CA2867944A1

CA2867944A1 - Balls for use in off-ice hockey training

Info

Publication number: CA2867944A1
Application number: CA2867944A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Bruce Allen Mayer Ii; Brad Thomas Mayer
Original assignee: Smarthockey Inc
Current assignee: Smarthockey Inc
Priority date: 2013-11-04
Filing date: 2014-10-23
Publication date: 2015-05-04
Also published as: US20150126312A1

Abstract

This disclosure includes street hockey balls for use in games and/or training on off-ice surfaces (e.g., paved asphalt, paved concrete, and/or the like). The present hockey balls can be configured to emulate the bounce or rebound characteristics of a hockey puck on ice. For example, versions of the present hockey balls can include a core of a low rebound material and a covering or coating of a hard, tough material. Versions can have a weight greater than that of a hockey puck to facilitate strength training by which a player's wrist, shoulder, back and hand strength and endurance can be improved, and/or can have a height selected to simulate the feel of a hockey puck while still being low enough to facilitate speed or stickhandling training by which a player's stick speed or stickhandling skills can be improved.

Description

BALLS FOR USE IN OFF-ICE HOCKEY TRAINING
FIELD OF INVENTION
[0001] This disclosure relates generally to hockey and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to street hockey balls for use in games and training activities on hard (non-ice) surfaces, such as roadways and sidewalks, methods for making the same, and to games played therewith.
BACKGROUND

[0002] A typical hockey puck used on ice has the geometry of a circular disk, about one inch thick and about three inches in diameter, and is made of a hard rubber.
When used on ice, the puck has tendency to slide on one of the disk faces, even when the puck starts out rolling on the edge of the disk.

[0003] Hockey is also played on hard, non-ice surfaces, such as streets and roadways (e.g., paved with asphalt or concrete). When a conventional hockey puck is used on such a hard surface, the friction of the surface (greater than that of ice) tends to allow a rolling puck to roll.
Further, the friction of such hard surfaces is typically so great that a puck will not slide very far on one of the disk faces, generally not sufficiently far to be used in a hockey game, and never as far as would be expected playing on ice. Additionally, a conventional hockey puck has a tendency to bounce when used on such hard surfaces.

[0004] Conventional hockey balls (plastic spherical pucks) are too light in weight and too soft to provide the desired feel and action akin to ice hockey. In addition, such spherical pucks often do not roll well if it becomes very warm (because of the increase in adhesion and/or tackiness of the plastic material).

[0005] One example of a street hockey ball that simulates the feel and action of a hockey puck is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 6,290,619.
SUMMARY

[0006] This disclosure includes embodiments of street hockey balls and methods.

[0007] Some embodiments of the present street hockey balls comprise: a core and a covering thereon, the core comprising an elastic material having a low rebound, and the covering comprising a tough, hard material, the ball having a diameter of between 1.9 inches (in.) and 2.3 in., and a weight that is greater than the weight of an ice hockey puck. In some embodiments, the core comprises a polymer, and the covering comprises a thermoplastic resin. In some embodiments, the core further comprises a weight member having a density that is greater than a density of the polymer. In some embodiments, the core has a ball rebound of less than about 30%. In some embodiments, the core comprises polyurethane. In some embodiments, the ball is configured to bounce less than about 11 in. after being dropped from a height of 3 1/2 feet onto an asphalt surface. In some embodiments, the weight of the ball is between 7 ounces and 10 ounces. In some embodiments, the surface of the ball is dimpled. In some embodiments, the core has a diameter of between 1.9 in. and 2.1 in., and the covering has a thickness of between 0.05 in. and 0.15 in. In some embodiments, the covering includes a plurality of openings extending through the covering to the core. In some embodiments, the plurality of openings includes six openings.

