A foamed racket and a method of manufacturing the same

Abstract

The present application provides a kind of foamed racket and its manufacturing method, the foamed racket includes a foamed inner core, and two faceplates combined with the upper and lower opposite sides of the foamed inner core, the foamed inner core is integrated by foaming and is integrated with two faceplates, so as not to use adhesive and other bonding materials, simplify the manufacturing process, reduce manufacturing cost, and improve the connection strength between the inner core and the faceplate, improve the service life of the racket. The upper and lower surfaces of the foamed inner core are protrudingly formed with reverse covering parts, which are wrapped around the edges of the faceplate to further enhance the connection strength between the foamed inner core and the two faceplates; the handle and the racket body are formed in an integrated structure, without the need for glue or gun nails to fix and connect, simplifying the process, improving the connection strength of the handle and the racket body, and further improving the service life of the racket.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of racket technology, and in particular to a foamed racket and its manufacturing method. Background Technology

[0002] Peak is a sport that combines tennis, badminton, and table tennis, and it has gradually become popular among many young and old people. A typical peak racket consists of an inner core and two side panels, which are glued to the inner core. However, rackets made this way are prone to the side panels detaching from the inner core after a period of use, affecting their lifespan; furthermore, this method is relatively complicated and costly.

[0003] Some Peak rackets currently use a honeycomb panel combined with a foaming process for their inner core. The honeycomb panel is typically made by arranging multiple short tubes perpendicular to the racket face. During actual use, the honeycomb panel needs to withstand frequent and significant impacts. However, honeycomb panels manufactured in this way have poor toughness and are prone to deformation. This not only affects the accuracy of shots and the effectiveness of power transfer, reducing the player's hitting experience, but also, in the long run, can cause structural damage to the racket, shortening its lifespan. Furthermore, the poor elasticity of the honeycomb panel also results in a poor feel when hitting the ball.

[0004] Furthermore, most Peak rackets currently use glue or nails to fix the handle and racket body together. After a period of use, these handles and racket bodies are prone to detaching and becoming unusable. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Therefore, in response to at least one of the above problems, the present invention provides a foamed racket and a method for manufacturing the same.

[0006] This invention is implemented using the following scheme: This invention proposes a foamed racket, which includes a foamed inner core and two panels attached to the upper and lower opposite sides of the foamed inner core. The foamed inner core is integrally formed with the two panels through foaming. The foamed inner core is made of a flexible elastic material, and structural units are incorporated inside the foamed inner core to reinforce the structure.

[0007] In one embodiment, the upper and lower surfaces of the foamed core are formed with reverse covering portions, which surround and cover the edge of the panel.

[0008] In one embodiment, the panel includes a panel body portion and a panel handle portion connected to each other; the foamed inner core includes an integrally foamed body and a handle, the handle being formed by the foamed material wrapping around the outer periphery of the two panel handle portions in reverse, such that the molded handle includes a circumferential covering structure that circumferentially covers the two panel handle portions and an end covering structure that covers the ends of the two panel handle portions.

[0009] In one embodiment, the structural unit includes a plurality of tubular components and at least one positioning structure. The plurality of tubular components are arranged in the length direction within the foamed inner core, with the axial direction of the plurality of tubular components parallel to the length direction of the foamed inner core, and the plurality of tubular components are spaced apart from each other. The positioning structure is cross-connected with the plurality of tubular components to position the tubular components.

[0010] In one embodiment, the plurality of tubular components are arranged parallel to each other; at least one of the plurality of tubular components extends along its length to the handle position of the foamed inner core.

[0011] In one embodiment, the pipe is a hollow structure and both ends of the pipe are closed.

[0012] In one embodiment, the plurality of tubing includes a central tubing and a plurality of side tubing located on both sides of the central tubing, the two ends of the plurality of side tubing extending toward the center of the foamed racket, thereby the side tubing being U-shaped as a whole.

