Patent Application
20250170467
The disclosed invention relates to methods, devices, and systems for improved sports paddles that alter and/or reduce impact noise or the perceived level(s) thereof. More specifically, the invention relates to methods, devices and systems for an improved pickleball paddle that alters and/or reduces the pitch and/or decibel level of impact noise generated during gameplay in indoor or outdoor courts.
The sport of Pickleball is gaining in popularity in the US and around the world. A significant reason for this is that the sport requires limited space for the small court, small amounts of equipment for play, and the sport is easy to pick up and can be enjoyed without much practice. This contrasts with tennis and other racket sports which can require significant space and/or infrastructure/equipment requirements, as well as significant training, athletic ability and/or practice from its participants. Pickleball has therefore found widespread appeal among the middle-aged and senior population.
The expansion of Pickleball has been rapid, with multiple courts being established in almost every municipality in the US. With this more recent establishment of courts close to and/or within residential neighborhoods, however, an increasing number of noise and/or public nuisance complaints have arisen. Because Pickleball requires its players to strike a hard plastic ball with a generally rigid paddle as part of normal game play, this contact between the ball and the paddle will typically generate a loud and sharp impact noise with each paddle strike, which impact event is repeated numerous times during a single round. The impact noise can also occur at varying intervals, depending upon the speed of play and the ability levels of the various players. Where multiple courts are located in a single location, as is quite common, the repetitive and loud impact noises be quite disturbing—enough so that the constant barrage of paddle/ball noise has led to increased lawsuits due to the noise level, as well as a movement to ban the permitting of new courts, close or move existing courts, and/or limit or control available playtime on Pickleball courts.
The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.
Although the invention is often referred to herein as a pickleball paddle, it is understood that such description is not limiting, such that the technology in this invention may be applied in numerous other products, including into baseball bats, golf clubs and/or other hard surfaced products that are used to impact a hard and/or semiflexible object. In general, the order of the steps of disclosed processes may be altered within the scope of the invention.
It should be understood that a paddle of the present invention may be used from material cut into a paddle shape, material (such as a foam material) molded into a paddle shape, or other suitable methods of manufacture. The processes described herein further include means of fabricating a paddle in such a way as to alter, eliminate and/or reduce the impact noise of a player striking a ball or other object using a paddle or similar hand-held impacting structure.
The invention desirably includes incorporating state-of-the-art materials and/or processes to an existing product type to desirably alter, reduce and/or eliminate impact noise, while at the same time limiting and/or preventing impacts or degradation to player or equipment performance.
The frequency or pitch of a sound represents the cyclic, repetitive nature of the vibrations that make up the sound wave, wherein the higher the frequency, the higher the pitch. Frequency is measured as the number of repetitive vibrations per cycle per second, with a value typically expressed in Hertz (Hz). The human audible frequency range for sounds is typically between 20 to 20k Hz, with frequencies below 20 Hz called infrasonic waves, and those above 20,000 Hz called ultrasonic waves. Where a sound is regular in vibration and has only a single frequency (which may optionally change in intensity) it is called a simple tone, while complex tones consist of a single tone of lowest frequency called the fundamental in combination with one or more simple tones of higher frequency called overtones.
The amplitude of a sound wave is a measure of the intensity of amount of energy in the sound wave, or the amount of compression and expansion (e.g., rarefaction) experienced by the medium as the sound wave passes through molecules of the medium. Amplitude is measured in decibels, with decibels typically presented in a non-linear manner on a logarithmic scale. Amplitude is commonly referred to as sound intensity or volume. The human ear can detect virtually any sound level greater than 0 decibels (and typically up to 140 decibels).
The duration of a sound relates to how “long” or “short” a sound is perceived, with this measure relating to the onset and offset signals created by human nerve responses to sounds. The duration of a sound usually lasts from the time the sound is first noticed until the sound is identified as having changed or ceased, any may not be directly related to the physical duration of the sound. For example, in a noisy environment, gapped sounds (sounds that stop and start) can sound as if they are continuous because any offset messages may be missed by the hearer of the sound owing to disruptions from noises in the same general bandwidth.
The loudness of a sound relates to how “loud” or “soft” a sound is perceived, and this measure relates to the totaled number of auditory nerve stimulations experienced by a hearer over short cyclic time periods, such as over the duration of the hearer's theta wave cycles. At short durations a very short sound can sound softer than a longer sound, even though both sounds are presented at a same intensity level. However, past around 200 milliseconds this is no longer the case, and the duration of the sound typically no longer affects the apparent loudness of the sound. Similarly, an unusual change in sound level can cause a sound to be perceived “louder” than it actually is, such as where a sudden loud sound can appear to be much louder than normal in an extremely quiet environment.