[0008] Some embodiments of the present methods (e.g., for making a street hockey ball) comprise: providing green ball comprising a low rebound flexible polymeric material; covering the green ball with a tough material to form a ball having a diameter of between 1.9 inches (in.) and 2.3 in., and a weight that is greater than the weight of an ice hockey puck. In some embodiments, the surface of the tough material is dimpled. In some embodiments, the core comprises a polymer, and the covering comprises a thermoplastic resin. In some embodiments, the core further comprises a weight member having a density that is greater than a density of the polymer. In some embodiments, the core has a ball rebound of less than about 30%. In some embodiments, the core comprises polyurethane. In some embodiments, the ball is configured to bounce less than about 11 in. after being dropped from a height of about 3 1/2 feet onto an asphalt surface. In some embodiments, the weight of the ball is between 7 ounces and 10 ounces. In some embodiments, the core has a diameter of between 1.9 in. and 2.1 in., and the covering has a thickness of between 0.05 in. and 0.1 in. In some embodiments, the green ball is covered such that the material includes a plurality of openings extending through the material to the core. In some embodiments, the plurality of openings includes six openings.

[0009] Some embodiments of the present play devices (e.g., for simulating an ice hockey puck) comprise the geometry of a sphere, a hard outer surface, minimal bounce, a weight of the ball being greater than the weight of an ice hockey puck, and configured such that when disposed on a horizontal surface, the device has its widest dimension disposed about one inch from the surface. In some embodiments, the weight is between 7 ounces and 10 ounces.

[0010] Some embodiments of the present street hockey balls comprise: a core and a covering thereon, the core comprising an elastic material having a low rebound, and the covering comprising a tough, hard material, the ball having a weight that is less than the weight of an ice hockey puck and a diameter of between 1.6 inches (in.) and 1.8 in. In some embodiments, the core comprises a polymer, and the covering comprises a thermoplastic resin. In some embodiments, the core comprises a polyurethane having a ball rebound of less than about 13%.
In some embodiments, the ball is configured to bounce less than about 12 in.
after being dropped from a height of about 3 1/2 feet onto an asphalt surface. In some embodiments, the weight of the ball is between 2 ounces and 4 ounces. In some embodiments, the surface of the ball is dimpled. In some embodiments, the core has a diameter of between 1.4 in. and 1.6 in., and the covering has a thickness of between 0.05 in. and 0.15 in. In some embodiments, the covering includes a plurality of openings extending through the covering to the core.
In some embodiments, the plurality of openings includes six openings.

[0011] Some embodiments of the present methods (e.g., for making a street hockey ball) comprise: providing green ball comprising a low rebound flexible polymeric material; covering the green ball with a tough material to form a ball having a weight that is less than the weight of an ice hockey puck and a diameter of about 1.6 inches (in.) and 1.8 in. In some embodiments, the surface of the material is dimpled. In some embodiments, the core comprises a polymer, and the material comprises a thermoplastic resin. In some embodiments, the core comprises a polyurethane having a ball rebound of less than about 13%. In some embodiments, the ball is configured to bounce less than about 12 in. after being dropped from a height of about 3 1/2 feet onto an asphalt surface. In some embodiments, the weight of the ball is between 2 ounces and 4 ounces. In some embodiments, the core has a diameter of between 1.4 in. and 1.6 in., and the green ball is covered such that the material has a thickness of between 0.05 in. and 0.15 in. In some embodiments, the green ball is covered such that the material includes a plurality of openings extending through the material to the core. In some embodiments, the plurality of openings includes six openings.

[0012] Some embodiments of the present play devices (e.g., for simulating an ice hockey puck) comprise the geometry of a sphere, a hard outer surface, minimal bounce, a weight less than the weight of an ice hockey puck, and configured such that when disposed on a horizontal surface, the device has its widest dimension disposed between 0.8 in. and 0.9 in. from the surface. In some embodiments, the weight is between 2 ounces and 4 ounces.

[0013] Some embodiments of the present methods (e.g., of playing the game of hockey off-ice) comprise: playing the game with an embodiment of the present street hockey balls.

