Games using tangible projectile – Player held and powered – nonmechanical projector – per se,... – Racket or paddle; accessory therefor
Patent
1997-09-25
1999-04-06
Stoll, William E.
Games using tangible projectile
Player held and powered, nonmechanical projector, per se,...
Racket or paddle; accessory therefor
A63B 4902
Patent
active
058909788
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a racket for ball games, in particular a tennis or squash racket, comprising a frame forming a racket head and a racket handle, and a stringing formed by intersecting lengths of string attached to a frame part constituting the racket head, in which, for the purpose of fastening the strings, the lengths of string are passed through openings in the frame part, and from the frame inside to the frame outside in an element taking support on the frame part, and through further openings in the frame part, and from the frame outside to the frame inside in an element taking support in the frame part, and in which for at least one length of string at least one string fastening structure is configured in such a fashion that this particular length of string is movable on the frame inside in a direction perpendicular to the plane formed by the stringing.
A racket of the type initially referred to is known from DE 42 03 682 A1. In this known racket, the element serving as a string fastening means is configured as a sleeve manufactured from a rubber-like material and inserted into the two openings in the frame part such as to rest with a bridge-type widened section thereof against the frame outside, while its sleeve-type section which tightly encloses the threaded-through portion of the string is snugly received within the opening provided in the frame outside. The opening in the frame inside is configured as an elongated hole extending normal to the plane of the stringing, thereby enabling the sleeve, together with the string length, to deflect in the area of this opening into a direction perpendicular to the plane of the stringing. Owing to the possibility of motion of part of the stringing on the frame inside thus provided, an increase in the effective impact area is accomplished, because the length of movement of the stringing is increased by the distance between the frame inside and the frame outside. Further, an improved playing comfort and damping action is claimed to be realizable
Still further, for the purpose of damping the ball impact effect, it is known to pass the eight central longitudinal strings of the stringing of a tennis racket through a plastic core carried in a vibration-damping material on the yoke of the frame part constituting the racket head. This arrangement does not, however, provide for movability of the longitudinal strings on the frame inside.
OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to improve upon the playing properties of a racket of the type initially referred to and to enable the playing properties to be adapted for a variety of more specific requirements.
According to the present invention, this object is accomplished in that at least one dimensionally stable element encompassing the movable string length in the manner of a sleeve is mounted so as to be movable within limits relative to the frame part in a radial direction to the longitudinal axis of the string length and bears against a member arranged in a recess in the frame part and made of an elastomeric material that is deformable by a movement of the element.
In the racket of the present invention, at least one, but preferably a plurality of string fastening structures is configured such that the individual string lengths, under the action of a ball striking the stringing of the racket, are capable of executing a sufficient movement on the frame inside, with the order of magnitude of this movement as well as of the ensuing counter-movement being controlled by the elastomeric member. In this manner, the dynamic response of the stringing can be significantly improved by means of the elastic member in the sense of an improvement of the playing properties, particularly with respect to ball control, in addition to enabling the vibration response of the strings to be influenced in a lasting way by coupling the movable elements to the elastomeric member in the sense of a reduction of the load exerted on the arm and an improvement of the playin
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patent: 5368297 (1994-11-01), Liu
patent: 5516100 (1996-05-01), Natsume
Emig Uwe
Gramlich Markus
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