Wilson Sporting Goods Co.

Elding Ind. Co., Ltd.

Ronald R Rocchi

William D Severa

Robert T Kapheim

John B Lyons

Donald G Loeffler

Ravi Itiravivong

Daniel Roger Nett

Craig P Conner

David A Vogel

Tong Jin Kim

Paul Terry

Gerald J LeVault

Erik Bernard Van Der Pols

Brad M Skoryl

Antoine Ballon

Brad M Skoryi

Cory R Boudreau

John D Hartman

Scott M Doyle

Joey Gyomay Nakayama

Erik B Van Der Pols

Central portion of a racquet

Tennis racquet

Throat of a racquet

A sports racquet including a handle assembly coupled to and longitudinally extending from a head portion. The handle assembly includes an elongate tubular shaft, a pallet positioned over the shaft, and a plurality of generally planar support members. The pallet is positioned over the shaft and has an outer surface that defines a plurality of longitudinally extending flats. Each of the flats has a length and a width. At least two of the flats define respective elongate recesses. Each of the recesses having a maximum recess width that is less than the width of the respective flat. The support members are positioned within the respective recesses.

Racquet handle assembly including a plurality of support members

A sports racquet including a handle assembly coupled to, and longitudinally extending from, a head portion. The handle assembly includes an elongate tubular shaft, a pallet positioned over the shaft, and a plurality of support members. The pallet defines a plurality of longitudinally extending planar regions and a plurality of longitudinally extending recesses. The recesses are respectively positioned between two of the plurality of planar regions. The support members are positioned within the respective recesses. Each of the support members has an outer surface that forms an elongated corner. The handle assembly has an outer surface that includes a plurality of longitudinally extending flats and a generally polygonal-shaped transverse cross-sectional area. Each of the plurality of planar regions forms at least part of a separate one of the plurality of flats.

A racquet stringing system for use with a stringing machine configured for stringing a racquet having a string bed of racquet string formed of a plurality of main string segments and a plurality of cross string segments. The stringing system includes a control unit and at least one racquet string algorithm operably coupled to the control unit. The control unit is coupled to the racquet stringing machine and includes a processing unit. The racquet stringing algorithm is configured to enable the control unit to produce at least three different string tension signals for tensioning the main string segments and/or cross string segments of the racquet on the stringing machine based upon one or more racquet head profiles and/or one or more player characteristics.

Customized racquet stringing system

A stringing machine includes a base and an adjustable stringing platform coupled to the base. The stringing platform includes a turntable rotatable about a first axis, and a first releasable resistance assembly coupled to the turntable. The first releasable resistance assembly is selectable between an engaged operating mode in which the releasable resistance assembly resists rotation of the turntable about the first axis, and a disengaged operating mode in which the releasable resistance assembly does not resist rotation of the turntable about the first axis. The releasable resistance assembly includes a magnetorheological fluid for resisting rotation of the turntable about the first axis when in the engaged operating mode.

Racquet stringing machine

A customized racquet stringing system for a racquet having a plurality of main and cross string segments. The stringing system includes a stringing machine having a base and a stringing platform, and a control unit. The stringing platform is coupled to the base. The stringing platform includes a turntable and a string tensioning assembly. The string tensioning assembly is configured to receive one or more string tension control signals. The control unit is operably coupled to the string tensioning assembly and is configured to execute a string tensioning program and to provide a plurality of the string tension control signals based off of the string tensioning program to the tensioning assembly. The control unit includes a processor and a memory. The tension control signals correspond to at least three separate string tension values applied to the plurality of main string segments and/or the plurality of cross string segments.

Customized racquet stringing system and method

A sports racquet including a frame, at least one grommet assembly. The frame includes a head portion coupled to a handle portion. The head portion includes a hoop having inner and outer peripheral walls. At least a first set of concave recesses and channels are formed into the outer peripheral wall. The hoop includes first, second and third groups of string openings. The second and third groups of string openings are aligned with the first set of concave recesses. The second group of string openings extends through the outer peripheral wall at the first set of concave recesses. The grommet assembly engages the outer peripheral wall. The grommet assembly includes at least three pivotable elements interconnected by torque transmitting arms, each pivotable element including a string passage. The pivotable elements and the torque transmitting arms are pivotable about an axis parallel to a string bed plane.

Racquet having articulating grommet assemblies

Sports racquet

An ergonomically-designed racquet stringing machine. The stringing machine includes an electronic control unit coupled to a platform and/or to a height adjustment assembly. The control unit is capable of generating a control signal to automatically adjust at least one parameter of the machine, such as machine height, angle of stringing platform, or string tension, based upon a selected user profile. A method of controlling tension in a racquet while stringing the racquet entails the use of the stringing machine.

An ergonomically-designed racquet stringing machine. In certain embodiments, the stringing machine includes a stand extending from a base at an angle between about 70 and about 89 degrees from horizontal. In certain embodiments, the stringing machine includes a releasable resistance assembly configured to provide resistance to rotation of the turntable about an axis.

An ergonomically-designed racquet stringing machine. In certain embodiments, the stringing machine includes a stringing platform supporting at least one racquet mount for securing the racquet in a stringing plane at an angle of about 1 to about 15 degrees from a horizontal surface. A control unit may be coupled to the stringing platform and operably coupled to a platform tilt assembly for adjusting the position of the stringing platform and the angle of the stringing plane. Additionally, the stringing machine may include a tool storage tray coupled to the stringing platform, with the tool storage tray having a bottom surface that is in a plane non-parallel with the stringing plane.

Growing community of inventors

Naperville, IL, United States of America

Ronald R Rocchi