[0014] Some embodiments of the present methods (e.g., of playing the game of hockey off-ice) comprise playing the game with an embodiment of the present play devices.

[0015] The term "coupled" is defined as connected, although not necessarily directly, and not necessarily mechanically; two items that are "coupled" may be unitary with each other. The terms "a" and "an" are defined as one or more unless this disclosure explicitly requires otherwise. The term "substantially" is defined as largely but not necessarily wholly what is specified (and includes what is specified; e.g., substantially 90 degrees includes 90 degrees and substantially parallel includes parallel), as understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art. In any disclosed embodiment, the terms "substantially," "approximately," and "about" may be substituted with "within [a percentage] of' what is specified, where the percentage includes .1, 1, 5, and 10 percent.

[0016] Further, a device or system that is configured in a certain way is configured in at least that way, but it can also be configured in other ways than those specifically described.

[0017] The terms "comprise" (and any form of comprise, such as "comprises" and "comprising"), "have" (and any form of have, such as "has" and "having"), "include" (and any form of include, such as "includes" and "including"), and "contain" (and any form of contain, such as "contains" and "containing") are open-ended linking verbs. As a result, an apparatus that "comprises," "has," "includes," or "contains" one or more elements possesses those one or more elements, but is not limited to possessing only those elements. Likewise, a method that "comprises," "has," "includes," or "contains" one or more steps possesses those one or more steps, but is not limited to possessing only those one or more steps.

[0018] Any embodiment of any of the apparatuses, systems, and methods can consist of or consist essentially of¨ rather than comprise/include/contain/have ¨ any of the described steps, elements, and/or features. Thus, in any of the claims, the term "consisting of' or "consisting essentially of' can be substituted for any of the open-ended linking verbs recited above, in order to change the scope of a given claim from what it would otherwise be using the open-ended linking verb.

[0019] The feature or features of one embodiment may be applied to other embodiments, even though not described or illustrated, unless expressly prohibited by this disclosure or the nature of the embodiments.

[0020] Details associated with the embodiments described above and others are described below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The following drawings illustrate by way of example and not limitation. For the sake of brevity and clarity, every feature of a given structure is not always labeled in every figure in which that structure appears. Identical reference numbers do not necessarily indicate an identical structure. Rather, the same reference number may be used to indicate a similar feature or a feature with similar functionality, as may non-identical reference numbers. The figures are drawn to scale for at least the embodiments shown.

[0022] FIG. 1 depicts an idealized side view showing the approximate size relationship among a conventional hockey puck, a first embodiment of the present hockey balls , and the blade of a hockey stick.

[0023] FIG. 2 depicts an exploded perspective view of the hockey ball of FIG. 1.

[0024] FIG. 3 depicts a side view of the hockey ball of FIG. 1.

[0025] FIG. 4 depicts an idealized side view showing the approximate size relationship among a conventional hockey puck, a second embodiment of the present hockey balls , and the blade of a hockey stick.

[0026] FIG. 5 depicts an exploded perspective view of the hockey ball of FIG. 4.

[0027] FIG. 6 depicts a side view of the hockey ball of FIG. 4.
DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