The timbre of a sound is perceived as the quality of different sounds and represents a pre-conscious allocation of a sonic identity to a sound. Such identity can be based on information gained from frequency transients, noisiness, unsteadiness, perceived pitch and the spread and intensity of overtones in the sound over an extended time frame.
The texture of a sound can relate to the number of concurrent sound sources and the interaction or interplay between them, as well as the hearer's ability to cognitively separated individual auditory objects.
The spatial location of a sound can represent a cognitive placement of a sound in an environmental context. This can include the placement of a sound on both the horizontal and vertical plane, the distance from the sound source and/or the characteristics of the sonic environment. Texture can be differentiated in many ways, such as thick, thin, open and closed textures.
Where a sound or combination of sounds is unwanted and becomes a nuisance or hindrance, this sound is commonly referred to as “noise.” Noise comes from many sources, such as the noise of traffic, noise from a shared apartment, the noise from sporting events, etc. Noise can be harmful, especially if a person is being exposed to a high level of noise or damaging frequency for an extended period of time, which may injure or damage auditory sensing tissues.
Noise is a challenge that is facing the fast-growing pickleball sport. More communities and neighborhoods are complaining about the effects of pickleball as the sport is becoming more popular, whether the sport is played indoors or outdoors. The unwanted “noise” in Pickleball is caused by the continuous pop-pop sound of pickleball paddles hitting the ball during play. Generally, players swing their paddle against the hard plastic balls, which produce a loud popping sound that can be heard quite a distance away from the court. As shown in
In addition to its other characteristics, pickleball hits also often have a relatively high pitch, with a frequency of around 1.2k Hz, which is roughly the same frequency as the beeping noise from a vehicle such as an ambulance or garbage truck backing up. Impacts causing this frequency noise can be especially annoying to a human recipient, which is one reason why the frequency was selected as a warning signal for vehicles. Because humans perceive different frequencies of sound as causing differing levels of “annoyance”, it is possible that a highly annoying sound at one frequency (or combination of frequencies) may be perceived as less annoying that an equally loud sound at another frequency (or combination of frequencies).
At least one aspect of the present invention includes the realization of a need for an improved, pickleball paddle which alters, reduces and/or eliminates the annoying “popping” noise caused by paddle/ball contact. In some embodiments, a sound attenuating characteristic of the paddle/ball impact is desired. Such a pickleball paddle may comprise a variety of materials and surface or subsurface configurations that will reduce the sound generation during impact. The improved pickleball paddle will desirably help eliminate, reduce or block sound by reducing the decibel level (e.g., the amplitude) of the sound by 10% or greater.
In various embodiments, the sound produced by the paddle/ball impact may be altered in various ways so as to create a different “perceived” sound by an individual as compared to the sound produced by existing paddles/balls. Such alteration(s) may include changes to one or more of the frequency, amplitude, duration, timbre, loudness, quality, tone, texture and/or intensity of the sound. In other embodiments, the sound may be altered in such a manner to alter an actual or perceived spatial location of the sound, or a reflection, refraction, diffraction, diffusion and/or absorption thereof.
In one exemplary embodiment, an improved pickleball paddle may incorporate one or more flexible layers that desirably “alter” or otherwise transform some portion of the energy of the ball/paddle impact during the first part of the impact and then desirably transfers this portion (or portions thereof) back to the ball during a rebound portion of the impact. Desirably, this alteration results in a reduction in one or more amplitude(s) of the sound wave generated by the ball/paddle impact, and potentially provides for a longer contact time and/or lower peak impact force and peak sound amplitude resulting from the paddle/ball collision. In some embodiments, the sound reduction can be achieved by a reduction of the impact force as the flexible layers progressively lower deceleration of the ball structure (thereby reducing flexion and/or compression of the ball structure) during the initial impact event. A lower deceleration can result in lower impact force which in turn causes lower sound generation amplitudes.
In another embodiment, the improved pickleball paddle may comprise a stiff core (often incorporating a lightweight honeycomb structure laminated on both sides with carbon fiber composite layer) with two thin layers attached to each side of the core of the paddle. The first layer on each side of the core can be a thin and flexible foam layer (0.5-3 mm thin sheet of EVA foam) that is glued to the core. The second layer on each side of the paddle is then glued to this foam layer and constitutes the contact or playing surface that will desirably contact the ball (e.g., polypropylene or polycarbonate or similar, 0.1-0.4 mm thick). The combined stiffness of these two layers can be adjusted to alter or minimize an impact noise generated during the ball/paddle impact while maintaining playability of the paddle to an acceptable level.
