Impact Safety Hockey Puck

Abstract

A hockey puck is disclosed for use on any indoor or outdoor hard surface. A collapsible and resilient sidewall structure defining a cavity and air relief means provides the hockey stick contacting portion as well as, impact shock absorbing means to protect other players or spectators. Such structure is joined by top and bottom walls means to provide durable wearing surface for all hard surfaces including ice, as well as, driveways, streets, sidewalks, playgrounds and the like. In addition to the official regulation dimension numerous other sizes, as well as, composite embodiments may be provided with desired sliding, visibility and roll-preventing capabilities, in addition to the impact safety features. A range of plastic materials provide the cavity-defining wall of a selected specific gravity and elasticity characteristic which is lower and softer than the central body portion. Further embodiments employ a hard rubber material body member having a cavity adjacent the contact sidewall means as well as the air relief means.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to hockey pucks.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Prior art conventional hockey pucks are usually made of a hard rubber material having a standard predetermined diameter and weight and define relatively sharp circumferential edges. Upon impact players, as well as spectators can experience serious damage or injury. An additional disadvantage exists in that such pucks have a tendency to roll upon contact with any obstruction on a hard surface. Such rolling makes it difficult to pass or control the puck or shoot at a goal. This diminishes a player's ability, particularly, on hard surfaces such as concrete, asphalt, wood, tile and the like which have become increasingly popular in the playing of the sport of street hockey or when ice time is not available.

A need exists, therefore, for a new an improved hockey puck having impact safety means as well as durability on hard surfaces together with a minimum of rolling.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the teachings of the present invention a hockey puck is disclosed having a wall structure with a cavity adjacent the collapsible and resilient contact wall portion. The outer circumferential wall defining the cavity is formed of a material having a specific gravity and elasticity parameter which will provide for resiliency upon impact. The joining top and bottom wall surfaces contribute the durable wearing surface contacting the hard surfaces on which the puck is utilized. Means are defined in the cavity-defining walls to provide for the release of the compressed air as the result of the impact. The circumferential walls further define the impact shock absorbing means by being resilient while still maintaining a rigidity which is substantially equivalent to prior art pucks. The collapsible wall structure is also provided with a substantially elliptical configuration to enhance the roll-preventing characteristics of the puck on a flat surface.

The central body portion defining the top and bottom surfaces is formed of plastic material contributing a weight and rigidity factor in addition to durability. This portion, desirably, has a wall thickness ratio relative to the outer collapsible contact wall surfaces in the range of 2:1 or higher in those embodiments having the regulation diameter, weight and thickness. Another feature of the invention is the provision of an increasing amount of material on the wearing surface to be exposed during use.

In recent years a large number of hockey players have utilized hockey pucks on driveways, street, sidewalks, playgrounds, gymnasiums and the like. This has not only provided for the enjoyment of the sport by a larger number of players but has increased proficiency in off-season periods or such times when ice surfaces are unavailable. In numerous instances the hockey puck is therefore, utilized on surfaces of a dark color and correspondingly, the hockey pucks may be provided with bright colored materials to enhance visibility. In addition, it is possible with the disclosed structure to provide a safe hockey puck for use in the smaller dimensions by children and Pee Wee Leagues which will eventually enhance their proficiency in the utilization of the larger and heavier pucks.

Official Hockey League pucks may also be provided for use incorporating a safety feature heretofore unattainable with the hard rubber configuration which can travel at speeds of up to 120 miles per hour.

The puck construction envisaged in the present invention can be fabricated of the same material throughout along with the composite constructions providing softer outer contact wall means with the rigid central body portions. Several embodiments are disclosed wherein the cavity-defining wall means extend throughout the cross-sectional area of the puck with the wall thickness in the central portions contributing to the weight and rigidity of the overall puck. Additionally, a combination of rubber or plastic materials may be utilized where desired in accordance with the objectives of the invention. The ellipticity of the contact sidewall means may also be altered as desired to enhance the roll-preventing features of the hockey puck disclosed in the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.

