US20060199681A1

US20060199681A1 - Ball play racket

Info

Publication number: US20060199681A1
Application number: US11/363,281
Authority: US
Inventors: Ralf Schwenger
Original assignee: Volkl Tennis GmbH
Current assignee: Volkl Tennis GmbH
Priority date: 2005-03-02
Filing date: 2006-02-28
Publication date: 2006-09-07
Also published as: DE102005010148A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a ball sport racquet, in particular tennis racquet, with a racquet frame, which is manufactured as one piece with a racquet head frame supporting the racquet strings and with a racquet neck or racquet shaft, wherein the racquet stringing is formed by crisscrossing strings or string sections forming a string bed and held on the racquet frame head.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a ball game or sport racquet, in particular a tennis racquet.
It is an object of the present invention is to provide for a ball sport or ball game racquet with improved playing characteristics.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a ball sport or ball game racquet, in particular a tennis racquet, with one racquet frame, which is manufactured as one piece with a racquet head frame supporting the racquet stringing and with a racquet neck or racquet shaft, wherein the racquet stringing is formed by crisscrossing strings or string sections forming a string bed and held on the racquet frame head, at least part of the strings or string sections forming the racquet stringing are held on at least one bearing element, which is provided so that it can pivot on the racquet frame head on an axis tangential to the course of the racquet frame head.
One exemplary embodiment of the invention is described below with reference to the drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 shows a top view of a ball sport racquet in the form of a tennis racquet;
FIG. 2 shows a perspective view as a cross section of the main frame or racquet head frame in the area of the string-bearing element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The tennis racquet depicted in the drawings and generally designated 1 consists in the usual manner of an outwardly closed hollow frame or racquet frame, which forms a racquet head 2, a throat 3 with two bridges 3.1 and a racquet shaft 4 connecting to the throat 3. The racquet head 2 features the stringing or striking surface 6 formed by crisscrossing strings or string sections 6.1 on the part of the racquet also referred to as the main frame or racquet head frame 5.
The entire racquet frame, i.e. the racquet head frame 5, the throat 3 and its bridges 3.1 and the racquet neck or shaft 4 bearing the actual handle 4.1 are all part of the outwardly closed one-piece hollow frame, which or the supporting structure of which is manufactured in the known manner from a fiber-reinforced plastic (e.g. prepreg material). In FIG. 1, L designates the longitudinal axis of the racquet 1, which is also the axis of the racquet neck or racquet shaft 4 and is located in the plane of the stringing 6. In the depicted embodiment, the racquet 1 is symmetrical to said longitudinal axis L.
A special characteristic of the tennis racquet 1 consists in the fact that a plurality of rotation bodies or bearing elements 7 made of a suitable material, for example plastic, e.g. polyamide or POM and/or metal, are provided on the racquet head frame 5. The bearing elements 7 are provided with an eyelet-shaped section 7.1, which completely encloses the respective bearing element for pivoted mounting, and with a section 7.2, which protrudes somewhat over the inner side of the racquet frame head 5 and is located approximately in the plane formed by the stringing 6.
In the depicted embodiment, a total of six bearing elements 7 are provided on the racquet head frame 5, namely one bearing element 7 on each side of the longitudinal axis L at the head area of the racquet head 2 opposing the throat 3 and at a certain distance from said longitudinal axis and two bearing elements 7 on each side of the racquet head 2, i.e. approximately in the center between the throat 3 and the head area of the racquet head 2 located at a distance from said throat, wherein one bearing element 7 on one side of the racquet head 2 opposes one bearing element 7 on the other side of the racquet head in an axis direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L.
In the depicted embodiment, the sections 7.2 of the bearing elements 7 hold the strings or string sections 6.1 forming the stringing 6 in a manner resulting in two string sections 6.1 extending away from the section 7.2 of each bearing element 7. In the simplest case, this is achieved by the fact that at least one through bore hole 8 is provided in each section 7.2 of each bearing element 7 for inserting and holding the string.
In the depicted embodiment, the racquet head frame 5 has, in the area of the bearing elements 7 on its outer area 5.1 and on the two transitions to the inner area 5.2, a cylindrical outer geometry in relation to an axis that is tangential to the course of the racquet head frame 5, as indicated in FIG. 2 by the radius R. On the remainder of the inner area 5.2 the racquet head frame 5 is shaped at the bearing elements 7 in such a manner that the outer geometry extends perpendicular to the plane of the stringing 6.
Each bearing element 7 has on its section 7.1 one opening 9, which forms a bearing surface bearing against the outer area 5.1 and which is adapted to the shape of this area, so that each bearing element 5 can pivot on the racquet head frame, namely on the axis that is tangential to the course of the racquet head frame 5.
Outside of the bearing elements 7 the strings or string sections 6.1 forming the stringing 6 are fastened to the racquet head frame in the usual manner, namely using cords or strands not depicted.
The racquet head frame 5, at least in the area where the bearing elements 7 are provided, at least on its outer surface, consists of a gliding and non-wearing material, i.e. in the form of a coating made of such a material. A suitable coating would be, for example, a PTFE coating.
In order to mount the bearing elements 7 on the racquet head frame 5, they are made of two parts, i.e. divided in the area of their section 7.1, as indicated by 10, so that each bearing element consists of one outer section 7.1.1 and one inner section 7.1.2, which also comprises the section 7.2. After assembly, the two sections 7.1.1 are connected with each other in a suitable manner, for example by a screw and/or snap-on connection.
In the depicted embodiment the bore hole 8 is a through hole, the axis of which is parallel to the longitudinal extension of the racquet head frame, so that the two string sections 6.1 extending away from the respective bearing element 7 are located to the side of section 7.2. Other designs are also conceivable. For example, it is also possible to provide channels instead of the through hole 8, so that the string sections 6.1 extend away from the face 7.2.1 of the respective bearing element facing away from the racquet head frame 5. As can also be seen in FIG. 2, in the depicted embodiment the area, for example the bore hole 8, where the respective strings are fastened to the bearing elements 7, is significantly offset radially from the turning or pivot axis of the respective bearing element.
The essential advantages of the racquet 1 are the effective uncoupling between the stringing 6 and the racquet frame and a large-surface transfer of the force of the strings in the racquet frame. A further advantage consists in the greater progression of the stringing 6 or of the string bed. For example, in the event of deflection of the bearing elements 7 when hitting a ball, this will automatically cause additional elongation or tensioning of the strings or string sections 6.1. This enables the use of a lower string stiffness. Upon contact with the ball, the ball is initially absorbed by a softer string bed with less deformation of the ball, and the string bed progressively stiffens to an extreme degree with the increasing deflection of the bearing element 7.
A further essential feature is that the above advantages are achieved with no weakening whatsoever and therefore no limitation of the strength of the racquet head frame, since the racquet head frame is designed also in the area of the bearing elements 7 with the large cross section necessary for strength and stiffness and no holes, notches or other weakening of the racquet frame are necessary for mounting the bearing elements 7. A further essential advantage is that the outwardly closed hollow profile of the racquet frame is also maintained in the area of the bearing elements.
The invention was described above based on one exemplary embodiment. It goes without saying that numerous modifications and alterations are possible without abandoning the underlying inventive idea upon which the invention is based.

