EP3305376A1 - Racket - Google Patents
Racket Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP3305376A1 EP3305376A1 EP16803471.8A EP16803471A EP3305376A1 EP 3305376 A1 EP3305376 A1 EP 3305376A1 EP 16803471 A EP16803471 A EP 16803471A EP 3305376 A1 EP3305376 A1 EP 3305376A1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- colored portion
- frame
- racket
- colored
- shaft
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
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Classifications
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B49/00—Stringed rackets, e.g. for tennis
- A63B49/02—Frames
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B60/00—Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
- A63B60/06—Handles
- A63B60/10—Handles with means for indicating correct holding positions
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B71/00—Games or sports accessories not covered in groups A63B1/00 - A63B69/00
- A63B71/06—Indicating or scoring devices for games or players, or for other sports activities
- A63B2071/0694—Visual indication, e.g. Indicia
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B2102/00—Application of clubs, bats, rackets or the like to the sporting activity ; particular sports involving the use of balls and clubs, bats, rackets, or the like
- A63B2102/02—Tennis
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B2102/00—Application of clubs, bats, rackets or the like to the sporting activity ; particular sports involving the use of balls and clubs, bats, rackets, or the like
- A63B2102/04—Badminton
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B2209/00—Characteristics of used materials
- A63B2209/02—Characteristics of used materials with reinforcing fibres, e.g. carbon, polyamide fibres
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a racket capable of hitting a ball or a shuttlecock with a hitting surface of the racket.
- racket sports such as badminton, tennis and squash
- players play the game by hitting a ball (or a shuttlecock) by swinging racket.
- the racket is provided with a frame formed in a loop shape, and strings are stretched across the inside of the frame to form the hitting surface (face) of the racket (see Patent Literature 1).
- Patent Literature 1 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2015-8890
- the frames and shafts of conventional rackets are made in a variety of exterior designs with different decorative markings, patterns, coloration, etc. ; however, it is generally the case that the overall design and appearance remain uniform as viewing angle changes.
- design preferences can vary according to the changing season, his or her physical condition, etc. Accordingly, to meet a variety of tastes and preferences, there has conventionally been a problem that the burden of preparing rackets with different designs according to the player's preferences arises.
- the present invention has been made in view of the actual situation as described above, and an object of the present invention is to provide a racket capable of easily presenting different design appearances.
- a racket according to the present invention is characterized in that it includes a frame which extends annularly, a grip, a shaft which connects the frame and the grip to each other, and a string which is stretched across the frame to form a hitting surface on both sides of the frame, that at least one of the frame and the shaft includes a first colored portion and a second colored portion, and that, as the racket is viewed from a certain angle in a direction nonparallel and non-orthogonal to the hitting surface, the first colored portion appears visible while the second colored portion is hidden from view, wherein flipping the hitting surface from this state causes the second colored portion to appear visible and causes the first colored portion to be hidden from view.
- one and the other of the first colored portion and the second colored portion can be made to appear and disappear by changing his or her grip, which makes it possible for a single racket to present two different types of design appearances easily.
- This makes it possible to greatly change the appearance or impression of the racket as viewed from the player's side, thus making it possible for the racket to accommodate the player's preferences for design even if they vary according to his or her physical condition, the surroundings, etc.
- the first colored portion and the second colored portion be provided on the shaft, and that, as the hitting surface is viewed from a direction orthogonal to the hitting surface, one of the first colored portion and the second colored portion be provided on one side of the position of the axis of the shaft, while the other of the first colored portion and the second colored portion be provided on another side of the position of the axis of the shaft.
- first colored portion and the second colored portion be provided on the outer side of the frame, and that, as the hitting surface is viewed from a direction orthogonal to the hitting surface, one of the first colored portion and the second colored portion be provided on one side of the shaft, while the other of the first colored portion and the second colored portion be provided on another side of the position of the axis of the shaft.
- first colored portion and the second colored portion be provided on the inner side of the frame, and that, as the hitting surface is viewed from a direction orthogonal to the hitting surface, one of the first colored portion and the second colored portion be provided on another side of the shaft, while the other of the first colored portion and the second colored portion be provided on one side of the position of the axis of the shaft.
- the first colored portion and the second colored portion can be provided at various positions, which makes it possible to increase the number of design variations.
- the present invention when the racket is viewed from a certain angle, the first colored portion and the second colored portion appear and disappear as the hitting surface is flipped from front to back and vice-versa, which makes it possible for a single racket to present different design appearances easily.
- FIG. 1 shows external views of a badminton racket according to an embodiment of the present invention
- FIG. 1A is a back elevational view of the badminton racket
- FIG. 1B is a side elevational view of the badminton racket.
- the structure is not partially shown for the purpose of illustration.
- a badminton racket (referred to as "racket” in the following descriptions) 10 is provided with a grip 11, a tubular shaft 12 and an elliptical-shaped annular frame 13.
- the grip 11 is held by a player.
- the tubular shaft 12 is connected at one end to the grip 11 and extends in a linear direction.
- the frame 13 is connected to the other end of the shaft 12.
- the frame 13 is strung with a string 14 which is stretched across the inside of the frame 13 to form a hitting surface 15. Coloration, etc. are applied to the shaft 12 and the frame 13; however, such coloration, etc. will be discussed later.
- the side where the frame 13 is located and the side where the grip 11 is located in the longitudinal direction of the racket 10 are referred to as a top-end side and a rear-end side, respectively, as shown by an arrow in FIG. 1 , unless otherwise noted.
- the direction orthogonal to the hitting surface 15 is referred to as a frontward/backward direction
- the front side of the sheet of paper with respect to FIG. 1A (the left-hand side of the sheet of paper with respect to FIG. 1B ) is referred to as a back side
- the opposite side of the same is referred to as a front side.
- the direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction on the hitting surface 15 is referred to as a leftward/rightward direction, and the left side and the right side are described with reference to the state where the racket 10 is viewed with the back side facing forward as shown in FIG. 1A .
- the hitting surface 15, which is formed by the string 14, is formed on both sides: the front and back sides.
- all strokes are usually made either forehand or backhand; it is usually the case that the player hits the shuttlecock forehand when the shuttlecock comes to the side of the hand gripping the racket 10 and that the player hits the shuttlecock backhand when the shuttlecock comes to the side opposite to the side of the hand gripping the racket 10.
- the front and back sides of the hitting surface 15, which hits the shuttlecock are reversed between forehand and backhand due to the nature of the badminton swing.
- the frame 13 is provided with a top portion 13a, an intermediate portion 13b and a sleeve portion 13c, in that order from the top-end side toward the rear-end side in the longitudinal direction.
- the intermediate portion 13b is a portion of the frame 13 with a predetermined width which includes a position W at which the lateral width of the frame 13 becomes maximum.
- the top portion 13a is a portion of the frame 13 which is closer to the top-end side than the intermediate portion 13b.
- the sleeve portion 13c is a portion of the frame 13 which ranges from the intermediate portion 13b to the position on the rear-end side at which the sleeve portion 13c is connected to the shaft 12.
- Each of the top portion 13a, the intermediate portion 13b and the sleeve portion 13c ranges approximately 1/3 the length of the frame 13 in the longitudinal direction of the frame 13 though not limited to a specific range.
- a groove portion 17 is formed in the outer periphery of a portion of the frame 13 which extends from the top portion 13a to the center of the intermediate portion 13b in the longitudinal direction of the frame 13.
- the string 14 (not shown in FIG. 1B ) is folded over at the bottom of the groove portion 17 to be threaded through the frame 13, which prevents the string 14 from coming in contact with the floor even when a portion of the frame 13 on the top-end side in the longitudinal direction thereof hits the floor.
- FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view for illustrating the frame shape, taken along the line A-A shown in FIG. 1
- FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view for illustrating the frame shape, taken along the line B-B shown in FIG. 1
- FIGS 2 and 3 are cross sectional views each taken along a plane orthogonal to the direction of extension of the frame 13.
- the frame 13 is formed such that the inside of a hollow-tubular portion 18 thereof that has a predetermined wall thickness is filled with a predetermined forming material 19.
- This operation to fill the tubular portion 18 with the foaming material 19 can be omitted for part or the entire part of the frame 13.
- the material used as the forming material 19 can be, e.g., urethane-based or acrylic-based. The detailed structure of the inside of the wall thickness of the tubular portion 18 will be discussed later.
- the frame 13 is formed to have the cross sectional shape shown in FIG. 2 or substantially the same cross sectional shape as that shown in FIG. 2 , which is though slightly different in shape from that shown in FIG. 2 , in the range in which the groove 17 is formed.
- the frame 13 is formed to have the cross sectional shape shown in FIG. 3 or substantially the same cross sectional shape as that shown in FIG. 3 , which is though slightly different in shape from that shown in FIG. 3 , in the range which extends toward the top-end side from the line B-B line and in which the groove 17 is not formed.
