Connection ring for badminton shuttle, and badminton shuttle

Abstract

An annular connection ring for a badminton shuttle provided with a base part and a plurality of blades has a plurality of insertion holes formed in a circumferential direction, and a wing shaft part of a badminton shuttle is inserted into each of the plurality of insertion holes. By connecting the wing shaft parts to each other, the connection ring connects the plurality of blades integrally so that the plurality of blades spread radially from the base part. The plurality of insertion holes each have a positioning surface for positioning in a rotation direction around the axis of the wing shaft part.

Description

Badminton shuttlecock connecting ring and badminton shuttlecock

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a connecting ring for a badminton shuttlecock and a badminton shuttlecock.

[0002] Badminton shuttlecocks (hereinafter referred to as "badminton shuttlecocks") have been known which have a base and a plurality of feathers fixed to the base so that the feathers radiate from the base. For such badminton shuttlecocks, a method of connecting the feathers with strings to position them relative to the base is known.

[0003] In Patent Document 1, the rachis portions of each of a plurality of feathers in a badminton shuttlecock are connected to one another by an overlocking thread, and the rachis portions and the overlocking thread are fixed together by an adhesive.

[0004] Re-table No. 2013-077183

[0005] In a badminton shuttlecock, in order to achieve appropriate flight characteristics of the shuttlecock, it is necessary to adjust the multiple feathers so that they spread uniformly radially from the base. In the badminton shuttlecock described in Patent Document 1, the spread of the multiple feathers is adjusted by connecting the rachis sections with an overlocking thread. Furthermore, in a badminton shuttlecock, the rachis sections are positioned in the rotational direction around the axis. When the rachis sections are connected to each other with an overlocking thread, a worker has to manually make fine adjustments to position the rachis sections in the rotational direction around the axis. As a result, assembling a badminton shuttlecock can sometimes be difficult.

[0006] In one aspect of the present disclosure, it is desirable to improve the efficiency of assembling a badminton shuttlecock by facilitating the positioning of the rachis in the rotational direction around the axis.

[0007] One aspect of the present disclosure is a connecting ring for a badminton shuttlecock, the badminton shuttlecock comprising a plurality of feathers and a base portion. Each of the plurality of feathers has a feather portion and a rachis portion, and the plurality of rachis portions are provided with the feather portion at one end and annularly fixed at the other end to the base portion. The connecting ring is annular and has a plurality of insertion holes formed in the circumferential direction, into which a rachis portion is inserted. The connecting ring interconnects the rachis portions, thereby integrally connecting the plurality of feathers so that they radiate from the base portion. The axis connecting the center of the ring shape formed by the fixing positions of the plurality of rachis portions on the base portion and the center of the connecting ring is taken as the shuttle axis, and the connecting ring has a thickness within a predetermined range in the direction of the shuttle axis around its entire circumference. The plurality of insertion holes have positioning surfaces for positioning the rachis portions in the rotational direction around the axis.

[0008] Note that the relative positions of the feathers in each of the multiple feathers can be determined as a result of positioning the rachis section in the rotational direction around its axis. For example, in a side view of the badminton shuttlecock, adjacent feathers in the multiple feathers may overlap, or may not overlap. In the following description, the term "side of the badminton shuttlecock" refers to a direction perpendicular to the shuttlecock axis of the badminton shuttlecock. Here, "overlapping feathers" may mean that adjacent feathers that appear to overlap in a side view of the badminton shuttlecock are in contact with each other. Alternatively, "overlapping feathers" may mean that adjacent feathers that appear to overlap in a side view of the badminton shuttlecock are not in contact with each other.

[0009] With this configuration, when the connecting ring connects the rachis sections to each other, the rachis sections come into contact with positioning surfaces in the multiple insertion holes of the connecting ring that position the rachis sections in the direction of rotation about their axes. This prevents the rachis sections from rotating about their axes, making it easier to position the rachis sections in the direction of rotation about their axes.

[0010] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the connection ring may have a plurality of through holes formed in the circumferential direction, and the plurality of insertion holes and the plurality of through holes may be arranged alternately in the circumferential direction.

[0011] According to this configuration, the connection ring is provided with a plurality of through holes, which allows the connection ring to be hollowed out, thereby reducing the weight of the connection ring.

[0012] The connecting ring may also constitute a rigid frame bridge when viewed as a whole. This can increase the rigidity of the connecting ring even when it is made of synthetic resin. In this case, even when a badminton shuttlecock having the connecting ring is hit with a badminton racket, the shuttlecocks can be kept firmly held together.

[0013] In one aspect of the present disclosure, each of the multiple insertion holes may have an extension portion in a part of the contact portion of the rachis portion on the inner wall portion of the insertion hole that is thicker in the direction of the shuttle axis than other portions of the contact portion in order to allow the rachis portion to come into contact.

[0014] With this configuration, when the connecting ring connects the rachis sections to each other, the rachis sections come into contact with the extending portions of the connecting ring. This increases the contact area between the connecting ring and the rachis sections compared to when no extending portions are provided. This suppresses rotation of the rachis sections around their axes, making it possible to suitably position the rachis sections in the rotational direction around their axes.

[0015] In one aspect of the present disclosure, each of the multiple insertion holes may have multiple extension portions, and in each of the multiple insertion holes, the multiple extension portions may be provided at positions facing each other on the inner wall portion.

[0016] With this configuration, the rachis section is sandwiched between the extending portions of the connecting ring and comes into contact with each of the extending portions, which further increases the contact area between the connecting ring and the rachis section, making it possible to suitably position the rachis section in the rotational direction around its axis.

