Lacrosse head

Abstract

The present invention provides an improved lacrosse shaft head connection. In particular, the present invention provides a lacrosse head with a male plug to fit in a female socket of a lacrosse shaft. Further, the lacrosse head of the present invention may be strategically designed with sidewall placements to guide a lacrosse ball to a desired location.

1 . A lacrosse stick, comprising: 
 a shaft;    a head;    the shaft comprising a head end and a butt end;    the head end comprising a head junction projection;    the head junction projection comprising a female socket;    the head comprising a base, divergent sidewalls extending in a first direction away from the base, and a lip;    the base comprising a shaft junction projection extending from the base in a second direction opposite the first direction; and    the shaft junction projection comprising a male plug, wherein    the head is removably coupled to the shaft by inserting the male plug in the female socket.    
   
   
       2 . The lacrosse stick of  claim 1 , wherein the female socket comprises a shape defined by sidewalls of the shaft.  
   
   
       3 . The lacrosse stick of  claim 2 , wherein the female socket further comprises an open end and a volume defined by the sidewalls of the shaft.  
   
   
       4 . The lacrosse stick of  claim 2 , wherein the male plug has a shaped designed to frictionally engage the female socket.  
   
   
       5 . The lacrosse stick of  claim 4 , wherein the male plug comprises a protrusion.  
   
   
       6 . The lacrosse stick of  claim 5 , wherein the protrusion comprises at least one of a washer, a rubberized coating, a flared end, and a lip.  
   
   
       7 . The lacrosse stick of  claim 1 , wherein the shaft comprises carbon fiber material.  
   
   
       8 . The lacrosse stick of  claim 7 , wherein the female socket is lined with a strengthening material.  
   
   
       9 . The lacrosse stick of  claim 8 , wherein the strengthening material is a metal.  
   
   
       10 . The lacrosse stick of  claim 8 , wherein the strengthening material is stainless steel.  
   
   
       11 . The lacrosse stick of  claim 8 , wherein the strengthening material is titanium.  
   
   
       12 . The lacrosse stick of  claim 1 , wherein the shaft comprises metal formed into a tubular shape.  
   
   
       13 . The lacrosse stick of  claim 12 , wherein the metal comprises aluminum.  
   
   
       14 . The lacrosse stick of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 a filler, wherein the female socket has a shape defined by the shaft; and    the male plug and filler are designed to frictionally engage the female socket such that the head is removably connectable to the shaft.    
   
   
       15 . The lacrosse stick of  claim 14 , wherein the filler comprises carbon fiber material.  
   
   
       16 . The lacrosse stick of  claim 14 , wherein the filler comprises graphite material.  
   
   
       17 . The lacrosse stick of  claim 14 , wherein the filler is a composite material.  
   
   
       18 . A lacrosse head connectable to a lacrosse shaft, the head comprising: 
 a ball stop;    at least two sidewalls, each sidewall have a base end connected to opposite sides of the ball stop and a lip end, the sidewalls extending from the base end to the lip end in a divergent manner;    a lip, the lip connecting opposite sidewall lip ends;    at least one shaft junction projection extending from the ball stop in a direction opposite the base; and    the at least one shaft junction projection comprising a substantially solid male plug, wherein    the male plug is insertable into a socket associated with a lacrosse shaft such that the head and the shaft form a lacrosse stick.    
   
   
       19 . The lacrosse head of  claim 18 , wherein the male plug is completely solid.  
   
   
       20 . The lacrosse head of  claim 18 , wherein the lacrosse head comprises molded carbon fiber material.  
   
   
       21 . The lacrosse head of  claim 18 , wherein the male plug is designed with a shape to snuggly fit in the socket.  
   
   
       22 . The lacrosse head of  claim 18 , further comprising: 
 a filler, wherein    the filler and male plug are shaped to snuggly fit in the socket.    
   
   
       23 . The lacrosse head of  claim 18 , wherein the male plug comprises a bore that aligns with a bore in the socket.  
   
   
       24 . The lacrosse head of  claim 23 , further comprising a securing member insertable through the bores.  
   
   
       25 . The lacrosse head of  claim 18 , wherein the male plug comprises a protrusion.  
   
   
       26 . The lacrosse head of  claim 25 , wherein the protrusion is a lip.  
   
   
       27 . The lacrosse head of  claim 25 , wherein the protrusion is a flare.  
   
   
       28 . The lacrosse head of  claim 25 , wherein the protrusion is a rubberized coating.  
   
   
       29 . The lacrosse head of  claim 25 , wherein the protrusion is a washer.  
   
   
       30 . The lacrosse head of  claim 18 , wherein the male plug is lined with a strengthening material.  
   
   
       31 . The lacrosse head of  claim 30 , wherein the strengthening material is a metal.  
   
   
       32 . The lacrosse head of  claim 30 , wherein the strengthening material is carbon fiber.  
   
   
       33 . The lacrosse head of  claim 30 , wherein the strengthening material is titanium.  
   
