Patent Publication Number: US-2010113192-A1

Title: Racket grip aid

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a racket grip aid. 
     A table tennis is one of the famous sport in the world, which is popular in the region and country of the number as many as a football, judo, and so on. The table tennis game places a table between players who hit a ball facing each other and try to get a point to win, using the ball made of celluloid. The game is divided into 3 kinds, singles, doubles, and group game, and players are required to make full use of the overall technological and physical abilities including dynamic vision, reflexes, instantaneous force and endurance. 
     A table is 274.5 cm×152.5 cm, and a ball is 40 mm (diameter). Instantaneous control for those of the ball course, speed, spin, and timing is required, and it is necessary to speed up the racket swing to increase the ball speed, turning the body and moving the center of gravity. 
     In the table tennis game, players ascertain the ball direction, speed, and rotation in a short time, concentrate and adjust the ability of each body part and hit the ball, by the surface or back of the racket, making adjustment of angle, dealing with the ball direction and power from an opponent. Although each body part can fully be used for a skilled person, a beginner is unable to make the best use of the body power on the impact, and it takes a time to be a skilled player. 
     In general, the kind of table tennis racket is divided into, a penfolder type and a shakehand type, which differs in grasping the racket grip. In case of the shakehand type, a rubber is put on the back, as well as the surface of racket. As for the penholder, the player usually hits a ball by the surface of racket, and recently the number of penholder player with the rubber on the back of racket, is increasing, to hit the ball by backhand. 
     For handling the shakehand racket, as the player holds the racket grip by the middle finger, third finger, and little finger, and puts the racket board between the thumb and the index finger, there should be no big difference for the racket swing by forehand or backhand. However, the change of racket surface and the adjustment of racket angle, must be made very quickly and appropriately to strongly respond to the ball, and its backhand stroke may give the player much more burden than that of forehand for the wrist, elbow, and shoulder, and then it is advisable to use an appropriate tool to lower the burden to avoid health problem. 
     For example, it is determined, if a ball comes to the forehand side (right in case of right-handed person), or to the backhand side (left in case of right-handed person), or to the front, in light of the opponent player&#39;s action, a course of flying ball, and a position of ball touched on the table, and the player returns the ball, trying utmost to eliminate a mistake. In this case, there are many elements to practice including such factors as the performance and the characteristic of racket/rubber, posturing and body ability, at the time of hitting the ball. 
     At present, in case of the forehand stroke, the shakehand racket player leans the racket surface to left (for the right-handed person), using the thumb and the index finger which put the racket board in between, and for the backhand stroke, the player leans the racket surface to right (for the right-handed person). In any case, the load of thumb is heavy and may cause a problem to the wrist, elbow, shoulder. 
     Originally the thumb and the index finger hold a racket to swing like drawing an arc (by forehand or backhand), as well as such other fingers as the middle finger, third finger, and little finger to grasp the racket grip. The adjustment of racket angle is made principally by the thumb or by both of thumb and index finger, and part of it can be made by others to reduce the load of thumb. 
     Looking for a way to substitute for the role of outward rotation operation which is mainly made by the thumb at present, inventor of the present invention aimed at the function of middle finger, and tried to let it work for promoting outward rotation operation on the backhand stroke, to adjust the angle of the racket surface and reduce the load of wrist, elbow and shoulder, and send a strong ball. 
     In the racket swing of both forehand and backhand, it is necessary to respond to the flying ball from the opponent, turning the racket face and making a precise adjustment of the racket angle, wherein advantage of using this racket grip aid of the present invention can be applied to both forehand and backhand strokes. The role of third finger and little finger is not same as the middle finger. However, there will be a case to have the fingerhold of third finger as a supplementary role. 
     In any situation of the table tenths game, a common concern is to reduce a mistake, and invite opponent&#39;s error. It is necessary to quickly make the switching of the surface and adjust the racket angle, to appropriately respond to a flying ball. 
     Though the racket grip may be partly modified, a bold modification is not practical in terms of its lower profile of the shakehand racket, and much improvement in the aspect of feeling and grip condition of hand can not be expected. Therefore, it is advisable to use some tool and realize the valid racket grip condition which fits player&#39;s hand. 