[0013] In one embodiment, the foamed racket is a Peak racket.

[0014] The present invention also proposes a method for manufacturing a foamed racket, wherein the foamed racket is as described in any of the preceding claims, comprising the following steps: S1: Provides a racket forming mold including a lower mold and an upper mold, two panels and a structural unit, wherein the panels include a panel body and a panel handle connected to each other; S2: Position the two panels in the cavities of the lower mold and the upper mold respectively, such that the two panels are respectively attached to the top surface of the cavity of the upper mold and the bottom surface of the cavity of the lower mold, and that there is a gap between the edge of the panel and the side wall of the cavity of the upper mold and the side wall of the cavity of the lower mold. S3: Position the structural unit in the cavity of the lower mold and above the panel in the cavity of the lower mold; S4: Add foaming material into the cavity of the lower mold, and cover the upper mold with the lower mold so that the cavity of the upper mold and the cavity of the lower mold are combined to form a complete cavity structure; the foaming material is foamed and molded in the cavity structure; S5: After the foaming material is foamed and molded in the cavity structure, it forms a foamed core that is integrally bonded to the two panels. The foamed core can fill the gap, so that the upper and lower surfaces of the foamed core are formed with reverse covering parts. The reverse covering parts surround and wrap around the edge of the panel. The foamed core includes an integrally foamed body and a handle. The handle is formed by the foaming material wrapping around the outer periphery of the handle portion of the two panels in reverse, so that the molded handle includes a circumferential covering structure that forms a circumferential covering on the handle portion of the two panels and an end covering structure that forms a covering on the ends of the handle portion of the two panels.

[0015] In one embodiment, the structural unit includes multiple pipes, which are hollow structures; step S1 further includes sealing both ends of the pipes.

[0016] The technical solution provided by this invention has the following technical effects: 1. This invention provides a foamed racket and its manufacturing method. The foamed racket includes a foamed inner core and two panels attached to the upper and lower opposite sides of the foamed inner core. The foamed inner core is integrally molded with the two panels, thereby eliminating the need for adhesive materials such as glue, simplifying the manufacturing process, reducing manufacturing costs, improving the connection strength between the inner core and the panels, and increasing the service life of the racket.

[0017] 2. The upper and lower surfaces of the foamed inner core are protruding with reverse covering parts, which surround and cover the edge of the panel, thereby further enhancing the connection strength between the foamed inner core and the two panels and further improving the service life of the racket.

[0018] 3. The molded handle includes a circumferential covering structure that circumferentially covers the two panel handle portions and an end covering structure that covers the ends of the two panel handle portions, thereby forming an integral structure between the handle and the racket body. No glue or nails are needed for fixing and connecting, which simplifies the process, improves the connection strength between the handle and the racket body, and increases the service life of the racket.

[0019] 4. The foamed inner core is made of a flexible elastic material, which can improve the elasticity of the racket face after molding, and improve the feel and stability of hitting and controlling the ball.

