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(11) | EP 0 153 513 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | A sports racket handle drying device |
| (57) A sports racket handle drying device comprises an electrically operated fan (5),
a tube (3) for receiving the handle of the sports racket and means (6, 10, 11 & 12)
for actuating the fan, in response to the presence of the handle in the tube, to effect
flow of air between the tube and the handle. |
[0002] The grip of the handle of a sports racket (for example, a tennis, badminton or squash racket) inevitably becomes wet during play owing to perspiration of the player. Heretofore,players have used a towel to dry the handle grip during intervals in the game. This is not only an inefficient_ but also a time-consuming operation and leaves less time, especially during tournament play when only short predetermined intervals are allowed, for the player to attend to his personal needs.
[0003] The present invention provides a sports racket handle drying device, the device comprising an electrically operated fan, a tube for receiving the handle of the sports racket and means for actuating the fan, in response to the presence of the handle in the tube, to effect flow of air between the tube and the handle.
[0004] The device according to the invention allows a player to place the racket handle in the tube whereby the fan is actuated to produce a flow of air between the tube and the handle and thereby to dry the handle.
[0006] A particularly simple arrangement is provided if the fan is disposed at one end of the tube and the handle is insertable into the tube through its other end.
[0007] Although the fan could be mains-operated it is preferred if it is battery-operated which makes the device safer in use and also more portable.
[0008] A heater may be provided so that the fan effects a warm air flow over the handle but it is preferred if the air flow is unheated so that it effects cooling of the handle. In this way the grip is not only dried but also cooled which provides a better feel for the player after the device has been used.
[0009] It is of advantage if the actuating means is arranged to be maintained in its actuating condition by the weight of the racket. This leads to a very simple construction.
[0010] Various actuating means can be employed but it is of advantage if it is an electric switch. In that case, the switch may comprise a normally open movable contact which is held in its closed position by the weight of the racket when the handle is in the tube.
[0011] It is of advantage,, to enable the device fully to support the racket and to allow the player to attend to his personal needs, if the device includes a support means by which the tube can be maintained in an upright position when it has received the racket handle.
[0012] The support means can take various forms but it is preferred if it comprises supporting legs or feet forming a tripod or if it comprises a weighted base. In this way the device can be simply mounted on a flat surface or on the floor.
[0013] A portable sports racket handle drying device, the device being constructed in accordance with the present invention, will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:-
Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation, partially in section, of the device, and
Fig. 2 is a circuit diagram incorporating a motor for the fan of the device.
[0014] Referring to the accompanying drawings, the device comprises a base 1 a fan unit housing 2 and a tube 3 for receiving the handle of a sports racket.
[0015] The base 1 enables the device to be supported on a flat surface and is suitably weighted to ensure that the device is stable in that condition when a racket handle is inserted into the tube 3 and the tube provides the only support for the racket.
[0016] The housing 2 accommodates an electric motor 4 for driving a fan 5. Power to the motor is provided by a battery 6 which is mounted in a holder 7 arranged on the outside of the housing 2.
[0017] Arranged on a bracket 8 at an upper opening 9 in the housing is an electric switch 10 which includes a fixed contact 11 and a-normally open movable contact 12. The motor 4, the switch 10 and the battery 6 are connected in circuit as shown in Fig. 2.
[0018] The tube is detachably connected to the housing 2 by releasable clips 13 to facilitate cleaning and/or inspection of the tube or the fan unit. When the tube is in position on the housing 2 the movable contact 12 protrudes slightly into the tube.
[0019] When the racket handle is inserted into the tube 3 the weight of the racket presses the movable contact 10 downwards until it engages the fixed contact 9, those contacts being maintained in engagement as long as the racket is left with its handle in the tube 3. Engagement of the two contacts completes the circuit (Fig. 2) and the motor drives the fan to blow air along the tube 3, from bottom to top as shown in Fig.1, which effects drying of the grip of the handle.
[0020] Various modifications can be made to the drying device as described and illustrated above. For example the battery can be arranged within the housing 2. For many purposes, however, it is convenient to have a holder outside the housing as this facilitates insertion and removal of the battery as and when required.
[0021] Further, a support means for example a bracket can be provided (attached for example to the housing 2) in order to support the device on a fixed member (not shown) - for example, part of an umpire's chair - and that support means may be used instead of, or in addition to the weighted base 1.
[0022] The support means may also comprise, instead of the base 1, support legs or feet to form a tripod-like stand. The legs may be detachably hinged to the end of the housing 2 remote from the tube 3 andbe capable of movement from an operative condition in which the legs are splayed apart to a non-operative condition in which the legs are parallel to each other and to the axis of the tube 3.
[0023] The fan can also be arranged to suck - rather than blow - air through the tube and out through the slots in the housing 2.
[0024] The tube 3 may be attached to the fan unit housing -2 in other ways - for example by screw-threaded engagement.
[0025] Clearly the diameter of the tube 3 should be large enough to accommodate standard ranges of racket handle diameters and it will be appreciated that the diameter of the tube should not be too large (that is to say the gap between the racket handle and the tube should not be too great) as this would reduce the drying efficiency of the device.
1. A sports racket handle drying device, the device comprising an electrically operated
fan, a tube for receiving the handle of a sports racket and means for actuating the
fan, in response to the presence of the handle in the tube, to effect flow of air
between the tube and the handle.
2. A device as claimed in Claim 1, in which the fan is arranged to suck or to blow
air along the tube.
3. A device as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which the fan is disposed at one
end of the tube and the handle is insertable into the tube through its other end.
4. A device as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3, in which the fan is battery-operated.
5. A device as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4, in which the air flow is unheated.
6. A device as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 5, in which the actuating means is
arranged to be maintained in its actuated condition by the weight of the racket.
7. A device as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 6, in which the actuating means comprises
an electric switch.
8. A device as claimed in Claim 7 when appendant to Claim 6, in which the switch comprises
a normally open movable contact which is held in its closed position by the weight
of the racket when the handle is in the tube.
9. A device as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 8, in which the device includes a
support means by which the tube can be maintained in an upright position.
10. A device as claimed in Claim 9, in which the support means comprises a tripod-like
support.