     Under such circumstances to cope with the above-mentioned task, the inventor recognized importance of the inward and outward rotation operations, and confirmed that the present invention is able to contribute to the improvement of racket swing, making the best use of this grip aid, as a result of attempt aiming at the functions of the thumb, middle finger and index finger. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In consideration of the above-mentioned matter, the present invention intended to provide the racket grip aid to make it possible that the player appropriately makes a change of racket surface, adjusting an angle, and quickly and strongly respond to an opponent. 
     Then, it is possible to quickly tilt the racket surface and strongly hit a ball, giving a forward rotation to the ball. When the ball flew to the unanticipated place and the player was forced to return the ball momentarily, the racket surface tends to become inappropriate, and the ball may rise or exceed from the table, or may become a chance ball to smash by the opponent. However, the racket angle can be appropriately adjusted, by using the grip aid of the present invention. 
     Also, the grip aid of the present invention is useful, for the penholder user, too. It does not use the middle finger, and reduces the load of thumb playing the main role for both of inward rotation and outward rotation operations. 
     A part of the penholder grip to hang the thumb and the index finger is usually cut down to easily have the grip and shift the position to hold. Generally, for the backhand stroke by the penholder racket, it is made by pressing the neighborhood of the racket grip which is held by the index finger to the back side, and shifting the position of thumb to the front edge of the racket board and pushing to the back side which tilts the racket to right. It requires a practical experience, and the backhand stroke is not easy for the beginner, and its countermeasure is not provided, at present. 
     The grip part of penholder racket can be cut boldly if necessary. However, in considering the feeling of the grip condition, its extreme modification is not realistic, and it is advisable to use some tool, which matches the hand and reduces the load to the wrist, arm, and shoulder. 
     The present invention corresponds to the above-mentioned situation and the problem, as mentioned below. 
     As for “right and left” in the followings, such expression as “Left or right on the surface of, etc” means that it is for both right-handed and left-handed persons, and the grip aid of the present invention can be shared, changing the direction to install, or as it is. 
     A racket grip aid of the present invention according to the claim  1 , has a band which is made of one or more materials of fiber, resin, rubber, leather, metal, and other elastic material, and a fingerhold for a thumb and a fingerhold for an index finger which are made of one or more materials of fiber, resin, rubber, leather, metal, and other elastic material or a fingerhold for a thumb and a fingerhold for a middle finger which are made of one or more materials of fiber, resin, rubber, leather, metal, and other elastic material or a fingerhold for a thumb which is made of one or more materials of fiber, resin, rubber, leather, metal, and other elastic material. 
     A racket grip aid of the present invention according to the claim  2 , has the fingerhold which is one with the band and made together with the band, or the fingerhold which is the combination of parts of the band, or fingerhold which is made of one or more materials of fiber, resin, rubber, leather, metal, and other elastic material, and which is combined with the band and made to insert a finger, or the fingerhold which is made of one or more materials of fiber, resin, rubber, leather, metal, and other elastic material, and which is combined with the band or which is made removable from the band, or the fingerhold which is made of one or more materials of fiber, resin, rubber, leather, metal, and other elastic material, and which is combined with the racket grip or which is made removable from the racket grip. 
     A racket grip aid of the present invention according to the claim  3 , has the fingerhold of thumb at left or right on the surface of racket grip, and pushing the fingerhold to the side of fingerhold of thumb, the racket grip is turned to the side of fingerhold of thumb, and inward rotation operation is promoted. 
     A racket grip aid of the present invention according to the claim  4 , has the fingerhold of middle finger at right or left on the surface of racket grip, and pushing the fingerhold of middle finger to the other side of said fingerhold of middle finger, the racket grip rotates to the other side of fingerhold of middle finger, and outward rotation operation is promoted. 
     A racket grip aid of the present invention according to the claim  5 , has 2 fingerholds of thumb to put the thumb in between, at left or right on the surface of the racket grip or the fingerhold of thumb at left or right on the surface of racket grip, which is made to insert the thumb to push down or push up, and pushing the fingerhold of thumb to the side of fingerhold of thumb, the racket grip rotates to the side of fingerhold of thumb, and inward rotation operation is promoted, or pushing the fingerhold of thumb to the other side of fingerhold of thumb, the racket grip rotates to the other side of fingerhold of thumb, and outward rotation operation is promoted. 