[0020] 5. The structural unit includes multiple tubular components and at least one positioning plate. The multiple tubular components are arranged longitudinally within the foamed inner core, with spacing between them. The positioning plate is cross-connected to the multiple tubular components to position them. The longitudinal arrangement of the tubular components enhances the toughness of the foamed racket by utilizing their inherent flexibility. This, combined with the foamed inner core, enhances the overall toughness of the racket, making it less prone to deformation under long-term stress. This improves hitting accuracy and power transfer efficiency, enhancing the player's hitting experience and reducing the likelihood of structural damage over time, significantly extending the racket's lifespan. Furthermore, the hollow structure of the tubular components, arranged longitudinally, absorbs excess vibration energy, improving the hitting feel. The combination of this structural unit and the foamed inner core also increases the elasticity of the foamed racket, further enhancing the hitting feel. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the foamed racket according to the first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is an exploded view of the foamed racket according to the first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a perspective view of the foamed inner core according to the first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a perspective view of the structural unit of the first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a top view of the foamed racket according to the first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 yes Figure 5 Sectional view of section AA; Figure 7 yes Figure 5 Sectional view of section BB; Figure 8 yes Figure 5 A sectional view of section C-C; Figures 9-11 This is a schematic diagram of the steps in the manufacturing method of the foamed racket according to the second embodiment of the present invention; Figure 12 This is a perspective view of the foamed racket according to the third embodiment of the present invention; Figure 13 This is an exploded view of the foamed racket according to the third embodiment of the present invention; Figure 14 This is a perspective view of the structural unit of the third embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0022] To further illustrate the various embodiments, the present invention provides accompanying drawings. These drawings are part of the disclosure of the present invention, primarily used to illustrate the embodiments and to explain the operating principles of the embodiments in conjunction with the relevant descriptions in the specification. With reference to these drawings, those skilled in the art should be able to understand other possible implementations and the advantages of the present invention. Components in the drawings are not drawn to scale, and similar component symbols are generally used to represent similar components.

[0023] The present invention will now be further described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0024] Reference Figures 1-8 This embodiment provides a foamed racket 1, which can specifically be a Peak racket. The foamed racket 1 includes a foamed inner core 20 and two panels 30 attached to the upper and lower opposite sides of the foamed inner core 20. Structural units 10 are integrated inside the foamed inner core 20, which can provide structural reinforcement. The panels 30 can be made of carbon fiber, glass fiber, wood veneer, or aluminum sheet, etc.

[0025] In this embodiment, the foamed inner core 20 is integrally molded from a high-molecular polyurethane material. However, it is not limited to this; the foamed inner core 20 can also be integrally molded from other foamed materials. In this embodiment, the foamed inner core 20 is integrally bonded to the two panels 30 through integral foaming, thereby eliminating the need for adhesives such as glue, simplifying the manufacturing process, reducing manufacturing costs, and improving the connection strength between the inner core and the panels 30, thus increasing the racket's service life.

[0026] Reference Figures 9-11 The figure shows a racket molding die 50 used to manufacture the foamed racket 1. The racket molding die 50 includes a lower die 5 and an upper die 6. The lower die 5 has a lower cavity 51, and the upper die 6 has an upper cavity 61. During the manufacturing of the foamed racket 1, two panels 30 are first positioned within the cavities of the lower die 5 and the upper die 6, respectively, so that the two panels 30 are respectively attached to the top surface of the upper cavity 61 and the bottom surface of the lower cavity 51. The panels 30 can be attached to the top surface of the upper cavity 61 by vacuum adsorption or adhesive bonding. (See key references.) Figure 11 The structural unit 10 is positioned in the lower cavity 51, above the panel 30 within the lower cavity 51. An appropriate amount of foaming material is added to the lower cavity 51, and the upper mold 6 is closed to the lower mold 5, so that the upper cavity 61 and the lower cavity 51 combine to form a complete cavity structure. After foaming is completed, a foamed inner core 20 is formed, integrally integrated with the two panels 30, and the structural unit 10 is also incorporated within the foamed inner core 20, thereby strengthening the overall structure.

[0027] Key references Figure 10In this embodiment, a gap S is provided between the edge of the panel 30 and the sidewall 611 of the upper cavity 61 and the sidewall 511 of the lower cavity 51, such as... Figure 10 As shown in the diagram. The presence of gap S allows the foamed core 20 to fill the gap S during foaming, resulting in reverse-covering portions 23 protruding from both the upper and lower surfaces of the foamed core 20, as shown in the diagram. Figure 3 As shown, the reverse wrapping portion 23 surrounds and wraps around the edge of the panel 30, thereby further enhancing the connection strength between the foam core 20 and the two panels 30, and further improving the service life of the racket.

