Throat Wedge, Bridge, Or Reinforcement Patents (Class 473/546)
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Patent number: 11969636Abstract: A practice and/or training device for building fine motor skills for sports that use a stick, racket, or paddle with a ball. The device is shaped to resemble the sport's original racket/stick/paddle shape (e.g., tennis racket or lacrosse stick) but is not designed for competition in mind. Instead, the device provides a variety of skill building features for the user to practice ball control skills including rails, tracks, exaggerated surface areas, scoops, ridges, grooves, ramps, undulations, textures (bumps, serrations, etc), holes, platforms, cups, and springy meshes. The combination of these features on the device allows the user to practice combinations of “freestyle” skills and tricks to improve hand eye coordination using the device with a ball.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2023Date of Patent: April 30, 2024Inventor: Nicolas Norris
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Patent number: 9259636Abstract: A training aid for use by a player with a tennis racquet includes at least one wing having a proximal end in the throat of the racquet, and extending from that proximal end and tapering down into a distal end. A second wing may also be included, with the two wings extending in opposite directions from the throat of the racquet. When the player makes a stroke with the racquet with the aid attached, air pressure on the wings creates forces which provide the player with feedback on the position of the racquet head during the stroke. The training aid may be removably attached to the racquet, to allow the racquet to be used in normal play situations. A rotatable flap may also be provided near the distal end of at least one of the wings, so that when the flap is rotated the air pressure on the flap during a stroke is altered, thereby changing the feedback provided to the player.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2014Date of Patent: February 16, 2016Inventor: Todd M. Bailey
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Publication number: 20140148275Abstract: A sports racquet extending along a longitudinal axis and configured for supporting a quantity of racquet string generally about a string plane. The racquet includes a frame formed of a thermoplastic material and including a head portion and a handle portion. The head portion is formed of first and second hoop regions. At least one of the first and second hoop regions includes a first set of projections extending from one of the first and second hoop regions across the string plane and engaging the other of the first and second hoop regions. The first set of projections space apart the first and second hoop regions by a first predetermined dimension to define a plurality of through-hoop region openings. The handle portion is formed of first and second handle regions directly coupled together without defining either a plurality of handle openings.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 27, 2012Publication date: May 29, 2014Applicant: WILSON SPORTING GOODS CO.Inventors: William D. Severa, Scott M. Doyle, David A. Vogel, Robert T. Kapheim, Robert T. Thurman
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Patent number: 8721478Abstract: A racket capable of being changed in its weight includes handle, a main body, at least one nut embedded in the main body, and at least one bolt threadedly engaged with the nut. The main body has a frame and a connection portion connected between the frame and the handle. Because bolts having different weights can be selectively used to be threaded into the nuts, the user can adjust the overall weight of the racket according to his/her need so as to have a suitable racket.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2012Date of Patent: May 13, 2014Assignee: Yuan Min An Enterprise Co., Ltd.Inventor: Kuo-Pin Yu
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Patent number: 8651985Abstract: A racket frame 2 includes a head 4, a shaft 8, and a pair of throats 6 extending from the head 4 to the shaft 8. A flexural rigidity G15 of the throats 6 in a low load range (from 5 kgf to 15 kgf) is equal to or greater than 600 kgf/mm but equal to or less than 900 kgf/mm. A flexural rigidity G55 of the throats 6 in a high load range (from 45 kgf to 55 kgf) is equal to or greater than 900 kgf/mm but equal to or less than 1200 kgf/mm. A rigidity ratio (G15/G55) of the flexural rigidity G15 and the flexural rigidity G55 is equal to or greater than 0.70 but equal to or less than 0.85.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 2012Date of Patent: February 18, 2014Assignee: Dunlop Sports Co. Ltd.Inventor: Yosuke Yamamoto
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Patent number: 8608596Abstract: A racket with a movable throat includes a racket frame having an inner wall disposed with a pivotal groove having a throat member received therein. A racket net is firmly fixed with the inner wall of the racket frame, composed of a plurality of first main strings respectively having one end connected with the throat member. By so designing, when a user employs the racket of this invention to hit balls, the impact force of the ball dashing against the racket net will drive the throat member to sway. Thus, the time that the ball contacts with the racket net can be prolonged to enable a user to control balls more easily and additionally, all the first main strings can be actuated to sway together with the throat member to produce greater resilient force for enhancing power of hitting balls.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2012Date of Patent: December 17, 2013Inventor: Cheng-Chung Chang