This invention, as well as, specific illustrative embodiments, will now be described, reference being directed to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view partly in section of an illustrative embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the invention involving separable central body portions;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a hollow puck construction with a thicker central body wall portion;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an illustrative embodiment of the official regulation puck construction;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of another alternative embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a top view of another embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 7 is side elevation of the illustrative embodiment shown in FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 is illustrative of a body member 2 having a substantially solid central body portion 4 and contact wall-defining means 6 of a substantially elliptical configuration defining a cavity 8. To provide for the release of the compressed air the cavity wall-defining means are provided with a plurality of spaced air intake and exhaust means 10 such as apertures. The central body portion 4, as well as, the cavity-defining walls 6 may be fabricated of a similar material such as any of the well known plastics, for example, polyethylene and polystyrene. It is also within the purview of the invention to form the cavity-defining wall means as a separate outer member with the central body portion being press-fitted or joined to the outer member. In such composite embodiments the central body portion may be fabricated of a heavier material such as hard rubber or plastic having a higher specific gravity than the material in the outer member. As a result, the softness of the outer cavity-defining walls will cushion the impact of the puck while the central body portion contributes the weight to assist in the slidability characteristics and also assist in the prevention of rolling during use. It is not only possible within the teachings of the invention to provide dissimilar materials individually selected for the desired characteristics but dissimilar colors as well to assist in the visibility of the puck when used on dark surfaces.

In FIG. 2 an embodiment of the invention is shown wherein the overall puck assembly comprises three separable members. A circular hollow member 12 is formed with the substantially elliptical walls 14 as well as apertures 16 located at equidistant points along the circumferential walls. An inner wall 18 defines substantially central arcuate ridge portion 18a and the hollow cavity 20 provides impact absorbing means. Member 12 may be fabricated in accordance with well known plastic techniques such as blow molding as a singular unit. The central body comprising a core member 22 defining one-half of the prerequisite desired dimensions abuts a companion core member 24 of similar configuration. In this embodiment core members 22 and 24 of a harder material define along their inner ends the curved portion 22a and 24a which collectively define the ridge portion 18a. Initially, member 12 is substantially hollow throughout and then the introduction of the core members under pressure and united by means of a rivet 26 form the cavity. The top and bottom walls of member 12 are disclosed adjacent to one another as indicated by numerals 28 and 30. It may be noted that the core members 22 and 24 are formed with slight outer coextensive concave surfaces 32 and 34 and a raised portion 36 and 38 providing the durable surface engaging means. Alternatively, the central body portion in this embodiment may be provided by pouring a desired material in a suitable space in the top and bottom walls of the blown member with a heavier material uniting with the material of the walls defining the member 12 and thereby contribute to the weight factor considerations. Referring to the surface engaging means 36 and 38 in this embodiment, as well as, the raised portion of the member 6 in FIG. 1 it will be noted that at all times the surface is contacted by a portion of the material to assist in sliding over a surface. Continued use exposes further material along this riding surface and thereby prolongs the life of the puck.

In FIG. 3 another embodiment of the invention is illustrated. A circular substantially hollow member 40 is fabricated by rotating of the plastic material in a mold in one direction to form a unit having the elliptical walls 42 containing the apertures 44. The apertures admit and release air from internal cavity 45. The thickness of the walls 42 is selected to provide the impact absorbing surface and may therefore be relatively thin. Orientation of the mold in a perpendicular direction and continued rotation will cause an enlargement of the central body region and result in thicker walls 46 and 48 along with the desired concave surfaces 50 and 52. The surface engaging portion 54 and 56 will be formed in the region intermediate to the outer circumferential walls of the member 40 in essentially the similar configuration as the foregoing illustrations. It will be noted that in this embodiment the thickness of the central body portion is controllable and may have a wall thickness ratio relative to the contact wall surfaces 42 of 3:1. The wall thickness parameter may also be adjusted in these embodiments where additional weight is desired to have a higher value. As a result of this puck construction the unit is fabricated as an integral assembly of a similar material and may also be fabricated of any of the brighter colored plastic materials.

