Patent US2301129A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4076239A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Tennis teaching aid
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1976-07-29
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Granted: 1978-02-28
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Expires: 1996-07-29
Abstract
Abstract A tennis teaching aid for use in instructing tennis players how to strike a tennis ball more consistently with a particular area of the tennis racket known as the "sweet spot," so that the ball is moved with a greater velocity and the player is afforded better control over each shot. The device includes two flat plates of relatively stiff but resilient material, disposed one on each side of the strings of the racket and clamped together about the strings by four threaded nuts and bolts engaging aligned holes in the plates. The device is provided with at least one area of padding material placed near the edge of each plate and between each plate and the strings of the tennis racquet to emit a distinctive sound when struck at its center by a tennis ball, and gives out another distinctive but different sound when struck at an off-center location.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles O. Hall
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 09:10
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63B; A63B69/00; A63B69/38
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
192 words
A device for providing an audible indication when a tennis ball is struck with a desired area of a tennis racket, said device comprising: two thin flat plates, each having a smaller planar area than that of the head of a conventional tennis recquet and being of stiff but resilient material disposable one on each side of the strings of the head of a tennis racket at the desired area; at least one area of padding material having a smaller planar area than each of said plates and affixed to the side of each of said plates between each of said plates and the strings; of the head of the tennis recquet and a plurality of compressing fasteners attached to said plates and disposable through graps between the strings, for attaching said plates together onto the strings; whereby said padding material causes said device when disposed on a racket and struck by a tennis ball to emit a first distinctive sound when struck at its center and a second distinctive sound when struck at an off-center location, but has little or no significant effect on the ball rebound characteristics of the racket.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
192 words
A device for providing an audible indication when a tennis ball is struck with a desired area of a tennis racket, said device comprising: two thin flat plates, each having a smaller planar area than that of the head of a conventional tennis recquet and being of stiff but resilient material disposable one on each side of the strings of the head of a tennis racket at the desired area; at least one area of padding material having a smaller planar area than each of said plates and affixed to the side of each of said plates between each of said plates and the strings; of the head of the tennis recquet and a plurality of compressing fasteners attached to said plates and disposable through graps between the strings, for attaching said plates together onto the strings; whereby said padding material causes said device when disposed on a racket and struck by a tennis ball to emit a first distinctive sound when struck at its center and a second distinctive sound when struck at an off-center location, but has little or no significant effect on the ball rebound characteristics of the racket.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
A device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said flat plates are of a high-pressure laminated plastic material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
A device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said compressing fasteners comprise pairs of threaded nuts and bolts, said bolts being disposed through aligned holes in said plates.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
A device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said areas of padded material are two in number on each of said plates and are substantially diametrically opposed on said plates.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
A device as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said plates includes a target area at the center thereof, said target area having a color contrasting to the color of the remainder of said plate.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
215 words
A device for providing an audible indication when a tennis ball is struck at the "sweet spot" area of a conventional lawn tennis racket, said device comprising: two thin flat circular plates each having a smaller planar area than the head of a conventional tennis racquet and being of high-pressure laminated plastic material, a plate being disposable on each side of the strings of a tennis racket at the desired "sweet spot" area, each of said plates having a plurality of holes therethrough; a pair of relatively soft pads affixed to the side of each of said plates between each of said plates and the strings of the head of a tennis racquet, each of said pads having a smaller planar area than each of said plates; and said plates being attachable to the strings of a tennis racquet by a threaded bolt extending through each of said holes in said plates and the gaps between said strings, said bolts being tightened by threaded nuts placed thereon; whereby said pads cause said device when struck by a ball to give a first distinctive sound when struck at its center and a second distinctive sound when struck at an off-center location, but has little or no significant effect on the ball rebounding characteristics of the racket.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
215 words
A device for providing an audible indication when a tennis ball is struck at the "sweet spot" area of a conventional lawn tennis racket, said device comprising: two thin flat circular plates each having a smaller planar area than the head of a conventional tennis racquet and being of high-pressure laminated plastic material, a plate being disposable on each side of the strings of a tennis racket at the desired "sweet spot" area, each of said plates having a plurality of holes therethrough; a pair of relatively soft pads affixed to the side of each of said plates between each of said plates and the strings of the head of a tennis racquet, each of said pads having a smaller planar area than each of said plates; and said plates being attachable to the strings of a tennis racquet by a threaded bolt extending through each of said holes in said plates and the gaps between said strings, said bolts being tightened by threaded nuts placed thereon; whereby said pads cause said device when struck by a ball to give a first distinctive sound when struck at its center and a second distinctive sound when struck at an off-center location, but has little or no significant effect on the ball rebounding characteristics of the racket.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
A device as set forth in claim 6, wherein each of said flat plates comprises a double thickness of high-pressure laminated plastic material, the two thicknesses being held together by an adhesive material.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3874666A
Cited
US3820785A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-02-27 | 1981-08-29 | 1982-02-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-02-27 | 1985-08-29 | 1986-02-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-02-27 | 1989-08-29 | 1990-02-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |