BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to lacrosse equipment, and more particularly a lightweight lacrosse stick head having increased strength and enhanced ball feel.
Conventional lacrosse sticks include a head joined with a handle. The head includes a frame that forms a region within which a lacrosse ball can be caught, held or shot. The head can take the form of an open frame having a base with an interior surface that defines a ballstop, a pair of sidewalls that extend from the base, and a lip that interconnects the sidewalls, remotely from the base, to form a scoop. The frame can define holes that secure a lacrosse net around the rear of the frame. A throat can project from the base of the frame for attachment to a handle, which can define a central longitudinal axis.
In many lacrosse heads, all or a major portion of the base or sidewalls can be curved or offset downward as these elements transition to the scoop. While this downward scooped configuration is appealing, it can in some cases present challenges with regard to maintaining the desired strength of the head in the areas of the downward transition.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a lacrosse head of lightweight design having increased strength and improved ball feel.
In one embodiment, the lacrosse head can include a sidewall having an upper rail including a primary rail and a secondary rail. The primary rail can extend generally linearly from a base of the head toward a scoop of the head when viewed from a side perspective. The secondary rail can separate and diverge upwardly from the primary rail at a junction near the base. In another embodiment, the secondary rail can extend in an upwardly angled manner or an upwardly curved manner away from the primary rail, toward the base. Optionally, the secondary rail can join the base distal from the junction.
In yet another embodiment, the lacrosse head can include a longitudinal axis extending from the base to the scoop. The primary rail can be substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis from the base to the scoop.
In another further embodiment, the longitudinal axis can be located in a horizontal plane. The primary rail can extend from the base toward the scoop in this horizontal plane, and the scoop can contour downwardly with respect to this horizontal plane.
In a further embodiment, the lacrosse head can define another horizontal plane offset from and parallel to the longitudinal axis. The secondary rail can extend along this horizontal plane before transitioning downward toward the primary rail at a junction. In yet a further embodiment, the primary rail, secondary rail, and optionally the junction and the base can cooperate to define an aperture which visually emphasizes to a viewer the downward transition of the secondary rail toward the primary rail. With this construction, the viewer can readily recognize the lacrosse head as having an offset construction.
In another further embodiment, the secondary rail can diverge from the primary rail at an acute angle opening toward the base. The secondary rail can join the base at a distance above and separate from the primary rail to define an aperture therebetween. The aperture can be a variety of different shapes, such as a polygonal, circular, elliptical or triangular shape.
The present invention provides a head that is simple, lightweight and strong. With the divergent upper sidewall structure, the head is provided with an offset or scooped structure that includes an improved “double bar offset” reinforced frame, which refers to the spatially separated primary and secondary rails being located in the offset region of the head. This can add strength and rigidity to the head. In addition, this configuration visually augments the offset feature of the head, which can appeal to many lacrosse equipment consumers.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the invention, when view in accordance with the accompanying drawings and appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a current embodiment of the lacrosse head of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the lacrosse head;
FIG. 3 is a side view of the lacrosse head;
FIG. 4 is a rear view of the lacrosse head;
FIG. 5 is a side view of a first alternative embodiment of the lacrosse head; and
FIG. 6 is a side view of a second embodiment of the lacrosse head;
DESCRIPTION OF THE CURRENT EMBODIMENT
Referring now to FIGS. 1-4, a lacrosse head 10 in accordance with a current embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. The head 10 can generally include a throat 34, a base 14, at least two sidewalls 18, and a scoop 22. The throat 34 as depicted in FIG. 1 is joined to the base 14 and is adapted to connect to a lacrosse handle 31. The throat 34 can be tubular in shape and can define a cavity to receive a lacrosse handle 31 through a socket opening 33. The handle 31 can be secured within the throat 34, optionally by means of a screw 35 or other suitable means. Optionally, the throat 34 can define one or more circular or elliptical apertures 37, 39 to reduce the weight of that component.
As depicted in FIGS. 1-3, the lacrosse head 10 can include a base 14 joined with the sidewalls 18 defining a longitudinal axis 46 extending toward the scoop 22. The base 14 can include a ballstop 16 distal from the socket opening 33. The ballstop 16 can further include a concave interior and can be integral with the head 10. Further, the ballstop 16 can include a first series of netting apertures or eyelets 15 for securing a net or web, as illustrated in FIG. 6 The eyelets 15 can include a recessed or beveled interior, and can be rectangular, circular or elliptical as desired.
The base 14 can include one or more reinforcing members 36 disposed between a portion of the throat 34 and at least one of the ballstop 16 and the sidewall 18. Optionally, the reinforcing member 36 can be a continuous and unitary extension of the sidewall 18, defining an aperture bounded by a portion of the reinforcing member 36, throat 34, and ballstop 16. As shown in FIG. 3, a longitudinal axis 46 can lie within a first horizontal plane 47 that bisects the upper and lower halves of the throat 34, and subsequently a handle 31 joined with the throat 34.