[0017] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the positioning surfaces of the multiple insertion holes may be provided on the inner circumferential side of the connection ring. The width between the positioning surface and a portion of the inner circumferential end of the connection ring facing the positioning surface may be configured to be approximately constant. Furthermore, the width between the edge of the multiple through holes on the inner circumferential side of the connection ring facing the edge and the portion of the inner circumferential end of the connection ring facing the edge may be configured to be approximately constant.

[0018] This configuration reduces the amount of material required to mold the connecting ring compared to a connecting ring in which the width between the positioning surface and the portion of the inner peripheral end of the connecting ring that faces the positioning surface exceeds a substantially fixed width, and / or the width between the edges of the multiple through holes on the inner peripheral side of the connecting ring and the portion of the inner peripheral end of the connecting ring that faces the edge exceeds a substantially fixed width, thereby making it possible to reduce the weight of the connecting ring.

[0019] One aspect of the present disclosure is a badminton shuttlecock comprising: a plurality of feathers; a base; and a first connecting ring. Each of the plurality of feathers has a feather portion and a rachis portion, and the plurality of rachis portions are provided with the feather portion at one end and annularly fixed to the base at the other end. The first connecting ring is annular and has a plurality of insertion holes formed in the circumferential direction, into which a rachis portion is inserted. The first connecting ring interconnects the rachis portions, thereby integrally connecting the plurality of feathers so that they radiate from the base. The first connecting ring has a thickness within a predetermined range in the direction of the shuttle axis, with the axis connecting the center of the ring shape formed by the fixing positions of the plurality of rachis portions on the base and the center of the first connecting ring being the shuttle axis. The plurality of insertion holes have positioning surfaces for positioning the rachis portions in the rotational direction around the axis.

[0020] With this configuration, it is possible to obtain a badminton shuttlecock in which the rachis portion can be easily positioned in the direction of rotation about the axis.

[0021] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the badminton shuttlecock may further include a second connecting ring in addition to the first connecting ring. The second connecting ring may be annular and have a plurality of insertion holes formed in the circumferential direction, with rachis sections inserted into each of the plurality of insertion holes. The second connecting ring may connect the rachis sections to each other, thereby connecting the plurality of feathers together. The second connecting ring may have a thickness within a predetermined range over its entire circumference in the direction of the shuttle shaft. The center of the second connecting ring may be at a different position on the shuttle shaft from the center of the annular shape formed by the fixing positions of the plurality of rachis sections on the base section. The second connecting ring may connect the rachis sections to each other at a position different from that of the first connecting ring in the direction of the shuttle shaft, so that the first connecting ring connects the rachis sections to each other, thereby maintaining the shape of the badminton shuttlecock in which the plurality of feathers are connected together and radiating out from the base section.

[0022] With this configuration, it is possible to obtain a badminton shuttlecock in which the positioning of the rachis section in the direction of rotation around the axis is easy and in which the multiple feathers can be connected more stably and firmly in the direction in which they spread radially. Furthermore, by adjusting the distance between the first connecting ring and the second connecting ring in the direction of the shuttle shaft, it is possible to adjust the degree to which the multiple feathers spread radially in the badminton shuttlecock.

[0023] FIG. 1A is a side view of a badminton shuttlecock in the first embodiment. FIG. 1B is a front view of the badminton shuttlecock in the first embodiment, viewed from the feathers toward the base. FIG. 1C is a perspective view of the badminton shuttlecock in the first embodiment. FIG. 2A is a front view of a connecting ring in the first embodiment. FIG. 2B is a perspective view of the connecting ring. FIG. 2A is a partial enlarged view of the front view of the connecting ring in the first embodiment. FIG. 1B is a view with the base and multiple feathers removed. FIG. 2B is an enlarged perspective view of one of multiple insertion holes in the connecting ring in the first embodiment. FIG. 1C is a view showing a modified connecting ring, in which the width between a portion facing the positioning surface at the inner circumferential end and the positioning surface is locally narrowed. FIG. 1C is also a view showing a state in which the width between the edge of a through hole on the inner circumferential side of the connecting ring and a portion facing the edge at the inner circumferential end of the connecting ring is locally narrowed.

[0024] 1... badminton shuttlecock, 2... base portion, 3... shuttlecock, 4, 4a, 4b... connecting ring, 31... shuttlecock portion, 32... rachis portion, 41... insertion hole, 42... through hole, 43... inner peripheral end portion, 321, 322... end portion, 411... positioning surface, 412... inner wall portion, 413... extension portion, 421... edge portion, 431... portion facing the positioning surface at the inner peripheral end portion, 432... edge portion at the inner peripheral end portion relative to the edge portion of the through hole on the inner peripheral side of the connecting ring Opposing parts, A... shuttle shaft, C1... center of the ring shape formed by the fixing positions of the multiple rachis parts on the base part, C2... center of the first connecting ring, C3... center of the second connecting ring, L3, L4... part facing the positioning surface at the inner circumferential end part of the connecting ring and the width between the positioning surface, L5, L6... width between part facing the edge of the multiple through holes on the inner circumferential side of the connecting ring at the inner circumferential end part of the connecting ring and the edge.

[0025] Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0026] 1A, 1B, and 1C includes a base 2, a plurality of shuttlecocks 3, and a connecting ring 4. The number of connecting rings 4 in the badminton shuttlecock 1 is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, one, two, or three or more. In this embodiment, the badminton shuttlecock 1 includes a first connecting ring 4a and a second connecting ring 4b as the connecting rings 4.

[0027] The base 2 is a hemispherical member. When the badminton shuttlecock 1 is hit with a badminton racket, the badminton shuttlecock 1 takes flight, with the base 2 leading the way. The base 2 may be made of a natural material such as cork, or an artificial material such as resin.

