Racket with versatile handle

Abstract

A racket. In an illustrative embodiment, the racket includes plural handle portions, including a first handle portion and a second handle portion, which are equipped with a first gripping surface and a second gripping surface, respectively. A first mechanism couples the first handle portion and the second handle portion to the racket so that the first gripping surface is angled relative to a first plane coincident with a hitting surface of the racket. In a more specific embodiment, the first handle portion and the second handle portion are integrated with the racket. Alternatively, the first handle portion and the second handle portion are removably attached to the racket. The first and second handle portions form obtuse angles between the hitting surface and the handle portions.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a racket with a dual handle according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the racket and dual handle of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the racket and dual handle of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 illustrates a wrist orientation when gripping a conventional racket handle so that a user's forearm forms an approximately ninety-degree angle with the racket.

FIG. 5 illustrates a wrist orientation when gripping the racket of FIG. 1 so that an approximately ninety-degree angle occurs between the user's forearm and the racket.

FIG. 6 is a side view of a racket with a dual handle that is attached to the racket via an adjustable connection mechanism.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the racket of FIG. 6, wherein the adjustable-connection mechanism has been adjusted to shorten the racket, widen the angle between handles of the dual handle, and shorten the distance between the handles of the dual handle.

FIG. 8 is front view of an alternative embodiment of the racket of FIG. 7, wherein an alternative adjustable connection mechanism is employed to adjust an angle formed between the dual handles and a plane perpendicular to a face of the racket.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the racket of FIG. 1 employing square handles and illustrating enhanced racket balance or weight distribution.

Claims

1. A racket comprising: a first handle portion with a first gripping surface;a second handle portion with a second gripping surface; andfirst means for coupling the first handle portion and the second handle portion to a racket frame so that the first gripping surface is angled relative to a first plane, wherein the first plane is coincident with a hitting surface of the racket.

2. The racket of claim 1 wherein the first means includes a support structure adapted to at least partially surround a shaft of the racket.

3. The racket of claim 2 wherein the support structure includes a substantially rigid structure includes a first mounting surface and a second mounting surface positioned on opposite sides of the substantially rigid structure.

4. The racket of claim 3 wherein the first mounting surface and the second mounting surface have one or more holes therethrough that coincide with one or more corresponding holes through the shaft of the racket.

5. The racket of claim 4 wherein the first means further includes second means for joining the substantially rigid structure to the first handle portion or the second handle portion to the substantially rigid structure.

6. The racket of claim 4 wherein the first means further includes third means for enabling racket-length adjustments.

7. The racket of claim 4 wherein the first means further includes fourth means for adjusting an angle between the first gripping surface and the second gripping surface.

8. The racket of claim 7 wherein the first means includes one or more shims or spacers positionable between the first handle portion and the substantially rigid structure or between the second handle portion and the substantially rigid structure or between both.

9. The racket of claim 4 wherein the first means further includes fifth means for selectively adjusting an angle between the first gripping surface and a second plane perpendicular to the hitting surface and coincident with a longitudinal axis of the racket.

10. The racket of claim 1 wherein the second gripping surface is angled relative to the first plane when the second handle portion is coupled to the racket.

11. The racket of claim 10 wherein the first handle portion forms an obtuse angle between the hitting surface and the first handle portion when coupled to the racket via the first means.

12. The racket of claim 10 further including sixth means for varying the obtuse angle.

13. The racket of claim 1 wherein the first handle portion includes a first shaft aligned with a first axis, and wherein the second handle portion includes a second shaft aligned with a second axis, wherein the first shaft and the second shaft are substantially parallel to the first gripping surface and the second gripping surface, respectively.

14. The racket of claim 1 wherein the second gripping surface is substantially square.

15. A racket comprising: a hitting surface anda handle including: a first handle shaft anda second handle shaft, wherein the handle is coupled to the hitting surface so that twisting motion about a longitudinal axis of the racket is converted to motion acting to pivot a longitudinal axis of the first handle shaft relative to a hand griping the first handle shaft.

16. The racket of claim 15 wherein the handle further includes: a first handle portion having a first gripping surface; a second handle portion having a second gripping surface; and first means for coupling the first handle portion and the second handle portion to a racket so that the first gripping surface is angled relative to a first plane coincident with a hitting surface of the racket.

17. A multi-handle racket comprising: a hitting surface anda multi-handle having a first handle shaft and a second handle shaft, wherein the multi-handle is coupled to the hitting surface so that when the multi-handle is gripped via a hand of a user in preparation for striking a projectile, that a pivot point of the racket about the hand is closer to alignment with a longitudinal axis of a forearm of the user than a corresponding a pivot point of a single handled racket when the single handled racket is gripped similarly to the multi-handle racket.

18. The multi-handle racket of claim 17 wherein the multihandle is angled relative to the hitting surface so that a user to move a contact position of the hitting surface either closer to or further from an oncoming projectile, by sliding a hand along a gripping portion of the handle means.