[0028] Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1-3, FIG. 1 depicts a side view of a conventional hockey puck 101 and a first embodiment of the present hockey balls or spherical pucks 103. In this embodiment, The diameter of ball 103, at horizontal hemispherical plane 105, is disposed at the same height as, or slightly higher than, height 107 of a conventional hockey puck. When a blade 109 of a hockey stick 111 contacts a conventional hockey puck (e.g., 101), the contact typically occurs at upper edge 113 of the puck. In the embodiment shown, the widest part of hockey ball 103, at horizontal hemispherical plane 105, is at essentially the same height as height 107 and contact edge 113 of conventional puck 101, such that blade 109 contacts ball 103 in essentially the same location (at essentially the same height) as blade 109 would contact conventional puck 101. In this embodiment, ball 103 is a sphere having a diameter of between 1.9 inches and 2.4 inches (e.g., between 2.1 inches and 2.3 inches).
For example, in the embodiment shown, ball 103 has a diameter of about 2.2 inches (e.g., 2.1875 0.05 inches). At this diameter, the widest part of the sphere (i.e., a diameter through the center) lies between 1.05 inches and 1.15 inches from the ground, slightly higher than the 1-inch height of a conventional hockey puck. In this embodiment, having the widest part of the ball slightly higher than the height of the hockey puck more closely approximates the contact point of the conventional hockey puck because the curve of the ball combined with the angle of blade 109 could otherwise cause the contact point (and angle) to be higher than it would otherwise be with a conventional puck.

[0029] In some embodiments, ball 103 has a weight (e.g., between 7 ounces and 10 ounces) that is greater than the weight of a conventional hockey puck (e.g., 6 ounces). For example, in the embodiment shown, ball 103 has a weight of between 7.5 ounces and 8.5 ounces (e.g., 7.6-7.9 ounces). The greater weight permits a user to perform strength exercises off-ice in which the contact point of the ball is similar to a hockey puck but the additional weight can add resistance to improve the user's strength. The weight can be adjusted as desired (e.g., equal to any one of, or between any two of: 7, 7.5, 8, 8.5, 9, 9.5, and/or 10 ounces, or more); for example, a user may prefer a heavier puck for rougher surfaces, and a lighter puck for smoother surfaces.
The weight of the puck can be varied by changing the size of the puck, the materials of the puck (although many polymers have about the same density), and/or the parts of the puck (e.g., a puck with heavy core and one or more polymeric outer shells).

[0030] FIGS. 2 and 3 depict additional views of ball 103. In the embodiment shown, ball 103 comprises three materials: two of which are included in a two-part core 120 comprising a weight member 120a (e.g., a central, spherical member comprising iron, steel, or other relatively heavier material) and a polymer (e.g., elastic) or other relatively lighter material 120b (e.g., polyvinyl chloride (PVC)) with minimal rebound that surrounds the central member; and a covering or coating 121 comprising a flexible, hard, and durable material. In the embodiment shown, weight member 120a comprises a steel sphere having a diameter of between 1.25 and 1.5 inches (e.g., 1.338+0.04), and material 120b comprises PVC that is molded around weight member 120b. In other embodiment, material 120b may be formed as two hemispherical shells that are then coupled to (e.g. adhered to) each other and/or weight member 120a.

[0031] Before being coated or covered with covering 121, core 120 may be referred to as a "green" ball, as it is not a fully completed article for use in street hockey. The green ball or core 120 can then covered by the coating or covering material 121 to result in the finished product. For example, in some embodiments, covering 121 is overmolded over core 120. In other embodiments, covering 121 is formed as two hemispherical shells 122 that are disposed around core 120 and adhered and/or welded (e.g., via thermal welding, sonic welding, laser welding, and/or the like) to each other and/or to core 120. In some embodiments, covering includes a plurality of openings 123 extending through the covering to core 120. For example, in the embodiment shown, covering 121 includes six openings 123, with three openings 123 disposed in each of two hemispheres (e.g., each corresponding to one of shells 122) in a triangular pattern in which the three openings 123 are equidistant from an axis 124 passing through the center of ball 103.

[0032] In some embodiments, core 120 has a diameter of between 1.8 inches and 2.1 inches (e.g., between 1.9 inches and 2.1 inches) and covering 121 has a thickness of between 0.05 inches and 0.2 inches (e.g., between 0.05 and 0.15 inches). For example, in the embodiment shown, core 120 has a diameter of 1.995+0.04 inches and covering 121 has a thickness of 0.09625+0.01 inches.

