WO2007132202A1

WO2007132202A1 - Racquet frame

Info

Publication number: WO2007132202A1
Application number: PCT/GB2007/001736
Authority: WO
Inventors: Tseng Yi Sheng
Original assignee: Dunlop Slazenger Group Limited
Priority date: 2006-05-15
Filing date: 2007-05-10
Publication date: 2007-11-22
Also published as: GB2450062A; GB0609480D0; CN101454054A; GB2438173A; GB0818875D0

Abstract

A racquet frame (10) comprises a head portion (20) in the form of a split ring having two tips (24) between which the gap (22) in the split ring is defined, a connecting member (30) having two ends sleeved onto the two tips (24) of the head portion (20); a handle (50); and means (44) for connecting the handle (50) to the head portion (20).

Description

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RACQUET FRAME

The present invention relates to a racquet frame and more particularly to a tennis or like racquet frame.

A conventional tennis or like racquet frame has a handle, a head portion and a connecting portion connecting the head portion to the handle. The connecting portion is usually in the form of two arms, providing a fork on the end of the handle, the points of which are attached to the head portion and the whole being formed as an integral unit.

If any parts of the racquet frame are damaged, particularly the head portion, the racquet will usually be disposed of since repair is either impossible or unduly expensive,. Furthermore vibration energy generated when the conventional racquet hits a ball passes directly through the frame to the user and, in the long term, may causes injury to the user. Furthermore, the technology used for manufacturing the racquet is currently very conventional and results in most racquet frames being very similar and lacking in innovation and uniqueness.

The present invention seeks to provide a racquet frame, the parts of which, particularly the head portion, can be replaced if the part concerned becomes damaged.

The present invention also seeks to provide a racquet frame with excellent vibration absorption property.

The present invention still further seeks to provide a racquet frame with unique appearance.

According to the invention, there is provided a racquet frame comprising a head portion in the form of a split ring having two tips between which the gap in the split ring is defined; a connecting member having two ends sleeved onto the two tips of the head portion; a handle; and means for connecting the handle to the head portion. The handle may have a pair of forked arms at its end adjacent to the head portion and means at the end of the forked arms for connection to the head portion.

The two arms may be formed of two portions, a main portion formed integrally with or attached to the main part of the handle and a connecting portion whereby the arms are connected to the head portion.

The connecting portion of the arms may have a curved longitudinal bore therein arranged in alignment with the adjacent part of the head portion and through which the ring of the head portion passes.

Securing means may be provided to secure the connecting portion of the arm to the ring of the head portion where the ring passes therethrough and the securing means may comprise at least one pair of aligned bores in the connecting portion of the arm and the head portion and a bolt like element passing through the pair of aligned bores.

Two sets of aligned bores may be provided in opposite sides of the connecting portion of the arm and the head portion, the two sets being aligned with each other and the bolt like elements passing through the aligned sets of bores meet and are screwed together, one bolt like element having a threaded male end and the other having a threaded female end.

The invention will now be described in greater detail, by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a front view of a tennis racquet frame in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a connecting portion of the racquet shown in figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along the 3-3 line in FIG. I; and Figure 4 is an exploded view of the tennis racquet shown in figure 1.

Referring firstly to figure 1 of the drawings, a racquet frame 10 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is shown comprising a head portion 20, a cylindrical member 30, two arms 40 and a handle 50 (shown truncated). The two arms 40 provide a connection between the head portion 20 and the handle 50

As can best be seen from figure 4, the head portion 20 is an hollow split ring frame having a tip 24 of reduced cross sectional area as compared to the remainder of the ring on either side of the split between which a gap 22 is defined. Two through bores 26 are formed in the head portion 20 adjacent both sides of the gap 22. The bores 26 pass right through opposite faces of the ring so as to form pairs of aligned holes used for attaching connecting portions as will be described hereafter with reference to figure 3. The head portion 20 is suitably made from fibre reinforced materials such as fibre reinforced plastics material or suitable metals or metal alloys.

The free ends, or the tips 24, of the head portion 20 are connected together by a cylindrical member 30 which is either in the form of a tube, as indicted in figure 4, or is solid with recesses in each end, The tube or recesses have an inner diameter substantially the same as the outer diameter of the tips 24 so that the tips 24 seat in the member 30 in the fashion of a sleeve.

The member 30 and the two tips 24 of the head portion 20 are connected together by suitable glue or other adhesive or by winding a tape of curable material around the junction of the tube 30 and the head portion 20 and then curing the tape to integrate the member 30 and the head portion 20 together.

The cylindrical member 30 can be made of transparent or semi-transparent material, such as nylon or plastic, to provide a special appearance. The member 30 can also be made of opaque material, such as a metal or metal alloy or an opaque plastics.

