Shuttlecock

Abstract

The invention provides a shuttlecock capable of improving linearity during flight. The shuttlecock (1) is provided with a base part (2) located at the front and a skirt part (4) arranged at the rear of the base part. The skirt section is provided with: a plurality of feather shaft sections (41) which are arranged in an annular shape centered on the central axis (C) of the shuttlecock when viewed from the rear; and a feather part (42) which is supported by the feather shaft part and is formed in a predetermined range from the rear end to the front end of the skirt part, and the skirt part is formed in a shape extending along the side surface of the cone. The feather shaft part is provided with a first bent part (51) and a second bent part (52) which are formed at positions including the forming area of the feather part. The first curved section and the second curved section are formed in a curved shape that gradually moves away from the front end toward the rear end with respect to a first imaginary straight line (L1) and a second imaginary straight line (L2) that pass through the front ends thereof and become the generatrix of the cone.

Description

Technical Field

[0002] The present invention relates to a badminton ball that is hit by a sports racket. Background Art

[0004] Conventionally, as a badminton ball used in badminton sports, there is known a badminton ball having a skirt portion made of natural feathers or resin artificial feathers provided on a substantially hemispherical base portion (see Patent Document 1). The skirt portion of Patent Document 1 includes a plurality of shaft portions supported by the base portion and a feather portion formed in a ring shape formed by connecting the respective shaft portions. When the badminton ball is viewed from the side opposite to the base portion, it rotates and flies in a counterclockwise direction around the central axis of the badminton ball.

[0005] Prior Art Documents Patent Documents Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2010-200890 Summary of the Invention

[0006] Technical Problem to be Solved by the Invention In the badminton ball of Patent Document 1, there is a problem that the number of revolutions during flight is insufficient, resulting in impaired linearity. In particular, a badminton ball needs to be usable not only indoors but also outdoors, but when used outdoors, it is easily affected by wind, further deteriorating the linearity during flight.

[0007] In view of this, the present invention has been completed, and an object thereof is to provide a badminton ball capable of improving linearity during flight.

[0008] Technical Solution for Solving the Problem A badminton ball according to one aspect of the present invention includes a base portion located at the front and a skirt portion provided behind the base portion, and is characterized in that the skirt portion includes: a plurality of feather shaft portions arranged in a circular shape around the central axis of the badminton ball when viewed from the rear; and a feather portion supported by the feather shaft portions and formed in a predetermined range from the rear end to the front end of the skirt portion. The skirt portion is formed in a shape extending along the side surface of a cone. The feather shaft portion has a bent portion formed at a position including the formation region of the feather portion, and the bent portion is formed in a bent shape that gradually moves away from the front end toward the rear end with respect to an imaginary straight line passing through the front end of the bent portion and serving as a generatrix of the cone.

[0009] Advantages of the Invention According to the present invention, since the shaft portion has a bent portion, the airflow flowing rearward along the skirt portion during flight can be made to approach the rotation direction along the court. As a result, the badminton can withstand the wind in the direction of rotational acceleration during flight, increasing the number of revolutions during flight and improving the straightness of flight. Consequently, the change in the flight trajectory caused by wind outdoors or the like can be reduced, making it easier to enjoy playing. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Figure 1 is a schematic front view of the badminton according to the embodiment.

[0012] Figure 2 is Figure 1 schematic bottom view of.

[0013] Figure 3 is an omission of the feather portion and Figure 2 same bottom view. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0015] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a schematic front view of the badminton according to the embodiment. Figure 2 is Figure 1 schematic bottom view of. It should be noted that in the following description, unless otherwise specified, "front" and "rear" are based on the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 1 . In Figure 2 , the depth side of the paper surface is "front", and the front side is "rear". However, the orientation of each component in the following embodiments is only an example and can be changed to any orientation.

[0016] As Figure 1 and Figure 2 shown, the badminton 1 includes a base portion 2 located in the front and a skirt portion 4 provided behind the base portion 2. The badminton 1 is hit by a racket for racket sports such as badminton and flies. The base portion 2 and the skirt portion 4 have Figure 1 the center axis C shown by the single-dot chain line in. This center axis C is also the center axis C of the entire badminton 1. When the badminton 1 is viewed from the rear, it rotates (spins) while flying with the counterclockwise direction around the center axis C as the rotation direction R.

[0017] The base portion 2 is formed in a shape connecting a hemisphere and a cylinder on the front side. The base portion 2 is made of a synthetic resin that can be elastically deformed by being hit by a racket. From the viewpoints of elastic deformation during use and aging resistance, etc., as the synthetic resin, for example, elastomers such as olefins, nylons, esters, styrenes, and polyurethanes can be used.

[0018] The skirt portion 4 is held at the rear side of the base portion 2 and is formed of an integrally formed article made of synthetic resin (such as nylon resin).