[0033] The core can, for example, comprise a polymer, such as a polyurethane or polyisocyanate. Examples of such polymers include VIBRATHANEO 8050 or ADIPRENEO
LF 1950A cured with VIBRACURE8 A931. VIBRATHANES, VIBRACUREO, and ADIPRENEO polymers, which are commercially available from Uniroyal Chemical (Middlebury, Conn.), are the reaction product of an isocyanate (e.g., toluene diisocyanate, TDI) with a polyether or polyester. Other polyurethanes that may be suitably durable are described by Gajewski et al. (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,195,150; 5,023,040; 5,223,599; and 5,654,390), O'Donnell et al.
(U.S. Pat. No. 5,112,933), Karoly et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,166,042), and Chin et al. (U.S. Pat. No.
5,714,561), the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. The VIBRACUREO

A931 curative is a polyol amine curative (e.g., containing phenyl diethanolamine) useful for curing polyether and polyester prepolyrners (e.g., VIBRATHANE B-896 (mixture of 2,4- and 2,6-toluene diisocyanate with polyether), VIBRATHANE 8050, ADIPRENE LF 1950A

(mixture of 2,4- and 2,6-toluene diisocyanate with polyester)). Other suitable curatives include 4,4'-methylene-bis-(o-choroaniline) (called MBCA), and diamines, especially aromatic amines available under the trademarks ETHACURE 100 (diethyl-2,4- and diethy1-2,6-toluenediamide), ETHACURE 300 (di(methylthio)-2,4- and di(methylthio)-2,6-toluenediamine), and ETHACURE 400 (blend of ETHACURE 300 and a diol).
Combinations that of prepolymers and curatives that may be suitable for at least some embodiments include VIBRATHANE B896 cured with VIBRATHANE A195 (a mixture or blend of VIBRATHANE A931, ETHACURE 100, and ETHACURE 300), and ADIPRENE8 LF 1950A cured with VIBRATHANE A195 at a 90% stoichoimetric ratio.
Polymeric compositions made with a polyester are often harder than those made with a polyether.

