# US 4,394,015 A · Racket structure > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 4,394,015 A - Document ID: US4394015A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 06/337,150 - Filed: 1982-01-05 - Granted: 1983-07-19 - Earliest claimed: 1982-01-05 - Assignees: Taybos Sociedad Anonima - Inventors: Omar J. Bosnia - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4394015A ## CPC - A63B 49/10: made of non-metallic materials, other than wood - A63B 60/00: Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like - A63B 60/54: with means for damping vibrations - B29C 70/085: {the structure being deformed in a three dimensional configuration (B29C53/805 takes precedence)} - B29C 70/56: Tensioning reinforcements before or during shaping - B29C 70/865: {completely encapsulated} - A63B 2049/103: {string holes produced during moulding process} - A63B 2209/023: Long, oriented fibres, e.g. wound filaments, woven fabrics, mats - Y10S 273/07: Glass fiber - Y10S 273/08: Urethane - A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H) - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## Abstract A racket structure to be used in a tennis and the like racket and a method for producing it, where the handle section and the head frame section are made of a one-piece composite member including an inner lightweight soft plastic core member having a central prestressed multifilament cord member and a glass fibers reinforced hard plastic, outer surrounding layer, anchored on said core member within the head frame section, said surrounding layer being covered on opposite faces with respective resilient flow cover members which also sheath part of the height of said head frame section on the inside face, facing the netting, defining the striking surface stretched in the oval space defined by the head frame section of the racket. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A racket structure comprising a one-piece composite member having two contiguous parallel straight end portions continuing into an intermediate open oval shaped, arcuate portion, a bridge portion extending between and connected to said end portions adjacent the beginning of said arcuate portion and closing said open oval shaped, arcuate portion, said bridge and oval portions defining a head frame section for stringing with a taut string, said head frame section to form a striking surface, said parallel straight end portions defining a handle section with a grip, said one-piece composite member having an inner light-weight soft plastic core member defining a longitudinal center line and having an inner face, an outer face and further including a central prestressed longitudinal cord member, said open oval shaped arcuate portion of said core member having between said center line and said outer face, crosswise to said center line arranged spaced apart anchoring recesses each continuing by a bore from said center line towards said inner face, each of said bores being oriented towards the space circumscribed by said frame section, a glass fiber, reinforced outer hard plastic layer, sheathing said core and entering said recesses by way of anchoring portions, each of said anchoring portions including a perforation coaxial with the pertinent bore, a pair of resilient, flat cover members mounted an opposite sides on said composite member, each cover member having a head portion and a handle portion, each head portion being of oval shape substantially equal to the shape of said head frame section, each handle portion being of substantially the same shape as said handle section, an endless oval shaped inner rim integral with said head portion, the height of said rim being less than half the height of the inner face of said head frame section, and each rim abutting on said inner face and leaving between them a central free portion into which end said bores for said string. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The racket structure of claim 1, wherein said composite member has two contiguous parallel straight end portions and an intermediate open oval shaped arcuate portion including inwardly projecting spaced apart first anchoring portions adjacent said straight end portions, and said bridge portion extending between and being connected to said first anchoring portions. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The racket structure of claim 2, wherein said outer hard plastic includes a reinforcing layer of randomly distributed glass fibers. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The racket structure of claim 3, wherein said inwardly projecting spaced apart first anchoring portions have each an outside face converging one towards the other and into a central space circumscribed by said head frame section and corresponding to said striking surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The racket structure of claim 1, wherein said cord member is a 60-thread glass fiber strand coaxial with said center line, said inner light-weight soft plastic core member is made of a polymeric material of approximately 0.15 specific weight, each bore passing through said core member and said reinforced outer hard plastic, is a rigid foamed polymeric material having approximately 0.6 specific gravity. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The racket structure of claim 1, wherein said pair of resilient flat cover members are made of metal and said inner rim has its largest height adjacent said bridge portion and its lowest height at the zone opposite said bridge portion. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The racket structure of claim 6, wherein each cover member is made of aluminium and said rim is of decreasing thickness towards its free end. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The racket structure of claim 1, wherein said anchoring recesses are each of general V-shaped cross-section with outwardly spreading wings. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The racket structure of claim 1, wherein between said inner light-weight soft plastic core member and said outer hard plastic layer there is at least on portions of said core member and on the outer face thereof, a strip of loosely woven glass fibers which together with the core member is surrounded in a glove-like member by a tubular member of loosely woven glass fibers.