[0028] The multiple feathers 3 may be made of any material as long as the appropriate flight characteristics of the badminton shuttlecock 1 can be ensured. For example, the multiple feathers 3 may be feathers of a waterfowl such as a goose (i.e., natural feathers). Furthermore, instead of natural feathers, the multiple feathers 3 may be artificial feathers made of an artificial material such as resin. The badminton shuttlecock 1 of this embodiment can be used as a badminton shuttlecock 1 for competition or practice, and the number of the multiple feathers 3 may be, for example, 14 to 16. Note that when the badminton shuttlecock 1 of this embodiment is used as a competitive badminton shuttlecock 1, it is desirable that the number of the multiple feathers 3 is 16.

[0029] Each of the plurality of blades 3 has a vane portion 31 and a rachis portion 32. The vane portion 31 is provided on one end 321 of the rachis portion 32.

[0030] The cross-sectional shape of the rachis section 32 perpendicular to the axial direction is not particularly limited, as long as it is a shape that suppresses rotation of the rachis section 32 about its axis when the connecting ring 4 connects the rachis sections 32 to each other, as will be described later. However, the cross-section of the rachis section 32 perpendicular to the axial direction has a straight section in at least part of its outer shape. This straight section comes into surface contact with a positioning surface 411 (see FIGS. 2A and 2B ), which will be described later. The cross-section of the rachis section 32 perpendicular to the axial direction may be, for example, an approximately semicircular shape in which the outer shape other than the above-mentioned straight section is formed into an arc, or may be an approximately polygonal shape (for example, a triangle, a rectangle, or a pentagon) that has part of the above-mentioned straight section. In this embodiment, the cross-section of the rachis section 32 perpendicular to the axial direction is the above-mentioned approximately semicircular shape.

[0031] For each of the multiple blades 3, the other end 322 of the rachis section 32 (i.e., the end 322 of the rachis section 32 opposite the end 321 where the vane section 31 is provided) is fixed in a ring shape to the base 2. In other words, tracing the locus of the fixing positions of the rachis section 32 of each of the multiple blades 3 on the base 2 results in a ring shape R. In Figure 1B, the ring shape R on the base 2 is indicated by a dashed line.

[0032] The base portion 2 and the end 322 of the rachis portion 32 can be fixed by any method. For example, the base portion 2 may have a fixing surface for fixing the end 322 of the rachis portion 32, and this fixing surface may be provided with a hole into which the end 322 of the rachis portion 32 is inserted. The end 322 of the rachis portion 32 may then be inserted into this hole and fixed via an adhesive.

[0033] The connecting ring 4 is an annular ring for connecting the rachis sections 32. As described above, in this embodiment, the badminton shuttlecock 1 is equipped with a first connecting ring 4a and a second connecting ring 4b as the connecting rings 4. Here, the axis connecting the center C1 of the ring shape R formed by the respective fixing positions of the multiple rachis sections 32 on the base section 2 and the center C2 of the first connecting ring 4a is defined as the shuttle axis A (see FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C).

[0034] The connecting ring 4 interconnects the rachis sections 32, thereby integrally connecting the multiple feathers 3 so that they spread out radially from the base section 2. Here, "the multiple feathers 3 spread out radially" means that the diameter of the ring shape formed by the multiple feathers 3 increases as the multiple feathers 3 move away from the base section 2 in the direction of the shuttlecock axis A. In other words, the badminton shuttlecock 1 is formed in a substantially conical shape with the base section 2 as its apex.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 1A, by shortening the distance L1 between the base portion 2 and the first connecting ring 4a in the direction of the shuttle axis A, the radial spread of the multiple blades 3 relative to the shuttle axis A can be increased.

[0036] The center C3 of the second connecting ring 4b is on the shuttle axis A. In other words, when the badminton shuttlecock 1 is viewed from the feather section 31 toward the base section 2, the center C1 of the ring shape R formed by the respective fixing positions of the multiple rachis sections 32 on the base section 2, the center C2 of the first connecting ring 4a, and the center C3 of the second connecting ring 4b substantially coincide on the shuttle axis A (see FIG. 1B ).

[0037] The center C3 of the second connecting ring 4b is at a different position on the shuttle axis A from the center C1 of the ring shape R formed by the fixed positions of the multiple rachis sections 32 on the base section 2, and the center C2 of the first connecting ring 4a. Specifically, the center C2 is located between centers C1 and C3 (see FIG. 1A ). Furthermore, the second connecting ring 4b connects the rachis sections 32 to each other at a position different from that of the first connecting ring 4a in the direction of the shuttle axis A, so that the shape of the badminton shuttlecock 1 in which the multiple feathers 3 are connected together so as to radiate out from the base section 2 is maintained by the first connecting ring 4a connecting the rachis sections 32 to each other.

[0038] The distance L2 between the first connecting ring 4a and the second connecting ring 4b in the direction of the shuttlecock axis A is set to an appropriate distance so that the first connecting ring 4a interconnects the rachis sections 32, thereby maintaining the shape of the badminton shuttlecock 1 in which the multiple feathers 3 are connected together so as to spread radially from the base section 2. Adjusting L2 may make it possible to adjust the radial spread of the multiple feathers 3 in the badminton shuttlecock 1.

[0039] In this embodiment, the second connecting ring 4b connects the rachis sections 32 to each other near where the vanes 31 are provided on the rachis sections 32. The first connecting ring 4a connects the rachis sections 32 to each other near the middle between the fixed positions of the multiple rachis sections 32 on the base section 2 and the positions where the rachis sections 32 are connected by the second connecting ring 4b.

