Shock and Vibration Attenuating Device for Sports Equipment
A shock and vibration attenuating device is inserted into or attached to the stroke portion of sports equipment and provided with a chamber carrier and mass particles dispersed in one or more chambers formed into the chamber carrier. The inner surface of the chambers and the mass particles are coated with an electrically conductive material layer to prevent the particles from clinging together or clinging to the inner surface of the chambers, so that the particles are able to move freely within the chambers to attenuate the shock and vibrations of the sports equipment caused by reacting-force during stroke.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a shock and vibration attenuating device for sports equipment, and more particularly to a shock and vibration attenuating device to be inserted in the sports equipment which have a handle and a stroke portion.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When a force is applied to make two objects collide with each other, it will produce two reacting forces on the two objects. Therefore, for ball games such as tennis, badminton, baseball, golf, cricket and polo or even skiing etc, the ball hitting or the skiing action shall be performed by a player by hitting the ball or the ground with one hand holding the sports equipment (the equipment may be the bats, clubs, rackets or ski poles etc.). When the sports equipment collides the ball, there will be a reacting force conveying to sports equipment and causes a high energetic shock impulse and vibration. The high energetic shock impulse and the vibration would be transmitted to the hand holding the sports equipment via the handle of the sports equipment, and this is the cause of the “tennis elbow” and similar injuries.
For this reason, manufacturers of related sports equipment have been searching for constructional possibilities to attenuate the vibration and absorb the shock generated by kick-back by rackets. As shown in
However, the attenuation of the high energetic impact shock impulse in previous mass system is limited. To match the contact time of different impact systems, the single chambers (10) should be filled partially to allow for a free movement of either the filled-in mass particles or a heavy liquid. The heavier the specific weight of the mass particles or the liquid is; the better the efficiency of the generated impact counter force will be during impact. When liquid or mass particles are moving within the chambers during impact, the electro static phenomenon on the surface of chambers usually results in the difficulty of movement or malfunction of mass particles. Hence, shock impulse suppression and the vibration attenuation effect would be affected by the said difficulty or malfunction.
The problem of electro static charges are illustrated in
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a vibration attenuating device for sports equipment, which is capable of effectively absorbing shock and reducing the vibrations of the sports equipment dynamically during the hitting action.
To achieve the above objective, a shock and vibration attenuating device for sports equipment in accordance with the present invention is inserted into a stroke portion or the handle of the sports equipment. The present application introduces a device comprising a chamber carrier which is provided with two lateral edges, and a plurality of holes between the two lateral edges for better fixation within a composite- or other structure. One or more chambers are alternatively arranged with respect to the holes and located along the two lateral edges in a protruding manner. And the inner surface of each of the chambers is coated with a layer of electrically conductive material. Moreover, each of the chambers is filled with coated mass particles in such a manner that there is a distance left between mass particles and the inner surface of the chambers, allowing the mass particles to move freely within the chambers to produce efficient dynamic energy to absorb impacts caused by a hitting action and attenuate shock caused by the impact with the ball.
Preferably, the shock and vibration attenuating device is inserted into the frame of a tennis racket, with the electrically conductive layers coated on the inner surface of the respective chambers and the mass particles inside the chambers are anti-static based on electrically conductive materials, such as Graphite or other conductive substances.
The distance for the mass particles to travel within the chambers during the hitting action is calculated based on the following equation 1:
Wherein Δdm represents the travel distance (mm) of the mass particles, tc is the Contacting or Dwelling time (millisecond), ΔVm is the velocity difference of the sport equipment during the striking action, and COR is the primary impact systems coefficient of restitution. The velocity difference ΔVm of the tennis racket during the striking action can be calculated based on the following equation 2:
Wherein mb is grams of the ball mass, mr is the mass of the tennis racket (the sports equipment), and Vr is the velocity (m/s) of the tennis racket (the sports equipment).
The present invention will be understood from the following description when viewed in accordance with the accompanying drawings, which show, for purpose of illustrations only, the preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention.