In various embodiments it may be advantageous that a playing surface layer of the paddle be sufficiently flexible such that the two laminated layers undergo local deformation where the ball strikes the paddle without causing further deformation of the underlying paddle structures. Desirably, such a design could minimize the acoustic radiation area of the paddle and/or minimize an inertia of the deforming portion of the flexible layer when the paddle strikes the ball. If desired, a manufacturer might select a frictional coefficient between the second surface (the playing surface) and the ball such that paddle characteristics will be acceptable to players and certifiable for competitions.
In various embodiments, it is highly desirable that the improved paddle designs disclosed herein provide a player experience and playability that equals and/or exceeds that of existing paddle performance. Moreover, various design considerations herein may be chosen to accommodate applicable equipment standards for Pickleball paddles, such as avoiding a paddle surface providing a “trampoline effect” and/or incorporating compressible materials on a paddle surface. For example, a loss factor of the paddle with the two layers attached may be chosen such that the rebound of the ball from the paddle is approximately equal to the ball rebound from existing paddles. Similarly, a material selection and/or material thickness of the two layers might be chosen such that there is no resulting “trampoline effect” in which the deformation of the paddle face allows for a faster rebound speed due to a reduced energy loss during the paddle/ball impact as compared to standard paddles.
While one important goal of the present invention is to reduce and/or alter Pickleball “noise” without changing the essential character and/or requirements of the game, it should be understood that an improved paddle design which greatly reduces actual and/or perceived noise by nonparticipants, but which does not meet existing approved design criteria, might represent such an improvement to the sport as to mandate a deviation or change in equipment standards to allow the competitive and/or noncompetitive use thereof.
It is well known that pickleball games generate significant levels of noise. A pickleball strike has a higher pitch than an equivalent tennis strike, and the plastic outdoor pickleballs and hard paddles typically produce a louder and more frequent “pop” sound than other outdoor sports. While some pickleball games have been measured in excess of 70 decibels, pickleball play will typically emit a steady stream of about 52 decibels, sometimes getting up to 58 or 55 at loud moments. The EPA has long identified 55 decibels as the maximum average outdoor noise level that can be maintained throughout the day without impacting “health and welfare.” Moreover, the specific frequencies of pickleball strikes often make these impact events sound louder than the same amount of sound pressure at a very low frequency or at a very high frequency. In addition, the non-repetitive nature of pickleball strikes (e.g., players hit the ball at different times and different ways) can greatly contribute to listener annoyance with such sounds.
Pickleball strikes can generally be broken down into two types of impact events: “hard” play and “soft” play. Hard play can also be referred to as “volley” play or “return” play, and these strikes typically involve higher velocity impact events which generate comparatively louder levels of noise. Soft play can also be referred to as “dinking” or softer, controlled shots where the players tap the ball over the net, usually executed near the kitchen line, with the intention of forcing the opponent to make a difficult return. Soft play strikes typically involve lower velocity impact events which generate comparatively lower levels of noise. In various embodiments, preferred paddle designs will significantly reduce noise levels in either or both of hard play and soft play, although reduction of sound levels during at least harder play may be highly desirous to some individuals and/or in some situations.
Construction of a pickleball paddle can start with a large honeycomb composite panel or blank that may or may not have a base paint or coating. The basic paddle shape, or blank, can be cut using a variety of cutting tools, including by a computer numerical control (CNC) mill or waterjet cutter. Face sheets may be applied to the core material prior to cutting in some instances, or may be added/applied to the core after cutting. Paint, logos and/or any other coatings can be applied to the blank. Handle components 340 and 350 are then glued or otherwise attached to the face sheets at the handle location, and balance weights (not shown) may be added to the handle or to the edges of the paddle face before an edge guard 360 is adhered. A handle rubber or leather over-wrap 370 may optionally be attached over the handle.
In various embodiments, the handle may be integrally formed with, and connected to, the paddle body to form a one-piece paddle. In other embodiments, the handle could be formed separate from and coupled to the paddle body. The handle can comprise one or more materials, including composite materials, metals and/or polymers. Such materials may include, but are not limited to, aluminum, other metallic alloys, wood, a polyurethane foam, a thermoplastic material, a thermoset material, carbon fiber, carbon fiber composites, glass fiber, glass fiber composites, graphite, graphite composites and combinations thereof.
In a pickleball paddle, the front and back sides of the paddle are designed to contact the ball. The front side of the paddle body includes an outwardly facing first layer or top layer, and the back side of the paddle includes an outwardly facing second layer or bottom layer. The pickleball paddle may further comprise an edge guard which can protect the edge of the paddle from damage if it strikes the floor or other structures, and/or depending upon paddle design and construction may inhibit separation and/or delamination of the paddle layers.