[0034] In at least some embodiments, ball 103 is configured to resist bouncing or to bounce less than other types of balls (e.g., tennis balls), such that ball 103 is generally nonnon-bouncing to avoid bouncing on a play surface (e.g., as a conventional puck generally resists bouncing on ice). "Ball rebound" is one indication of ball's bounciness and can be determined by testing according to ASTM D3574, which involves dropping a steel ball of known mass from a predetermined height onto a sample of the material and the ball rebound height is expressed as a percentage of the original drop height. For at least some of the present embodiments, the lower the ball rebound number, the more desirable for the present hockey balls (i.e., the "deader" the ball, the better). In at least some embodiments, the material of the green ball or core 120 has a rebound of less than 30% (e.g., less than 13%). VIBRATHANE 8050 cured with ETHACURE
300, for example, has a Shore D hardness of about 50 and a Rebound of about 25-30%. In some embodiments, ball 103 has very little bounce (i.e., 41 inches) when dropped from waist high, or about 3 V2 feet. For example, in the embodiment shown, ball 103 is configured to bounce less than 11 inches (e.g., between 4 inches and 8 inches) when dropped onto a paved asphalt or a concrete paved surface from a height of 3 V2 feet.
[00351 In the embodiment shown, covering 121 comprises a tough, flexible, and/or smooth material. Examples of materials suitable for covering 121 in at least some of the present embodiments include: CAPRON nylon (e.g., ULTRATOUGHTm BU50I, available from Allied Signal, Morristown, N.J.); ethylene copolymers containing acid groups partially neutralized using metal salts, such as, for example, SURLYN ionomer (e.g., SURLYN 8150 and/or SURLYN 1702) available from DuPont, Wilmington, DE), and the like as are typically used for coverings for golf balls. For example, in the embodiment shown, covering 121 comprises a mixture of 60% SURLYN 8150 and 40% SURLYN 1702. The outer surface of coating 121 be smooth (i.e., without dimples) or may include dimples (e.g., regularly spaced on the surface).
[0036] It is also possible to make embodiments of the present hockey balls (e.g., 103, 103a) without a covering (e.g., 121, 121a) if the material of the core (120, 120a) is independently tough. For example, one purpose of the present coverings (e.g., 121, 121a) is to prevent the blade of a hockey stick from sticking to the ball due to inherent tackiness of the polymeric material, which may increase as the ambient temperature increases; for example, a green ball or core 120 outdoors in Tucson or Houston is likely to be much tackier than the same core 120 used in New York or Boston because of the warmer ambient temperature (polymers typically become tackier as the temperature increases). Thus, a tough and hard material such as described above for covering 121, that has some elastic character, can be useful in many embodiments to normalize or ensure consistency of performance of the ball in various environments, improve durability, reduce and/or otherwise adjust or optimize bounce, reduce rolling resistance (as the inclusion of dimples may also do), and/or the like.
[0037] In the embodiment shown, ball 103 thus provides a play and/or training device, in the geometry of a sphere, that has minimal bounce and a smooth and hard or tough outer surface, as well as a "dead" core and a hard surface. As such, when this device is used, for example, for street hockey, the device rolls very quickly because of the hard coating.
Also, the device has a significantly reduced tendency to bounce because of the dead center. In essence, then, when struck, ball 103 tends to roll quickly without bouncing, analogous to a hockey puck struck on ice.
The hard coating and low-rebound core material also minimize and/or substantially prevent deformation or warping, even when struck with great force. In this embodiment, the low-rebound core material also helps ball 103 to mimic the "dead" feel of the puck on the stick (i.e., the feel of the ball to a player when the player strikes the ball with a stick).
[0038] Referring now to FIGS. 4-6, FIG. 4 depicts a second embodiment 103a of the present hockey balls, and FIGS. 5 and 6 depict additional views of ball 103a.
Ball 103a is similar in some respects to ball 103, such that the differences will primarily be described here.
For example, ball 103a is a sphere having a diameter of between 1.5 inches and 1.9 inches (e.g., between 1.6 inches and 1.8 inches). For example, in the embodiment shown, ball 103 has a diameter of about 1.7 inches (e.g., 1.680 0.5 inches).
[0039] In some embodiments, core 120a has a diameter of between 1.3 inches and 1.7 inches (e.g., between 1.4 inches and 1.6 inches) and covering 121 has a thickness of between 0.05 inches and 0.2 inches (e.g., between 0.05 and 0.15 inches). For example, in the embodiment shown, core 120 has a diameter of 1.4875 0.04 inches and covering 121 has a thickness of 0.09625 0.01 inches.
[0040] In some embodiments, ball 103a has little bounce (i.e., 2 inches) when dropped from waist high, or about 3 1/2 , feet. For example, in the embodiment shown, ball 103a is configured to bounce less than 12 inches (e.g., between 8 inches and 12 inches) when dropped onto a paved asphalt or a concrete paved surface from a height of 3 1/2 feet.
[0041] In some embodiments, ball 103a has a weight (e.g., between 2 ounces and 4 ounces) that is less than the weight of a conventional hockey puck (e.g., 6 ounces). For example, in the embodiment shown, ball 103a has a weight of 1.1 ounces. The lower weight (relative to a conventional hockey puck) and lower height (relative to ball 103) permit a user to perform speed and/or stickhandling exercises off-ice in which the lower height of ball 103a (relative to that of ball 103) more-closely simulates the overall height of a conventional hockey puck and, thus, does not require a player that is stickhandling ball 103a to lift blade 109 as a high as would be necessary to stickhandle ball 103. Additionally, the diameter of ball 103a balances the simulation of the height of a conventional hockey puck for speed work, relative to the simulation of the contact height of a conventional hockey puck. For example, while the contact height of ball 103a is lower than that of ball 103, the widest dimension (at horizontal hemispherical plane 105a) of ball 103a is at a height of about 0.85 inches, which is within about 0.15 inches of the 1-inch contact height of a conventional hockey puck. The weight can be adjusted as desired (e.g., equal to any one of, or between any two of: 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, and/or 4 ounces, or more); for example, a user may prefer a heavier puck for rougher surfaces, and a lighter puck for smoother surfaces. The weight of the puck can be varied by changing the size of the puck, the materials of the puck (although many polymers have about the same density), and/or the parts of the puck (e.g., a puck with heavy core and one or more polymeric outer shells). Lighter-weight (e.g., 2 ounce) embodiments of ball 103a (relative to ball 103) may make it more difficult for a player to feel the ball on a hockey stick, which can help the player improve the sensitivity of his feel for the puck; heavier (e.g., 4 ounce) embodiments of ball 103a are still lighter than a typical hockey puck and can therefore still improve a player's speed while more-closely (relative to lighter-weight embodiments) mimicking the feel of a puck.
[0042] The above specification and examples provide a complete description of the structure and use of illustrative embodiments. Although certain embodiments have been described above with a certain degree of particularity, or with reference to one or more individual embodiments, those skilled in the art could make numerous alterations to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the scope of this invention. As such, the various illustrative embodiments of the methods and systems are not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, they include all modifications and alternatives falling within the scope of the claims, and embodiments other than the one shown may include some or all of the features of the depicted embodiment. For example, elements may be omitted or combined as a unitary structure, and/or connections may be substituted. Further, where appropriate, aspects of any of the examples described above may be combined with aspects of any of the other examples described to form further examples having comparable or different properties and/or functions, and addressing the same or different problems. Similarly, it will be understood that the benefits and advantages described above may relate to one embodiment or may relate to several embodiments.
[0043] The claims are not intended to include, and should not be interpreted to include, means-plus- or step-plus-function limitations, unless such a limitation is explicitly recited in a given claim using the phrase(s) "means for" or "step for," respectively.