Each of the two arms 40 has a main portion 42 extending from the handle 50 and a connecting portion 44 fixedly connected with the main portion 42 and forming a connecting member between the main portions 42 and the head portion 20. The connecting portion 44 is provided with an longitudinally extending curved bore 442 through which the free ends of the head portion 20 is passed. This part of the connecting portion 44 is provided with a plurality of bores 444 extending from the outer periphery of the connecting portion 44 in to the curved bore 442 Each of the bores 444 cooperate with one of the through bores 26 in the head portion 20 to form a locating hole for receiving a two part fastener 12 therein as can be best seen from figure 3. The fastener 12 (Figure 3) is formed by a combination of a female screw bolt 12a and a male screw bolt 12b. It will be observed from figure 3 that the bores 26 have an outer potion 26a which is of larger diameter than the inner portion 26b so as to form a countersink effect for retaining heads 12c on both of the screw bolts 12a and 12b.

Thus, to attach the connecting portion 44 of the arms 40 to the head portion 20, the free ends of the head portion 20 are passed through the bores 442 of the connecting portions 44 and attached together by the cylindrical member 30. the connecting portions 44 are then slid around the head portion 20 until the bores 44 in the connecting portion 44 are aligned with the bores 26 in the head portion 20. Once this alignment has taken place, the male and female screw bolts 12a and 12b can be inserted, one from either side, into the bores 444 and through the bores 26 until they meet and be screwed together to secure the connecting portion 44 to the head portion 20.

The main portions 42 of the two arms 40 of the handle 50 are formed integrally, for example, as one piece. The main portions 42 are connected to the connecting portions 44, thus connecting the handle 50 to the head portion 20. The connecting portions 44 each has a straight portion 162 and a curved portion 164 extending from one side and to one end of the straight portion 162. The other end of the straight portion 162 is provided with a cavity 166. The main portions 42 of the two arms 40 of the have projections 45 which are complimentary to the cavities 166 of the connecting portions and are used to connect the two portions 42 and 44 together using glue or other suitable adhesive or by winding a tape of curable material around the junction of the portions 42 and 44 and then curing the tape to connect the connecting portion 44 and the main portion 42 together. The connecting portions 44 can be made of transparent or semi-transparent material, such as nylon or other suitable plastics material to give special appearance. The connecting portions 44 can also be made of opaque material, such as a metal or metal alloy or a suitable opaque plastics material,

Because the head portion 20 and the two arms 40 are connected to each other by the fasteners 12,. when the head portion 20 is damaged, the user can loosen the fasteners 12 to draw the broken head portion 20 out of the curved bores 442 of the two arms 40. Then, a new head portion can be mounted, using, if necessary, a new tube 30, on the two arms 40 to make the racquet frame 10 usable again.

Furthermore, with the present racquet frame, when the user uses the racquet to hit the ball, only a small part of the vibration energy passes the interface of the head portion 20 and the two arms 40 to the handle 50 because the head portion 20 and the arms 40 ,are independent elements. The racquet frame 10 has the ability of reducing the vibration energy transfer to the user. In particular, the connecting portion 44 can be made from elastic or shock-absorbing materials to enhance the vibration suppression of the racquet frame 10.

The manufacturer may change the colors or materials of the head portion 20, the tube 30, the connecting portion 44 and the handle 50 to make the racquet frame more unique.

It will be understood that while the embodiments described relate mainly to tennis racquets, it will be understood that the invention is also applicable to other racquets such as squash and badminton

Claims

CLAIMS;

1. A racquet frame comprising: a head in the form of a split ring having two tips between which the gap in the split ring is defined; a connecting member having two ends sleeved onto the two tips of the split ring; a handle having a pair of forked arms at its end adjacent to the head and means at the end of the forked arms for connection to the head.

2. A racquet frame as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the two arms are formed of two portions, a main portion formed integrally with or attached to the main part of the handle and a connecting portion whereby the arms are connected to the head portion.

3. A racquet frame as claimed in claim 2, wherein the connecting portion of the arms has a curved longitudinal bore therein arranged in alignment with the adjacent part of the head portion and through which the ring of the head portion passes.

4. A racquet frame as claimed in claim 3, wherein securing means are provided to secure the connecting portion of the arm to the ring of the head portion where the ring passes therethrough.

5. A racquet frame as claimed in claim 4, wherein the securing means comprises at least one pair of aligned bores in the connecting portion of the arm and the head portion and a bolt like element passing through the pair of aligned bores.

6. A racquet frame as claimed in claim 5 wherein two sets of aligned bores are provided in opposite sides of the connecting portion of the arm and the head portion, the two sets being aligned with each other and the bolt like elements passing through the aligned sets of bores meet and are screwed together, one bolt like element having a threaded male end and the other having a threaded female end.

7. A racquet frame substantially as described herein with reference to the drawings.