Padel Racket Curved-Rib Frame for Power and Vibration Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing padel rackets lack the ability to increase striking force, improve ball handling and precision, reduce vibrations, and enhance durability while maintaining consistent playability.
Innovation Solution
A padel racket design featuring a frame with curved ribs that store and transfer energy progressively, aligned with a longitudinal axis, allowing for improved energy transfer and reduced vibrations, and optimized mass distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If straight ribs are used in the frame, then the frame structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the energy storage and transfer capability is limited, resulting in lower ball speed and striking force
Solution Approach 1:
The ribs in the frame are designed with curved geometry instead of straight lines. Each rib features an intermediate point that is offset from the line connecting its endpoints, creating a curved profile that progressively stores and releases energy during ball impact. This curvature enables the frame to act as an energy accumulator, transforming the simple support structure into an active power-generating component that increases ball speed and striking force.
Solution Approach 2:
The rib geometry parameters are optimized to achieve progressive energy storage. The offset distance of the intermediate point, the radius of curvature, and the distribution of rib thickness are carefully controlled to ensure that the ribs bend and store energy progressively during impact. This parameter optimization allows the frame structure to maximize energy return while maintaining manufacturing feasibility.
2Speed
If the frame is made more elastic to store energy, then ball speed increases, but vibration control becomes more difficult, potentially causing injuries and reducing racket durability
Solution Approach 1:
The curved geometry of the ribs provides progressive energy storage and release, which naturally dampens vibrations. As the ribs bend during impact, their curved profile distributes the deformation along the length of each rib, preventing sudden energy release and reducing vibration amplitude. This geometric design allows the frame to be elastic enough for high ball speed while inherently controlling harmful vibrations.
Solution Approach 2:
The frame is constructed using composite materials that combine high elasticity for energy storage with vibration-damping properties. These composite materials enable the ribs to flex and store energy effectively while simultaneously absorbing and dissipating vibrational energy, preventing vibration-induced injuries and improving racket durability.
3Power
If curved ribs with offset intermediate points are used, then energy storage and progressive release is achieved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The curved rib design incorporates specific geometric relationships that can be precisely defined and controlled during manufacturing. The offset distance of the intermediate point and the radius of curvature are established as fixed parameters in the design, allowing for consistent reproduction through modern manufacturing processes such as CNC machining or composite molding. These geometric parameters are optimized to achieve the desired energy storage while remaining within achievable manufacturing tolerances.
4Power
If multiple ribs are added to the frame, then energy storage capacity increases, but the racket weight increases, affecting maneuverability
Solution Approach 1:
The curved geometry of each rib maximizes its energy storage efficiency, allowing fewer ribs to achieve the same total energy capacity as many straight ribs would provide. The progressive bending action of curved ribs creates more effective energy accumulation per unit of material, reducing the overall amount of material needed in the rib structure while maintaining or enhancing energy storage capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The ribs are strategically positioned and dimensioned to provide energy storage capacity where most needed during ball impact. The intermediate points of the ribs are offset to optimize the energy storage zone, and the rib thickness and spacing are locally adjusted to achieve uniform energy distribution. This localized optimization ensures maximum energy storage with minimum material usage, controlling racket weight.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The racket achieves higher ball speed with less effort, increased ball control, reduced vibrations, and enhanced durability, providing consistent playability and improved precision.
Implementation Method 1
the energy that is stored into the frame upon hit and transferred back into the ball upon release... the curved ribs of the present invention make the frame more elastic in response to an applied strike force
Implementation Method 2
reduces vibrations compared to existing padel rackets, thereby reducing sounds upon impact, reducing vibration induced injuries
Data Source
Figure 1a~1c
Figure 2a~3
Figure 4a~4e
AI summary
The padel racket (100) according to the present invention comprises a striking portion (110), a handle (120), and an intermediate portion (130) joining the striking portion (110) and the handle (120). The padel racket (100) has a midplane (MP) and a longitudinal axis (A), which is aligned with the longitudinal centreline of the handle (120), and which extends through the midplane (MP). The striking portion (110) comprises a central element (111) and a frame (112), the central element (111) comprising a first ball striking surface (115) extending in a first plane (P1) and a second ball striking surface (116) extending in a second plane (P2). The frame (112) surrounds the central element (111) along the periphery of the first ball striking surface (115) and the periphery of the second ball striking surface (116). The frame comprises a plurality of ribs arranged transversally to the midplane, wherein each rib (114) is curved and extends from a first end point (150, 150', 150'' ) in direct connection with or adjacent to the first plane (P1) to a second end point (151, 151', 151'') in direct connection with or adjacent to the second plane (P2) via an intermediate point (152), the intermediate point (152) being located on a line (L) defined by the intersection of the midplane (MP) and the external surface of the frame (112) at an offset distance (d) from a centre point (CP) on the line (L), wherein the centre point (CP) is the point on the line (L) having the shortest possible distance to each of the first end point (150, 150', 150'') and the second end point (151, 151', 151''), respectively.