US3674268A - Table tennis paddle construction with improved handle means therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

A table tennis paddle having a hand graspable portion, a ball striking portion and a connecting portion extending between and integrally interconnecting the former two portions in coplanar relation. The longitudinal and lateral axes of the ball striking portion are substantially coplanar and parallel with the longitudinal and lateral axes of the hand graspable portion respectively. A plurality of apertures are formed in the connecting portion for receiving the fingers of a player. The hand graspable portion has mounted thereon thickening members to be readily graspable within the player''s palm.

Description

O United States Patent [151 3,674,268

Shellman, Sr. 1 July 4, 1972 [54] TABLE TENNIS PADDLE 868,492 10/1907 Schnopp ..9/307 CONSTRUCTION WITH IMPROVED 2,205,578 6/1940 Schnur N L MEANS THEREFOR 3,039,120 6/1962 Powell et a1 ..9/307 X [72] Inventor: Kenneth S. Shellman, Sr., 55 Kesling FOREIGN PATENTS OR CAT Ohm 249,085 1/1964 Australia ..273/73 R [22] Filed: June 4, 1970 Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham [2]] Appl' 43386 Assistant ExaminerRichard J. Apley Attorney-Melvin A. Crosby [52] US. CL ..273/76 51 rm. c1. ..A63b 59/04 1 1 ABSTRACT [58] Field of Search ..273/67 R, 67 B 73 R 73 C, A table tennis paddle having a hand graspable portion, a ball 273/73 9/307 1334/5 272/67 striking portion and a connecting portion extending between and integrally interconnecting the former two portions in [56] Rderences Cited coplanar relation. The longitudinal and lateral axes of the ball UNITED STATES PATENTS striking portion are substantially coplanar and parallel with the longitudinal and lateral axes of the hand graspable portion 2,396,106 3/ 1946 Kusznlrm 272/67 respectively. A plurality of apertures are formed in the con- 3,497,214 2/ 1970 Kuszmr 1 ..272/67 necting portion for receiving the fingers of a player. The hand 3,239,224 3/1966 273/67 B X graspable portion has mounted thereon thickening members D216,136 11/1969 Maddox 1 ..D34/5 to be readily graspabk within the player's l 3,336,029 8/1967 London... 273/67 R 1,982,448 11/1934 Nash ..273/73 F 1 Claim, 14 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUL 4 m2 3, 674, 2658 saw 1 or 2 INVENTOR. KENNETH S. 5HELLMAN,SR.

BY WW PATENTEDJUM 1972 3, 674, 268 sum 2 or 2 INVENTCR. KENNETH S. SHELLMAN,SR

TABLE TENNIS PADDLE CONSTRUCTION WITH IMPROVED HANDLE MEANS THEREFOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:

Presently known table tennis paddles of conventional design are normally held by the user, whereby, the longitudinal and lateral axes of the paddle are substantially at right angles to the longitudinal and lateral axes of the user's hand. This requires added wrist movement by the user to bring the paddle into proper orientation for executing the wide variety of forehand and backhand driving and chopping return strokes normally encountered during the playing of the game. In addition, this added wrist movement to bring the paddle in proper orientation increases the time necessary to effect such return strokes and further becomes more fatiguing during prolonged use of such paddle.

Therefore, it is desirable to provide an improved table tennis paddle construction which overcomes the above mentioned disadvantages and, in addition, is lightweight, durable, inexpensive and readily mastered by novices and seasoned player alike regardless of his former style of playing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:

The present invention relates to improvements in table tennis paddle constructions and more particularly to improved handle means, whereby, the paddle when held in a normal playing manner provides a longitudinal extension to the hand of the user so that the longitudinal and lateral axes of the paddle are substantially parallel and coplanar with the longitudinal and lateral axes of the users hand, thereby, enabling the user to effect a wide variety of forehand and backhand driving and chopping return strokes more quickly, during playing of such game, with less fatigue because no additional wrist movement is required other than that necessary to effect such return strokes.

In addition to the above, the present invention provides a table tennis paddle construction which is lightweight, durable, inexpensive and which has positive gripping means when held by the user in a relaxed manner, therefore, being further less fatiguing to the user during prolonged use thereof.