[0040] Hereinafter, the configuration of the connection ring 4 in this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 2A and 2B. Note that the first connection ring 4a and the second connection ring 4b differ in details such as the diameter of the rings, but share a basic configuration. The same reference numerals are used to designate components common to the first connection ring 4a and the second connection ring 4b. Hereinafter, the configuration of the connection ring 4 will be described using the second connection ring 4b as an example. The fact that the first connection ring 4a and the second connection ring 4b share a basic configuration will be described later with reference to Figure 4.

[0041] The second connecting ring 4b can be formed from any material. Preferably, the second connecting ring 4b is made of resin. Examples of such resins include nylon resins such as nylon 12 and nylon 66, polypropylene (PP), polyacetal (POM), polyester-based resins, urethane-based elastomer resins, polyester-based elastomer resins, and styrene-based elastomer resins. Furthermore, to reinforce the second connecting ring 4b, a resin containing reinforcing fibers such as glass fiber, carbon fiber, cellulose fiber, and aramid fiber may be used. In this embodiment, the first connecting ring 4a and the second connecting ring 4b may be made of different materials.

[0042] The second connecting ring 4b has a thickness within a predetermined range in the direction of the shuttlecock axis A. The thickness can be set appropriately depending on the material used so that the second connecting ring 4b can withstand the impact and deformation when the badminton shuttlecock 1 is struck with a badminton racket. The second connecting ring 4b may also be flat and have a uniform thickness around its entire circumference.

[0043] The second connecting ring 4b has a plurality of insertion holes 41 around its entire circumference. A rachis section 32 is inserted into each of the plurality of insertion holes 41, and the second connecting ring 4b interconnects the rachis sections 32 to integrally connect the plurality of feathers 3 so that they radiate from the base section 2. The second connecting ring 4b is provided with a plurality of insertion holes 41 of the same number and shape as the plurality of feathers 3 used in the badminton shuttlecock 1. The shape of each of the plurality of insertion holes 41 may be formed to fit the cross-sectional shape of the rachis section 32 perpendicular to the axial direction. Note that in Figures 2A and 2B, reference symbols are assigned to three representative insertion holes 41.

[0044] An adhesive may be used when connecting the rachis sections 32 with the second connecting ring 4b. Specifically, the adhesive may be applied to the inner wall section 412 of the connecting ring 4 and brought into contact with the rachis sections 32. The inner wall section 412 is the section that constitutes the inner wall of each of the multiple insertion holes 41. The adhesive may be a cyanoacrylate adhesive, an epoxy resin adhesive, a silicone adhesive, a vinyl acetate adhesive, a UV adhesive, or the like, but is not limited to these.

[0045] Each of the multiple insertion holes 41 has a positioning surface 411 for positioning the rachis section 32 in the rotational direction around its axis. The positioning surface 411 is formed as a flat surface on part of the inner wall 412 of each insertion hole 41. In the following description, the direction in which the rachis section 32 is inserted into the second connecting ring 4b is referred to as the front. In this embodiment, the positioning surface 411 is formed as a surface that appears linear in a front view (see FIG. 2A ). When the rachis section 32 is inserted into each of the multiple insertion holes 41, the rachis section 32, at least part of whose outer shape has a linear portion, comes into surface contact with the positioning surface 411 in a cross section perpendicular to the axial direction of the rachis section 32. This suppresses rotation of the rachis section 32 around its axis.

[0046] In this embodiment, the positioning surface 411 is provided on the inner peripheral side IS of the second connection ring 4b, which is closer to the center C3 (i.e., the inner peripheral side IS), and on the side farther from the center C3 of the second connection ring 4b (i.e., the outer peripheral side OS) (see FIGS. 2A and 2B ). However, the positioning surface 411 may be provided on the outer peripheral side OS of the second connection ring 4b.

[0047] Hereinafter, explanation will be made using FIG. 3 in addition to FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B . In each of the multiple insertion holes 41, the positioning surfaces 411 are formed so that the angles (e.g., θ1, θ2, θ3) formed between the positioning surfaces 411 and a line connecting the center C3 of the second connecting ring 4b and the midpoint (e.g., M1, M2, M3) of the positioning surfaces 411 in each of the multiple insertion holes 41 are the same (see FIG. 3 ). Positioning of the rachis section 32 in the rotational direction around the axis can determine the relative positions of the feathers 31 in each of the multiple feathers 3. For example, in a side view of the badminton shuttlecock 1 ( FIG. 1A ), adjacent feathers 31 in the multiple feathers 31 may or may not overlap. Here, "overlapping feathers 31" may mean that adjacent feathers 31 that appear to overlap in a side view of the badminton shuttlecock 1 are in contact with each other. Alternatively, "the feathers 31 overlap" may mean that adjacent feathers 31 do not touch each other, although they appear to overlap in a side view of the badminton shuttlecock 1. In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 1C in addition to Fig. 1A, adjacent feathers 31 do not touch each other, although they appear to overlap in a side view of the badminton shuttlecock 1.

[0048] In addition, in this embodiment, the blade portions 31 of adjacent blades 3 partially overlap each other, and when the badminton shuttlecock 1 is viewed from the blade portion 31 in the direction of the base portion 2, the shape of the blade portion 31 is approximately circular (see Figure 1B).

[0049] The second connecting ring 4b has a plurality of through holes 42 around its entire circumference. In this embodiment, the second connecting ring 4b has a plurality of insertion holes 41 and a plurality of through holes 42 alternately arranged around its entire circumference. In Figures 2A and 2B, reference symbols are assigned to three representative through holes 42.

