Pickleball paddle and methods of manufacturing thereof
View Patent ↗Adjustable pickleball paddle includes a paddle body comprising a flat planar core permanently attached to and positioned in between a pair of identical external faces on both flat sides thereof, and a handle configured to hold and manipulate the paddle, the handle extending from the core and oriented to be co-planar therewith. The flat core is configured to removably accept a first insert or additional inserts to fit within a thickness of the flat core, the first and/or additional inserts are configured to increase the stiffness of the flat core when placed therein, as well as the weight of the paddle. Individual adjustments to the twist weight and swing weight allow customization of the paddle for the individual needs of the player.
1. An adjustable paddle for playing a ball game, the paddle comprising a paddle body comprising, in turn, a flat planar core permanently attached to and positioned in between a pair of identical external faces on both flat sides thereof, and a handle configured to hold and manipulate the paddle, the handle extending from the core and oriented to be co-planar therewith,
wherein the flat core is configured to removably accept a first insert to fit within a thickness of the flat core, the first insert is configured to increase a stiffness of the flat core when placed therein,
wherein the first channel is positioned along a longitudinal axis of symmetry of the paddle,
thereby facilitating independent adjustment in a swing weight and in a twist weight of the paddle, and
wherein the first insert has a length exceeding at least one-half of a length of the flat core as measured from the handle, thereby when present, the first insert is configured to increase the stiffness of both a center and a periphery of the flat core.
2. The adjustable paddle, as in claim 1 , wherein the first insert is straight and is configured to be inserted into a corresponding first channel made in the flat core and sized to accept the first insert therein.
3. The adjustable paddle, as in claim 1 , wherein the first channel has a first channel opening on a side of the paddle opposite the handle, thereby the paddle is configured to accept the first insert when placed into the first channel via a first channel opening.
4. The adjustable paddle, as in claim 3 , wherein either the first channel or the first insert is equipped with a first fastener configured to retain the first insert when placed within the first channel.
5. The adjustable paddle, as in claim 1 , wherein the first insert comprises a first portion serially attached to a second portion.
6. The adjustable paddle, as in claim 1 , wherein the first insert is tubular with a rigid outer wall.
7. The adjustable paddle, as in claim 6 , the first insert comprises at least a first tubular portion inserted concentrically into a second tubular portion.
8. The adjustable paddle, as in claim 1 , further comprising a pair of a second insert and a third insert configured for removable placement in a second channel and a third channel of the flat core, one on both sides of the first insert.
9. The adjustable paddle, as in claim 8 , wherein the second channel and the third channel are evenly spaced apart from the first channel in the flat core and are positioned on both sides thereof.
10. The adjustable paddle, as in claim 8 , wherein the paddle is configurable to be used in all of the following configurations:
i. with no inserts present, thereby providing a configuration with a lowest paddle weight,
ii. with only the first insert present, thereby increasing paddle weight and increasing swing weight, while not changing twist weight of the paddle,
iii. with only the second insert and the third insert present, thereby further increasing paddle weight and also increasing twist weight, and
iv. all three inserts present, thereby providing for maximum paddle weight, maximum swing weight, and maximum twist weight,
thereby providing the paddle with adjustable playing parameters to suit individual players.
11. The adjustable paddle, as in claim 8 , wherein all inserts are identical and interchangeable with each other.
12. The adjustable paddle, as in claim 8 , wherein the first insert, the second insert, and the third insert form together a first set of inserts, and wherein the paddle further comprises a second set of inserts configured to be inserted into the corresponding channels in the flat core of the paddle in place of the first set of inserts, the second set of inserts having respective weight that is different from the first set of inserts.