SPECIFICATION

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an activity and sport game and, more particularly, to an activity game in which a ball is struck with a sound resonation racket. Description of the Prior Art

There are many sport activity games in which the players strike a ball with rackets or paddles, returning the ball to a fellow-player or opponent, such as tennis, ping pong, racquetball, etc. In the toy sport activity market, Milton Bradley Company currently markets a product called "BATTLEBALL ^1* wherein each opponent strikes a soft ball with a racket formed of an opaque rigid plastic disc supported at the end of a rod approximately one yard long. There is also a one-person activity game which has been marketed for years that uses a wooden paddle to which is affixed an elastic band with a rubber ball tethered to its opposite end. The player strikes the ball causing it to bounce from the racket and immediately return under the tension of the elastic band. In some sport activity games, the rackets are formed of an open mesh weaving of plastic and resilient cord with the objective of imparting maximum rebound of the ball when struck with the racket. In other sport activity games, the racket has a solid striking surface and therefore is more aptly described as a paddle. In none of these sport activity games utilizing paddles or rackets has there been any attempt to impart sound-resonating quality and sound volume to the game by the use of highly resonating materials for the racket. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention comprises a racket having a striking surface frame with a tympanum stretched across the frame. The tympanum is formed of a flexible film which is

tautly stretched over the striking surface frame, thereby forming a sound-reverberating and resonating ball impact surface. A handle extends outwardly from the racket. The invention is best used in a game utilizing a soft plastic foam ball of an elastomer which is struck by the racket using one or more players who participate by striking the ball repeatedly during the game. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described with reference to the figures of which:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded perspective of the racket used in the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of an alternative racket construction; FIGURE 3 illustrates the construction of a suitable striking surface frame for stretching the tympanum of the racket;

FIGURE 4 is an exploded perspective view of the components of a preferred racket; FIGURE 5 illustrates a child in solitary play activity with the racket and ball of the invention;

FIGURE 6 illustrates a multiple player game using the invention; and

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view of another alternative racket having an internal striking surface frame with two membranes or tympanums. DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGURE 1, the toy racket 10 of the invention is illustrated in an exploded perspective view. As there illustrated, the racket is formed of an outer or peripheral frame 12 which can be of any suitable shape, e.g., circuitous, oval, etc. The illustration shows a circuitous frame from which depends on outwardly extending handle 14. The frame 12 and handle 14 can be integral and hollow form, as shown. In this embodiment, the frame 12 and handle 14 are constructed by the assembly of two

mirror-image halves 16 and 18 which are joined along a longitudinal mid-line 20 of the racket 10.

The frame 12 provides a structural strength for the tension that is applied to the tympanum 22 which is formed of a thin, preferably flexible plastic membrane 24. The membrane 24 is typically received between the opposed frame halves 16 and 18, and is further stretched tautly so as to impart a highly reverberating or resonating quality to the membrane 24. In the illustrated embodiment, the tympanum 22 is formed by stretching the membrane 24 between the opposing halves of the racket and the two opposing halves can be joined in any suitable manner such as by solvent, cement-bonding thermal welding such as by ultrasonic welding along the longitudinally mid-line 20. The racket 10 can be formed of any suitable durable and strong material. If formed of plastics, various plastics such as polystyrene, polypropylene, high density polyethylene, etc. can be used and these plastics can, if desired, be reinforced with a suitable fibrous reinforcing material such as fiberglass, carbon and graphite fibers, etc. When formed of plastics, the racket halves 16 and 18 are preferably injection-molded for low cost and ease of manufacturing. The racket halves 16 and 18 can also be formed of other materials such as metals, e.g. steel, stainless steel, aluminum, magnesium, etc., if so desired. If formed of metal, the mid-line seam between the two halves of the racket can be joined by welding using either spot welding or a continuous welded seam.

Preferably, and as mentioned above, the tympanum 22 is formed of a flexible plastic membrane 24 which, when tautly stretched, will exhibit a high resonating and reverberating quality. Examples of suitable plastics for this purpose are polyethylene, and Mylar®, i.e., polyester film. The polyester Mylar® film is most preferred because of its high strength and very high resonating qualities. The membrane 24 has a thickness from about 0.002 to about

0.02 inch, preferably from about 0.05 to about 0.01 inch. In the most preferred embodiment, a transparent plastic film is used for the membrane 24 because the transparency thereof provides the user with an unobstructed view through the racket and creates the illusion of an open racket.

Also, printed matter, graphic, etc. , can be placed on the film. When the membrane film is transparent, any printed matter or graphics which may be applied thereto will be visible from both sides. Referring to FIGURE 2, there is illustrated an alternative embodiment of the invention. In this alternative embodiment, the racket 26 is formed with a single piece handle 28 which can be solid or hollow form, and which is formed and dependent from one half 30 of the frame 32. The other half frame member 34 is attached to the frame half 30 by way of a suitable hinge 36. The hinge 36 is shown as being formed integral with the frame halves 30 and 34, and can be formed during the molding of the plastic frame halves 30 and 34. This construction is particularly suitable when the racket 26 is fabricated from a plastic such as polypropylene which has a sufficient high strength and durability for a hinge construction. The racket halves 30 and 34 may be interlocked by various suitable means such as multiple prong members, or legs, 38 spaced at angular increments about the hinged frame half 34. These prong members 38 are engagingly received in corresponding slots 40 disposed in the lower frame member 30. As with the embodiment shown in FIGURE 1, the racket 26 also has a tympanum 42, or plastic membrane 43, which is secured between the opposed frame halves 30 and 34, and which is tautly stretched between these frame halves to impart the desirable resonating and reverberating sound characteristics. As illustrated, the handle 28 can be provided with ribs 44 which extends transversely and completely about the handle 28.

