Patent Publication Number: US-6217466-B1

Title: Racquet and method of stringing a racquet

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
     This is a continuation of copending U.S. application Ser. No. 09/126,195, filed Jul. 30, 1998. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to racquet stringing. More particularly, the present invention relates to a racquet and a method of stringing a racquet 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     As is known, racquets, such as tennis racquets for example, include a frame having a handle extending from a ring-shaped head, and at least one resilient string strung across the head. Stringing a racquet, includes a number of steps where a stringer can make a mistake and incorrectly string the racquet. For example, the stringer normally has to identify center holes at a top and a bottom of the head of the racquet as starting points for stringing the racquet. Thereafter, as the stringing continues, vertical stringing holes and horizontal stringing holes must be differentiated. Initially, this is not very difficult. However, as the stringing moves away from the center holes, vertical holes eventually alternate with horizontal holes, thereby making the differentiating more difficult. 
     What is needed, therefore, is a racquet and a method of stringing a racquet wherein starting holes, vertical and horizontal holes, and tie-off holes of the racquet are clearly differentiated in order to make stringing the racquet fool-proof. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide an improved racquet and method of stringing a racquet wherein stringing the racquet is simplified. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved racquet and method of stringing a racquet wherein vertical and horizontal string holes of the racquet are clearly differentiated. 
     An additional object of the present invention is to provide an improved racquet and method of stringing a racquet wherein starting string holes are differentiated from other string holes of the racquet. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved racquet and method of stringing a racquet wherein tie-off string holes of the racquet are differentiated from other string holes of the racquet. 
     The present invention meets these and other objects by providing a racquet including a head having a multiplicity of spaced-apart string holes, and grommets fitted in the string holes. The grommets are divided into visually differentiated groups. 
     According to one aspect of the present invention, the groups of grommets are visually differentiated by color. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, the groups of grommets are visually differentiated by shape. 
     The present invention also provides a racquet head guard including a head guard for wrapping around an outer surface of a racquet head, and grommets unitarily formed with the head guard for fitting within string holes of the racquet head. The grommets are divided into visually differentiated groups. 
     The present invention further provides a method of stringing a racquet including a head having a multiplicity of string holes divided into starter, vertical, horizontal, and tying string holes. The method includes fitting a first group of grommets into the starter string holes, fitting a second group of grommets into the vertical string holes, fitting a third group of grommets into the horizontal string holes, and fitting a fourth group of grommets into the vertical string holes. Each of the groups of grommets is visually differentiated from one another. A string is then first passed through the string holes fitted with the first group of grommets, then the string holes fitted with the second group of grommets, and then the string holes fitted with the third group of grommets. The ends of the string are finally tied off in at least one of the string holes fitted with the fourth group of grommets. 
    
