User handle for watersports device
A flexible, no through hole, loop handle is disclosed for a watercraft. The customary loop handle through hole is completely closed by a particular, sturdy, flexible, stretchy, mesh, or other puncture resistant, water suited and water permeable fabric. The handle grip portion is a fabric tube enclosing a squeezable foam segment that enables a user to obtain a complete finger overlapped with thumb wrapped grip on the handle. The closed through hole eliminates the risk of a user's hand or other limb segment being intentionally or inadvertently extended through the handle. The mesh fabric is sufficiently flexible to allow a full finger wrapped grip around the fabric tube of the handle such that no aspect of user grip is compromised by virtue of the mesh fabric.
1 . A first handle for attachment to an underlying surface, comprising:
a fabric tube, having a first end and a second end and a length between said ends, defined
by a piece of folded fabric with a pair of opposed edges thereof attached one to the other from the first to the second end, the fabric tube defining a hollow segment within the tube, and flattened ends tabs proximate the first and second ends;
a foam tube contained within the hollow segment, and between the flattened end tabs;
a flexible water permeable stretching fabric connected along an edge of said stretching
fabric to the tube along its length;
the tube being formed as a U-shape surrounding said flexible fabric within said U-shape;
and,
a sew strap attached to the respective end tabs and unenclosed edges of the flexible fabric
so as to create a closed loop handle shape suitable for further attachment via said sew strap to said underlying surface.
2 . A handle as in claim 1 , further comprising:
a second attachment strap attached to said sew strap and extending on a side of the U-shape
opposite said sew strap to said flattened tabs attachment.
3 . A handle as in claim 2 , wherein:
said second attachment strap has a semi-circular shape corresponding to the shape of the
U-shape fabric tube.
4 . A handle as in claim 3 , wherein:
said second attachment strap is covered on an upper surface thereof with a softer fabric
than the fabric making up the fabric tube.
5 . A handle as in claim 1 , wherein:
said foam tube is tapered from a larger center diameter of the foam tube towards smaller
diameter ends.
6 . A handle as in claim 1 , wherein:
said foam tube is tapered from a larger end at one end of the foam tube towards a smaller
diameter end section at an opposite end of the foam tube.
7 . A first handle as in claim 1 , further comprising:
a second handle positioned on an opposed side of said sew strap from said first handle.
8 . A handle as in claim 7 , further comprising:
a pair of semi-circular secondary attachment flaps positioned in parallel and connected to
said sew strap.
9 . A handle as in claim 8 , wherein:
said pair of second attachment straps are covered on upper surfaces thereof with a softer
fabric than the fabric making up the fabric tube.
10 . A first handle for attachment to an underlying surface, comprising:
a fabric tube, having a first end and a second end and a length of at least 150 mm between
said ends, defined by a piece of folded fabric with a pair of opposed edges thereof attached one to the other from the first to the second end, the fabric tube defining a hollow segment within the tube, and flattened ends tabs proximate the first and second ends;
a foam tube contained within the hollow segment, and between the flattened end tabs, an
outer diameter of said fabric tube being at least 8 mm;
a flexible water permeable stretching fabric connected along an edge of said stretching
fabric to the tube along its length;
the tube being formed as a U-shape surrounding said flexible fabric within said U-shape;
and,
a sew strap attached to the respective end tabs and unenclosed edges of the flexible fabric
so as to create a closed loop handle shape suitable for further attachment via said sew strap to said underlying surface.
11 . A handle as in claim 10 , further comprising:
a second attachment strap attached to said sew strap and extending on a side of the U-shape
opposite said sew strap to said flattened tabs attachment.
12 . A handle as in claim 11 , wherein:
said second attachment strap has a semi-circular shape corresponding to the shape of the
U-shape fabric tube.
13 . A handle as in claim 12 , wherein:
said second attachment strap is covered on an upper surface thereof with a softer fabric
than the fabric making up the fabric tube.
14 . A handle as in claim 10 , wherein:
said foam tube is tapered from a larger center diameter of the foam tube towards smaller
diameter ends.
15 . A handle as in claim 10 , wherein:
said foam tube is tapered from a larger end at one end of the foam tube towards a smaller
diameter end section at an opposite end of the foam tube.
16 . A first handle as in claim 10 , further comprising:
a second handle positioned on an opposed side of said sew strap from said first handle.
17 . A handle as in claim 16 , further comprising:
a pair of semi-circular secondary attachment flaps positioned in parallel and connected to said sew strap.
18 . A handle as in claim 17 , wherein:
said pair of second attachment straps are covered on upper surfaces thereof with a softer
fabric than the fabric making up the fabric tube.