CA1178983A

CA1178983A - Puck control aid

Info

Publication number: CA1178983A
Application number: CA000422954A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Gerald M. O'reilly
Original assignee: 711 SAINT LAURENT POST OFFICE; Reilly Gerald M O
Current assignee: 711 SAINT LAURENT POST OFFICE; Reilly Gerald M O
Priority date: 1983-03-04
Filing date: 1983-03-04
Publication date: 1984-12-04

Abstract

ABSTRACT

In the sport of hockey, stickhandling and puck control are generally aided by the application of tape around the blade of the stick. In this invention, an adhesive-backed article, molded from rubber latex, is applied to both sides of the stickblade. This article features several short, stubby prongs that perform as sensory antennae. These rubber prongs protrude at right angles from the surface and are arranged in a manner determined suitably bal-anced to improve every facet of the game equally. Once applied, both articles, forehand and backhand, are symettrical.

Description

1~789B3 This invention relates to t`-e acces60ries anl~or treatments hockey players utilize to gain better puck control.
It if3 a common ~ractice to ta~e the blade of a hc)c'~ey stick in order to facilitate control over the fractious action of the puck in play. Other treat~ents are employed as ~:ell, such as burning and shav-ing. These are only a partial solution to the problem. Applying tape creates friction as the stickblade slides across the ice, causing it to 810w. It also dulls the sense of touch the player must have for the puck in order to control it properly. Shaving and burning create inherent weakne,3ses in the design of the stick itself, making it apt to break ea~ily.
This molded article enables a hockey player to obtain a reater senf3e of touch for the puck. Each antenna, along with the nature of the rubber itself, serves to soften the force of i~pact that occurs when recelving ~ ~?a6s. 'T'his allows playerf3 to complete har(~f~r passes.
Antennaf are allgned in distinct relation to one another, providing a constant grld of reference which the p'Layer ref'er6 to as he proceeds down the ice. 'rhis makes it easier to stickhandle. Durinf; the shot, becausf3 of the thii~nes& and texture of the article an(l ei~icif3nt (lHsign of tne ~rltenJI~ formation, lines of r~,`erf~ (! form tracing the path of the puc~ acros~ t~fe race o r thf- st;ick'~,"la()e. This ea~f?s the ta~k of cf)ntrf)~ ng the ,~;iîr~t; without crec-~tirlg unflufj fr:icti()rl Ihc~, would le3sf?rl the pOWf;~ f`f,lfJ~.~(,(J c~t tll~ of tll-- 5llf,(l:irlg rf!ol;-,r,. E~3(,~u3f t~le botlf~ off ~ ( f~ti,~'}'. if; nOi; ai'i~ the stich sli(les a'lo~lg t;ille ~3Uff~-- f),f t;i!~, :i,C~ ."~, lf! i ;~ f~;fli~f,, ~ J~ J~ ! to stren,~then f~ prOt,flCt l,]1f-! ,~31,:i.cl~-,1 af;r~ ~ allowin,r t~lf? pl ~ r~ to lak~J
flc~f(l~ f)l-, w,lilf-? 1-!ll~rl;J!i?~i the exl?ecte(~ 1~ r-.~ o f 1; !~ cl i 1 f;f 1 f.
F~ ~Ur`f? Ollf? i i. ',U,',tr'"~ e. .li1`t,1, i- vie~N of the article for left forehand/rigrht bac~hand shot.
h~igure two illu3tate~ a d3irec-t Vi,f?!~ O f t'!lf-l a!'liCl' for ri~ht forehand/left backl~t.!~` shots.

(1 q~

117~983 This article comprisea a. piece of rrloulded rubber l~l~x 1 in-corporating a number of tiny prongs 2 1/32nd inch in (3ianeter, app-roxiamately- 2 cm. in length. The prnngs are aligne~3 in a con~lgur~tir)n design0d to provide m~xi~1urq assistenc to every aspect of th~ ga1n~
~passinO, shooting~ stJckliaI-.clli~g) without deterring one feature of the skills required for the sake of another.
The use of-rubber latex 2/lOOth`s of an inch thick gives a good surface texture when the object is to supply a tractional surface for the puck to move over. Because of it`s relative thinness, only a neg-ligible effect is had upon the power of any shot taken.
When the two piece~ (forehand/backhand) are applied to the hockey stickblade, the configuration is symettrical. Because the force of attraction between the molecules in the rubber prong are under stress, each prong act~ as a tiny sensor when brushed again~t the edge of the puck. As the player moves the puck from forehand to backhand, the con-figuration acts a~ a grid of reference polnts, registering the positlon of the puck on the stickblade~ enabling the player to move about more freely without vi6ual contact of the puck on the stick.
Each prong 2 1~ sufficiently long enough to serve a~ a sensor, yet still short enough to allow power to be transmitted throughout the shot. The configuration is designed i~ such a way as to leave the stickblade centre clear cf prongs. This 'scooping effect' i5 ~ffective at controlling the puck throughr)ut the motion of a wrist ~;hot without causirlg exceas ~1r~lg.
The thin covering of rubber adds greatly to the 6tick`s inherent flexibility under the stress of a force of impact, encouraging a player to take harder shots without fear of breaking a stick.
The backhand motion employed during shooting or p~ssing is aided in the same motion described of the forehand.

(2)

Claims

"The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privelege is claimed are defined as follows:"

1. A pair of adhesive backed, molded flexible articles, which, when applied to the face of a hockey stick-blade, have a configuration of tiny prongs protruding from these articles to provide a cushioning effect to high impact collisions between a hockey stick and hockey puck.

2. A pair of adhesive backed, molded flexible articles, which, when applied to the face of a hockey stick-blade, have a configuration of tiny prongs protruding from these articles to provide resistance to the hockey puck as it moves across the face of a hockey stickblade.

3. A pair of adhesive backed molded flexible articles, which, when applied to the face of a hockey stick-blade, have a configuration of tiny prongs protruding from these articles to provide to the player a sensation of touch between the hockey puck and the hockey stickblade.

4. A pair of adhesive backed molded flexible articles, which, when applied to the face of a hockey stick-blade, provide to the player through the stress placed upon a configuration of tiny prongs, an extra split-second in which to adjust and execute the play he is under pressure to complete.