Paddle or racquet with thermoset periphery

Abstract

A paddle or racquet contains a body for contact with a projectile such as a pickleball, the body having a first body side and a second body side, and an edge. A handle is connected to the body, for gripping by a user. A peripheral member is fixed about a periphery of the body, the peripheral member being formed from a polymer, and the peripheral member containing defining a sidewall fitted over the first body side and the second body side. Accordingly, the peripheral member is fixed about a periphery of the paddle or racquet, and an be a contiguous periphery about the body and the handle, wherein the polymeric thickness of various portions of the sidewalls may be tailored to affect performance characteristics of the paddle or racquet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A paddle for playing a racquet sport, the paddle comprising:
 a paddle body having a first side and an opposing second side, wherein the first side and the second side are both generally planar, the paddle body further having an edge between the first and second sides and defining a perimeter of the paddle body; and   a peripheral sidewall attached about the perimeter of the paddle body, the peripheral sidewall having an inner surface contacting the perimeter of the paddle body and an outer surface facing away from the paddle body;   wherein the peripheral sidewall is made of a non-foam, polyurethane, thermoset material.   
     
     
         2 . The paddle of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a skin adhered to the first side, the second side, and the peripheral sidewall, and wherein the skin attaches the peripheral sidewall to the paddle body.   
     
     
         3 . The paddle of  claim 2 , wherein the skin overlaps with a portion of the peripheral sidewall. 
     
     
         4 . The paddle of  claim 3 , wherein the skin does not overlap with an outer edge of the peripheral member so as to expose at least a portion of the peripheral sidewall. 
     
     
         5 . The paddle of  claim 2 , wherein the skin is a carbon fiber skin. 
     
     
         6 . The paddle of  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral sidewall has a mass that is at least 20% of a mass of the paddle. 
     
     
         7 . The paddle of  claim 1 , wherein the inner surface of the peripheral sidewall includes surface features configured to mate with corresponding cells of the paddle body. 
     
     
         8 . The paddle of  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral sidewall is a single peripheral sidewall that extends about at least a majority of the perimeter of the paddle body. 
     
     
         9 . A paddle for playing a racquet sport, the paddle comprising:
 a paddle body having a first side and an opposing second side, wherein the first side and the second side are both generally planar, the paddle body further having an edge between the first and second sides and defining a perimeter of the paddle body;   a peripheral sidewall attached about the perimeter of the paddle body, the peripheral sidewall having an inner surface contacting the perimeter of the paddle body and an outer surface facing away from the paddle body, wherein the outer surface of the peripheral sidewall defines an outer perimeter of the peripheral sidewall; and   a skin adhered to the first side, the second side, and the outer surface of the peripheral sidewall, wherein the skin has an outer perimeter that does not extend all the way to the outer perimeter of the peripheral sidewall such that a portion of the peripheral sidewall is exposed.   
     
     
         10 . The paddle of  claim 9 , wherein the peripheral sidewall is made of a non-foam, polyurethane, thermoset material. 
     
     
         11 . The paddle of  claim 9 , wherein the peripheral sidewall has a mass that is at least 20% of a mass of the paddle. 
     
     
         12 . The paddle of  claim 11 , wherein the peripheral sidewall has a mass that is at least 40% of a mass of the paddle. 
     
     
         13 . The paddle of  claim 9 , wherein the skin is adhered to the first side, the second side, and the outer surface of the peripheral sidewall via an adhesive. 
     
     
         14 . The paddle of  claim 9 , wherein the peripheral sidewall is a single peripheral sidewall that extends about at least a majority of the perimeter of the paddle body. 
     
     
         15 . The paddle of  claim 9 , wherein the peripheral sidewall includes a pair of sidewalls attached to different areas of the edge of the paddle body. 
     
     
         16 . A paddle for playing a racquet sport, the paddle comprising:
 a paddle body having a first side and an opposing second side, wherein the first side and the second side are both generally planar, the paddle body further having an edge between the first and second sides and defining a perimeter of the paddle body; and   a peripheral sidewall attached about the perimeter of the paddle body, the peripheral sidewall having an inner surface contacting the perimeter of the paddle body and an outer surface facing away from the paddle body;   wherein the peripheral sidewall makes up at least 20% of a mass of the paddle.   
     
     
         17 . The paddle of  claim 16 , wherein the peripheral sidewall makes up at least 40% of the mass of the paddle. 
     
     
         18 . The paddle of  claim 16 , wherein the peripheral sidewall comprises a non-foam, polyurethane, thermoset material. 
     
     
         19 . The paddle of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a skin adhered to the first side, the second side, and the outer surface of the peripheral sidewall, wherein the skin has an outer perimeter that does not extend all the way to the outer perimeter of the peripheral sidewall such that a portion of the peripheral sidewall is exposed.   
     
     
         20 . The paddle of  claim 19 , wherein the skin overlaps with a majority of a thickness of the peripheral sidewall.