One important consideration of various embodiments of the present invention includes Applicant's desire to alter the noise level of the ball/paddle impact without significantly affecting the performance of the ball, the paddle and/or the quality of play for the participants of the sport. More specifically, the disclosed embodiments seek to alter the sound(s) generated by the ball/paddle impact without significantly altering the impact outcomes (e.g., the movement, direction and speed of the ball and/or paddle after the impact collision has occurred). In some embodiments, the disclosed improved paddle design can desirably reduce a peak impulse force between the ball and paddle while prolong a contact time therebetween, which can result in an equivalent outcome from the ball/paddle impact as compared to a prior art ball/paddle, while significantly reducing or otherwise altering the impact noise. In some embodiments, the improved paddle design may alter, dissipate, convert and/or absorb various vibrations and/or sound frequencies as compared to a prior art ball/paddle, which can reduce the actual and/or perceived level of noise generated by the paddle/ball impact.
The coefficient of restitution (COR, or e) is a ratio of a relative rebound speed to a relative incident speed of two colliding objects, such as a pickleball and a pickleball paddle. The equation for COR is: e=−(Vy2−vy2)/(Vy1−vy1) where Vy1 and vy1 are the incident speeds of the paddle and ball (respectively), while Vy2 and vy2 are their rebound speeds after the impact. COR gives an indication of how much energy was lost or returned by the two objects during the collision. COR is the ratio of velocities and as such it is referred to as the “power potential” in sports terminology. COR squared is equal to energy return. If COR=0.6, then energy return is (0.6)2=0.36, or 36%. If COR is 0.6, then the perpendicular rebound speed will be 0.6 of the perpendicular incident speed. According to USAPA equipment standards, a pickleball that is dropped from a height of 78″ must bounce off the surface of a granite block to a height of 30-34″, which means that the ball loses approximately 56% to 57% of its energy during this impact (e.g., via energy dissipation, including due to stress and strain).
While some embodiments of Applicant's improved paddle design may alter various of the mechanics of the impact between the ball and paddle, it is highly desirous that the overall momentum transfer to the ball, and its resulting speed and direction after the paddle impact, will substantially duplicate that of an impact with a traditional paddle design. Moreover, it can be highly desirous in various embodiments for the surface feature characteristics (e.g., surface friction and roughness) to remain consistent between traditional and improved paddle designs.
Applicant's improved paddle design can include the incorporation of one or more layers of material which alters the sound generating qualities of the paddle and/or ball during an impact event, while replicating the resulting performance and/or “outcomes” or movement (e.g., direction and speed) of the pickleball after the impact event.
In various alternative embodiments, a paddle may incorporate a matrix of stiff structures of polycarbonate or polypropylene, which can be embedded into the foam layer to limit the travel of the pickleball ball into the “softer” foam. Desirably, the embedded stiff structures may be selected and/or positioned to accommodate any minimum surface “hardness” or deflection requirements or standards necessary for competitive use of the paddle. In one exemplary embodiment, a thickness of the stiff structures may be equal to and/or less than a thickness of the foam layer, with the stiff structure flush with and/or impregnated within the foam layer. One exemplary spacing between the stiff structures within the matrix could be equal to or greater than three times the thickness of the foam, but less than 15 times the thickness of the foam.
In another exemplary embodiment, an improved paddle can include a foam layer comprising a plurality of foams of different thicknesses and/or stiffnesses. For example, a matrix of a stiffer foam can be embedded into and/or otherwise placed adjacent to a softer foam layer, which desirably limits the travel of a pickleball ball into the “softer” foam. As previously noted, one purpose of such stiff structures could be to meet any minimum surface deflection requirements or standards required by a governing body for competitive use of the improved paddle design. In one desirable embodiment, the thickness of the stiff structures could be less or equal to the thickness of the foam layer. Alternatively and/or in addition, the spacing between the stiff structures within the matrix could be more than three times the thickness of the foam but less than 15 times the thickness of the foam.
The one or more layers will desirably alter and/or lower the actual or perceived impact sound at least partially by removing some of the vibration energy from a structure by eliminating various dynamic stresses associated with vibration. In other words, the disclosed systems can desirably dissipate some portion of a vibrational impact energy, thereby lowering the amplitude of the radiated sound. The level of damping provided by each type of damping material can be related to the material's damping coefficient or loss factor. The damping coefficient can further measure the material's capacity to produce “bounce back”- or return energy to a system or structure. Materials with lower damping coefficients or loss factors can desirably produce higher bounce back, while those with a higher damping coefficient can desirably reduce unwanted vibration or shock by soaking up or otherwise storing and/or dissipating the vibrational energy.
