Game racket

Claim 2

A game racket having a head frame, neck and throat portions, and a handle extension terminating in a handle portion comprising: a single unitary racket shell having opposite faces each of which is recessed below a single upstanding continuous peripheral outer edge, said shell extending throughout the length of said racket, said shell comprising a synthetic resin having a flexural modulus of from about 3 X 105 to about 17 X 105 psi and an Izod impact measurement of from about 2 to about 15 ft-lb/in., said shell defining a racket plane; and facing members laminated parallel to each face of said shell covering said recesses with said facing members abutting said upstanding edge, the outer surface of said facing being substantially flush with said upstanding edge and substantially parallel to said racket plane, said facing members extending entirely around the head frame portion of said shell, through said neck and throat portions, and at least partially down said handle extension, said facing members comprising a highstrength fiber reinforced plastic material, said fibers having a Young''s modulus of from about 20 X 106 to about 80 X 106 psi and a density of from about 0.05 to about 0.07 lb/in.

Claim 3

The racket according to claim 1 further including a pair of pallets secured to the handle portion of said shell to provide a gripping area.

Claim 4

The racket according to claim 1 wherein said recessed faces include an array of pockets extending inwardly from the shell faces alternately from opposite faces and spaced along the length of said shell, the resulting inter-pocket webs having a truss-like configuration.

Claim 5

The racket according to claim 3 wherein said inter-pocket webs in the head portion of said shell have thickened transverse portions through which transverse stringing holes are formed.

Claim 6

The racket according to claim 1 wherein said facing further includes a fiberglass cloth layer bonded thereto over at least part of the facing surface.

Claim 7

The racket according to claim 1 wherein said shell comprises a synthetic resin selected from the group consisting of polycarbonate and polyphenylene oxide resins, and said shell contains up to about 50 weight percent chopped glass fibers.

Claim 8

The racket according to claim 1 wherein said facing comprises high strength graphite fibers in an epoxy resin matrix, said fibers being arranged substantially unidirectionally around the facing head portion and down the handle portion.

Claim 9

The racket according to claim 1, said shell faces each having a discontinuous central ridge raised above said recess in at least thE head portion substantially parallel to said shell peripheral edge, said ridge adapted to mesh with a groove in said facing when said facing is laminated to said shell.

Claim 10

A game racket having a head frame, neck and throat portions, and a handle extension terminating in a handle portion comprising: a single unitary racket shell extending throughout the length of said racket and having two substantially parallel faces including an array of pockets extending inwardly from the shell faces alternately from opposite faces and spaced along the length of said shell, the resulting inter-pocket webs having a truss-like configuration; said shell comprising a synthetic resin selected from the group consisting of polycarbonate and polyphenylene oxide resins having a flexural modulus of from about 3 X 105 to about 17 X 105 psi and an Izod impact measurement of from about 2 to about 15 ft-lb/in.; said shell containing up to about 50 weight percent glass fibers, said shell defining a racket plane; facing members generally conforming to the shape of said shell laminated parallel to each face of said shell covering said pockets and substantially parallel to said racket plane, said facing members being substantially flat but having a longitudinal central groove around the head portion with thickened edges; said facing members comprising graphite fibers in an epoxy resin matrix, said graphite fibers having a Young''s modulus of from about 20 X 106 to about 80 X 106 psi and a density of from about 0.05 to about 0.07 lb/in3.

Claim 11

A game racket having a head frame, neck and throat portions, and a handle extension terminating in a handle portion comprising: a single unitary racket shell extending throughout the length of said racket and having two substantially parallel faces including an array of pockets extending inwardly from the shell faces alternately from opposite faces and spaced along the length of said shell, the resulting inter-pocket webs having a truss-like configuration; said shell comprising a synthetic resin selected from the group consisting of polycarbonate and polyphenylene oxide resins having a flexural modulus of from about 3 X 105 to about 17 X 105 psi and an Izod impact measurement of from about 2 to about 15 ft-lb/in.; said shell containing up to about 50 weight percent glass fibers, said shell defining a racket plane; facing members generally conforming to the shape of said shell laminated parallel to each face of said shell covering said pockets and substantially parallel to said racket plane, said facing members being substantially flat but having a longitudinal central groove around the head portion with thickened edges; said facing members comprising graphite fibers in an epoxy resin matrix, said graphite fibers having a Young''s modulus of from about 20 X 106 to about 80 X 106 psi and a density of from about 0.05 to about 0.07 lb/in3.