   
       34 . A lacrosse head, comprising: 
 a base;    a pair of divergent sidewalls, each of the divergent sidewalls having a base end and a lip end, the base end being coupled to the base;    a lip, the lip coupled each of the lip ends;    each of the divergent sidewalls having an upper edge and a lower edge, the upper edge defining an opening for receiving a lacrosse ball and the lower edge having a plurality of holes for attaching a net;    the upper edge having at least first region residing in a first plane, a second region residing in a second plane, and a transition edge coupling the first region to the second region; and    the first region and the second region being aligned to facilitate moving the lacrosse ball to move from the first region towards the second region such that the lacrosse ball will be carried in a predetermined position within the net.    
   
   
       35 . The lacrosse head of  claim 34 , wherein the first plane is above the second plane.  
   
   
       36 . The lacrosse head of  claim 34 , wherein the first plane is below the second plane.  
   
   
       37 . The lacrosse head of  claim 34 , further comprising at least a third region residing in a third plane.  
   
   
       38 . The lacrosse head of  claim 37 , wherein the third plane is below the first plane and the second plane.  
   
   
       39 . The lacrosse head of  claim 34 , wherein the lower edge further comprises at least a first lower region residing in a third plane, a second lower region residing in a fourth plane, and a lower transition edge connecting the first lower region to the second lower region.  
   
   
       40 . The lacrosse head of  claim 39 , wherein the upper edge and lower edge are facilitate carrying the lacrosse ball towards the lip instead of towards the base.  
   
   
       41 . The lacrosse head of  claim 34  further comprising: 
 a male plug extending from the base in a direction opposite the pair of divergent sidewalls;    the male plug having a top surface defining a third plane; and    at least one of the first plane and the second plane being above the third plane.    
   
   
       42 . The lacrosse head of  claim 41 , wherein the first plane and the second plane are both above the third plane.  
   
   
       43 . The lacrosse head of  claim 34  further comprising: 
 a male plug extending from the base in a direction opposite the pair of divergent sidewalls;    the male plug having a top surface defining a third plane; and    at least one of the first plane and the second plane being below the third plane.    
   
   
       44 . The lacrosse head of  claim 42 , wherein both the first plane and the second plane are below the third plane.  
   
   
       45 . The lacrosse head of  claim 39 , wherein the transition edge and the lower transition edge are substantially aligned.  
   
   
       46 . A lacrosse head, comprising: 
 a base;    the base having a shaft side and a ball rest side;    a pair of sidewalls coupled to the ball rest side of the base and extending from the base;    a lip connecting the pair of sidewalls at an end opposite the base;    a male plug coupled to the shaft side of the base and extending from the base in a direction opposite the pair of sidewalls;    each of the pair of sidewalls comprising: 
 an upper edge defining an opening for receiving a lacrosse ball;  
 a lower edge having a plurality of holes for attaching a net;  
 the upper edge having a plurality of upper regions connected by upper transition edges;  
 the lower edge having a plurality of lower regions connected lower transition edges;  
 the upper regions and lower regions are arranged to encourage the lacrosse ball to move towards a predetermined location in the net.  
   
   
   
       47 . The lacrosse head of  claim 46  wherein the plurality of upper regions comprises at least three regions.  
   
   
       48 . The lacrosse head of  claim 46  wherein the upper transition edge intersects the upper regions at least one angle.  
   
   
       49 . The lacrosse head of  claim 48  wherein the at least one angle is between 0 degrees and 180 degrees.  
   
   
       50 . The lacrosse head of  claim 48  wherein the at least one angle is between about 30 and about 60 degrees.  
   
   
       51 . The lacrosse head of  claim 48  wherein the at least one angle is about 90 degrees.  
   
   
       52 . The lacrosse head of  claim 48  wherein the at least one angle is about 80 to 110 degrees.  
   
   
       53 . The lacrosse head of  claim 46  wherein the male plug has a top surface and at least one of the upper regions resides above the top surface.  
   
   
       54 . The lacrosse head of  claim 46  wherein the male plug has a protrusion to facilitate a frictional engagement with a lacrosse shaft.  
   
   
       55 . The lacrosse head of  claim 46  wherein the upper regions and the lower regions comprise at least one substantially straight portion.  
   
   
       56 . The lacrosse head of  claim 46  wherein the upper regions and the lower regions comprise at least one substantially curved portion.  
   
   
       57 . The lacrosse head of  claim 46  wherein the lower transition edge intersects the lower regions at least one angle, the at least one angle being between greater than or equal to 0 degrees and less than or equal to 180 degrees.  
   
   
       58 . A lacrosse head, comprising: 
 a base;    a pair of divergent sidewalls connected to the base; and    a lip connecting the pair of divergent sidewalls at an end opposite the base;    the pair of divergent sidewalls having means for directing a lacrosse ball towards a predetermined location.    
   
   
       59 . The lacrosse head of  claim 58  wherein the means for directing comprises a plurality of upper edges and a plurality of lower edges on the pair of sidewalls being arranged to direct movement of the lacrosse ball.