[0050] The multiple through holes 42 may have any shape. For example, the multiple through holes 42 may be circular, such as a perfect circle or an ellipse, or may be polygonal, such as a triangle, a rectangle, or a pentagon. If the multiple through holes 42 are polygonal, it is preferable that each corner is rounded. In this embodiment, the multiple through holes 42 are substantially triangular in shape with rounded corners. The second connecting ring 4b may deform due to the impact when the badminton shuttlecock 1 is struck with a badminton racket.

[0051] As described above, the first connecting ring 4a and the second connecting ring 4b have different details such as ring diameter, but have a common basic configuration.

[0052] For example, Figure 4 shows a front view of the badminton shuttlecock 1 of this embodiment, viewed from the vane section 31 toward the base section 2, with the base section 2 and multiple feathers removed. At the positions in the rachis section 32 where the rachis section 32 is connected by the first connecting ring 4a and the second connecting ring 4b, the cross-section perpendicular to the axial direction of the rachis section 32 has the same shape and size. Therefore, between the first connecting ring 4a and the second connecting ring 4b, each of the multiple insertion holes 41 has the same shape and size (see Figure 4). Of course, depending on the cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the axial direction of the rachis section 32, the multiple insertion holes 41 in the first connecting ring 4a and the second connecting ring 4b may have different shapes or sizes.

[0053] The through holes 42 have different shapes and sizes between the first connecting ring 4 a and the second connecting ring 4 b (see FIG. 4 ). However, the through holes 42 may have the same shape and size between the first connecting ring 4 a and the second connecting ring 4 b.

[0054] The other configurations (for example, the positioning surface 411, etc.) of the first connecting ring 4a and the second connecting ring 4b are common to each other, but may be modified as appropriate.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 5, each of the multiple insertion holes 41 has an extension 413 configured to be thicker in the direction of the shuttle axis A than other parts of the contact portion, in part of the contact portion with the rachis section 32 on the inner wall 412 of the insertion hole 41, in order to allow the rachis section 32 to come into contact.

[0056] Here, the contact portion refers to, for example, a portion of the inner wall 412 that comes into direct contact with the rachis section 32 so that the position of the rachis section 32 is maintained by friction. However, the contact portion may also be, for example, a portion of the inner wall 412 that comes into contact with the rachis section 32 via an adhesive. Alternatively, the contact portion may be, for example, a portion of the inner wall 412 that comes into contact with the rachis section 32 only after the second connecting ring 4b is deformed when the badminton shuttlecock 1 is hit.

[0057] The extensions 413 may be configured to increase in thickness in the insertion direction of the feathers 3, which are configured to spread radially from the base portion 2 (see FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C) when the rachis portion 32 is inserted into the insertion hole 41. Here, the "insertion direction of the feathers 3" refers, as an example, to the direction shown as axis B for the feather 3 located at the bottom among the multiple feathers 3 of the badminton shuttlecock 1 in FIG. 1A.

[0058] 5, the extending portion 413 may be configured such that a rectangular parallelepiped extending portion 413 is attached to the inner wall portion 412 of the insertion hole 41. In this case, the extending portion 413 and the inner wall portion 412 form a step inside the insertion hole 41. However, the extending portion 413 is not limited to such a configuration, and may be configured such that the inner wall portion 412 extends in the direction of the shuttle axis A, and the extending portion 413 and the inner wall portion 412 are continuous without any step. Furthermore, the positioning surface 411 may be extended in the direction of the shuttle axis A to function as the extending portion 413.

[0059] In this embodiment, two extension portions 413 are provided in each of the multiple insertion holes 41, and in each of the multiple insertion holes 41, the two extension portions 413 are provided in positions facing each other on the inner wall portion 412. Specifically, in a front view of the second connecting ring 4b, the two extension portions 413 are provided at both ends of the positioning surface 411 so as to be approximately perpendicular to the positioning surface 411 and so as to face each other. In addition to the positioning surface 411, the extension portions 413 arranged at both ends of the positioning surface 411 can further suppress rotation around the axis of the rachis section 32 in surface contact with the positioning surface 411. This can make it even easier to position the rachis section 32 in the rotational direction around the axis.

[0060] It should be noted that each of the plurality of insertion holes 41 may be provided with one or more extension portions 413 .

[0061] 3 , the inner peripheral end 43 of the second connecting ring 4b is configured so that widths L3 and L4 between a portion 431 (hereinafter referred to as the first portion 431) facing the positioning surface 411 and the positioning surface 411 are substantially constant. Specifically, the first portion 431 has a portion configured to extend substantially parallel to the positioning surface 411 while maintaining a substantially constant distance from the positioning surface 411. In this embodiment, the first portion 431 refers to a portion of the inner peripheral end 43 sandwiched between intersections D3 and D4 of perpendicular lines P1 and P2 drawn from both ends D1 and D2 of the positioning surface 411 of each of the multiple insertion holes 41 to the inner peripheral end 43.

[0062] Furthermore, widths L5 and L6 between a portion 432 (hereinafter referred to as the second portion 432) facing the edge portions 421 of the through holes 42 at the inner peripheral end portion 43 of the second connecting ring 4b and the edge portions 421 are configured to be approximately constant relative to the edge portions 421 of the multiple through holes 42 on the inner peripheral side IS of the second connecting ring 4b. Specifically, the second portion 432 has a portion configured to extend approximately parallel to the edge portions 421 of the inner peripheral side IS of the through holes 42 while maintaining an approximately constant distance from the edge portions 421, within a range that does not change the widths L3 and L4 between the first portion 431 and the positioning surface 411. In this embodiment, the second portion 432 refers to a portion of the inner peripheral end 43 on the inner peripheral side IS of the second connecting ring 4b, which is sandwiched between the intersections D7 and D8 of perpendicular lines P3 and P4 drawn from any two points D5 and D6 on the edge 421 of each of the multiple through holes 42 to the inner peripheral end 43.