Claims

1. A street hockey ball comprising a core and a covering thereon, the core comprising an elastic material having a low rebound, and the covering comprising a tough, hard material, the ball having a diameter of between 1.9 inches (in.) and 2.3 in., and a weight that is greater than the weight of an ice hockey puck.

2. The street hockey ball of claim 1, where the core comprises a polymer, and the covering comprises a thermoplastic resin.

3. The street hockey ball of claim 2, where the core further comprises a weight member having a density that is greater than a density of the polymer.

4. The street hockey ball of claim 1, where the core has a ball rebound of less than about 30%.

5. The street hockey ball of claim 4, where the core comprises polyurethane.

6. The street hockey ball of claim 1, where the ball is configured to bounce less than about 11 in. after being dropped from a height of 3 '/ feet onto an asphalt surface.

7. The street hockey ball of claim 1, where the weight of the ball is between 7 ounces and ounces.

8. The street hockey ball of claim 1, where the surface of the ball is dimpled.

9. The street hockey ball of claim 1, where the core has a diameter of between 1.9 in. and 2.1 in., and the covering has a thickness of between 0.05 in. and 0.15 in.

10. The street hockey ball of claim 1, where the covering includes a plurality of openings extending through the covering to the core.

11. The street hockey ball of claim 10, where the plurality of openings includes six openings.

12. A method for making a street hockey ball, comprising:
providing green ball comprising a low rebound flexible polymeric material;
covering the green ball with a tough material to form a ball having a diameter of between 1.9 inches (in.) and 2.3 in., and a weight that is greater than the weight of an ice hockey puck.

13. The method of claim 12, where the surface of the tough material is dimpled.

14. The method of claim 12, where the core comprises a polymer, and the covering comprises a thermoplastic resin.

15. The street hockey ball of claim 2, where the core further comprises a weight member having a density that is greater than a density of the polymer.