Other details and advantages of this invention will become more apparent as the following description of the exemplary embodiments thereof presented in the accompanying drawings proceeds.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings show exemplary embodiments of this invention, in which:

FIG. I is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a table tennis paddle construction according to the present invention and illustrating the manner in which the paddle is grasped by the user;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the assembled embodiment of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken essentially on line 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view, similar to FIG. 3, of still another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the assembled embodiment of FIG. 6;

.FIGS. 8 through 12 illustrate still further modifications of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the manner in which the present invention may be fonned of identical or matching halves and subsequently secured together to form a completed paddle assembly; and

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the assembled halves of the embodiment of FIG. 13.

Referring to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a preferred embodiment of a table tennis paddle constructed according to the present invention. The paddle, generally indicated at 10, comprises body having a a ball striking portion with a striking surface 12 of conventional design which has suitable covering 14 on both sides thereof. The body also comprises a hand graspable portion in the form of handle means generally indicated at 16 and dependent from one side edge of the ball striking portion. Handle means 16 comprises a lower member 18 contoured to fit-the hand of a user and an upper thinner member 20 integral with the ball striking portion.

Upper member 20 is provided with a plurality of apertures 22 for receiving the fingers of the user. Rubber-like grommet means 24 may be provided within apertures 22 to provide frictional and cushioning means for the user's fingers. The users hand, indicated at 26, is shown in phantom in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 illustrates that the longitudinal axis 28 and lateral axis 29 of the paddle 10 are substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis 28 and lateral axis 29' of hand 26 at all times during use.

In FIG. 2, it will be seen that longitudinal axis 28 of the pad dle construction 10 is also substantially coplanar with the longitudinal axis 28' of the users hand 26 when the paddle 10 is held in a normal playing position.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 3 through 12 of the drawings wherein, in each figure, a table tennis paddle construction of the present invention is illustrated which is very similar in construction to the table tennis paddle 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2; therefore, each paddle of FIGS. 3 through 12 will be designated generally by the reference numeral '10 followed by a difierent letter designation for each difierent figure and parts of the paddle in each figure which are similar to corresponding parts of the paddle 10 will be designated by the same reference numeral as in FIGS. 1 and 2 followed by an associated letter designation. Only those parts of each paddle which are substantially different from. corresponding parts of the paddle 10 are designated by a new reference numeral also followed by a respective associated letter designation.

Thus, the paddles of FIGS. 3 through 12 will be designated by the reference numerals 10A, 10B, 10C, 10D, 10E, 10F and 10G respectively. Further, the paddles 10A-G may be used in substantially the same manner as previously described for paddle 10 ofFIGS. 1 and 2.

In general, it will be seen that each paddle l0A-G has ball striking surface means of substantially identical configuration with that of paddle 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2 and is further provided with handle means similar to paddle 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIGS. 3 to 5 illustrate at 10A an embodiment of a table tennis paddle construction of the present invention similar to that of FIG. 1, except in place of apertures 22 and grommets 24 of FIG. 1, an elongated hole 21A is provided in upper member 20A of handle means 16A. Elongated hole 21A is also provided with insert members 24A mounted therein to provide frictional and cushioning means for the fingers of the user. Insert members 24A may be constructed of medium soft plastic or rubber as desired.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, insert member 24A has a peripheral flange 30A and a plurality of apertures 22A similar to apertures 22 of FIG. 1. FIG. 5 shows the insert members 24A assembled in elongated hole 21A, for example, adhesively, ultrasonically or by any other suitable means to secure sur faces 32A of the insert members 24A to each other and surfaces 34A of flanges 30A to upper handle member 20A of handle means 16A to form a completed assembly.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate at 103 another embodiment of a table tennis paddle construction of the present invention similar to FIGS. 1 and 4, wherein, handle means 16B has a lower member 188 and an upper member 208, wherein, upper member 208 is provided with a plurality of apertures 22B therein. Cover members for upper member 20B,

generally indicated at 248, are provided with apertures 22B for matching alignment with apertures 228 when cover members 24B are assembled with upper member 208 of handle portion 168. FIG. 7 illustrates cover members 24B secured in assembled relation to upper member 208 of handle means 16B, for example, as by adhesive, ultrasonic or any other suitable means to secure surfaces 348 of flanges 308 to upper handle member 20B of handle means 16B to form the completed assembly.