[0063] The widths L3 and L4 between the first portion 431 and the positioning surface 411, and the widths L5 and L6 between the second portion 432 and the edge 421 can be set appropriately depending on the material of the second connecting ring 4b used. If these widths L3, L4, L5, and L6 are too wide, air resistance will increase when the badminton shuttlecock 1 is launched, and it may not be possible to achieve appropriate flight performance. On the other hand, if these widths L3, L4, L5, and L6 are too narrow, the second connecting ring 4b may be damaged.

[0064] In this embodiment, the widths L3 and L4 of the first portion 431 are the same as those of the positioning surface 411. Furthermore, the widths L5 and L6 of the second portion 432 are the same as those of the edge portion 421 of the through-hole 42.

[0065] It is also possible that the widths L3 and L4 between the first portion 431 and the positioning surface 411 and / or the widths L5 and L6 between the second portion 432 and the edge 421 of the through-hole 42 are different. For example, a modification of this embodiment is disclosed in FIG. 6 .

[0066] In this modification, the widths L3 and L4 of the first portion 431 and the positioning surface 411 are different, with the width L4 being narrower than the width L3. Furthermore, the widths L5 and L6 of the second portion 432 and the edge 421 of the through-hole 42 are different, with the width L6 being narrower than the width L5.

[0067] In this way, if there are areas where the width is locally narrow, such as widths L4 and L6, stress will be concentrated at those areas when the badminton shuttlecock 1 is deformed, which may lead to breakage.

[0068] If the first portion 431 and the second portion 432 at the inner peripheral end portion 43 are extended and connected, and if a similar design is applied to all of the multiple insertion holes 41 and multiple through holes 42 in the second connecting ring 4b, the shape of the inner peripheral end portion 43 will be a star-shaped polygon 433 (see Figure 2A).

[0069] In this embodiment, when viewed as a whole, the second connecting ring 4b may form a rigid frame bridge. This can increase the rigidity of the second connecting ring 4b even when the second connecting ring 4b is made of synthetic resin. Furthermore, even when a badminton shuttlecock 1 having the second connecting ring 4b is hit with a badminton racket, breakage of the second connecting ring 4b is suppressed, and the multiple shuttlecocks 3 in the badminton shuttlecock 1 can be kept firmly held together.

[0070] In this embodiment, the second connection ring 4b may be formed by injection molding. Alternatively, the second connection ring 4b may be formed by cutting out the shape of the second connection ring 4b according to this embodiment from a single flat plate.

[0071] [2. Effects] According to the embodiment described above in detail, the following effects are achieved.

[0072] (2a) The multiple insertion holes 41 provided in the second connecting ring 4b have positioning surfaces 411 for positioning the rachis sections 32 in the direction of rotation about the axis. With this configuration, when the connecting ring 4 connects the rachis sections 32 to each other, the rachis sections 32 come into contact with the positioning surfaces 411, which are used to position the rachis sections 32 in the direction of rotation about the axis, in the multiple insertion holes 41 of the connecting ring 4. Specifically, in a cross section perpendicular to the axial direction of the rachis sections 32, the rachis sections 32, which have a linear portion in at least part of their outer shape, come into surface contact with the positioning surfaces 411. This suppresses rotation of the rachis sections 32 about the axis. This makes it easier to position the rachis sections 32 in the direction of rotation about the axis.

[0073] Furthermore, the badminton shuttlecock 1 includes a first connecting ring 4a in addition to the second connecting ring 4b. The positioning surfaces 411 of the first connecting ring 4a and the second connecting ring 4b enable positioning of the rachis section 32 in the direction of rotation about the axis, making this positioning more suitable. Furthermore, by having the first connecting ring 4a and the second connecting ring 4b connect the rachis sections 32 to each other, the multiple feathers 3 in the badminton shuttlecock 1 can be connected more stably and firmly in the direction of radial expansion of the multiple feathers 3.

[0074] (2b) The second connecting ring 4b has a plurality of through holes 42 formed in the circumferential direction, and the plurality of insertion holes 41 and the plurality of through holes 42 are arranged alternately in the circumferential direction. With this configuration, the second connecting ring 4b is hollowed out by providing the plurality of through holes 42 in the second connecting ring 4b. This reduces the weight of the second connecting ring 4b.

[0075] The second connecting ring 4b may form a rigid frame bridge when viewed as a whole. This can increase the rigidity of the second connecting ring 4b even when the second connecting ring 4b is made of synthetic resin. Furthermore, even when a badminton shuttlecock 1 having the second connecting ring 4b is hit with a badminton racket, breakage of the second connecting ring 4b is suppressed, and the multiple shuttlecocks 3 of the badminton shuttlecock 1 can be kept firmly held together.

[0076] (2c) Each of the multiple insertion holes 41 has an extension 413 that is thicker in the direction of the shuttle axis A than other parts of the contact part of the inner wall 412 of the insertion hole 41 with the rachis section 32 in order to allow the rachis section 32 to come into contact. With this configuration, when the second connecting ring 4b connects the rachis sections 32 to each other, the rachis sections 32 come into contact with the extension 413 of the second connecting ring 4b. Therefore, the contact area between the second connecting ring 4b and the rachis section 32 is increased compared to when the extension 413 is not provided. This suppresses rotation of the rachis section 32 around its axis, and makes it possible to suitably position the rachis section 32 in the rotational direction around its axis.

