Abstrict A racket handle and dispenser is set forth wherein a magazine is
contained within an uppermost portion of the handle for containment
of a desiccant powder wherein a spring-biased first plunger adjacent
the magazine dispenses a portion of desiccant powder about an uppermost
portion of the handle wherein an aligned underlying second chamber
utilizes a second spring-biased plunger and associated valve to
dispense desiccant powder selectively to a lowermost portion of
the handle.
Claims What is claimed as being new and desired to be protected by LETTERS
PATENT of the United States is as follows:
1. A racket handle and desiccant dispenser apparatus for use in
combination with a handle and an elongate downwardly extending handle,
said apparatus comprising,
an elongate magazine cavity formed in said handle for containment
of desiccant powder;
said magazine cavity including a removable filling means allowing
filling of said magazine cavity, and a first chamber underlying
the magazine cavity,
a first resiliently biased plunger axially aligned with said magazine
cavity with a first valve plug displaceable upon displacement of
said first plunger to allow desiccant powder within said magazine
cavity to flow through a first valve into an underlying first chamber,
said first chamber includes a plurality of first chamber passageways
enabling flow of that same powder from interiorly of said chamber
to an upper exterior portion of said handle, and
a central cavity in said handle underlying said first chamber,
a second chamber underlying said central cavity, and a second valve
defining a lowermost wall of said central cavity including a second
valve plug displaceable from said valve by a second biased plunger
axially aligned with said first plunger to enable flow of desiccant
powder from said central cavity to said second chamber, and
means between said first chamber and said central cavity to enable
flow of desiccant powder from said first chamber to said central
cavity, and
said second chamber including a plurality of second chamber passageways
to allow flow from said second chamber to a lower exterior portion
of said handle displaced from said upper exterior portion of said
handle.
2. A racket handle and desiccant dispenser apparatus as set forth
in claim 1 wherein means for filling said magazine cavity includes
a selectively positionable resilient plug selectively positionable
within a through-extending opening within said handle enabling selected
filling of said magazine cavity.
3. A racket handle and desiccant dispenser apparatus as set forth
in claim 2 wherein said first valve defines a lowermost containment
wall of said magazine cavity, and said first valve further includes
a conical directing surface to direct desiccant powder from said
magazine cavity through said valve and into said first chamber.
4. A racket handle and desiccant dispenser apparatus as set forth
in claim 3 wherein said first plunger includes a first plunger extension
beyond said first valve plug and into a support bearing axially
aligned with said first plunger to slidingly guide and maintain
alignment of said first plunger with respect to said first valve
plug and said first valve.
5. A racket handle and desiccant dispenser apparatus as set forth
in claim 4 wherein a top compartment is positioned overlying said
magazine cavity and axially aligned therewith includes a spring
positioned about said first plunger with a first follower fixedly
secured to said plunger to depress said spring upon displacement
of said first plunger and bias said plunger to an initial position
to secure said first valve plug to said first valve.
6. A racket handle and desiccant dispenser apparatus as set forth
in claim 5 wherein said second plunger is fixedly secured and axially
aligned with said second valve plug, and further including a second
plunger extension extending beyond said valve plug and slidably
aligned within said support bearing.
7. A racket handle and desiccant dispenser apparatus as set forth
in claim 6 wherein said means for enabling flow of desiccant powder
from said first chamber into said central cavity includes a plurality
of elongate passageways communicating with said first chamber and
said central cavity and in surrounding relationship to said support
bearing.
8. A racket handle and desiccant dispenser apparatus as set forth
in claim 7 wherein said second chamber is axially aligned with said
central cavity and wherein said central cavity is axially aligned
with said first chamber and said magazine cavity.
9. A racket handle and desiccant dispenser apparatus as set forth
in claim 8 further including a lower compartment axially aligned
with said second chamber including a spring positioned about said
second plunger including a spring follower integrally secured to
said second plunger to displace said spring upon axial displacement
of said second plunger to bias said spring to an initial position
to secure said second valve plug to said second valve.
10. A racket handle and desiccant dispenser apparatus as set forth
in claim 9 wherein said top compartment and said lower compartment
each include spaced walls to secure said spring therebetween and
further including seals positioned within said spaced walls to slidingly
accept the respective first and second plungers therethrough and
prevent contaminants from entering said top and lower compartments.
