Tennis racket having a primarily rectangular shape

Abstract

Tennis rackets having a primarily rectangular shape comprise a frame and string arrangement that creates a tennis racket with the advantages of a rectangular racket without the structure and weight of a purely rectangular racket. An embodiment has an outer frame with generally straight portions at a top and bottom of the outer frame. Lateral strings connected to these generally straight portions have generally the same length. A separate distal lateral member of the frame provides a connection component for longitudinal strings having generally the same length. The tennis racket having a primarily rectangular shape with separate distal lateral member creates a sweet spot that is much larger than conventional oval-shaped rackets, but is lighter and structurally stronger than rectangular rackets lacking these features.

1 . A tennis racket comprising: 
 a handle;    an outer frame comprising: 
 a proximal generally curved section proximate to and attached to the handle, a portion of the proximal generally curved section defining a portion of a throat section via which the outer frame is attached to the handle;  
 a distal generally curved section opposite the proximal generally curved section;  
 first and second straight sections lying between the proximal and distal generally curved sections;  
   the tennis racket further comprising:    a lateral frame section distinct from the outer frame and attached to one of the generally curved sections;    a plurality of lateral strings having a generally common length directly attached to both the first and second straight sections of the outer frame; and    a plurality of longitudinal strings having a generally common length directly attached to the lateral frame section.    
   
   
       2 . The tennis racket according to  claim 1 , wherein the lateral frame section is a distal lateral frame section and is attached to the distal generally curved section.  
   
   
       3 . The tennis racket according to  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 a proximal lateral frame section distinct from the outer frame and attached to the proximal generally curved section of the outer frame;    wherein the plurality of longitudinal strings are further directly attached to the proximal lateral frame section.    
   
   
       4 . The tennis racket according to  claim 3 , wherein the proximal lateral frame section and the distal lateral frame section are formed as straight sections.  
   
   
       5 . The tennis racket according to  claim 2 , wherein the distal lateral frame section is formed as a curved section.  
   
   
       6 . The tennis racket according to  claim 5 , wherein the curve of the distal lateral frame section is generally parallel to the proximal generally curved section of the outer frame.  
   
   
       7 . The tennis racket according to  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of longitudinal strings are directly attached to the proximal generally curved section of the outer frame.  
   
   
       8 . The tennis racket according to  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 the throat section is configured to strengthen the proximal half of the frame and to structurally balance the distal lateral frame section.    
   
   
       9 . The tennis racket according to  claim 1 , wherein a majority of the lateral strings are generally a same length, and a majority of the longitudinal strings are generally a same length.  
   
   
       10 . The tennis racket according to  claim 1 , wherein a length of the handle and throat section is approximately 13″.  
   
   
       11 . The tennis racket according to  claim 1 , wherein a length of a longest longitudinal string is approximately 14″.  
   
   
       12 . The tennis racket according to  claim 1 , wherein a length of a longest lateral string is approximately 11″.  
   
   
       13 . The tennis racket according to  claim 1 , wherein an overall length of the racket is approximately 29″.  
   
   
       14 . The tennis racket according to  claim 1 , wherein the strings utilize variable string tensions.  
   
   
       15 . The tennis racket according to  claim 1 , further comprising perimeter weighting.  
   
   
       16 . A tennis racket comprising: 
 a handle;    an outer frame comprising: 
 a proximal generally curved section proximate to and attached to the handle, a portion of the proximal generally curved section defining a portion of a throat section via which the outer frame is attached to the handle;  
 a distal generally curved section opposite the proximal generally curved section;  
   the tennis racket further comprising:    a distal lateral frame section distinct from the outer frame and attached to the distal generally curved section;    a plurality of lateral strings directly attached to the outer frame; and    a plurality of longitudinal strings directly attached to the distal lateral frame section.    
   
   
       17 . A tennis racket comprising: 
 a handle;    a frame comprising longitudinal string attachment points and lateral string attachment points;    a plurality of longitudinal strings attached to the longitudinal string attachment points, wherein a majority of the plurality of longitudinal strings are of generally a same length, and a minority of the plurality of longitudinal strings are of a length shorter than the length of the majority of the plurality of longitudinal strings; and    a plurality of lateral strings attached to the lateral string attachment points, wherein a majority of the plurality of lateral strings are of generally a same length, and a minority of the plurality of lateral strings are of a length shorter than the length of the majority of the plurality of lateral strings.