Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to an alignment tool for aligning the strings of a racket. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     As is perhaps well known when a tennis racket is used, for example in a tennis match, the central zone of the strings, sometimes referred to as the &#34;sweet spot,&#34; becomes somewhat misaligned, because of the continual impact of a ball with the result that the tension of the strings is somewhat altered and a true hitting surface is altered, or, as is known among tennis players, made less &#34;true.&#34; For this reason, in the time period between the several games of a tennis match, players in competition realign the strings manually with their thumbs to achieve an approximate realignment of the strings. This invention is of a tool with pyramidal projections which are equispaced and which are adapted to be inserted into the network of strings to quickly and accurately realign the central zone of the racket before the next game. 
     It is, accordingly, an object of this invention to provide a hand-held tool which can be used for quickly and accurately realigning the central zone of the racket strings which often become misaligned through use or, because of the affects of heat and jostling when it is stored or shipped. The tool is inexpensive to manufacture, is portable, and is adapted to be stored in a partially inserted condition in the racket while it is not in use. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the hand-held racket string aligning tool is adapted to be stored together with the racket with the projections extending into the network and with the projections and the overall tool size being storable in a conventional racket cover without interfering with the operation of a conventional racket press, which is used to clamp the outer surfaces of the racket rim together. 
     It is therefore, a general object of this invention to provide an aligning tool for serious tennis players to quickly and rapidly align the strings of a network to provide a true hitting surface, which can be readily stored when not in use, and which is portable. 
     In accordance with these and other objects of the invention which will become apparent hereinafter the instant invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a racket with the aligning tool of the present invention in aligning engagement with the racket strings; 
     FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 2--2 of FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the aligning tool. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views there is shown a stringed racket generally designated by the numeral 12 which includes a head portion 14 and a handle or stem 16. The head is bounded by a rim 18 having oppositely facing outer surfaces 20 and 22 each of which is generally planar. A network of strings 24 spans the rim in a central plane between the planar surfaces, see FIG. 2, defining a network of right angular rows and columns of open areas of a normal common size between opposing pairs of parallel strings such as that designated by the numeral 26 between the strings 28, 30, 32 and 34. 
     The tool, which is generally designated by the numeral 40, comprises a base 42 and a plurality of extending truncated four-sided right pyramidal projections such as that designated by the numeral 44 and which are preferably of a common size and shape and are arranged in a pattern, preferably in spaced rows and columns, as shown. The cross sectional areas of the terminal end of each projection, such as that designated by the numeral 46, is less than the normal open area 26 between opposing pairs of parallel strings of the network while the cross sectional area at the base 50 is at least as great as the normal open area 26. There is thus defined a transverse alignment plane in each projection of the tool which is designated by the numeral 54 in FIGS. 2 and 3 which is adjacent the base and, in the preferred embodiment illustrated is less than one-half the heighth of the respective projection between the base and terminal or distal end of the projection. In other words, the cross sectional area of the projection or teeth at the alignment plane is equal to the area of the normal size of open space between a pair of opposed parallel strings of a racket. 
     In a preferred embodiment, not shown, the projections may be next to one another on the base, i.e., not spaced apart, in which case the cross sectional area closely adjacent to the base of each projection is substantially equal to the open space between opposed pairs of parallel strings and the base contains the aligning planes at the juncture of the projections and the base. 
     In the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the distance 60 between adjacent projection surfaces at the alignment plane level of the adjacent projections is equal to the distance between adjaent pairs of opposed parallel strings of the racket, i.e., the normal open space. This is so that the strings bounding alternate rows and columns of open spaces are adapted to be aligned and forced into equispaced relation when the projections of the tool are inserted and forced into the network of strings. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the lengths of the projections between their respective aligning planes and their respective terminal ends are equal, parallel and substantially the same in length as the distance between the central string network plane of the racket and the plane of the racket rim, as indicated by the numeral 61. This is so that, when the tool is inserted into the network and the racket is stored in a cover, the terminal ends of the projections are, generally, in a common plane with the outer rim surface 20 of the racket, when inserted as shown in FIG. 2. In such an embodiment, the base 42 includes a flat main surface 63 from which the projections extend in a common direction. 
     In either embodiment the base includes a peripheral gripping surface, designated by the numeral 65, which extends away from the projections. Preferably, the base is generally oval-shaped and sized to be held in the grip of a user between the base of the hand 66 adjacent the wrist zone 68 and the fingertips 70, 72, 74, and 76 and the thumb tip 78. Also, in the preferred embodiment, the number of projections in each row and in each column of the tool is at least three in number; and there are four projections in each row and three in each column. The sides and line of juncture of the adjacent aligning side surfaces of each projection are smoothed so as not to present sharp edges to the strings of the racket. In the preferred embodiment described the tool is of integral, molded construction and, preferably is of rigid plastic material.

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