Description BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The field of invention relates to sporting equipment, and more
particularly pertains to a new and improved racket handle and desiccant
dispenser utilized in association with rackets of various sporting
games to dispense a selective portion of desiccant powder about
selective portions of the handle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of desiccant powder to absorb moisture during the playing
of a sporting event is known in the prior art. Prior art devices
have been relatively complex organizations and have been limited
in the manner in which a desiccant powder may be selectively applied
to various portions of an associated handle. For example, U.S. Pat.
No. 879477 to Kruger sets forth an early application of incorporating
associating apparatus into a tennis racket handle by counter-boring
a tennis racket handle and inserting a weighted medium therewithin
to assist in the swing of the racket by an individual.
U.S. Pat. No. 1045071 to Oldenbusch sets forth a dispenser positioned
within the handle of an associated reflective mirror wherein an
associated valve positioned within an underlying portion of the
handle enables discharge of a toiletry powder therefrom as desired
by an individual.
U.S. Pat. No. 1563352 to Fisher sets forth a tennis racket wherein
the racket handle is provided with a hollow chamber to contain powder
therein wherein a slidably removable disk positioned over a bore
within a side of the handle enables selective removal of powder
in the central chamber. As may be appreciated, this is a rather
rudimentary form of powder dispensing, as opposed to the instant
invention. U.S. Pat. No. 3645008 to Delsack sets forth a means
for discharging a desiccant chamber interiorly of a handle wherein
a central chamber is provided with passageways leading to the handle
surface to accept desiccant powder from the central chamber. The
Delsack patent fails to set forth the selective application of the
associated powder from a plurality of chambers as set forth by the
instant invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4533139 to Goldin sets forth a tennis racket handle
wherein a cooling medium, such as a pressurized carbon dioxide gas,
is positioned within the handle wherein passageways leading to the
handle minimize perspiration and slippage due to the cooling effect
of the medium positioned within the handle.
As such, it may be appreciated that there is a continuing need
for a new and improved racket handle and desiccant dispenser which
addresses both the problems of effectiveness and ease of use, and
in this respect, the present invention substantially fulfills this
need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types
of desiccant dispensers now present in the prior art, the present
invention provides a racket handle and desiccant dispenser wherein
a plurality of manually reciprocatable and spring-biased valves
are axially aligned within a racket handle for selective dispensing
of desiccant powder selectively over discrete portions of a racket
handle. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which
will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide
a new and improved racket handle and desiccant dispenser which has
all the advantages of the prior art desiccant dispensers and none
of the disadvantages.
To attain this, the present invention comprises a racket handle
formed with a centrally aligned chamber. The chamber has formed
therein an upper magazine for securement of desiccant powder therein
with an axially extending rod through the magazine and formed with
a spherical insert to cooperate with a valve seat to be selectively
disengaged from the seat to enable desiccant powder to travel from
the magazine to an underlying first chamber. A second chamber is
axially aligned underlying the first chamber and formed with a guide
bearing axially aligned thereunder to provide support and guidance
for respective valve rods of the first and second chambers extending
outwardly of the handle on either end thereof and provided with
respective valves to enable desiccant powder to be dispensed about
upper and lower surfaces selectively of the racket handle.
My invention resides not in any one of these features per se, but
rather in the particular combination of all of them herein disclosed
and claimed and it is distinguished from the prior art in this particular
combination of all of its structures for the functions specified.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important
features of the invention in order that the detailed description
thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that
the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There
are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be
described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of
the claims appended hereto. Those skilled in the art will appreciate
that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily
be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods
and system for carrying out the several purposes of the present
invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded
as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not
depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially
the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not
familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine
quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the
technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither
intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured
by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope
of the invention in any way.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a
new and improved racket handle and desiccant dispenser which has
all the advantages of the prior art desiccant dispensers and none
of the disadvantages.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new
and improved racket handle and desiccant dispenser which may be
easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new
and improved racket handle and desiccant dispenser which is of a
durable and reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a
new and improved racket handle and desiccant dispenser which is
susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials
and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices
of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such racket handle
and desiccant dispensers economically available to the buying public.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide
a new and improved racket handle and desiccant dispenser which provides
in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages
thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages
normally associated therewith.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new
and improved racket handle and desiccant dispenser wherein a plurality
of axially aligned valves underlie a magazine formed with a racket
handle to selectively apply a desiccant powder over discrete portions
of a racket handle.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with
the various features of novelty which characterize the invention,
are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and
forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of
the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects
attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying
drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred
embodiments of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be better understood and objects other than
those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is
given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description
makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is an orthographic view of a typical racket, as utilized
by the instant invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the racket handle indicated
in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is an orthographic cross-sectional view of the racket handle,
as indicated in FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is an orthographic view taken along the lines 4--4 of FIG.