    
     The invention and its particular features and advantages will become more apparent from the following detailed description considered with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of a racquet according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevation view, partially in section of a grommet of the racquet of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged, front elevation view, partially in section, of a head of the racquet of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of a head guard according to the present invention having unitary grommets; 
     FIGS. 5 a - 5   d  are top isometric views of additional grommets according to the present invention; and 
     FIG. 6 is a top plan view of portions of another head guard according to the present invention having unitary grommets 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring first to FIGS. 1 through 3, the present invention provides an improved racquet  10  and a method of stringing a racquet. More particularly, the present invention provides a racquet  10  having grommets  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  18 ,  20  that are divided into visually differentiated groups in order to make stringing the racquet quicker and easier. 
     The racquet  10  includes a body  30  having a head  40  and a handle  50  extending from the head. The body  30  can be made from any suitable strong and lightweight material, such as aluminum, reinforced plastic, and/or graphite for example. The head  40  of the racquet  10  includes an outer side surface  42 , an inner side surface  44  and a multiplicity of spaced-apart string holes  46  extending between the inner and outer side surfaces. 
     The grommets  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  18 ,  20  are fitted in the string holes  46 . As shown in FIG. 2, the grommets each include a sleeve  60  extending from an annular head  62 . The sleeve  60  fits within the string hole  46 , while the head  62  prevents the grommet from passing through the string hole. 
     The racquet  10  additionally includes at least one string  70  strung through the grommets  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  18 ,  20  in the string holes  46  of the head  40  of the racquet  10 . As shown, the string  70  is strung such that it forms a plurality of vertical segments  72  and a plurality of horizontal segments  74 , which are meshed together. 
     The improvement provided by the present invention comprises visually differentiating the grommets  12  that receive the vertical segments  72  of the string  70  from the grommets  14  that receive the horizontal segments  74  of the string. Preferably, the vertical grommets  12  are provided in a first color, while the horizontal grommets  14  are provided in a second color. For example, the vertical grommets can be provided in a first color comprising blue, while the horizontal grommets can be provided in a second color comprising red. 
     Four grommets  16 ,  18  are visually differentiated from both the vertical grommets  12  and the horizontal grommets  14 . These four grommets comprise center grommets  16 ,  18 . In the embodiment shown, the center grommets  16 ,  18  are positioned at a top and a bottom of the head  40  of the racquet  10 , one on either side of a vertical centerline  48  of the head. Two of the four center grommets are further visually differentiated from the two remaining center grommets  18 , and are starter center grommets  16 . In the embodiment shown, the starter center grommets  16  are positioned at the bottom of the head  40 . Preferably, all four of the center grommets  16 ,  18  are provided in a third color, while the two starter center grommets  16  are further provided with speckling or stripes, for example. 
     Four grommets  20  are visually differentiated from the center grommets  16 ,  18 , the vertical grommets  12  and the horizontal grommets  14  of the racquet  10 . These four grommets  20  comprise tying grommets and are normally larger than the other grommets. Preferably, the tying grommets  20  are provided in a fourth color, such as white for example. 
     A method of stringing the racquet  10  is also provided by the present invention. First, a first end  76  of the string  70  is passed through one of the starter center grommets  16  and up through the center grommet  18  at the top of the head  40  on the same side of the centerline  48  of the head. The first end  76  of the string is then progressively strung through the vertical grommets  12  away from the centerline to form the vertical segments  72  of the string. Then, a second end  78  of the string  70  is passed through the other of the starter center grommets  16  and up through the center grommet  18  at the top of the head  40  on the same side of the centerline  48  of the head. The second end  78  of the string is then progressively strung through the vertical grommets  12  away from the centerline to form additional vertical segments  72  of the string. Thereafter, one or both of the first and second ends  76 ,  78  of the string  70  are progressively strung through the horizontal grommets  14  to form the horizontal segments  74  of the string. Finally, both ends  76 ,  78  of the string are tied-off through two of the four tying grommets  20 , to secure the string in position on the head. As can be inferred, visually differentiating the center grommets  16 ,  18 , the horizontal and vertical grommets  12 ,  14 , and the tying grommets  20  from one another makes stringing the racquet  10  quicker, easier and foolproof. 
     Referring to FIG. 4, a two piece racquet head guard  80  according to the present invention is shown (guard  80  may also be a four-piece guard). The head guard includes center grommets  86 ,  88 , vertical grommets  82 , horizontal grommets  84 , and tying grommets  90 . All the grommets are unitarily formed with the head guard. As is known, the grommets fit through the string holes  46  of a racquet head  40 , while the head guard  80  wraps around the outer side surface  42  of the top portion of the head to protect the head from incidental contact with other objects, such as a playing surface for example. The improvement provided by the present invention comprises visually differentiating the center grommets  86 ,  88 , vertical grommets  82 , horizontal grommets  84 , and tying grommets  90  from each other. Preferably, the vertical grommets are provided in a first color, while the horizontal grommets are provided in a second color, the center grommets are provided in a third color and the tying grommets are provided in a fourth color. Furthermore, two  86  of the four center grommets are further visually differentiated from the other two center grommets  88 , and are starter center grommets. Preferably, the two starter center grommets  86  are provided with speckling or stripes, for example. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 5 a - 5   d , additional grommets  100 ,  110 ,  120 ,  130  according to the present invention are shown. Each of the grommets  100 ,  110 ,  120 ,  130  includes a sleeve  102 ,  112 ,  122 ,  132  extending from a generally annular head  104 ,  114 ,  124 ,  134 , respectively. The grommets  100 ,  110 ,  120 ,  130  of FIGS. 5 a - 5   d  are visually differentiated from one another, and could be used, respectively, as center grommets, vertical grommets, horizontal grommets, and tying grommets. The grommets  100 ,  110 ,  120 ,  130  are visually differentiated by being provided with heads  104 ,  114 ,  124 ,  134  having a first, second, third and fourth shape, respectively. In particular, the grommet  100  of FIG. 5 a , is provided with a head  104  having a first shape comprising a square, while the grommet  110  of FIG. 5 b  is provided with a head  114  having a second shape comprising a circle, the grommet  120  of FIG. 5 c  is provided with a head  124  having a third shape comprising a triangle, and the grommet  130  of FIG. 5 d  is provided with a head  134  having a fourth shape comprising a hexagon. As can be again understood, visually differentiating the center grommets, the horizontal and the vertical grommets, and the tying grommets from one another in this way makes stringing the racquet quicker, easier and foolproof. 
     Referring to FIG. 6, another racquet head guard  140  according to the present invention is shown. The head guard  140  includes center grommets  142 , vertical grommets  144 , horizontal grommets  146 , and tying grommets  148  unitarily formed with the head guard. In addition, the center grommets, vertical grommets, horizontal grommets, and tying grommets are visually differentiated from one another. This is done by providing indentations of different shapes in the head guard  140  over the grommets. For example, the center grommets  142  are provided with a corresponding indentation  152  having a first shape comprising a square, while the vertical grommets  144  are provided with a corresponding indentation  154  having a second shape comprising a circle, the horizontal grommets  146  are provided with a corresponding indentation  156  having a third shape comprising a triangle, and the tying grommets  148  are provided with a corresponding indentation  158  having a fourth shape comprising a hexagon. As can be understood, visually differentiating the center grommets, the horizontal and the vertical grommets, and the tying grommets from one another in this way makes stringing the racquet quicker, easier and foolproof. 
     Although the invention has been described with reference to a particular arrangement of parts, features and the like, these are not intended to exhaust all possible arrangements or features, and indeed many other modifications and variations will be ascertainable to those of skill in the art. In particular, grommets for use with a racquet can be visually differentiated in many ways other than disclosed.