Gaming racket

Abstract

The invention relates to a racket comprising a hitting head (1) with a lateral edge (1b) extending into two arms (2a, 2b) connecting to a handle (4) formed of two sections (4a, 4b) forming between them a longitudinal housing (5) equipped with a vibration-absorbing element, and connected by two bridges (7) spaced longitudinally by compartmentalizing said housing into an upper recess (8) and another recess (9a, 9b), the absorption element comprising internal impressions of the geometry of each of the bridges (7) and a longitudinal slot extending from one head to form two legs with a set of opposite studs between two impressions (10), said head being disposed in the recess (8) and the legs being mounted in one side of the housing (5) respectively to position the bridges (7) in the impressions and the set of studs in the recess (9a, 9b). Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: Game racket

[0001] The invention relates to a game racket, in particular intended for hitting a ball in the context of a sport, such as for example padel, squash or even tennis.

[0002] In particular, the playing racket comprises a striking head having a front face and a rear face which are connected by a lateral edge extending into two branches, respectively left and right, for joining with a grip handle of said racket, a through cavity being formed between the branches and the lateral edge to define the heart of said racket.

[0003] At least the side edge, the branches and the handle can be formed in one piece, for example by molding and injection of a plastic material, possibly reinforced with glass and / or carbon fibers. Advantageously, the entire racket, including the faces of the striking surface, can be formed in one piece according to this same method.

[0004] During the practice of a sporting activity, each impact of a ball on the striking head transmits vibrations which are repercussions in the handle, and therefore in the player's hand, which can cause discomfort, or even long-term injuries for said player.

[0005] To overcome these drawbacks, rackets are known whose handle comprises a longitudinal housing passing from front to back and / or laterally through said handle, possibly opening at the top into the cavity of the racket core, said housing being equipped with an element arranged to absorb the vibrations generated by the impact of a ball on the striking head.

[0006] Thus, documents GB-442 975 and US-5 860 878 describe rackets whose handle has a cross-shaped housing which crosses said handle laterally and from front to back, at least one elastomer element of complementary geometry being inserted into said housing by means of an adhesive (document GB-442 975), by injection into the housing or by force-fitting through each longitudinal opening of said housing (US-5 860 878).

[0007] Similarly, document FR-2 569 989 describes a racket whose handle comprises a housing passing through from front to back and opening at the top into the cavity of the racket core, a damping element made of rubber or polyurethane foam being mounted in a longitudinal portion of said housing by friction fitting, with or without the aid of an adhesive.

[0008] However, these solutions are not entirely satisfactory, in that, to obtain good absorption of vibrations, the assembly of the damping element(s) in the handle proves to be complex to implement, particularly with regard to the mass production requirements.

[0009] The invention aims to improve the prior art by proposing in particular a playing racket in which the grip handle is equipped with an element which combines ease of assembly with good absorption of the vibrations generated by the impact of the ball on the hitting head.

[0010] To this end, the invention proposes a game racket comprising a striking head having a front face and a rear face which are connected by a lateral edge extending into two branches, respectively left and right, for junction with a handle of said racket, said handle being formed of a left section and a right section which extend respectively from a branch to a zone forming a grip for gripping said racket, said sections forming between them a longitudinal housing passing from front to back of said handle and opening at the top into a cavity formed between the branches and the lateral edge, said housing being equipped with an element for absorbing the vibrations generated by the impact of the ball on the striking head, the sections being connected by at least two bridges which extend transversely in the housing,said bridges being spaced longitudinally by compartmentalizing said housing into an upper cell formed between an upper bridge and the cavity and into at least one other cell formed between two adjacent bridges, the absorption element comprising internal impressions of the geometry of each of the bridges and a longitudinal slot which extends from a head to form two legs, respectively front and rear, having at least one set of studs, respectively front and rear, which are opposite each other between two impressions, said head being arranged in the upper cell and the legs being mounted in respectively one side of the housing to arrange the bridges in the impressions and the set of studs in the at least one other cell.

[0011] Other features and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description, given with reference to the appended figures, in which:

[0012] [Fig-1] is a partial representation in front view of a playing racket according to the invention, showing the bottom of the striking head, the joining branches and the grip handle;

[0013] [Fig.2a] and

[0014] [Fig.2b] represent, respectively in front view and in perspective, the absorption element intended to be mounted in the sleeve of the racket of [Fig.l];

[0015] [Fig.3] shows in slight perspective the racket of [Fig.l] after mounting the absorption element of figures 2a and 2b in its grip handle.

[0016] In relation to these figures, a game racket is described below, in particular intended for hitting a ball in the context of a sport, such as for example padel, squash or even tennis.

[0017] The racket comprises a striking head 1 having a front face 1a and a rear face which are connected by a lateral edge 1b extending into two branches, respectively left 2a and right 2b, a through cavity 3 being formed between the branches 2a, 2b and the lateral edge 1b to define the heart of said racket.