- each insertion hole 13d into which the string 14 (see FIG. 1A ) is inserted, is defined as a boundary position B1
- the outward-exposed surface of the frame 13 which is positioned on the front side of the frame 13 from the boundary position B1 is referred to as a front surface portion 20, unless otherwise noted; in addition, the outward-exposed surface of the frame 13 which is positioned on the back side of the frame 13 from the boundary position B1 is referred to as a back surface portion 21.
- the vertical direction on the sheet of paper in each of FIGS. 2 and 3 is referred to as an outward/inward direction
- the upper side and the lower side in each of FIGS. 2 and 3 are referred to as the outer side and the inner side of the frame 13, respectively.
- the boundary position B1 can be changed within the thickness of the frame 13 as appropriate.
- the front surface portion 20 and the back surface portion 21 of the frame 13 are shaped symmetrically.
- the term "asymmetrical" as used herein means that the front surface portion 20 and the back surface portion 21 do not become either symmetrical as the boundary position B1 is taken as an axis of symmetry or identical in shape to those when laterally reversed (front-back inverted) in FIGS. 2 and 3 .
- the front surface portion 20 and the back surface portion 21 are mutually different in width in the frontward/backward direction; the back surface portion 21 is greater in width than the front surface portion 20.
- the front surface portion 20 is shaped to have a flat surface portion 25 and curved surface portions 26 which are respectively continuous with both the outer and inner sides of the flat surface portion 25.
- the flat surface portion 25 is directed to extend substantially parallel to the outward/inward direction (the in-plane direction of the hitting surface 15) and shaped either to be flat, or so that a central portion of the flat surface portion 25 in the outward/inward direction slightly bulges.
- the flat surface portion 25 is formed in the central area among the three areas.
- the curved surface portions 26 are each formed into a curved surface in the shape of a quartered-circular arc in a sectional view, and the end of each flat surface portion 25 on the opposite side from the flat surface portion 25 is directed toward the back side.
- the back surface portion 21 is shaped to have a circular-arc surface portion 27, which is formed as a curved surface portion, and inclined surface portions 28 which are respectively continuous with both the outer and inner sides of the circular-arc surface portion 27.
- the circular-arc surface portion 27 has a curved surface in the shape of a quartered-circular arc in a sectional view which is formed so that a central portion of the circular-arc surface portion 27 in the outward/inward direction bulges most in the backward direction.
- the position at which the circular-arc surface portion 27 bulges most is set closer to the outer side than the midpoint of the frame 13 in the outward/inward direction.
- the inclined surface portions 28 are each formed substantially flat and extend in directions away from each other with respect to the direction toward the front side.
- the inclined surface portions 28, which are provided on the outer side and the inner side of the frame 13, extend in directions tangent to the outer-side end and the inner-side end of the circular-arc surface portion 27, respectively.
- the peripheral surfaces of the frames 13 on both the outer side and the inner side thereof, which extend across the boundary line B1 are formed as bulging surfaces 30 and 31 which are smoothly curved and the centers of which in the frontward/backward direction bulge.
- the curvatures of the curved surface portions 26, the circular-arc surface portion 27 and the bulging surfaces 30 and 31 are set to increase in the order of the circular-arc surface portion 27, the curved surface portions 26, the bulging surface 30 and the bulging surface 31.
- the groove portion 17 is formed in the area corresponding to the outer-side bulging surface 30, and the outer-side bulging surface 31 shown in FIG. 2 and the outer-side bulging surface 31 shown in FIG. 3 are formed to be identical in shape.
- the distribution of generated stress, the deformation amount of the cross sectional shape and the deformed shape thereof vary depending on whether the shuttlecock hits the front or back side of the hitting surface 15.
- the racket 10 can easily accommodate the player's preferences such as age, sex, skill level, etc.
- the asymmetrical formation of the front surface portion 20 and the back surface portion 21 makes it possible to change air resistance in the frame 13 between forehand and backhand, so that it can also be expected thereby to achieve an improvement in performance according to properties of both forehand and backhand.
- FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view for illustrating the material of the frame, taken along the line B-B shown in FIG. 1 .
- the tubular portion 18 of the frame 13 disclosed herein consists of a front-surface forming body 35 and a back-surface forming body 36 which form the front surface portion 20 and the back surface portion 21, respectively.
- One of the front-surface forming body 35 and the back-surface forming body 36 is formed to include a deflection suppression portion 37 as a different material from the material of the other.
- the deflection suppression portion 37 is arranged as a layer accommodated within the thickness of the front-surface forming body 35 in the range corresponding to the flat surface portion 25 and the outer and inner curved surface portions 26.
- a wire 38 is arranged in the back-surface forming body 36 at a position at which the circular-arc surface portion 27 bulges most.
- the wire 38 is for enhancing hardness and bending elastic modulus of the frame 13 and can be made of a titanium alloy, or made using a material such as titanium, stainless steel or boron.
- a tube of resin sheets is formed and subsequently bent into an annular shape; thereafter, by setting this annular tube in a mold and thereafter heating and pressuring the same, this tube is formed into a shape along the mold.
- carbon prepreg sheets that mainly form the tubular portion 18 (fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) in a prepreg state that is mainly composed of carbon fibers; hereinafter referred to as "main sheets") are multi-laminated and rolled into a cylindrical shape to form the tube.
- FRP fiber-reinforced plastic
- strip-shaped carbon prepreg sheets that form the deflection suppression portion 37 are interposed between the plurality of main sheets so that the deflection suppression portion 37 is arranged in the range corresponding to the flat surface portion 25 and the outer and inner curved surface portions 26 after molding.
- the wire 38 is interposed between the plurality of main sheets to be arranged in the area corresponding to the circular-arc surface portion 27 after molding. This causes the deflection suppression portion 37 to be formed within the thickness of the front-surface forming body 35 and causes the wire 38 to be arranged within the thickness of the back-surface forming body 36.
- the carbon prepreg sheets that form the deflection suppression portion 37 become a molded body after molding, wherein the bending strength thereof is equal to or greater than 1800 MPa or equal to or smaller than 2000 MPa and wherein the bending elastic modulus thereof is equal to or greater than 155 GPa or equal to or smaller than 175 GPa.
- these sheets can be either identical or mutually different in bending strength and bending elastic modulus as long as within the aforementioned range.
- the main sheets are formed into a molded body, wherein the bending strength thereof is equal to or greater than 1600 MPa or equal to or smaller than 1800 MPa and wherein the bending elastic modulus thereof is equal to or greater than 135 GPa or equal to or smaller than 155 GPa.
- the plurality of main sheets can be either identical or mutually different in bending strength and bending elastic modulus as long as within the aforementioned range.
- FIGS. 5 through 9 are diagrams for illustrating the coloration of these parts;
- FIG. 5 is a back partial view of the racket
- FIG. 6 is a side partial view of the racket
- FIG 7 is a side partial view showing the flip side of the racket shown in FIG. 6 .
- FIG. 8 is a partial perspective view
- FIG. 9 is a partial perspective view showing the flip side of the racket shown in FIG. 8 .
- first colored portions 41, second colored portions 42 and a main colored portion 43 are also presented as designs or patterns on the shaft 12 and the frame 13.
- dotted areas, black-painted areas and white-painted areas represent the first colored portions 41, the second colored portions 42 and the main colored portion 43, respectively, for the sake of illustration.
- the first colored portions 41, the second colored portions 42 and the main colored portion 43 only need to be mutually different in color; for instance, the first colored portions 41, the second colored portions 42 and the main colored portion 43 can be colored an orange-based color, a green-based color and a black-based color, respectively.
- the first colored portions 41 are formed in five areas on the shaft 12 and the frame 13 in the present embodiment.
- the five formation areas are as follows, as viewed from the back side of the racket 10 as shown in FIG. 5 :
- the 1-1 colored portion 41a is formed within an area which does not extend leftward beyond the center position of the shaft 12 in the leftward/rightward direction and fits on the right-hand side with respect to this center.
- the 1-1 colored portion 41a is formed discontinuously in separate areas close to the top end and the rear end of the shaft 12 and provided so that the main colored portion 43 appears between the separate areas of the 1-1 colored portion 41a.
- the portion of the 1-1 colored portion 41a which appears at a position close to the rear end is formed greater in length in the longitudinal direction than the other portion of the 1-1 colored portion 41a, which appears at a position close to the top end.
- the 1-2 colored portion 41b and the 1-3 colored portion 41c are provided on the right half of the frame 13, i.e., on the right side of the frame 13, which corresponds to one of both sides of the shaft 12.