Claim 12

The racket according to claim 9 further including a pair of pallets secured to the handle portion of said shell to provide a gripping area.

Claim 13

The racket according to claim 10 wherein said pallets substantially surround said handle portion and include a locating pin fitting a locating hole in said handle when assembled.

Claim 14

The racket according to claim 9 wherein each face of said shell in at least the head portion includes an upstanding discontinuous central ridge raised above said recess running substantially parallel to the periphery of said face corresponding to said facing groove running substantially parallel to the periphery of said facing, said ridge and said groove meshing when said facings are laminated to said shell.

Claim 15

A game racket having a head frame, neck and throat portions, and a handle extension terminating in a handle portion comprising: a single unitary racket shell having opposite faces each of which is recessed below a single upstanding continuous peripheral edge, said shell extending throughout the length of said racket, said shell defining a racket plane; and facing members laminated parallel to each face of said shell covering said recesses in an abutting relationship with said upstanding edge, the outer surface of each facing being substantially flush with said upstanding edge and substantially parallel to said racket plane; said facing members extending entirely around the head portion of said shell through said neck and throat portions and at least partially down said handle extension; and said recessed faces including an array of pockets extending inwardly from the shell faces alternately from opposite faces and spaced along the length of said shell, the resulting inter-pocket webs having a truss-like configuration, said interpocket webs in the head portion of said shell having thickened transverse portions through which transverse stringing holes are formed.

Claim 16

A game racket having a head frame, neck and throat portions, and a handle extension terminating in a handle portion comprising: a single unitary racket shell having opposite faces each of which is recessed below a single upstanding continuous peripheral edge, said shell extending throughout the length of said racket, said shell defining a racket plane; and facing members laminated parallel to each face of said shell covering said recesses in an abutting relationship with said upstanding edge, the outer surface of each facing being substantially flush with said upstanding edge and substantially parallel to said racket plane; said facing members extending entirely around the head portion of said shell through said neck and throat portions and at least partially down said handle extension; and said recessed faces including an array of pockets extending inwardly from the shell faces alternately from opposite faces and spaced along the length of said shell, the resulting inter-pocket webs having a truss-like configuration, said interpocket webs in the head portion of said shell having thickened transverse portions through which transverse stringing holes are formed.

Claim 17

The racket according to claim 13 wherein each of said facing members has thickened peripheral edges defining a groove therebetween in at least the head portion, and said shell faces each have a discontinuous central ridge raised above said recess in at least the head portion substantially parallel to said shell peripheral edge, said ridge adapted to mesh with said facing groove when said facing is laminated to said shell.

Claim 18

The racket according to claim 13 wherein said facings comprise high-strength graphite fibers in an epoxy resin matrix.

Claim 19

The racket according to claim 13 wherein said shell comprises a synthetic resin selected from the group consisting of polycarbonate and polyphenylene oxide resins, and said shell contains up to about 50 weight percent chopped glass fibers.

Claim 20

A game racket having a head frame, neck and throat portions, and a handle extension terminating in a handle portion comprising: a single unitary racket shell extending throughout the length of said racket and having two substantially parallel faces including an array of pockets extending inwardly from the shell faces alternately from opposite faces and spaced along the length of said shell, the resulting inter-pocket webs having a truss-like configuration, said shell defining a racket plane; facing members generally conforming to the shape of said shell laminated parallel to each face of said shell covering said pockets and substantially parallel to said racket plane, said facing members comprising high strength fibers embedded in a synthetic resin matrix; and each of said facing members having thickened peripheral edges defining a groove therebetween in at least the head portion, and said shell faces each having a discontinuous central ridge raised above said recess in at least the head portion substantially parallel to said shell peripheral edge, said ridge adapted to mesh with said facing groove when said facing is laminated to said shell.

