Patent Application
20250001270
This disclosure relates to the field of hockey stick blade protectors and methods of making hockey stick blade protectors. The disclosure particularly relates to a novel blade protector with a new design to protect composite and traditional hockey stick blades for use outside an ice rink.
Conventional hockey stick blades are typically constructed of composite materials and are expensive to manufacture. As such, individuals are reluctant to use hockey sticks in environments other than indoor and outdoor ice rinks in an effort to preserve the life of the hockey stick and to prevent unnecessary damage from outdoor use. Accordingly, there is a need for a hockey stick blade protector that will allow an individual to play hockey on surfaces other than a sheet of ice while protecting the blade from excess wear and tear.
This Summary introduces a selection of concepts relating to this technology in a simplified form as a prelude to the Detailed Description that follows. This Summary is not intended to identify key or essential features.
In some aspects, a hockey stick blade protector apparatus may include a rear harness configured to engage a heel of a hockey stick blade, a toe scaffold configured to engage a toe of the hockey stick blade, and a blade guide configured to engage a bottom of the hockey stick blade. In some examples, the blade guide may extend longitudinally from the rear harness to the toe scaffold. In other examples, the toe scaffold may further include a vertical member extending from the blade guide to an upper portion of the toe scaffold. In still other examples, the vertical member may be integrally affixed to the upper portion of the toe scaffold and the blade guide.
In another example, the rear harness, the blade guide, and the toe scaffold may comprise a polymer, an elastomer, or combinations thereof. In yet another example, the rear harness, or the blade guide, or the toe scaffold may comprise Hytrel® 6356. In some examples, the blade guide may also comprise a slot extending longitudinally from the toe scaffold to the rear harness, and the slot may be configured to removably receive the bottom of the hockey stick blade. In certain examples, the hockey stick blade protector may have the overall shape of a Bauer® P92, P88, P28, or P90™ hockey stick blade. In another example, the hockey stick blade protector may be configured for use in both right-handed and left-handed hockey sticks. In another example, the hockey stick blade protector may be used interchangeably with left or right curved hockey stick blades. In certain examples, the hockey stick blade protector may have a coefficient of abrasivity from about 0.01 to about 0.25 against asphalt and concrete. In yet another example, the rear harness may further include one or more loops configured to engage a strap, and the strap may be configured to removably secure the rear harness to a hosel of the hockey stick blade. In other examples, the strap may include a hook and loop attachment means or Velcro®. In yet another example, the vertical support may be formed of carbon fiber and include a carbon fiber texture, and the carbon fiber weave direction may be oriented generally in a longitudinal blade direction, which can be apparent by the carbon fiber texture.
In other aspects, a hockey stick blade protector is disclosed that may include a rear harness configured to engage a blade heel of a hockey stick. In some examples, the rear harness may include at least two loops and a strap configured to engage the two loops. In one example, the strap may include a hook and loop attachment area or a Velcro® area configured to secure the rear harness and the strap to a hosel of the hockey stick. In other examples, the hockey stick blade protector may also include a toe scaffold configured to engage a toe of the hockey stick blade, and a blade guide configured to engage a bottom of the hockey stick blade. In some examples, the blade guide may extend longitudinally from the rear harness to the toe scaffold. In another example, the toe scaffold may include a vertical member that extends generally vertically from the blade guide to an upper portion of the toe scaffold. In other examples, the vertical member may be integrally affixed to the upper portion of the toe scaffold and the blade guide.
In yet another example, the hockey stick blade protector may be configured for use in both right-handed and left-handed hockey sticks or both right and left curved blades. In other examples, the hockey stick blade protector may have a Bauer® P92, P88, P28, or P90™ hockey stick blade shape. In certain examples, the hockey stick blade protector may be formed of a polymer, an elastomer, or combinations thereof. In other examples, the rear harness, and/or the blade guide, and/or the toe scaffold may be formed of a polymer, an elastomer, or combinations thereof. In still other examples, the rear harness, and/or the blade guide, and/or the toe scaffold may be formed of Hytrel® 6356.
In yet another aspect, a kit for use in protecting a hockey stick blade is disclosed that may include a hockey stick blade protector including a rear harness with at least two loops configured to engage a blade heel of a hockey stick, a strap configured to engage the two loops. In certain examples, the strap may include a hook and loop attachment area or a Velcro® portion configured to secure the rear harness and the strap to a hosel of the hockey stick. In other examples, the hockey stick blade protector may also include a toe scaffold configured to engage a toe of the hockey stick blade, and a blade guide configured to engage a bottom of the hockey stick blade. In one example, the blade guide may extend longitudinally from the rear harness to the toe scaffold. In another example, the toe scaffold may also include a vertical member extending from the blade guide to an upper portion of the toe scaffold. In some examples, the vertical member may be integrally affixed to the upper portion of the toe scaffold and the blade guide. In other aspects, the kit may also include printed instructions, and a unitary packaging assembly. In some examples, the hockey stick blade protector and the printed instructions may be combined into the unitary packaging assembly. In other examples, the printed instructions may be integral with the unitary packaging assembly or a part of the unitary packaging assembly. In yet another example, the hockey stick blade protector may have a Bauer® P92, P88, P28, or P90™ hockey stick blade shape.