Referring again to FIG. 2, the head 10 can include a pair of sidewalls 18 extending from the base 14 toward the scoop 22 to form an interior surface 20. The sidewalls 18 can be of diverging hourglass configuration in plan view, being interiorly convex for about one-half of their lengths adjacent the scoop 22. Alternatively, the sidewalls, and the respective rails thereof, can be substantially parallel to one another. The longitudinal axis 46 can define a vertical plane of symmetry 48 disposed between opposing lateral sidewalls 18, wherein the opposing sidewalls 18 are mirror images of each other, as can be the laterally opposing portions of the base 14. Alternatively, the opposing sidewalls 18 and/or base 14 can be different from one another in structure and orientation so that the head is asymmetric as desired.
As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the lacrosse head 10 can include a sidewall 18 having an open-frame construction. The sidewall 18 can include an upper rail 25 and a lower rail 24 separated by a distance. The upper rail 25 and lower rail 24 can define an non-string hole aperture therebetween, optionally extending from the base 14 to the scoop 22. The sidewall 18 can further include one or more reinforcing cross members 56. The cross member 56 can connect a portion of the upper rail 25 and a portion of the lower rail 24. Optionally, the cross member 56 can define any number of non-string hole openings in the sidewall 18. This open-frame construction can substantially decrease the amount of material used to form the sidewall 18 portions, thereby decreasing the overall weight of the lacrosse head 10 while retaining the desired rigidity and durability. The sidewall can also define one or more string holes or eyelets 32 disposed around a portion of the lower rail 24 or elsewhere to join a net or web to the head 10. The string holes 32 can include a recessed or beveled interior, and can be rectangular, circular or elliptical as desired.
As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the upper rail 25 can include a primary rail 26 and a secondary rail 28. The primary rail can extend from the scoop 22 to the base 14 generally parallel to the longitudinal axis 46 when viewed from a side perspective, as depicted in FIG. 3. The secondary rail 28 can diverge from the primary rail 26 at a junction 27, extending in at least one of an upwardly angled manner and an upwardly curved manner away from the longitudinal axis 46 between the junction 27 and the ballstop 16. The secondary rail 28 can join with the base 14 at a distance above and separate from the primary rail 26 so that the secondary rail 28 and the primary rail 26 define an aperture therebetween. The aperture can also be located between the junction 27 and the ballstop 16, whereby the aperture visually accentuates the divergence of the secondary rail from the primary rail so that a view readily recognizes that the lacrosse head is of an offset construction.
Referring again to FIG. 2, the primary rail 26 can follow an inwardly concave contour near the base 14 before extending generally parallel to the central longitudinal axis 46 along a portion of its length. The primary rail 26 can transition to an inwardly convex contour and diverge from the central longitudinal axis 46 before transitioning to an inwardly concave contour proximate the scoop 22. As shown in FIG. 3, the primary rail 26 can be void of any substantial curves up or down from parallel alignment with the longitudinal axis 46 as the primary rail 26 extends from the base 14 or ballstop 16 toward the scoop 22. Optionally, the primary rail 26 may extend substantially linearly from the base 14 or ballstop 16 toward the scoop 22 when viewed from a side perspective. Alternatively, the primary rail can be substantially linear from the base 14 or ballstop 16 up to the scoop 22, at which point, the rail curves or angles downward.
The primary rail 26 can be a unitary extension of the ballstop 16, and can also extend from the base 14 or ballstop 16 toward the scoop 22 within the first horizontal plane 47 defined by the longitudinal axis 46 as noted above. As the primary rail 26 extends from the base 14 or ballstop 16 toward the scoop 22, the primary rail 26 can also be positioned at or below the longitudinal axis 46 when viewed from a side perspective. However, as desired, the primary rail 26 can vary to a position at or above the longitudinal axis 46 when viewed from a side perspective.
In another embodiment as shown in FIG. 5, the upper rail 25 can fork at a junction 27 near the base 14 into a primary rail 26 and secondary rail 28 that are separated by a first distance. The primary rail 26 can remain at or above the longitudinal axis 46 from the junction 27 to the scoop 22. Additionally, the primary rail 26 can extend from the junction 27 to the scoop 22 generally parallel to the longitudinal axis 46 along a substantial portion of the axis 46 when viewed from a side perspective. Optionally, the primary rail 26 can be of a circular, polygonal, elliptical, rectangular, or beveled cross-section that is generally uniform or varies as it extends from the base 14 to the scoop 22.
Returning to the current embodiment of FIGS. 1-4, the secondary rail 28 can extend between a portion of the base 14 or ballstop 16 and a portion of the primary rail 26. The secondary rail may optionally be a unitary extension of a forward or upper portion of the base 14, gradually curving downward toward the junction 27. Optionally, the lacrosse head 10 can include a second horizontal plane 50 offset from and parallel to the longitudinal axis 46, wherein the secondary rail 28 extends along a portion of its length within the second horizontal plane 50 before transitioning downward toward the junction 27. The second horizontal plane 50 can be offset from and positioned above the first horizontal plane 47 by a pre-selected distance. The secondary rail 28 can transition downwardly in a curvilinear and/or linear manner toward the junction 27 to form an offset angle a with reference to the primary rail 26. The angle a can vary as the application requires, but generally, the secondary rail 28 can gradually curve or angle at an acute angle a between the primary rail and secondary rail. In the area of the sidewalls 18 where the primary and secondary rails 26, 28 diverge, those rails can define an aperture therebetween.
