US20060211525A1

US20060211525A1 - Racket frame

Info

Publication number: US20060211525A1
Application number: US11/377,954
Authority: US
Inventors: Chin-Dong Pai
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-03-21
Filing date: 2006-03-16
Publication date: 2006-09-21

Abstract

A racket frame has a handle, a connecting segment and a frame. The connecting segment is inverted triangle shaped, is connected with the handle and has a throat and two shafts. The throat is connected with the proximal end of the handle. The shafts are respectively formed with the throat. The frame is hollow, is elliptical shaped, is made of aluminum alloy, is connected with the connecting segment and has a frame segment and at least one compound material tube. The frame segment has a yoke, a bottom segment and a string. The at least one compound material tube is made of carbon fiber, is attached to the bottom segment and each has a proximal end and a distal end.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a racket frame, and more particularly to a racket frame that can provide an enhanced structure and reduce transmitted shock and vibration when used.
2. Description of Related Art
With reference to FIG. 11, a conventional racket frame is used for playing with a tennis ball, a badminton ball or a paddleball and usually has a handle (5), a connecting segment (6) and a head hoop (7).
The handle (5) has a proximal end and a distal end.
The connecting segment (6) can be an inverted triangle shaped, a V-shaped or an arc-shaped, is connected with the handle (5) and has a throat (61) and two shafts (62). The throat (61) is connected with the proximal end of the handle (5) and made of plastic. The shafts (62) are respectively mounted with the throat (61).
The bead hoop (7) is elliptical shaped, may be made of aluminum alloy or carbon fiber composite, is connected with the connecting segment (6) and has a bottom end, a top end, an inner surface, a yoke (72) and a string (71). The yoke (72) is formed on the bottom end of the head hoop (7), is mounted with the shafts (62) of the connecting segment (6) and made of plastic or carbon fiber composite. The top end is formed with the yoke (72). The string (71) is crisscrossed with the inner surface of the head hoop (7).
However, the conventional racket frame has the following shortcomings.
1. If the head hoop (7) is made of aluminum alloy, the cost for manufacturing the conventional racket frame is low, but the strength, the shock absorbency and the weight of the conventional racket frame is weak and heavy, and this may result injuries to players.
2. In addition, if the head hoop (7) is made of carbon fiber and strong, light weight and can reduce the vibration damping and the shock, but the cost for manufacturing the conventional racket frame is high and increases the economical burden to the user.
The invention provides a racket frame that can mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main objective of the present invention is to provide a racket frame that can provide an enhanced structure aid reduce transmitted shock and vibration when used.
The racket frame has a handle, a connecting segment and a frame. The connecting segment is inverted triangle shaped, is connected with the handle and has a throat and two shafts. The throat is connected with the proximal end of the handle. The shafts are respectively formed with the throat. The frame is hollow, is elliptical shaped, is made of aluminum alloy, is connected with the connecting segment and has a frame segment and at least one compound material tube. The frame segment has a yoke, a bottom segment and a string. The at least one compound material tube is made of carbon fiber, is attached to the bottom segment and each has a proximal end and a distal end.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a racket frame in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 1A is an enlarged cross sectional view of the racket frame in FIG. 1;
FIG. 1B is a side view of the racket frame in FIG. 1;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the racket frame in FIG. 1;
FIG. 2A is an enlarged cross sectional view of the racket frame in FIG. 2;
FIG. 3 is another enlarged cross sectional view of the racket frame in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3A is an enlarged cross sectional view of the racket frame in FIG. 3;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a racket frame in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the racket frame in FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is another enlarged cross sectional view of the racket frame in FIG. 4;
FIG. 7 is a front view in partial section of a third embodiment of a racket frame in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 8 is another front view in partial section of the racket frame in FIG. 7;
FIG. 9 is a front view in partial section of a fourth embodiment of a racket frame in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 10 is another front view in partial section of the racket frame in FIG. 9; and
FIG. 11 is a front view of a conventional racket frame in accordance with the prior art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to FIGS. 1 to 3A, a racket frame in accordance with the present invention comprises a handle (3), a connecting segment (2) and a head hoop (1).
The handle (3) has a proximal end and a distal end.
The connecting segment (2) is inverted triangle shaped, is connected with the handle (3) and has a throat (22) and two shafts (21). The throat (22) is connected with the proximal end of the handle (3). The shafts (62) are respectively formed with the throat (22).
With reference to FIGS. 1 to 1B, the head hoop (1) is hollow, is elliptical shaped, may be made of aluminum alloy and has an oval cross-section. The head hoop (1) is connected with the connecting segment (2) and has a frame segment (10), an inner surface, a string (14) and two compound material tubes (12).
The frame segment (10) is attached to the connecting segment (2) and has a yoke (15), a bottom segment (11) and a top segment (13). The yoke (15) is connected with the shafts (21) of the connecting segment (2). The bottom segment (11) is mounted with the yoke (15) and has two connecting ends (111).
The compound material tubes (12) are made of carbon fiber and respectively attached to the connecting ends (111) of the bottom segment (11), and each has a proximal end (122), a distal end (121) and an optional adhesive layer (123). The proximal ends (122) of the compound material tubes (12) are respectively attached securely with the connecting ends (111) of the bottom segment (11). The adhesive layer (123) is defined between the proximal ends (122) of the compound material tubes (12) and the connecting ends (111) of the bottom segment (11) to make the compound material tubes (12) and bottom segment (11) be connected with each other firmly.
The top segment (13) is attached to the compound material tubes (12) and has two connecting ends (131). The connecting ends (131) of the top segment (13) are respectively connected securely with the distal ends (121) of compound material tubes (12). The adhesive layer (123) is defined between the distal ends (121) of the compound material tubes (12) and the connecting ends (131) of the top segment (11) to make the compound material tubes (12) and top segment (13) be connected with each other firmly.
The string (14) is crisscrossed with the inner surface.
With further reference to FIGS. 2 and 2A, in a first preferred embodiment, the distal ends (122) and the proximal ends (121) of the compound material tubes (12) are respectively mounted around the connecting ends (111, 131) of the bottom segment (11) and the top segment (13) of the head hoop (1).
With further reference to FIGS. 3 and 3A, in a second preferred embodiment, the connecting ends (111, 131) of the bottom segment (11) and the top segment (13) are respectively mounted around the distal ends (122) and the proximal ends (121) of the compound material tubes (12).
With reference to FIGS. 4 to 6, the head hoop (1′) has a frame segment (10′), an inner surface, a string (14′) and a compound material tube (12′). The frame segment (10′) has a bottom segment (11′) and a yoke (15′). The bottom segment (11′) is U-shaped, is connected with the yoke (15′) and has two connecting ends (111′). The compound material tube (12′) is attached to the bottom segment (11′) and has a distal end (122′) and a proximal end (121′). The distal end (122′) and the proximal end (121′) of the compound material tube (12′) are respectively connected with the connecting ends (111′) of the bottom segment (11′). The distal end (122′) and the proximal end (121′) of the compound material tube (12′) can be respectively mounted around the connecting ends (111′) of the bottom segment (11′) as shown in FIG. 5, or inserted into the connecting ends (111′) of the bottom segment (11′) as shown in FIG. 6.
With reference to FIGS. 7 to 10, users also can used one or two compound material tubes (12′, 12) with a paddle racket frame (8) or a tennis racket frame (9) to improve the strength of the racket frame (8,9).
The racket frame as described has the following advantages.
1. The compound material tubes (12) that made of carbon fiber are stronger than the aluminum alloy, attached to the top segment (13) and the bottom segment (11) of the head hoop (1) of the racket frame can reduce transmission of shock and vibration to the head hoop (1) and handle (3) when the string (14) hit a ball. Consequently, the life of the racket frame will be longer than that of a conventional racket frame that all made of aluminum alloy.
2. The compound material tubes (12) that made of carbon fiber can be mounted with the head hoop (1) according to the user's need.
3. The racket frame has a simplified structure and is lighter than the racket frame that made of aluminum alloy, the cost for manufacturing the racket frame is reduced.
4. The injuries to players will be reduced because the compound material tubes (12) can absorb shock and vibration, and users can play well with the racket frame for longer periods of time.
Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and features of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in the details, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