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Patent number: 8282513Abstract: The invention relates to a racket for ball games, in particular a tennis or squash racket, comprising a head region for receiving a stringing as well as at least one joint which is provided in the head region and the joint axis of which is arranged essentially perpendicularly with respect to a stringing plane formed by the stringing.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2008Date of Patent: October 9, 2012Assignee: Head Technology GmbHInventors: Harald Rosenkranz, Johan Kotze, Stefan Mohr, Ralf Schwenger
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Patent number: 8105184Abstract: A sports product may include a support member and an impact region configured to impact an object. The impact region may be coupled to the support member. The sports product may also include a shear thickening material in at least one of the support member or the impact region. The shear thickening material may be configured to exhibit shear thickening behavior when an impact occurs between the impact region and the object.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2008Date of Patent: January 31, 2012Assignee: Head Technology GmbHInventors: Herfried Lammer, Harald Rosenkranz, Johan Kotze, Ralf Schwenger
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Patent number: 8007380Abstract: The disclosure relates to a racket for ball games, and in particular, a tennis or squash racket, with a head region for receiving a stringing defining a stringing plane, a grip portion for holding the racket, and a heart region wherein the heart region has two arms and a bridge. The bridge may be pivot-mounted on both arms relative to an axis substantially perpendicular to the stringing plane. The present disclosure further relates to a method for manufacturing a racket including the step of manufacturing a racket frame with a head region, two arms, and a grip portion in a blow molding process. The method may also include manufacturing a bridge for a racket frame in the blow molding process. The method may further include connecting the bridge with the remaining racket frame.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 2008Date of Patent: August 30, 2011Assignee: Head Technology GmbHInventors: Harald Rosenkranz, Johan Kotze, Stefan Mohr, Ralf Schwenger
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Patent number: 8002651Abstract: A tennis racquet frame including a handle, a rim and arms connecting the handle and the rim and wherein each arm includes two fingers extending one above and one below the rim when the racquet frame is laid flat on a support surface.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2008Date of Patent: August 23, 2011Assignee: Babolat VSInventor: Eric Babolat
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Patent number: 7967706Abstract: A racket for ball games may include a frame which is formed by a frame profile or a hollow profile and has a racket head and a handle portion connected thereto preferably via a heart region. Two indentations that are symmetrical relative to the longitudinal axis of the racket may be provided in the heart region of the frame. A vibrating device may be arranged in each of the two indentations. The vibrating means of the racket may preferably be effective for vibrations having at least two vibration modes or degrees of freedom. Additionally or alternatively, a racket for ball games may include a frame which forms a head region for receiving strings and a handle portion for holding the racket. The frame may include one respective inwardly-facing C-profile in at least two segments of the head region.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2007Date of Patent: June 28, 2011Assignee: Head Technology GmbHInventors: Rob Cottey, Johan Kotze, Stefan Mohr, Claus Müller, Klaus Rambach, Jürgen Wilke, Manfred Emberger, Harald Rosenkranz
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Publication number: 20110003654Abstract: The invention relates to a racket for ball games, in particular a tennis or squash racket, comprising a head region for receiving a stringing as well as at least one joint which is provided in the head region and the joint axis of which is arranged essentially perpendicularly with respect to a stringing plane formed by the stringing.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 10, 2008Publication date: January 6, 2011Inventors: Harald Rosenkranz, Johan Kotze, Stefan Mohr, Ralf Schwenger
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Patent number: 7727094Abstract: An institutional badminton racket including a head and a flexible plastic handle. The head has a metal rim around a shuttlecock striking face, and a neck rigidly secured to the rim, where the neck includes a hollow throat extending from the rim away from the striking face with lateral openings through the throat. The handle connecting end includes a first portion extending into the hollow throat, a second portion surrounding the throat, pin portions extending through the throat lateral openings and integral with the first and second portions, and a pair of wings extending generally in the plane in a lateral direction toward the head and including openings therethrough. A Y-clamp is secured around the handle connecting end and the head rim adjacent the head neck and including pins extending through the wing openings.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2008Date of Patent: June 1, 2010Assignee: Pick-A-Paddle, Inc.Inventors: Howard Sokol, Leonard H. Palmer, Robert H. Salvesen