- the 1-2 colored portion 41b and the 1-3 colored portion 41c are formed within an area which does not extend inward beyond the center position of the frame 13 in the outward/inward direction and which fits on the outer side with respect to this center position.
- the 1-2 colored portion 41b and the 1-3 colored portion 41c extend in the extending direction of the frame 13 and are provided so that the main colored portion 43 appears therebetween.
- the 1-2 colored portion 41b and the 1-3 colored portion 41c are provided so that the main colored portion 43 also appears between the rear end of the 1-2 colored portion 41b and the rearmost end of the frame 13 and between the top end of the 1-3 colored portion 41c and the topmost end of the frame 13.
- the 1-4 colored portion 41d and the 1-5 colored portion 41e are formed within an area which does not extend outward beyond the center position of the frame 13 in the outward/inward direction and which fits on the inner side with respect to this center position.
- the 1-4 colored portion 41d and the 1-5 colored portion 41e extend in the extending direction of the frame 13 and are provided so that the main colored portion 43 appears therebetween.
- the 1-4 colored portion 41d is formed discontinuously in three separate areas and provided so that the main colored portion 43 appears between these separate areas and also appears between the rear end of the 1-4 colored portion 41d and the rearmost end of the frame 13. Further, the 1-4 colored portion 41d is formed so that the main colored portion 43 also appears between the top end of the 1-5 colored portion 41e and the topmost end of the frame 13.
- the second colored portions 42 are formed in areas symmetrical to the first colored portions 41 with respect to a symmetrical axis S corresponding to the center position (shaft center position) of the shaft 12 in the leftward/rightward direction. Accordingly, the second colored portions 42 are also formed in five areas; when these five areas are referred to as a 2-1 colored portion 42a through a 2-5 colored portion 42e for the sake of illustration, the formation areas of the 2-1 colored portion 42a through the 2-5 colored portion 42e are formed to be symmetrical to the 1-1 colored portion 41a through the 1-5 colored portion 41e, respectively, with respect to the symmetrical axis S. In other words, flipping the racket 10 from the state shown in FIG.
- the racket 10 As the racket 10 is viewed from a certain angle in a direction nonparallel and non-orthogonal to the hitting surface 15, e.g., as the racket 10 is viewed as shown in FIG. 8 , the first colored portions 41 appear visible to the player in approximately half of the area of the shaft 12 and the frame 13. While the first colored portions 41 appear visible to the player in this manner, the main colored portion 43 appears visible to the player in the remaining half of the same area while the second colored portions are hidden from view. Therefore, the racket 10 appears to the player as a racket with the two colors of the first colored portions 41 and the main colored portion 43; at this time, the player can recognize that the lower and upper sides of the frame 13 and the hitting surface 15 on the sheet of paper of FIG. 8 correspond to the front and back sides of the racket 10, respectively.
- the racket 10 appears to the player as a racket with the two colors of the second colored portions 42 and the main colored portion 43; at this time, the player can recognize that the lower and upper sides of the frame 13 and the hitting surface 15 on the sheet of paper of FIG. 9 correspond to the back side and the front side of the racket 10, respectively.
- Rotating the racket 10 through ⁇ 90 degrees about the symmetrical axis S from the state shown in FIG. 5 causes the racket to move to the states shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 , respectively, thus causing either one of the first colored portions 41 or the second colored portion 42 to be hidden from view. It is desirable that the angle at which either one of the first colored portions 41 or the second colored portion 42 is hidden from view be in the range of ⁇ 20 degrees about the symmetrical axis S from the state shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 .
- the first colored portions 41 and the second colored portions 42 that are shown in FIGS. 5 through 9 are shown by way of mere example; various modifications are possible so long as the player can distinguish between the front and back sides of the hitting surface 15 as described above.
- at least one formation area only needs to be provided for each set of the first and second colored portions 41 and 42; in addition, the shape of the colored portion in each set of the first colored portions 41 and the second colored portions 42 is not limited to the illustrated embodiment shown in the drawings.
- the 1-2 colored portion 41b and the 1-3 colored portion 41c can be formed to be connected to each other, and the 1-4 colored portion 41d and the 1-5 colored portion 41e can be formed to be connected to each other.
- the color or each of the first colored portion 41 and the second colored portion 42 can either be monochrome or consist of a plurality of analogous colors to appear like a design or a pattern.
- first colored portions 41 and the second colored portions 42 are hidden from view as the player view from a certain angle, these portions do not necessarily need to be fully hidden from view; a design partially comes into view intentionally can also be adopted.
- the grommets in each colored portion 41 through 43 on the frame 13 can be colored.
- the player can easily distinguish between the front and back sides of the hitting surface 15 depending on whether the first colored portions 41 or the second colored portions 42 is visible, which makes it possible to easily determine as to whether either the front or back sides of the hitting surface 15 should be selected to hit the shuttlecock. Accordingly, in the case where the front and back sides of the hitting surface 15 are mutually different in performance property on shuttlecock hitting (shuttlecock hold and repulsive) as described above, the player can easily selectively use the different capabilities during play or a rally.
- the design appearance of the racket 10 can be greatly changed between the state shown in FIG. 8 and the state shown in FIG. 9 , which allows the single racket 10 to easily present two different types of design appearances. This makes it possible to greatly change the appearance or impression of the racket 10 as viewed from the player's side, thus making it possible for the racket 10 to accommodate the player's preferences for design even if they vary.
- the appearance of the racket 10 from the player's side changes depending also on which hand (left or right hand) holds the racket 10.
- FIGS. 10A and 10B are cross sectional views of a frame according to Embodiment 1 and FIG. 10C is a cross sectional view of a frame according to a comparative example.
- the racket of Embodiment 1 has the same shape as the racket illustrated in the above described embodiment and is provided with the frame 13 which has the cross sectional shape shown by two-dot chain lines in FIGS. 10A and 10B .
- the deflection suppression portion 37 and the wire 38 see FIG.
- the racket of the comparative example is identical in configuration and condition to that of Embodiment 1 except that a frame 13' of the racket of the comparative example has the modified cross sectional shape shown by two-dot chain lines in FIG. 10C .
- the frame 13' of the comparative example has a front-back symmetrical shape similar to an elliptical shape in a cross sectional view and is shaped as if only the upper half of an ellipse were squashed so as to reduce the width in the vertical direction of FIG. 10C .
- the sectional displacement and stress distribution of the each frame 13 and 13' at the time of hitting the shuttlecock were analyzed using the racket of Embodiment 1 and the racket of the comparative example.
- the cross sectional shape when a load F is applied to the sweet spot of the hitting surface was determined on the assumption that a shuttlecock hits the sweet spot of the hitting surface at a predetermined relative speed.
- FIGS. 10A through 10C the results of the simulations for the cross sectional shape when the displacement becomes maximum upon a shuttlecock being hit in the respective cases are shown by solid lines, and the relative values of the maximum displacement in Example 1 are shown in Table 1 below, in which the maximum displacement in the comparative example is defined as 100.
- FIG. 11 is a cross sectional view of the frame according to Embodiment 2.
- the frame 13 of Embodiment 2 has a front-back symmetrical shape, and both the front and back thereof were each formed to be identical in shape to the front surface portion 20 (see FIG. 2 ) of the above illustrated embodiment.
- the frame 13 of Embodiment 2 was configured to include the deflection suppression portion 37 described above but molded without using the wire 38 and the foaming material 19.
- the bending strength was set to be equal to or greater than 1800 MPa or equal to or smaller than the 2000 MPa and the bending elastic modulus was set equal to or greater than 155 GPa or equal to or smaller than 175 GPa, whereas in the portion other than the deflection suppression portion 37 which is formed of the main sheets, the bending strength was set to be equal to or greater than 1600 MPa or equal to or smaller than the 1800 MPa and the bending elastic modulus was set equal to or greater than 135 GPa or equal to or smaller than 155 GPa.
- FIG. 12 shows illustrations of the experiment for measurement of the amount of deflection of the racket of Embodiment 2.
- the grip 11 of the racket 10 was fixed, a predetermined load F was applied to the top end of the frame 13, and the amount of deformation of the racket in the frontward/backward direction at the top end of the frame 13 with respect to the position prior to the application of the load F was measured as the amount of deflection.
- This measurement was performed for both cases where the load F was applied from the front side and the back side of the frame 13.
- the relative value of the deflection amount when the load F was applied from the back side was 102 to 105 (see FIG. 12B ) in the case of the value of the deflection amount being defined as 100 when the load F was applied from the front side (see FIG. 12A ).
- the arrangement of the deflection suppression portion 37 on the side (shuttlecock hitting side) to which the load F is applied makes the deflection amount smaller than that in the case where the deflection suppression portion 37 is arranged on the opposite side. Therefore, hitting the shuttlecock with the front side rather than the back side makes it possible to achieve improvements in power and shuttlecock hold by smashing the shuttlecock through the action of the deflection suppression portion 37.