[0077] Furthermore, in a front view of the second connecting ring 4b, the extension portion 413 is provided so as to be approximately perpendicular to the positioning surface 411. Therefore, in addition to the positioning surface 411, the extension portion 413, which is provided so as to be approximately perpendicular to the positioning surface 411, can further suppress rotation around the axis of the rachis section 32 that is in surface contact with the positioning surface 411. This can make it even easier to position the rachis section 32 in the rotational direction around the axis.

[0078] Furthermore, when adhesive is used to connect the rachis sections 32 with the second connecting ring 4b, applying the adhesive to the extensions 413 increases the area to which the adhesive is applied in the direction of the shuttle axis A compared to when the extensions 413 are not provided. This increases the adhesive strength. This allows the rachis sections 32 to be connected more firmly with the second connecting ring 4b.

[0079] When the rachis sections 32 are connected to each other by thread, adhesive is used, and the entire thread needs to be soaked in the adhesive to increase the hardness of the thread. This requires the use of a larger amount of adhesive, which can result in a longer drying time. However, with the configuration of this embodiment, adhesive only needs to be applied to at least the necessary portions of the second connecting ring 4b (i.e., the contact portion between the rachis section 32 and the inner wall portion 412 of the insertion hole 41, and the extension portion 413). This allows for a smaller amount of adhesive to be used than with thread, and as a result, the drying time of the adhesive can be shortened. This prevents the weight of the badminton shuttlecock 1 from increasing due to the increased amount of adhesive.

[0080] (2d) Each of the multiple insertion holes 41 has multiple extensions 413, and in each of the multiple insertion holes 41, the multiple extensions 413 are provided at positions facing each other on the inner wall 412. With this configuration, the rachis section 32 is sandwiched between the extensions 413 of the second connecting ring 4b and comes into contact with each of the extensions 413. This further increases the contact area between the second connecting ring 4b and the rachis section 32, making it possible to preferably position the rachis section 32 in the rotational direction around its axis.

[0081] Furthermore, in a front view of the second connecting ring 4b, each of the two extension portions 413 is provided at both ends of the positioning surface 411 so as to be approximately perpendicular to the positioning surface 411, and the two extension portions 413 face each other. Therefore, in addition to the positioning surface 411, the extension portions 413 arranged at both ends of the positioning surface 411 can further suppress rotation around the axis of the rachis section 32 in surface contact with the positioning surface 411. This can make it even easier to position the rachis section 32 in the rotational direction around the axis.

[0082] (2e) The positioning surfaces 411 of the multiple insertion holes 41 are provided on the inner circumferential side IS of the second connecting ring 4b. The widths L3 and L4 between the first portion 431 at the inner circumferential end 43 and the positioning surface 411 are configured to be approximately constant. Furthermore, the widths L5 and L6 between the second portion 432 at the inner circumferential end 43 and the edge 421 of the through hole 42 are configured to be approximately constant. This configuration reduces the amount of material required to mold the second connecting ring 4b compared to a second connecting ring 4b in which the widths L3 and L4 between the first portion 431 at the inner circumferential end 43 and the positioning surface 411 exceed a substantially constant width and / or the widths L5 and L6 between the second portion 432 at the inner circumferential end 43 and the edge 421 of the through hole 42 exceed a substantially constant width. This allows for a reduction in the weight of the second connecting ring 4b.

[0083] Furthermore, there are no locally narrowed widths L3, L4 between the first portion 431 at the inner circumferential end 43 and the positioning surface 411, and widths L5, L6 between the second portion 432 at the inner circumferential end 43 and the edge 421 of the through hole 42. This prevents damage or tearing of the second connecting ring 4b when the badminton shuttlecock 1 is struck, etc. This can improve the durability of the badminton shuttlecock 1.

[0084] (2f) The badminton shuttlecock 1 has a first connecting ring 4a and a second connecting ring 4b, and the multiple insertion holes 41 provided in the connecting ring 4 have positioning surfaces 411 for positioning the rachis section 32 in the rotational direction about its axis. With this configuration, it is possible to obtain a badminton shuttlecock 1 that can be easily positioned in the rotational direction about its axis of the rachis section 32.

[0085] (2g) Furthermore, the center C3 of the second connecting ring 4b is at a different position on the shuttle axis A from the center C1 of the ring shape R formed by the fixed positions of the multiple rachis sections 32 on the base section 2, and the center C3 of the first connecting ring 4a. The second connecting ring 4b connects the rachis sections 32 to each other at a different position from the first connecting ring 4a in the direction of the shuttle axis A, so that the shape of the badminton shuttlecock 1 in which the multiple feathers 3 are connected together so as to spread radially from the base section 2 is maintained by the first connecting ring 4a connecting the rachis sections 32 to each other. With this configuration, it is possible to obtain a badminton shuttlecock 1 in which the rachis sections 32 are easily positioned in the rotational direction around the axis, and in which the multiple feathers 3 can be connected more stably and firmly in the radial spreading direction of the multiple feathers 3.

[0086] [3. Other Embodiments] In the first embodiment, a configuration with two connecting rings 4 is exemplified, but the number of connecting rings 4 may be one, or three or more. When multiple connecting rings 4 are used, the multiple connecting rings 4 may have a common configuration, or different configurations. For example, it is desirable that the shapes and sizes of the multiple insertion holes 41 among the multiple connecting rings 4 be the same, depending on the cross-sectional shapes perpendicular to the axial direction of the rachis sections 32 of the multiple blades 3 used. On the other hand, other configurations may be different among the multiple connecting rings 4. Furthermore, the multiple connecting rings 4 may be made of different materials.