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Publication number: 20090215557Abstract: An institutional badminton racket including a head and a flexible plastic handle. The head has a metal rim around a shuttlecock striking face, and a neck rigidly secured to the rim, where the neck includes a hollow throat extending from the rim away from the striking face with lateral openings through the throat. The handle connecting end includes a first portion extending into the hollow throat, a second portion surrounding the throat, pin portions extending through the throat lateral openings and integral with the first and second portions, and a pair of wings extending generally in the plane in a lateral direction toward the head and including openings therethrough. A Y-clamp is secured around the handle connecting end and the head rim adjacent the head neck and including pins extending through the wing openings.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 22, 2008Publication date: August 27, 2009Inventors: Howard Sokol, Leonard H. Palmer, Robert H. Salvesen
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Publication number: 20090191989Abstract: A sports product may include a support member and an impact region configured to impact an object. The impact region may be coupled to the support member. The sports product may also include a shear thickening material in at least one of the support member or the impact region. The shear thickening material may be configured to exhibit shear thickening behavior when an impact occurs between the impact region and the object.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 23, 2008Publication date: July 30, 2009Inventors: Herfried Lammer, Harald Rosenkranz, Johan Kotze, Ralf Schwenger
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Patent number: 7553246Abstract: The invention concerns a racket for ball and shuttlecock games such as tennis, squash or badminton. With the objective of generally improving the playing characteristics of the racket and to adapt the racket to the ergonomic movements of the layer on serving, receiving and returning the ball with more effective utilization of the striking force, the racket has an S shaped configuration throughout and has a midline 5 running in a common S shape for the striking part 1, the shaft 2 and the grip 3, such that the upper and lower points of intersection of the head frame 6 and the striking part 1 lie on the midline 5, while the arrangement of shaft 2 and grip 3 follows the course of the midline 5 in their longitudinal extension and the cross sections of the profiles 6.1; 6.2 of the headframe 6 and shaft 2 are different in the halves of the racket separated by the midline 5—FIG. 1.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2005Date of Patent: June 30, 2009Inventor: Harald Turzer
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Publication number: 20090163306Abstract: The disclosure relates to a racket for ball games, and in particular, a tennis or squash racket, with a head region for receiving a stringing defining a stringing plane, a grip portion for holding the racket, and a heart region wherein the heart region has two arms and a bridge. The bridge may be pivot-mounted on both arms relative to an axis substantially perpendicular to the stringing plane. The present disclosure further relates to a method for manufacturing a racket including the step of manufacturing a racket frame with a head region, two arms, and a grip portion in a blow molding process. The method may also include manufacturing a bridge for a racket frame in the blow molding process. The method may further include connecting the bridge with the remaining racket frame.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 25, 2008Publication date: June 25, 2009Inventors: Harald Rosenkranz, Johan Kotze, Stefan Mohr, Ralf Schwenger
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Publication number: 20080274843Abstract: A racquet frame has one or more string holes formed therein and a string bed plane, along which the string holes extend. The racquet frame is preferably formed by providing a frame bearing structure, which is aimed at providing flexural stiffness to said racquet frame, and structurally integrating the frame bearing structure with a frame binding structure, which is aimed at providing torsional stiffness to the racquet frame. The mutual integration of the frame bearing structure and the frame binding structure forms a composite frame structure, in which one or more of said string holes may be provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 19, 2007Publication date: November 6, 2008Applicant: PRINCE SPORTS, INC.Inventors: Roberto Gazzara, Mauro Pinaffo, Michele Pozzobon, Mauro Pezzato
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Patent number: 7431673Abstract: In a racket frame, a yoke part is disposed between left and right portions of a bifurcated throat part continuous with a head part and with a shaft part. A ball-hitting face is formed with the yoke part and the head part. The head part and the yoke part have a plurality of string holes formed in penetration therethrough to insert longitudinal and transverse strings therethrough. Longitudinal string holes formed outside left and right sides of the yoke part connected with the left and right portions of the throat part are extended to the throat part to form extended longitudinal string holes open on an outer surface of the throat part.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2006Date of Patent: October 7, 2008Assignee: SRI Sports LimitedInventors: Kunio Niwa, Takeshi Ashino
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Patent number: 7371198Abstract: A racket frame has a head hoop, a connecting segment, a handle and two prestressing devices. The head hoop has a bottom end and a string. The connecting segment is connected with the head hoop and has a yoke, two shafts and a throat. The yoke is formed on the bottom end of the head hoop. The shafts are respectively mounted with the yoke and each shaft has a mounting hole. The handle is connected with the connecting segment. The prestressing devices are attached to the shafts in the mounting holes.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2007Date of Patent: May 13, 2008Inventor: Chin-Dong Pai