- the distinction between the front and back of the racket 10 can be made reverse to that in the above illustrated embodiment, and one side of the racket only has to be made as the front side and the opposite side as the back side.
- the shape of a cross section of the frame 13 taken along a plane orthogonal to the direction of extension of the frame 13 can be modified.
- the frame 13 in a cross-sectional view, can be provided with a plurality of protrusions which protrude in the frontward/backward direction and/or a depressed portion(s).
- the formation position, the formation range and the number of installations of the deflection suppression portion 37 are not limited to those in the configuration shown in FIG. 4 ; various modifications are possible.
- the deflection suppression portion 37 can be divided and provided separately in the outward/inward direction, or can be provided solely in the flat surface portion 25, not in the curved surface portions 26, or provided as a plurality of layers layered in the wall thickness direction of the cylindrical portion 18.
- the deflection suppression portion 37 and the wire 38 can be provided continuously over the length of the frame 13 in the direction of extension thereof or partially in the same extension direction.
- the shape of the frame 13 can be modified into a front-back symmetrical shape in cross section. Further, the deflection suppression portion 37 and the wire 38 can be omitted; in this case, each of the front-surface forming body 35 and the back-surface forming body 36 can be formed of the same material.
- the present invention can also be applied to a tennis racket, a soft tennis racket, a squash racket, etc.
- the shape of the shaft 12 can be a bifurcated shape.
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Abstract
Description
- The present invention relates to a racket capable of hitting a ball or a shuttlecock with a hitting surface of the racket.
- In racket sports such as badminton, tennis and squash, players play the game by hitting a ball (or a shuttlecock) by swinging racket. The racket is provided with a frame formed in a loop shape, and strings are stretched across the inside of the frame to form the hitting surface (face) of the racket (see Patent Literature 1).
- Patent Literature 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.
2015-8890 - The frames and shafts of conventional rackets are made in a variety of exterior designs with different decorative markings, patterns, coloration, etc. ; however, it is generally the case that the overall design and appearance remain uniform as viewing angle changes. On the other hand, even for the same player, design preferences can vary according to the changing season, his or her physical condition, etc. Accordingly, to meet a variety of tastes and preferences, there has conventionally been a problem that the burden of preparing rackets with different designs according to the player's preferences arises.
- The present invention has been made in view of the actual situation as described above, and an object of the present invention is to provide a racket capable of easily presenting different design appearances.
- A racket according to the present invention is characterized in that it includes a frame which extends annularly, a grip, a shaft which connects the frame and the grip to each other, and a string which is stretched across the frame to form a hitting surface on both sides of the frame, that at least one of the frame and the shaft includes a first colored portion and a second colored portion, and that, as the racket is viewed from a certain angle in a direction nonparallel and non-orthogonal to the hitting surface, the first colored portion appears visible while the second colored portion is hidden from view, wherein flipping the hitting surface from this state causes the second colored portion to appear visible and causes the first colored portion to be hidden from view.
- According to this structure, one and the other of the first colored portion and the second colored portion can be made to appear and disappear by changing his or her grip, which makes it possible for a single racket to present two different types of design appearances easily. This makes it possible to greatly change the appearance or impression of the racket as viewed from the player's side, thus making it possible for the racket to accommodate the player's preferences for design even if they vary according to his or her physical condition, the surroundings, etc.
- In the present invention, it is desirable that the first colored portion and the second colored portion be provided on the shaft, and that, as the hitting surface is viewed from a direction orthogonal to the hitting surface, one of the first colored portion and the second colored portion be provided on one side of the position of the axis of the shaft, while the other of the first colored portion and the second colored portion be provided on another side of the position of the axis of the shaft.
- Additionally, it is desirable that the first colored portion and the second colored portion be provided on the outer side of the frame, and that, as the hitting surface is viewed from a direction orthogonal to the hitting surface, one of the first colored portion and the second colored portion be provided on one side of the shaft, while the other of the first colored portion and the second colored portion be provided on another side of the position of the axis of the shaft.
- Additionally, it is desirable that the first colored portion and the second colored portion be provided on the inner side of the frame, and that, as the hitting surface is viewed from a direction orthogonal to the hitting surface, one of the first colored portion and the second colored portion be provided on another side of the shaft, while the other of the first colored portion and the second colored portion be provided on one side of the position of the axis of the shaft.
- As described above, the first colored portion and the second colored portion can be provided at various positions, which makes it possible to increase the number of design variations.
- With the present invention, when the racket is viewed from a certain angle, the first colored portion and the second colored portion appear and disappear as the hitting surface is flipped from front to back and vice-versa, which makes it possible for a single racket to present different design appearances easily.
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FIG. 1 shows external views of a racket according to an embodiment of the present invention;FIG. 1A is a back elevational view of the racket andFIG. 1B is a side elevational view of the racket. -
FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view for illustrating the frame shape, taken along the line A-A shown inFIG. 1 . -
FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view for illustrating the frame shape, taken along the line B-B shown inFIG. 1 . -
FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view for illustrating the materials of the frame, taken along the line B-B shown inFIG. 1 . -
FIG. 5 is a back partial view for illustrating coloration of the racket. -
FIG. 6 is a side partial view for illustrating coloration of the racket. -
FIG. 7 is a side partial view showing the flip side of the racket shown inFIG. 6 . -
FIG. 8 is a partial perspective view for illustrating coloration of the racket. -
FIG. 9 is a partial perspective view showing the flip side of the racket shown inFIG. 8 . -
FIGS. 10A and 10B are cross sectional views of a frame according to Embodiment 1 andFIG. 10C is a cross sectional view of a frame of a comparative example. -
FIG. 11 is a cross sectional view of a frame according to Embodiment 2. -
FIG. 12 shows illustrations of an experiment for measurement of the amount of deflection of the racket of Embodiment 2. - Embodiments according to the present invention will be hereinafter discussed in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 shows external views of a badminton racket according to an embodiment of the present invention;FIG. 1A is a back elevational view of the badminton racket andFIG. 1B is a side elevational view of the badminton racket. In each drawing noted below, the structure is not partially shown for the purpose of illustration. - As shown in
FIG. 1 , a badminton racket (referred to as "racket" in the following descriptions) 10 is provided with agrip 11, atubular shaft 12 and an elliptical-shapedannular frame 13. Thegrip 11 is held by a player. Thetubular shaft 12 is connected at one end to thegrip 11 and extends in a linear direction. Theframe 13 is connected to the other end of theshaft 12. Theframe 13 is strung with astring 14 which is stretched across the inside of theframe 13 to form ahitting surface 15. Coloration, etc. are applied to theshaft 12 and theframe 13; however, such coloration, etc. will be discussed later. - In the descriptions of the claims and the specification herein, the side where the
frame 13 is located and the side where thegrip 11 is located in the longitudinal direction of theracket 10 are referred to as a top-end side and a rear-end side, respectively, as shown by an arrow inFIG. 1 , unless otherwise noted. In addition, the direction orthogonal to the hittingsurface 15 is referred to as a frontward/backward direction, the front side of the sheet of paper with respect toFIG. 1A (the left-hand side of the sheet of paper with respect toFIG. 1B ) is referred to as a back side, and the opposite side of the same is referred to as a front side. Further, the direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction on the hitting surface 15 (i.e., on a plane along the hitting surface 15) is referred to as a leftward/rightward direction, and the left side and the right side are described with reference to the state where theracket 10 is viewed with the back side facing forward as shown inFIG. 1A . - The hitting
