Handle-expander element for a racket handle, a set of handle-expander elements, a handle-expander, and a corresponding method

Abstract

A handle-expander element ( 1 ) for the handle ( 2 ) of a sports racket, in particular a tennis racket is made up of an elongate body ( 10 ) presenting an “inside” face for applying along the handle of the racket and an “outside” face for holding by the player, each of the inside and outside faces of the elongate body ( 10 ) being made up of a plurality of longitudinal facets. The handle-expander element includes at least one tongue ( 113, 115 ) extending an end facet ( 13, 15 ) that extends transversely to the axis of the end facet. A set of handle-expander elements, a handle-expander, and a method of modifying the diameter size of the corresponding handle are also described.

1 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A handle-expander element ( 1 ) for a handle ( 2 ) of a sports racket, in particular a tennis racket,
 said element ( 1 ) is made up of an elongate body ( 10 ) presenting an “inside” face for applying along the racket handle and an “outside” face for holding by the player, said element ( 1 ) being suitable, on its own or in co-operation with another similar element ( 1 ′), for forming a cover of generally tubular shape around the racket handle ( 2 ),   each inside and outside face of said elongate body ( 10 ) being made up of a plurality of longitudinal facets ( 101 ,  102 ,  103 ,  104 ,  105 ) that are separated from one another by longitudinal bends ( 11 ,  12 ,  14 ), the element being characterized in that:   each of the longitudinal bends ( 11 ,  12 ,  14 ) of said elongate body ( 10 ) is interrupted in the vicinity of at least the end portion ( 10 A) of said elongate body that is to cover the free end portion ( 20 A) of the handle, referred to as the “butt” of the handle, in order to form a slit extending to the end edge of said end portion ( 10 A), said slits defining between them a plurality of tongues ( 111 ,  112 ,  113 ,  114 ,  115 ) extending the facets of the elongate body; and   in that at at least one of the end portions of said body, at least one, and preferably each, of the tongues ( 113 ,  115 ) that extend the “end” facets ( 103 ,  105 ) defining the free longitudinal edges ( 13 ,  15 ) of said handle-expander element, extends on either side of the plane containing the longitudinal free edge ( 13 ,  15 ) of the corresponding end facet and that is perpendicular to the plane of said end facet ( 103 ,  105 ).   
     
     
         12 . The element according to  claim 11 , characterized in that said tongue ( 113 ,  115 ) extending one or each end facet ( 103 ,  105 ) presents, in projection onto the plane of the corresponding end facet, an outer longitudinal edge that forms a non-zero angle relative to the free longitudinal edge ( 13 ,  15 ) of the corresponding end facet, said angle preferably being equal to 174.29°. 
     
     
         13 . The element according to  claim 11 , characterized in that each of the longitudinal bends ( 11 ,  12 ,  14 ) of the elongate body ( 10 ) is interrupted in the vicinity of both opposite end portions ( 10 A;  10 B) of said elongate body in order to form slits extending to the end edges of said end portions ( 10 A;  10 B). 
     
     
         14 . The element according to  claim 11 , characterized in that:
 said tongues ( 111 ,  112 ,  113 ,  114 ,  115 ) are formed by interrupting the longitudinal bends ( 11 ,  12 ,  14 ) of the elongate body ( 10 ) in the “base” end portion ( 10 A) of said elongate body that is to cover the free end portion ( 20 A) of the handle, referred to as the handle butt; and   in that each of said tongues ( 111 ,  112 ,  113 ,  114 ,  115 ) presents a fold line extending transversely relative to the bends ( 11 ,  12 ,  14 ).   
     
     
         15 . The element according to  claim 11 , characterized in that the end portion ( 10 B) of the elongate body that is to cover the end portion ( 20 B) of the handle that is connected to the handle frame includes separable zones ( 40 ) enabling the length of said element to be matched to the handle. 
     
     
         16 . The element according to  claim 11 , characterized in that it is in the general shape of a cylinder on an octagonal base that is truncated by a midplane containing the longitudinal axis of said cylinder and the middles of two opposite sides of said octagonal base. 
     
     
         17 . The element according to  claim 11 , characterized in that at least some of the facets ( 101 ,  102 ,  103 ,  104 ,  105 ) of the handle-expander element ( 1 ,  1 ′) present openings ( 100 ) serving to lighten the weight of said handle-expander element ( 1 ,  1 ′). 
     
     
         18 . A handle-expander for a sports racket, in particular for a tennis racket, the handle-expander being characterized in that it is made up of two handle-expander elements ( 1 ,  1 ′) in accordance with  claim 11 , said handle-expander elements ( 1 ,  1 ′) forming two half-shells for applying along the racket handle ( 2 ) in such a manner as to sandwich said handle ( 2 ) between the two half-shells. 
     
