ULTRA THIN RACQUET FRAME - DEGARIS KENNETH GODFREY

Title:

ULTRA THIN RACQUET FRAME

Document Type and Number:

WIPO Patent Application WO/1995/004576

Kind Code:

A1

Abstract:

Games racquets used in games such as tennis, squash and racket ball normally comprise a head, a bridge (4), a throat (5) and shaft area plus a handle. The deemed mid section (10) of the frame of the games racquet includes the bottom half of the racket head, the bridge (4), the throat (5), the shaft (6), and possibly some small proportion (7) of the handle (8). The deemed mid section of the frame (10) of the games racquet is manufactured so that the beam, or width of the frame when viewed from the side with the racquet held in a vertical position, is either equal to or less than 13 millimetres in width for tennis and either equal to or less than 8 millimetres in width for squash and racquet ball.

Inventors:

DEGARIS KENNETH GODFREY (AU)

Application Number:

PCT/AU1994/000447

Publication Date:

February 16, 1995

Filing Date:

August 05, 1994

Export Citation:

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Assignee:

DEGARIS KENNETH GODFREY (AU)

International Classes:

A63B49/02; A63B49/03; (IPC1-7): A63B49/02

Foreign References:

AU3900785A	1986-02-06
GB1321235A	1973-06-27
US4176841A	1979-12-04
US4203597A	1980-05-20
GB1545097A	1979-05-02
US4139194A	1979-02-13
US4094505A	1978-06-13
DE1919461A1	1970-11-19

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Claims:

CLAIMS

1.

I claim a games racquet as shown in figures 1 and 2 comprising: a racquet head with the tip 1 at the top section of the racquet head or 12 o'clock position and a bridge 4 at the bottom section of the racquet head or 6 o'clock position, a throat area 5 and a shaft area 6 plus a handle 8 with a butt area 9 at the bottom or end of the handle at the end of the racquet; two readily definable points directly opposite each other on either side of the frame of the racquet head which can be identified as the three o'clock 3 and nine o'clock 2 positions on the racquet head, those points being identified as being half way between the centre of the tip 1 or twelve o'clock position on the racquet head and the centre of the bridge 4 or six o'clock position on the racquet head, the half way point being established by drawing a vertical line between the two centre points of the tip 1 and bridge 4 and dividing it into two equal halves; a "mid section" 10 deemed to be that section of the racquet which begins at points 2 and 3 and extends down the frame to include both the bridge area 4 and throat area 5 and proceeds to a point 7 which is twenty centimetres up the handle 8 from the end of the racquet where the butt 9 of the handle lies.

2.

The games racquet set forth in claim 1 where within any part of the deemed mid section of the racquet and where any part of that mid section is CLAIMS constructed on either side of the racquet as a single portion or section of the frame, the beam or width of that single portion or section of frame when viewed from the side with the racquet held in a vertical position, or the beam or height of that single portion or section of the frame when viewed from the side with the racquet held in a horizontal position, is either equal to or less than 13 millimetres for tennis and either equal to or less than 8 millimetres for squash and racquet ball.

3.

The games racquet set forth in claim 1 where within any part of the deemed mid section of the racquet and where any part of that mid section is constructed on either side of the racquet as a split frame thereby creating two segments of frame on either one or both sides of the racquet, the beam or width of either portion or section of the split segment of the frame when viewed from the side with the racquet held in a vertical position, or the beam or height of either portion or section of the split segment of the frame when viewed from the side with the racquet held in a horizontal position, is either equal to or less than 6 millimetres for tennis and either equal to or less than 4 millimetres for squash and racquet ball.

4.

The games racquet set forth in claim 1 where within any part of the deemed mid section of the racquet and where any part of that mid section is constructed on either side of the racquet as a multi frame having one primary supporting section of frame and other supplementary sections of frame, the beam or width of the primary supporting section of the frame CLAIMS when viewed from the side with the racquet held in a vertical position, or the beam or height of the primary supporting section of the frame when viewed from the side with the racquet held in a horizontal position, is either equal to or less than 13 millimetres for tennis and either equal to or less than 8 millimetres for squash and racquet ball. I further claim a games racquet as shown in figure 3 comprising: .

