Lightweight tennis racket having high frequency
AssigneeHead Sport AG
InventorsHelmut Umlauft, Herfried Lammer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A lightweight, high stiffness tennis racket includes a frame having a handle portion with butt end, head portion, and strings supported by the head portion. The racket is formed from a composite material including carbon fibers, titanium fibers, and epoxy resin and includes a length of at least about 27 inches, weight of less than about 9.2 ounces when strung, and a frequency of vibration of the first mode of bending under free-free constraint of at least about 175 Hz. The racket includes a vibration damping unit located about at the racket handle.
Claims36
A tennis racket comprising:
- a handle portion with butt end;
- and
- a head portion capable of supporting strings;
- wherein the racket is formed from a composite material including carbon and metallic;
- and
- wherein the length of the racket from the butt end to a top of the head portion is at least about 27 inches, the weight of the racket is less than about 9.2 ounces when strung, and a frequency of vibration of a first mode of bending under free-free constraint of the racket is at least about 175 Hz.
A tennis racket comprising:
- a handle portion with butt end;
- and
- a head portion capable of supporting strings;
- wherein the racket is formed from a composite material including titanium;
- and
- wherein the length of the racket from the butt end to a top of the head portion is at least about 27 inches, the weight of the racket is less than about 8.8 ounces when strung, and a frequency of vibration of a first mode of bending under free-free constraint of the racket is at least about 175 Hz.
A tennis racket comprising:
- a handle portion with butt end;
- and
- a head portion capable of supporting stings;
- wherein the racket is formed from a composite material;
- and
- wherein the length of the racket from the butt end to a top of the head portion is at least about 27 inches, the weight of the racket is less than about 8.8 ounces when strung, a free-free frequency of the racket is greater than 190 Hz, and a center of percussion of the racket is greater than 20 inches from the racket butt end.
A racket comprising:
- a handle portion with butt end;
- a head portion capable of supporting strings;
- a throat area between the handle and head portions;
- and
- a vibration damping unit located at a position about a longitudinal axis of the racket corresponding to an antinode, and an eigenfrequency of the damping unit approximately equals a free-free frequency of the racket;
- wherein the vibration damping unit includes a damping weight elastically suspended from a mounting cap located within an end cap of the racket, the suspension allowing the damping weight freedom of movement in all directions in response to vibration of the racket;
- and
- wherein the racket is formed from a composite material.
A vibration damping unit for use in a racket comprising:
- a damping weight and a damping weight mount;
- wherein the damping weight mount is fixedly secured to a mounting cap located in an end cap of the racket, and the damping weight is elastically suspended from the damping weight mount;
- and
- an eigenfrequency of the damping unit approximately equals a free-free frequency of the racket.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.