[0087] In the first embodiment, the second connecting ring 4b is provided with a plurality of through holes 42 around its entire circumference, but for example, the plurality of through holes 42 may be provided in a portion of the circumference of the connecting ring 4. Also, at least one plurality of through holes 42 may be provided. Furthermore, in the connecting ring 4, the plurality of through holes 42 do not have to be arranged alternately with the plurality of through holes 42. For example, there may be no through holes 42 between adjacent insertion holes 41, or there may be a plurality of through holes 42.

[0088] In the first embodiment, the rachis section 32, which has a linear portion in at least part of its outer shape in a cross section perpendicular to the axial direction of the rachis section 32, comes into surface contact with the positioning surface 411, which is formed as a surface that appears linear in a front view of the second connecting ring 4b. This suppresses rotation of the rachis section 32 around its axis, making it easy to position the rachis section 32 in the direction of rotation around its axis. However, the method for positioning the rachis section 32 in the direction of rotation around its axis is not limited to this method. For example, the positioning surface 411 may have a recessed portion in a front view of the second connecting ring 4b. Also, the rachis section 32 may have a protruding portion in at least part of its outer shape in a cross section perpendicular to the axial direction. Then, when the rachis section 32 is inserted into each of the multiple insertion holes 41, the recessed portion in the positioning surface 411 may engage with the protruding portion in the rachis section 32. This suppresses rotation of the rachis section 32 around its axis. Note that the concave-convex relationship between the positioning surface 411 and the rachis section 32 may be reversed. That is, in a front view of the second connecting ring 4b, the positioning surface 411 may have a convex portion, and the rachis section 32 may have a concave portion in at least a part of its outer shape in a cross section perpendicular to the axial direction.

[0089] In the above embodiments, multiple functions of one component may be realized by multiple components, or one function of one component may be realized by multiple components. Furthermore, multiple functions of multiple components may be realized by one component, or one function realized by multiple components may be realized by one component. Furthermore, part of the configuration of the above embodiments may be omitted. Furthermore, at least part of the configuration of the above embodiments may be added to or substituted for the configuration of another of the above embodiments.

Claims

1. A connecting ring for a badminton shuttlecock, wherein the badminton shuttlecock comprises a base portion and a number of feathers, each of the multiple feathers having a feather portion and a rachis portion, the multiple rachis portions having the feather portion at one end and the other end fixed in an annular shape to the base portion, the connecting ring is annular and has a number of insertion holes formed in the circumferential direction, the rachis portions are inserted into each of the multiple insertion holes, and the connecting ring connects the rachis portions to each other to integrally connect the multiple feathers so that they spread radially from the base portion, the shuttle axis is an axis connecting the center of the ring shape formed by the fixing positions of the multiple rachis portions on the base portion and the center of the connecting ring, and the connecting ring has a thickness within a predetermined range in the direction of the shuttle axis around its entire circumference, and the multiple insertion holes have positioning surfaces for positioning the rachis portions in the rotational direction around the axis.

2. The connecting ring according to claim 1, wherein the connecting ring has a plurality of through holes formed in the circumferential direction, and the plurality of insertion holes and the plurality of through holes are provided alternately in the circumferential direction.

3. A connecting ring as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein each of the plurality of insertion holes has an extension portion in a part of the contact portion with the rachis portion on the inner wall portion of the insertion hole, the extension portion being thicker in the direction of the shuttle shaft than other portions of the contact portion in order to bring the rachis portion into contact.

4. A connecting ring as described in claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of insertion holes has a plurality of the extension portions, and in each of the plurality of insertion holes, the plurality of extension portions are provided at positions opposing each other on the inner wall portion.

5. A connecting ring as described in claim 2, wherein the positioning surfaces of the multiple insertion holes are provided on the inner peripheral side of the connecting ring, and the width between the positioning surface and a portion of the inner peripheral end of the connecting ring that faces the positioning surface is configured to be approximately constant, and the width between the edge of the multiple through holes on the inner peripheral side of the connecting ring and a portion of the inner peripheral end of the connecting ring that faces the edge is configured to be approximately constant.

6. A badminton shuttlecock comprising a base portion, a plurality of feathers, and a first connecting ring, each of the plurality of feathers having a feather portion and a rachis portion, the plurality of rachis portions having the feather portion at one end and the other end fixed in an annular shape to the base portion, the first connecting ring is annular and has a plurality of insertion holes formed in the circumferential direction, the rachis portions are inserted into each of the plurality of insertion holes, and the first connecting ring connects the rachis portions to each other, thereby connecting the plurality of feathers together so that the plurality of feathers spread radially from the base portion, the shuttle axis is an axis connecting the center of the ring shape formed by the fixing positions of the plurality of rachis portions on the base portion and the center of the first connecting ring, and the first connecting ring has a thickness within a predetermined range in the direction of the shuttle axis over its entire circumference, and the plurality of insertion holes have positioning surfaces for positioning the rachis portions in the rotational direction around the axis.

7. The badminton shuttlecock according to claim 6, further comprising a second connecting ring in addition to the first connecting ring, wherein the second connecting ring is annular and has a plurality of insertion holes formed in the circumferential direction, and the rachis sections are inserted into each of the plurality of insertion holes, and the first connecting ring connects the rachis sections to each other, thereby connecting the multiple feathers together, and the second connecting ring has a thickness within a predetermined range over the entire circumference in the direction of the shuttle axis, and the center of the second connecting ring is at a different position on the shuttle axis from the center of the ring shape formed by the fixing positions of the multiple rachis sections on the base section and the center of the first connecting ring, and the second connecting ring connects the rachis sections to each other at a position different from that of the first connecting ring in the direction of the shuttle axis so as to maintain the shape of the badminton shuttlecock in which the multiple feathers are connected together so that they radiate out from the base section.

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