U.S. patent application number 16/819637 was filed with the patent office on 2020-10-01 for heated handle for sporting equipment.
The applicant listed for this patent is Xenon Paddle LLC. Invention is credited to Noah Seidenberg.
Application Number | 20200306597 16/819637 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000004746036 |
Filed Date | 2020-10-01 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20200306597 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Seidenberg; Noah |
October 1, 2020 |
HEATED HANDLE FOR SPORTING EQUIPMENT
Abstract
A heated sports handle for paddles or racquets for use in cold
environments. The handle includes a thermoelectric wrap and a power
module. The power module can regulate its output to provide
sufficient energy to warm the hand of a user of the paddle. The
handle includes a housing to provide structural integrity and a
filler material to provide shock absorption for the power module
during play. A temperature setting of the handle may be adjustable.
The power module may be rechargeable, including optionally by
wireless means. The handle is configured for communication with a
smartphone or similar device.
Inventors: |
Seidenberg; Noah; (Hawthorn
Woods, IL) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Xenon Paddle LLC |
Hawthorn Woods |
IL |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000004746036 |
Appl. No.: |
16/819637 |
Filed: |
March 16, 2020 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62827749 |
Apr 1, 2019 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D02G 3/441 20130101;
A63B 60/54 20151001; A63B 49/08 20130101; D02G 3/444 20130101; D02G
3/12 20130101; A63B 2225/50 20130101; A63B 60/14 20151001; A63B
2209/00 20130101; A63B 2225/64 20130101; A63B 60/08 20151001; A63B
2102/08 20151001 |
International
Class: |
A63B 49/08 20060101
A63B049/08; A63B 60/08 20060101 A63B060/08; D02G 3/12 20060101
D02G003/12; D02G 3/44 20060101 D02G003/44 |
Claims
1. A sports apparatus comprising: a handle portion, comprising: a
housing; a thermoelectric fabric wrapped at least partially around
the housing; a chamber within the housing; and a power module
configured to fit within the chamber and in electrical
communication with the thermoelectric fabric; a frame portion
connected to the handle portion; and a face portion connected to
the frame portion.
2. The sports apparatus of claim 1, wherein handle portion
comprises a filler material between the housing and the
chamber.
3. The sports apparatus of claim 2, wherein the filler material is
made of polyurethane foam.
4. The sports apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power module
includes a battery.
5. The sports apparatus of claim 4, wherein battery is
rechargeable.
6. The sports apparatus of claim 5, wherein the power module
includes electrical contacts for recharging the power module. The
sports apparatus of claim 5, wherein the power module is wirelessly
rechargeable.
8. The sports apparatus of claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric
fabric is a conductive metal yarn.
9. The sports apparatus of claim 1, the handle portion further
comprising an adjustable temperature setting.
10. The sports apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power module is
remotely controllable using a smartphone.
11. A sports apparatus comprising: a handle portion configured to
be mated to a frame portion of a paddle, the handle portion
comprising: a housing; a thermoelectric fabric wrapped at least
partially around the housing; a chamber within the housing; and a
power module configured to fit within the chamber and in electrical
communication with the thermoelectric fabric.
12. The sports apparatus of claim 11, wherein handle portion
comprises a filler material between the housing and the
chamber.
13. The sports apparatus of claim 12, wherein the filler material
is made of polyurethane foam.
14. The sports apparatus of claim 11, wherein the power module
includes a battery.
15. The sports apparatus of claim 14, wherein battery is
rechargeable.
16. The sports apparatus of claim 15, wherein the battery is
wirelessly rechargeable.
17. The sports apparatus of claim 15, wherein the power module
includes electrical contacts for recharging the power module.
18. The sports apparatus of claim 11, wherein the thermoelectric
fabric is a conductive metal yarn.
19. The sports apparatus of claim 11, the handle portion further
comprising an adjustable temperature setting.
20. The sports apparatus of claim 11, wherein the power module is
remotely controllable using a smartphone.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of provisional patent
application U.S. Ser. No. 62/827,749 filed on Apr. 1, 2019 which is
incorporated by reference herein for all purposes.
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
1. Field of the Disclosure
[0002] This disclosure relates to the field of sports equipment,
particularly sports equipment handles for playing sports in cold
environments.
2. Description of the Related Art
[0003] Sports equipment used in connection with racquet sports,
paddle sports, and related sports commonly comes with a handle by
which a user of the equipment may maintain a firm grip during play.
