Field of the invention
[0001] The present disclosure refers to a patent application for a mass device applied to
a racket for the practice of sports.
Background of the invention
[0002] The use of rackets are required for the practice of many sports, and the user seeks
the use of a racket that enhances their game and is easy to handle.
[0003] Rackets for practicing sports are manufactured from a graphite module, or carbon
fiber or glass fiber, or Kevlar (synthetic para-aramid fiber, very heat resistant),
or are even composed of 100% 3K carbon with the new high-density soft EVA, with characteristics
appropriate to each type of sport, with more or fewer holes in the body of the racket.
[0004] There are rackets for the practice of sports with a technological device on the sides
of the handle, which allows a consistent reduction of vibrations caused by the continuous
impact of the ball, alleviating trauma in the wrist, elbow and shoulder of the player.
[0005] Users can also change the stringing pressure, on those rackets that have strings,
in order to maximize their hits on the ball, increasing or decreasing the speed of
the ball.
[0006] The weight of the racket and the decrease of this weight also has an influence on
the performance of the user, since the balance of said racket is fundamental to the
dynamics of the game.
[0007] As rackets are manufactured in a standardized way, the user is unable to purchase
a specific racket, that is already adapted to playing pattern of the user.
[0008] The user then makes adaptations to the racket in order to optimize its performance
during the sport.
[0009] These adaptations are made to make the racket lighter or heavier, and are made by
adding lead tapes to the head of the racket, or to its sides or throughout the heart
of the racket.
[0010] The application of extra weight to the racket seeks to find the best balance between
the spinning speed and the weight of the racket, optimizing the performance of the
player during the match. However, this practice is empirical and does not allow the
user to recalibrate the balance of the racket throughout the match, as the weights
are glued to the body of the racket, which makes it difficult to remove and/or adjust
positioning.
[0011] Document
US 4179121 teaches the construction of a round tube inside the racket, from the base, circulating
throughout the "head" of the racket, this tube being divided into two chambers by
valves. In the lower chamber, mercury or another very dense liquid is stored. The
lower chamber communicates with the upper chamber through valves, and through centrifugal
force and gravity, the liquid is directed between the two chambers, increasing the
kinetic force exerted against the ball, providing a more powerful swing and improved
play. This procedure also does not ensure better performance for the user, who does
not have the option of calibrating the valves to allow the liquid to pass through
the racket, altering its balance. Furthermore, the racket must be manufactured with
the tube already inside, which restricts the options of the user, as they will not
be able to choose their preferred model of racket on the market.
Objectives and advantages of the invention
[0012] In order to overcome the problem of racket balance and allow the user to quickly
make precise adjustments during the use of their racket, the applicant of the present
invention, has developed a mass displacement device, to provide rackets for any sporting
modality, which is introduced into the racket handle, constituting an integrated system,
which allows the adjustment of the balance point of the racket, providing the user
with the best adjustment according to their convenience, before or during the match.
[0013] The device consists of a main tube, which is housed inside the handle, according
to the size and type of racket, and said tube is equipped with internal guides, through
which a counterweight equipped with symmetrical grooves longitudinally opened on its
external side slides, and, in its center, equipped with a through hole, with infinite
thread, also longitudinally, through which the central rod passes, and the central
rod, when activated in rotational movements, causes the counterweight to move longitudinally
along the entire internal extension of the main tube, causing a change in the balance
point of the racket.
[0014] This central rod is activated by the user, at any time, before or during the match,
through the protruding head on its upper part, thus composing a system for changing
the balance point of the racket, towards the tip or handle, allowing the user to change
their playing style from smooth to consistent or aggressive and vice versa.
[0015] The central rod has a small smooth upper part and its remaining part is equipped
with an infinite thread, to which a counterweight with infinite internal thread is
coupled, and this counterweight is coupled, in its external part, to the internal
wall of the main tube, through longitudinal symmetrical guides.