These and other features, advantages, and objects of the present disclosure will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by reference to the following specification, claims, and appended drawings, where various embodiments of the design illustrate how concepts of this disclosure may be used.
A more complete understanding of features described herein and advantages thereof may be acquired by referring to the following description in consideration of the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numbers indicate like features.
In the following description of the various embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings identified above and which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration various embodiments in which features described herein may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural and functional modifications may be made without departing from the scope described herein. Various features are capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in various different ways.
Certain hockey stick blade protectors are generally designed to fit hockey blades universally. As such, the fit and the protection provided by such systems can be compromised. Further, as a result of inferior blade fit, a player must use an additional fastening means to affix the blade protector to a hockey stick blade such as tape or other fastener. Due to the poor fit and substandard means of securing the blade protector to the hockey stick and hockey stick blade, certain blade protectors become loose during regular play resulting in blade exposure to playing surfaces off the ice such as asphalt or concrete. Exposing modern hockey stick blades to non-ice surfaces results in damage to the hockey stick blade and decreased service life of the hockey stick blade.
One of the purposes of the hockey stick blade protector disclosed herein is to protect the stick of a hockey blade while playing on ice or non-ice surfaces while providing a playing feel and experience similar to normal ice hockey play. As previously discussed, non-ice surfaces, such as asphalt or concrete, are more likely to damage the blade of a hockey stick during play. The addition of the hockey stick blade protector disclosed herein will protect the hockey stick and allow the player to use their stick on these surfaces while maintaining a playing experience similar to on the ice. Importantly, the inventors have designed a hockey stick blade protector constructed of materials formulated with specific compounds that reduce the coefficient of friction, promotes the glide of the product along surfaces of various types, and with a fit and securement means to prevent movement and collateral damage to the hockey stick blade. As a result, the blade protector is thinner and lighter than conventional products. The reduced profile and weight further provide an enhanced feel for the player. Moreover, the hockey stick blade protectors disclosed herein are configured for use interchangeably with both right-handed and left-handed configured hockey sticks.
The blade protector disclosed herein adds a sacrificial material to the hockey stick to protect the blade while playing hockey on abrasive surfaces. The sacrificial material may be injection molded to the exact dimensions of a player's stick blade pattern of choice to provide a secure fit, enhanced protection, and a playing experience similar to playing on-ice. Additionally, the blade protector disclosed herein will allow a player to use their primary hockey stick to play both on-ice and off-ice. Accordingly, the blade protector disclosed herein eliminates the need for a player to utilize a street hockey specific stick. Further, the blade protectors disclosed herein may incorporate blade profiles with designed and fabricated with proprietary blade geometries to provide players the best possible fit for their preferred hockey stick.
Prior to testing, the weight of blade protector 100 was measured before and after the abrasion test for each material shown in Table 1. Percent (%) of wear was then evaluated for each material. As shown in
As shown in
As also shown in
As shown in
As shown in
Rear harness 202 may include a visual indicator corresponding to a particular blade geometry or shape. In some examples, the visual indicator may correspond to a Bauer® P92, P88, P28, or P90™ hockey stick blade shape. In other examples, the visual indicator may correspond to another manufacturer's hockey stick blade shape, geometry, or pattern.
As shown in
As also shown in
As shown in
The foregoing has been presented for purposes of example. The foregoing is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit features to the precise form disclosed. The examples discussed herein were chosen and described in order to explain principles and the nature of various examples and their practical application to enable one skilled in the art to use these and other implementations with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. The scope of this disclosure encompasses, but is not limited to, any and all combinations, subcombinations, and permutations of structure, operations, and/or other features described herein and in the accompanying drawing figures.
Although examples are described above, features and/or steps of those examples may be combined, divided, omitted, rearranged, revised, and/or augmented in any desired manner. Various alterations, modifications, and improvements will, in view of the foregoing disclosure, readily occur to those skilled in the art. Such alterations, modifications, and improvements are intended to be part of this description, though not expressly stated herein, and are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, the foregoing description is by way of example only, and is not limiting.
