X-braced tennis racket

Abstract

A game racket including a frame, a handle having an axis and a ball contact surface. The contact surface including at least two pluralities of interlaced strings or portions supported by the frame with said pluralities of portions extending along linear paths in a first and a second direction and anchored to opposing marginal portions of the frame, with at least portions disposed in a predetermined direction, with the angle of said direction with the handle axis being larger than zero degrees and less than ninety degrees.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to game rackets for playing tennis, squash, badminton, racquetball, or other racket games, and more particularly to the stringing of such game rackets.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Conventional game rackets of the type commercially available, such as those used in the games of tennis, squash, badminton and racquetball, typically have their playing surfaces formed by longitudinal and lateral strings interwoven, tensioned stringing lying in a single median or central plane of the head frame of the racket, and spanning the central opening bounded by the head frame. The frame of common rackets is elliptical in shape. The mesh is composed of a first group of generally parallel longitudinal string portions and a second group of generally parallel string portions extending generally perpendicular to, and inter woven with the string portions of the first group. The first string portions (hereinafter referred to as the “longitudinal portions”) in one group usually extend generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the handle or shaft of the racket, with second string portions (hereinafter referred to as “lateral portions”) in the group extending generally transverse to that axis. Due to elliptic shape of the frame, the lateral portions are shorter and thereby they are less yielding than longitudinal portions. The flexibility of longitudinal portions are neutralized by stiffness of lateral portions. A further problem is that due to string length variations, the elastic strength of striking surface is not homogeneous. There are so called “sweet spots” which show more elasticity and there are stiff spots.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A game racket suitable for propelling a game ball, the racket including a frame and a ball contact surface including a plurality of strings supported by the frame. The plurality of strings are anchored to opposing marginal portions of the frame along a linear path in a general first direction and interlaced with a plurality of linear strings disposed in a general second direction and anchored to opposing marginal portions of the frame. The directions chosen for the first and second portions are such that variation in unsupported lengths of the strings are minimized. The result is a more elastically uniform striking surface comparatively.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the invention with a pattern for disposing of a plurality of strings interlaced to form the striking surface in a game racket.

FIG. 2 shows the side view of subject racket.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The invention provides an improved design of tennis rackets. However, other sporting rackets in general, and squash rackets in particular, are additional beneficiaries. The patterns of interlaced main portions disclosed provide a more uniform and more elastic ball contact surface compared with known rackets.

FIG. 1 shows stringing, in accordance with the invention. Racket 10 includes handle 12, frame 14 and ball contact surface 16, Contact surface 16 includes a plurality of interlaced portions 18 and 20 formed of a filament material such as, for example, natural gut or synthetic fibers known in the art. Each portion 18 is anchored at points 22 about the periphery 24 of frame 14 and each portion 20 is anchored at points 26 about periphery 24 of frame 14. Interlaced portions 18 and 20 extend along linear paths.

In contrast with common rackets, the pattern of portions claimed increases the unsupported lengths of lateral portions and thereby the claimed stringing method will provide a more elastic surface.

Other advantages of design claimed include:

more uniform striking surface due to more uniform lengths of interlaced portions;

more projection power due to greater elasticity of the striking surface and trampoline effect;

more ball control since the greater elasticity of the contact surface serves to envelop a larger portion of the ball upon striking in favor of better ball control; less stress in the arm due to flexibility of striking surface and less vibration in the racket;

lateral portion failures are generally the cause for string failures due to lower yield and stiffness compared with longitudinal portion. More uniform string lengths prolong the string life expectancy.

While the embodiments shows in FIG. 1 describe the two portions to be generally disposed in two symmetric directions, it is understood that the two portions can be disposed generally in two different directions.

While the preferred embodiments describe the portions as being formed of one continuous filament, it is understood that the portions can be formed of a plurality of pieces, the ends of each piece being separately anchored to the periphery of the racket frame.

While the invention is described as a single-strung racket, it is understood that the invention also can be applied to a double-strung racket as well.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and combinations of different designs and changes can readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not designed to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described; and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents that may be resorted to, should be considered falling within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A game racket comprising a frame, a handle having an axis and a ball contact surface wherein said contact surface includes a plurality of interlaced linear portions supported by said frame, with at least one of said plurality of portions being disposed in a generally predetermined direction, with said direction being at an angle with the axis of the handle with said angle being larger than zero degrees and less than ninety degrees, wherein the interlacing of said portions includes strings intermittently crossing over and under each other at their intersections.

2. A game racket in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least two pluralities of interlaced portions are disposed at generally symmetric directions relative to the axis of the handle.

3. (canceled)