Pickleball paddle with weighting assembly

Abstract

A pickleball paddle has a perimeter weighting system to improve performance characteristics and/or to provide swing weighting. The weighting system may include flexible weight strips disposed in recesses formed about a perimeter of the paddle. Alternatively, the weighting system may include slidable weights disposed in one or more channels. The weighting system may further include handle weighting to provide swing weighting. The at least one weight can have a relatively high mass, sufficient to noticeably alter CG of the paddle.

1 . A pickleball paddle, comprising:
 a frame comprising an interior frame surface and an exterior frame surface opposite the interior frame surface, wherein the exterior frame surface defines a first discrete recess and a second discrete recess, and wherein each of the first and second discrete recesses comprises an undercut;   a core assembly coupled to the frame and comprising an interior core disposed between a front face plate and a rear face plate;
 a first weight strip disposed in the first discrete recess; and 
 a second weight strip disposed in the second discrete recess. 
   
     
     
         2 . The pickleball paddle of  claim 1 , wherein the exterior frame surface further defines a third discrete recess and a fourth discrete recess, the pickleball paddle further comprising a third weight strip disposed in the third discrete recess and a fourth weight strip disposed in the fourth discrete recess. 
     
     
         3 . The pickleball paddle of  claim 2 , wherein each of the third and fourth discrete recesses comprises an undercut. 
     
     
         4 . The pickleball paddle of  claim 2 , wherein each of the first, second, third, and fourth weight strips comprises an equal strip length. 
     
     
         5 . The pickleball paddle of  claim 4 , wherein the equal strip length comprises  3 . 5  inches. 
     
     
         6 . The pickleball paddle of  claim 2 , further comprising a fifth discrete recess and a fifth weight strip disposed in the fifth discrete recess. 
     
     
         7 . The pickleball paddle of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the undercut of the first discrete recess extends around an entirety of a perimeter of the first discrete recess; and   the undercut of the second discrete recess extends an entirety of a perimeter of the second discrete recess.   
     
     
         8 . The pickleball paddle of  claim 1 , wherein:
 each of the first and second discrete recesses comprises a discrete recess depth;   each of the first and second weight strips comprises a weighted strip thickness; and   the weighted strip thickness is greater than the discrete recess depth so that top surfaces of the first and second weight strips protrude from the exterior frame surface surrounding each of the first and second recesses.   
     
     
         9 . The pickleball paddle of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second weight strips comprises a mass between 1 gram to 10 grams. 
     
     
         10 . The pickleball paddle of  claim 1 , wherein the frame comprises a first frame component joined to a second frame component. 
     
     
         11 . A pickleball paddle, comprising:
 a paddle head comprising an interior core disposed between a front face plate and a rear face plate, the paddle head defining a paddle periphery;   a frame comprising an interior frame surface and an exterior fame surface opposite the interior frame surface, wherein the exterior frame surface defines a first discrete recess and a second discrete recess;   wherein the first discrete recess comprises an undercut and a second discrete recess comprises an undercut;   a first weight strip disposed in the first discrete recess;   a second weight strip disposed in the second discrete recess; and   a handle coupled to the frame via a snap fit connection and comprising:
 a handle bottom exterior surface including a butt end and defining a handle recess; 
 a handle bottom interior surface opposite the handle bottom exterior surface and defining a first receiving wall and a second receiving wall opposite the first receiving wall; and 
 a handle aperture formed in the butt end and fluidly communicating with the handle recess, the first receiving wall, and the second receiving wall; and 
   a handle weight assembly coupled to the butt end and extending through the handle aperture between the first receiving wall and the second receiving wall, and into the handle recess.   
     
     
         12 . The pickleball paddle of  claim 11 , wherein the handle weight assembly comprises:
 an end cap housing;   a handle weight disposed in the end cap housing; and   an end cap coupled to the end cap housing and sized to extend over the handle aperture.   
     
     
         13 . The pickleball paddle of  claim 12 , wherein the end cap housing comprises a cylindrical rod and a hexagonal disk;
 the cylindrical rod, comprising:
 a groove; and 
 an o-ring coupled to the groove. 
   
     
     
         14 . The pickleball paddle of  claim 12 , wherein the handle weight comprises a press fit screw. 
     
     
         15 . The pickleball paddle of  claim 12 , wherein the handle weight comprises a mass between 1 gram to 10 grams. 
     
     
         16 . The pickleball paddle of  claim 11 , wherein the handle weight assembly is press fit between the first receiving wall and the second receiving wall and removably coupled to the butt end of the handle. 
     
     
         17 . The pickleball paddle of  claim 11 , wherein each of the first and second weight strips comprises a strip length of 3.5 inches. 
     
     
         18 . The pickleball paddle of  claim 11 , wherein:
 each of the first and second recesses comprises a discrete recess depth;   each of the first and second weight strips comprises a weighted strip thickness; and   the weighted strip thickness is substantially equal to the discrete recess depth so that top surfaces of the first and second weight strips are flush with the exterior frame surface surrounding each of the first and second recesses.   
     
     
         19 . The pickleball paddle of  claim 11 , wherein:
 each of the first and second recesses comprises a discrete recess depth;   each of the first and second weight strips comprises a weighted strip thickness; and   the weighted strip thickness is greater than the discrete recess depth so that top surfaces of the first and second weight strips protrude from the exterior frame surface surrounding each of the first and second recesses.   
     
     
         20 . The pickleball paddle of  claim 11 , wherein each of the first and second weight strips comprises a mass between 1 gram to 10 grams.