Wilson Sporting Goods Co.

Scott M Doyle

Robert T Kapheim

William D Severa

Robert T Thurman

David A Vogel

Ronald R Rocchi

Ravi Itiravivong

Brad M Skoryl

Terri R Graham

A sports paddle including a head portion coupled to a handle portion. The head portion includes at least one core layer positioned between first and second face plates. The first and second face plates have first and second outer surfaces, respectively. The head portion defines a plurality of through-head portion holes extending from the first outer surface to the second outer surface and a plurality of grooves extending into the first and second face plates. The head portion can include first and second face plates having first and second outer surfaces, respectively, and the handle portion can include a grip. Each of the first and second outer surfaces can include a roughened region and a generally smooth region. The smooth region of the first outer surface can space apart the grip from the roughened region of the first outer surface.

Sports paddle with improved head portion

A sports racquet extends along an axis and is configured for use with a quantity of racquet string forming a string bed about a string plane. The racquet includes a frame formed of a thermoplastic material, and including first and second halves including first and second spaced apart hoop regions, and first and second handle regions, respectively. The hoop regions includes projections extending from hoop regions in a direction orthogonal to the string plane. At least one of the hoop regions defines a set of bores. The projections are configured to matably engage the bores. The projections extend through the string plane and define curved bearing surfaces configured for engaging and supporting the racquet string. The projections include first and second projections having first and second radii of curvature, respectively. The first radius of curvature being at least 0.5 mm greater than the second radius of curvature.

Optimized thermoplastic racquet

A sports racquet extending along a longitudinal axis and configured for supporting a quantity of racquet string generally about a string plane. The racquet includes a frame formed of a thermoplastic material and including a head portion and a handle portion. The head portion is formed of first and second hoop regions. At least one of the first and second hoop regions includes a first set of projections extending from one of the first and second hoop regions across the string plane and engaging the other of the first and second hoop regions. The first set of projections space apart the first and second hoop regions by a first predetermined dimension to define a plurality of through-hoop region openings. The handle portion is formed of first and second handle regions directly coupled together without defining either a plurality of handle openings.

A racquet extending along a longitudinal axis includes a frame formed of a thermoplastic material. The frame includes two halves having two spaced apart hoop regions, two handle regions and two mating surfaces. One of the halves includes a set of projections extending from one of the mating surfaces. At least one of the halves defines a set of bores. The projections are configured to engage the bores. At least two of the projections are stepped projections having a proximal section and a distal section. The transverse cross-sectional area of the proximal section is greater than the transverse cross-sectional area of the distal section. Two of the bores are configured to receive the corresponding distal sections, but not the proximal sections, of the two stepped projections, such that the projected height of the proximal section of the two stepped projections substantially defines the spacing between the hoop portions.

Throat of a racquet

A sports racquet for impacting a game ball and for facilitating the opening of a cap on a bottle. The sports racquet includes a head portion and a handle portion. The handle portion has a proximal end and a distal end. The distal end is coupled to the head portion. The proximal end defines a recess, and includes a projection spaced apart from a fulcrum. The recess is sized to removably receive a portion of the cap. The projection is configured to catch a portion of an underside of the cap and the fulcrum is configured to bear against the top of the cap as one or both of the handle portion and the bottle serve as a lever for prying the cap off of the bottle.

Growing community of inventors

Oak Park, IL, United States of America

Scott M Doyle