5.

a racquet head with the tip 1 at the top end of the racquet head or 12 o'clock position, no identifiable bridge, the top section 4 of the shaft 6 defined as being at the bottom section of the racquet head or 6 o'clock position on the racquet head, a throat area 5 and a shaft area 6 plus a handle 8 with a butt area 9 at the bottom or end of the handle at the end of the racquet; two readily definable points directly opposite each other on either side of the frame of the racquet head which can be identified as the three o'clock 3 and nine o'clock 2 positions on the racquet head, those points being identified as being half way between the centre of the tip 1 or twelve o'clock position on the racquet head and the centre of the top section 4 of the shaft 6 or defined six o'clock position on the racquet head, the half way point being established by drawing a vertical line between the two centre points of the tip 1 and the top section 4 of the shaft 6 and dividing it into two equal halves; CLAIMS a "mid section" 10 deemed to be that section of the racquet which begins at points 2 and 3, and extends down the frame to include the throat area 5 and shaft area 6, and proceeds to a point 7 which is twenty centimetres up the handle 8 from the end of the racquet where the butt 9 of the handle lies.

6.

The games racquet set forth in claim 5 where within any part of the deemed mid section of the racquet and where any part of that mid section is constructed on either side of the racquet as a single portion or section of the frame, the beam or width of that single portion or section of frame when viewed from the side with the racquet held in a vertical position, or the beam or height of that single portion or section of the frame when viewed from the side with the racquet held in a horizontal position, is either equal to or less than 13 millimetres for tennis and either equal to or less than 8 millimetres for squash and racquet ball.

7.

The games racquet set forth in claim 5 where within any part of the deemed mid section of the racquet and where any part of that mid section is constructed on either side of the racquet as a split frame thereby creating two segments of frame on either one or both sides of the racquet, the beam or width of either portion or section of the split segment of the frame when viewed from the side with the racquet held in a vertical position, or the beam or height of either portion or section of the split segment of the frame when viewed from the side with the racquet held in a horizontal position, is either equal to or less than 6 millimetres for tennis and either equal to or CLAIMS less than 4 millimetres for squash and racquet ball. The games racquet set forth in claim 5 where within any part of the deemed mid section of the racquet and where any part of that mid section is constructed on either side of the racquet as a multi frame having one primary supporting section of frame and other supplementary sections of frame, the beam or width of the primary supporting section of the frame when viewed from the side with the racquet held in a vertical position, or the beam or height of the primary supporting section of the frame when viewed from the side with the racquet held in a horizontal position, is either equal to or less than 13 millimetres for tennis and either equal to or less than 8 millimetres for squash and racquet ball.

Description:

ULTRA THIN RACQUET FRAME

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has as its main object the providing of a games racquet in which the deemed mid section 10 of the racquet is very (ultra) thin, relative to other parts of the racquet. It effectively achieves this object by having as its essential feature the deemed mid section 10 of the racquet manufactured so that the beam, or width of the frame of the racquet when viewed from the side with the racquet held in a vertical position, or the beam or height of the frame of the racquet when viewed from the side with the racquet held in a horizontal position, is either equal to or less than 13 millimetres for tennis and either equal to or less than 8 millimetres for squash and racquet ball.

The production of games racquets which are very thin in their mid section permit more flexibility in production options. For example, racquets may be produced which are either very light weight overall or normal in weight but incorporating varying weight distribution systems outside the deemed mid section.

A very thin mid section of a games racquet also allows such racquets to exhibit superior performance characteristics such as better balancing and a much lighter swing weight. Racquets are also able to exhibit faster swing speeds in all directions due to less wind resistance. More spin is able to be added to the ball which gives more control to shots. In addition, the elimination of a significant amount of the racquet frame in the mid section greatly reduces the transfer of racquet vibration and shock after impact with the ball to the handle of the racquet, which in turn reduces the occurrence of arm and related injuries.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The best method of producing a very thin mid section 10 of a racquet is to eliminate much of the frame of the racquet in the mid section. This may involve

working with lighter and stronger materials such as titanium or titanium/ceramic

compounds.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING

Figure 1 is a face view of a games racquet and figure 2 is a beam view or side view of a games racquet with the racquet held in a vertical position, where the deemed mid section 10 of the racquet can be readily identified.

Point 1 being the tip or twelve o'clock point on the racquet frame.

Point 2 being the nine o'clock point on the racquet frame.

Point 3 being the three o'clock point on the racquet frame.

Point 4 being the bridge area or six o'clock point on the racquet frame.

Point 5 being the throat area of the racquet frame.

Point 6 being the shaft area of the racquet frame.

Point 7 being the point twenty centimetres up the handle from the end of the racquet where the butt 9 of the handle lies.

Point 8 being the handle of the racquet.

Point 9 being the butt area on the handle of the racquet.

Point 10 shows the deemed mid section of the racquet.

BRDZF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING

Figure 3 is a face view of a games racquet without an identifiable bridge area where the deemed mid section 10 of the racquet can be readily identified.