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Patent number: 7309299Abstract: A sports racquet has a plurality of opposed string holes for anchoring the ends of the strings, at least one pair of contiguous string holes are replaced with an enlarged string hole having opposed bearing surfaces for securing the ends of a pair of contiguous string segments. Preferably, a plurality of contiguous enlarged string holes are employed along the sides, tip, and heel or throat bridge of the racquet, in order to reduce the weight of the racquet head. Also, preferably, the enlarged string holes are defined by a pair of opposed interior walls of the frame extending between the frame's inner and outer surfaces, thereby forming a truss-like internal structure for stiffening the frame. Moreover, the frame preferably has interior wall portions that extend between the string holes. Such wall portions lie in the string bed plane and underlie the string portions on the exterior of the frame.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2004Date of Patent: December 18, 2007Inventors: Mauro Pezzato, Michele Pozzobon
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Patent number: 7297080Abstract: A game racquet includes head portion and a handle portion. The head and handle portions include one or both of a fiber-reinforced thermoset material and a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material. The handle portion is coupled to the head portion by shock and/or vibration absorbing material.Type: GrantFiled: January 6, 2005Date of Patent: November 20, 2007Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.Inventors: William D. Severa, Po-Jen Cheng, Gerald J. LeVault, Donald G. Loeffler
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Patent number: 7229369Abstract: In a ball sport racquet, for example, a tennis racquet, made up of a main or racquet head frame, a throat with a throat bridge and side bridges diverging to the throat bridge and extending into a shaft, and strings fastened on the main frame and on the throat bridge, the throat bridge can move restrictedly relative to the main frame at least in one axis direction perpendicular to the plane of the strings and/or can rotate on the racquet frame on an axis extending in the direction of a longitudinal axis of the racquet.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2005Date of Patent: June 12, 2007Assignee: Volkl Tennis GmbHInventor: Ralf Schwenger
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Patent number: 7211010Abstract: A reinforcing member for a badminton racquet wherein the racquet extends along a longitudinal axis and includes a frame having a tubular hoop portion supporting a string bed and a tubular handle portion. The reinforcing member includes a generally T-shaped body having first and second sections. The first section has an outer surface that defines a first cross-sectional area measured about a longitudinal plane positioned generally perpendicular to the string bed. The second section longitudinally and outwardly extends from the first section. The second section has an outer surface that defines a second cross-sectional area measured about a transverse plane. The first cross-sectional area is at least 50 percent greater than the second cross-sectional area. The first and second sections are configured for placement within the hoop and handle portions of the frame, respectively.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 2005Date of Patent: May 1, 2007Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.Inventors: Mark W. Lin, William D. Severa
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Patent number: 7160286Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a sports racket includes a racket frame comprising a head portion, handle portion and a throat portion joining the head portion to the handle portion. The racket frame also comprises a self-powered piezoelectric damping system for damping vibrations of the racket during play. The self-powered piezoelectric damping system comprises at least one transducer laminated to the racket and at least one circuit located within the racket handle portion and electrically connected to the at least one transducer.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2005Date of Patent: January 9, 2007Assignee: Head Sport AGInventor: Herfried Lammer
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Patent number: 7140985Abstract: In a sports racquet, anchor points for a string are marked with indicia to assist a stringer in stringing from one anchor point to a next anchor point. In a preferred embodiment, one of the anchor points is a bearing assembly located within a hollow cavity in the racquet stem. Colored tubes are placed in the stem that lead to and from the bearing assembly, and the colors of the tubes match respective colored indicia associated with string holes in the frame head.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2005Date of Patent: November 28, 2006Assignee: EF Composite Technologies, L.P.Inventor: Rafael G. Filippini
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Patent number: 7081055Abstract: A racket includes a head and a shaft, a throat is connected between the head and the shaft. Shock absorbing members are installed to desired positions of the racket so as to reduce impact transferred to the player's hand. Two throat extensions extend from the head and two shaft extensions extend from an end of shaft. Each shaft extension has an insertion. The shock absorbing members are mounted onto the insertions and sandwiched between the throat extension and the insertions. A section of the shock absorbing members extends from an opening of the throat extensions and overlaps on an outer surface of the shaft extensions.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 2004Date of Patent: July 25, 2006Inventor: Henry Hsu