2 in the direction indicated by the arrows.
FIG. 5 is an orthographic view taken along the lines 5--5 of FIG.
2 in the direction indicated by the arrows.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS.
1 to 5 thereof, a new and improved racket handle and desiccant dispenser
embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and
generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.
More specifically, it will be noted that the racket handle and
desiccant dispenser 10 essentially comprises a conventional racket
head 11 and an associated downwardly depending aligned handle 12.
The handle 12 is formed with a top compartment 17 overlying an elongate
magazine cavity 13 with an underlying first chamber 14. The top
compartment 17 the magazine cabinet 13 and the first chamber 14
contain an axially centered first plunger rod 16 reciprocatably
therethrough. The top compartment 17 houses a spring 19 with a cup-shaped
follower 18 at an uppermost portion of the spring with the plunger
rod 16 extending through orthogonal walls containing respective
outer and inner seals 17a and 17b to prevent contamination and intrusion
of the first chamber 14 and provide a barrier to prevent contamination
of a desiccant powder positioned within the magazine cavity 13.
A pivoting plug seal 13a of preferably resilient construction enables
access to the interior of the magazine cavity 13 by a fill conduit
13b. The cup-shaped spring follower 18 is fixedly secured to the
plunger rod 16 whereupon depressing of the plunger rod 16 carries
the spring follower 18 therealong and compresses spring 19 whereupon
release of the plunger rod 16 biases the plunger rod 16 to its initial
position, as illustrated in FIG. 2 for example.
A valve, including a first diaphragm valve seat 20 formed of a
resilient web material with the central aperture therethrough, defines
a lowermost end wall of the magazine cavity 13 and includes a first
spherical plug 21 fixedly secured to the plunger rod 16 whereupon
depressing of the plunger rod 16 against the bias of spring 19 vertically
displaces the spherical plug 21 from its seat on the diaphragm valve
seat 20 and allows a desiccant powder to travel and be directed
through by a conical directed surface 20a at an uppermost portion
of the valve seat 20 into the first chamber 14. The first chamber
14 includes plural pairs of aligned first chamber passageways 14a
(as illustrated in FIG. 4) and thereby distributes a desiccant powder
along an uppermost surface of the grip portion "G" of
the handle 12.
The plunger rod 16 includes a first plunger rod extension 16a depending
and extending axially aligned with the plunger rod 16 and beyond
the first spherical plug 21 and directed into an axially aligned
bore of a support bearing 22 positioned within the central cavity
24 within the handle 12. The central cavity 24 includes plural pairs
of conduits 23 surroundingly and axially displaced relative to the
support bearing 22 to enable desiccant powder to be directed from
the magazine cavity 13 through the first chamber 14 then through
the conduits 23 and into the central cavity 24 whereupon a second
plunger rod 25 formed with a second plunger rod extension 25a extends
into a lowermost portion of the bore of the support bearing 22.
A second spherical plug 26 is fixedly secured between the second
plunger rod 25 and the extension 25a and is normally biased upon
and overlies a central opening within a second diaphragm valve seat
27. A conical directing surface 27a formed at an uppermost portion
of the diaphragm valve seat 27 directs the desiccant powder therethrough
upon depressing of the plunger rod 25 extending outwardly of the
handle 12 and into a second chamber 15. Like the first chamber 14
the second chamber 15 includes a plurality of aligned second chamber
passageways 15a to direct desiccant powder about a lowermost portion
of the handle 12. In this manner, desiccant powder is selectively
directed onto selective portions of the handle 12 dependent on user
need.
Similarly, a lower spring 29 includes a cup-shaped lower spring
follower 28 fixedly secured to the second plunger rod 25 to return
the plunger rod 25 to its original position upon release thereof.
Outer and inner seals 30a and 30b respectively seal the orthogonally
enclosing walls of the lower compartment 30 from contamination to
ensure longevity of operation of the instant invention.
As to the manner of usage and operation of the instant invention,
the same should be apparent from the above disclosure and accordingly
no further discussion relative to the manner of usage and operation
of the instant invention shall be provided.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized
that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the
invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form,
function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily
apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent
relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described
in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present
invention.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of
the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications
and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is
not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and
operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications
and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of
the invention. |