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate various modifications of a table tennis paddle construction of the present invention similar to paddle 10 of FIG. 1. In FIG. 8, paddle 10C is provided with three holes 22C in upper member C of handle means 16C. Holes 22C may be provided, if desired, with grommets 24C. FIG. 9 illustrates a table tennis paddle construction at 10D having two holes 22D in upper member 20D of handle means 16D. Holes 22D may be provided with grommets 24D, if so desired. Extended ledges 40D on lower member 18D of handle means 16D may be provided for resting the index and small finger of the users hand thereon, thus similating essentially the manner of holding paddle 10 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 10 illustrates at 10E another modification of a table tennis paddle construction of the present invention similar in construction to that of paddle 10A of FIG. 3 wherein it is not desired to use insert members similar to insert members 24A therewith. The main difference between paddle 10A and paddle 10E is that the lower edge of elongated hole 21E of handle means 16E of paddle 10B is substantially flush with the top edge of lower member 18E of handle means 16E, as indicated at 42E, which provides a curved surface for the fingers of the users hand to rest'upon.

FIG. 11 illustrates at 10F another modification of a table tennis paddle construction of the present invention similar in construction to that of paddle 10E of FIG. 10. The main difference is that the upper edge of handle member 18F of handle means 16F is provided with contoured ridges 44F arranged to fit between the fingers of the users hand to provide positive gripping means therefor.

FIG. 12 illustrates at 10G still another modification of a table tennis paddle construction of the present invention wherein, the main difference is that the upper handle member 46G of handle means 16G is comprised of a rod-like member secured by rivets 48G or any other suitable means to the lower portion of the ball striking surface 120. The lower portion of rod-like member 46G is suitable secured to handle member 18G of handle means 16G as indicated at 49G.

FIGS. 13 and 14 illustrate a plastic table tennis paddle construction of the present invention comprised of molded duplicate halves, generally indicated at 50, having strengthening ribs 52, peripheral rim edges 54 and apertures 56 integral with handle means 58. The inside surfaces of the molded halves 50 are secured together along rim edge 54 and strengthening ribs 52 adhesively, ultrasonically or by any other suitable means to form a completed paddle assembly which is strong, durable, lightweight and inexpensive to manufacture.

FIG. 14 shows a fragmentary portion of the paddle halves 50 of FIG. 13 in assembled relation to highlight the aforementioned features of construction comprising the completed assembly. Covering 60 may be applied after molding of paddle halves 50 or after assembly thereof.

Modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A table tennis paddle comprising a flat body of substantially uniform thickness throughout and having a hand graspable portion and a ball striking portion and a connecting portion extending between and integrally interconnecting said ball striking portion and hand graspable portion in coplanar relation, said body having fiat parallel front and back faces, said hand graspable portion comprising a bar-like part adapted to rest in the palm of the hand and extending transversely to the longitudinal central axis of said ball striking portion, round apertures formed in said connecting portion for receiving fingers of the hand, rubber-like cylindrical grommets in said apertures having flanges overlying said front and back faces at the peripheries of said apertures, the longitudinal axis of said bar-like part being parallel to the transverse axis of said ball striking portion, and the longitudinal central axis of said ball striking portion being coplanar with the longitudinal axis of said bar-like part and substantially bisecting the length of said bar-like part, layers of friction material on the said front and back faces of said ball striking portion, and members mounted on said front and back faces of said barlike part to make said bar-like part thicker than said connecting portion.

Claims (1)

1. A table tennis paddle comprising a flat body of substantially uniform thickness throughout and having a hand graspable portion and a ball striking portion and a connecting portion extending between and integrally interconnecting said ball striking portion and hand graspable portion in coplanar relation, said body having flat parallel front and back faces, said hand graspable portion comprising a bar-like part adapted to rest in the palm of the hand and extending transversely to the longitudinal central axis of said ball striking portion, round apertures formed in said connecting portion for receiving fingers of the hand, rubber-like cylindrical grommets in said apertures having flanges overlying said front and back faces at the peripheries of said apertures, the longitudinal axis of said bar-like part being parallel to the transverse axis of said ball striking portion, and the longitudinal central axis of said ball striking portion being coplanar with the longitudinal axis of said bar-like part and substantially bisecting the length of said bar-like part, layers of friction material on the said front and back faces of said ball striking portion, and members mounted on said front and back faces of said bar-like part to make said bar-like part thicker than said connecting portion.

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