     
         19 . A set of handle-expander elements comprising handle-expander elements according to  claim 11 , characterized in that said set comprises a range of different thicknesses for the handle-expander element, enabling the size of the racket handle to be increased to the desired size, and in that in order to increase the racket handle by a given number of sizes, the handle-expander element of thickness that corresponds to said desired increase in size, is applicable to different starting sizes. 
     
     
         20 . A set of handle-expander elements comprising handle-expander elements according to  claim 11 , said set comprising a range of different sizes for the inside face of the handle-expander element ( 1 ,  1 ′), and also, for at least one value in said range of inside face sizes and preferably for each of said values, a range of different thicknesses for the handle-expander element ( 1 ,  1 ′). 
     
     
         21 . A method of modifying the size of the handle of a sports racket, in particular of a tennis racket, said method being characterized in that it comprises the following steps:
 for a racket handle ( 2 ) of a given size, referred to as the “starting” size, selecting a pair of handle-expander elements ( 1 ,  1 ′) from a set of handle-expander elements in accordance with  claim 18 , which set comprises handle-expander elements in the form of half-shells, the facets of the inside face of each selected element ( 1 ,  1 ′) enabling said element to fit closely to the corresponding facets of the handle ( 2 ), and the thickness thereof enabling the desired size for the racket handle ( 2 ) to be obtained when the handle-expander elements ( 1 ,  1 ′) are applied against the racket handle ( 2 );   applying each handle-expander element ( 1 ,  1 ′) along the handle ( 2 ) in such a manner as to sandwich said handle between the two half-shells formed by said handle-expander elements ( 1 ,  1 ′); and   helically winding at least one strip of material around the covering formed by the two half-shells, which strip, referred to as a “grip”, is made of a material that provides the player with a firm grasp on the racket.   
     
     
         22 . The element according to  claim 12 , characterized in that each of the longitudinal bends ( 11 ,  12 ,  14 ) of the elongate body ( 10 ) is interrupted in the vicinity of both opposite end portions ( 10 A;  10 B) of said elongate body in order to form slits extending to the end edges of said end portions ( 10 A;  10 B). 
     
     
         23 . The element according to  claim 12 , characterized in that:
 said tongues ( 111 ,  112 ,  113 ,  114 ,  115 ) are formed by interrupting the longitudinal bends ( 11 ,  12 ,  14 ) of the elongate body ( 10 ) in the “base” end portion ( 10 A) of said elongate body that is to cover the free end portion ( 20 A) of the handle, referred to as the handle butt; and   in that each of said tongues ( 111 ,  112 ,  113 ,  114 ,  115 ) presents a fold line extending transversely relative to the bends ( 11 ,  12 ,  14 ).   
     
     
         24 . The element according to  claim 12 , characterized in that the end portion ( 10 B) of the elongate body that is to cover the end portion ( 20 B) of the handle that is connected to the handle frame includes separable zones ( 40 ) enabling the length of said element to be matched to the handle. 
     
     
         25 . The element according to  claim 12 , characterized in that it is in the general shape of a cylinder on an octagonal base that is truncated by a midplane containing the longitudinal axis of said cylinder and the middles of two opposite sides of said octagonal base. 
     
     
         26 . The element according to  claim 12 , characterized in that at least some of the facets ( 101 ,  102 ,  103 ,  104 ,  105 ) of the handle-expander element ( 1 ,  1 ′) present openings ( 100 ) serving to lighten the weight of said handle-expander element ( 1 ,  1 ′). 
     
     
         27 . A method of modifying the size of the handle of a sports racket, in particular of a tennis racket, said method being characterized in that it comprises the following steps:
 for a racket handle ( 2 ) of a given size, referred to as the “starting” size, selecting a pair of handle-expander elements ( 1 ,  1 ′) from a set of handle-expander elements in accordance with  claim 19 , which set comprises handle-expander elements in the form of half-shells, the facets of the inside face of each selected element ( 1 ,  1 ′) enabling said element to fit closely to the corresponding facets of the handle ( 2 ), and the thickness thereof enabling the desired size for the racket handle ( 2 ) to be obtained when the handle-expander elements ( 1 ,  1 ′) are applied against the racket handle ( 2 );   applying each handle-expander element ( 1 ,  1 ′) along the handle ( 2 ) in such a manner as to sandwich said handle between the two half-shells formed by said handle-expander elements ( 1 ,  1 ′); and   helically winding at least one strip of material around the covering formed by the two half-shells, which strip, referred to as a “grip”, is made of a material that provides the player with a firm grasp on the racket.