[0016] The upper part of the central rod is equipped with a protruding head with grooves,
comprising external grooves, or being hexagonal in shape, or having any other arrangement
that can generate friction with the hands or fingers of the user, which will promote
the rotational movement of the rod on its axis.
[0017] The user, by turning the protruding head of the central rod, both clockwise and counterclockwise,
rotates the central rod on its axis and, consequently, makes the counterweight, which
is attached to the internal symmetrical guides of the main tube, to move longitudinally
within the main tube.
[0018] By moving the counterweight through the main tube, making the counterweight to move
internally along the entire length of the racket handle, the user quickly and easily
chooses the best balance point to play their game.
[0019] The counterweight, as it is attached to the internal symmetrical guides of the main
tube, remains immobilized inside the racket handle until the user moves it, changing
the balance of the racket as desired.
[0020] Thus, the objective of the present patent is to integrate the rackets for the practice
of sports with a mass displacement device, in any sport that uses rackets, that are
easy to adjust by the user.
Description of the drawings
[0021] To complement the present description in order to obtain a better understanding of
the characteristics of the mass device applied to a racket and according to a preferred
practical embodiment thereof, by way of example only, and not regarded as limiting,
a set of drawings accompanies the description, in which:
Figure 1 represents a side view of the main tube mounted inside the racket handle.
Figure 2 represents a side view of all parts of the mass device, in line.
Figure 3A represents an internal side view of the main tube with the concave receptacle.
Figure 3B represents a top view of the main tube with the internal symmetrical guides
and flap.
Figure 4 represents a side view of the central rod.
Figure 5 represents a side view of the upper part of the central rod.
Figure 6 represents a side view of the counterweight.
Figure 07 represents a side view of the cap.
Detailed description of the object
[0022] With reference to the illustrated drawings, the present patent [privilege] refers
to a "MASS DISPLACEMENT DEVICE IN A RACKET FOR THE PRACTICE OF SPORTS", more precisely,
it is a device used to balance the weight of a racket (2) for the practice of sports
and shift its balance, in order to improve the performance of the user.
[0023] Said device comprises a hollow main tube (1), which is fixed by glue or any other
adhesive means inside the racket handle (2), support flap (3) and internal thread
(4) in its upper part, symmetrical guides (8) in high relief on its internal wall
and, in its lower internal part, a centralized concave receptacle (9) for the conditioning
and fitting of the central rod (10).
[0024] The central rod (10) is composed, in its upper part, of a protruding head (14) comprising
external grooves, hexagonal in shape, or having any other arrangement that can generate
friction with the hands or fingers of the user, and with the body of said central
rod (10) having a small smooth upper part (15), followed by a channel (16) in low
relief around its entire circumference and the rest of its body equipped with an infinite
thread (17), through which the counterweight (11) with infinite internal thread (12),
and the lower part of the central rod (10) is convex in shape (18), so as to be conditioned
and fitted into the concave receptacle (9) that exists in the lower internal part
of the main tube (1), eliminating the possibility of lateral movement of said central
rod (10).
[0025] The counterweight (11), which moves along the entire length of the central rod (10),
is equipped with an infinite internal thread (12) and symmetrical grooves (13) on
its external part, with these symmetrical grooves (13) being fitted into the symmetrical
guides (8) in high relief, located on the inside of the main tube (1).
[0026] To immobilize the central rod (10) in the main tube (1), a cap (5) fixed or equipped
with an external thread (7) is provided, which will be fixed or threaded into the
internal thread (4) existing on the part upper part of the main tube (1), this cap
(5) being equipped with a central hollow hole (6) with a smooth interior, through
which the central rod (10) will be inserted, so that the small upper part (15) on
the central rod (10) fits into the central hollow hole (6) of said cap (5), and the
central rod (10) is secured to the cap (5) through a clip (19), inserted into the
channel (16) in low relief existing on the central rod (10), so as not to allow vertical
or lateral movement of said central rod (10) and leaving the part of the central rod
(10) equipped with infinite thread (17) free for rotational movements in its axle.