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Patent number: 6974397Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a sports racket includes a racket frame comprising a head portion, handle portion and a throat portion joining the head portion to the handle portion. The racket frame also comprises a self-powered piezoelectric damping system for damping vibrations of the racket during play. The self-powered piezoelectric damping system comprises at least one transducer laminated to the racket and at least one circuit located within the racket handle portion and electrically connected to the at least one transducer.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2001Date of Patent: December 13, 2005Assignee: Head Sport AktiengesellschaftInventor: Herfried Lammer
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Patent number: 6840874Abstract: A game racquet includes separate head and handle portions which are separated by shock and/or vibration absorbing material. Both the head portion and the handle portion are bonded to the absorbing material and are thereby connected to each other.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 2003Date of Patent: January 11, 2005Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.Inventors: William D. Severa, Po-Jen Cheng, Gerald J. LeVault, Donald G. Loeffler
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Publication number: 20040229719Abstract: The present invention relates to a racket, in particular a tennis racket or squash racket exhibiting a particularly suitable stiffness and/or strength behavior. For this purpose, the ball game racket of the present invention comprises a racket head, a heart region and a handle portion which together form the frame, wherein in the area of the racket head individual regions are formed which comprise brackets being arranged along the frame in the head region of the racket.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 26, 2004Publication date: November 18, 2004Inventors: Jurgen Wilke, Herfried Lammer
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Patent number: 6811502Abstract: A sports racquet including a frame, a yoke and a string bed. The frame includes a head portion, a handle portion, and a throat portion positioned between the head and handle portions. The head portion includes an upper region, and first and second side regions. The yoke is coupled to the first and second side regions. The head portion and the yoke define a string bed area. The string bed is formed of a number of cross and main string segments. The main string segments include at least one central main string segment and at least two peripheral main string segments. Each central main string segment has first and second ends wherein the first end engages the head portion and the second end engages the yoke. Each peripheral main string segment is coupled at a proximal end to at least one of the throat portion and the handle portion.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2003Date of Patent: November 2, 2004Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.Inventors: Richard Janes, Po-Jen Cheng, William D. Severa, Gerald J. LeVault
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Patent number: 6761651Abstract: An aluminum tennis racket includes a head, a shaft and a handle. The head and the shaft are made of hollow aluminum tubing with a series of ripples. The ripples are defined on a sidewall of the hollow aluminum tubing, and the ripples increase the strength of the head and the shaft so the sidewall is lighter and thinner. The lighter tennis racket helps a player to quick react, and the increased strength allows the player to strike a ball powerfully.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2002Date of Patent: July 13, 2004Inventor: Chin-Dong Pai
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Publication number: 20040132562Abstract: The invention refers to a novel ball game racket, especially a tennis racket with a racket head formed by a tension frame with stringing, and with a handle unit formed by a handle shaft or a racket neck joining the tension frame for example via a heart piece, and attenuating means in at least one area of the racket frame.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 23, 2003Publication date: July 8, 2004Inventors: Ralf Schwenger, Udo Munster
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Patent number: 6688997Abstract: A racket frame (1) has a pipe-shaped racket-frame body (2) made of a fiber reinforced resin and composed of a head (3), a throat part (4), a shaft part (5), and a grip part (6) sequentially arranged and a yoke (10) connected to the racket-frame body (2). In this construction, supposing that the head (3) is a clock face and that the top position of the head (3) is 12 o'clock, a yoke rigidity value at a central position P1, vertical to a ball-hitting face (F), of the yoke (10) in a longitudinal direction thereof is in a range of 10% to 70% of a face rigidity value which is an average of a rigidity value at a 12 o'clock position (P2) vertical to the ball-hitting face (F) and a rigidity value at a three o'clock position (P3) vertical to the ball-hitting face (F).Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 2002Date of Patent: February 10, 2004Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Takeshi Ashino, Kunio Niwa, Hiroyuki Takeuchi
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Patent number: 6663516Abstract: A game racquet includes separate head and handle portions which are separated by shock and/or vibration absorbing material. Both the head portion and the handle portion are bonded to the absorbing material and are thereby connected to each other.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2002Date of Patent: December 16, 2003Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.Inventors: William D. Severa, Po-Jen Cheng, Gerald J. Le Vault, Michael R. Moon