FIG. 4 is illustrative of a hockey puck having an outer wall configuration equivalent of the solid puck construction with substantially flat top and bottom wall surfaces of the singular resilient material such as hard rubber, as shown and described in U.S. Let. Pat. No. 2,226,516, issued Dec. 24, 1940 to A. H. Ross. Such pucks are widely used in professional hockey leagues and can result in serious injury to players and spectators alike due to the impact at speeds which can be as high as 120 miles per hour. In this embodiment the safety means are provided by means of a unitary assembly which may be blown or rotated to provide a hollow body member 58 with thin circumferential wall surfaces 60 and an enlarged central body portion 62 which contribute to the weight and roll-preventing factors. A central chamber 64 is defined and air relief means 66 are provided. In this embodiment the central body wall portion may have a thickness ratio of 6:1 relative to the walls 60. This puck construction provides not only the rigidity desired but incorporates the safety feature through the release and admittance of air as the resilient sidewalls absorb the impact shock.

FIG. 5 illustrates another construction of a puck 68 having a solid central body portion 70 which may be fabricated of a hard rubber material. A cavity 72 is defined adjacent to the contact wall portion 74 having air holes 76. The cavity is of the ring-like configuration similar to the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Again as in the FIG. 4 construction a safer puck is disclosed which will result in fewer injuries while still preserving the regulation weight, diameter and resiliency. The puck shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 have substantially flat top and bottom surfaces and are, therefore, ideally suited for iced surfaces. Such pucks may also be fabricated with smaller contact surface means in those embodiments for use on pavement such as concrete, black top and the like.

Another puck construction is illustrated in FIG. 6 and 7 for use by tots, pre-school and early school children where the weight, diameter and size vary with the ages of the players. Pucks 78 closely resembles the whiffle ball construction provided with alternate ribs 80 and spaces 82 disposed in off-set manner with a circumferential portion 84. A central solid region 86 is provided with a plurality of a circular ribs 88, 90 and 92 to provide the surface contact means. Solid portion 86 provides the prerequisite rigidity and unites ribs 80 in the overall assembly. The pucks shown in this construction may be fabricated of many different colors for appeal as well as enhancing visibility.

There is thus disclosed a new and novel hockey puck having many safety features for cushioning impact. Many variations, modifications and alternations will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention defined in the appended claims. It is intended, therefore, that the foregoing embodiment be interpreted in the broadest manner and not in a limiting sense.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A hockey puck comprising:

a body member having a resilient and collapsible circumferential sidewall joined between coextensive top and bottom wall surfaces to define a hollow cavity;

said sidewall having an outer impact surface and means defined in said outer surface for providing free egress and ingress of air at all times through said sidewall.

2. A puck according to claim 1 wherein said top and bottom wall surfaces define raised surface engaging portions which extend beyond the overall height of said sidewalls.

3. A puck according to claim 2 wherein said surface engaging portions are formed of a material having a high specific gravity relative to said sidewalls.

4. A puck according to claim 1 wherein said sidewall has a substantially elliptical configuration.

5. A puck according to claim 1 wherein said sidewall is formed of a material having a lower specific gravity than the remainder of said body member.

6. A puck according to claim 1 wherein said body member is substantially hollow in cross-sectional dimensions.

7. A puck according to claim 1 wherein said coextensive top and bottom wall surfaces have a concave configuration.

8. A puck according to claim 1 wherein said body member is substantially hollow and said top and bottom wall surface have an enlarged central wall portion.

9. A puck according to claim 8 wherein said enlarged central wall portion has a thickness ratio relative to said sidewall of at least 2:1.

10. A puck according to claim 1 wherein said sidewall is defined by alternate ribs and spaces of a plastic material.

11. A hockey puck According to claim 1 wherein said body member is formed of a hard rubber material, said top and bottom wall surfaces being substantially flat and parallel and said side-wall joined between said top and bottom wall surfaces being vertical.

12. A hockey puck comprising:

a body member having a substantially solid central portion and a circumferential sidewall portion defining a hollow cavity;

said sidewall portion having an outer impact surface of a softer, more resilient material than said central portion and means defined in said outer surface for providing free egress and ingress of air at all times

through said sidewall. 13. A hockey puck according to claim 12 wherein said central body portion is formed by two separable members secured together.