One piece lacrosse stick

Abstract

The present invention provides a lacrosse stick comprising a unibody head and shaft construction that increases lacrosse throwing accuracy and power.

1 . A method of making a unibody lacrosse stick, comprising: 
 providing a flexible polymeric material in a desired shape for at least a lacrosse stick head;    wrapping the flexible polymeric with a first composite material;    removing the flexible polymeric from the wrap to leave a pre-cured lacrosse head comprising a tube of first composite material;    inserting the pre-cured lacrosse head into a mold with a hollow, pre-cured lacrosse stick shaft of a second composite material; and    curing the pre-cured lacrosse head and pre-cured lacrosse shaft to form a seamless, unibody lacrosse stick.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: 
 providing a dowel in a shaft shape;    wrapping the dowel with the second composite material; and    removing the dowel to leave the hollow, pre-cured lacrosse shaft.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first composite material and the second composite material are the same.  
   
   
       4 . The lacrosse stick of  claim 1 , wherein the first composite material and the second composite material comprise a material selected from the group of materials consisting of carbon fiber and graphite.  
   
   
       5 . The lacrosse stick of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: 
 shaping the flexible polymeric into at least a lacrosse head shape comprising a base, divergent sidewalls extending from the base to a lip, and the lip traversing between the divergent sidewalls remote from the base.    
   
   
       6 . The lacrosse stick of  claim 5 , wherein the step of wrapping the flexible polymeric includes placing a bumper along the lip such that the bumper is molded into the seamless, unibody lacrosse stick.  
   
   
       7 . The lacrosse stick of  claim 6 , wherein the bumper is selected from a group of materials consisting o rubber, plastic, or metal.  
   
   
       8 . The lacrosse stick of  claim 1 , wherein the step of providing the flexible polymeric material in a desired shape for at least a lacrosse stick head includes providing the flexible polymeric material in the desired shape for at least the lacrosse stick head and the lacrosse stick shaft.  
   
   
       9 . The lacrosse stick of  claim 1 , wherein the desired shape includes offsetting the lacrosse stick head from the lacrosse stick shaft by providing a downward curve in the sidewall.  
   
   
       10 . The lacrosse stick of  claim 9 , wherein the desired shape also includes an upward curve in the sidewall.  
   
   
       11 . The lacrosse stick of  claim 1 , wherein the desired shape includes offsetting the lacrosse stick head from the lacrosse stick shaft by providing a step in the sidewall.  
   
   
       12 . The lacrosse stick of  claim 11 , wherein the step is abrupt.  
   
   
       13 . The lacrosse stick of  claim 11 , wherein the step is at an acute angle.  
   
   
       14 . A unibody lacrosse stick prepared by a process comprising the steps of: 
 providing a flexible polymeric material in a desired shape for at least a lacrosse stick head;    wrapping the flexible polymeric material with a first composite material, the first composite material being carbon fiber;    removing the flexible polymeric material from the wrap to leave a pre-cured lacrosse head comprising a tube of first composite material;    inserting the pre-cured lacrosse head into a mold with a hollow, pre-cured lacrosse stick shaft of a second composite material; and    curing the pre-cured lacrosse head and pre-cured lacrosse shaft to form a seamless, unibody lacrosse stick.    
   
   
       15 . The unibody lacrosse stick of  claim 14 , wherein the unibody lacrosse stick includes a flex point on the lacrosse shaft portion closer to a butt end of the lacrosse shaft portion than a conventional lacrosse stick flex point.  
   
   
       16 . The unibody lacrosse stick of  claim 14 , wherein the unibody lacrosse stick comprises a substantially rigid head portion.  
   
   
       17 . The unibody lacrosse stick of  claim 14 , wherein the unibody lacrosse stick weighs less than 350 grams.  
   
   
       18 . The unibody lacrosse stick of  claim 17 , wherein the unibody lacrosse stick weighs more than 300 grams.  
   
   
       19 . The unibody lacrosse stick of  claim 18 , wherein the unibody lacrosse stick weighs about 320 grams.  
   
   
       20 . The unibody lacrosse stick of  claim 14 , wherein the unibody lacrosse stick is stiffer than a conventional lacrosse shaft to increase shot accuracy and power.  
   
   
       21 . The unibody lacrosse stick of  claim 14 , wherein the lacrosse stick shaft is formed with at least one tapered section.  
   
   
       22 . The unibody lacrosse stick of  claim 14 , wherein the lacrosse stick shaft is formed with at least one expanded section.  
   
   
       23 . The unibody lacrosse stick of  claim 21 , wherein the lacrosse stick shaft is formed with at least one expanded section.  
   
   
       24 . The unibody lacrosse stick of  claim 14 , further comprising the steps to make of: 
 forming the flexible polymeric material into the lacrosse stick head having a base, divergent sidewalls, and a lip; and    inserting a bumper onto the lip prior to curing the lacrosse stick to provide a bumper on the lip of the lacrosse stick head.    
   
   
       25 . The unibody lacrosse stick of  claim 24 , wherein the bumper is formed from a material selected from the group of materials consisting of rubber, plastic, and metal.  
   