Claims

1. A racket frame having

a handle having

a proximal end; and

a distal end;

a connecting segment connected with the handle, and

a head hoop being hollow, elliptical shaped and connected with the connecting segment and having

a inner surface;

a string crisscrossed with the inner surface;

a frame segment made of aluminum alloy and connected with the connecting segment;

at least one compound material tube made of carbon fiber and connected with the frame segment to form the head hoop.

2. The racket frame as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the connecting segment being inverted triangle shaped and having

a throat connected with the proximal end of the handle; and

two shafts respectively formed with the throat; and

the frame segment has

a yoke connected with the shafts of the connecting segment;

a bottom segment integrally connected with the yoke and having two connecting ends; and

a top segment having two connecting ends;

the head hoop comprises two compound material tubes attached between the bottom segment and the top segment, and each having

a proximal end attached securely with one of the connecting ends of the bottom segment; and

a distal end attached securely with one of the connecting ends of the top segment to connect the compound material tubes with the top segment; and

an adhesive layer is defined between the proximal ends and the distal ends of the compound material tubes and the corresponding connecting ends of the bottom segment and the top segment.

3. The racket frame as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the connecting segment being inverted triangle shaped and having

a throat connected with the proximal end of the handle; and

two shafts respectively formed with the throat;

the frame segment has

a yoke connected with the shafts of the connecting segment; and

a bottom segment being U-shaped, connected with the yoke and having two connecting ends;

the head hoop comprises a compound material tube attached to the bottom segment, and having

a distal end attached securely with the other connecting ends of the top segment; and

4. The racket frame as claimed in claim 2, wherein the proximal ends and the distal ends of the compound material tubes are respectively mounted around the connecting ends of the bottom segment and the top segment.

5. The racket frame as claimed in claim 2, wherein the connecting ends of the bottom segment and the top segment are respectively mounted around the distal ends and the proximal ends of the compound material tubes.

6. The racket frame as claimed in claim 3, wherein the proximal end and the distal end of the compound material tube are respectively mounted around the connecting ends of the bottom segment.

7. The racket frame as claimed in claim 3, wherein the connecting ends of the bottom segment are respectively mounted around the distal end and the proximal end of the compound material tube.