16. The method of claim 12, where the core has a ball rebound of less than about 30%.

17. The method of claim 16, where the core comprises polyurethane.

18. The method of claim 12, where the ball is configured to bounce less than about 11 in.
after being dropped from a height of about 3 1/2 feet onto an asphalt surface.

19. The method of claim 12, where the weight of the ball is between 7 ounces and 10 ounces.

20. The method of claim 12, where the core has a diameter of between 1.9 in. and 2.1 in., and the covering has a thickness of between 0.05 in. and 0.1 in.

21. The method of claim 12, where the green ball is covered such that the material includes a plurality of openings extending through the material to the core.

22. The method of claim 21, where the plurality of openings includes six openings.

23. A method of playing the game of hockey off-ice, comprising playing the game with the street hockey ball of claim 1.

24. A play device for simulating an ice hockey puck, comprising the geometry of a sphere, a hard outer surface, minimal bounce, a weight of the ball being greater than the weight of an ice hockey puck, and configured such that when disposed on a horizontal surface, the device has its widest dimension disposed about one inch from the surface.

25. The play device of claim 24, wherein the weight is between 7 ounces and 10 ounces.

26. A method of playing the game of hockey off-ice, comprising playing the game with the device of claim 24.

27. A street hockey ball comprising a core and a covering thereon, the core comprising an elastic material having a low rebound, and the covering comprising a tough, hard material, the ball having a weight that is less than the weight of an ice hockey puck and a diameter of between 1.6 inches (in.) and 1.8 in.

28. The street hockey ball of claim 27, where the core comprises a polymer, and the covering comprises a thermoplastic resin.

29. The street hockey ball of claim 27, where the core comprises a polyurethane having a ball rebound of less than about 13%.

30. The street hockey ball of claim 27, where the ball is configured to bounce less than about 12 in. after being dropped from a height of about 3 1/2 feet onto an asphalt surface.

31. The street hockey ball of claim 27, where the weight of the ball is between 2 ounces and 4 ounces.

32. The street hockey ball of claim 27, where the surface of the ball is dimpled.

33. The street hockey ball of claim 27, where the core has a diameter of between 1.4 in. and 1.6 in., and the covering has a thickness of between 0.05 in. and 0.15 in.

34. The street hockey ball of claim 27, where the covering includes a plurality of openings extending through the covering to the core.

35. The street hockey ball of claim 34, where the plurality of openings includes six openings.

36. A method for making a street hockey ball, comprising:
providing green ball comprising a low rebound flexible polymeric material;
covering the green ball with a tough material to form a ball having a weight that is less than the weight of an ice hockey puck and a diameter of about 1.6 inches (in.) and 1.8 in.

37. The method of claim 36, where the surface of the material is dimpled.

38. The method of claim 36, where the core comprises a polymer, and the material comprises a thermoplastic resin.

39. The method of claim 36, where the core comprises a polyurethane having a ball rebound of less than about 13%.

40. The method of claim 36, where the ball is configured to bounce less than about 12 in.
after being dropped from a height of about 3 1/2 feet onto an asphalt surface.

41. The method of claim 36, where the weight of the ball is between 2 ounces and 4 ounces.

42. The method of claim 36, where the core has a diameter of between 1.4 in. and 1.6 in., and the green ball is covered such that the material has a thickness of between 0.05 in. and 0.15 in.

43. The method of claim 36, where the green ball is covered such that the material includes a plurality of openings extending through the material to the core.

44. The method of claim 43, where the plurality of openings includes six openings.

45. A method of playing the game of hockey off-ice, comprising playing the game with the street hockey ball of claim 27.

46. A play device for simulating an ice hockey puck, comprising the geometry of a sphere, a hard outer surface, minimal bounce, a weight less than the weight of an ice hockey puck, and configured such that when disposed on a horizontal surface, the device has its widest dimension disposed between 0.8 in. and 0.9 in. from the surface.

47. The play device of claim 46, wherein the weight is between 2 ounces and 4 ounces.