Pickleball paddle having integral handle and rim assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025041685-A1
Application number	US-202418791334-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 31, 2024
Priority date	Jul 31, 2023
Publication date	Feb 6, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A pickleball paddle having an injection molded multi-piece frame surrounding and supporting a hitting face assembly. The frame provides design flexibility to separate control of the paddle stiffness from the playability characteristics of hitting face assembly. Speed of assembly is increased and cost of components are decreased by utilizing an injection molded frame.

First claim

1 . A method of assembling a pickleball paddle having paddle head subassembly, the method comprising:
injection molding a first frame member having a first rim member extending from and integral with a first handle member; injection molding a second frame member having a second rim member extending from and integral with a second handle member; positioning the paddle head subassembly between the first frame member and the second frame member; coupling the first frame member to the second frame member with the paddle head subassembly secured therebetween; wherein the paddle head subassembly is joined to the first rim member and the second rim member; wherein the paddle head subassembly is located within, and a perimeter portion of the paddle head subassembly is surrounded by, the first rim member and the second rim member such that majorities of a first face plate and a second face plate of the paddle head subassembly are exposed; and wherein paddle head subassembly is not located within nor surrounded by the first handle member and the second handle member.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first frame member and the second frame member are joined using adhesives.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the paddle head subassembly, the first frame member and the second frame member are secured via a method selected from one or more of the following: mechanical fasteners, adhesives, and ultrasonic welding.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein coupling the first frame member and the second frame member comprises mechanically coupling the first frame member to the second frame member.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the core resembles a honeycomb structure comprising a plurality of repeated structures arranged side by side formed from polypropylene.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first face plate and the second face plate each define a hitting surface, and at least a portion of the hitting surface is made from a metallic material.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the metallic material is selected from a group consisting of: titanium, aluminum, nickel alloys, and magnesium.

8 . A pickleball paddle comprising:
a paddle head subassembly comprising a first hitting surface, a second hitting surface, and a core disposed between the first and second hitting surfaces, wherein the paddle head subassembly further comprises a paddle head subassembly perimeter portion; a frame comprising:
a first frame member having a first rim member extending from and integral with a first handle member;
a second frame member having a second rim member extending from and integral with a second handle member;
wherein the first frame member is coupled to the second frame member with the paddle head subassembly secured therebetween;
wherein the paddle head subassembly is joined to the first rim member and the second rim member; wherein the paddle head subassembly is located within, and a perimeter portion of the paddle head subassembly is surrounded by, the first rim member and the second rim member, such that a majority of the first hitting surface and the second hitting surface are exposed; and wherein the paddle head subassembly is not located within nor surrounded by the first handle member and the second handle member.

9 . The pickleball paddle of claim 8 , wherein a first face plate and a second face plate of the paddle head subassembly each define the first hitting surface and the second hitting surface, respectively, and at least a portion of each hitting surface comprises a metallic material.

10 . The pickleball paddle of claim 9 , wherein the first hitting surface comprises a plurality of laser etched bonding features on a first hitting surface interior surface, and the second hitting surface comprises a plurality of laser etched bonding features on a second hitting surface interior surface.

11 . The pickleball paddle of claim 8 , wherein the first frame member and the second frame member are identical.

12 . The pickleball paddle of claim 8 , wherein:
a plurality of struts is disposed within the core; a plurality of internal pockets is defined by adjacent struts of the plurality of struts; and an elastomeric damping material is disposed in at least one internal pocket of the plurality of internal pockets.

13 . The pickleball paddle of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of struts includes a plurality of primary struts extending in a direction parallel to a first axis, a plurality of secondary struts extending in a direction parallel to a second axis different from the first axis, and a plurality of tertiary struts extending in a direction parallel to a third axis different from the first and second axes;
wherein the first axis and the second axis intersect to form a first angle between 10 degrees and 130 degrees; and wherein the first axis and the third axis intersect to form a second angle between 80 degrees and 180 degrees.

14 . The pickleball paddle of claim 8 , wherein each of the first frame member and the second frame member comprises a frame exterior side and a frame interior side;
wherein, when the pickleball paddle is assembled, the frame interior side is not exposed.

15 . The pickleball paddle of claim 14 , wherein each of the first frame and the second frame comprises a mating surface connecting the frame interior surface and the frame exterior surface; such that when the pickleball paddle is assembled, each mating surface abuts with an opposite mating surface without gaps or overlap.

16 . The pickleball paddle of claim 15 , wherein each frame interior surface comprises a lateral bonding surface extending approximately perpendicular to a respective planar rim surface; and wherein the lateral bonding surface defines a lateral bonding surface height measured perpendicularly from the planar rim surface.

17 . The pickleball paddle of claim 16 , wherein each frame further comprises a rim-to-face bonding surface, extending towards a paddle face center and perpendicularly from the lateral bonding surface, offset towards a paddle first or second hitting surface relative to the planar rim surface; and
wherein the bonding surface defines a bonding surface width measured perpendicular to the frame interior wall.

18 . The pickleball paddle of claim 17 , wherein each frame further comprises an epoxy retention lip extending inward and perpendicular to the bonding surface; and
wherein the epoxy retention lip defines an epoxy retention lip height measured perpendicularly from rim-to-face bonding surface.

19 . The pickleball paddle of claim 18 , wherein each frame interior surface further comprises a plurality of reinforcing structures.

20 . The pickleball paddle of claim 19 , wherein each frame interior surface further comprises a plurality of vertical ribs protruding from the lateral bonding surface and oriented approximately perpendicularly to the bonding surface.

Assignees

• Karsten Mfg Corp

Inventors

• Paselk Justin A
• Shoenhair Jordan D
• Spackman Clayson C
• Henrikson Erik M
• Dukes Isaac P
• Solheim John A
• Solheim Matthew A

Classifications

• A63B60/06

  Handles · CPC title

• A63B60/002

  Resonance frequency related characteristics · CPC title

• A63B2209/00

  Characteristics of used materials · CPC title

• A63B2209/02

  with reinforcing fibres, e.g. carbon, polyamide fibres · CPC title

• A63B2102/08

  Paddle tennis, padel tennis or platform tennis · CPC title