AU655082B2 - Polocrosse racket and polocrosse racket head - Google Patents

Description

S F Ref: 219970

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 6 5 0 8 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

*r 9 i i a4 I I ~I Name and Address of Applicant: Graham Thomas Bennett Bong Bong Farm Headlam Road Moss Vale New South Wales 2577

AUSTRALIA

r C C C r L Cil

LEG:

t C dC CITt~ r i I~ I Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: Graham Thomas Bennett Spruson Ferguson, Patent Attorneys Level 33 St Martins Tower, 31 Market Street Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia Polocrosse Racket and Polocrosse Racket Head ASSOCIATED PROVISIONAL APPLICATION DETAILS [311 Application No(s) [331 Country PK9659 AU PL1589 AU [32] Application Date 22 November 1991 30 March 1992 The following statement Is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- 5815/3 The present invention relates to polocrosse racquets, and in particular to a polocrosse racquet which has a racquet head made from plastics material.

Prior art polocrosse racquets have traditionally been made in two separate timber or cane pieces. The racquet head is usually made from laminated wood or cane which is pressed and glued together to form the hoop shape, or whole round cane which is bent into shape. A net is attached to the racquet head via holes which are drilled through the sides of the head. The net is shaped to enable the player to pick up, catch, carry and throw a polocrosse ball. The head is able to be attached to a racquet shaft by splicing the head to the shaft.

The main disadvantages with the aforementioned type of polocrosse racquet is that the head of the racquet is easily damaged due to the nature of both the racquet head and the game. As aficionados of polocrosse know, the racquet head is often damaged by being trodden on, or trampled by, horses' hooves. It is often the case that a player who plays regularly has to replace the racquet head of his racquet a number of times during a season.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved racquet head and racquet for use in polocrosse, the racquet head being constructed of plastics material.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a racquet head for a polocrosse racquet, said head being moulded from plastics material, said head including a hoop portion, a throat portion, an attachment portion to attach said head to a shaft, and a loose Sstringed net attached to said hoop portion, said net having strings j o" 'passing through holes located in said hoop, the racquet head being substantially as herein described in the following description.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a polocrosse racquet haviing a shaft and a handle and including the above-mentioned racquet head.

Some embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings; in which: Fig. l is a front view of a racquet head for a polocrosse racquet of a preferred embodiment; Fig. 2 is a side view of the racquet head of Fig. 1 illustrating a loose string net attached thereto; -3- Fig. 3 is a side view of the top of and exemplary embodiment of the racquet head; Fig. 4 is a front view of a polocrosse racquet including a racquet head and a shaft; and Figs. 5 and 6 are partial front views of racquet heads of further embodiments, illustrating two throat variations.

The racquet head 1 of the preferred embodiment is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. The racquet head as illustrated in these figures is a separate head for attachment to a shaft (not illustrated).

The head 1 includes the hoop 2 and throat 3. The throat 3 has a pair of prongs 4 which are attachable to the shaft. The shaft and the prongs 4 are joined together using existing techniques.

The hoop 2 of the head 1 has a plurality of holes 5 (Figs. 2 and 3) passing through the hoop 2 from the outside to the inside. A loose stringed net 6 of the polocrosse racquet is attached to the hoop 2 via Sthe holes 5 as illustrated in Fig. 2.

The example of the hoop 2 illustrated in Fig. 3 shows a groove 7 in the outside surface. The stringed net 6 is then attached to the hoop 2 within the groove 7 and the strings in this example have greater protection from damage.

The racquet heads 1 as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 are made from moulded plastics material for attachment to a cane or wooden shaft or handle. The plurality of holes 5 can be part of the initial manufacturing process or can be made therein after the head 1 has been initially moulded or constructed.

So The cross-sectional shape of the hoop 2 can be square, circular, orectangular, triangular, oval, or tubular, and can have the foregoing exterior shapes but be hollow.

A polocrosse racquet 11 is illustrated in Fig 4. This racquet 11 is made using the manufacturing processes described in reference to the racquet head 1. In this case, the racquet 11 comprising a head 12 and a shaft 13 is made in a single piece using the aforementioned techniques.

The shaft and handle 13 can be constructed of hollow, aerated or solid components or sections and/or a combination of any of the above.

Illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 are variations in the throat 3 of the head 1. The variations in the throat 3 include a tear-drop section as in Fig. 5 or a triangular aperture as illustrated in Fig. 6.

IAD/0973c Un

'VT

i~'1 i -4- The advantage of the racquet head 1 and racquet 11 of the preferred embodiments is that the head 1, being made from moulded plastics material is far stronger than existing heads.

The use of plastics has particular advantages including; lighter weight; greatly improved durability and impact resistance; streamlining; variations in weight, stiffness, etc. The preferred plastics materials include, polypropylenes, polycarbonates and nylons.

The use of the plastics materials provides a hoop which has a larger internal area and which has a thinner transverse cross-section area. These two features enable the user to place the racquet head under the ball more easily, and as the head has a larger internal area, the ball is easier to catch, etc.

The foregoing describes only some embodiments of the present invention and modifications, obvious to those skilled in the art, can e 15 made thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention.

aC C I /09 7-r 0,

Claims (4)

1. A racquet head for a polocrosse racquet, said head being moulded from plastics material, said head including a hoop portion, a throat portion, an attachment portion to attach said head to a shaft, and a loose stringed net attached to said hoop portion, said net having strings passing through holes located in said hoop, the racquet head being substantially as herein described with reference to the description other than the description of the prior art.

2. A racquet head substantially as described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 or Fig. 3 or Fig. 5 of the accompanying drawings.

3. A polocrosse racquet including a shaft, a handle and a racquet head as claimed in claim 1 or 2. A polocross racquet substantially as described with reference to Fig.

4 of the accompanying drawings. DATED this TWENTY-SECOND day of SEPTEMBER 1994 Graham Thomas Bennett Patent Attorneys for the Applicant SPRUSON FERGUSON a o i, 5 i M? j i I I Polocrosse Racket and Polocrosse Racket Head ABSTRACT A polocrosse racquet head for a polocrosse racquet is disclosed. The racquet head Includes a hoop and a throat (3) made from plastics material. The plastics material can be laminated I plastics, sheet plastics material or moulded plastics material. The throat has a pair of prongs which are attachable to a shaft which can be made from a variety of materials. The head is attached to the shaft using existing techniques. Fig. 1. **0 I I t i t 4 i ti 1 I HRF/0973c