     A racket grip aid of the present invention according to the claim  6 , has the band with zippers at both ends, to fasten the band to the racket grip, or the band in the shape of a tube or a bag, to fasten the band to the racket grip from the bottom of racket grip, or the band with connection tool, to fasten the band to the racket grip, or the band which is one with the fingerhold and made together with the fingerhold, and which is combined with the racket grip, or the band which is combined with the part of the racket grip, or the band which is one with the fingerhold and made together with the fingerhold, and which is combined the racket grip to surround the racket grip. 
     A racket grip aid of the present invention according to the claim  7 , has the fingerhold of thumb at left or right on the surface of the racket grip, and the fingerhold of index finger at the other side of fingerhold of thumb, and pushing the fingerhold of thumb to the other side of fingerhold of thumb, the racket grip is turned to the other side of fingerhold of thumb, and outward rotation operation is promoted, or pushing said fingerhold of index finger to the other side of fingerhold of index finger, the racket grip is turned to the other side of fingerhold of index finger, and inward rotation operation is promoted. This is related to the penholder grip. 
     A racket grip aid of the present invention according to the claim  8 , has the fingerhold of thumb on the surface of racket grip, and the fingerhold of index finger on the back of racket grip, and pushing the fingerhold of thumb to the side of fingerhold of thumb, the racket grip is turned to the side of fingerhold of thumb, and inward rotation operation is promoted, or pushing the fingerhold of index finger to the side of fingerhold of index finger, the racket grip is turned to the side of fingerhold of index finger, and outward rotation operation is promoted. 
     A racket grip of the present invention according to the claim  9 , has a fingerhold for a thumb which is made of one or more materials of fiber, resin, rubber, leather, metal, and other elastic material, or a fingerhold for a thumb and a fingerhold for a middle finger which are made of one or more materials of fiber, resin, rubber, leather, metal, and other elastic material, or a fingerhold for a thumb and a fingerhold for an index finger which are made of one or more materials of fiber, resin, rubber, leather, metal, and other elastic material. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  is an external view of a shakehand racket for a table tennis. 
         FIG. 2  shows an example of the grip aid with fingerholds for the thumb and the middle finger, on the surface of the racket. 
         FIG. 3  shows an example of the grip aid with a band and fingerholds for thumb and middle finger installed on the surface of racket grip, and other example with the band and the fingerhold for thumb. 
         FIG. 4  shows, (as a top view of the above-mentioned  FIG. 3 ), an example of a band with fingerholds of thumb and middle finger, and other example with the band and the fingerhold for thumb. 
         FIG. 5  shows an example of a band with a fastener and a fingerhold which is made to insert a thumb, and other example of the band installed on the racket grip, with the fingerhold of thumb which is made to insert the thumb. 
         FIG. 6  shows an example of the racket grip aid, which combines fingerholds for thumb and middle finger with the racket grip, and other example which combines the fingerhold of thumb with the racket grip. 
         FIG. 7  shows an example of the grip aid with fingerholds of thumb and middle finger and a fastener, and other example without the fastener. 
         FIG. 8  shows an example of fingerholds of thumb and middle finger which are with the band and made together with the band. For instance, its material is the rubber, etc. 
         FIG. 9  shows a penholder racket grip: surface and back. 
         FIG. 10  shows an example of fingerholds of thumb and index finger on the surface of racket grip (Upper one in  FIG. 10 ), and the grip aid for a penholder racket (Lower one in  FIG. 10 ). 
         FIG. 11  shows an example of fingerholds of thumb and index finger on the surface of racket grip (Upper one in  FIG. 11 ), and a grip aid installed on a penholder racket (Lower one in  FIG. 11 ). In this case, the fingerhold for index finger is made to insert a finger. 
         FIG. 12  shows an example of fingerholds of thumb and index finger. The fingerhold of thumb is on the surface, and the fingerhold of index finger is on the back side. Fingerholds are made to insert a finger, in this case. 
         FIG. 13  shows an example of the grip aid of the present invention. A wide band is shown, and it includes the shape of a tube and a bag, for the purpose of the fixation and the improvement of convenience. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
       FIG. 1  is an external view of the surface and back of shakehand racket. 
       FIG. 2  is an example of the racket grip aid of the present invention. In this case, fingerholds for the thumb and the middle finger are put on the surface of racket grip.
 
