Hockey stick

Abstract

A hockey stick having a composite blade and a shaft is disclosed. The composite blade includes a heel section that is recessed relative to the front and back faces of the blade. The recessed heel section is configured to be received by a hockey stick shaft or an adapter member configured to connect the blade to the shaft. The composite blade preferably comprise a foam inner core overlaid preferably with substantially continuous fibers disposed in a matrix material and may include an internal bridge structure extending from one side of the blade to the other. The blade may also be preferably comprised of a core comprising non-continuous fibers disposed within a matrix material. In another aspect, processes for manufacturing the previously described hockey stick blade(s) are described.

1 - 29 . (canceled)  
     
     
         30 . A blade for a hockey stick comprising: 
 an elongated member extending from a tip section to a heel section and having a front face and a back face;    the heel section comprising front-side and back-side facing surfaces that are recessed relative to adjacent portions of the front and back faces; and    the elongated member further comprising an inner foam core and one or more plies overlaying the inner foam core, wherein the one or more plies comprise substantially continuous fibers disposed within a matrix material.    
     
     
         31 . The blade of  claim 30 , wherein at least part of one of the fibers is selected from the group consisting of carbon fiber, aramid, glass, polyethylene, ceramic, boron, quartz, and polyester.  
     
     
         32 . The blade of  claim 30 , wherein at least part of one of the fibers is selected from the group consisting of carbon fiber, aramid, glass, polyethylene, and ceramic.  
     
     
         33 . The blade of  claim 30 , wherein at least part of one of the fibers is selected from the group consisting of carbon fiber, aramid, and glass.  
     
     
         34 . The blade of  claim 30 , wherein at least part of one of the fibers is selected from the group consisting of carbon fiber and aramid.  
     
     
         35 . The blade of  claim 30 , wherein at least part of one of the fibers comprises carbon fiber.  
     
     
         36 . The blade of  claim 30 , wherein the recessed front-side and back-side facing surfaces of the heel section are configured to be received in a mating portion of a shaft.  
     
     
         37 . The blade of  claim 30 , wherein the recessed front-side and back-side facing surfaces of the heel section are configured to be received within a slot disposed within a shaft.  
     
     
         38 - 39 . (canceled)  
     
     
         40 . The blade of  claim 30  further comprising one or more internal bridge structures disposed within the foam core and extending between the front and back faces.  
     
     
         41 . (canceled)  
     
     
         42 . The blade of  claim 40 , wherein at least one of the one or more internal bridge structures comprises one or more plies of substantially continuous fibers disposed within a matrix material.  
     
     
         43 . The blade of  claim 40 , wherein at least one of the one or more internal bridge structure comprises non-continuous fibers disposed within a matrix material.  
     
     
         44 . The blade of  claim 30  further comprising one or more internal bridge structures disposed within the foam core and extending between the recessed front-side and back-side facing surfaces of the heel section.  
     
     
         45 . The blade of  claim 30  further comprising one or more internal bridge structures disposed within the foam core and extending between the front and back faces of the blade and between the recessed front-side and back-side facing surfaces of the heel section.  
     
     
         46 . The blade of  claim 30 , wherein the foam core further comprises a top edge and a bottom edge extending between the front face and back face of the blade, wherein at least part of the bottom edge or the top edge of the foam is overlaid with a durable edging material.  
     
     
         47 . The blade of  claim 46 , wherein at least part of both the top edge and bottom edge of the foam is overlaid with the durable edging material.  
     
     
         48 . The blade of  claim 46 , wherein the durable edging material is selected from the group of materials consisting of thermoplastic resins, thermosetting resins, substantially continuous fibers disposed within either thermoplastic or thermosetting resins, and non-continuous fibers disposed within either thermoplastic or thermosetting resins.  
     
     
         49 . The blade of  claim 30 , wherein the foam core comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, PVC, and epoxy.  
     
     
         50 - 107 . (canceled)