Tap base for billiard cue

Abstract

To enable preferable response to be obtained even when a tap is worn and becomes thin by preventing sensation of shooting a ball from being largely different from the initial sensation.SOLUTION: A tap base 30 for a billiard cue provided between a cue body and a tap 20 can be set to have either a lower rebound coefficient or a higher rebound coefficient than that of a distal end portion of the cue body.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a tap base for a billiard cue. [Background technology]

[0002] As disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example, a billiard cue is used to strike a ball on a billiard table, and has a cue body consisting of a butt and a shaft, and a tip attached to the tip of the cue body via a ferrule (point). The tip is made of, for example, laminated leather, and is adhered to the ferrule with an adhesive or the like. If the tip becomes worn or damaged after long-term use, it can be replaced with a new one. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Registered Utility Model No. 3164396 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The billiards cue is the only tool that exists between the player and the ball, transmitting the player's power to the ball. Over time, it becomes a part of the player's body and irreplaceable. Players' playing styles and types of games vary, and while it would be ideal to create billiards cues tailored to each, this is difficult in reality. Therefore, one approach is to use a pre-made cue body that matches the player's playing style, and then allow the player to select the tip to achieve their preferred ball quality. The tip, in particular, is an extremely important component in contacting the ball and controlling its quality, and players want to continue using a tip that provides a good feel.

[0005] However, tips are consumables, and their usable lifespan is short, and their quality deteriorates over time. Specifically, when you use a new tip, it gradually wears down, causing the tip to thin, and the hardness of the cue body becomes noticeable when you hit the ball. This can cause the cue to feel harder than when it was first installed. If the tip wears out and the feel changes from when it was first installed, it can interfere with your play.

[0006] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of such points, and its purpose is to ensure that even if the tap wears and becomes thinner, the feeling of hitting the ball does not change significantly from the initial feeling, and a good response can be obtained. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve the above object, the present disclosure provides a billiard cue tip base that is disposed between a cue body having a butt and a shaft and a tip, and the billiard cue tip base has a lower coefficient of restitution than the tip of the cue body.

[0008] With this configuration, the billiard cue tip base is interposed between the cue body and the tip. Even if the tip wears and thins over time, the restitution coefficient of the billiard cue tip base interposed between the tip and the cue body is set lower than the restitution coefficient of the tip of the cue body, so the billiard cue tip base elastically deforms upon impact with the ball. This allows the player to feel a similar sensation to when the tip was new, even if the tip is thin, and provides a good response.

[0009] The coefficient of restitution of the billiard cue tip base may be set higher than the coefficient of restitution of the tip, so that the combined coefficient of restitution of the new tip and billiard cue tip base is appropriate, providing a good feel.

[0010] A billiard cue tip base may be provided between the tip and the cue body having a ferrule at the tip of the shaft. In this case, the coefficient of restitution of the billiard cue tip base can be set lower than the coefficient of restitution of the ferrule. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] As explained above, the restitution coefficient of the billiard cue tip base provided between the cue body and the tip is set lower than the restitution coefficient of the tip of the cue body, so even if the tip wears down and becomes thinner, the feeling of hitting the ball does not change much from the original feeling, and a good response can be obtained. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a side view of a billiard cue according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an enlarged side view showing the tip of the billiard cue. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a side view showing the billiard cue tap base before it is attached to the ferrule. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a side view showing the progress of wear on the tap. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a comparison between the moment when the ball is struck at the start of use and the moment when the ball is struck after the tap has become worn. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a modified example of the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the following description of the preferred embodiments is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present invention, its applications, or its uses.

[0014] FIG. 1 is a side view of a billiard cue 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The billiard cue 1 is a rod-shaped tool used in playing billiards, and is shaped so that it is thicker at the handle end than at the tip end and tapers toward the tip. The length and thickness of the billiard cue 1 are not particularly limited, but are set to fall within the ranges stipulated in official competitions. The billiard cue 1 may be a cue for carom games, pocket games, or snooker games.

[0015] The billiard cue 1 includes a cue body 10, a tip 20, and a billiard cue tip base 30. The tip 20 and the billiard cue tip base 30 form a cue tip structure, and the billiard cue 1 includes this cue tip structure.

