U.S. patent application number 11/148522 was filed with the patent office on 2005-12-15 for lacrosse stick having a composite shaft.
Invention is credited to Goss, John S..
Application Number | 20050277494 11/148522 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35461222 |
Filed Date | 2005-12-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050277494 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Goss, John S. |
December 15, 2005 |
Lacrosse stick having a composite shaft
Abstract
The invention comprises, in one form thereof, a shaft for a
lacrosse stick, including a structural foam core, at least one
fabric sleeve surrounding the foam core, and a resin infused into
the fabric sleeves. The fabric sleeves consist of woven fibers
selected from the group of aramid fibers, carbon fibers,
fiberglass, or a combination thereof. A fabric having a
personalized pattern applied over the fabric sleeves may be
included. Further, a temporary release peel ply material and a
temporary plastic mesh may be applied over the fabric sleeves when
the epoxy is applied to the shaft.
Inventors: |
Goss, John S.; (Jamesville,
NY) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HISCOCK & BARCLAY, LLP
2000 HSBC PLAZA
ROCHESTER
NY
14604-2404
US
|
Family ID: |
35461222 |
Appl. No.: |
11/148522 |
Filed: |
June 9, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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60578269 |
Jun 9, 2004 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
473/513 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 60/00 20151001;
A63B 2209/02 20130101; A63B 59/20 20151001; A63B 2209/023
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
473/513 |
International
Class: |
A63B 059/02 |
Claims
What is claimed:
1. An improved lacrosse stick, comprising: a central support means
for supporting a lacrosse stick shaft; at least one fabric sleeve
surrounding said central support means; and a resin infused into
said at least one fabric sleeve to bind the at least one fabric
sleeve.
2. The improved lacrosse stick of claim 1 wherein said central
support means further comprises a foam core.
3. The improved lacrosse stick of claim 2 wherein said foam core
comprises a consistent cross-section that is substantially
cylindrical.
4. The improved lacrosse stick of claim 2 wherein said foam core
comprises a consistent cross-section that is polygonal.
5. The improved lacrosse stick of claim 2 wherein said foam core is
hollow.
6. The improved lacrosse stick of claim 2 wherein said foam core is
solid.
7. The improved lacrosse stick of claim 1 wherein said at least one
fabric sleeve further comprises woven fibers, wherein said woven
fibers are bound together by said resin.
8. The shaft according to claim 7, wherein said woven fibers of
said at least one sleeve are selected from a group consisting of
aramid fibers, carbon fibers, fiberglass, or a combination
thereof.
9. The shaft according to claim 7, wherein said woven fibers of
said at least one sleeve are at least two or more fibers selected
from a group consisting of aramid fibers, carbon fibers,
fiberglass, or a combination thereof.
10. The shaft according to claim 1, further comprising a fabric
having a personalized pattern applied over said at least one fabric
sleeve.
11. The shaft according to claim 1, further comprising a temporary
release peel ply material applied over said at least one fabric
sleeve when said resin is applied to said shaft.
12. The shaft according to claim 1, further comprising a temporary
plastic mesh applied over said at least one fabric sleeve when said
resin is applied to said shaft.
13. A method of making a shaft for a lacrosse stick comprising the
steps of: forming a foam core to a desired shape; placing at least
one fabric sleeve over said foam core; wrapping a release peel ply
material over said at least one fabric sleeve; covering said
release peel ply material with a plastic mesh; placing said shaft
into a vacuum; infusing said shaft with a resin; curing said shaft;
removing said shaft from said vacuum; removing said plastic mesh;
post-curing said shaft; and removing said release peel ply
material.
14. The method according to claim 13, wherein said at least one
fabric sleeve consists of woven fibers selected from the group of
aramid fibers, carbon fibers, fiberglass, or a combination
thereof.
15. The method according to claim 13, further comprising the step
of wrapping a fabric having a personalized pattern over said at
least one fabric sleeve after said step of sliding at least one
fabric sleeve over said foam core.
16. A lacrosse stick, comprising: a structural foam core; at least
one fabric sleeve having woven fibers surrounding said foam core; a
fabric having a personalized pattern applied over said at least one
fabric sleeve; and a resin infused into said at least one fabric
sleeve to bind the woven fibers of said at least one fabric
sleeve.
17. The lacrosse stick of claim 16 further comprising a temporary
release peel ply material applied over said at least one fabric
sleeve when said resin is applied to said shaft.
18. The lacrosse stick of claim 16 further comprising a temporary
plastic mesh applied over said at least one fabric sleeve when said
resin is applied to said shaft.
19. The lacrosse stick of claim 16 further comprising a lacrosse
head.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional
Patent Application Ser. No. 60/578,269, filed Jun. 9, 2004.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates generally to a lacrosse stick, and
more particularly to a lacrosse stick having a shaft made of a
composite material.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Lacrosse is an established sport which originated with the
American and Canadian Indians. Lacrosse sticks were originally made
of wood, usually hickory. The original lacrosse sticks were roughly
handcrafted and susceptible to the elements. Additionally, the
original lacrosse sticks varied greatly in size, shape, and weight
because they were made by hand and lacked stringent guidelines.