   
       26 . The unibody lacrosse stick of  claim 14 , wherein the flexible polymeric material is shaped to provided at least one downward curve in the sidewalls of the lacrosse stick head.  
   
   
       27 . The unibody lacrosse stick of  claim 26 , wherein the flexible polymeric material is shaped to provide at least one upward curve in the sidewalls of the lacrosse stick head.  
   
   
       28 . The unibody lacrosse stick of  claim 14 , wherein the flexible polymeric material is shaped to provide the lacrosse stick head offset from the lacrosse stick shaft.  
   
   
       29 . The unibody lacrosse stick of  claim 28 , wherein the offset is provided by a curve in a sidewall of the lacrosse stick head.  
   
   
       30 . The unibody lacrosse stick of  claim 28 , wherein the offset is provided by a step.  
   
   
       31 . The unibody lacrosse stick of  claim 30 , wherein the step is located in the lacrosse stick head.  
   
   
       32 . The unibody lacrosse stick of  claim 28 , wherein the step is abrupt.  
   
   
       33 . The unibody lacrosse stick of  claim 28 , wherein the step is acute.  
   
   
       34 . The unibody lacrosse stick of  claim 14 , wherein the second composite material is carbon fiber.  
   
   
       35 . The unibody lacrosse stick of  claim 14 , further comprising the steps to make of: 
 providing a dowel in the shape of a lacrosse stick shaft;    wrapping the dowel with the second composite material;    removing the dowel; and    matting the lacrosse stick head and the lacrosse stick shaft.    
   
   
       36 . The unibody lacrosse stick of  claim 14 , wherein the lacrosse stick shaft is also formed by the flexible polymeric material.  
   
   
       37 . The unibody lacrosse stick of  claim 14 , wherein the lacrosse stick shaft is formed by a second flexible polymeric material.  
   
   
       38 . A unibody lacrosse stick, comprising: 
 a unibody lacrosse stick made from a carbon fiber composite; the unibody lacrosse stick comprising:    a lacrosse stick shaft; and    a lacrosse stick head seamlessly connected to the lacrosse stick shaft, wherein the unibody lacrosse stick has a flex point located on the lacrosse stick shaft such that the lacrosse stick head remains relatively flat during throwing a lacrosse ball to increase accuracy and power.    
   
   
       39 . The unibody lacrosse stick of  claim 38 , wherein the unibody lacrosse stick weighs less than about 350 grams.  
   
   
       40 . The unibody lacrosse stick of  claim 38 , wherein the lacrosse stick head is offset from the lacrosse stick shaft.  
   
   
       41 . The unibody lacrosse stick of  claim 38 , wherein the lacrosse stick head comprises a base, divergent sidewalls extending from the base, and a lip traversing between the divergent sidewalls remote from the base, each of the divergent sidewalls having a top edge and a bottom edge.  
   
   
       42 . The unibody lacrosse stick of  claim 41 , wherein at least the top edge has a portion that curves downward between the base and the lip.  
   
   
       43 . The unibody lacrosse stick of  claim 42 , wherein at least the top edge has a flat portion extending from a termination of the downward curve to the lip.  
   
   
       44 . The unibody lacrosse stick of  claim 42 , wherein at least the top edge has a portion that curves upward from a termination of the downward curve to the lip.  
   
   
       45 . The unibody lacrosse stick of  claim 41 , further comprising a step to offset the lacrosse stick head from the lacrosse stick shaft.  
   
   
       46 . The unibody lacrosse stick of  claim 45 , wherein the step resides in the divergent sidewalls between the base and the lip.  
   
   
       47 . The unibody lacrosse stick of  claim 46 , wherein the step resides proximate the base.  
   
   
       48 . The unibody lacrosse stick of  claim 45 , wherein the divergent sidewalls are substantially straight between the step and the lip.  
   
   
       49 . The unibody lacrosse stick of  claim 45 , wherein the step resides in the lacrosse stick shaft.  
   
   
       50 . The unibody lacrosse stick of  claim 45 , wherein the step resides in the base.  
   
   
       51 . The unibody lacrosse stick of  claim 38 , further comprising: 
 an integrated end stop coupled to a butt end of the unibody lacrosse stick shaft.    
   
   
       52 . The unibody lacrosse stick of  claim 38 , wherein the lacrosse stick shaft has at least one tapered portion between a butt end and the lacrosse stick head.  
   
   
       53 . The unibody lacrosse stick of  claim 38 , wherein the lacrosse stick shaft has at least one expanded portion between a butt end and the lacrosse stick head.  
   
   
       54 . The unibody lacrosse stick of  claim 53 , wherein the lacrosse stick shaft has at least one tapered portion between the butt end and the lacrosse stick head.  
   
   
       55 . The unibody lacrosse stick of  claim 38 , wherein the lacrosse stick head includes a lip and further comprising a bumper molded into a lip of the lacrosse stick head.  
   
   
       56 . The unibody lacrosse stick of  claim 55 , wherein the bumper made from a material selected from the group of materials consisting of: a rubber, a plastic, and a metal.  
   
   
       57 . The unibody lacrosse stick of  claim 38 , further comprising a rubberize coating covering the lacrosse stick head and the lacrosse stick shaft.