Patent ID: 7887444
Filing Date: 2011-02-15
Classification: A63B

Abstract:
1. A sports racquet for impacting a game ball, the racquet comprising: a frame including a head portion coupled to a handle portion, the head portion including a hoop having inner and outer peripheral walls, at least a first set of concave recesses and a first set of channels formed into the outer peripheral wall, the first set of concave recesses being spaced apart by and interconnected with the first set of channels, the hoop including first, second and third groups of string openings, the first group of string openings being generally circular and extending through the inner and outer peripheral walls, the second group of string openings extending through the outer peripheral wall at the at least first set of concave recesses, the third group of string openings extending through the inner peripheral wall at locations corresponding to the second group of string openings; at least one grommet assembly engaging the outer peripheral wall, the grommet assembly including at least three pivotable elements interconnected by torque transmitting arms, each pivotable element including a string passage; and a string bed formed of a plurality of cross string segments and a plurality of main string segments, and defining a string bed plane, each string passage having one of the cross string segments and main string segments extending therethrough, whereby upon impact with the ball, one or more cross or main string segments deflect thereby causing a first group of one or more pivotable elements supporting the deflecting cross or main string segments to pivot, and the pivotable elements and the torque transmitting arms positioned adjacent to the first group of pivotable elements being pivotable in response to rotation of the first group of pivotable elements.