[0004] Conventional lacrosse sticks having a shaft made of wood or
metal are known. The metal shafts are usually made using an
invariable extruding process. Thus, the shape of the shaft is
determined when the extrusion die is manufactured. Further any
texture, logos, team colors, etc. must be applied after formation
of the shaft by knurling, painting, or another secondary process.
Further, a material having a higher strength-to-weight ratio than
wood and metal is desired in the art.
[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,843 issued to Dorfi, et al. discloses a
lacrosse stick having a head and a handle attached thereto. The
head includes a generally V-shaped frame with a crosspiece
extending out of the plane of the head. The base of the head
includes an arcuate recess along its back side to form with the
netting a socket for receiving and retaining the lacrosse ball. The
handle is a non-regular octagon in cross-section with the long
sides of the handle extending generally parallel to the plane
containing the head. The handle is provided at its proximal end
with an enlarged butt cap approximately 1.5 times the largest
cross-sectional dimension of the handle. The handle also increases
in cross-sectional dimension from a median point towards its
opposite ends. The netting in the head is replaceable with
preformed netting by inserting preformed loops at the ends of the
transverse lacing in openings and securing the loops along the
outer side frames of the head. The longitudinal reinforcing strips
are likewise received in openings and secured in adjusted
positions.
[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 4,358,117 issued to Deutsch discloses a
lacrosse head having grooves along the outer surface of the
scoop-shaped end adapted to protect the lacings of a net structure
from abrasive contact. The grooves will be defined by grooved
depressions in the outer surface of the scoop-shaped end, or pairs
of raised ridges on the outer surface of the scoop-shaped end. The
grooves will extend from the openings, through which the net
structure is laced, to the edge of the frame to which the net is
attached.
[0007] A lacrosse stick that is stronger and lighter than
conventional lacrosse sticks, and has a texture that improves the
user's grin would provide further utility.
SUMMARY
[0008] The invention comprises, in one form thereof, a shaft for a
lacrosse stick, including a structural foam core, at least one
fabric sleeve surrounding the foam core, and a resin infused into
the fabric sleeves. The fabric sleeves consist of woven fibers
selected from the group of aramid fibers, carbon fibers,
fiberglass, or a combination thereof. A fabric having a
personalized pattern applied over the fabric sleeves may be
included. Further, a temporary release peel ply material and a
temporary plastic mesh may be applied over the fabric sleeves when
the epoxy is applied to the shaft.
[0009] The invention further comprises a method of making a shaft
for a lacrosse stick comprising the steps of: forming a foam core
to a desired shape; placing at least one fabric sleeve over said
foam core; wrapping a release peel ply material over said at least
one fabric sleeve; covering said release peel ply material with a
plastic mesh; placing said shaft into a vacuum; infusing said shaft
with a resin; curing said shaft; removing said shaft from said
vacuum; discarding said plastic mesh; post-curing said shaft; and
disposing of said release peel ply material.
[0010] An advantage of the present invention is that the lacrosse
stick is stronger and lighter than conventional lacrosse sticks.
Further, the lacrosse stick of the present invention has a texture
that improves the user's grip. Even further, the lacrosse stick of
the present invention provides an integral personalization for the
shaft of the lacrosse stick.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of
this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become
apparent and be better understood by reference to the following
description of the embodiments of the invention in conjunction with
the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0012] FIG. 1 is an image of a lacrosse stick of the present
invention;
[0013] FIG. 2a is an image showing the layers of the shaft of the
present invention;
[0014] FIG. 2b is an image of a partially infused shaft sample;
[0015] FIG. 3a is an image showing the layers of the shaft of the
present invention having a personalization layer;
[0016] FIG. 3b is an image of a finished shaft of the present
invention having a personalization layer;
[0017] FIG. 4 is a an image showing a shaft sample and a vacuum bag
prior to infusion; and
[0018] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a hollow shaft according
to the second embodiment.
[0019] Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding
parts throughout the several views. The exemplifications set out
herein illustrate several embodiments of the invention but should
not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any
manner.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0020] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2a, there is shown the composite
shaft for a lacrosse stick of the present invention. The shaft 10
includes a core 12, and an outer casing 14. A head 16 is affixed to
one end of the shaft 10.
[0021] The core 12, shown in FIG. 2a, is a structural foam designed
for impact such as the foam sold under the name CORE-CELL A 300 by
ATC Chemicals Inc. The core 12 is formed to the desired shape of
the shaft. This may be accomplished by milling the core 12 to the
desired shape. In a particular embodiment of the present invention,
the shape of the core 12 may have a consistent cross-section that
is round. In additional embodiments of the present invention the
core 12 has a consistent cross-section that is polygonal, or the
shape may vary to provide a shape that is either ergonomic or that
enhances the user's performance.