REFERENCE LIST

1 Ball sport racquet or tennis racquet
2 racquet head
3 throat
3.1 throat bridge
4 racquet neck or racquet shaft
4.1 handle element
5 racquet head frame
5.1 outer section of racquet head frame
5.2 inner section of racquet head frame
6 stringing
6.1 string or string section
7 bearing element
7.1, 7.2 section of bearing element
7.1.1 outer section
7.1.2 inner section
7.2.1 face of section
8 bore hole
9 bearing hole in bearing element 7
10 separating surface
L longitudinal racquet axis

Claims

1. A ball sport or ball game racquet, in particular tennis racquet, which is manufactured as one piece with a racquet head frame supporting the racquet stringing and with a racquet neck or racquet shaft, wherein the racquet stringing is formed by crisscrossing strings or string sections forming a string bed and held on the racquet frame head, wherein at least part of the strings or string sections forming the racquet stringing are held on at least one bearing element, which is provided so that it can pivot on the racquet frame head on an axis tangential to the course of the racquet frame head.

2. A ball sport racquet according to claim 1, wherein the at least one bearing element encloses the racquet head frame on its outer surface with one eyelet-shaped section.

3. A ball sport racquet according to claim 1, wherein the racquet head frame in the area of the at least one bearing element features a cylindrically curved outer geometry on the pivot axis of the respective bearing element at least on its outer side facing away from the racquet stringing, on sub-sections connecting to said outer side or transition sections to the inner side of the racquet head frame facing the racquet stringing.

4. A ball sport racquet according to claim 3, wherein the at least one bearing element forms a bearing surface that is adapted to the outer geometry of the racquet head frame.

5. A ball sport racquet according to claim 1, wherein a connection between the bearing element and the at least one string section extending away from said bearing element is offset radially from the pivot axis of the bearing element.

6. A ball sport racquet according to claim 1, wherein a pivot axis of the at least one bearing element is in the plane of the racquet stringing.

7. A ball sport racquet according to claim 1, wherein the at least one bearing element is manufactured with two sections, namely of one outer section and one inner section, and that both elements form at least one opening enclosing the racquet head frame when assembled.

8. A ball sport racquet according to claim 1, wherein the racquet head frame, at least in the area of the at least one bearing element, features an outer surface comprising a gliding and/or non-wearing material.

9. A ball sport racquet according to claim 1, wherein the racquet frame is a closed hollow frame.

10. A ball sport racquet according to claim 1, wherein the racquet head frame, at least in the area of the at least one bearing element, is provided with a gliding and/or non-wearing coating, or with a coating made of PTFE.

11. A ball sport racquet according to claim 1, wherein the at least one bearing element is made of plastic, selected from a polyamide or POM.

12. A ball sport racquet claim 1, wherein at least two opposing bearing elements are provided on the racquet head frame in an axis direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (L) of the ball sport racquet.

13. A ball sport racquet according to claim 12, wherein at least two pairs of opposing bearing elements are provided on the racquet head frame in an axis direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (L).

14. A ball sport racquet according to claim 1, wherein at least two bearing elements are provided on the racquet head frame on each side of the longitudinal racquet axis (L).

15. A ball sport racquet according to claim 1, wherein at least two string sections extend away from the at least one bearing element.