[0028] Reference Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figures 5-8 The panel 30 includes a panel body portion 31 and a panel handle portion 32 that are interconnected. In this embodiment, the reverse covering portion 23 surrounds and covers the panel body portion 31. The foamed inner core 20 includes an integrally foamed racket body 21 and a handle 22. The handle 22 is formed by the foamed material reverse-covering the outer periphery of the two panel handle portions 32. That is, the molded handle 22 includes a circumferential covering structure 221 that circumferentially covers the two panel handle portions 32 and an end covering structure 222 that covers the ends of the two panel handle portions 32. Thus, the handle 22 and the racket body 21 form an integral structure, eliminating the need for glue or nails for fixing, simplifying the process, improving the connection strength between the handle 22 and the racket body 21, and increasing the service life of the racket.

[0029] In this embodiment, the foamed inner core 20 is a flexible elastic material integrally molded from high-molecular polyurethane material, which can improve the elasticity of the racket face after molding, and improve the feel and stability of hitting and controlling the ball.

[0030] Reference Figure 4The structural unit 10 includes multiple tubes 11 and multiple positioning structures 12. The multiple tubes 11 are arranged along their length and integrated into the foamed inner core 20, with spacing between them. The multiple positioning structures 12 are perpendicularly connected to the multiple tubes 11, thus forming the structural unit 10. The positioning structures 12 are used for positioning the tubes 11. Compared to traditional honeycomb panels made by arranging multiple short tubes perpendicular to the racket face, in this embodiment, the tubes 11 are arranged along their length. This allows the toughness of the tubes 11 along their length to be utilized to enhance the toughness of the foamed racket 1. When the structural unit 10 is combined with the foamed inner core 20, the overall toughness of the foamed racket 1 is enhanced. The racket is less prone to deformation under long-term stress, improving hitting accuracy and power transfer effectiveness, enhancing the player's hitting experience, and reducing the likelihood of racket structural damage over time, thus significantly extending the racket's lifespan. Furthermore, the combination of the structural unit 10 and the foamed inner core 20 can further increase the elasticity of the foamed racket 1 and further improve the feel of hitting the ball.

[0031] This embodiment shows five pipe fittings 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d, and 11e, and three positioning structures 12a, 12b, and 12c. However, it is not limited to this; in other embodiments, more or fewer pipe fittings 11 and positioning structures 12 may be provided, and their numbers are not limited here. In this embodiment, the positioning structure 12 is a positioning plate, and multiple pipe fittings 11 pass through the through holes of the positioning structure 12, thereby achieving a vertical cross connection between the positioning structure 12 and the multiple pipe fittings 11. Of course, in other embodiments, the positioning structure 12 may also be a positioning tape or other structure.

[0032] In this embodiment, the axial direction of multiple tubes 11 is parallel to the length direction of the foamed inner core 20, thereby allowing the tubes 11 to extend along the length direction of the foamed racket 1, resulting in better force distribution. The positioning structure 12 is perpendicular to the tubes 11, which can better position the tubes 11 and also provide good support for the racket face, resulting in more balanced force distribution.

[0033] Among the multiple tubes 11, at least one tube 11c extends along the length direction into the handle 22 of the foamed inner core 20, thereby enhancing the structural toughness of the handle 22 of the foamed inner core 20, making the handle 22 and the racket face 21 more integrated, and improving the overall structural strength of the foamed racket 1.

[0034] In this embodiment, the tube 11 is specifically a PP tube or a carbon fiber tube. The PP tube or carbon fiber tube has good toughness and elasticity, which can play a good role in enhancing the toughness and elasticity of the foamed racket 1.

[0035] In this embodiment, multiple tubes 11 are arranged in parallel to each other, thereby making the structural strength of the foamed racket 1 more balanced.

[0036] In this embodiment, the tube 11 has a hollow structure and both ends of the tube 11 are closed, which can reduce the overall weight of the foam racket 1 and improve the feel of hitting the ball; and can also save materials and reduce costs.

