Other

Prince Sports Group, Inc.

Benetton Sportsystem Usa, Inc.

Joseph J Wolverton

Stephen J Davis

Brian J Blonski

William Harvie, Iii

Michael F Guerzini

A sports racquet has a lightweight frame and a pair of pods, having an increased cross-sectional width, at the 11 o'clock and 1 o'clock positions of the head. The pods also preferably have an increased wall thickness, or a molded-in weight element, so as to provide increased weight at such regions,. Preferably also, the handle has at least one weight pod at the butt portion. The three pod weighting system, i.e., having weight pods located at the 11 o'clock, 1 o'clock, and butt end positions, not only increases the polar moment of inertia of the racquet about its longitudinal axis, but also increases the moment of inertia of the racquet about the center of gravity, providing a very stable racquet. Also, because the pods in the head portion increase the width of the frame, the torsion of the frame near the tip region is greatly increased, improving the power of the racquet with respect to balls hit further out on the string bed. In a preferred embodiment, the weight pods are formed of metal coated carbon fibers.

Sports racquets with tripod weighting

A sports racquet includes grommet members anchoring the strings in at least the central regions of the string bed which include grommet pegs which have grommet holes that, in cross-section, are elongated in a direction perpendicular to the string bed, and preferably include notches at their distal end. The slotted grommets and notches allow the strings to deflect, in a direction perpendicular to the string bed, upon ball impact. The strings are anchored only outside of the frame proper, and their effective string length is thus substantially increased. Preferably, the grommet members include a concave lip to act as a string guide, adjacent the grommet hole entrance to prevent string movement as it enters the slot. Preferably, the sidewalls of the grommet holes are spaced slightly farther apart than the width of the string so that the string can deflect freely upon ball impact with the string bed. The string hugs one of sidewalls, however, so that vibrations are damped after the ball has left the string bed.

Notched, slotted grommet for sports racquet

A universal stringing machine has a pair of risers, having oppositely facing, V-shape bearing members for engaging opposed inside surfaces of a racquet frame. Preferably, each riser has a pair, and most preferably three, laterally spaced bearing members, in which each member can pivot between a first, e.g., up, position, for engaging the racquet, and a second, e.g., down, position, in which such member will be out of the way. Also, the two outside V-shaped bearing members are laterally adjustable toward and away from one another. In this manner, either the center bearing member, or the outside members, can be chosen to mount the racquet, depending upon racquet type, and also the distance between the outside bearing members can be adjusted so that the bearing members do not interfere with the strings. Preferably, the V-shaped engagement surface of the bearing members is covered with a plastic or elastomeric sleeve or cover, and can swivel about an axis perpendicular to the strings. Alternatively, retaining pads are swivel-mounted on the two 'V' surfaces of the bearing member, to act as the contacts with the racquet frame. The V-configuration of the bearing surface acts to self-level non-constant height racquet frames, and also contacts the frame near the top and bottom, rather than in the middle of the span, to impart less stress.

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Lawrenceville, NJ, United States of America

Joseph J Wolverton