surface 15, which is formed by thestring 14, is formed on both sides: the front and back sides. In badminton play, all strokes are usually made either forehand or backhand; it is usually the case that the player hits the shuttlecock forehand when the shuttlecock comes to the side of the hand gripping theracket 10 and that the player hits the shuttlecock backhand when the shuttlecock comes to the side opposite to the side of the hand gripping theracket 10. In addition, the front and back sides of thehitting surface 15, which hits the shuttlecock, are reversed between forehand and backhand due to the nature of the badminton swing. - The
frame 13 is provided with atop portion 13a, anintermediate portion 13b and asleeve portion 13c, in that order from the top-end side toward the rear-end side in the longitudinal direction. Theintermediate portion 13b is a portion of theframe 13 with a predetermined width which includes a position W at which the lateral width of theframe 13 becomes maximum. Thetop portion 13a is a portion of theframe 13 which is closer to the top-end side than theintermediate portion 13b. Thesleeve portion 13c is a portion of theframe 13 which ranges from theintermediate portion 13b to the position on the rear-end side at which thesleeve portion 13c is connected to theshaft 12. Each of thetop portion 13a, theintermediate portion 13b and thesleeve portion 13c ranges approximately 1/3 the length of theframe 13 in the longitudinal direction of theframe 13 though not limited to a specific range. - A
groove portion 17 is formed in the outer periphery of a portion of theframe 13 which extends from thetop portion 13a to the center of theintermediate portion 13b in the longitudinal direction of theframe 13. The string 14 (not shown inFIG. 1B ) is folded over at the bottom of thegroove portion 17 to be threaded through theframe 13, which prevents thestring 14 from coming in contact with the floor even when a portion of theframe 13 on the top-end side in the longitudinal direction thereof hits the floor. - The cross sectional shape of the
frame 13 will be hereinafter discussed with reference toFIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view for illustrating the frame shape, taken along the line A-A shown inFIG. 1 , andFIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view for illustrating the frame shape, taken along the line B-B shown inFIG. 1 .FIGS 2 and 3 are cross sectional views each taken along a plane orthogonal to the direction of extension of theframe 13. As shown inFIGS. 2 and 3 , theframe 13 is formed such that the inside of a hollow-tubular portion 18 thereof that has a predetermined wall thickness is filled with a predetermined formingmaterial 19. This operation to fill thetubular portion 18 with the foamingmaterial 19 can be omitted for part or the entire part of theframe 13. The material used as the formingmaterial 19 can be, e.g., urethane-based or acrylic-based. The detailed structure of the inside of the wall thickness of thetubular portion 18 will be discussed later. - In the
top portion 13a and theintermediate portion 13b of theframe 13 shown inFIG. 1 , theframe 13 is formed to have the cross sectional shape shown inFIG. 2 or substantially the same cross sectional shape as that shown inFIG. 2 , which is though slightly different in shape from that shown inFIG. 2 , in the range in which thegroove 17 is formed. Additionally, in theintermediate portion 13b and thesleeve portion 13c of theframe 13, theframe 13 is formed to have the cross sectional shape shown inFIG. 3 or substantially the same cross sectional shape as that shown inFIG. 3 , which is though slightly different in shape from that shown inFIG. 3 , in the range which extends toward the top-end side from the line B-B line and in which thegroove 17 is not formed. - In the descriptions of the claims and the specification herein, when the position of the central axis of each
insertion hole 13d, into which the string 14 (seeFIG. 1A ) is inserted, is defined as a boundary position B1, the outward-exposed surface of theframe 13 which is positioned on the front side of theframe 13 from the boundary position B1 is referred to as afront surface portion 20, unless otherwise noted; in addition, the outward-exposed surface of theframe 13 which is positioned on the back side of theframe 13 from the boundary position B1 is referred to as aback surface portion 21. Further, the vertical direction on the sheet of paper in each ofFIGS. 2 and 3 is referred to as an outward/inward direction, and the upper side and the lower side in each ofFIGS. 2 and 3 are referred to as the outer side and the inner side of theframe 13, respectively. The boundary position B1 can be changed within the thickness of theframe 13 as appropriate. - In the cross sectional views of
FIGS. 2 and 3 , thefront surface portion 20 and theback surface portion 21 of theframe 13 are shaped symmetrically. The term "asymmetrical" as used herein means that thefront surface portion 20 and theback surface portion 21 do not become either symmetrical as the boundary position B1 is taken as an axis of symmetry or identical in shape to those when laterally reversed (front-back inverted) inFIGS. 2 and 3 . Thefront surface portion 20 and theback surface portion 21 are mutually different in width in the frontward/backward direction; theback surface portion 21 is greater in width than thefront surface portion 20. - The
front surface portion 20 is shaped to have aflat surface portion 25 andcurved surface portions 26 which are respectively continuous with both the outer and inner sides of theflat surface portion 25. Theflat surface portion 25 is directed to extend substantially parallel to the outward/inward direction (the in-plane direction of the hitting surface 15) and shaped either to be flat, or so that a central portion of theflat surface portion 25 in the outward/inward direction slightly bulges. When thefront surface portion 20 is equally divided into three areas in the outward/inward direction, theflat surface portion 25 is formed in the central area among the three areas. Thecurved surface portions 26 are each formed into a curved surface in the shape of a quartered-circular arc in a sectional view, and the end of eachflat surface portion 25 on the opposite side from theflat surface portion 25 is directed toward the back side. - The
back surface portion 21 is shaped to have a circular-arc surface portion 27, which is formed as a curved surface portion, andinclined surface portions 28 which are respectively continuous with both the outer and inner sides of the circular-arc surface portion 27. The circular-arc surface portion 27 has a curved surface in the shape of a quartered-circular arc in a sectional view which is formed so that a central portion of the circular-arc surface portion 27 in the outward/inward direction bulges most in the backward direction. The position at which the circular-arc surface portion 27 bulges most is set closer to the outer side than the midpoint of theframe 13 in the outward/inward direction. Theinclined surface portions 28 are each formed substantially flat and extend in directions away from each other with respect to the direction toward the front side. Theinclined surface portions 28, which are provided on the outer side and the inner side of theframe 13, extend in directions tangent to the outer-side end and the inner-side end of the circular-arc surface portion 27, respectively. - In the
front surface portion 20 and theback surface portion 21 in the area having the cross section shown inFIG. 3 , the peripheral surfaces of theframes 13 on both the outer side and the inner side thereof, which extend across the boundary line B1, are formed as bulgingsurfaces curved surface portions 26, the circular-arc surface portion 27 and the bulgingsurfaces arc surface portion 27, thecurved surface portions 26, the bulgingsurface 30 and the bulgingsurface 31. In the area having the cross section shown inFIG. 2 , thegroove portion 17 is formed in the area corresponding to the outer-side bulging surface 30, and the outer-side bulging surface 31 shown inFIG. 2 and the outer-side bulging surface 31 shown inFIG. 3 are formed to be identical in shape. - According to the shapes described above, since the
front surface portion 20 and theback surface portion 21 are shaped asymmetrically, the distribution of generated stress, the deformation amount of the cross sectional shape and the deformed shape thereof vary depending on whether the shuttlecock hits the front or back side of the hittingsurface 15. In addition, it is possible to change second moment of area on deflection of theframe 13, etc. between the cases where the shuttlecock hits the front side of the hittingsurface 15 and where the shuttlecock hits the back side of the hittingsurface 15. This makes it possible to change, between the front and back sides of the hittingsurface 15, the period of time in which the shuttlecock is in contact with the hittingsurface 15, repulsion performance, etc. at the time of hitting the shuttlecock, thus making it possible to change performance properties of the racket on shuttlecock hitting such as shuttlecock hold and repulsion. This allows the player to make full use of two difference capabilities easily with thesingle racket 10, i.e., without changing theracket 10 to another, simply by changing his or her grip on thegrip 11. Accordingly, theracket 10 can easily accommodate the player's preferences such as age, sex, skill level, etc. - From a further study of badminton play, in comparison between forehand and backhand, the shuttlecock speed tends to be high in the forehand stroke because the shuttlecock is quickly hit down on the court; accordingly, the swing speed tends to be high and the swing path tends to be long in the forehand stroke. In contrast, the swing path tends to be short in the backhand stroke, so that the player often hits back the shuttlecock so as to repel it toward an opponent's hard-to-hit point.
- However, in the case where the front surface portion and the back surface portion of the frame are shaped symmetrically as in conventional badminton rackets, the frame itself cannot help but deliver the same performance even when required to create shots of different properties between forehand and backhand as noted above. Accordingly, there are problems that backhand performance deteriorates if the frame shape is designed to enhance forehand performance; and, on the contrary, that forehand performance deteriorates if the frame shape is designed to enhance backhand performance.
