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  Tennis racket having a primarily rectangular shapeUSPTO Application #: 20060084531Title: Tennis racket having a primarily rectangular shape Abstract: Tennis rackets having a primarily rectangular shape comprise a frame and string arrangement that creates a tennis racket with the advantages of a rectangular racket without the structure and weight of a purely rectangular racket. An embodiment has an outer frame with generally straight portions at a top and bottom of the outer frame. Lateral strings connected to these generally straight portions have generally the same length. A separate distal lateral member of the frame provides a connection component for longitudinal strings having generally the same length. The tennis racket having a primarily rectangular shape with separate distal lateral member creates a sweet spot that is much larger than conventional oval-shaped rackets, but is lighter and structurally stronger than rectangular rackets lacking these features. (end of abstract)
Agent: Schiff Hardin, LLP Patent Department - Chicago, IL, US Inventor: Richard A. Brandt USPTO Applicaton #: 20060084531 - Class: 473521000 (USPTO) Related 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, With Sound-deadening, Vibration-damping, Or Shock-absorbing Feature Other Than Projectile- Or Hand-contact Surface Or With Rebound Reducing Feature, For Racket Or Paddle The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060084531. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/607,632, filed Sep. 7, 2004, herein incorporated by reference. BACKGROUND [0002] Numerous factors determine the performance of a tennis racket, including the shape, string structure and tension, and weighting. U.S. Pat. No. 6,344,006, and U.S. application Ser. No. 09/971,830, both herein incorporated by reference, describe how a rectangular racket performs much better then a conventional racket having a generally oval shape, primarily because of the uniform string structure and larger moments of inertia. [0003] FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the better performance of a rectangular racket as compared to a conventional racket. FIG. 1 shows velocity ratio (VR, the fraction of incident ball and racket speed returned to the ball) contours for a forehand swing of a conventional racket, where the lines denote regions of constant VRs. The region 10 near the bottom of the racket face is known as the "sweet spot" and is the area of best performance for a ball strike (largest hit ball speed). The regions farther away from the region 10 are of increasingly lower performance. The corresponding contours for the rectangular racket are shown in FIG. 2. The regions of best performance are seen to be much larger for the rectangular racket. [0004] In both the conventional and rectangular rackets, the decrease in performance away from the sweet spot can be partially compensated for by changing the tensions in the strings in the outer portions of the racket face. Because of the large increase in the tensions of the strings involved during an impact with a ball, the choice of the optimal string tensions is not simple and must be determined by a sophisticated computer analysis of the impact between the racket and the ball. [0005] When these optimal tension values are implemented, the resultant performance increase is much greater for the rectangular racket than for the conventional racket. This performance increase is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 for the case in which three different tensions are used for each racket. For the conventional racket shown in FIG. 3, the increase in sweet spot size is seen to be not large, whereas for the rectangular racket shown in FIG. 4, the increase in sweet spot size is seen to be considerable. [0006] If weights are added to the frame of the racket, then, for a given swing speed, the performance of the racket will increase. This weight related performance increase is because the increased moment of inertias of the racket will result in decreased reactive motion and, therefore, increased hit ball speed. The increased racket weight will, of course, result in a lower swing speed, which will decrease performance. But if the positions and values of the added weights are optimally chosen, then the combined effect can be a net performance increase. [0007] When a weight is added to the frame of a racket, the larger the distance from the central vertical axis, and the larger the distance from the horizontal axis at the bottom of the face, the greater will be the performance increase. For a conventional racket, because of the curvature of the frame, it is not possible for an added weight to be maximally far from each of these axes, and so a compromise must be made. The performance increase is consequently limited, as illustrated in FIG. 5 which shows the effect of adding a one ounce weight to the upper left and right sides of the frame (at y=15''). These weights somewhat increase the sweet spot size in the vertical direction, but not in the horizontal direction. For a rectangular racket, weights added to the upper left and right corners will be maximally far from each axis. The performance increase will, therefore, be significant, as illustrated in FIG. 6 which shows the effect of adding a one ounce weight to each upper corner. [0008] There are obviously enormous advantages, as illustrated above, of the rectangular frame, but there is also a disadvantage. A rectangular or nearly rectangular tennis racket frame made of contemporary composite material would have to be