Patent Application
20120122617
Modern lacrosse heads generally include a one-piece, plastic frame. The frame typically includes a throat for receiving a stick shaft, a base and ball rest area near the end of the throat, and a pair of sidewalls extending from the base and terminating in a lip or “scoop” configured to scoop a lacrosse ball off the ground. The sidewalls often include an upper rail and a lower rail. Netting is secured to the lower rail to form a pocket in which a lacrosse ball may be held.
Lacrosse players often prefer varying features in a lacrosse head. For example, feeders generally prefer a pocket closer to the ball rest area, or a lower pocket, while shooters generally prefer a pocket closer to the scoop, or a higher pocket. The shape of the lower rail of the frame, as well as the manner in which the netting is strung, can have an effect on the location of the pocket. Thus, if a player wants to change the pocket location in a lacrosse head, he or she may need to purchase a new head having a different lower rail configuration. Furthermore, some players use heads having different lower rails or pockets in practice than they do in games, or based on varying game conditions. Thus, certain players may need to purchase multiple lacrosse heads having different lower rail configurations.
One or more throw strings or “shooting strings” are typically tied into the netting on the lacrosse head to provide increased shooting velocity and control. The shooting strings in lacrosse heads are typically hockey boot laces or similar laces running from one side of the frame to the other, typically near the scoop end, or upper end, of the head. If the netting of the pocket or the shooting strings tear or break, new netting or shooting strings must be secured to the frame. This can be a very time-consuming process, which can result in a player missing a substantial portion of a game or practice if he or she has no other lacrosse sticks available.
A lacrosse head includes an upper frame and a lower frame or lower rail detachably connected to the upper frame. Netting that forms a ball-receiving pocket is attached to the lower rail. One or more shooting elements or “shooting strings,” which may be made of rubber, plastic, or a combination of both, or of other suitable materials, are optionally detachably connected to the lower rail. Other features and advantages will appear hereinafter. The features described above can be used separately or together, or in various combinations of one or more of them.
In the drawings, wherein the same reference number indicates the same element throughout the views:
Various embodiments of the invention will now be described. The following description provides specific details for a thorough understanding and enabling description of these embodiments. One skilled in the art will understand, however, that the invention may be practiced without many of these details. Additionally, some well-known structures or functions may not be shown or described in detail so as to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the relevant description of the various embodiments.
The terminology used in the description presented below is intended to be interpreted in its broadest reasonable manner, even though it is being used in conjunction with a detailed description of certain specific embodiments of the invention. Certain terms may even be emphasized below; however, any terminology intended to be interpreted in any restricted manner will be overtly and specifically defined as such in this detailed description section.
Where the context permits, singular or plural terms may also include the plural or singular term, respectively. Moreover, unless the word “or” is expressly limited to mean only a single item exclusive from the other items in a list of two or more items, then the use of “or” in such a list is to be interpreted as including (a) any single item in the list, (b) all of the items in the list, or (c) any combination of items in the list.
Turning now in detail to the drawings, as shown in
Any other suitable connection components or arrangements may be used to detachably secure the upper frame 12 to the lower rail 14. For example, the lower rail 14 may be connected to the upper frame 12 in alternative or additional locations. Additionally, one or both of the lower rail 14 and the upper frame 12 may include multiple components, as opposed to each being a single piece.
In another embodiment, the lower rail 14 may be formed as a closed or continuous loop, as opposed to having legs 11 or other projections. In such an embodiment, the lower rail 14 may be removably attached to the proximal end of the upper frame 12 via one or more screws, clamps, or other attachment elements. The attachment elements may directly engage the lower rail 14 and the upper frame 12. Alternatively, one or more additional components, such as a support piece that holds the lower rail 14 in place against the upper frame 12, may be included and engaged by the one or more attachment elements.