In the various embodiments disclosed herein, an improved pickleball paddle design will desirably include at least one paddle layer or structure which alters the impact event between the ball and the paddle which results in alteration of the sound produced by the impact therebetween. In some embodiments, this may result in a lower peak amplitude of the improved impact sound as compared to a prior art paddle and ball impact, while in other embodiments it may result in an improved impact sound that is perceived by listeners as less intrusive, bothersome and/or noisy as compared to a prior art impact, such as where the frequency, timbre, loudness, quality, tone, texture, intensity and/or other non-amplitude characteristics of the improved impact sound may be altered to a desired degree while the amplitude of the improved impact sound remains the same or possibly even increases relative to the prior art impact. For example, the flexible layers of the improved paddle may desirably result in a lower frequency impact sound being produced, which may cause the resulting noise to alter from a sharp “pop” to more of a lower “thud” sound.
When a player strikes a pickleball with their paddle, there is an exchange of kinetic energy between the paddle and the ball, where the desired outcome is to change the velocity and direction of the ball. The kinetic energy of an object comes about because the object has a mass and a velocity, and is calculated according to the formula: KE=½ mv2 (where KE is the kinetic energy, m is the mass of the object, and v is the velocity of the object). An elastic collision is one in which there is no net loss in total kinetic energy for the ball and the moving paddle. In reality, some energy is lost in friction and dynamic deformation of the ball and the paddle, which “lost energy” creates heat and noise that is radiated to the environment. Kinetic energy is therefore not conserved in the collision between the paddle and pickleball.
The term momentum is often used interchangeably with kinetic energy, however, unlike kinetic energy, momentum must be conserved in a collision. In other words, the total momentum regardless of how it is exchanged between the ball and paddle, must be constant. The momentum of an object is calculated according to the formula ρ=my (Where ρ is the momentum, m is the mass of the object and v is the velocity of the object). When striking a ball, all of the momentum in the paddle does not go into accelerating the ball, as this would cause the paddle to come to a stop while accelerating the ball to a much higher speed and distance (such as flying over the back fence) when the ball is struck. Instead, after the ball is struck there is a decrease in paddle velocity, and the excess momentum remaining can be absorbed by the player's arm during follow-through as the paddle decelerates.
At the instant when a ball is hit by a paddle, momentum is exchanged between the ball and paddle. The impulse-momentum equation p=my=(ma)t=Ft (where the product Ft is termed the “impulse”) can be used to calculate the force (F) to the ball over a contact time (t) creating momentum (p). For the same level of momentum, the system can allow for a contact with the ball with a higher force over a shorter contact time, or with a lower force over a longer contact time. When a pickleball paddle strikes a ball, the ball flattens and the paddle face bends or deforms to some degree until both ball and paddle eventually rebound and the ball is released from the paddle face. The elapsed time between initial contact with the ball and separation defines a contact time, which for a typical pickleball/paddle impact is estimated at around 4 milliseconds.
In some embodiments, an improved pickleball paddle may alter a contact time between the ball and the paddle during an impact event, such that the resulting impact sound is perceived by humans as less bothersome or annoying. For example, in some embodiments the contact time may be increased by 5% or greater, which can significantly reduce the amplitude, frequency and/or duration of the impact sound (and/or any resonation of the paddle head). In other embodiments, the contact time may be increased by 10% or greater, which can even more greatly reduce the amplitude, frequency and/or duration of the impact sound (and/or any resonation of the paddle head). In still other embodiments, the contact time may be increased by 25% or greater, which can represent an increased contact time of 1 milliseconds (for a total contact time of 5 milliseconds over the previously described 4 millisecond contact time), which can further reduce the amplitude, frequency and/or duration of the impact sound (and/or any resonation of the paddle head) without significantly affecting play.
The short-duration impact force between a pickleball and a paddle can cause the ball structure and/or the paddle face to vibrate, which excites acoustic resonances within the ball and/or the interior of the paddle. The interior of a typical paddle contains a light-weight cellular structure, such as honeycomb structure which contains mostly air, with this structure behaving in a manner similar to that of a drum shell, which amplifies the acoustic resonances (and forms the primary noise source in the ball/paddle combination). The amplified impact noise (and any reverberations therefrom) can then radiate through the pickleball paddle faces into the environment as the impact sound. By altering the paddle design in various ways, some embodiments of Applicant's invention seek to alter these paddle dynamics to create less intrusive or noisy paddle/ball impact events.