rather heavy in order to withstand the forces generated by the string tensions. SUMMARY [0009] The present invention provides the advantages of a racket having a generally rectangular shape while minimizing the disadvantages noted above. Various racket frame designs are described herein. These designs incorporate the performance advantages of a rectangular racket, but which result in frames that are both strong and light. [0010] Accordingly, and embodiment of the tennis racket comprises a handle; an outer frame comprising: a proximal generally curved section proximate to and attached to the handle, a portion of the proximal generally curved section defining a portion of a throat section via which the outer frame is attached to the handle; a distal generally curved section opposite the proximal generally curved section; first and second straight sections lying between the proximal and distal generally curved sections; the tennis racket further comprising: a lateral frame section distinct from the outer frame and attached to one of the generally curved sections; a plurality of lateral strings having a generally common length directly attached to both the first and second straight sections of the outer frame; and a plurality of longitudinal strings having a generally common length directly attached to the lateral frame section. [0011] The lateral frame section may be a distal lateral frame section and be attached to the distal generally curved section. This racket may further comprise a proximal lateral frame section distinct from the outer frame and attached to the proximal generally curved section of the outer frame; wherein the plurality of longitudinal strings are further directly attached to the proximal lateral frame section. The proximal lateral frame section and the distal lateral frame section may be formed as straight sections. In an embodiment, the distal lateral frame section may be formed as a curved section. The curve of the distal lateral frame section may generally parallel to the proximal generally curved section of the outer frame. The plurality of longitudinal strings may be directly attached to the proximal generally curved section of the outer frame. According to an embodiment, a majority of the lateral strings are generally a same length, and a majority of the longitudinal strings are generally a same length. In an embodiment, the strings may utilize variable string tensions. In an embodiment, the frame may include perimeter weighting. [0012] An additional embodiment of the invention is directed to a tennis racket comprising: a handle; an outer frame comprising: a proximal generally curved section proximate to and attached to the handle, a portion of the proximal generally curved section defining a portion of a throat section via which the outer frame is attached to the handle; a distal generally curved section opposite the proximal generally curved section; the tennis racket further comprising: a distal lateral frame section distinct from the outer frame and attached to the distal generally curved section; a plurality of lateral strings directly attached to the outer frame; and a plurality of longitudinal strings directly attached to the distal lateral frame section. [0013] Finally, an additional embodiment of the invention is directed to a tennis racket comprising: a handle; a frame comprising longitudinal string attachment points and lateral string attachment points; a plurality of longitudinal strings attached to the longitudinal string attachment points, wherein a majority of the plurality of longitudinal strings are of generally a same length, and a minority of the plurality of longitudinal strings are of a length shorter than the length of the majority of the plurality of longitudinal strings; and a plurality of lateral strings attached to the lateral string attachment points, wherein a majority of the plurality of lateral strings are of generally a same length, and a minority of the plurality of lateral strings are of a length shorter than the length of the majority of the plurality of lateral strings. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0014] The invention is best understood with reference to the Figures illustrating embodiments of the invention, as described below. [0015] FIG. 1 is a graphical diagram illustrating velocity ratio contours for an oval racket; [0016] FIG. 2 is a graphical diagram illustrating velocity ratio contours for a rectangular racket; [0017] FIG. 3 is a graphical diagram illustrating velocity ratio contours for an oval racket with optimal tension values; [0018] FIG. 4 is a graphical diagram illustrating velocity ratio contours for a rectangular racket with optimal tension values; [0019] FIG. 5 is a graphical diagram illustrating velocity ratio contours for an oval racket with a weighted frame; [0020] FIG. 6 is a graphical diagram illustrating velocity ratio contours for a rectangular racket with a weighted frame; Continue reading... Full patent description for Tennis racket having a primarily rectangular shape Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Tennis racket having a primarily rectangular shape 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 Tennis racket having a primarily rectangular shape or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Heated warm-up device for an athletic instrument Next Patent Application: Strings for racquets Industry Class: Games using tangible projectile ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Tennis racket having a primarily rectangular shape patent info. 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