The secondary rail 28 can join, fork from, diverge or branch from the primary sidewall 26 at the junction 27 in or near the ballstop 18. Optionally, the junction 27 can be located between the base 14 and the scoop 22 at a portion of the primary rail 26 extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis 46 in plan view, or elsewhere in the head as desired. Additionally, each secondary rail 28 can be of a circular, polygonal, elliptical, rectangular, or beveled cross-section that is generally uniform or varies as it extends from the base 14 or ballstop 16 to the junction 27.
The lacrosse head 10 can further define a curvilinear or polygonal aperture bounded by the primary rail 26, secondary rail 28, junction 27 and base 14 or ballstop 16. Beginning with the end defined by the junction 27 of the primary and secondary rails 26, 28, the aperture can extend generally toward the base 14 and can terminate in a polygonal edge with beveled interior corners. As shown in the current embodiment of FIG. 3, the head 10 can define a rounded aperture, for example an elliptical aperture bounded by the primary rail 26 and secondary rail 28. In this embodiment, the cross-section of the primary and secondary upper sidewall rails 26, 28 can vary along their length to promote the elliptical aperture when viewed from the side or base of the head 10. Of course, the aperture formed between the primary rail 26 and secondary rail 28 can be of a variety of geometric shapes. As depicted in the alternative embodiment of FIG. 5, a generally triangular aperture can be bounded by the primary rail 26, secondary rail 28 and the base 14 and/or ballstop 16. If desired, other geometries for the aperture may be selected as desired. For example, referring to another alternative embodiment of FIG. 6, a polygonal aperture can be bounded by the secondary rail 28 and the primary rail 26. The other structures and components of these alternative embodiments in FIGS. 5 and 6 can be virtually identical to those of the current embodiment.
Returning to the current embodiment of FIGS. 1-4, the sidewalls 18 are joined by a scoop 22 at the ends thereof remote from the base 14. The scoop 22 can further join the upper rail 25 and lower rail 24 at a portion of the sidewall 18 distal from the base 14. The scoop 22 can also define a front lip outside surface 38, back lip outside surface 40, and an inside lip surface 44. The scoop 22 can include a third series of netting apertures or eyelets 30, optionally disposed between the back lip outside surface 40 and inside lip surface 44 for securing a net or web thereto, as depicted in FIGS. 1 and 5. The eyelets 30 can include a recessed or beveled interior, and can be rectangular, circular or elliptical as desired. The back lip outside surface 40 can be disposed at an angle 42 to the front lip outside surface 38 to minimize abrasion to the netting caused by contact between the scoop 22 and the ground during play, such as the lacrosse head disclosed in U.S. Reissued Patent RE38,216 to Morrow which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
As shown in FIG. 3, the scoop 22 can contour downwardly with reference to first horizontal plane 47 defined by the centerline axis 46 as the scoop 22 extends from the sidewall 18 to a portion of the scoop 22 furthest from the ballstop 16. The scoop 22, together with the sidewalls 18 and base 14 or ballstop 16, can form a unitary head 10 with a smooth and continuous pocket facing interior. A netting or web can be secured to the head 10 through the first series of netting apertures or eyelets 15 disposed in a portion of the ballstop 16, a second series of netting apertures or eyelets 32 disposed in the sidewalls 18, and a third series of netting apertures or eyelets 30 disposed in the scoop 22.
The lacrosse head 10 can be of an open frame, monolithic construction and formed from one or more of a variety of compounds such as nylon, urethane, polycarbonate, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyketone or polybutylene terephalate. The desired lacrosse head 10 can be formed by first selecting its shape and configuration. After the shape and configuration is selected, a mold having a mold cavity can be formed in the shape of the head 10 to be formed.
As noted above, lacrosse handles of conventional construction typically have all or a major portion of a head disposed below the central longitudinal axis, often in plane with the leading portion of the base. The current embodiment as depicted in FIGS. 1-6, however, includes a secondary rail 28 offset from the longitudinal axis 46 when viewed from a side perspective, and structurally supporting the primary rail 26 which extends linearly from the base 14 to the scoop 22 when viewed from a side perspective. This improved offset design can provide a lacrosse stick head having increased strength, improved ball feel, and enhanced shooting capabilities—as well as an appearance that draws attention to the offset head configuration.
The above description is that of the current embodiment of the invention. Various alterations and changes can be made without departing from the spirit and broader aspects of the invention as defined in the appended claims, which are to be interpreted in accordance with the principles of patent law including the doctrine of equivalents. Any reference to elements in the singular, for example, using the articles “a,” “an,” “the,” or “said,” is not to be construed as limiting the element to the singular.
Patent Application
20100113191