In the various embodiments disclosed herein, the paddle body can desirably comprise a first layer of a first material which desirably initially contacts the ball during an impact event. This first layer can include a first layer thickness, a first layer density, and/or possess a first layer sound alteration coefficient. The first layer material can comprise a flexible, semi-flexible or rigid material, such as a polymer or metal. If polymer, the first layer material may comprise a flexible polymer material, semi-flexible polymer material or a rigid polymer material, including, but not limited to, a thermoplastic or thermoset polymer material.
In some embodiments, the paddle body can desirably comprise a second layer or bottom layer. The second layer may comprise a second layer material, a second layer thickness, a second layer material density and/or distribution, and a second layer sound alteration coefficient. The second layer material may comprise a flexible, semi-flexible or rigid material, including, but not limited to, a polymer or metal. In some instances, the second layer material may comprise a flexible polymer material, semi-flexible polymer material or a rigid polymer material, where the flexible polymer material or semi-flexible polymer material can comprise a thermoplastic or thermoset polymer material.
In various embodiments, a first layer density in the paddle may be the same or different than the second layer density of the paddle. In other embodiments, the first layer thickness may be the same or different than the second layer thickness. In still other embodiments, the first layer material may be the same or different than the second layer material. In still other embodiments, the first layer coefficient of restitution or “loss factor” may be the same or different than the second layer loss factor. In another embodiment, the first layer material may be more flexible than the second layer material.
In various multi-layer embodiments, the second or middle layer may be the same material as the carbon fiber composite core laminate. This layer may be segmented into multiple fractional areas of different shapes and different positions yet interconnected to provide the desired paddle structural integrity and force response.
A variety of polymer materials may be utilized with the invention, including thermoplastic polymer materials such as polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), acrylic, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polystyrene (PS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), Nylon, polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polysulfone, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyetherimide, polyamide, polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polyurethane (PU), polyester, styrene, and/or any combination thereof.
Various embodiments may include a thermoplastic polymer material such as a thermoplastic elastomeric polymer material or may alternatively comprise microcellular foams with the foam and the film made as a connected part from the same virgin polymer film. The thermoplastic elastomeric polymer material or other material(s) may additionally enable local or localized deformation of a material layer upon impact with the pickleball. Upon impact of the pickleball against the paddle, the pickleball may induce some level of local deformation of the first layer, but the first layer should desirably return to its original position or original shape when the impact force is removed. Such localized deflection or compression of the material will desirably extend the contact time between the ball and paddle while concurrently altering a sound amplitude (dB) and/or pitch (Hz) of the impact event, such as by absorption, deflection and/or diffusion of some of the impact energy. The elastic polymeric can comprise materials such as thermoplastic styrenic block copolymers (SBC/TPE-S), thermoplastic elastomer polyolefins (TPO/TPE-O), thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPV/TPE-V) or elastomeric alloys (EA), thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers (TPU/TPE-U), thermoplastic copolyester elastomers (COPE/TEEE/TPE-E), thermoplastic polyamide elastomers (PEBA/COPA/TPE-A), and/or any combination thereof. The first layer material or the second layer material may further comprise glass fiber, glass fiber composites, carbon fiber, carbon fiber composites, graphite, graphite fiber composites, boron, boron composites, Kevlar®, and/or any combination thereof.
In various embodiments, the first layer thickness and/or second layer thickness may comprise a thickness of at least 0.25 mm; the thickness may comprise at least 0.30 mm; and/or the thickness may comprise at least 0.40 mm. Optionally, the first layer sound alteration coefficient may comprise at least 0.30.
In some embodiments, an intermediate layer and/or other layers of the pickleball paddle may be selected and/or modified such that the improved paddle design provides an equivalent “rebound” of a pickleball (after the impact) when compared to an unmodified paddle, while altering the ball/paddle contact time and/or sound level and/or acoustic signature of the impact sound in a desired manner.
If desired, the paddle can include a porous or less rigid material 730 positioned between the first layer material 710 and a core material 700. Upon impact by a ball, the first layer material and/or less rigid material (e.g., a foam layer) can deform elastically to varying degrees to desirably dampen and/or may also absorb sound passing through the layer, thereby reducing the amount of sound transmitted and/or reflected. If desired, a porous layer may be provided which absorbs and/or dissipates sound through frictional energy converting to heat thereby decreasing amplitude of the noise signal or sound from the impact event.