[0027] The main tube (1) is inserted inside the racket handle (2), being fixed by glue or
any other adhesive means.
[0028] The central rod (10) is inserted through the central hollow hole (6) in the cap (5),
being fixed to said cap (5) by a clip (19) inserted in the channel (16) in the existing
low relief in said central rod (10), and the counterweight (11) is threaded into the
part of the central rod (10) equipped with infinite thread (17), and this assembly
is inserted inside the main tube (1), until the convex-shaped lower part (18) of the
central rod (10) is accommodated in the concave receptacle (9) existing in the lower
internal part of the main tube (1), with the symmetrical low-relief external grooves
(13) existing in said counterweight (11) fit into the symmetrical, high-relief internal
guides (8) on the inner wall of the main tube (1), and the installation of the device
in the racket is completed by screwing or fixing the cap (5) to the main tube (1),
immobilizing the assembly and only allowing the rotational movement of the central
rod (10) on its axis, both clockwise and counterclockwise.
[0029] With the device fixed to the racket (2), the user, through the protruding head (14)
of the central rod (10), can make rotational movements of said central rod (10), clockwise
or counterclockwise, in order to move the counterweight (11) along the entire length
of the part of the central rod (10) equipped with an infinite thread (17), quickly
and effectively controlling the desired balance point for the racket (2).
[0030] Different embodiments and variations can be made to the present mass displacement
device for rackets (2) for the practice of sports, including modifications in construction,
size, materials, functional configurations, or relating to process steps and parameters,
without departing from the scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.
1. Mass displacement device in a racket for the practice of sports, equipped with a protruding
head (14) with external grooves, with hexagonal shape, or in another arrangement that
may generate friction with the hands or fingers of the user,
having a main tube (1) fixed by glue or other adhesive means inside the racket handle
(2),
characterized by having a hollow main tube (1) equipped, in its upper part, with an external support
flap (3) and internal thread (4)
where the cap (5) equipped with an external thread (7) and central hollow hole (6)
will be threaded on,
said main tube (1) being equipped on its internal wall and along the entire length
of its body, with internal symmetrical guides (8) in high relief, and in its lower
internal part, it is equipped with a centralized concave receptacle (9), for having
a central rod (10) with counterweight (11) equipped with infinite internal thread
(12) and symmetrical grooves (13) at the bottom relief, which will pass through the
cap (5), being fixed to said cap (5) through a clip (19),
said central rod (10) is composed, in its upper part, of a protruding head (14), being
said body of said central rod (10) has a small smooth upper part (15), followed by
a channel (16) in low relief throughout its circumference and the remainder of its
body is equipped with an infinite thread (17), where the counterweight (11) is threaded,
and the lower part of the central rod (10) has a convex shape (18).
2. Mass displacement device in a racket for the practice of sports, according to the
claim, characterized by the counterweight (11) being equipped with an infinite internal thread (12) and symmetrical
grooves (13) in low relief on its external part.
3. Mass displacement device in a racket for the practice of sports, according to any
of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cap (5) is provided with an external thread (7) that will be threaded onto the
internal thread (4) on the main tube (1) or fixed to said main tube (1) and a central
hollow hole (6) with a smooth interior, through which the central rod (10) will be
inserted.
4. Mass displacement device in a racket for the practice of sports, according to any
of the preceding claims, characterized in that the central rod (10) is inserted through the central hollow hole (6) in the cap (5),
being fixed to the said cap (5) by a clip (19) inserted into the channel (16) in the
low relief existing in said central rod (10) equipped with infinite thread (17), this
assembly being inserted inside the main tube (1), with the cap (5) being threaded
or fixed onto the main tube (1), until the convex-shaped lower part (18) of the central
rod (10) fits into the concave receptacle (9) on the inner lower part of the main
tube (1), with the external symmetrical grooves (13) of said counterweight (11) fitting
into the internal symmetrical guides (8) on the internal wall of the main tube (1).