[0022] Prior to processing, the outer casing 14 includes at least
one fabric sleeve 20, a release peel ply material 24, and a shade
cloth material 26. A particular embodiment of the present invention
includes an optional personalization layer 22 (FIG. 3a). The fabric
sleeves 20 may be made of woven aramid fiber (such as KEVLAR),
fiberglass, aramid/carbon fiber, or another fabric or paper. The
sleeves 20 slide loosely over the core 12. Several layers of
sleeves 20 may be used to increase the strength of the shaft 10.
For example, most girls lacrosse leagues do not allow checking,
therefore a shaft having one layer of a fiberglass sleeve 20 might
be used to keep the cost down. However, in a league that does allow
checking, several layers of a higher strength material may be
required. The personalization layer 22 is a cloth, paper, or
plastic containing a logo, a pattern of team colors, a player's
uniform number, etc. The personalization layer 22 is applied over
the sleeves 20. The release peel ply material 24 is wrapped around
the shaft 10 and contributes to the grip of the finished shaft 10.
The shade cloth material 26 is a plastic cloth such as those that
are conventionally used to provide shade in agricultural
applications. The shade cloth material 26 is wrapped around the
release peel ply material 24.
[0023] After the core 12 and the outer casing 14 are prepared, the
shaft 10 is placed into a vacuum bag 28 as shown in FIG. 4. The
vacuum bag 28 is then sealed. A vacuum is perfected in the vacuum
bag 28 using vacuum tube 29a and the shaft 12 is infused with a
resin 30. The resin 30 is preferably a polymer such as an epoxy,
vinyl ester, or urethane. The resin 30 is forced into the vacuum
bag 28 via resin tube 29b. In a particular embodiment of the
present invention, approximately between 100 and 150 grams of resin
are used to infuse the shafts of the lacrosse sticks. However any
amount of resin sufficient to infuse the shafts are within the
scope of the invention. In order to deposit resin 30 along the
entire length of the shaft 10, the end of the resin tube 29b is
moved along the length of the shaft 10. The shade cloth material 26
provides a conduit for the resin to flow around the shaft 10. As
the resin 30 flows through the release peel ply material 24, the
weave of the release peel ply material 24 creates a texture in the
resin 30 that improves the user's grip on the finished shaft
10.
[0024] After the shaft 10 is infused with the resin 30, the vacuum
is maintained in the vacuum bag 28 while the shaft 10 cures at room
temperature. For particular embodiments of the present invention,
it will take approximately 12 hours for the shaft to cure. Once the
curing is complete, the shaft 10 is removed from the vacuum bag 28
and the shade cloth material 26 is removed The shaft 10 is
post-cured according to the specifications of the manufacturer of
the resin 30, for example at an elevated temperature of about
200.degree. F. or higher for approximately 3 hours. The release
peel ply material 24 is removed from the shaft 10 and the finished
shaft 10 is trimmed to the final size and the head 16 is affixed to
one end. The end user may further trim the shaft 10 according to
his or her preferences using any appropriate device, such as a
conventional saw.
[0025] Prior to processing, one end of the core 12 may be milled to
a larger diameter than the rest of the shaft 10 in order to mimic
the end cap required on hollow shaft lacrosse sticks.
[0026] The shaft 10 of the present invention the texture caused by
the release peel ply material 24 is integral to the process, not a
surface treatment that must be added later. Further, logos, text,
color patterns, etc. are added during processing of the shaft 10,
not painted on later. This allows for personalization of the shaft
10, such as the shaft shown in FIG. 3b. Even further, the composite
material provides a strong, light shaft 10 that has a low heat
transfer coefficient such that the shaft 10 doesn't feel as cold as
a metal shaft might in cold weather. Still further, a significant
advantage of the shaft 10 is that the shape of the shaft 10 is
formed by milling the core 12, not by the shape of a mold. Thus,
various shapes and sizes of shaft 10 can be made with little or no
changes in manufacturing equipment. Additionally, the
cross-sectional shape can vary along the length of the shaft 10 as
desired.
[0027] Referring now to FIG. 5, an additional embodiment of the
present invention is shown. The shaft 110 has a hollow core 112,
used in place of the solid core 12. The hollow core 112 is made of
a structural foam that is in the shape of a shell. This reduces the
amount of material used in the shaft 110, thus shaft 110 is lighter
than shaft 10. The shaft 110 is otherwise the same as shaft 10.
[0028] While the invention has been described with reference to
particular embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in
the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be
substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope
of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to
adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the
invention without departing from the scope of the invention.
[0029] Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited
to the particular embodiments disclosed as the best mode
contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the
invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope and
spirit of the appended claims.
* * * * *