Sports instrument and impact-absorbing element to be attached to sports equipment

• US 5,314,180 A
• Filed: 12/16/1992
• Issued: 05/24/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toray Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Toray Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Komatsu, Yasuo, Yamagishi, Masahiro, Hijiri, Masao, Edagawa, Hiroshi, Imaeda, Naoki
• Primary Examiner(s): STOLL, WILLIAM E
• Application Number:
  US07/993,455
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 273/73 R, 273/73 F, 273/80 R, 273/80.4, 273/80.5, 273/81 R, 273/81 D
• US Class Current: 473/521
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations

Abstract

This invention relates to sports rackets with which the impact or vibration transmitted to the body such as the arms, of a user when the sports racket is used is largely reduced. The sports racket according to the present invention comprises as at least a part of the material constituting said sports racket a vibration-reducing material having a vibration loss coefficient of not less than 0.01 at room temperature, comprising epoxy resin, polyamide resin, and a filler.

Claims

1. A sports racket having a vibration-reducing material embedded therein,

wherein the vibration-reducing material has a vibration loss coefficient of not less than 0.01 at room temperature,

wherein said vibration-reducing material is a thermally cured material of the following components as major constituents:

(a) an epoxy resin which possesses flowability at a temperature between room temperature and 100°

C.,

(b) a polyamide resin which possesses flowability at a temperature between room temperature and 100°

C., and

(c) an inorganic filler selected from the group consisting of graphite, ferrite and mica;

and wherein, the sports racket is selected from the group consisting of;

a tennis racket,

a racket ball racket, and

a squash ball racket.

2. The sports racket of claim 1, wherein the vibration loss coefficient at room temperature is not less than 0.02.

3. The sports racket of claim 2 or 1, further comprising a resin layer which is reinforced with fibers,

wherein said vibration-reducing material is in the form of a sheet, plate, line, block, net or ribbon, and wherein said vibration-reducing material and said resin layer integrally from the racket.

4. The sports racket of claim 3, wherein said resin layer reinforced with fibers is arranged adjacent to or in the vicinity of said vibration-reducing material.

5. The sports racket of claim 3, wherein said resin layer is reinforced with fibers in a prepreg containing carbon fibers as at least a part of said fibers.

6. The sports racket of claim 3, wherein said vibration-reducing and said resin layer which is reinforced with fibers integrally form a substantially hollow structure.

7. The sports racket of claim 3, wherein said resin layer which is reinforced with fibers comprises a thermosetting resin.

8. The sports racket of claim 7, wherein said thermosetting resin is an epoxy resin.

9. The sports racket of claim 7, wherein said thermosetting resin is an unsaturated polyester resin.

10. The sports racket of claim 2 or 1, wherein said sports racket is a racket ball racket.

11. The sports racket of claim 2 or 1, wherein said sports racket is a squash ball racket.

12. The sports racket of claim 2 or 1, wherein said sports racket is a tennis racket.

13. The sports racket of claim 2 or 1, wherein said racket comprises a fiber-reinforced resin layer and said vibration-reducing material is laminated on the reinforced resin layer.