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Convertible racket for multiple stringing configurationsRelated Patent Categories: Games Using Tangible Projectile, Player Held And Powered, Nonmechanical Projector, Per Se, For Projecting Aerial Projectile By Striking; Part Thereof Or Accessory Therefor, Racket Or Paddle; Accessory Therefor (e.g., A Tennis Racket, Tennis Racket Press, Etc.)Convertible racket for multiple stringing configurations description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060211526, Convertible racket for multiple stringing configurations. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CONTINUATION-IN-PART [0001] This application is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/436,173 filed on May 12, 2003, and is a non-provisional, Utility Patent Application claiming priority of Provisional Patent Application No. 60/763,145 filed on Jan. 28, 2006. TECHNICAL FIELD [0002] The present invention relates to sports rackets and, more particularly, to string support arrangements for sports rackets. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Different types of stringing patterns have different total and individual string lengths, different intersecting angles of the strings, and different inter-string spacings. Each stringing pattern provides playing characteristics and advantages unique to each specific stringing pattern or configuration. Some racket stringing patterns are very soothing to the arm and provide comfort and protection when the arm is injured, whereas other stringing patterns provide greater spin and more control. Some racket stringing patterns do not provide comfort to the arm but instead provide more power. Some racket stringing configurations provide power, control, as well as comfort to the arm. [0004] The racket of the present invention is a structural engineering development that enables a racket to be strung in more than one stringing configuration. [0005] The racket of the present invention provides a player with the opportunity to evaluate multiple stringing patterns, and decide which stringing pattern they prefer, with the purchase of a single racket. Different stringing patterns produce different performance characteristics in a racket. Heretofore, a player could only evaluate the effect of various stringing configurations (patterns) by purchasing a separate racket for each stringing pattern to be evaluated. Because the racket of the present invention can be strung in a plurality of stringing patterns, a player can now evaluate the effect of various stringing patterns on their play without having to buy multiple rackets. [0006] Additionally, a player may decide to use one type of stringing pattern on one day and another type on another day. The stringing pattern on the racket of the present invention can be readily modified, by restringing, to accommodate the player's stringing pattern preferences. [0007] The racket of the present invention increases the marketability of rackets strung in a non-conventional pattern as the versatility factor of this product will appeal to a broader audience. The racket of the present invention is especially suitable for those who would like to try a diagonally-strung racket, but do not want to buy a new racket with such diagonal stringing, if after testing it they decide they prefer a conventional stringing pattern, with which they are more familiar with ball responses and the playability. In general, a diagonally-strung racket has two opposing sets of intersecting diagonal strings, each oblique to the handle of the racket. Typically, the characteristics of diagonal stringing are: added spin, control, power and reduced vibration, and the stringing lasts longer than conventionally strung rackets. [0008] The racket of this invention may also appeal to those who are used to a conventional stringing pattern yet want to purchase this racket in case, in the future, they may want to experiment with trying out another stringing pattern. In general, a conventional stringing pattern has one set of horizontal strings and one set of vertical strings. The two sets of strings in a conventional stringing pattern generally intersect at orthogonal angles (90 degrees). Typically, rackets strung with orthogonal stringing have two sets of strings (one longer vertical set and one shorter horizontal set) that are very different in length from each other and the individual difference in the string lengths causes undue vibration to be transmitted to the player's hand, wrist, elbow, arm and shoulder, as unequal string lengths vibrate at unequal frequencies and the dispersion of the impact of the ball hitting the strings is unbalanced along the horizontal and vertical axes. [0009] The racket of this invention will also appeal to players wanting a racket that has the capability of being strung in more than