[0016] The cue body 10 is configured to be separable at the center in the longitudinal direction, with the tip portion being the shaft 11 and the butt portion being the butt 12. The joint between the shaft 11 and the butt 12 is the joint 13, so the portion distal to the joint 13 is made up of the shaft 11, and the portion proximal to the joint 13 is made up of the butt 12. A bumper 14 is also provided at the end of the butt 12. In other words, the cue body 10 has the shaft 11, the butt 12, the joint 13, and the bumper 14. Note that the present invention can be applied not only to billiard cues 1 configured to be separable at the center in the longitudinal direction, but also to inseparable one-piece billiard cues (not shown). The shaft 11 and the butt 12 are made of wood, for example.

[0017] The cue body 10 has a ferrule 15 at the tip of the shaft 11. The ferrule 15 is a cylindrical member that protects the tip of the shaft 11 and is also called the tip or tip tip. The ferrule 15 is made of a material that has the same coefficient of restitution as the shaft 11 or a material that has a higher coefficient of restitution than the shaft 11. Examples of such materials include various metals (including alloys), ivory, and resin. The ferrule 15 is attached to the tip of the shaft 11 by a threaded structure. Generally, the harder the material, the higher the coefficient of restitution, so a material with a high coefficient of restitution can also be called a hard material. Conversely, the softer the material, the lower the coefficient of restitution, so a material with a low coefficient of restitution can also be called a soft material. The same applies below.

[0018] The tip 20 is made of, for example, cowhide or pigskin, and is also called a tip. The tip 20 absorbs the impact when the ball is struck and increases friction when it comes into contact with the ball, thereby, for example, applying spin to the ball or speeding up or slowing down the ball's rotation speed. Because the tip 20 is slippery as is, it is used with a non-slip material called chalk attached to its surface. The thickness of the tip 20 is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, between 5 mm and 10 mm.

[0019] As shown in Figure 2, the tab 20 has a laminated structure in which multiple pieces of leather are stacked and integrated together. The stacked pieces of leather are bonded together with, for example, an adhesive. The tab 20 may also be made from a single piece of leather.

[0020] The billiard cue tip base 30 is a member provided between the cue body 10 and the tip 20, and is a cushioning material that absorbs the impact between the cue body 10 and the tip 20 when the ball is struck with the tip 20 in a thinned state. In this embodiment, the cue body 10 has a ferrule 15, and the tip of the cue body 10 is formed by the ferrule 15, so the billiard cue tip base 30 is provided between the ferrule 15 and the tip 20, resulting in a configuration in which the billiard cue tip base 30 is interposed between the ferrule 15 and the tip 20. Although not shown, if the cue body 10 does not have a ferrule 15, the billiard cue tip base 30 is provided between the shaft 11 and the tip 20, resulting in a configuration in which the billiard cue tap base 30 is interposed between the shaft 11 and the tip 20.

[0021] The billiard cue tip base 30 is cylindrical and has an outer diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the tip of the cue body 10. The billiard cue tip base 30 is made of, for example, resin or leather. The outer diameter of the billiard cue tip base 30 is also substantially equal to the outer diameter of the base of the tip 20. The coefficient of restitution of the material constituting the billiard cue tip base 30 is set lower than the coefficient of restitution of the tip of the cue body 10, but higher than the coefficient of restitution of the tip 20. In this embodiment, since the cue body 10 has a ferrule 15, the coefficient of restitution of the billiard cue tip base 30 is set lower than the coefficient of restitution of the ferrule 15. In this embodiment, the specific value of the coefficient of restitution is not important. This is because a softer or harder feel may be preferable depending on the player's preference, playing style, type of game, etc. The value of the coefficient of restitution is not shown because the relative difference in the coefficient of restitution when comparing components is more important than the specific value of the coefficient of restitution. However, the coefficient of restitution can be expressed as the ratio of the speed at which the components move away from each other after impact to the speed at which they approach each other before impact. The coefficient of restitution can also be called the coefficient of bounce. The relative difference in the coefficient of restitution (coefficient of bounce) can be set by selecting the material. The higher the coefficient of restitution, the harder the feel when struck, and the lower the coefficient of restitution, the softer the feel when struck.

