US20020128094A1

US20020128094A1 - True, pure, and natural (elliptical) oval hockey stick shaft (referencing the cross-sectional aspect of the shaft itself)

Info

Publication number: US20020128094A1
Application number: US10/043,851
Authority: US
Inventors: Marc Manory
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-01-16
Filing date: 2002-01-11
Publication date: 2002-09-12

Abstract

This invention embodies a newly designed cross-sectional configuration for a hockey stick shaft and only that aspect of said hockey stick shaft; That cross-sectional configuration (design) being of a true, pure, and natural (elliptical) oval; Notwithstanding, this true, pure, and natural (elliptical) oval cross-sectional configuration runs approximately eighty-two percent (48.5 inches +/−5%) of the overall length (58.5 inches +/−10%) of the hockey stick shaft; The bottom section is of the hockey stick shaft, approximately twelve percent of the overall length (7 inches +/−7%), comprises of a hollow rectangle for the receipt of a replaceable hockey stick blade, in most cases this blade is made of wood of graphite; The transitional section, which is the area where the oval section of the hockey stick shaft transitions to the rectangular section of the hockey stick shaft is approximately five percent of the overall length (3 inches +/−10%), and in no way does this invention claim or attempt to claim any of the processes used for making said hockey stick shaft, or for any exclusiveness for the various materials and/or the various methods of manufacturing said hockey stick shaft achieved through today's innovative, adaptive, and rapidly advancing manufacturing technologies.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

P.P.A. File No. 60/261,620 Dated Jan. 16, 2002[0001]

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

“Not Applicable”

REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX

“Not Applicable”

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a newly designed, cross-sectional configuration for a hockey stick shaft (handle) to be used in the games of ice and/or roller hockey. This new cross-sectional configuration is that of a true, pure, and natural (elliptical) oval. There are no circular (as in the concept where something is round, or considered to be round) or flat (as in the concept where something is considered, or considered to be angular) with parallel or perpendicular surfaces.

This totally true, pure, and natural (elliptical) oval hockey stick shaft can be manufactured from any of the materials (and with the same manufacturing processes) currently being used to make the wide variety of hockey stick shafts available today. All of the standard material types apply: wood, aluminum, fiberglass, and graphite composite; the standard graphite composite is usually a mixture of graphite, epoxy, and a fiber (glass) resin. The aluminum, fiberglass, and graphite composite shafts are most often hollow and designed to receive (accept) a disposable hockey stick blade (wood or graphite). This detachable hockey stick blade is usually removed from, and attached to the lower end of the hollow shaft using an undersized rectangular tenon (a.k.a. a rectangular tongue or tab) that fits into the base of the hollow shaft (which is rectangular in-and-of-itself). The medium that holds the removable hockey stick blade in place is an adhesive: hot glue or the like. The wood hockey stick shaft is (was) considered to be the only totally, one-piece (solid) hockey stick shaft. The wood hockey stick shaft has its blade permanently attached to the shaft (handle) itself; although, technology has developed a method where a graphite blade can be attached to the standard graphite shaft through the use of an epoxy resin (or glued with a permanent material) to the base of the shaft and referred to as a one-piece graphite shaft, but in theory it is really two pieces, not like the wooden hockey stick shaft which is in reality a one-piece hockey stick shaft.

2. Description of the Related Art

This invention, referred to as a true, pure, and natural (elliptical) oval hockey stick shaft, relates to a totally new and improved concept in the cross-sectional design, shape, and configuration of said hockey stick shaft. In the past, and to the present (2002), all hockey stick shafts (of either solid or hollow construction) are manufactured in a similar yet standard rectangular configuration; there are mild variances. This rectangular configuration (up until now) has been the standard shape preferred by the majority of hockey players (both ice and roller) because of an orientation awareness regarding the placement of the blade when stick handling, passing and/or shooting a puck. These original (old) designs of rectangularity have various radiuses placed at the intersecting planes (also known as the corners, or the perpendicular right angles) where the vertical and the horizontal planes meet. These rectangular configurations are manufactured with a variety of radiuses placed at (and only at) the right angles of the perpendicular planes on the hockey stick shaft. Although, there have been a few oddly shaped hockey stick shafts similar to that of circles, semi-circles, triangles, and octagons (such as the lacrosse stick). Furthermore, there have been shafts that have semi or fully rounded tops and bottoms (this top and bottom reference refers to the short, horizontal parallel planes that run the length of the shaft), and shafts with concave indentations that run along the vertical, parallel sides. These odd shapes are rare, and none have added to the efficiency of the hockey player as the manufacturer(s) intended.