Referring to
Referring to
As mentioned earlier, the shock and vibration attenuating device of the present invention is applicable to any sports equipment with stroke portion to strike objects such as ball. For explanation of the present invention, the description of the present invention is based on an embodiment in which the sports equipment 100 is a tennis racket. Referring to
Referring to
It is to be noted that the distance D that the mass particles 41 move within the chambers 30 during the striking action is calculated based on the following equation 1:
Wherein Δdm represents the travel distance (mm) of the mass particles, tc is the contact or dwell time (millisecond), ΔVm is the velocity difference of the sport equipment during striking action, and COR is the primary impact systems coefficient of restitution. The velocity difference ΔVm of the sports equipment 100 during the striking action can be calculated based on the following equation 2:
Wherein mb is the mass (g) of the ball, mr is the mass of the tennis racket (the sports equipment), and Vr is the velocity (m/s) of the tennis racket (the sports equipment).
The following is the comparison charts for the sports equipment with and without installing the present application. Embodiment 1 is test results of the shock and vibration attenuating device for sports equipment which is a tennis racket.
Please refer to
It is to be noticed that the curve L1 of the sports equipment provided with the shock and vibration attenuating device based on the present invention is less steep than the curve L3. And the amplitude of the curve L2 is much smaller than that of the curve L4, which means that the shock and vibration attenuating device of the present invention is dramatically capable of absorbing the stroke impact and attenuating the vibration caused by the stroke impact, hence reducing injuries of the player's hands.
Embodiment 2 is the test results of the shock and vibration attenuating device for sports equipment which is a golf club.
As indicated by the curve L5, the vibration wave after stroke is less steep than the vibration wave during stroke for the golf club provided with the shock and vibration attenuating device. This proves that the golf club which is installed with the shock and vibration attenuating device of the present application is capable of releasing kinetic energy to absorb the stroke shock and attenuate the vibration caused by stroke.
Embodiment 3 are test results of a tennis racket provided with a conventional vibration attenuating device and a tennis racket with a shock and vibration attenuating device of the present invention.
At the top left of
The lower left of
As shown in
The value of Shock abs. Zone (Shock Absorption Zone) shown at the lower left of the drawings indicates the capability of absorbing shocks caused by the striking action when swinging tennis. Hence, the shock can be substantially absorbed if the value of Shock abs. zone is higher, thus reducing the hurts to the player.
In general, the electrically conductive layer coated on the inner surface of the respective chambers 30 and the mass particles 41 prevents the mass particles 41 from clinging together or clinging to the inner surface of the chambers 30, so that the kinetic energy of the present invention is increased 60% as compared to the conventional structure. Besides, the preferable amounts of chambers and the movement distance D of mass particles can be calculated based on the above equations 1 and 2. The amounts of chambers, the configuration of the chambers 30 and movement distance of mass particles can be adjusted to optimize the effect of attenuating shocks according to the type of sports equipment. Therefore, the chambers can be installed as many in relation to the volume of the stroke portion or the shaft.
Claims
1. A shock and vibration attenuating device for sports equipment being inserted into or attached to a stroke portion of the sports equipment comprising:
- A chamber carrier with two lateral edges, a plurality of holes between the two lateral edges;
- a single chamber or one or more rows of chambers alternatively arranged with respect to the holes and located along the two lateral edges in a protruding manner, an inner surface of each of the chambers being coated with a layer of electrically conductive material; and a single or a plurality of mass particles, each of the chambers being partially filled with the mass particles, each of the mass particles being coated with a layer of electrically conductive material, each of the chambers being filled with one or more of the mass particles in such a manner that there is a distance between the electrically conductive mass particles and the inner surface of the chambers, allowing the mass particles to move freely within the chambers to dynamically suppress impact shock during the striking action and dynamically reduce vibration after the impact.
2. The shock and vibration attenuating device for sports equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive layer on the inner surface of the respective chambers and the mass particles are coated by electrically conductive materials, such as graphite, metal sputtering or galvanic coating processes.
3. The shock and vibration attenuating device for sports equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the travel distance of the mass particles moving within the chambers during the striking action, is calculated based on the following equation 1: Δ d m - t c Δ V m * COR
- Wherein Δdm represents the travel distance that the mass particles moves, tc is the dwelling time, ΔVm is the velocity difference of the sports equipment during the striking action, and COR as the primary impact systems coefficient of restitution.
4. The shock and vibration attenuating device for sports equipment as claimed in claim 3, wherein the velocity difference ΔVm of the sports equipment during the striking action is calculated based on the following equation 2: Δ V m = 2 * m b * V r m b + m r
- wherein mb is the mass of the ball, mr is the mass of the sports equipment, and Vr is the velocity of the sports equipment.