- On this point, in the
frame 13 of the present embodiment, it is possible to achieve different performance properties such as shuttlecock hold and repulsion between the front and back sides of the hittingsurface 15, and it is possible to improve performance according to properties of both forehand and backhand as described above. - Additionally, the asymmetrical formation of the
front surface portion 20 and theback surface portion 21 makes it possible to change air resistance in theframe 13 between forehand and backhand, so that it can also be expected thereby to achieve an improvement in performance according to properties of both forehand and backhand. - The material of the
frame 13 will be hereinafter discussed with reference toFIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view for illustrating the material of the frame, taken along the line B-B shown inFIG. 1 . As shown inFIG. 4 , thetubular portion 18 of theframe 13 disclosed herein consists of a front-surface forming body 35 and a back-surface forming body 36 which form thefront surface portion 20 and theback surface portion 21, respectively. One of the front-surface forming body 35 and the back-surface forming body 36 is formed to include adeflection suppression portion 37 as a different material from the material of the other. In the present embodiment, thedeflection suppression portion 37 is arranged as a layer accommodated within the thickness of the front-surface forming body 35 in the range corresponding to theflat surface portion 25 and the outer and innercurved surface portions 26. - A wire 38 is arranged in the back-
surface forming body 36 at a position at which the circular-arc surface portion 27 bulges most. The wire 38 is for enhancing hardness and bending elastic modulus of theframe 13 and can be made of a titanium alloy, or made using a material such as titanium, stainless steel or boron. - In the formation of the
tubular portion 18, a tube of resin sheets is formed and subsequently bent into an annular shape; thereafter, by setting this annular tube in a mold and thereafter heating and pressuring the same, this tube is formed into a shape along the mold. In the formation of the tube made of resin sheets, carbon prepreg sheets that mainly form the tubular portion 18 (fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) in a prepreg state that is mainly composed of carbon fibers; hereinafter referred to as "main sheets") are multi-laminated and rolled into a cylindrical shape to form the tube. In this lamination forming, strip-shaped carbon prepreg sheets that form thedeflection suppression portion 37 are interposed between the plurality of main sheets so that thedeflection suppression portion 37 is arranged in the range corresponding to theflat surface portion 25 and the outer and innercurved surface portions 26 after molding. In addition, the wire 38 is interposed between the plurality of main sheets to be arranged in the area corresponding to the circular-arc surface portion 27 after molding. This causes thedeflection suppression portion 37 to be formed within the thickness of the front-surface forming body 35 and causes the wire 38 to be arranged within the thickness of the back-surface forming body 36. - The carbon prepreg sheets that form the
deflection suppression portion 37 become a molded body after molding, wherein the bending strength thereof is equal to or greater than 1800 MPa or equal to or smaller than 2000 MPa and wherein the bending elastic modulus thereof is equal to or greater than 155 GPa or equal to or smaller than 175 GPa. In the case where the number of carbon prepreg sheets that form thedeflection suppression portion 37 is set more than one, these sheets can be either identical or mutually different in bending strength and bending elastic modulus as long as within the aforementioned range. In addition, after molding, the main sheets are formed into a molded body, wherein the bending strength thereof is equal to or greater than 1600 MPa or equal to or smaller than 1800 MPa and wherein the bending elastic modulus thereof is equal to or greater than 135 GPa or equal to or smaller than 155 GPa. The plurality of main sheets can be either identical or mutually different in bending strength and bending elastic modulus as long as within the aforementioned range. - In conventional badminton rackets in which two sides of the frame are identical in material, the frame itself cannot help but deliver the same performance even when required to create shots of different properties between forehand and backhand, similarly as described above. On this point, providing the
frame 13 with thedeflection suppression portion 37 and the wire 38 makes theframe 13 capable of changing the bending strength and bending elastic modulus thereof between the cases where the shuttlecock hits the front side of the hittingsurface 15 and where the shuttlecock hits the back side of the hittingsurface 15, which makes it possible to change the amount of deflection of theframe 13. Accordingly, this also makes it possible to change performance properties on shuttlecock hitting such as shuttlecock hold and repulsion between the front and back sides of the hitting surface. As a result, the player can easily present two difference capabilities with thesingle racket 10, i.e., without changing theracket 10 to another; moreover, it is possible to improve performance according to properties of both forehand and backhand. - Further, a combination of the shape of the
frame 13 in which thefront surface portion 20 and theback surface portion 21 are asymmetrical and the formation of thedeflection suppression portion 37 makes it possible to synergistically increase the number of variations on shuttlecock hitting. - The coloration of the
shaft 12 and theframe 13 will be hereinafter discussed with reference toFIGS. 5 through 9. FIGS. 5 through 9 are diagrams for illustrating the coloration of these parts;FIG. 5 is a back partial view of the racket,FIG. 6 is a side partial view of the racket, andFIG 7 is a side partial view showing the flip side of the racket shown inFIG. 6 . In addition,FIG. 8 is a partial perspective view, andFIG. 9 is a partial perspective view showing the flip side of the racket shown inFIG. 8 . - In each of the
shaft 12 and theframe 13, the surface is divided into different areas (portions) which are chiefly painted into three different colors: firstcolored portions 41, secondcolored portions 42 and a maincolored portion 43. The maincolored portion 43 occupies almost the entire surface area except for the areas of the firstcolored portions 41 and the secondcolored portions 42. Accordingly, the firstcolored portions 41 and the secondcolored portions 42 are also presented as designs or patterns on theshaft 12 and theframe 13. InFIGS. 5 through 9 , dotted areas, black-painted areas and white-painted areas (the color of which is that of the sheet of paper) represent the firstcolored portions 41, the secondcolored portions 42 and the maincolored portion 43, respectively, for the sake of illustration. In the actual coloration, the firstcolored portions 41, the secondcolored portions 42 and the maincolored portion 43 only need to be mutually different in color; for instance, the firstcolored portions 41, the secondcolored portions 42 and the maincolored portion 43 can be colored an orange-based color, a green-based color and a black-based color, respectively. - The first
colored portions 41 are formed in five areas on theshaft 12 and theframe 13 in the present embodiment. When referred to as a 1-1colored portion 41a through a 1-5colored portion 41e for the sake of illustration, the five formation areas are as follows, as viewed from the back side of theracket 10 as shown inFIG. 5 : - the 1-1
colored portion 41a: a right side surface of theshaft 12; - the 1-2
colored portion 41b: an outer-side surface closer to the rear than the position W on the right half of theframe 13; - the 1-3
colored portion 41c: an outer-side surface closer to the top than the position W on the right half of theframe 13; - the 1-4
colored portion 41d: an inner-side surface closer to the rear than the position W on the left half of theframe 13; and - the 1-5
colored portion 41e: an inner-side surface closer to the top than the position W on the left half of theframe 13. - The 1-1
colored portion 41a is formed within an area which does not extend leftward beyond the center position of theshaft 12 in the leftward/rightward direction and fits on the right-hand side with respect to this center. In the present embodiment, the 1-1colored portion 41a is formed discontinuously in separate areas close to the top end and the rear end of theshaft 12 and provided so that the maincolored portion 43 appears between the separate areas of the 1-1colored portion 41a. In addition, the portion of the 1-1colored portion 41a which appears at a position close to the rear end is formed greater in length in the longitudinal direction than the other portion of the 1-1colored portion 41a, which appears at a position close to the top end. - The 1-2
colored portion 41b and the 1-3colored portion 41c are provided on the right half of theframe 13, i.e., on the right side of theframe 13, which corresponds to one of both sides of theshaft 12. The 1-2colored portion 41b and the 1-3colored portion 41c are formed within an area which does not extend inward beyond the center position of theframe 13 in the outward/inward direction and which fits on the outer side with respect to this center position. In the present embodiment, the 1-2colored portion 41b and the 1-3colored portion 41c extend in the extending direction of theframe 13 and are provided so that the maincolored portion 43 appears therebetween. Further, the 1-2colored portion 41b and the 1-3colored portion 41c are provided so that the maincolored portion 43 also appears between the rear end of the 1-2colored portion 41b and the rearmost end of theframe 13 and between the top end of the 1-3colored portion 41c and the topmost end of theframe 13. - The 1-4
colored portion 41d and the 1-5colored portion 41e are formed within an area which does not extend outward beyond the center position of theframe 13 in the outward/inward direction and which fits on the inner side with respect to this center position. In the present embodiment, the 1-4colored portion 41d and the 1-5colored portion 41e extend in the extending direction of theframe 13 and are provided so that the maincolored portion 43 appears therebetween. In addition, the 1-4colored portion 41d is formed discontinuously in three separate areas and provided so that the maincolored portion 43 appears between these separate areas and also appears between the rear end of the 1-4colored portion 41d and the rearmost end of theframe 13. Further, the 1-4colored portion 41d is formed so that the maincolored portion 43 also appears between the top end of the 1-5colored portion 41e and the topmost end of theframe 13. - The second
colored portions 42 are formed in areas symmetrical to the firstcolored portions 41 with respect to a symmetrical axis S corresponding to the center position (shaft center position) of theshaft 12 in the leftward/rightward direction. Accordingly, the secondcolored portions 42 are also formed in five areas; when these five areas are referred to as a 2-1colored portion 42a through a 2-5colored portion 42e for the sake of illustration, the formation areas of the 2-1colored portion 42a through the 2-5colored portion 42e are formed to be symmetrical to the 1-1colored portion 41a through the 1-5colored portion 41e, respectively, with respect to the symmetrical axis S. In other words, flipping theracket 10 from the state shown inFIG. 1 causes the 2-1colored portion 42a through the 2-5colored portion 42e to be arranged in the areas in which the 1-1colored portion 41a through the 1-5colored portion 41e are previously arranged before the racket is flipped. On this account, the description about the formation areas of the 2-1colored portion 42a through the 2-5colored portion 42e is omitted herein. - As the
