GB2324739A

GB2324739A - Game racket having a reinforced shaft

Info

Publication number: GB2324739A
Application number: GB9708659A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Chin-San You
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-04-30
Filing date: 1997-04-30
Publication date: 1998-11-04
Also published as: FR2762998A3; GB9708659D0; FR2762998B3; DE29707856U1

Abstract

A game racket consists of a head frame, a shaft fastened with the head frame, and a hand grip fastened with the shaft. The shaft is composed of a main body 20 formed of a thermosetting or thermoplastic resin and a plurality of first fibre braids. The main body is reinforced by a plurality of second fibre braids 30 which are tougher than the first fibre braids and are arranged in such a manner that the second fibre braids are separated from one another by a predetermined distance, and that the second fibre braids are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the main body.

Description

GAME RACKET HAVING A REINFORCED SHAFT FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to a game racket, and more particularly. to a reinforced shaft of the game racket.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The conventional game racket, such as tennis racket, badminton racket, squash racket, etc., comprises a shaft which is located between the grip and the head of the racket and is generally made of a metal material. The metal shaft is rather durable; nevertheless it is relatively heavy. The heavy shaft can cause the center of gravity of the racket to move away from the grip portion of the racket. As a result, a player using such a conventional game racket must make a greater effort to return the ball.

Such a conventional metal shaft as described above has been therefore replaced by the shaft made of a fiber-reinforced plastic composite material. However, such an improved shaft is vulnerable to crack or breakage. The remedial measure is to increase the amount of the reinforcing fiber, thereby resulting in a substantial increase in the production cost. In addition, this remedial measure is by no means a panacea.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The primary objective of the present invention is therefore to provide a game racket shaft superior in the structural strength and the appearance to the conventional game racket shaft.

In keeping with the principle of the present invention, the foregoing objective of the present invention is attained by the game racket shaft, which consists of a main body made of a plurality of first fiber braids and reinforced by a plurality of second fiber braids. The second fiber braids are tougher than the first fiber braids and are arranged at an interval in the periphery of the main body such that the second fiber braids are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the main body so as to avert the breakage of the game racket shaft.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a front view of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows an unfolded schematic view of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of the first present preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows a sectional view taken along the direction as FIG. 3 of a second preferred embodiment of the present invention FIG. 5 shows a sectional view taken along the direction as shown in FIG. 4. of a third preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows a front view of a fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 shows a sectional view taken along the direction indicated byaline 7-7 as shown in FIG.6.

FIG. 8 shows a front view of a fifth preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 shows a front view of a sixth preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 shows a top view of the sixth preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 shows a front view of a seventh preferred embodiment of thc present invention.

FIG. 12 shows a front view of a eighth preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION As shown in FIGS. 1-3, a game racket shaft 10 is fastened at one end thereof with a head frame 12 by means of a connection member 11, and at another end thereof with a grip 13. The head frame 12 comprises a network 14 for hitting a ball.

The shaft 10 is composed of a main body 20 and a plurality of second fiber braids 30. The main body 20 is formed of a plurality of first fiber braids and a thermosetting or thermoplastic resin. The first fiber braids are arranged in a winding or intertwining manner in a resin layer having an appropriate thickness, so as to form a fiber fabric piece, which is then wound to form under heat a tubular main body 20 resistant to torsion. The second fiber braids 30 are attached at an interval to the periphery of the tubular main body 20 such that the second fiber braids 30 are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the main body 20.

The second fiber braids 30 are made of tough fibers, such as DYNEEMA fiber made by DSM Company of the Netherlands, or KEVLAR fiber made by DuPont Corporation of U.S.A. In the event that the main body 20 of the shaft 10 is cracked or broken, the second fiber braids 30 of the shaft 10 prevents the fragments of the broken main body 20 from flying all over the place to become a safety hazard to the spectators.

The second fiber braids 30 may be dyed to enhance the esthetic effect of the shaft 10, so as to improve the marketability of the game racket.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the second fiber braids 30 of the main body 20 are ground to have a smooth surface capable of being coated with paint or wound therearound with a transparent or translucent glass fiber cloth to form a bright layer 40 on the outer surface of the main body 20.

As shown in FIG. 5, the formation of the main body 20 of the present invention may be modified in such a manner that the first fiber braids are wound around a rod (not shown in the drawing) repeatedly so as to form a multi-layered structure consisting of concentric layers. The second fiber braids 30 are arranged in a manner similar to the one that was described above.

As illustrated in FIGS. 6-8, the second fiber braids 30 are so arranged that shaft 10 has one or more bulges capable of dispersing the stress.

As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, a tapered portion 15 is formed at the junction between the shaft 10 and the grip 13. The second fiber braids 30 are arranged in the tapered portion 15 such that the second fiber braids 30 are branched out in lines equidistantly from the axial center of the shaft 10.

As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the tapered portion 15 is not confined to the junction between the shaft 10 and the grip 13. The tapered portion 15 may be extended through the shaft 10 such that the second fiber braids 30 are extended in a radiating manner.

Claims

1. A game racket comprising a head frame, a shaft fastened at one end thereof with the head frame, and a hand grip fastened at one end thereof with another end of the shaft; wherein the shaft comprises: a main body formed of a thermosetting or thermoplastic resin and a plurality of first fibre braids of a toughness; and a plurality of second fibre braids of a toughness greater than the toughness of said first fibre braids, said second fibre braids being arranged such that said second fibre braids are separated from one another by a predetermined distance, and that said second braids are parallel to a longitudinal axis of said main body.

2. The game racket as defined in claim 1, wherein said main body is provided with a transparent or translucent coating; and wherein said second fibre braids are located between said main body and said coating.

3. The game racket as defined in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said first fibre braids are arranged such that one portion of said first fibre braids is wound, and that other portion of said first fibre braids is intertwined.

4. The game racket as defined in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said main body is provided with one or more bulges formed jointly by said main body and said second fibre braids.

5. The game racket as defined in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said main body has at least one tapered portion; and wherein said second fibre braids are arranged in said tapered portion such that said second fibre braids are branched out in lines from an axial centre of said main body.

6. The game racket as defined in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said first fibre braids and said second fibre braids are dyed differently.

7. A game racket comprising a head frame, a shaft fastened at one end thereof with the head frame, and shand grip fastened at one end thereof with another end of the shaft; wherein the shaft comprises: a main body formed of a thermosetting or thermoplastic resin and a plurality of first fibre braids of a toughness; and a plurality of second fibre braids of a toughness greater than the toughness of said first fibre braids, said second fibre braids being wound around said main body such that said second fibre braids are separated from one another by a predetermined distance, and that said second braids are parallel to a longitudinal axis of said main body.

8. A game racket substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.