[0037] In this embodiment, the tube 11 is centered in the thickness direction of the foamed inner core 20, and the distance between the outer wall of the tube 11 and the two surfaces of the foamed inner core 20 is 2 mm, so that the foamed inner core 20 can better cover the tube 11 and make the structural strength of the foamed racket 1 more balanced.

[0038] Example 2 Reference Figures 9-11 This embodiment provides a method for manufacturing a foamed racket, wherein the foamed racket can be the foamed racket 1 described in Embodiment 1. The method for manufacturing a foamed racket includes the following steps: S1: Provides a racket forming mold 50 including a lower mold 5 and an upper mold 6, two panels 30 and a structural unit 10, the panel 30 including a panel body part 31 and a panel handle part 32 connected to each other; S2: Position the two panels 30 within the cavities of the lower mold 5 and the upper mold 6, respectively, such that the two panels 30 are respectively attached to the top surface of the cavity of the upper mold 6 and the bottom surface of the cavity of the lower mold 5, and that there is a gap S between the edges of the panels 30 and the side walls 611 of the cavities of the upper mold 6 and the lower mold 5. The panels 30 can be attached to the top surface of the upper cavity 61 by vacuum adsorption or adhesive bonding.

[0039] S3: Reference Figure 11 The structural unit 10 is positioned in the cavity of the lower mold 5 and is located above the panel 30 in the cavity of the lower mold 5. S4: Add an appropriate amount of foaming material into the cavity of the lower mold 5, and cover the upper mold 6 with the lower mold 5 so that the cavity of the upper mold 6 and the cavity of the lower mold 5 are combined to form a complete cavity structure, and the foaming material foams and forms in the cavity structure. S5: After the foaming material is foamed and molded in the cavity structure, a foamed core 20 is formed integrally with the two panels 30. The foamed core 20 can fill the gap S, so that the upper and lower surfaces of the foamed core 20 are formed with reverse covering parts 23, which surround and cover the edge of the panel 30. The upper and lower surfaces of the foamed core 20 are formed with reverse covering parts 23, which surround and cover the edge of the panel 30. The foamed core 20 includes an integrally foamed body 21 and a handle 22. The handle 22 is formed by the foaming material reverse covering the outer periphery of the two panel handle parts 32. That is, the molded handle 22 includes a circumferential covering structure 221 that covers the two panel handle parts 32 in a circumferential direction and an end covering structure 222 that covers the ends of the two panel handle parts 32 in a circumferential direction.

[0040] In this embodiment, the structural unit 10 includes multiple tubes 11, which are hollow structures. Step S1 further includes sealing both ends of the tubes 11, so that the tubes 11 are closed hollow structures, which can reduce the overall weight of the foam racket 1 and improve the feel of hitting the ball; and can also save materials and reduce costs.

[0041] Example 3 Reference Figures 12-14 This embodiment provides a foamed racket 1a. The difference between the foamed racket 1a in this embodiment and the foamed racket 1 in embodiment 1 is that the structural unit 100 in this embodiment is different from the structural unit 10 in embodiment 1, while the rest is the same as in embodiment 1.

[0042] In this embodiment, the foamed racket 1 includes a structural unit 100 and a foamed inner core 20 covering and bonded to the outside of the structural unit 100. The structural unit 100 includes multiple tubes 110 and at least one positioning structure 120. The positioning structure 120 is cross-connected with the multiple tubes 110 to form the structural unit 100. The multiple tubes 110 include a central tube 110d and multiple side tubes 110a, 110b, 110c, 110e, 110f, and 110g located on both sides of the central tube 110d. The two ends of the multiple side tubes 110a, 110b, 110c, 110e, 110f, and 110g bend and extend towards the center of the foamed racket 1, so that the side tubes are U-shaped as a whole. The tubes 110 of this structure can strengthen the structure of the foamed racket 1 in both longitudinal and transverse directions, so that the overall strengthening effect of the structural unit 100 on the foamed racket 1 is better. For other parts not mentioned in this embodiment, they are the same as in Embodiment 1, and will not be described again here.