[0019] The skirt portion 4 includes a plurality of rachis portions 41 extending forward from the rear end side of the base portion 2, and feather portions 42 formed in a predetermined range from the rear end to the front end of the skirt portion 4 (provided in the rear region of the rachis portions 41). The feather portions 42 are supported by the plurality of rachis portions 41. The skirt portion 4 is formed in a circular shape when viewed from the rear (see Figure 2 ), and is formed in a shape extending along the side surface of a cone whose diameter gradually decreases from the rear to the front.

[0020] The feather portions 42 extend in the circumferential direction centered on the central axis C and are formed in a ring shape so as to connect the following-described second rachis forming portions 46 of adjacent rachis portions 41 in the rotational direction R to each other. The feather portions 42 are formed in a grid shape or a net shape.

[0021] Here, the skirt portion 4 further includes a connecting portion 43 that fits into the rear end side of the base portion 2 and is connected to the front ends of the rachis portions 41. In other words, in the skirt portion 4, the portion connected to the base portion 2 and the portion that supports the front ends of the shaft portions 41 as the base ends are formed by the connecting portion 43.

[0022] In the present embodiment, eight rachis portions 41 are provided, and all are formed in the same form and are arranged in different orientations. The rachis portions 41 are arranged in a circular ring shape centered on the central axis C when viewed from the rear (see Figure 2 ). The rachis portions 41 are formed with the front ends on the base portion 2 side as the base ends and the rear ends on the opposite side as the tips.

[0023] Each of the eight rachis portions 41 includes one first rachis forming portion 45 and two second rachis forming portions 46. Since eight rachis portions 41 are provided in the skirt portion 4, eight first rachis forming portions 45 are provided, which is the same number as the rachis portions 41, and 16 second rachis forming portions 46 are provided, which is twice the number of the rachis portions 41. Thus, in the skirt portion 4, the number of the first rachis forming portions 45 is less than the number of the second rachis forming portions 46 and is less than or equal to half of the number of the second rachis forming portions 46.

[0024] The first rachis forming portion 45 is formed between the rear end of the base portion 2 and the front end of the feather portion 42. Thus, the front end of the first rachis forming portion 45 is disposed on the base portion 2 side. The front ends of the two second rachis forming portions 46 are connected to each other and connected to the rear end of the first rachis forming portion 45. In other words, in the rachis portion 41, the two second rachis forming portions 46 extend in a manner branching from the rear end of the first rachis forming portion 45.

[0025] The connection position (branch position) of the first rachis forming portion 45 and the two second rachis forming portions 46 is more forward than the front end of the feather portion 42. Thus, in the rachis portion 41, the feather portion 42 is supported in a region that is more rearward than the connection position of the first rachis forming portion 45 and the two second rachis forming portions 46. In addition, the second rachis forming portion 46 is formed at a position that includes the formation region of the feather portion 42 and is formed at a position that extends forward from the front end of the feather portion 42.

[0026] In the rachis portion 41, the two second rachis forming portions 46 extend in such a way that the interval between them widens as it goes from the rear end to the front of the first rachis forming portion 45. In addition, the second rachis forming portion 46 is set in a shape that bends at a position more forward than the front end of the feather portion 42. The rachis portion 41 is set such that the first rachis forming portion 45 is located at the intermediate position between the two second rachis forming portions 46 in the rotational direction R (circumferential direction around the central axis C).

[0027] An enhancement portion 48 is provided at the bending position of the second rachis forming portion 46. The enhancement portion 48 extends in such a way as to connect the second rachis forming portions 46 adjacent in the rotational direction R and to connect the rachis portions 41 adjacent in the rotational direction R, and is formed in a ring shape. The enhancement portion 4 is arranged at a predetermined interval forward from the front end of the feather portion 42.

[0028] The rachis portion 41 is formed in a shape that bends in the entire region in the longitudinal direction of the first rachis forming portion 45 and in the region from the bending position of the second rachis forming portion 46 to the front end. In other words, the rachis portion 41 has a first bending portion (bending portion) 51 and a second bending portion (bending portion) 52. The first bending portion 51 forms the region that is bent in the first rachis forming portion 45, and the second bending portion 52 forms the region that is bent in each second rachis forming portion 46. The second bending portion 52 is formed at a position that includes the formation region of the feather portion 42 and is formed at a position that extends forward from the front end of the feather portion 42.

[0029] When determining the bending directions of the first bending portion 51 and the second bending portion 52, the Figures 1 - 3 shown first imaginary straight line (imaginary straight line) L1 and second imaginary straight line (imaginary straight line) L2 are used. Figure 3 is a bottom view similar to that Figure 2 when the feather portion is omitted. As described above, the skirt portion 4 is formed in a shape that extends along the side surface of a cone, and the generatrix of this cone coincides with each imaginary straight line L1, L2. The first imaginary straight line L1 passes through the front end of the first bending portion 51, and the second imaginary straight line L2 passes through the front end of the second bending portion 52.

[0030] The first bending portion 51 is formed in a bent shape that gradually moves away from the front end toward the rear end with respect to the first imaginary straight line L1. Further, the first bending portion 51 bends in a direction away from the first imaginary straight line L1 in a direction opposite to the rotation direction R.