Many sports requiring such equipment can be played indoors or
outdoors. For those normally played outdoors, such as platform
tennis, the outdoor environments can be highly variable, especially
across a range of temperatures. It is not uncommon, for example,
for platform tennis to be played for several hours outdoors in
temperatures well below freezing. Since dexterity of a user's
fingers is often affected by temperature, it is common in such cold
environments for players to wear clothing on their hands, such as
gloves or mittens, to keep their hands warm during play.
[0004] A shortcoming of handwear used in racquet sports is that
control of the sports equipment may be reduced (i.e., because the
user's hand is padded) and thus player performance can be adversely
affected. Another shortcoming is that the sensation of a ball or
other object intended to interact with the sports equipment may be
dulled, preventing the player from receiving the feedback required
for optimum competitive play.
[0005] Yet another deficiency of current sports equipment,
particularly with platform tennis paddles, is that without
handwear, the user's hand may become cold and consequently lose
dexterity under cold playing conditions. Cramped fingers and a
clumsy grip on the sports equipment handle may result in inaccurate
use of the sports equipment and/or accidental loss of control,
which may result in poor performance or injury.
[0006] What is needed in the art is a handle with a heat source
that can warm the player's hand during play in cold conditions,
endure the impacts of the sport, and enhance player
performance.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0007] In certain aspects, the present disclosure is related to
sports equipment, especially sports equipment handles for playing
sports in cold environments, particularly platform tennis.
[0008] One embodiment according to the present disclosure includes
a sports apparatus comprising a handle portion, the handle portion
including: a housing; a thermoelectric fabric wrapped at least
partially around the housing; a chamber within the housing; a power
module configured to fit within the chamber and in electrical
communication with the thermoelectric fabric; a frame portion
connected to the handle portion; and a face portion connected to
the frame portion. The handle portion may include a filler material
between the housing and the chamber. The filler material may be
made of polyurethane foam. The power module may include a battery
that may be rechargeable. The power module may include electrical
contacts for recharging the power module. The thermoelectric fabric
may be a conductive metal yarn.
[0009] Another embodiment according to the present disclosure
includes an apparatus including a handle portion configured to be
mated to a frame portion of a paddle, the handle portion including
a housing; a thermoelectric fabric wrapped at least partially
around the housing; a chamber within the housing; and a power
module configured to fit within the chamber and be in electrical
communication with the thermoelectric fabric. The handle portion
may include a filler material between the housing and the chamber.
The filler material may be made of polyurethane foam. The power
module may include a battery. The battery may be rechargeable. The
power module may include electrical contacts for recharging the
power module. The thermoelectric fabric may be a conductive metal
yarn.
[0010] Examples of the more important features of the disclosure
have been summarized rather broadly in order that the detailed
description thereof that follows may be better understood and in
order that the contributions they represent to the art may be
appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the
disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form
the subject of the claims appended hereto.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] A better understanding of the present disclosure can be
obtained with the following detailed descriptions of the various
disclosed embodiments in the drawings, which are given by way of
illustration only, and thus are not limiting to the present
disclosure, and wherein:
[0012] FIG. 1A is a diagram of a heated paddle according to one
embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0013] FIG. 1B is a diagram of the heated paddle of FIG. 1A showing
an interior chamber for housing a power module;
[0014] FIG. 1C is a diagram of the heated paddle of FIG. 1A showing
a thermoelectric wrap around the handle;
[0015] FIG. 2 is a 3-dimensional diagram of a heated paddle handle
and its removable power module according to one embodiment of the
disclosure;
[0016] FIG. 3 is a 3-dimensional diagram of the heated paddle
handle of FIG. 2 with wiring and connectors for the thermoelectric
wrap; and
[0017] FIG. 4 is a 3-dimensional diagram of the heated paddle
handle of FIG. 2 with an alternative wiring arrangement.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0018] In several aspects, the present disclosure is related to
sports equipment. Specifically, the present disclosure is related
to heating the handles of racquets and paddles for outdoor sports,
including platform tennis.
[0019] The present invention is susceptible to embodiments of
different forms. There are shown in the drawings, and herein will
be described in detail, specific embodiments with the understanding
that the present invention is to be considered an exemplification
of the principles and is not intended to limit the present
invention to that illustrated and described herein.
[0020] FIGS. 1A-1C show diagrams of a hand-held piece of sports
equipment 100, such as a platform tennis paddle, with a heated
handle. The paddle 100 includes a handle portion 110, a frame
portion 120, and a face portion 130. The frame portion 120 and face
portion 130 are only partially shown; however, these portions may
vary from sport to sport and be composed of any shape, weight, or
material that is required to comply with the rules of the
corresponding sport. Depending on the sport, the face portion 130
may be strung (i.e., for tennis), perforated (i.e., for platform
tennis), or solid (i.e., for table tennis).