[0043] Although the invention has been specifically shown and described in conjunction with preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that various changes in form and detail may be made to the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims, all of which shall be within the scope of protection of the invention.

Claims

1. A foamed racket, characterized in that, The foamed racket includes a foamed inner core and two panels attached to the upper and lower opposite sides of the foamed inner core. The foamed inner core is integrally formed with the two panels through foaming. The foamed inner core is made of a flexible elastic material, and structural units are integrated inside the foamed inner core. The structural units are used to reinforce the structure of the foamed inner core.

2. The foamed racket according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper and lower surfaces of the foamed inner core are formed with reverse covering portions, which surround and cover the edge of the panel.

3. The foamed racket according to claim 1, characterized in that: The panel includes a panel body and a panel handle that are connected to each other; the foamed core includes an integrally foamed body and a handle, the handle being formed by the foamed material wrapping around the outer periphery of the two panel handles in reverse, such that the molded handle includes a circumferential covering structure that circumferentially covers the two panel handles and an end covering structure that covers the ends of the two panel handles.

4. The foamed racket according to claim 1, characterized in that: The structural unit includes multiple tubes and at least one positioning structure. The multiple tubes are arranged in the length direction within the foamed inner core, and the axial direction of the multiple tubes is parallel to the length direction of the foamed inner core. The multiple tubes are spaced apart from each other. The positioning structure is cross-connected with the multiple tubes to position the tubes.

5. The foamed racket according to claim 4, characterized in that: The plurality of tubular components are arranged parallel to each other; at least one of the plurality of tubular components extends along the length direction to the handle position of the foamed inner core.

6. The foamed racket according to claim 4, characterized in that: The pipe fitting has a hollow structure and both ends are closed.

7. The foamed racket according to claim 4, characterized in that: The plurality of tubing includes a central tubing and a plurality of side tubing located on both sides of the central tubing. The two ends of the plurality of side tubing extend and bend toward the center of the foamed racket, so that the side tubing is U-shaped as a whole.

8. The foamed racket according to claim 1, characterized in that: The foamed racket mentioned is a Peak racket.

9. A method for manufacturing a foamed racket, wherein the foamed racket is the foamed racket as described in any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1: Provides a racket forming mold including a lower mold and an upper mold, two panels and a structural unit, wherein the panels include a panel body and a panel handle connected to each other; S2: Position the two panels in the cavities of the lower mold and the upper mold respectively, such that the two panels are respectively attached to the top surface of the cavity of the upper mold and the bottom surface of the cavity of the lower mold, and that there is a gap between the edge of the panel and the side wall of the cavity of the upper mold and the side wall of the cavity of the lower mold. S3: Position the structural unit in the cavity of the lower mold and above the panel in the cavity of the lower mold; S4: Add foaming material into the cavity of the lower mold, and cover the upper mold with the lower mold so that the cavity of the upper mold and the cavity of the lower mold are combined to form a complete cavity structure; the foaming material is foamed and molded in the cavity structure; S5: After the foaming material is foamed and molded in the cavity structure, it forms a foamed core that is integrally bonded to the two panels. The foamed core can fill the gap, so that the upper and lower surfaces of the foamed core are formed with reverse covering parts. The reverse covering parts surround and wrap around the edge of the panel. The foamed core includes an integrally foamed body and a handle. The handle is formed by the foaming material wrapping around the outer periphery of the handle portion of the two panels in reverse, so that the molded handle includes a circumferential covering structure that forms a circumferential covering on the handle portion of the two panels and an end covering structure that forms a covering on the ends of the handle portion of the two panels.

10. The method for manufacturing a foamed racket according to claim 9, characterized in that: The structural unit includes multiple tubular components, which are hollow structures. Step S1 above also includes sealing both ends of the pipe fitting.

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