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Patent number: 6663515Abstract: A racket is composed of multiple sections of tubes made of different material with resilient material bonded between the tubes at the joints to attenuate vibration and shock and thus make striking a ball more comfortable for a player.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 2002Date of Patent: December 16, 2003Inventor: Chin-Dong Pai
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Patent number: 6663514Abstract: A frame body (2) is formed separately from a yoke (10) connecting right and left parts of the frame body (2) to each other. The yoke (10) and the frame body (2) are connected to each other by a mechanical connection means, with both ends of the yoke (10) in contact with the right and left parts of the frame body (2) in an area of not less than 10 cm2 (1.6 in2). A shear force generated when the racket frame (1) deforms is collectively applied to a connection surface of the frame body (2) and that of the yoke (10) to increase a vibration-damping performance of the racket frame (1).Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2002Date of Patent: December 16, 2003Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Kunio Niwa, Hiroyuki Takeuchi, Takeshi Ashino
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Patent number: 6592475Abstract: A sports racket frame including a main body which has an intermediate portion in the vicinity of which is provided at least one reinforcing member which defines, with the intermediate portion, an inner volume therebetween which extends about an outer periphery of the intermediate portion.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2001Date of Patent: July 15, 2003Assignee: Babolat VSInventors: Marc Poggi, Yann Bernard, Yvan Le Bozec
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Patent number: 6579198Abstract: A tennis racket comprises a frame; a shaft connected to the frame at one end thereof; a grip into which the shaft is inserted at the other end thereof; and a pair of lightweight metal pieces attached to the shaft. The frame and the shaft are formed from fiber-reinforced synthetic resin, the pair of lightweight metal pieces has a U-shaped section and extends from inside the grip at a connecting portion with the shaft and along both sides of the shaft.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 2002Date of Patent: June 17, 2003Assignee: Yonex Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Minoru Yoneyama
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Patent number: 6561933Abstract: A shockproof device in the throat of a tennis racket includes a racket having a frame, a stringing surface in the frame, a throat of truncated triangular configuration under the frame and including a pair of tubular branches spacedly extending downward from the lower peripheries of the frame and a Y-shaped handle including a pair of solid branches spacedly extending upward and each having an elastic sleeve wrapped on inserted into the tubular branches in a predetermined depth and secured by adhesives, and a conical gap centrally formed in the bottom of the frame and filled up by an conical elastic projection of a sheath which wraps the frame. Thereby, the shock waves from the frame are partially hindered and absorbed by the conical elastic projection and partially absorbed by the elastic sleeves in the throat without transmitting to the handle.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2001Date of Patent: May 13, 2003Inventor: Henry Hsu
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Patent number: 6537164Abstract: Elastic sheath dampers in tennis racket throat include a racket having a frame, a stringing surface in the frame and a throat separated from a handle to respectively form a truncated triangular configuration and a Y-shaped configuration each of which has a pair of hollow interior branches made engageable with each other and connected by a pair of cylindrical bars by adhesives respectively. The cylindrical bars each has a pair of elastic sheaths respectively sleeved on two ends and inserted into the branches. Thereby the shock waves from the frame are absorbed twice by the elastic sheaths in the throat without transmitting to the handle.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2001Date of Patent: March 25, 2003Inventor: Henry Hsu
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Patent number: 6500080Abstract: A game racquet includes separate head and handle portions which are separated by shock and/or vibration absorbing material. Both the head portion and the handle portion are bonded to the absorbing material and are thereby connected to each other.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2001Date of Patent: December 31, 2002Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.Inventors: William D. Severa, Po-Jen Cheng, Gerald J. Le Vault, Michael R. Moon
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Patent number: 6485380Abstract: A golf club includes an electroactive assembly attached to the club and electrically tuned to capture energy from one or more vibrational modes with high efficiency. More generally, a sports implement includes an electroactive element, such as a piezoceramic sheet attached to the implement, and a circuit attached to the electroactive element. The circuit may be a shunt, or may include processing such as amplification and phase control to apply a driving signal which may compensate for strain sensed in the implement, or may simply alter the stiffness to affect performance. The electroactive element is located in a region of high strain to apply damping, and may include plural subassemblies mounted to capture energy in different planes, or to capture an asymmetric strain distribution while maintaining structural symmetry. In a ski the element captures between about one and five percent of the strain energy of the ski.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2001Date of Patent: November 26, 2002Assignee: Active Control eXperts, Inc.Inventors: Ronald Spangler, David Gilbert, Carl Prestia, Emanuele Bianchini, Kenneth B. Lazarus, Jeffrey W. Moore, Robert N. Jacques, Jonathan C. Allen, Farla M. Russo