[0018] In the description, the terms of positioning in space are taken with reference to the racket as shown in the figures. Thus: - the term “front” refers to the face 1a of the racket shown in figures 1 and 3, the term “back” referring to the face opposite this front face 1a; - the terms “left” and “right” refer to arrangements respectively on the left and right in these same figures 1 and 3; - the term “longitudinal” refers to a direction parallel to the maximum dimension of the racket (vertical in figures 1 and 3), the term “transverse” referring to a horizontal direction perpendicular to this longitudinal direction and contained in the frontal plane of the racket (represented in these same figures); - the term “sagittal” corresponds to an arrangement in the sagittal section plane in the anatomy reference system, this plane being perpendicular to the frontal plane of the racket.

[0019] The branches 2a, 2b form a junction structure with a handle 4 for gripping the racket, within which the greatest stresses are exerted, in particular during the impact of a ball on the striking head 1. In particular, weighting elements can be added to the cavity 3, in order to adapt the weight and / or the balance of the racket according to the preferences of its user.

[0020] At least the lateral edge 1b, the branches 2a, 2b and the gripping handle 4 can be formed in a single piece, for example by molding and injection or by extrusion-blowing of a plastic material, possibly reinforced with glass and / or carbon fibers.

[0021] Advantageously, the racket comprises a hollow body formed from a single piece, in particular by a manufacturing method as described previously, said hollow body forming the striking head 1 and the grip handle 4.

[0022] The handle 4 is formed of a left section 4a and a right section 4b which extend respectively from a branch 2a, 2b to a zone forming a grip for gripping the racket, said sections forming between them a longitudinal housing 5 crossing from front to back said handle and opening in the upper part into the cavity 3 of the heart of the racket.

[0023] In relation to [Fig. 3], the housing 5 is equipped with an element 6, in particular formed from an elastomer material, for example silicone, to absorb the vi- bradons generated by the impact of a ball on the striking head 1, in order to avoid the transmission of said vibrations to the player's hand, and thus limit the risks of discomfort, or even injury for said player.

[0024] The absorption element 6 has an external geometry which is complementary to that of the housing 5, in order to avoid the formation of play at the interface between said element and the handle 4, and thus guarantee optimal absorption of the vibrations propagating in the handle 4.

[0025] In [Fig. 1], the handle sections 4a, 4b are connected by at least two bridges 7 which extend transversely in the housing 5, said bridges being spaced longitudinally by compartmentalizing said housing into an upper cell 8 formed between an upper bridge 7a and the cavity 3 and into at least one other cell 9a formed between two adjacent bridges 7.

[0026] In Figures 2a and 2b, the absorption element 6 comprises internal impressions 10 of the geometry of each of the bridges 7, as well as a longitudinal slot 11 which extends from a head 12 to form two legs, respectively front 12a and rear 12b, having at least one set of studs, respectively front 13a and rear 13b, which are opposite each other between two impressions 10, the head 12 being arranged in the upper cell 8 and the legs 12a, 12b being mounted in respectively one side of the housing 5 to arrange the bridges 7 in the impressions 10 and the set of studs 13a, 13b in the at least one other cell 9a.

[0027] In the embodiment shown, the legs 12a, 12b, and more generally the absorption element 6, are symmetrical along a longitudinal plane containing the slot 11, which makes it easier to manufacture said element, in particular by molding, but also to ensure a homogeneous distribution of said element in the housing 5.

[0028] In particular, the absorption element 6 is arranged in tight contact in the housing 5 to cover the bridges 7 and fill the at least one other cell 9a, in order to avoid any play in the interference between said element and the handle 4, and thus guarantee optimal absorption by said element of the vibrations propagating in said handle.

[0029] In the figures, the bridges 7 have a sagittal dimension which is less than the sagittal dimension of the housing 5, in order to allow a total arrangement of the legs 12a, 12b of the absorption element 6 in said housing.

[0030] The bridges 7 also have a longitudinal dimension which is less than the longitudinal dimension of the at least one other cell 9a, in particular of the order of two to four times less.

[0031] Depending on the desired longitudinal dimension for the handle 4, in particular depending on the size of the user's hand, the housing 5 may comprise at least three bridges 7, 7a, 7b, 7c forming an upper cell 8 and two central cells 9a, the absorption element 6 comprising internal impressions 10 of the geometry of each of said bridges. This arrangement is particularly advantageous for a large hand, in particular the hand of an adult user.

[0032] In the embodiment shown, the housing 5 comprises three bridges 7 as described above, among which: - a lower bridge 7b which forms a lower cell 9b between said lower bridge and the lower end 14 of the handle 4, the two legs 12a, 12b of the absorption element 6 each having a foot 15a, 15b which are arranged opposite each other in said lower cell; and - a central bridge 7c separating the central cells 9a.