Claim 21

A game racket having a head frame, neck and throat portions, and a handle extension terminating in a handle portion comprising: a single unitary racket shell extending throughout the length of said racket and having two substantially parallel faces including an array of pockets extending inwardly from the shell faces alternately from opposite faces and spaced along the length of said shell, the resulting inter-pocket webs having a truss-like configuration, said shell defining a racket plane; facing members generally conforming to the shape of said shell laminated parallel to each face of said shell covering said pockets and substantially parallel to said racket plane, said facing members comprising high strength fibers embedded in a synthetic resin matrix; and each of said facing members having thickened peripheral edges defining a groove therebetween in at least the head portion, and said shell faces each having a discontinuous central ridge raised above said recess in at least the head portion substantially parallel to said shell peripheral edge, said ridge adapted to mesh with said facing groove when said facing is laminated to said shell.

Claim 22

The racket according to claim 17 wherein the opposite faces of said racket are recessed below an upstanding continuous peripheral edge and said facings abut said upstanding edge with the outer surfaces of said facings being substantially flush with said upstanding edge.

Claim 23

The racket according to claim 17 wherein said shell comprises a synthetic resin selected from the group consisting of polycarbonate and polyphenylene oxide resins, and said shell contains up to about 50 weight percent chopped glass fibers.

Claim 24

The racket according to claim 17 wherein said facings comprise high-strength graphite fibers in an epoxy resin matrix.

Claim 25

A game racket having a head frame, neck and throat portions, and a handle extension terminating in a handle portion comprising: a single unitary racket shell extending throughout the length of said racket defining a racket plane, said shell having substantially parallel opposite faces each of which is recessed below an upstanding continuous peripheral edge, said shell including an array of pockets extending inwardly from said faces alternately from opposite faces and spaced along the length of said shell, the resulting inter-pocket webs having a truss-like configuration; and facing members generally conforming to the shape of said shell laminated parallel to each face of said shell covering said pockets and substantially filling said recesses in an abutting relationship with said upstanding peripheral edge, the outer surface of the facings being substantially flush with said upstanding edges and substantially parallel to said racket plane, said facing members extending entirely around the head portion of said shell and at least partially down said handle extension; and each of said facing members having thickened peripheral edges defining a groove therebetween in at least the head portion, and said shell faces each having a discontinuous central ridge raised above said recess in at least the head portion substantially parallel to said shell peripheral edge, said ridge adapted to mesh with said facing groove when said facing is laminated to said shell.

Claim 26

A game racket having a head frame, neck and throat portions, and a handle extension terminating in a handle portion comprising: a single unitary racket shell extending throughout the length of said racket defining a racket plane, said shell having substantially parallel opposite faces each of which is recessed below an upstanding continuous peripheral edge, said shell including an array of pockets extending inwardly from said faces alternately from opposite faces and spaced along the length of said shell, the resulting inter-pocket webs having a truss-like configuration; and facing members generally conforming to the shape of said shell laminated parallel to each face of said shell covering said pockets and substantially filling said recesses in an abutting relationship with said upstanding peripheral edge, the outer surface of the facings being substantially flush with said upstanding edges and substantially parallel to said racket plane, said facing members extending entirely around the head portion of said shell and at least partially down said handle extension; and each of said facing members having thickened peripheral edges defining a groove therebetween in at least the head portion, and said shell faces each having a discontinuous central ridge raised above said recess in at least the head portion substantially parallel to said shell peripheral edge, said ridge adapted to mesh with said facing groove when said facing is laminated to said shell.

Claim 27

The racket according to claim 21 wherein said shell comprises a synthetic resin selected from the group consisting of polycarbonate and polyphenylene oxide resins, and said shell contains up to about 50 weight percent chopped glass fibers.

Claim 28

The racket according to claim 21 wherein said facings coMprise high-strength graphite fibers in an epoxy resin matrix.