generally smooth surfaces of said second series of protrusions such that lateral displacement of said interdigitated protrusions orthogonal to said surfaces is substantially prevented, without substantially affecting generally parallel disengagement of said first series of protrusions

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AMENDED SHEET IART1CL£ 19) and said second series of protrusions from each other when the applied force is removed.

2. The interface of Claim 1 wherein said first body is a glove and said first material is attached to a volar surface of the glove and said second body is a sporting goods handle and said second material is attached to a gripping area of said handle.

. The interface of Claim 2 wherein said handle is a tubular handle, the glove comprises one or two gloves worn on the hands of a person, and the applied force is a gripping force by the person on said tubular handle, and wherein upon gripping, relative movement of the glove or gloves and tubular handle side to side and in inferior and superior directions is prevented.

5. The interface of Claim 2 wherein said sporting goods handle is a baseball bat handle .

6. The interface of Claim 2 wherein said sporting goods handle is a tennis racquet handle. 7. The interface of Claim 2 wherein said sporting goods handle is a golf club shaft.

12. The interface of Claim 1 wherein at least one of said first material and said second material is a relatively stiff and pliable rubber or plastic. 13. The interface of Claim 1 wherein one of said first and second materials is an inflexible material of metal or plastic.

1 . The interface of Claim 1 wherein the first body is a human hand or foot and said first material is an adhesive tape attached to the hand or foot; and said second body is a hand or foot gripping body and said second material is attached to or integral with such hand or foot gripping body.

16. The interface of Claim 1 wherein said first body is a surgical glove and said first material extends from a volar surface of the glove and said second body is a surgical instrument .

18. The interface of Claim 1 wherein said first body is a wetsuit bootie and said second body is a footstrap of a sailboard. 19. The interface of Claim 18 wherein the first material is located on the instep of said bootie and the second material is located on an underside of the footstrap.

23. The interface of Claim 22 wherein the first body is a sporting shoe and the second body is a skateboard such that the roughened surface permits a skateboarder to jump the skateboard into the air without losing contact with the board due to gravitational force .

24. The interface of Claim 1 wherein said first and second series of protrusions are of the same size and in a checkerboard grid on the respective first and second materials . 25. The interface of Claim 1 wherein said first and second series of protrusions vary in size.

26. The interface of Claim 1 further comprising a padding on at least one of said first and second materials under at least one of the first and second series of protrusions .