To date, there has never been a hockey stick shaft manufactured or designed (either partially or fully) in the total geometric concept of a true, pure, and natural (elliptical) oval cross-sectional configuration. This (elliptical) oval hockey stick shaft is intended to, and will advance the level of the player's game in every aspect of shooting, passing, and stick handling through the use of its natural and ergonomically correct (elliptical) oval grip.

Since its beginning, the players of the game of ice hockey have always used hockey sticks made of wood. These wooden sticks consisted to two sections formed as one piece: the shaft (handle) and the blade. In recent years; however, advances in technology have yielded a new generation of hockey sticks. The one-piece wooden type still exists, but in many cases, they have been strengthened and reinforced using fiberglass laminates. More recently, hockey sticks have evolved into a two-piece mechanism. The shaft (handle) being of a rectangular hollow design can be manufactured from a variety of materials; e.g., plastic, aluminum, fiberglass, and a mixture of space age materials (graphite, epoxy resin, and a fiberglass material and/or resin) with the general term called a composite graphite hockey stick shaft. The blade (up until now) has always maintained its wooden configuration. This wood blade configuration is made with a rectangular tenon (at a point on the blade where the shaft was originally attached) that is undersized so that it fits into the hollow, rectangular end (bottom) of the hockey stick shaft. Today there are hockey stick blades being manufactured out of the same space age materials referred to as graphite. This material is of a similar type material as the shaft itself (a graphite, epoxy resin, and a fiberglass material and/or resin).

Because of the hockey player's individual preferences, factors such as weight, strength, flexibility, and durability have always been a major consideration in the manufacturing process and design of hockey stick shafts. In addition, with recent advances in the science of composite material fabrication, the technological breakthroughs used in the various manufacturing processes have proven extremely beneficial: specifically in the weight, strength, durability, and flexibility arenas. From an engineering perspective, the (elliptical) oval's mechanical properties were determined from the equivalent properties of an identical rectangular hockey stick shaft. The oval's structural section modulus was kept essentially identical to that of the rectangular shaft. This affords the oval to have the same stiffness (as a beam and torsional member) as the rectangular shaft. The stress level of the material and strength margin of the oval was also kept similar to that of the rectangular shape. Strength and modulus equations were taken from the mechanical engineering handbooks. Additionally, even with all these advances in alternative materials for hockey stick shafts, the wooden hockey stick shaft is still extremely popular in many areas. One key area is the price. Wood hockey sticks are far less expensive to manufacture in comparison to the space age materials used in the composite shafts.

Through examination of the following patents, it is clearly shown that although there are a large number of shapes, and just as many methods for manufacturing these shapes, there are no referenced patents that represent, or even replicate anything similar or close to the configuration of the newly designed true, pure, and natural (elliptical) oval shape. Even though the word oval is mentioned in two separate patents (U.S. Pat. No. 6,117,029 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,241,633), these references are mentioned in a condescending manner, and it is clearly visible that no research was or has been done, and the mentioning of the word oval is/was strictly of a speculative nature. If research had been conducted, the patent holder(s) would have known of the (elliptical) oval's impact and usefulness to the hockey player and his or her game.



6,241,633	June 2001	Conroy
6,224,505	May 2001	Burger
6,117,029	Sept. 2001	Kunisaki, et al.
6,033,328	March 2000	Bellefluer, et al.
5,586,696	Feb. 1999	Calapp, et al.
5,636,836	June 1997	Carroll, et al.
5,577,725	Nov. 1996	Pagatto, et al.
5,419,553	May 1995	Rodgers
5,333,857	Aug. 1994	Lallemand
5,306,003	April 1994	Pagatto
5,303,916	April 1994	Rodgers
4,968,032	Nov. 1990	Redekop
4,361,325	Nov. 1982	Jansen

Furthermore, every current and technical method used in manufacturing the various shapes indicated in the referenced patents may be used in manufacturing the true, pure, and natural (elliptical) oval.

