Racket handle of ergonomic character, a racket, and corresponding ranges of handles and of rackets

Abstract

The handle (2) has at least a first bulb (10) defined by a first constriction (E1), a thickening (R1), and another constriction (E2), the first bulb presenting a section that is octagonal at all points, being defined by a rectangle truncated by four chamfers, the transverse dimensions of the first bulb increasing substantially continuously from each constriction (E1, E2) going towards the thickening (R1), the transverse dimensions of the bulb being as follows: AE1 lies in the range 31.25 mm to 33.25 mm;BE1 lies in the range 27 mm to 29 mm;CE1 lies in the range 8 mm to 14 mm;AR1 lies in the range 34.5 mm to 36.5 mm;BR1 lies in the range 30 mm to 32 mm;CR1 lies in the range 10 mm to 16 mm;AE2 lies in the range 30.5 mm to 32.5 mm;BE2 lies in the range 26.5 mm to 28.5 mm; andCE2 lies in the range 8 mm to 14 mm.

Description

The invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings given purely by way of non-limiting example and in which:

FIG. 1 is a face view showing a tennis racket in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a face view on a larger scale showing the handle fitted to the FIG. 1 racket; and

FIGS. 3, 4, and 5 are cross-section views on lines III-III, IV-IV, and V-V in FIG. 2.

Claims

1. A tennis racket handle having at least a first bulb defined by a first constriction or “end” constriction located towards the free end of the handle, a first thickening, and another constriction or “middle” constriction, said first bulb presenting a section that is octagonal at all points, being defined by a rectangle truncated by four chamfers oriented in particular at 45° relative to the size of said rectangle, the transverse dimensions of the first bulb increasing in substantially continuous manner from each constriction going towards the thickening, the transverse dimensions of the first bulb being as follows, where A and B are respectively the length and the width of said rectangle, and C is the length of each chamfer, A, B, and C being taken respectively at the first constriction, at the first thickening, and at the second constriction: AE1 lies in the range 31.25 mm to 33.25 mm;BE1 lies in the range 27 mm to 29 mm;CE1 lies in the range 8 mm to 14 mm;AR1 lies in the range 34.5 mm to 36.5 mm;BR1 lies in the range 30 mm to 32 mm;CR1 lies in the range 10 mm to 16 mm;AE2 lies in the range 30.5 mm to 32.5 mm;BE2 lies in the range 26.5 mm to 28.5 mm; andCE2 lies in the range 8 mm to 14 mm.

2. A tennis racket handle according to claim 1, characterized in that: AE1 lies in the range 31.75 mm to 32.75 mm, advantageously in the range 32.15 mm to 32.35 mm, and in particular is equal to 32.25 mm;BE1 lies in the range 27.5 mm to 28.5 mm, advantageously in the range 27.9 mm to 28.1 mm, and in particular is equal to 28 mm; andCE1 lies in the range 9 mm to 13 mm, advantageously in the range 9.75 mm to 12.3 mm, and in particular is equal to 11 mm.

3. A tennis racket handle according to claim 1, characterized in that: AR1 lies in the range 35 mm to 36 mm, advantageously in the range 35.4 mm to 35.6 mm, and in particular is equal to 35.5 mm;BR1 lies in the range 30.5 mm to 31.5 mm, advantageously in the range 30.9 mm to 31.1 mm, and in particular is equal to 31 mm; andCR1 lies in the range 11 mm to 14.75 mm, advantageously in the range 11.5 mm to 14.25 mm, and in particular is equal to 13 mm.

4. A tennis racket handle according to claim 1, characterized in that: AE2 lies in the range 31 mm to 32 mm, advantageously in the range 31.4 mm to 31.6 mm, and in particular is equal to 31.5 mm;BE2 lies in the range 27 mm to 28 mm, advantageously in the range 27.4 mm to 27.6 mm, and in particular is equal to 27.5 mm; andCE2 lies in the range 9 mm to 13 mm, advantageously in the range 9.4 mm to 12 mm, and in particular is equal to 10.7 mm.

5. A tennis racket handle according to claim 1, characterized in that the outside surface of said handle at each constriction and at the thickening defines three tangents parallel to the main axis of the handle.

6. A tennis racket handle according to claim 1, characterized in that the distance measured along the main axis of the handle between the end constriction and the first thickening lies in the range 25 mm to 50 mm, preferably in the range 30 mm to 40 mm, more preferably in the range 34 mm to 36 mm, and in particular is equal to 35 mm.

7. A tennis racket handle according to claim 1, characterized in that the distance taken along the main axis of the handle between the first thickening and the middle constriction lies in the range 35 mm to 60 mm, preferably in the range 45 mm to 55 mm, more preferably in the range 49 mm to 51 mm, and in particular is equal to 50 mm.

8. A tennis racket handle according to claim 1, characterized in that the handle includes a second bulb defined by said middle constriction, a second thickening, and a connection constriction opposite from the end constriction, the second bulb presenting a cross-section that is octagonal at all points, of dimensions that vary substantially continuously from the middle constriction to the second thickening, the transverse dimensions of said handle, at the other thickening being identical to those of said handle at the first thickening.

9. A tennis racket handle according to claim 8, characterized in that the distance measured along the main axis of the handle between the middle constriction and the second thickening lies in the range 20 mm to 70 mm, preferably in the range 40 mm to 50 mm, more preferably in the range 44 mm to 46 mm, and in particular is equal to 45 mm.

10. A racket, in particular a tennis, badminton, or squash racket including a handle according to claim 1.

11. A range of racket handles comprising a handle according to claim 1, referred to as a “standard” handle, together with n handle(s), where n is greater than or equal to 1, each presenting transverse dimensions smaller than those of said standard handle, and also at least m handle(s) where m is greater than or equal to 1, each presenting transverse dimensions greater than those of said standard handle, the transverse dimensions of each handle of smaller size being defined, for each integer −i in the range 1 to n, being defined by: AE1 (−i)=AE1−iA′;BE1(−i)=BE1−iB′;CE1(−i)=CE1−iC′;AR1(−i)=AR1−iA′;BR1(−i)=BR1−iB′;CR1(−i)=CR1−iC′;AE2(−i)=AE2−iA′;BE2(−i)=BE2−iB′; andCE2(−i)=CE2−C′;and in which the transverse dimensions of each handle of greater size, for each integer j in the range 1 to m, are defined by:AE1(+j)=AE1+jA′;BE1(+j)=BE1+jB′;CE1(+j)=CE1+jC′;AR1(+j)=AR1+jA′;BR1(+j)=BR1+jB′;CR1(+j)=CR1+jC′;AE2(+j)=AE2+jA′;BE2(+j)=BE2+jB′; andCE2(+j)=CE2+jC′;where A′ and B′ lie in the range 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm, and where C′ lies in the range 0.25 mm to 1 mm.

12. A range of handles according to the preceding claim 11, characterized in that: A′ lies in the range 1 mm to 1.3 mm, and in particular is equal to 1.15 mm;B′ lies in the range 0.9 mm to 1.1 mm, and in particular is equal to 1.0 mm; andC′ lies in the range 0.55 mm to 0.75 mm, and in particular is equal to 0.65 mm.

13. A range of rackets, each having a corresponding handle, belonging to the range of handles in accordance with claim 11.