5. The shock and vibration attenuating device for sports equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sports equipment is a tennis racket, golf club, or bat.
6. The shock and vibration attenuating device for sports equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sports equipment is a ski.
7. The shock and vibration attenuating device for sports equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sports equipment comprises a frame connected to a handle when the sports equipment is a tennis racket, and a string bed provided around an inner periphery of the frame, the racket frame is further provided with a plurality of holes, the chamber carrier comprises a first surface and a second surface which are opposite to each other and connected to the two lateral edges, the chambers are formed on the first surface of the chamber carrier in a protruding manner, the chamber carrier is inserted into the frame of the sports equipment in such a manner that the first and second surfaces are perpendicular to the string bed of the sports equipment, and the holes of the chamber carrier are aligned and connected through the holes of the frame of the sports equipment.
8. The shock and vibration attenuating device for sports equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the chambers are arranged in two symmetrical rows along the two lateral edges of the chamber carrier, and around each of the holes of the chamber carrier are arranged four said chambers.
9. The shock and vibration attenuating device for the sports equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the chambers are semispherical in cross section.
10. The shock and vibration attenuating device for the sports equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the chambers are semicircular, spherical or half spherical in cross section.
11. A shock and vibration attenuating device for sports equipment being inserted into a stroke portion of the sports equipment comprising: a chamber carrier with two lateral edges, a plurality of chambers arranged along the two lateral edges, and in each of the chambers being disposed one or more mass particles; and the shock and vibration attenuation device being characterized in that:
- an inner surface of each of the chambers is coated with a layer of electrically conductive materials, each of the chambers are provided with one or more mass particles, each of the mass particles is coated with a layer of electrically conductive materials, there is a distance between the mass particles and the inner surface of the chambers, allowing the mass particles to move freely within the chambers to absorb stroke impact caused by a striking action and reduce shocks caused by the stroke impact.
12. The shock and vibration attenuating device for the sports equipment as claimed in claim 11, wherein the travel distance that the mass particles moves within the chambers during the striking action are matched to the respective impact system which is calculated based on the following equation 1: Δ d m = t c Δ V m * COR
- wherein Δdm represents the travel distance D that the mass particles moves, tc is the dwelling time, ΔVm is the velocity difference of the sports equipment during the striking action, and COR is primary impact systems coefficient of restitution.
13. The shock and vibration attenuating device for sports equipment as claimed in claim 12, wherein the velocity difference ΔVm of the sports equipment during the striking action is calculated based on the following equation 2: Δ V m = 2 * m b * V r m b + m r
- wherein mb is the mass of the ball, mr is the mass of the sports equipment, and Vr is the velocity of the sports equipment.
14. A shock and vibration attenuating device for sports equipment being inserted into a frame or attached alongside the frame of a tennis racket comprising:
- a chamber carrier with two lateral edges, a plurality of holes between the two lateral edges;
- one or more chambers alternatively arranged with respect to the holes and located along the two lateral edges in a protruding manner, an inner surface of each of the chambers being coated with a layer of electrically conductive materials; and
- one or more mass particles, each of the mass particles being coated with a layer of electrically conductive materials, each of the chambers being filled with one or more mass particles in such a manner that there is a distance between the mass particles and the inner surface of the chambers, allowing the mass particles to move freely within the chambers to absorb stroke impact caused by a striking action and reduces shocks caused by the stroke impact.
15. The shock and vibration attenuating device for the sports equipment as claimed in claim 14, wherein the tennis racket comprises a frame connected to a handle, and a string bed provided around an inner periphery of the frame, the frame is further provided with a plurality of holes, the chamber carrier is provided with a first surface and a second surface which are opposite to each other and connected to the two lateral edges, the one or more chambers are formed on the first surface of the chamber carrier in a protruding manner, the chamber carrier is inserted into the frame of the tennis racket in such a manner that the first and second surfaces are perpendicular to the string bed of the tennis racket, and the holes of the chamber carrier are aligned and connected through the holes of the frame of the tennis racket.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 5, 2013
Publication Date: Oct 9, 2014
Inventor: Roland Wilfried Sommer (Taichung City)
Application Number: 13/857,803
International Classification: A63B 59/00 (20060101); A63B 49/02 (20060101);