As mentioned above, the tympanum is preferably formed of a plastic film which gives desirable resonating and reverberation characteristics. The tympanum material contributes partially to these desired attributes of the final racket and the manner in which the tympanum is formed contributes the remainder of the characteristics. FIGURE 3 illustrates a preferred drum-head type of construction in which the flexible membrane is tautly stretched over an inner, or striking surface frame 45 to provide a tympanum for the racket. For this purpose, the inner frame 45, shown as metal ring 46, is provided with its outer dimensions conforming to the frame dimensions of the racket. The inner frame ring 46 is formed as a drum-head, in that it has a generally U-shaped cross-section with a rolled edge 48 and an opposite, open annular edge 50 to receive the peripheral margin 52 of the membrane 54. The membrane 54 is laid across the metal ring and is tautly and evenly stretched or tensioned onto the inner frame 45 by forcibly extruding the peripheral margin 52 of the membrane 54 into the U-shaped annular edge 50 of the metal ring 46. The membrane 54 is retained within the ring 46 by insertion of an annular wedge 56 which can be of any suitable material, e.g. cardboard which is formed into the open annular edge 50 of the ring 45, firming locking and retaining the peripheral margin 52 of the membrane 54 to the metal ring 46 under a suitably high degree of tension, sufficient to impart the majority of the desired reverberating and resonating sound qualities.

Referring now to FIGURE 4, there is illustrated an exploded view of a racket 58 utilizing the drum-head construction shown in FIGURE 3. In this illustration, the racket 50 has a frame 70 which is formed of opposite, mirror-image halves 60 and 62 that are jointed along a longitudinal seam 64, all as described previously with regard to FIGURE 1. The drum-head 66, which is formed with the metal ring 46, the tympanic membrane 54 and the

cardboard annular wedge 56 is located within the annular interior 68 of the hollow form frame 70, and the entire assembly is joined along the longitudinal seam 64, again with suitable means such as solvent or cement bonding, or thermal or ultrasonic welding.

Referring now to FIGURE 5, there is illustrated a single player activity in which a child 72 bounces a closed cell foam ball 74 formed of a suitable elastomer such as foam rubber, polyethylene foam, etc. The ball 74 is bounced off the tympanic membrane 54 of the racket 10 generating a booming and resonating sound, similar to that generated by striking the drum-head membrane of a typical drum.

Referring now to FIGURE 6, there is illustrated a multiple player activity game in which two or more players 76, 78 and 80 are each provided with a racket 10 of the invention and one or more of the plastic foam balls 74 are struck with the rackets by the players, directing the ball 74 to another player with the rackets by the players, directing the ball 74 to another player with the objective of generating the loudest sound resonance by striking the ball 74 with the racket 10.

In some applications, it may be desirable to provide a racket with a strong, tear resistant membrane, without compromising the sound resonance quality of the membrane. FIGURE 7 illustrates a suitable construction. The racket 98 shown in FIGURE 7 is formed of two halves 100 and 102 which are joined along the longitudinal midline of the racket, similar to the racket shown in FIGURE 4. The racket 98, however, is provided with an inner tympanum assembly 83 having two membranes 82 and 84 which are each supported on a respective ring 86 and 88. Preferably, the resulting drum-heads 90 and 92 which are formed by each ring such as 86 and membrane 82 are mounted, back to back, as illustrated, with the resulting annular flange 94 which is formed by each ring being received in the hollow

interior 96 of the racket 98. For this purpose, each of the halves 100 and 102 of the racket 98 has an inwardly directed and continuous lip 104 which closely fits within each of the rings. If desired, a thin annular spacer ring 106 can be inserted between the drum-heads to maintain their separation, and this ring 106 can be laminated or otherwise attached to one or both of the drumheads, to prevent its movement in the assembly. The use of two membranes as illustrated greatly strengthens the racket, and avoids the possibility of rupturing a membrane, since the additional membrane greatly strengthens the racket.

The game of the invention provides for safe and fascinating enjoyment by children. The game ball 74 is formed of a soft elastomer which will not cause any injury if a child is struck by the ball. The highly resonating or reverberating sounds achieved by striking the ball captures the attention and fascination of the children, ensuring a prolonged and continued enjoyment of the game.

The invention has been described with reference to the illustrated and presently preferred embodiment. It is not intended that the invention be unduly limited by this disclosure of the presently preferred embodiment. Instead, it is intended that the invention be defined, by the means, and their obvious equivalents, set forth in the following claims.