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In various embodiments, a rigid material which allows a sound wave to travel longer and faster may be replaced and/or substituted with a less rigid material—e.g., a flexible or semi-flexible material, which will desirably disperses and/or diffuse more of the impact energy, thus reducing the volume, extent, speed and/or distance that the sound wave will travel through and/or out of the paddle. The flexible or semi-flexible material of the first layer may desirably allow local deformation of the material to occur when the pickleball hits the paddle, thus altering various characteristics of the sound wave travelling through the first layer as/or as it propagates into other adjacent layers, such as a porous layer, while may provide significant sound alteration, absorption and/or dampening features of the improved paddle. Reducing the amplitude or other features of the sound energy propagating into the porous layer may contribute to and/or allow further noise reduction due as the sound energy passes and/or reflects within the porous layer. Moreover, various aspects of local layer deformation may help minimize acoustic radiation from the paddle as well as control the inertia and/or momentum transfer from deforming portion(s) of the flexible layer and/or other paddle components when the paddle strikes the ball. In addition, it may be important to select the friction coefficient between the first layer (the playing surface) and the pickleball so that paddle characteristics will be acceptable to players and certifiable for competitions.
In many embodiments, a paddle body will include a core material layer which comprises a core material having a core thickness and a core geometry. The core material may comprise a polymer, metal or metal alloys or ceramics. Such polymers may include polypropylene, polyurethane, polyester, thermoplastic polyurethane, polyamide, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene vinyl acetate, and/or any other combinations thereof. The polymer may include polymeric foams, including urethane foam, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA). The core materials may further include rubber, balsa, cardboard, Nomex® polycarbonamide material and/or any other combination thereof. The core geometries may include lattices or honeycomb cells.
In various embodiments, an improved paddle body can incorporate one or more porous material layers which can act as sound altering devices, absorbers and/or diffusers. Porous sound absorbers can correspond to materials where sound propagation desirably takes place via and/or through a network of interconnected pores, such that sound waves travelling through the porous material will at least partly enter the pores, with some of the sound energy transformed to thermal energy due to viscous friction between the air and the material surface in the pores. This viscous and thermal interaction can reduce and/or dissipate the peak acoustic energy in the impact sound. The porous layer can comprise porous material having a porous thickness. In some embodiments, the porous material can comprise a foam material. The porous material can include a porosity, cell size, a tortuosity, a density and/or a sound absorption coefficient or noise reduction coefficient.
In various embodiments, a material may be selected based on a desired density of a material, which is defined as the amount of mass per volume of a substance and is a measure of how “packed together” the molecules of a material are. For a material to be considered “soundproof” it typically falls within a proper density range. High enough and sound waves may be damped; altered and/or may be absorbed. If the material's density is too low, the sound waves can be transmitted through the material. If the density is too high, the waves may be reflected off the material's surface. The density and hardness may be selected depending on the desired performance of the structure. The desired hardness of the porous material may be varied to control the stiffness and compressibility of each part. A desired density of the porous material can also be varied depending on desired performance, such as its noise dampening properties and/or noise absorption properties.
In various embodiment, a material may be selected based on a desired porosity of the material, which can include the incorporation of voids and/or interstices capable of altering the energy of sound waves by expansion, compression and change in the direction of flow of the sound waves through the material and/or opening therein, including loss of sound energy momentum. A desirable material cell size may include materials having an average cell size that is smaller than, larger than and/or equal to a wavelength of one or more sound waves, which may qualify the material for soundproofing. In some embodiments, the cell size of the material may be smaller than the wavelength of the sound it is meant to alter, absorb and/or block. Cell arrangement can also be of importance in some embodiments, including the incorporation of highly tortuous materials. Tortuosity is a measure of the twists and turns in the material's cell arrangement, with the more “bends” the sound waves must navigate or maneuver through/around as they pass through the material, the more momentum and/or sound energy they lose. The porosity, cell size and tortuosity may be selected depending on the desired noise performance or noise absorption properties—e.g., for noise dampening and/or noise absorption.
In various embodiments, a material may be selected based on a desired noise reduction coefficient (NRC) of the material, which is a standard rating for how well a material absorbs sound. Different materials have different NRC ratings that range from 0.00 to 1.00. The NRC rating of a material is viewed as a percentage. For example, an NRC rating of 0.75 means 75% of the sound energy coming into contact with that specific material is reduced. A good NRC rating includes greater than or equal to 0.35 or greater.
Many of the disclosed embodiments herein will desirably “prolong” the impact time (e.g., between the ball and the paddle) with the help of the disclosed two-layer and/or multi-layer construction about the center core (e.g., on one or both sides thereof). In these embodiments, the intermediate and/or flexible material will desirably act as a “spring” to desirably return an equivalent amount of energy to the ball as a prior art ball/paddle impact would accomplish, thereby reducing the perceived impact sound without significantly altering play.