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Patent number: 6432005Abstract: A racket includes a frame, a Y-shaped throat integrally extending from the frame, a shaft integrally extending from the throat and a handle formed on the free end of the shaft. An end piece is attached to a free end of the handle. The end piece includes a rod integrally formed in the end piece perpendicular to a plane that contains the elements of the racket. The throat includes two hollow arms each having a slot defined to face the frame. The shaft and the handle are hollow. The longitudinal strings near the middle portion of the frame can pass through the slot into the shaft, loop around the rod and pass through the shaft and the slot to lengthen the strings. The lengthened string can absorb the reactive force and prevent the players from sustaining sport injuries.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2001Date of Patent: August 13, 2002Inventor: Ryan Lin
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Publication number: 20020052256Abstract: This racket frame comprises a main body (18), which presents an intermediate portion (22) in the vicinity of which are provided reinforcing means (26), these reinforcing means defining, with this intermediate portion, an intercalary volume (28) extending over the whole outer periphery of said intermediate portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 17, 2001Publication date: May 2, 2002Inventors: Marc Poggi, Yann Bernard, Yvan Le Bozec
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Patent number: 6319158Abstract: A game racket includes elongated main strings which extend through a slot in a yoke portion of the head. In one embodiment the lower ends of the main strings pass through string holes in a second throat bridge below the first throat bridge. In another embodiment the lower ends of the main strings pass through string holes in the arms of the throat of the racket.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2000Date of Patent: November 20, 2001Assignee: Wilson Sporting Goods Co.Inventor: Po-Jen Cheng
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Patent number: 6203455Abstract: In a ball-game racket, especially a tennis racket, with a racket head formed by a clamping frame with stringing and with a grip shaft that attaches via, for example, a core piece, a damping element is located on the racket that has at least one additional weight and is elastically mounted with gaps between it and all adjacent walls.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 1999Date of Patent: March 20, 2001Assignee: Volkl Tennis GmbHInventor: Franz Scherubl
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Patent number: 6027420Abstract: A sports racket, particularly a tennis racket, comprises a handle and a frame, including a head part, a middle part, a throat element and a shank element, and a string system composed of a lateral string segments and a longitudinal string segments, wherein the majority of the longitudinal string segments pass through the openings in the throat element, enter and anchored at the shank element; and at least for two longitudinal string segments, one on each side of the longitudinal axis, which are anchored at the shank element, there is no structural member of the frame standing between said string segment and the outboard space beyond. The frame, which surrounds the string network, is essentially not continuous.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 1998Date of Patent: February 22, 2000Inventor: Tsai C. Soong
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Patent number: 5810683Abstract: A sports racquet, preferably a tennis racquet, includes an open throat frame in which at least most of the head portion has an aerodynamic cross-section, and at least most of the shaft portions have a box-like cross-section, the two regions being connected by a morph region for smoothly blending the cross-section of one region into the cross-section of the other region. Preferably, the morph region extends from the throat bridge toward the racquet tip, and the transition from the box-like cross-section to the aerodynamic cross-section occurs over a distance of less than 15% of the overall racquet length and substantially simultaneously with the merging of the ends of the throat bridge into the head portion of the racquet.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 1996Date of Patent: September 22, 1998Assignee: Prince Sports Group, Inc.Inventor: Stephen J. Davis
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Patent number: 5702313Abstract: The present invention relates to a game racquet with employs a hitting area composed of a longitudinal and a lateral string. Specifically, the present invention is directed to such a racquet with a frame that allows for centrally disposed longitudinal string segments of an extended length. These centrally disposed longitudinal segments extend through enlarged apertures within a primary yoke, or throat bridge, and are anchored through a secondary yoke, or throat bridge. Thus, the game racquet of the present invention includes a plurality of longitudinal segments with the center most segments having a length greater than that of the adjacent lengths. Such a construction gives the string bed increased resiliency without increasing the string bed area.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 1997Date of Patent: December 30, 1997Assignee: Lisco, Inc.Inventor: Patrick G. Stennett