[0031] The second bending portion 52 is formed in a bent shape that gradually moves away from the front end toward the rear end with respect to the second imaginary straight line L2. Further, the second bending portion 52 bends in a direction away from the second imaginary straight line L2 in a direction opposite to the rotation direction R.

[0032] The first bending portion 51 is formed in an arc shape with a uniform curvature, and the second bending portion 52 is formed in an arc shape with a uniform curvature. The curvature of the first bending portion 51 and the curvature of the second bending portion 52 may be different or the same.

[0033] In the above-described embodiment, all of the plurality of rachis portions 41 are formed with the first bending portion 51 and the second bending portion 52, and the first bending portion 51 and the second bending portion 52 are provided in a bent shape. Thus, when the badminton 1 flies with the base portion 2 as the front, the airflow flowing backward along the skirt portion 4 can be easily received by the bending portion and approach the rotation direction R from the front-rear direction along the court. Thus, a force for accelerating the rotation of the badminton 1 can be generated, and the number of revolutions in the rotation direction R during flight can be increased. As a result, the stability of the flight trajectory and the linearity of the flight can be improved by the gyroscopic effect, and the change in the flight trajectory of the badminton 1 caused by wind outdoors or the like can be reduced, and it is easy to enjoy playing.

[0034] And, as described above, since the first bending portion 51 and the second bending portion 52 bend in a direction away from the imaginary straight lines L1 and L2 in a direction opposite to the rotation direction R, the rotation direction R during flight can be made the same as the rotation direction of a badminton using multiple waterfowl feathers.

[0035] Further, the rachis portion 41 has one first bending portion 51 on the front end side and two second bending portions 52 on the rear end side. Thus, compared with the first bending portion 51 formed in the front region of the skirt portion 4, the number of the second bending portions 52 formed in the rear region including the feather portion 42 is larger. Thus, in the feather portion 42 that bears the force caused by a relatively larger airflow, the number of the second bending portions 52 can be increased, and the airflow approaching the rotation direction R can be increased, thereby efficiently increasing the number of revolutions.

[0036] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment and can be implemented with various modifications. In the above-described embodiment, the sizes, shapes, directions, etc. shown in the drawings are not limited thereto, and can be changed as appropriate within the range where the effects of the present invention are exhibited. In addition, as long as it does not deviate from the scope of the object of the present invention, it can be changed as appropriate and implemented.

[0037] In the above-described embodiment, the rachis portion 41 has the first rachis forming portion 45 and two second rachis forming portions 46, but it is not limited thereto, and various modifications can be made. For example, the rachis portion 41 may be configured not to branch but to be formed of a single shaft-like member, and the entire region or a part of the region from the rear end to the front end of the rachis portion 41 may be formed into a bent shape to form a bent portion.

[0038] In addition, the rachis portion 41 may also adopt a structure in which the first bent portion 51 is not formed. In other words, the first rachis forming portion 45 is provided in a linear shape that coincides with the imaginary straight line L1. Further, the rachis portion 41 may also adopt a structure in which three or more second rachis forming portions 46 are formed.

[0039] In addition, as long as the feather portion 42 can be used for play, it may adopt a structure different from the structure in which the feather portions are continuously arranged in the illustrated rotational direction R. For example, it may adopt a shape having a pleated structure in the rear end side region, or a shape in which each rachis portion 41 is divided.

[0040] Industrial Applicability The present invention relates to a badminton that can improve the straightness during flight.

[0041] This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-006231 filed on January 19, 2023. The entire content thereof is incorporated herein.

Claims

1. A badminton, comprising a base portion located at the front and a skirt portion provided at the rear of the base portion, characterized in that: The skirt portion includes: A plurality of feather shaft portions, which are arranged in an annular shape centered on the central axis of the badminton when viewed from the rear; and Feather portions, which are supported by the feather shaft portions and are formed in a specified range from the rear end to the front end of the skirt portion, The skirt portion is formed in a shape extending along the side surface of a cone, The feather shaft portion has a bent portion formed at a position including the formation region of the feather portion, The bent portion is formed in a bent shape that gradually moves away from the front end to the rear end with respect to an imaginary straight line that passes through the front end of the bent portion and is a generatrix of the cone.

2. The badminton according to claim 1, characterized in that: The feather shaft portion includes: A first feather shaft forming portion, the front end of which is arranged on the side of the base portion; and A plurality of second feather shaft forming portions, the front ends of which are connected to each other and connected to the rear end of the first feather shaft forming portion, The first feather shaft forming portion and the second feather shaft forming portion each have the bent portion.

3. The badminton according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bent portion is formed in an arc shape with a uniform curvature.

4. The badminton according to claim 1, characterized in that: When viewed from the rear and with the counterclockwise direction around the central axis as the rotation direction, The bent portion bends in a direction away from the imaginary straight line and toward the side opposite to the rotation direction.

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