Removable Hitting Surface for a Paddle

Paddle sports and games such as pickleball and table tennis utilize a sports paddle to strike a ball during the normal course of play. During the normal course of play, the texture on the striking surfaces of a sports paddle can become deteriorated due to repeated and regular use of the sports paddle. When the texture of a striking surface becomes deteriorated, the striking surface becomes smooth and the sports paddle loses the ability to accurately control the ball's flight pattern and spin when the ball is struck with the sports paddle. When a person uses a sports paddle with a smooth striking surface, the person cannot utilize their full technical skill in the sport.

Currently, there is a need among people who use sports paddles to prevent the deterioration of the striking surfaces of their sports paddles. Additionally, there is a need to provide a replaceable textured striking surface for sports paddles so that paddles with worn striking surfaces can become useable again.

Accordingly, there is disclosed herein a removable striking surface for a sports paddle, illustratively implemented as a flexible film comprising at least one layer, wherein the flexible film can be removably secured to at least a portion of the striking surface of a sports paddle using an adhesive.

There is further disclosed an illustrative sports paddle with a removable striking surface, wherein the removable striking surface comprises at least one layer and is removably secured to at least a portion of the striking surface of said sports paddle using an adhesive.

The removable striking surface provides protection to the original striking face of a sports paddle by coupling the flexible film to at least a portion of the striking surface of a sports paddle. Protecting the original striking face of a sports paddle preserves the textured striking surface of the head portion of the sports paddle while allowing for the regular use of the sports paddle.

Additionally, the removable striking surface extends the lifecycle of any worn sports paddle by providing the sports paddle with a new textured pattern on a striking surface. A worn textured striking surface on the head of a sports paddle decreases the paddle's ability to control a ball's flight pattern and spin when the ball is struck. When a sports paddle becomes worn, it is either discarded or replaced. By providing a separate removable striking surface with its own textured pattern to a worn sports paddle, the sports paddle can be used again to assist the control a ball's flight pattern and spin when the ball is struck with the sports paddle.

Each of the foregoing implementations can be employed individually or in conjunction, and may include one or more of the following features in any suitable combination. Further embodiments, forms, features, and aspects of the present application shall become apparent from the description and figures provided herewith.

Note that the specific embodiments given in the drawings and following description do not limit the disclosure. On the contrary, they provide the foundation for one of ordinary skill to discern the alternative forms, equivalents, and modifications that are contemplated by the inventors and encompassed in the claim scope.

Unless otherwise stated, all ranges include both endpoints and all numbers between the endpoints.

Furthermore, it is important to note that, as used herein, “a” and “an” each generally denotes “at least one,” but does not exclude a plurality unless the contextual use dictates otherwise. When used herein to join a list of items, “or” denotes “at least one of the items,” but does not exclude a plurality of items of the list. Finally, when used herein to join a list of items, “and” denotes “all of the items of the list.”

Numerous alternative forms, equivalents, and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art once the above disclosure is fully appreciated. It is intended that the claims be interpreted to embrace all such alternative forms, equivalents, and modifications where applicable.

The term “coupled” and variations thereof, as used herein, means the joining of two members directly or indirectly to one another. Such joining may be achieved with the two members coupled directly to each other, with the two members coupled to each other using a separate intervening member and any additional intermediate members coupled with one another, or with the two members coupled to each other using an intervening member that is integrally formed as a single unitary body with one of the two members.

In some embodiments, the sports paddle can be a paddle used in pickleball, table tennis, ping pong, or other similar paddle sports. The sports paddle includes a head portion for striking the ball during play, a throat portion, and a handle. The sports paddle may be constructed with a texture on the striking surface of the sports paddle. The texture of the sports paddle assists in imparting spin and control to the ball during play, allowing a player to utilize their personal technical ability.

In some embodiments, the removable striking surface has a shape configured to cover at least a portion of the striking surface of a sports paddle. Further, in some embodiments, the removable striking surface has a shape configured to cover the entire portion of the striking surface of a sports paddle.

In some embodiments, the flexible film has a thickness of 0.001-2.0 millimeters. Further, in some embodiments, the flexible film is comprised of at least one of the following materials, silicone, silicone rubber, propylene rubber ethylene propylene rubber, rubber based compounds, nitrile, vinyl, polyisoprene, polybutadiene, polyisobutylene, neoprene, piton, polyurethane, and thermoplastic elastomers.

