FIELD OF THE INVENTION

THIS INVENTION relates to a dual function tennis grip securing strip for a tennis racket, having an integral grip indicator to serve as a tennis grip training aid.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The manner in which a tennis player grips a tennis racket grip during play is very important and is one of the first lessons taught to a beginner tennis player. The three most commonly used tennis grips are the continental grip, the eastern grip and the western grip. Most players change grips during play depending on what shot they are hitting, with most players struggling to learn and remember how a particular grips is to be formed on the tennis racket, thus making the teaching and implementation of the various grips very time consuming and, sometimes, frustrating.

It is therefore an aim of the present invention to provide a grip securing strip that can address the above need.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a tennis grip securing strip for a tennis racket, with a handle of the tennis racket being fitted or fittable with a tennis grip, the tennis grip typically being wound around the racket handle and terminating at a loose end proximate an upper end of the tennis racket handle, with an underside of the tennis grip securing strip comprising a tacky or sticky portion to enable the securing strip to be wound around the loose end of the tennis grip and the shaft portion of the racket frame, thereby securing the tennis grip to the shaft portion, with an upper, exposed side of the tennis grip securing strip including a plurality of markings spaced along its length, wherein the markings may be used by a player playing with the racket to adjust his/her grip depending upon the shot that is to be played.

In an embodiment, the markings take the form of written or printed numbers spaced along the length of the strip.

In an embodiment, each number corresponds to one of the conventional grips, namely continental grip, eastern grip or western grip.

In an embodiment, the tennis grip securing strip includes a plurality of panels, the lengths of which vary depending on the girth of the racket frame proximate the upper end of the tennis grip.

In a preferred embodiment, the shaft of the racket frame proximate the upper end of the tennis grip defines a plurality of faces. A typical tennis racket defines eight faces, namely two opposed relatively long faces corresponding to the front and rear of the racket, two opposed relatively shorter faces corresponding to the sides of the racket and four corner faces at the corners of the shaft.

In an embodiment, the strip comprises a first, unnumbered base panel, to which the end of the strip may be secured on top of, a second panel (numbered '2') to overlie a corner face, a third panel (numbered '3') to overlie one of the relatively long faces, a fourth panel (numbered 'Λ') to overlie a corner face, a fifth panel (numbered '5') to overlie a relatively shorter face, a sixth panel (numbered '6') to overlie a corner face, a seventh panel (numbered 7') to overlie one of the relatively long faces, an eighth panel (numbered '8') to overlie a corner face and a ninth panel (numbered ) to overlie a relatively shorter face and to be secured to the first, unnumbered base panel.

In an embodiment, the sixth, seventh and eighth panels may be merged into a single, unnumbered panel, since these panels will not be visible to the player. In an embodiment, the tennis grip securing strip may be made from a synthetic resin or plastic material, such as vinyl, which would be robust and long wearing.

In an embodiment, the tennis grip securing strip may carry advertising material.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a sheet comprising a plurality of tennis grip securing strips of the type defined above, each strip being removable from the sheet, ready for use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 shows a sheet carrying a plurality of peelable tennis grip securing strips with an integral grip indicator, according to the present invention;

Figure 2A shows a perspective view of one of the strips shown in Figure 1 fitted in use to a tennis racket, for a right handed player, in order to secure the tennis grip to the tennis racket and to serve as a tennis grip training aid, thereby fulfilling a dual role;

Figure 2B shows a side view of the view shown in Figure 2A; and Figure 2B shows a rear perspective view of the view shown in Figures 2A and 2B.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to the attached figures, there is provided an elongate tennis grip securing strip 10 (i.e. a grip tape) for a tennis racket 12. A handle 14 of the tennis racket 12 is fitted or fittable with a tennis grip 16, the tennis grip 16 typically being wound around the racket handle 14 and terminating at a loose end proximate an upper end of the tennis racket handle 14.

An underside of the tennis grip securing strip 10 comprises a tacky or sticky portion to enable the securing strip 10 to be wound around the loose end of the tennis grip 16 and a shaft portion 18 of the racket frame 20, thereby securing the tennis grip 16 to the shaft portion 18. The securing strip 10, although removable, is substantially semi-permanently affixed to the racket 12.

An upper, exposed side of the tennis grip securing strip 10 includes a plurality of markings 22 spaced along its length i.e. around the racket shaft portion 18 / tennis grip 16, once fitted. The markings 22 may be used by a player playing with the racket 12 to adjust his/her grip depending upon the shot that is to be played. In the figures, the securing strip 10 and markings 22 are designed for a right handed player, but that the markings 22 would simply be mirrored/inverted for a left handed player.

As shown in the figures, the markings 22 take the form of written or printed numbers spaced along the length of the strip 10, with each number 22 corresponding to one of the conventional grips, namely continental grip, eastern grip or western grip.

In an embodiment, the tennis grip securing strip 10 includes a plurality of panels 24, each with a number 22, the lengths of which vary depending on the girth of the racket frame 20 proximate the upper end of the tennis grip 16, which in turn typically depends on the overall size (i.e. length) of the tennis racket 12 itself. The strip 10 in the drawings is for use on a 23 inch racket 12, but clearly for other racket sizes, the sizing of the panels 24 would simply be changed accordingly. In an embodiment, each racket size would have a strip in a particular colour.

A typical racket frame 20 proximate the upper end of the tennis grip 16 defines a plurality of faces (known as bevels). A typical tennis racket 12 defines eight faces, namely two opposed relatively long faces 26 corresponding to the front and rear of the racket 12, two opposed relatively shorter faces 28 corresponding to the sides of the racket 12 and four corner faces 30 at the corners of the shaft portion 18. In an embodiment, the strip 1 0 comprises: a first, unnumbered base panel 32, to which the end 34 of the strip 1 0 may be secured on top of; a second panel 34 (numbered '2') to overlie a corner face; a third panel 36 (numbered '3') to overlie one of the relatively long faces; a fourth panel 38 (numbered 'Λ') to overlie a corner face; a fifth panel 40 (numbered '5') to overlie a relatively shorter face; a sixth panel 42 (numbered '6') to overlie a corner face; a seventh panel 44 (numbered 7') to overlie one of the relatively long faces; an eighth panel 46 (numbered '8') to overlie a corner face; and a ninth panel 48 (numbered ) to overlie a relatively shorter face and to be secured to the first, unnumbered base panel 32.

In a preferred embodiment, as illustrated, the sixth, seventh and eighth panels 42, 44 and 46 may be merged into a single, unnumbered panel, since these panels will not be visible to the player.

In an embodiment, the tennis grip securing strip 1 0 may be made from a synthetic resin or plastic material, such as vinyl, which would be robust and long wearing.

In an embodiment, the tennis grip securing strip 1 0 may carry advertising material. With specific reference to Figure 1 , the present invention extends to a sheet 50 comprising a plurality of the tennis grip securing strips 10 of the type described above, each strip 10 being removable (i.e peelable) from the sheet 50, ready for use. In use, once secured in place, a user of the present invention may thus easily look at the indicator strip 10 on their racket 12 and instantly know how to adjust their grip depending on the shot to be played. In addition, the numbers 22 found on the strip 10 assists the player to learn the various grips faster by initially only having to recall the numbers.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.