Composite billiard cue shaft

Abstract

An improved billiard cue shaft is disclosed. The shaft includes a tapered and tubular shaft body made of a composite material such as carbon fiber/epoxy and may also include a plastic foam core. The thickness of the wall of the shaft body increases continuously along the length of the shaft from a low at the smaller front end to a high at the larger back end. The shaft, when correctly used to form the body, or a portion of the body of a billiard cue, will facilitate a more efficient transfer of energy to the cue ball.

1 . A round tapered tubular shaft to be used to form the body of a billiard cue or a portion of a billiard cue. Said shaft has a continuously increasing wall thickness from a low at the smaller front end to a high at the larger back end. Said shaft is made of a composite material of fibers in a binder such as carbon fiber/epoxy. 
   
   
       2 . The shaft of  claim 1  wherein the interior of the tapered tubular shaft is filled with a resilient plastic foam. 
   
   
       3 . The shaft of  claim 1  wherein it is used to form the front half of a billiard cue. 
   
   
       4 . The shaft of  claim 3  wherein the wall thickness at the front end is between 0.010″ and 0.020″ and increases to at least 0.050″ at the back end. 
   
   
       5 . The shaft of  claim 3  wherein the wall thickness at the front end is between 0.020″ and 0.030″ and increases to at least 0.070″ at the back end. 
   
   
       6 . The shaft of  claim 3  wherein the wall thickness at the front end is between 0.030″ and 0.040″ and increases to at least 0.090″ at the back end. 
   
   
       7 . The shaft of  claim 1  wherein it is used to form the back half of a billiard cue. 
   
   
       8 . The shaft of  claim 7  wherein the wall thickness at the front end is between 0.050″ and 0.070″ and increases to at least 0.100″ at the back end. 
   
   
       9 . The shaft of  claim 7  wherein the wall thickness at the front end is between 0.070″ and 0.090″ and increases to at least 0.120″ at the back end. 
   
   
       10 . The shaft of  claim 7  wherein the wall thickness at the front end is between 0.090″ and 0.0110″ and increases to at least 0.140″ at the back end. 
   
   
       11 . A round tapered shaft to be used to form the body of a billiard cue or a portion of a billiard cue. Said shaft includes an outer skin made of a composite material of fibers in a binder such as carbon fiber/epoxy and an inner core of structural rigid plastic foam. Said outer skin has a continuously increasing wall thickness from a low at the smaller front end to a high at the larger back end. 
   
   
       12 . The shaft of  claim 11  wherein it is used to form the front half of a billiard cue. 
   
   
       13 . The shaft of  claim 12  wherein the wall thickness at the front end is between 0.010″ and 0.020″ and increases to at least 0.050″ at the back end. 
   
   
       14 . The shaft of  claim 12  wherein the wall thickness at the front end is between 0.020″ and 0.030″ and increases to at least 0.070″ at the back end. 
   
   
       15 . The shaft of  claim 12  wherein the wall thickness at the front end is between 0.030″ and 0.040″ and increases to at least 0.090″ at the back end. 
   
   
       16 . The shaft of  claim 11  wherein it is used to form the back half of a billiard cue. 
   
   
       17 . The shaft of  claim 16  wherein the wall thickness at the front end is between 0.050″ and 0.070″ and increases to at least 0.100″ at the back end. 
   
   
       18 . The shaft of  claim 16  wherein the wall thickness at the front end is between 0.070″ and 0.090″ and increases to at least 0.120″ at the back end. 
   
   
       19 . The shaft of  claim 16  wherein the wall thickness at the front end is between 0.090″ and 0.110″ and increases to at least 0.140″ at the back end.