Weighted racquet cover

• US 4,671,510 A
• Filed: 01/31/1986
• Issued: 06/09/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: HANX Associates
• Original Assignee: HANX Associates
• Inventors: Schoenwetter, Henry
• Primary Examiner(s): Pinkham, Richard C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROWN, THEATRICE
• Application Number:
  US06/824,712
• Time in Patent Office: 494 Days
• Field of Search: 273/74, 273/29 A, 150/52 G, 272/117, 272/124, 272/125
• US Class Current: 473/437
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/38 for tennis A63B61/006, A63B69/0073 and A63B69/0097 take precedence

Abstract

Tennis and racquetball players use practice swings to warm up much the same as baseball players swing several bats just before going to bat. The present invention allows a common racquet cover to function as a warm up aid by providing balanced weight holding pockets on the face of the cover. Variable weights are placed symmetrically around the center line of the cover to provide constant rotational torque resistance during a practice swing. Interchangeable weights can simulate the weight of the playing ball. Thus, all levels of players can practice their shots just before playing ball.

Claims

1. For use on a sporting racquet which has a handle and a racquet head attached to the handle, said racquet head being symmetrical on opposite sides of a longitudinal centerline aligned with the handle, the combination of:

a cover contoured to fit snugly over the racquet head;

a plurality of pockets on the outside of said cover, each of said pockets having an opening therein, said pockets being symmetrically arranged laterally of the longitudinal centerline of the racquet head carrying the cover;

closure means for said pocket openings selectively operable manually to either close or open each of said pocket openings;

and a plurality of weights slidably insertable individually into and removable from said pockets through said openings, said weights being shaped and dimensioned to be snugly positioned individually in said pockets and symmetrically arranged laterally of said longitudinal centerline to maintain a balanced rotational torque of the racquet head carrying said cover and said inserted weights.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein:

each of said pockets is elongated lengthwise of the racquet head carrying the cover in a direction longitudinally of the handle of the racquet;

and each of said weights fits snugly inside a corresponding pocket along substantially the entire length of said pocket.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein:

each of said pocket openings is at the end of the corresponding pocket which is toward the handle when the cover is on the racquet head;

and said closure means comprises flexible flap means for covering said openings and manually separable fastener elements on said pockets and said flap means for holding said flap means positioned closing said openings.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein:

said pockets are closely spaced apart laterally across said cover;

and said flap means is a single wide flap for simultaneously closing the openings in all of said pockets.

5. The combination of claim 3 wherein:

said pockets include pockets spaced apart in succession along the longitudinal centerline of the cover.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein:

said pockets include additional pockets offset laterally on opposite sides of the longitudinal centerline of the cover.

7. The combination of claim 1 wherein :

each of said pockets has an end which is positioned toward the handle when the cover is on the racquet head, and said opening in each pocket is on said end of that pocket;

and said closure means comprises flexible flap means for covering said openings and manually separable fastener elements on said pockets and said flap means for holding said flap means positioned closing said openings.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein:

said pockets are closely spaced apart laterally across said cover;

and said flap means is a single wide flap for simultaneously closing the openings in all of said pockets.

9. The combination of claim 7 wherein:

said pockets include pockets spaced apart in succession along the longitudinal centerline of the cover.

10. The combination of claim 9 wherein:

said pockets include additional pockets offset laterally on opposite sides of the longitudinal centerline of the cover.