one pattern. For instance, the racket of the present invention can be useful to use, or test out, a diagonal pattern on some occasions, and use, or test out, a conventional pattern on other occasions. Additionally, the racket of the present invention can be a useful purchase for a player who likes to use a racket which is diagonally-strung, but is worried that certain stringers in various locations might not know how to string a diagonally-strung racket. If a string breaks, on the racket of the present invention, while such a player is on a trip to a place where none of the stringers can re-string the racket in a diagonal stringing pattern, the racket of the present invention can also be easily strung in a conventional stringing pattern. Since most stringers can string a racket in a conventional pattern, the player can continue to play until they find a stringer who can string the racket in the diagonal stringing pattern which they prefer. [0010] Another embodiment of the present invention is that the present invention can accommodate a three-directional, or four-directional stringing patterns as alternative stringing patterns. For example, a racket according to the present invention can be designed to be strung with two sets of diagonals strings interwoven with a single set of horizontal strings, or alternatively, a racket could be strung in a configuration of two sets of diagonals strings interwoven with one set of vertical strings, or potentially with four interwoven sets of interwoven strings; namely two opposing diagonal sets, one vertical set and one horizontal set of strings. [0011] The design and versatility of the racket of the present invention differs from prior rackets. The racket of the present invention can readily utilize more than one stringing pattern on a single racket. Because of the several problems solved in the creation of a racket that can be strung in more than one way and still maintain a non-distorted shape, the present invention was (and is) not obvious to those skilled in the art of making tennis rackets. The racket of the present invention is structurally designed to accommodate more than one stringing pattern. In a preferred embodiment, the racket of the present invention is marked with indicia, accordingly, to alert the player and educate the stringer that the option of stringing the frame in multiple configurations is available. Such indicia are desirably easy to navigate and designed to guide the stringer through the stringing process so the stringing can be completed. Marketing and promotional material would also include information regarding the fact that the racket of the present invention was specifically designed to be strung in multiple stringing configurations. [0012] It has been the experience of the present inventor that stringing a racket in a pattern other than the pattern specified by the racket manufacturer can lead to a substantial instability in the racket frame. For instance, if a conventional racket is strung diagonally at a conventionally-normal stringing tension, the width of the frame may be compressed and the length extended; or the width of the frame may be extended and the length compressed. Subsequently, the frame of a racket strung in a manner different from that specified by the racket manufacturer may crack even though the racket was strung with a conventionally-normal stringing tension, as the forces being pulled are in different directions than expected. Heretofore, rackets have not been designed to maintain their structural stability when strung in more than one stringing pattern. In contrast to the inherent structural instability of rackets previously available when such rackets were strung in a pattern other than the single pattern specified by the racket manufacturer, the racket of the present invention is structurally stable when strung in more than one stringing pattern. [0013] Different stringing patterns disperse the impact of the ball differently. For instance, a diagonal stringing pattern has a much narrower range of string lengths than a conventionally strung racket. As a consequence of the narrower range of diagonal string lengths, the ball-racket interaction is more consistent. [0014] The measured 16 vertical and 19 horizontal string lengths in a typical, oversize, conventionally-strung racket, were done on the commercially-available Prince 03, counting from 1.sup.st left vertical on the left, sideways to the right, to last vertical; and counting from 1.sup.st top horizontal, downwards to the last bottom horizontal are observed to be: TABLE-US-00001 16 VERTICALS 19 HORIZONTALS 1.sup.st left Vertical = 8 inches (in.) 1.sup.st top Horizontal = 7.25 inches (in.) 2.sup.nd = 9.5 in. 2.sup.nd = 8.2 in. 3.sup.rd = 11.0 in. 3.sup.rd = 8.8 in. 4.sup.th = 12.0 in. 4.sup.th = 9.2 in. 5.sup.th = 12.5 in. 5.sup.th = 9.5 in 6.sup.th = 12.8 in. 6.sup.th = 9.7 in 7.sup.th = 13.0 in. 7.sup.th = 9.8 in 8.sup.th = 13.0 in. 8.sup.th = 9.9 in 9.sup.th = 13.0 in. 9.sup.th = 10.0 in 10.sup.th = 13.0 in. 10.sup.th = 10.1 in 11.sup.th = 12.8 in. 11.sup.th = 10.1 in 12.sup.th = 12.5 in. 12.sup.th = 10.0 in 13.sup.th = 12.0 in. 13.sup.th = 9.9 in. 14.sup.th = 11.0 in. 14.sup.th = 9.6 in. 15.sup.th = 9.5 in. 15.sup.th = 9.4 in. 16.sup.th = 8.0 in. 16.sup.th = 8.8 in. -- 17.sup.th = 8.3 in. -- 18.sup.th = 7.3 in. -- 19.sup.th = 6.0 in. 16 VERTICALS = total 19 HORIZONTALS = total [0015] The measured 19 diagonal string lengths in each diagonal direction, in a typical, oversize, diagonally-strung racket, were done on the commercially-available PowerAngle Power 115. The individual measurements of the diagonal string lengths, starting at the top of the frame, and working downwards towards the last diagonal at the throat would be the identical lengths of the corresponding diagonals in the opposite direction, string for string. Namely, in said frame initially strung conventionally, then subsequently strung diagonally, said diagonal string length measurements, of each diagonal in the corresponding locations are observed to be: TABLE-US-00002 19 LEFT Diagonals 19 RIGHT Diagonals 1.sup.st LEFT Diagonal = 7.0 inches (in.) 1.sup.st RIGHT Diagonal = 7.0 inches (in.) 2.sup.nd = 8.0 in 2.sup.nd = 8.0 in. 3.sup.rd 9.0 in. 3.sup.rd = 9.0 in. 4.sup.th = 9.9 in. 4.sup.th = 9.9 in. 5.sup.th = 10.5 in. 5.sup.th = 10.5 in. 6.sup.th = 11.2 in. 6.sup.th = 11.2 in. 7.sup.th = 11.5 in. 7.sup.th = 11.5 in. 8.sup.th = 11.9 in. 8.sup.th = 11.9 in. 9.sup.th = 12.0 in. 9.sup.th = 12.0 in. 10.sup.th = 12.3 in. 10.sup.th = 12.3 in. 11.sup.th = 12.4 in. 11.sup.th = 12.4 in. 12.sup.th = 12.4 in. 12.sup.th = 12.4 in. 13.sup.th = 12.5 in. 13.sup.th = 12.5 in. 14.sup.th = 12.3 in. 14.sup.th = 12.3 in. 15.sup.th = 11.8 in. 15.sup.th = 11.8 in. 16.sup.th = 11.5 in. 16.sup.th = 11.5 in. 17.sup.th = 11.0 in 17.sup.th = 11.0 in. 18.sup.th = 10.0 in. 18.sup.th = 10.0 in. 19.sup.th = 9.0 in. 19.sup.th = 9.0 in. 19 LEFT Diagonals = total 19 RIGHT Diagonals = total Corresponding diagonal string lengths, in opposite diagonal directions, have the same measures. [0016] Furthermore, the range of diagonal sets of string lengths in the center of the stringing area of the racket is much narrower than is observed in the range between the center two horizontals and the center two verticals strings in a conventionally strung racket. In fact, corresponding diagonals in opposite directions are exactly equal in length. Desirably, in a diagonal stringing pattern of a racket according to the present invention, it is observed that the in the center of the stringing area of the racket, the quartile measurements of string lengths in one diagonal direction are identical to the quartile measurements of diagonals in the opposite diagonal direction. It is yet further desired that, in a diagonal stringing pattern the length of the opposing sets of diagonal strings are all the same length, whereas in conventionally-strung frames, the set of vertical strings is substantially longer than the set of horizontal strings (in this context, the word string refers to the segment of the string between two string supports and not the entire continuous string used in stringing the racket, which typically is between about 25 and 50 feet and preferably between about 35 and 45 feet). [0017] In a conventionally strung racket, at the center portion of the stringing area the third quartile measurements of string lengths of the vertical strings are typically more than about 3 inches longer than the third quartile string length measurements of the corresponding horizontal strings. [0018] Since the individual corresponding diagonal string lengths are equal in length, as opposed to conventional orthogonal stringing patterns where individual string lengths of the horizontals are typically shorter than the much longer vertical string segments, it has been observed that with a diagonal stringing pattern there is a more even, balanced response of the ball on the strings over the entire hitting surface of the racket head. For instance, in an oversize racket, when strung diagonally, the center two strings in each direction are the same length, that is 12 inches long. In the same racket strung conventionally, the center two vertical strings are 13 inches long while the center two horizontal strings are 10 inches long. It is even more desired that, in a diagonal stringing pattern of a racket according to the present invention, the corresponding central strings of conventionally strung frames are 3 inches different in length per string, while corresponding opposite diagonals of an oversize frame are identical in length, thus creating a more balanced, stable string bed. The corresponding two center horizontal strings and the two center much-longer vertical strings in a conventionally-strung racket are visibly unequal in length; the center two vertical strings are substantially longer than the center two horizontal strings. Furthermore, the range of string lengths observed between the individual diagonal strings is much narrower than the range of string lengths observed between individual string lengths of horizontal and vertical sets of strings in a conventionally-strung racket. It is yet further desired that, in a diagonal stringing pattern, the length of the center strings are all substantially of the same length (in this context, the word string refers to the segment of the string between two string supports and not the entire continuous string used in stringing the racket, which typically is between about 25 and 50 feet and preferably between about 35 and 45 feet), whereas in a conventionally strung racket, the central two verticals strings and the central two horizontal strings are unequal in length, and typically the vertical two central strings, and all other vertical strings, are more than about 3 inches longer than the corresponding horizontal strings in the racket, (corresponding in this context referring to the numbering of horizontal strings from top to bottom, 1.sup.st to last strings, and the numbering of the vertical set of vertical strings, starting at the left towards the right, counting 1.sup.st to last vertical strings). [0019] Substantially equal-length sets of strings, like opposing diagonal strings, disperse the impact of the ball more evenly around the frame than a conventionally-strung racket because the equal-length sets of opposing diagonal strings vibrate at an equal frequencies and thus the racket, is more balanced. As a result, a diagonally-strung racket is more comfortable to use, and lessens the impact transmitted to the player's hand, arm, wrist, elbow and shoulder, thereby protecting the player's hand, wrist, arm, elbow, and shoulder from undue stress. Orthopedists, physical therapists and avid tennis players have confirmed that a diagonally-strung racket results in fewer injuries to the player. Moreover, radar speed guns have measured the serving speed of a ball hit by a diagonally-strung racket to be 15% faster than a ball being served by a player who was using a conventionally-strung frame. [0020] The string-length measurements shown above are for a typical oversize tennis racket being strung in a vertical-horizontal configuration, and a diagonal stringing configuration, would hold true, with similar string-length relationships, in all game rackets where the vertical and horizontal centerlines of the racket head are unequal in length. All such rackets, when strung, would result in conventional stringing patterns that have string sets that are unequal in length, as compared to diagonally-strung configurations, where the opposing string lengths are equal in length. These relationships hold true in all such tennis rackets, such as those that have racket head sizes which are considered to be small, midsize, super-midsize, oversize, or super-oversize, and applicable to the entire selection of rackets, of various head sizes, in other game rackets for other racket sports, such as in racquetball rackets, squash rackets, and badminton rackets. For game rackets with a circular head shape, the strings lengths would not be as important a factor, since the vertical and horizontal centerlines of the racket head would be generally equal, however for such circular head-shaped rackets, being diagonally-strung, would still provide a superior, more-balanced dispersion of the impact around the frame, because typically there would not be any vertical strings, and forces would not be transmitted along vertical vectors which would be more apt to transmit vibration straight downward, towards the player's hand. If the impact was transmitted along diagonal vectors, the diagonal stringing pattern would spread out the vibration more, and improve the dispersion of the impact and arguably lessening the impact transmitted to the player's arm, shoulder, wrist, elbow and hand. Continue reading about Convertible racket for multiple stringing configurations... Full patent description for Convertible racket for multiple stringing configurations Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Convertible racket for multiple stringing configurations patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Convertible racket for multiple stringing configurations or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Racket frame Next Patent Application: Game ball cover with improved stripes and/or logos Industry Class: Games using tangible projectile ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Convertible racket for multiple stringing configurations patent info. 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