There are three different dimensional (elliptical) ovals: The Senior, the Mid-Range, and the Junior. All three follow the same integrity of the (elliptical) oval dimensions. The shaft (handle) portion of the Goalie hockey stick will follow the exact dimensional characteristics and parameters under which the full-length hockey stick shaft dimensions apply.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a newly designed hockey stick shaft with a cross-sectional configuration of a true, pure, and natural (elliptical) oval. This new concept of an (elliptical) oval cross-sectional configuration (due to the laws of physics governing the specific physical characteristics of ovals {a.k.a. conic sections} verses other shapes) makes the (elliptical) oval configuration better and more practical than its rectangular, triangular, or oddly shaped predecessors. The following are but a few areas in which the true, pure, and natural (elliptical) oval configuration are more desirable and functional for use during the games of ice and/or roller hockey. They are as follows, greater resistance to fractures, stress, and breakage; greater torsional, flexural, and strength characteristics (axial and/or longitudinal); reduced weight, along with the (elliptical) oval's natural and ergonomic grip create additional performance characteristics that assist the user's abilities in a superior manner far ahead of all its predecessors.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a full length, angled, shaded, third-dimensional view of the (elliptical) oval hockey stick shaft. [0016]
FIG. 2 is a full length, angled view of the (elliptical) oval hockey stick shaft in a lined (isometric wire) configuration with sectional length measurements: the oval shaft (handle), the oval to rectangle transition, and the rectangle (hozel) end. [0017]
FIG. 3 is an elevated end view of the oval portion of the (hollow) hockey stick shaft (showing the wall thickness) as viewed along the lines [0018] 1-1 of FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is an elevated end view of the rectangular (hozel) portion of the (hollow) hockey stick shaft (showing wall thickness) as viewed along the lines [0019] 2-2 of FIG. 1.
FIG. 5 is full angled view of the transitional section (oval taped to the rectangular taper) in a shaded, 3-Dimensional form as viewed along the lines [0020] 3-3 of FIG. 1.
FIG. 6 is full angled view of the transitional section (oval taper to the rectangular taper) in a lined (isometric wire) form as viewed along the lines [0021] 3-3 of FIG. 1.
FIG. 7 is full angled view of the transitional section (oval taper to the rectangular) in a solid form as viewed along the lines [0022] 3-3 of FIG. 1.
FIG. 8 is an inside dimensional end view of a hollow (elliptical) oval hockey stick shaft with all of the various (inside) dimensions for the three (elliptical) oval hockey stick shafts (Junior, Mid-Range, & Senior).[0023]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The pure, true, and, natural (elliptical) oval hockey stick shaft FIGS. 1 and 2 is depicted as a hollow shaft with a specific inside dimensional cross-sectional configuration FIG. 8, and a specific dimensional wall thickness, FIGS. 6 & 7. Said hollow hockey stick shaft comprises of three elements (sections); The first being the oval section (the actual handle) FIGS. 1 and 2, # [0024] 1; The second being the transitional section FIGS. 1 and 2, # 3 and FIGS. 5, 6, and 7 respectively; and the third being the rectangular section (a.k.a. the hozel) FIGS. 1 and 2, # 2.
The (elliptical) oval hockey stick shaft is further illustrated (in one fashion or another) in FIGS. 1, 2, [0025] 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 as indicated in the following descriptions. FIG. 1 is a shaded, three-dimensional image of the full (elliptical) oval hockey stick shaft (all three sections exhibited). FIG. 2 is the same as FIG. 1 except that FIG. 2 is a lined diagram drawing. FIG. 3 is an end view of a hollow, (elliptical) oval hockey stick shaft along line 1-1, and this is the main section (the longest portion) of the hockey stick shaft. This is the section called the handle of the hockey stick shaft as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 # 1. The actual wall thickness of the hollow hockey stick shaft (all three sections) is 0.095″+/−0.025″ (ninety-five thousandths of an inch, plus or minus twenty-five thousandths of an inch). FIG. 4 is an end view of a hollow, rectangular hockey stick shaft along line 2-2, and it is the second longest portion of the hockey stick shaft. This section is called the hozel as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 # 2, and the same wall thickness applies. FIG. 5 is a shaded angular view of the transitional section (the third, shortest, and last portion) of the hockey stick shaft shown along line 3-3. This is where the actual (elliptical) oval transitions from an oval taper to a rectangular taper. FIG. 6 is the same as FIG. 5 except that FIG. 6 is a lined diagram drawing so that the actual transition is visible. FIG. 7 is a similar sectional view of the transition except that FIG. 7 is viewed in a solid form showing the physical transition as it is seen on the exterior of the (elliptical) oval hockey stick shaft. FIG. 8 is an inside dimensional grid drawing calling out the actual inside dimensions of the three (Senior, Mid-Range, & Junior) oval sections of the (elliptical) oval hockey stick shafts. The actual wall thickness (0.095″+/−0.025″ on an inch) of these hollow hockey stick shafts can be seen depicted in FIG. 3 # 4, and FIG. 4 # 5.

