Racquet configured with increased flexibility in multiple directions with respect to a longitudinal axis

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10646753-B2
Application number	US-201816012344-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 19, 2018
Priority date	Mar 12, 2018
Publication date	May 12, 2020
Grant date	May 12, 2020

Abstract

A racquet includes a frame extending along a longitudinal axis. The frame includes head and handle portions, and a throat portion positioned between the head and handle portions. The head and throat portions are formed at least in part of a fiber composite material. The material includes a plurality of ply arrangements. Each of the arrangements includes one ply having a first plurality of fibers defining a first angle with respect to a composite axis, and another ply having a second plurality of fibers defining a second angle with respect to the composite axis. The first and second angles are substantially the same except the angles have opposite polarities with respect to the composite axis. The head portion includes at least three arrangements overlaying each other, and the first and second angles of at least two of the at least three arrangements are at least 35 degrees.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tennis racquet comprising:
a frame extending along a longitudinal axis and including a head portion, a handle portion, and a throat portion positioned between the head portion and the handle portion, the head portion forming a hoop that defines a string bed plane, the throat portion including a pair of throat elements, at least the head portion and the throat portion of the racquet being formed at least in part of a fiber composite material, the fiber composite material including a plurality of ply arrangements, each of the ply arrangements including a pair of plies with one ply having a first plurality of fibers defining a first angle with respect to a composite axis and the other ply having a second plurality of fibers defining a second angle with respect to the composite axis, the pair of plies including at least one resin formed of a thermoset material, the first and second angles being substantially the same except the first and second angles have opposite angular polarities with respect to the composite axis, the head portion including at least three ply arrangements overlaying each other, and the first and second angles of at least two of the at least three ply arrangements are at least 35 degrees, wherein the racquet is capable of being tested under a racquet lateral bending test, wherein the lateral bending test includes mounting the racquet in a first orientation to a first test fixture at a first longitudinal location, attaching a clamp to the racquet at a second location, operably engaging a deflection indicator to the clamp, applying a first predetermined weight to the racquet at a third location, and removing the first weight to obtain a lateral deflection measurement of the racquet with respect to the longitudinal axis, and wherein, when the racquet is tested under the racquet lateral bending test, the racquet has a lateral deflection of at least 6.0 mm when measured in a direction that is parallel to the string bed plane and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

2. The tennis racquet of claim 1 , wherein the first and second angles of at least two of the at least three ply arrangements are at least 40 degrees.

3. The tennis racquet of claim 1 , wherein the at least three ply arrangements is at least four ply arrangements, and wherein the first and second angles of at least three of the at least four ply arrangements are at least 35 degrees.

4. The tennis racquet of claim 1 , wherein the at least three ply arrangements is at least four ply arrangements, and wherein the first and second angles of at least three of the at least four ply arrangements are at least 40 degrees.

5. The tennis racquet of claim 1 , wherein the at least three ply arrangements is at least four ply arrangements, and wherein the first and second angles of at least four of the at least four ply arrangements are at least 35 degrees.

6. The tennis racquet of claim 1 , wherein the at least three ply arrangements is at least four ply arrangements, and wherein the first and second angles of at least four of the at least four ply arrangements are at least 40 degrees.

7. The tennis racquet of claim 1 , wherein the at least three ply arrangements is at least five ply arrangements, and wherein the first and second angles of at least three of the at least five ply arrangements are at least 35 degrees.

8. The tennis racquet of claim 1 , wherein the at least three ply arrangements is at least five ply arrangements, and wherein the first and second angles of at least three of the at least five ply arrangements are at least 40 degrees.

9. The tennis racquet of claim 1 , wherein the at least three ply arrangements is at least six ply arrangements, and wherein the first and second angles of at least three of the at least six ply arrangements are at least 35 degrees.

10. The tennis racquet of claim 1 , wherein the at least three ply arrangements is at least six ply arrangements, and wherein the first and second angles of at least three of the at least six ply arrangements are at least 40 degrees.

11. The tennis racquet of claim 1 , wherein the at least three ply arrangements is at least six ply arrangements, and wherein the first and second angles of at least four of the at least six ply arrangements are at least 40 degrees.

12. The tennis racquet of claim 1 , wherein a majority of the fiber arrangements include carbon fibers.

13. The tennis racquet of claim 1 , wherein at least 75 percent of the fiber arrangements include carbon fibers.

14. The tennis racquet of claim 1 , wherein each of the plies include a resin, and wherein each of the plies has a fiber area weight of at least 50 g/m 2 .

15. The tennis racquet of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of each of the head portion, the throat portion and the handle portion are formed of a fiber composite material.

16. The tennis racquet of claim 1 , wherein the racquet is capable of being tested under a forward/rearward bending test, wherein the racquet forward/rearward bending test includes mounting the racquet in a second orientation to the first test fixture at the first longitudinal location, operably engaging a deflection indicator to the racquet at a fifth location, applying a second predetermined weight to the racquet at a fourth location, and removing the second predetermined weight to obtain a forward/rearward deflection measurement with respect to the longitudinal axis, and wherein, when the racquet is tested under the racquet forward/rearward bending test, the racquet has a forward/rearward deflection with respect to the longitudinal axis of at least 9.0 mm when measured in a direction that is perpendicular to the string bed plane and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

17. The tennis racquet of claim 16 , wherein the racquet is capable of being tested under a racquet torsional stability test, wherein the racquet torsional stability test includes mounting the racquet to second and third test fixtures at sixth and seventh locations of the racquet, respectively, placing a third predetermined weight on an arm extending from the second test fixture to place a torsional load on to the racquet, removing the third predetermined weight to obtain an angular deflection about the longitudinal axis, and wherein, when the racquet is tested under the racquet torsional stability test, the racquet has an angular deflection of less than 5.5 degrees about the longitudinal axis.

18. The tennis racquet of claim 1 , wherein the racquet is capable of being tested under a racquet torsional stability test, wherein the racquet torsional stability test includes mounting the racquet to second and third test fixtures at sixth and seventh locations of the racquet, respectively, placing a third predetermined weight on an arm extending from the second test fixture to place a torsional load on to the racquet, removing the third predetermined weight to obtain an angular deflection about the longitudinal axis, and wherein, when the racquet is tested under the racquet torsional stability test, the racquet has an angular deflection of less than 5.5 degrees about the longitudinal axis.

19. The tennis racquet of claim 1 , wherein each ply of the pair of plies are a sheet of unidirectional fibers within and permeated throughout the resin in a non-braided and non-woven manner.

20. A tennis racquet comprising:
a frame extending along a longitudinal axis and including a head portion, a handle portion, and a throat portion positioned between the head portion and the handle portion, the head portion forming a hoop that define

Assignees

• Wilson Sporting Goods

Inventors

• Severa William D
• Zwack Dale J
• Kapheim Robert T
• Compostizo Eloisa M

Classifications

• A63B1/00

  Horizontal bars · CPC title

• A63B2225/02

  Testing, calibrating or measuring of equipment · CPC title

• A63B60/54

  with means for damping vibrations · CPC title

• A63B60/42

  Devices for measuring, verifying, correcting or customising the inherent characteristics of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like, e.g. measuring the maximum torque a batting shaft can withstand · CPC title

• G01N3/20

  by applying steady bending forces (G01N3/26, G01N3/28 take precedence) · CPC title