In some embodiments, the flexible film has a textured surface. Further, in some embodiments, the flexible film has a patterned surface. Further, in some embodiments, the front surface of the flexible film has a textured surface. Further, in some embodiments, the front surface of the flexible film has a patterned surface. Further, in some embodiments, at least a portion of the front surface of the flexible film has a textured surface. Further, in some embodiments, at least a portion of the front surface of the flexible film has a patterned surface. Further, in some embodiments, at least a portion of the front surface has a textured surface to assist in controlling a ball's flight pattern and spin when the ball is struck with the sports paddle. Further, in some embodiments, at least a portion of the front surface has a patterned surface to assist in controlling a ball's flight pattern and spin when the ball is struck with the sports paddle.

In some embodiments, the flexible film is coupled to the striking surface of a paddle by an adhesive. Further, in some embodiments, the flexible film is couple to the striking surface of a paddle by a resin. Further, in some embodiments, the flexible film is couple to the striking surface of a paddle by a binder material. Further, in some embodiments, the adhesive is applied to the striking face of the paddle so that the removable striking face can be coupled to the striking face of the paddle. Further, in some embodiments, the resin is applied to the striking face of the paddle so that the removable striking face can be coupled to the striking face of the paddle. Further, in some embodiments, the binder is applied to the striking face of the paddle so that the removable striking face can be coupled to the striking face of the paddle.

In some embodiments, the flexible film is comprised of at least one layer. Further, in some embodiments, the flexible film provides noise suppression properties. Further, in some embodiments, the removable striking surface protects the striking surface of the sports paddle.

illustrates the removable striking surfacefor a sports paddle. The removable striking surface is comprised of a flexible film, a front surfacewhich covers the striking surface of a sports paddle, wherein the front surface has a textured pattern. In some embodiments, the flexible filmis comprised of a silicone material. In some embodiments, the flexible filmcomprises a silicone rubber material. Further, in some embodiments the flexible film has a thickness of 0.001-2.0 millimeters. Further, in some embodiments the front surfacehas a textured pattern.

illustrates the removable striking surfacebeing placed on a sports paddle. The removable striking surfacecomprises a front surface, a rear surface, and an adhesivewherein the adhesive is located on the rear surface. The front surfacehas a textured patternon the surface. The sports paddlecomprises a head, a striking surface, which is located on the head, a throat, and a handle. The front surfaceof the removable striking surfaceoverlaps the striking surface. The removable striking surfacecouples to the striking surfaceof the sports paddleusing adhesivewhich is located on the rear surfaceof the removable striking surface.

illustrates the removable striking surfacebeing placed on a sports paddle. The removable striking surfacecomprises a front surface, a rear surface, and an adhesivewherein the adhesive is located on the rear surface. The front surfacehas a textured patternon the surface. The sports paddlecomprises a head, a striking surface, which is located on the head, a throat, and a handle. The front surfaceof the removable striking surfaceoverlaps the striking surface. The removable striking surfacecouples to the striking surfaceof the sports paddleusing adhesivewhich is located on the striking surfaceof the sports paddle.

illustrates an embodiment of the invention wherein the removable striking surfacecovering at least one portion of the striking surfaceof the sports paddle. The removable striking surfacecomprises a front surface, wherein the front surfacehas a textured pattern. The sports paddlecontains a head, a striking surface, a throat, and a handle. The removable striking surfacecovers at least one portion of the striking surfaceof the sports paddle. In some embodiments, the at least one portion covered by the removable striking surfacewill be central to the striking surface.

illustrates an embodiment of the invention wherein the removable striking surfacecovering at least one portion of the striking surfaceof the sports paddle. The removable striking surfacecomprises a front surface, wherein the front surfacehas a textured pattern. The sports paddlecontains a head, a striking surface, a throat, and a handle. The removable striking surfacecovers at least one portion of the striking surfaceof the sports paddle. In some embodiments, the at least one portion covered by the removable striking surfacewill be a region of the striking surfacewhere it is desirable to have a specific textured patternthat the removable striking surfaceprovides. Further, in some embodiments, it is desirable to have a textured patterncover a region of interest of the sports paddle.

Additionally, it is important to note that each term used herein refers to that which one of ordinary skill would understand such term to mean based on the contextual use of such term herein. To the extent that the meaning of a term used herein, as understood by one of ordinary skill based on the contextual use of such term, differs in any way from any particular dictionary definition of such term, it is intended that the meaning of the term as understood by one of ordinary skill should prevail.