# US 5,014,987 A · Frame for sports racket

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- Number: US 5,014,987 A
- Document ID: US5014987A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 07/364,630
- Filed: 1989-06-12
- Granted: 1991-05-14
- Earliest claimed: 1982-09-27
- Inventors: Tsai C. Soong
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5014987A

## CPC

- A63B 49/02: Frames
- A63B 49/022: String guides on frames, e.g. grommets
- A63B 49/025: Means on frames for clamping string ends
- A63B 49/028: Means for achieving greater mobility of the string bed
- A63B 49/10: made of non-metallic materials, other than wood
- A63B 49/12: made of metal
- A63B 60/54: with means for damping vibrations
- A63B 2049/0217: {with variable thickness of the head in the string plane}
- A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H)

## Abstract

A sports racket frame shaped to extend around a ball-hitting region covered by a string network has an outer perimeter region forming an anchorage for the strings, which otherwise clear the frame inward of their anchorage. Support regions of the frame extending inward from the outer perimeter region on opposite sides of the plane of the string network provide structural support for the anchorage region. The support regions are formed to provide clearance from the string network, and the clearance of the support regions has a depth measured from an inner perimeter region of the frame outward toward the anchorage region that, at least in lateral side regions of the frame extending along lateral sides of the string network, is at least 0.25 inches. The supporting sides are formed with triangular shaped openings leaving the remaining panel sections of the sides inclined to form a truss.

## Claims

### Claim 1

In a sports racket having a ball-hitting string network of longitudinal an transverse strings surrounded and supported by a hollow frame having a nose region, a throat region and two lateral side regions, the frame having a hollow structural form, the improvement wherein the frame has four sides: an outer peripheral side, an inner peripheral side and two opposed supporting sides extending on opposite sides of the plane of the string network and connecting the said outer peripheral side to said inner peripheral side; said supporting sides being formed with triangular-shaped openings leaving remaining panel sections of said sides inclined to form a truss configuration, whereby said outer peripheral side and said inner peripheral side will be supported by a plane truss on each side of the plane of the string network.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The sports racket as defined in claim 1 wherein the individual strings in the string network are mounted on said outer peripheral side.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The sports racket as defined in claim 1 wherein the cross-section of the frame being trapedzoidal with said outer peripheral side being narrower than said inner peripheral side.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The sports racket as defined in claim 1 wherein said supporting sides of the truss configuration are space on either side of the plane of the string network adjacent the mounting thereof to said outer peripheral side.