Sports racquet with insert members for anchoring strings

a technology of insert members and racquets, which is applied in the field of sports racquets, can solve the problems of inability to change the playing characteristics of racquets to any significant degree, the racquet is heavier than its original design, and the frame stiffness and the stringing pattern of the racquet cannot be changed

Inactive Publication Date: 2007-05-31
PRINCE SPORTS LLC
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008] The present invention is an improved sports racquet, e.g., a tennis, squash, badminton, or racquetball racquet. In one embodiment according to the present invention, along the sides of the racquet frame, and optionally in the tip region and throat bridge, the racquet frame includes elongated cutout portions that extend through the frame to provided openings in the string bed plane. Each cutout portion includes a seat surface. A separate insert member containing string holes is positioned in each cutout portion and includes a bearing surface which bears against the seat surface when the strings are tensioned, to secure the ends of the strings in place.

Problems solved by technology

Once a racquet has been designed and built, it is difficult to alter its playing characteristics to any significant degree.
However, such measures make the racquet heavier than its original design, which is normally undesirable.
Moreover, the frame stiffness and the stringing pattern of the racquet cannot be changed after the racquet has been molded and the string holes formed.

Method used

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  • Sports racquet with insert members for anchoring strings
  • Sports racquet with insert members for anchoring strings
  • Sports racquet with insert members for anchoring strings

Examples

Experimental program
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second embodiment

[0051]FIGS. 4-8 illustrate the invention. The opposite sides of the head portion 12a of the frame 10a include cutout portions 18′, and the tip region includes a cutout portion 18a′, each for receiving a cutout member. In addition, the throat bridge 14a includes a cutout portion 18b for receiving another insert member. As shown, the cutout portions 18′, 18a′are not as long as the cutout portions 18, 18a in FIGS. 1-3, and some of the string holes would be drilled or formed in the frame 10a in the regions between the cutout portions. FIG. 7 shows another example of a insert member 30′, which is received in one of the cutout portions 18′, with corresponding insert members being received in the other cutout portions.

third embodiment

[0052]FIGS. 9-10 show a third embodiment in which the inwardly facing walls 50 of the cutout portions 18″, designed to receive insert members, have an undulating shape. As shown in FIG. 10, the insert members 30″have undulating side walls 52 to fit in the cutout portions 18″.

[0053]FIGS. 11-12 show two more embodiments of the invention, in which the sides and tip of the head portion 12c and 12d each have more than one cutout portion 18′″ and 18′″. In the case of FIG. 11, the inwardly facing walls 50c of the cutouts 18′″ are smooth, whereas in FIG. 12 the walls 50d are undulating.

[0054] Preferably, the racquet frame is formed in accordance with a process similar to that described in U.S. published patent application No. US2003 / 0162613, which is incorporated herein by reference. As shown schematically in FIG. 13, a pair of hollow prepreg tubes 60, 61 of uncured composite material are placed between upper and lower mold halves 62, 64 which, when closed, define an inner mold cavity in t...

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PUM

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Abstract

The sides of a sports racquet, and optionally the tip and throat bridge, include axially extending cutout portions. An insert member, having a plurality of string port holes and optionally conventional string holes, is seated in each cutout portion. The frame and insert member are preferably formed of different materials.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to sports racquets, for example tennis, squash, badminton, and racquetball racquets. Such racquets have a head portion containing an interwoven string bed, a handle, and a shaft portion connecting the head portion to the handle. [0002] Most high performance sports racquets have a frame molded from composite materials, e.g., a carbon fiber-reinforced resin. Holes for anchoring the ends of the strings are drilled through the frame after the racquet is molded. Plastic grommet pegs, which are formed on a grommet strip or bumper strip that rests against the outside surface of the frame, extend through the string holes to protect the strings from the sharp edges of the drilled holes. [0003] Proposals have been made to form string holes during the molding process. For example, commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 6,800,239 discloses a racquet made of two frame tubes, in which the string holes are formed during the molding process usi...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): A63B51/00A63B60/52
CPCA63B49/002A63B49/007A63B51/00A63B49/022A63B49/028
Inventor GAZZARA, ROBERTOPINAFFO, MAUROPOZZOBON, MICHELEPEZZATO, MAURO
Owner PRINCE SPORTS LLC
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