Patent Publication Number: US-4322076-A

Title: Ball-playing racket

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to a ball racket, and more particularly--but not exclusively--to a tennis racket. 
     Tennis rackets are known in which the frame wherein the strings form the ball hitting surface, defines a closed oval from which a handle extends in the direction of the longer axis of the oval. Other tennis rackets also usually have oval frames which are formed of one piece from a rod that is bent to the appropriate shape at its center section and the end sections of which converge in generally V-shaped configuration and are then extended in parallel to one another to form the handle. This leaves at the junction of the hitting surface and the handle a space, the so-called &#34;throat&#34;, in which an appropriately shaped insert is mounted. In all instances the free end of the handle is terminated with an end piece shaped to fit the hand of a user. 
     The oval form of the racket head is not the only one that is known. It is also known to form the racket head in a circular configuration. The oval shape, however, has the advantage that the string sections (there may be a single string which constitutes all string sections forming the hitting surface, or there may be individual strings for each string section or for a group of string sections) which extend in the center region of the hitting surface towards the handle, are longer than the cross-wise extending string sections located at the middle of the hitting surface. This increases the hitting surface area having the optimum effect (i.e. the area having the strongest spring back effect) in the direction of the longitudinal axis (i.e. the long axis of the oval) of the hitting surface. Thus, even balls which hit the hitting surface not in the center region but offset in direction towards the handle, encounter a hitting surface area having a high spring back effect. Since the longitudinal axis of the handle approximately constitutes an extension of the arm of the player, such offset hitting of the ball does not constitute any disadvantage to the player. An increase of the hitting surface area with optimum effect in direction transfers to the longitudinal axis of the handle, however, is not advisable because balls which contact the hitting surface laterally offset from the central region cause the racket to perform a partial turn about its longitudinal axis and this can lead to injuries to the player, for example the development of the so-called &#34;tennis elbow&#34;. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the invention to further improve a ball racket, particularly a tennis racket. 
     A more particular object is to provide such an improved racket in which the hitting surface area having the optimum spring back effect is increased in longitudinal direction, i.e. lengthwise of the handle, without increasing the overall area of the hitting surface and without thus increasing the weight of the racket. 
     Pursuant to these objects, and others which will become apparent hereafter, one feature of the invention resides in a racket, particularly a tennis racket, which comprises a substantially annular frame, a handle extending from the frame and having a longitudinal axis coincident with a symmetry line of the frame and passing through the center of the frame, and a plurality of first string sections spanning the frame in a first direction, and a plurality of second parallel string sections extending across the first string sections and spanning the frame in a second direction parallel to the longitudinal axis. According to the invention, at least that one of the second string sections which is closest to the symmetry line and the two second string sections which flank it extend slidably through the frame and into the handle where they are secured. 
     In a racket constructed according to the present invention the hitting surface area having the highest spring back effect is increased in direction lengthwise of the handle, i.e. lengthwise of the over all racket, and furthermore a better ball guidance is achieved since the ball remains for a longer period of time on the hitting surface. Also, the lifetime of the stringing is increased. 
     It is advantageous to have the aforementioned one and two second string sections extend into the handle by a distance corresponding to approximately 20-50% of the overall length of the respective one of these three string sections. 
     In order to be able to employ the concept of the invention in a racket in which the frame is formed from the center section of a rod which is bent to appropriate shape and the handles are formed by the end sections of the rod, a further concept of the invention provides for the aforementioned one and two second string sections to be slidably guided in that edge face of the insert in the throat, which faces the interior of the frame, i.e. the hitting surface. It is advantageous for the aforementioned one and two second string sections to converge from this edge face towards the opposite edge face of the insert, i.e. the edge face which is distal from the one just mentioned, and to secure them at this second or opposite edge face. This permits both the guidance and the mounting of these one and two second string sections to be effected by means of a single component. 
     According to another advantageous concept of the invention, in which the entire stringing of the racket is constituted of a single string, the aforementioned one and two second string sections may be looped about a transverse bolt, pin or similar element which traverses the handle and is with advantage formed directly on the insert itself. This is a particularly simple way of securing the string sections. 
     The invention will hereafter be described with reference to an exemplary embodiment as illustrated in the drawing. However, the description and illustration are not to be considered limiting of the inventive concept. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     FIG. 1 is a top-plan view of a racket embodying the invention; and 
     FIG. 2 is a fragmentary section taken on line A--A of FIG. 1. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The racket illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 has a substantially annular frame, namely a frame which is of oval outline and is formed by bending the center section of a rod 1 to the appropriate shape. The two end sections 3 and 4 of the rod converge with one another so as to define a generally V-shaped throat in which an insert 5 is mounted. The edge face 2 of this insert 5 which faces inwardly of the frame serves in part to bound the hitting area of the frame. The two end sections 3 and 4 have mounted on them an appropriate terminal part which finishes off the handle 6 and is dimensioned so as to be accommodated to the size of the player&#39;s hand. The hitting area in this particular embodiment, i.e. the area surrounded by the frame 1, 2, is strung with a single string which forms a plurality of longitudinally extending parallel string sections 7 and transversely extending string sections 8. 
     The longitudinal string sections 7 and transverse string sections 8 are secured to the rod 1, except for the end portion 9 of the longitudinal string sections 7 which pass through the center area of the hitting surface which is produced by the string sections 7 and 8. These end portions 9 extend through the edge face 2 of the insert 5 so that they have freedom of sliding movement and are secured to the edge face 12 of the insert 5, which is remote from the edge face 2 and is located deep within the handle 3, 4. The thus obtained extension of these particular longitudinal string sections 7 creates an increase of the area having the optimum spring back effect, in that it increases the size of the normal area (designated by reference numeral 10 and hatched in one direction only) by the size of the second area 11 (cross hatched for distinction), so that the overall maximum spring back area is now composed of the two areas 10 and 11. 
     As shown particularly in FIG. 2, it is advantageous if the end of the insert 5 which is remote from the edge face 2, is formed as a rod, pin, bolt or the like 12 as shown in FIG. 2, since then the end portions 9 can simply be looped about it. 
     The part of the insert 5 having the edge face 2 is convex in direction towards the hitting area, but the bores formed in it through which the portions 9 of the respective longitudinal string sections 7 extend, are oriented so as to extend lengthwise of these string sections. The outlet openings of these bores which is obtained in this manner has a favorable influence on the life of the stringing, i.e. the stringing will last longer than would otherwise be the case. 
     The invention has been described herein with reference to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, but it should be understood that it is not limited to this particular embodiment and that all variations and modifications which will suggest themselves to persons of ordinary skill in the art are intended to be encompassed within the appended claims.