The lower rail 14 preferably includes eyelets 16 or other connection elements through which netting 18 is strung (or to which netting 18 is attached). The netting 18 forms a pocket for holding a lacrosse ball 19. One or more shooting “strings” or shooting elements 20 are optionally attached to selected eyelets 16. In the embodiment shown in
As shown in
In the embodiment shown in
The shooting elements 20, 22, and 24 may be made of a rubber material, a pliable plastic material, a combination of both, or any other suitable materials. In one embodiment, the inner component 23 is made of a flexible rubber material, while an inner portion of the outer component 21 is made of a similar flexible rubber material and an outer portion 29 of the outer component 23 is made of a firmer plastic material to provide stiffness to the shooting element. The plastic outer portion 29 may be bonded to or molded with the flexible inner portion of the outer component 21. The plastic outer portion 29 may be pre-curved to the shape of the pocket or may include an embedded wire or similar element that allows the outer portion 29 to bend into the desired orientation.
In one embodiment, one or more of the shooting elements 20, 22, 24 may include one or more raised ribs or other projections near one or both of the end connectors 26. The ribs or projections are configured to forcibly pass through the eyelets 16 in a manner similar to the end connectors 26. As a result, the tension or length of the shooting strings may be adjusted by pulling one or more of the ribs or projections through the eyelets 16 to meet a given player's preferences.
The upper frame 12 may include an upper rail 30 and one or more support arms 32 on either side of the frame 12. A portion of the upper rail 30 optionally curves downwardly toward the lower rail 14 to give the upper frame 12 a “scooped” geometry. Alternatively, the upper rail 30 may be straight or level. The upper frame 12 preferably includes a socket or throat 34 for receiving a lacrosse stick shaft at its proximal end, and a “scoop” 36 or other element configured to aid in scooping a lacrosse ball off of the ground at its distal end. In general, the upper frame 12 may be configured similarly to the upper region of a conventional lacrosse head, or may have any other suitable configuration.
The upper frame 12 and lower frame or lower rail 14 may be made of a resin-based composite material, such as a carbon-fiber material, or of a plastic or nylon material, or of a metal material, or of any other suitable material. The upper frame 12 and lower rail 14 may be made of the same or different materials. For example, the upper frame 12 may be made of an injection molded plastic or nylon material, while the lower rail 14 may be made of a carbon fiber material. Any other suitable combination of materials may be used.
The lower rail 14 may be configured in a variety of shapes to meet the needs of different players. For example, the lower rail 14 may be shaped to promote a higher pocket (i.e., a pocket located toward the distal end of the head 10), which is often preferred by shooters, or a lower pocket (i.e., a pocket located toward the proximal end of the head 10), which is often preferred by feeders. The lower rail 14 may include deeper or shallower bends to adjust the depth and location of the pocket, as well. While the pocket location may also be adjusted by varying the tension in specific regions of the netting 18, having a lower rail 14 configured to promote a specific pocket location may be desirable for many players.
The stiffness of the upper frame 12 or the lower rail 14 may also be varied to meet the preferences of different players. For example, a relatively stiff composite material may be used in the lower rail 14 to accommodate players who prefer a less flexible feel, whereas a more flexible material may be used to accommodate players who prefer increased flexibility. In one embodiment, a flexible cartridge or similar element may be included at or near the junction between the throat 34 and the base or ball rest area of the upper frame to adjust the flexibility of the head 10, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,393,294, for example, which is incorporated herein by reference.
The multi-component lacrosse head 10 described herein provides several advantages over traditional one-piece lacrosse heads. For example, a player or team may keep extra lower rails 14, pre-strung with netting 18, available during a game or practice so that the lower rail and netting can quickly be replaced in the event the initial netting becomes frayed, torn, or otherwise non-functional. Similarly, for players who prefer to use different pocket configurations in practices and games, or in varying playing conditions, they could change between pocket types without having to purchase two complete heads.
Additionally, the lower rails 14 may be created in a variety of colors to match team uniforms or to otherwise satisfy player preferences. Players or teams may prefer, for example, to use different colored lower rails 14 for home games than for away games. Additionally, as new lower rails 14 are developed with additional or different features, they may be substituted for existing lower rails without the need to purchase an entire lacrosse head.
Any of the above-described embodiments may be used alone or in combination with one another. Furthermore, the multi-component lacrosse head may include additional features not described herein. While several embodiments have been shown and described, various changes and substitutions may of course be made, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The invention, therefore, should not be limited, except by the following claims and their equivalents.