In various embodiments, the disclosed foam material may comprise a closed-cell foam, or alternatively an open cell foam and/or various combinations thereof. A closed cell foam may be preferred in many embodiments as this material does not readily absorb water. An open-cell foam desirably provides a form that allows air to move through the material through the irregular porous spots and voids. The irregular open porous spots and/or voids are interconnected and alter sounds by retaining it into the porous spots or voids. The irregularity of open porous spots and voids can alter sound differently. The open-cell foam may behave similar to a “spring” or an elastic material—that when compressed, it can quickly return to its original state due to its unrestricted airflow. Open-cell foams comprise polyester, polyether, sponge rubber, urethane, ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM), Nitrile and any combination thereof. The foam layers should be made from closed-cell foam. The closed-cell foam contains more uniform, tightly-woven cells or voids do not interconnect with other cells to produce a “closed” effect, resulting in a more dense material that absorbs sound. A typical closed-cell foam comprises neoprene, ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM), styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), blended neoprene/EPDM/styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), polyethylene, cross-linked polyethylene, polyethylene roll, silicone, vinyl nitryl, polyvinyl chloride vinyl, vinyl neoprene, Viton@, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), polystyrene, Volara, Flotex and/or any combination thereof. The porous material may further comprise polyster fiber, mass loaded vinyl, cork, green glue, felt, epoxy and/or any combination thereof.
In one embodiment, one or more of the first layer, the porous layer, the core and/or the second layer may be coupled together and/or may optionally slide or flex relative to one another. The coupling may comprise adhesive, welding, thermoforming, melting, fusing, and/or any combinations thereof. In another embodiment, each of the first layer, the porous layer, the core and the second layer may be coupled together or integrally formed as a single unitary body. The term “integrally formed” means one or more of the layers are formed as one single unitary body, which cannot then be separated into separate components without damaging one or more of the layers. Such integrally formed techniques may comprise additive manufacturing techniques or laminating techniques. In one preferred embodiment, the first layer and the porous layer are laminated together. In another preferred embodiment, the first layer, the porous layer and core layer are laminated together, thereby eliminating the two polymer, fiberglass or carbon composite sheets that are laminated to the core on existing paddles.
In another embodiment, one or more of the first layer, the porous layer, the core and/or the second layer may be coupled or assembled by using computer modeling, dynamic modeling and/or impact analysis. Computer modeling, dynamic modeling and/or impact analysis can be used to select the configuration or material properties of each of the layers, including the size, shape, number, density, and position of the cells or structure of any of the layers to provide the optimal or preferred configuration for a particular application, player, playability feature, league, coach's preference or other factors.
In various embodiments, one or more of the layers in the paddle may incorporate reliefs, openings, spaces and/or pockets in their design and/or construction. For example,
Testing of a paddle constructed using components of the exemplary embodiment of
In various embodiments, method(s) for manufacturing the disclosed devices are contemplated and are part of the scope of the present application.
Although process steps, method steps, or the like, may be described in a sequential order, such processes and methods may be configured to work in alternate orders. In other words, any sequence or order of steps that may be described does not necessarily indicate a requirement that the steps be performed in that order. The steps of the processes or methods described herein may be performed in any order practical. Further, some steps may be performed simultaneously.
When a single device or article is described herein, it will be readily apparent that more than one device or article may be used in place of a single device or article. Similarly, where more than one device or article is described herein, it will be readily apparent that a single device or article may be used in place of the more than one device or article. The functionality or the features of a device may be alternatively embodied by one or more other devices which are not explicitly described as having such functionality or features.
While the disclosure has been described in terms of exemplary embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the disclosure can be practiced with modifications in the spirit and scope of the appended claims. These examples are merely illustrative and are not meant to be an exhaustive list of all possible designs, embodiments, applications or modifications of the disclosure. While embodiments and applications of the present subject matter have been shown and described, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that many more modifications are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein. The subject matter, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the spirit of any appended claims. Thus, while embodiments and applications of the present subject matter have been shown and described, it should be apparent that other embodiments, applications and aspects are possible and are thus contemplated and are within the scope of this application.
All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents, cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein.
The various headings and titles used herein are for the convenience of the reader and should not be construed to limit or constrain any of the features or disclosures thereunder to a specific embodiment or embodiments. It should be understood that various exemplary embodiments could incorporate numerous combinations of the various advantages and/or features described, all manner of combinations of which are contemplated and expressly incorporated hereunder.
The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., i.e., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention.
Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventor for carrying out the invention. Variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventor expects skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventor intends for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63602964 | Nov 2023 | US |