[0022] As shown in Figure 3, the tip 20 is adhered to the tip surface of the billiard cue tap base 30, for example, with an adhesive. It is called the billiard cue tap base 30 because it is a component that supports the tip 20 in an attached state. The surface of the billiard cue tap base 30 opposite the tip 20 (the base end surface) is adhered to the tip surface of the ferrule 15, for example, with an adhesive. By removing the billiard cue tap base 30 and the tip 20 from the ferrule 15, they can be replaced with a different billiard cue tap base 30 and tip 20.

[0023] As shown in Figure 4, when the billiard cue 1 is first used, the tip 20 has a sufficient thickness, allowing for a good feel. As time passes after the billiard cue 1 is first used, the tip 20 wears and becomes thinner. The amount of wear after a predetermined period of time has passed since the start of use is indicated by arrow A1, and the amount of wear after a further period of time has passed is indicated by arrow A2.

[0024] The left side of FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the moment when the ball 200 is struck with the tip 20 at the beginning of use. As shown in the left side, the tip 20 is sufficiently thick at the beginning of use, so the tip 20 elastically deforms, while the billiard cue tip base 30 barely deforms. On the other hand, the right side of FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the moment when the ball is struck after the tip 20 has become worn. As shown in the right side, when the tip 20 becomes thin due to wear after long-term use, the coefficient of restitution of the billiard cue tip base 30 interposed between the tip 20 and the cue body 10 is set lower than the coefficient of restitution of the tip of the cue body 10. Therefore, the billiard cue tip base 30 elastically deforms upon impact when the ball 200 is struck. This allows the tip 20 to sink even when it is thin, thereby imparting the desired spin to the ball 200. This provides the player with a feel similar to that of a brand new cue, resulting in a superior feel.

[0025] Multiple types of billiard cue tap bases 30 with different restitution coefficients can be prepared, allowing players to select one that suits their playing style. For example, a first billiard cue tap base 30 with a high restitution coefficient, a second billiard cue tap base 30 with a lower restitution coefficient than the first billiard cue tap base 30, and a third billiard cue tap base 30 with a lower restitution coefficient than the second billiard cue tap base 30 can be prepared. Furthermore, multiple types of tips 20 with different hardnesses can be prepared. By arbitrarily combining billiard cue tap bases 30 with different restitution coefficients and tips 20 with different hardnesses, players can create a billiard cue 1 that feels just right for them.

[0026] FIG. 6 shows several types of billiard cue tap bases 30 with different thicknesses. The billiard cue tap base 30 in (A) has the thinnest thickness dimension B1, the billiard cue tap base 30 in (B) has a thickness dimension B2 that is thicker than B1, and the billiard cue tap base 30 in (C) has the thickest thickness dimension B3. In this case, assuming that the coefficient of restitution of the billiard cue tap bases 30 is the same, the thinnest thickness dimension B1 provides a harder feel when struck, the thickest thickness dimension B3 provides a softer feel when struck, and the thickness dimension B2 provides an intermediate feel when struck. Thus, the feel can be varied by changing the thickness dimension of the billiard cue tap base 30. The thickness dimension B1 can be set to, for example, 1.5 mm, the thickness dimension B2 to, for example, 2.0 mm, and the thickness dimension B3 to, for example, 3.0 mm.

[0027] The above-described embodiments are merely examples in all respects and should not be construed as limiting. Furthermore, all modifications and variations within the scope of the claims are within the scope of the present invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0028] As described above, the billiard cue tip base according to the present invention can be used by being disposed between the cue body and the tip. [Explanation of symbols]

[0029] 1. Billiard cue 10 Cue body 11 Shaft 12 Bat 15 Feral 20 Taps 30 Billiard Cue Tap Base

Claims

1. A billiard cue tip base is provided between a cue body having a butt and a shaft and a tip, The billiard cue tap base is made of a material with a lower coefficient of restitution than the tip of the cue body.

2. 2. The billiard cue tap base according to claim 1, A billiard cue tap base having a higher coefficient of restitution than the tip.

3. 3. The billiard cue tap base according to claim 2, a cue body having a ferrule at the tip end of the shaft and a tap; A billiard cue tap base having a lower coefficient of restitution than the ferrule.

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