[0021] The face portion 130, if perforated or solid, may be made of
a homogeneous material or made of a first material core and a
second material outer layer. In some embodiments, the handle
portion 110, the frame portion 120, and the face portion 130 may
all be made of the same material and/or may be of a unitary
construction. In other embodiments, the handle portion 110, the
frame portion 120, and the face portion 130 may all be made of
different materials.
[0022] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
handle portion 110 is preferably wrapped in a thermoelectric fabric
160 that is configured to convert electrical energy into heat to
warm the hand of a user holding the handle 110. Suitable
thermoelectric fabrics may include, but are not limited to,
conductive metal yarn.
[0023] FIG. 1B shows another diagram of the paddle 100, further
comprising a hidden chamber 140 for housing a power module 190 (see
FIG. 2). The handle portion 110 may optionally include a cover or
end cap 150 for sealing the chamber 140 to prevent moisture from
entering therein and/or to prevent the power module 190 from
falling out of the chamber 140. The end cap 150 may be secured to
the handle 110 by an adhesive, fastener, or both.
[0024] FIG. 1C shows a diagram of the handle portion 110 with the
thermoelectric fabric 160 partially unwrapped. The underlying
handle surface 170 is adjacent to a wrapped portion 180. The
thermoelectric fabric 160 can be wrapped one or more times around
the handle portion 110. In some embodiments, the wrapped portion
180 may not fully encompass the underlying handle surface 170. Not
shown is a grip that may wrapped over the portion 180, wherein the
grip will come in direct contact with the hand of a user.
[0025] FIG. 2 shows a three-dimensional drawing of a power module
190 being inserted into the chamber 140 in the handle portion 110.
The power module 190 may include a battery either commonly
commercially available or custom designed to fit in the chamber
140. The battery may be rechargeable or nonchargeable. The power
module 190 may include a power regulator, such as an integrated
circuit chip, to control the amount of power to the thermoelectric
fabric 160. The power module 190 may include a temperature sensor
to control the temperature of the handle portion 110. The
temperature of the handle portion 110 may be adjustable using a
user interface or similar device. The power module 190 may include
a switching circuit for turning the power on/off. In some
embodiments, the switching circuit may be on the exterior of the
handle portion 110.
[0026] As discussed, the handle portion 110 preferably includes a
housing 115 and the chamber 140. The housing 115 may be made of a
suitable racquet or paddle material, such as carbon fiber, fiber
glass, composite, graphite, or wood (depending on the sport). The
chamber 140 may be surrounded by a filler material 185. In some
embodiments, the chamber 140 is formed by a gap in the filler
material 185. The filler material 185 may secure the power module
190 to prevent movement and stress on electric wires when the
paddle 100 is in use. The filler material 185 may also dampen
vibration and/or act as a shock absorber to protect the power
module 190 from being damaged. The filler material 185 may be made
of polyurethane foam. The use of polyurethane foam is illustrative
and exemplary only, as other materials may be used that are shock
absorbing and not electrically conductive.
[0027] FIG. 3 shows a three-dimensional diagram of one embodiment
of the handle portion 110 with the power module 190. Electrical
power wires 310 may extend from the thermoelectric fabric 180
through the housing 115 and filler material 185 to a connector 320
that is configured to mate with a corresponding connector 330 on
the power module 190.
[0028] FIG. 4 shows a three-dimensional diagram of another
embodiment of the handle portion 110 with the power module 190. The
top handle end of the power module 190 includes power connectors
410 for plugging into a corresponding set of connectors (not shown)
inside the handle portion 110 accessible within the chamber 140. In
some embodiments, the power module 190 may include features of
FIGS. 3 and 4, wherein the power connectors 410 are used to power
the thermoelectric fabric 180 and the power connectors 330 are used
to recharge the power module 190.
[0029] It is also contemplated that the power module 190 may be
charged wirelessly and controlled (i.e., status checked,
temperature controlled, etc.) using a smartphone or similar device.
It is further contemplated that paddle 100 may comprise a user
interface for observing a status and/or changing a setting of the
power module 190 and a temperature of the handle 110.
[0030] While embodiments in the present disclosure have been
described in some detail, according to the preferred embodiments
illustrated above, such are not meant to be limiting to
modifications such as would be obvious to those skilled in the
art.
[0031] The foregoing disclosure and description of the disclosure
are illustrative and explanatory thereof, and various changes in
the details of the illustrated apparatus and system, and the
construction and the method of operation may be made without
departing from the spirit of the disclosure.
* * * * *