racket 10 is viewed from a certain angle in a direction nonparallel and non-orthogonal to the hittingsurface 15, e.g., as theracket 10 is viewed as shown inFIG. 8 , the firstcolored portions 41 appear visible to the player in approximately half of the area of theshaft 12 and theframe 13. While the firstcolored portions 41 appear visible to the player in this manner, the maincolored portion 43 appears visible to the player in the remaining half of the same area while the second colored portions are hidden from view. Therefore, theracket 10 appears to the player as a racket with the two colors of the firstcolored portions 41 and the maincolored portion 43; at this time, the player can recognize that the lower and upper sides of theframe 13 and the hittingsurface 15 on the sheet of paper ofFIG. 8 correspond to the front and back sides of theracket 10, respectively. - On the other hand, flipping the racket 10 (the hitting surface; not shown in
FIG. 8 ) through 180 degrees on the axis of theshaft 12 by the player changing his or her grip on thegrip 11 from the state shown inFIG. 8 causes theracket 10 to move to the state shown inFIG. 9 . At this time, while the secondcolored portions 42 appear visible to the player in approximately half of the area of theshaft 12 and theframe 13, the maincolored portion 43 appears visible to the player in the remaining half of the same area while the first colored portions are hidden from view. Therefore, theracket 10 appears to the player as a racket with the two colors of the secondcolored portions 42 and the maincolored portion 43; at this time, the player can recognize that the lower and upper sides of theframe 13 and the hittingsurface 15 on the sheet of paper ofFIG. 9 correspond to the back side and the front side of theracket 10, respectively. - Rotating the
racket 10 through ±90 degrees about the symmetrical axis S from the state shown inFIG. 5 causes the racket to move to the states shown inFIGS. 6 and7 , respectively, thus causing either one of the firstcolored portions 41 or the secondcolored portion 42 to be hidden from view. It is desirable that the angle at which either one of the firstcolored portions 41 or the secondcolored portion 42 is hidden from view be in the range of ±20 degrees about the symmetrical axis S from the state shown inFIGS. 6 and7 . - The first
colored portions 41 and the secondcolored portions 42 that are shown inFIGS. 5 through 9 are shown by way of mere example; various modifications are possible so long as the player can distinguish between the front and back sides of the hittingsurface 15 as described above. For instance, in regard to the above described five formation areas of each set of the firstcolored portions 41 and the secondcolored portions 42, at least one formation area only needs to be provided for each set of the first and secondcolored portions colored portions 41 and the secondcolored portions 42 is not limited to the illustrated embodiment shown in the drawings. Additionally, for instance, the 1-2colored portion 41b and the 1-3colored portion 41c can be formed to be connected to each other, and the 1-4colored portion 41d and the 1-5colored portion 41e can be formed to be connected to each other. - Further, the color or each of the first
colored portion 41 and the secondcolored portion 42 can either be monochrome or consist of a plurality of analogous colors to appear like a design or a pattern. In addition, when the firstcolored portions 41 and the secondcolored portions 42 are hidden from view as the player view from a certain angle, these portions do not necessarily need to be fully hidden from view; a design partially comes into view intentionally can also be adopted. Additionally, in eachcolored portion 41 through 43, it is not precluded to apply letters/characters, markings, logotypes, designs, patters, etc. In addition, when using grommets, the grommets in eachcolored portion 41 through 43 on theframe 13 can be colored. - As described above, since the
racket 10 is provided with eachcolored portion 41 through 43, the player can easily distinguish between the front and back sides of the hittingsurface 15 depending on whether the firstcolored portions 41 or the secondcolored portions 42 is visible, which makes it possible to easily determine as to whether either the front or back sides of the hittingsurface 15 should be selected to hit the shuttlecock. Accordingly, in the case where the front and back sides of the hittingsurface 15 are mutually different in performance property on shuttlecock hitting (shuttlecock hold and repulsive) as described above, the player can easily selectively use the different capabilities during play or a rally. - Additionally, the design appearance of the
racket 10 can be greatly changed between the state shown inFIG. 8 and the state shown inFIG. 9 , which allows thesingle racket 10 to easily present two different types of design appearances. This makes it possible to greatly change the appearance or impression of theracket 10 as viewed from the player's side, thus making it possible for theracket 10 to accommodate the player's preferences for design even if they vary. The appearance of theracket 10 from the player's side changes depending also on which hand (left or right hand) holds theracket 10. - Next, the analyses (simulations) which were performed to evaluate the shuttlecock hold and repulsion of the racket according to the above described embodiment will be hereinafter discussed with reference to
FIG. 10. FIGS. 10A and 10B are cross sectional views of a frame according to Embodiment 1 andFIG. 10C is a cross sectional view of a frame according to a comparative example. In these analyses, the racket of Embodiment 1 has the same shape as the racket illustrated in the above described embodiment and is provided with theframe 13 which has the cross sectional shape shown by two-dot chain lines inFIGS. 10A and 10B . However, thedeflection suppression portion 37 and the wire 38 (seeFIG. 4 ) are not used as materials of the racket of Embodiment 1; theframe 13 is molded from the main sheets noted above. The racket of the comparative example is identical in configuration and condition to that of Embodiment 1 except that a frame 13' of the racket of the comparative example has the modified cross sectional shape shown by two-dot chain lines inFIG. 10C . The frame 13' of the comparative example has a front-back symmetrical shape similar to an elliptical shape in a cross sectional view and is shaped as if only the upper half of an ellipse were squashed so as to reduce the width in the vertical direction ofFIG. 10C . - The sectional displacement and stress distribution of the each
frame 13 and 13' at the time of hitting the shuttlecock were analyzed using the racket of Embodiment 1 and the racket of the comparative example. In the simulation of the sectional displacement, the cross sectional shape when a load F is applied to the sweet spot of the hitting surface was determined on the assumption that a shuttlecock hits the sweet spot of the hitting surface at a predetermined relative speed. In the racket of Example 1, a simulation for the case where a shuttlecock is hit with the front side of the hitting surface, i. e. , with the left half with respect toFIG. 10A and a simulation for the case where a shuttlecock is hit with the back side of the hitting surface, i.e., with the right half with respect toFIG. 10B were both performed. In the racket of the comparative example, a simulation for the case where a shuttlecock is hit with the left half with respect toFIG. 10C that corresponds to a half of the hitting surface was performed. InFIGS. 10A through 10C , the results of the simulations for the cross sectional shape when the displacement becomes maximum upon a shuttlecock being hit in the respective cases are shown by solid lines, and the relative values of the maximum displacement in Example 1 are shown in Table 1 below, in which the maximum displacement in the comparative example is defined as 100. - In addition, stress distribution when the shuttlecock is hit in the same manner is also determined on each frames 13 and 13' to determine the maximum stress, at which the stress becomes maximum. The relative values of the maximum stress in Example 1 are shown in Table 1 below, in which the maximum stress in the comparative example is assumed to be 100.
[TABLE 1] COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE EMBODIMENT 1 HITTING SHUTTLECOCK WITH FRONT SIDE HITTING SHUTTLECOCK WITH BACK SIDE MAXIMUM DISPLACEMENT 100 117 95 MAXIMUM STRESS 100 120 95 - As can be seen from the results shown in Table 1, the maximum stress and also the maximum displacement are greater when the shuttlecock is hit with the front side than those when the shuttlecock is hit with the back side. This makes the player feel the difference in performance on shuttlecock hold and repulsion between the front side and back side of the hitting surface.
- Next, the experiment which was performed to evaluate the deflection performance of the racket according to the above described embodiment will be discussed hereinafter. For the preparation of this experiment, a racket with a frame having the cross sectional shape shown in
FIG. 11 was prepared as Embodiment 2.FIG. 11 is a cross sectional view of the frame according to Embodiment 2. Theframe 13 of Embodiment 2 has a front-back symmetrical shape, and both the front and back thereof were each formed to be identical in shape to the front surface portion 20 (seeFIG. 2 ) of the above illustrated embodiment. In addition, theframe 13 of Embodiment 2 was configured to include thedeflection suppression portion 37 described above but molded without using the wire 38 and the foamingmaterial 19. Additionally, in thedeflection suppression portion 37, the bending strength was set to be equal to or greater than 1800 MPa or equal to or smaller than the 2000 MPa and the bending elastic modulus was set equal to or greater than 155 GPa or equal to or smaller than 175 GPa, whereas in the portion other than thedeflection suppression portion 37 which is formed of the main sheets, the bending strength was set to be equal to or greater than 1600 MPa or equal to or smaller than the 1800 MPa and the bending elastic modulus was set equal to or greater than 135 GPa or equal to or smaller than 155 GPa. -
FIG. 12 shows illustrations of the experiment for measurement of the amount of deflection of the racket of Embodiment 2. As shown inFIG. 12 , in this experiment, thegrip 11 of theracket 10 was fixed, a predetermined load F was applied to the top end of theframe 13, and the amount of deformation of the racket in the frontward/backward direction at the top end of theframe 13 with respect to the position prior to the application of the load F was measured as the amount of deflection. This measurement was performed for both cases where the load F was applied from the front side and the back side of theframe 13. In this measurement, the relative value of the deflection amount when the load F was applied from the back side was 102 to 105 (seeFIG. 12B ) in the case of the value of the deflection amount being defined as 100 when the load F was applied from the front side (seeFIG. 12A ). - As can be seen from the above measurement results, the arrangement of the
deflection suppression portion 37 on the side (shuttlecock hitting side) to which the load F is applied makes the deflection amount smaller than that in the case where thedeflection suppression portion 37 is arranged on the opposite side. Therefore, hitting the shuttlecock with the front side rather than the back side makes it possible to achieve improvements in power and shuttlecock hold by smashing the shuttlecock through the action of thedeflection suppression portion 37. - The present invention is not limited to the above described embodiments; the present invention can be practiced with various modifications. In the above described embodiments, the size, shape, direction, etc. illustrated in the attached drawings are not limited thereto and can be modified as required within the scope of the invention. Additionally, the present invention can be practiced with modifications as required without departing from the scope of the objective of the invention.