Grasping the racket grip by the third finger and the little finger, thumb and middle finger are put on those fingerholds, respectively.
 
The index finger is put at an appropriate place on the back of racket grip. In  FIG. 2  (lower part),  1  is the fingerhold of thumb,  2  is the fingerhold of middle finger, and  3  is the band.
 
     The thumb and the middle finger are put on fingerholds lightly. At the time of switching from surface to back, or vice versa, if one of the fingerholds is pressed up or down, the grip turns to side of fingerhold pressed or to the other side of fingerhold pressed, and inward or outward rotation operation takes place. 
     In addition to the third finger and the little finger, the thumb and the middle finger hold the racket, and players do not necessarily grasp the racket so strongly, due to the joined and stable power by the grip aid to handle the racket and avoid dropping of the racket, even if it was made quickly and strongly. 
       FIG. 3  is an example of the grip aid of the present invention. Upper drawing of  FIG. 3  is an example of fingerholds of thumb and middle finger on the surface of the racket. 
     Lower drawing in  FIG. 3  is an example of 2 fingerholds of thumb to put the thumb in between.
 
In this case, pushing up or pushing down the fingerhold of thumb, the racket is turned to the surface or to the back, and inward or outward rotation operation is promoted.
 
       FIG. 4  is a top view of the above-mentioned  FIG. 3 . 
     Upper drawing of  FIG. 4  is an example of fingerholds for thumb and middle finger.
 
Lower drawing of  FIG. 4  is an example of the fingerhold of thumb.
 
       FIG. 5  is an example of the fingerhold of thumb. 
     Though it is the same intention as the example of the fingerhold of thumb mentioned in  FIG. 3 , it is the shape of fingerhold of thumb to insert the thumb.
 
Firmly holding the racket grip by fingers other than the thumb in this case, inward or outward rotation operation is promoted by pressing up or pushing down the fingerhold of thumb.
 
       FIG. 6  is an example of the grip aid of the present invention. 
     Upper drawing of  FIG. 6  shows an example of fingerholds of thumb and middle finger, which are combined with a part of racket grip, directly.
 
Lower drawing shows an example of the fingerhold of thumb which is combined with a part of racket grip directly, and inward or outward rotation operation is promoted by pressing up or pressing down the fingerhold of thumb.
 
       FIG. 7  is an example of the grip aid of the present invention. 
     Upper drawing of  FIG. 7  is an example of the grip aid with fingerholds for thumb and middle finger, with a fastener to install the band.
 
Lower drawing in  FIG. 7  is an example of the grip aid with fingerholds for thumb and middle finger, without the fastener.
 
       FIG. 8  is an example of the grip aid of the present invention. 
     Upper drawing in  FIG. 8  is an example of the grip aid with the fingerhold for thumb, and lower one is the example of fingerholds for thumb and the middle finger. 
       FIG. 9  is an example of the surface and the back of the pen folder type racket. 
       FIG. 10  shows an example of fingerholds for thumb and index finger on the surface of racket grip (Upper one of  FIG. 10 ), and the grip aid for the penholder racket (Lower one of  FIG. 10 ). 
       FIG. 11  shows an example of fingerholds for thumb and index finger on the surface of racket grip (Upper one in  FIG. 11 ), and the grip aid installed on the penholder racket grip (Lower one in  FIG. 11 ). In this case, the fingerhold for index finger is made to insert the index finger. 
       FIG. 12  shows an example of fingerholds of thumb and index finger. The fingerhold of thumb is on the surface of the racket, and the fingerhold of index finger is on the back side. Fingerholds are made to insert a finger, in this case. 
       FIG. 13  shows an example of the grip aid of the present invention. A wide band is shown, including the shape of a tube and a bag, for the purpose of the fixation and the improvement of convenience. 
     Although the present invention has been described above in relation to the preferred embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that variations and modifications can be effected in these preferred embodiments and in any alternate embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.