Abstract:
A bumper guard for attachment to a sports racquet. The sports racquet includes a frame having a head portion with an outer peripheral surface and a plurality of grommet holes formed into the head portion for supporting a string bed. The bumper guard includes an elongate body having a first length, an inner surface and an outer surface. The body includes a central region and first and second wings. The central region, when installed on the racquet, is generally centered about a plane defined by the string bed. The first and second wings extend from the central region. The inner surface of the body configured to generally conform with the peripheral outer surface of the head portion. Each of the first and second wings has an inner wall and an outer wall defining at least one elongate hollow cavity.
Abstract:
A frame for a game racquet such as a tennis racquet is formed by winding a filament over a mandrel to form a tube, wetting the filament with resin before or after winding, forming the wound tube into a preform, inserting the preform into a mold, and molding and curing the preform to form a rigid racquet frame.
Abstract:
A game racquet includes a head portion and a pair of removable handle portions. The head portion is adapted to support racquet strings and includes a pair of side portions which curve downwardly and inwardly at the bottom of the head. Each handle portion includes a substantially straight bottom portion and a curved top portion which is frictionally engaged with, and removable from, one of the side portions of the hoop. Dampening or resilient material is positioned between the frictionally engaged portions of the side portions and the handle portions.
Abstract:
A frame for a game racquet such as a tennis racquet is formed by interspersed winding of filament material over an elongated mandrel to form a tube. The tube is formed from a wound laminate in which some or all of the circuits of the wind patterns are sequenced in an arbitrary manner by the designer. Each circuit is helically wound along a rotating mandrel. The formed tube is placed in a mold having the shape of the frame, auxiliary pieces for handle and yoke sections are added, and together molded to form the frame.
Abstract:
A frame for a game racquet such as a tennis racquet is formed by helically winding a tow of filament material and thermoplastic material over an elongated mandrel to form a tube. The tube is positioned in a mold having the shape of a game racquet frame and auxiliary pieces for handle and yoke sections are added. This preform is heated to melt the thermoplastic while the interior of the tube is pressurized. The preform is then allowed to cool and harden to form the game racquet frame.