- For instance, the distinction between the front and back of the
racket 10 can be made reverse to that in the above illustrated embodiment, and one side of the racket only has to be made as the front side and the opposite side as the back side. - In addition, the shape of a cross section of the
frame 13 taken along a plane orthogonal to the direction of extension of theframe 13 can be modified. For instance, in a cross-sectional view, theframe 13 can be provided with a plurality of protrusions which protrude in the frontward/backward direction and/or a depressed portion(s). - Additionally, the formation position, the formation range and the number of installations of the
deflection suppression portion 37 are not limited to those in the configuration shown inFIG. 4 ; various modifications are possible. For instance, thedeflection suppression portion 37 can be divided and provided separately in the outward/inward direction, or can be provided solely in theflat surface portion 25, not in thecurved surface portions 26, or provided as a plurality of layers layered in the wall thickness direction of thecylindrical portion 18. - Additionally, the
deflection suppression portion 37 and the wire 38 can be provided continuously over the length of theframe 13 in the direction of extension thereof or partially in the same extension direction. - Additionally, the shape of the
frame 13 can be modified into a front-back symmetrical shape in cross section. Further, thedeflection suppression portion 37 and the wire 38 can be omitted; in this case, each of the front-surface forming body 35 and the back-surface forming body 36 can be formed of the same material. - Additionally, the present invention can also be applied to a tennis racket, a soft tennis racket, a squash racket, etc. In this case, the shape of the
shaft 12 can be a bifurcated shape. - The present application is based on Japanese patent application No.
2015-114813, filed on June 5, 2015
Claims (4)
- A racket which is characterized in that said racket comprises a frame which extends annularly, a grip, a shaft which connects said frame and said grip to each other, and a string which is stretched across said frame to form a hitting surface on both sides of said frame, that at least one of said frame and said shaft comprises a first colored portion and a second colored portion, and that, as said racket is viewed from a certain angle in a direction nonparallel and non-orthogonal to said hitting surface, said first colored portion appears visible while said second colored portion is hidden from view, wherein flipping said hitting surface from this state causes said second colored portion to appear visible and causes said first colored portion to be hidden from view.
- The racket according to claim 1, wherein said first colored portion and said second colored portion are provided on said shaft, and
wherein, as said hitting surface is viewed from a direction orthogonal to said hitting surface, one of said first colored portion and said second colored portion is provided on one side of a position of an axis of said shaft, while the other of said first colored portion and said second colored portion is provided on another side of said position of said axis of said shaft. - The racket according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said first colored portion and said second colored portion are provided on an outer side of said frame, and
wherein, as said hitting surface is viewed from a direction orthogonal to said hitting surface, one of said first colored portion and said second colored portion is provided on one side of said shaft, while the other of said first colored portion and said second colored portion is provided on another side of a position of an axis of said shaft. - The racket according to one of claims 1 through 3, wherein said first colored portion and said second colored portion are provided on an inner side of said frame, and
wherein, as said hitting surface is viewed from a direction orthogonal to said hitting surface, one of said first colored portion and said second colored portion is provided on another side of said shaft, while the other of said first colored portion and said second colored portion is provided on one side of a position of an axis of said shaft.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
JP2015114813 | 2015-06-05 | ||
PCT/JP2016/066468 WO2016195037A1 (en) | 2015-06-05 | 2016-06-02 | Racket |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP3305376A1 true EP3305376A1 (en) | 2018-04-11 |
EP3305376A4 EP3305376A4 (en) | 2019-01-09 |
Family
ID=57441342
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP16803471.8A Withdrawn EP3305376A4 (en) | 2015-06-05 | 2016-06-02 | Racket |
Country Status (5)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US20180290027A1 (en) |
EP (1) | EP3305376A4 (en) |
JP (1) | JPWO2016195037A1 (en) |
CN (1) | CN107921313A (en) |
WO (1) | WO2016195037A1 (en) |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
TWI843600B (en) | 2023-06-14 | 2024-05-21 | 薩摩亞商順譽世界企業有限公司 | Pipe fittings and tennis rackets |
Families Citing this family (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CN107921313A (en) * | 2015-06-05 | 2018-04-17 | 尤尼克斯株式会社 | Racket |
US10369422B2 (en) * | 2015-06-05 | 2019-08-06 | Yonex Co., Ltd. | Badminton racket |
PL437958A1 (en) * | 2021-05-25 | 2022-11-28 | Masierak Piotr | String racket |
Family Cites Families (17)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3068047A (en) * | 1960-06-13 | 1962-12-11 | Anton Lorenz | Multiple position reclining chair |
US4326714A (en) * | 1980-06-09 | 1982-04-27 | Novack Robert L | Game implement |
JPS61115570U (en) * | 1984-12-28 | 1986-07-21 | ||
JP2648814B2 (en) * | 1987-12-23 | 1997-09-03 | ブリヂストンスポーツ株式会社 | Racket frame |
JPH047A (en) * | 1990-04-17 | 1992-01-06 | Komatsu Ltd | Device for supplying contaminant mixed oil |
FR2673381B1 (en) * | 1991-02-28 | 1994-05-06 | Rossignol Sa Skis | RACKET WITH LONGITUDINAL ASYMMETRY. |
CN2200850Y (en) * | 1994-04-05 | 1995-06-14 | 徐永成 | Improcved racket frame mark device |
JP3068047U (en) * | 1999-10-07 | 2000-04-21 | 株式会社ゴーセン | racket |
BR0004862A (en) * | 2000-06-21 | 2002-02-13 | Suzana Gonzaga Da Silva | Tennis racket perfecting |
CN2548665Y (en) * | 2002-05-23 | 2003-05-07 | 张正昌 | Shock absorber of racket |
JP6005940B2 (en) * | 2011-12-28 | 2016-10-12 | ダンロップスポーツ株式会社 | Racket frame |
FR2996462B1 (en) * | 2012-10-04 | 2014-12-19 | Babolat Vs | BADMINTON RACKET |
JP6196786B2 (en) * | 2013-03-06 | 2017-09-13 | ヨネックス株式会社 | racket |
JP6263444B2 (en) * | 2014-06-05 | 2018-01-17 | ヨネックス株式会社 | racket |
CN204050861U (en) * | 2014-07-03 | 2014-12-31 | 肖斌 | Racket both offensive and defensive operations |
US10369422B2 (en) * | 2015-06-05 | 2019-08-06 | Yonex Co., Ltd. | Badminton racket |
CN107921313A (en) * | 2015-06-05 | 2018-04-17 | 尤尼克斯株式会社 | Racket |
-
2016
- 2016-06-02 CN CN201680032661.XA patent/CN107921313A/en active Pending
- 2016-06-02 JP JP2017522258A patent/JPWO2016195037A1/en active Pending
- 2016-06-02 US US15/577,992 patent/US20180290027A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2016-06-02 WO PCT/JP2016/066468 patent/WO2016195037A1/en active Application Filing
- 2016-06-02 EP EP16803471.8A patent/EP3305376A4/en not_active Withdrawn
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
TWI843600B (en) | 2023-06-14 | 2024-05-21 | 薩摩亞商順譽世界企業有限公司 | Pipe fittings and tennis rackets |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
EP3305376A4 (en) | 2019-01-09 |
WO2016195037A1 (en) | 2016-12-08 |
JPWO2016195037A1 (en) | 2018-03-22 |
US20180290027A1 (en) | 2018-10-11 |
CN107921313A (en) | 2018-04-17 |
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