Claims

What I claim is:

1. An elongated linear shaft or handle, to be used in the games of ice and/or roller hockey, that is of a true, pure, and natural (elliptical) oval cross-sectional configuration: said shaft or handle is approximately fifty-eight and one-half inches (58.5″+0.0″/−4.0″) in length.

2. An elongated linear shaft or handle as defined in claim 1, where said (elliptical) oval cross-sectional configuration is defined by a continuous series of mathematical, dimensional points depicting a true, pure, and natural (elliptical) oval.

3. An elongated linear shaft or handle as defined in claim 1, where within said shaft exists an upper section which is of an (elliptical) oval cross-sectional configuration approximately forty-eight and one-half inches (48.5″+0.0″/−2.5″) in length and is considered to be the upper or handle area on said shaft.

4. An elongated linear shaft or handle as defined in claim 1, where within said shaft exists a transitional section of three inches in length where the (elliptical) oval transitions from an oval to a rectangle. Said transition is approximately seven inches (7″) from the bottom end of the shaft.

5. An elongated linear shaft or handle as defined in claim 1, where within said shaft or handle exists a lower section which is of a rectangular cross-sectional configuration approximately seven inches (7″) in length and is considered to be the bottom, blade, or lower area (end) on said shaft.

6. An elongated linear shaft or handle as defined in claim 1, where said shaft or handle can be manufactured from a combination of epoxy resin, fiberglass, and graphite: commonly referred to as a graphite shaft.

7. An elongated linear shaft or handle as defined in claim 1 & 6, where said shaft or handle manufactured would be hollow throughout the entire length of the handle or shaft with opposite ends open.

8. An elongated linear shaft or handle as defined in claim 7, where said shaft or handle being hollow throughout it's entire length, is designed to receive a rectangular tongued (tenon of tab), replaceable hockey stick blade at one end (the lower rectangular end), and a replaceable plug or cap at the other end (the upper oval end).

9. An elongated linear shaft or handle as defined in claim 7, where said shaft or handle being hollow throughout has a uniform wall thickness, approximately thirty-five thousandths (0.035″) of an inch, plus or minus five thousandths (+/−0.005″) on an inch.

10. An elongated linear shaft or handle as defined in claim 7, where said shaft or handle can be manufactured from aluminum.

11. An elongated linear shaft or handle as defined in claim 10, where said shaft or handle being hollow throughout has a uniform wall thickness, approximately sixty thousandths (0.060) of an inch, plus or minus ten thousandths (+/−0.010) on an inch.

12. An elongated linear shaft or handle as defined in claim 1, where said shaft or handle can be manufactured from wood.

13. An elongated linear shaft or handle as defined in claim 12, where said shaft or handle manufactured would be solid throughout the entire length of the handle or shaft and has a permanently attached blade at one end (lower).

14. An elongated linear shaft or handle as defined in claim 6, 10, and 11, where said shaft or handle can be manufactured from any of the manufacturing process available today.