[0033] In a variant not shown, the housing 5 comprises only two bridges, respectively upper 7a and lower 7b, as described previously, so as to separate the housing 5 into three cells, respectively upper 8, central 9a and lower 9b. This arrangement is particularly suitable for a handle 4 of reduced longitudinal dimension, for example for a game racket intended for a child user.

[0034] Advantageously, the feet 15a, 15b fill the lower cell 9b, in order to guarantee optimal absorption of vibrations by the absorption element 6 in the lower part of the handle 4.

[0035] Furthermore, the lower cell 9b opens into the lower wall 16 of the handle 4, which makes it possible to have vibration absorption all along said handle and up to the junction with the heart of the racket.

[0036] In [Fig. 1], the two central cells 9a and the lower cell 9b have identical longitudinal dimensions and are smaller than those of the upper cell 8, in particular of the order of two times smaller. Similarly, the bridges 7, 7a, 7b have identical longitudinal dimensions, and approximately equal to half the longitudinal dimension of the central cells 9a and lower cells 9b.

[0037] After production by molding of the body of the racket, the absorption element 6 is easily arranged in the housing 5 by passing one of the legs 12a, 12b, for example the rear leg 12b, through the cavity 3, so as to arrange each leg 12a, 12b on either side of the handle 4, then by successively arranging the head 12 in the upper cell 8 and each of said legs in the other cells 9a, 9b.

[0038] After mounting the absorption element 6, the handle 4 can be surrounded by a covering strip, commonly called “grip”, for optimal gripping of said handle, in particular allowing different racket grips.

Claims

Claims

1. A game racket comprising a striking head (1) having a front face (1a) and a rear face which are connected by a lateral edge (1b) extending into two branches, respectively left (2a) and right (2b), for junction with a handle (4) of said racket, said handle being formed of a left section (4a) and a right section (4b) which extend respectively from a branch (2a, 2b) to a zone forming a grip for gripping said racket, said sections forming between them a longitudinal housing (5) passing from front to back of said handle and opening at the top into a cavity (3) formed between the branches (2a, 2b) and the lateral edge (1b), said housing being equipped with an element (6) for absorbing vibrations generated by the impact of the ball on the striking head (1), said racket being characterized in that the sections (4a, 4b) are connected by at least two bridges (7, 7a, 7b,7c) which extend transversely in the housing (5), said bridges being spaced longitudinally by compartmentalizing said housing into an upper cell (8) formed between an upper bridge (7a) and the cavity (3) and into at least one other cell (9a) formed between two adjacent bridges (7, 7a, 7b, 7c), the absorption element (6) comprising internal impressions (10) of the geometry of each of the bridges (7, 7a, 7b, 7c) and a longitudinal slot (11) which extends from a head (12) to form two legs respectively front (12a) and rear (12b) having at least one set of studs respectively front (13a) and rear (13b) which are opposite between two impressions (10), said head being arranged in the upper cell (8) and the legs (12a, 12b) being mounted in respectively one side of the housing (5) for arranging the bridges (7, 7a, 7b, 7c) in the indentations (10) and the set of studs (13a, 13b) in the at least one other cell (9a).,

2. A game racket according to claim 1, characterized in that the absorption element (6) has an external geometry which is complementary to that of the housing (5).

3. A game racket according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the legs (12a, 12b) are symmetrical along a longitudinal plane containing the slot (11).

4. A game racket according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the absorption element (6) is arranged in contact tightening in the housing (5) to cover the bridges (7, 7a, 7b, 7c) and fill at least one other cell (9a).

5. A game racket according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the absorption element (6) is formed from an elastomeric material, in particular silicone.

6. A game racket according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the bridges (7, 7a, 7b, 7c) have a sagittal dimension which is less than the sagittal dimension of the housing (5).

7. A game racket according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the bridges (7, 7a, 7b, 7c) have a longitudinal dimension which is smaller than the longitudinal dimension of the at least one other cell (9a), in particular of the order of two to four times smaller.

8. A game racket according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the housing (5) comprises at least three bridges (7, 7a, 7b, 7c) forming an upper cell (8) and two central cells (9a), the absorption element (6) comprising internal impressions (10) of the geometry of each of said bridges.

9. A game racket according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the housing (5) comprises a lower bridge (7b) forming a lower cell (9b) between said lower bridge and the lower end (14) of the handle, the two legs (12a, 12b) of the absorption element (6) each having a foot (15a, 15b) which are arranged opposite each other in said lower cell.

10. A game racket according to claim 9, characterized in that the feet (15a, 15b) fill the lower cell (9b).

11. Playing racket according to one of claims 9 or 10, characterized in that the lower cell (9b) opens into the lower wall (16) of the handle (4).

12. A playing racket according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that it comprises a hollow body forming the striking head (1) and the handle (4).

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