Apparatus and method for repairing a hockey stick shaft

Abstract

The invention is directed to methods and apparatus for repairing fractured, hollow-shafted hockey sticks. In one aspect, the invention comprises a shaft repair insert for joining together a broken hockey shaft so as to define a unitary, repaired hockey stick. In another aspect, the invention comprises a shaft repair sleeve for joining together a broken hockey shaft so as to define a unitary, repaired hockey stick. In another aspect, the invention is directed to a blade receiving insert capable of repairing a hockey shaft having a fracture proximate a blade receiving end. In another aspect, the invention is directed to a shaft extension member for repairing or adjusting the length of hockey shaft.

1 . A repairable hockey stick assembly comprising: 
 a unitary hockey stick having a blade permanently, operably attached to a stick shaft, the stick shaft having a gripping end with an open end and wherein the stick shaft has a continuous hollow interior portion defined between the open end and the blade; and    a repair insert having a first insertion end and a second insertion end, the first insertion end removably coupled within the open end such that the second insertion end extends outwardly from the gripping end,    wherein the first insertion end is removable from the open end such that upon fracturing the stick shaft into a first shaft portion and a second shaft portion, the first insertion end is inserted into the first shaft portion and the second insertion end is inserted into the second shaft portion to define a repaired hockey stick.    
     
     
         2 . The repairable hockey stick assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the repair insert comprises a flanged portion separating the first insertion end from the second insertion end, the flanged portion having a flanged cross-section substantially resembling a stick shaft cross-section such that insertion of the first insertion end into the first shaft portion causes the first shaft portion to abut a first side of the flanged portion and insertion of the second insertion end into the second shaft portion causes the second shaft portion to abut a second side of the flanged portion such that the first shaft portion, the flanged portion and the second shaft portion define a substantially continuous shaft cross-section.  
     
     
         3 . The repairable hockey stick assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the repair insert comprises a unitary member constructed from a material selected from the group comprising wood, aluminum, rigid polymers, titanium, graphite, Kevlar®, carbon fiber, a ceramic, a composite weave, and fiberglass.  
     
     
         4 . The repairable hockey stick assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first insertion end and the second insertion end comprise an insert cross-sectional shape selected from the group comprising a rectangle, an oval, a rounded rectangle and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         5 . The repairable hockey stick assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the repair insert comprises at least a partially hollow core.  
     
     
         6 . The repairable hockey stick assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first insertion end and the second insertion end each comprise a means for attaching such that the first insertion end is fixedly attached to the first shaft portion and the second insertion end is fixedly attached to the second shaft portion.  
     
     
         7 . The repairable hockey stick assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the means for attaching is selected from the group comprising an adhesive, a compression seal, an expansion member and a friction enhancing surface.  
     
     
         8 . A hollow-shafted hockey stick comprising: 
 a first hollow shaft portion defined between a gripping end and a first joining end;    a second hollow shaft portion defined between a stick blade and a second joining end; and    a means for joining the first hollow shaft portion and the second broken hollow shaft portion at an interface between the first joining end and the second joining end so as to retain the first hollow shaft portion and the second hollow shaft portion in aligned relation.    
     
     
         9 . The hollow-shafted hockey stick of  claim 8 , wherein the means for joining comprises an insert member and a flowable adhesive, the insert member having a first insertion end and a second insertion end wherein the first insertion end is slidably inserted into the first hollow portion and the second insertion end is slidably inserted into the second hollow portion and wherein the flowable adhesive retains the first insertion end within the first hollow portion and the second insertion end within the second hollow portion.  
     
     
         10 . The hollow-shafted hockey stick of  claim 9 , wherein the means for joining further comprises a sleeve member adapted for positioning over the interface, the sleeve member assisting the insert member in retainably joining the first hollow shaft portion and the second hollow shaft portion in aligned relation.  
     
     
         11 . The hollow-shafted hockey stick of  claim 8 , wherein the means for joining comprises a sleeve member adapted for positioning over the interface, the sleeve member retainably joining the first hollow shaft portion and the second hollow shaft portion in aligned relation.  
     
     
         12 . The hollow-shafted hockey stick of  claim 8 , wherein the first hollow portion and the second hollow shaft portion each comprise a shaft material selected from the group consisting essentially of: aluminum, titanium, graphite, Kevlar®, carbon fiber, a ceramic, a composite weave, fiberglass and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         13 . The hollow-shafted hockey stick of  claim 12 , wherein the second hollow shaft portion comprises a different shaft material than the first hollow shaft portion.  
     
     
         14 . The hollow-shafted hockey stick of  claim 8 , wherein the first hollow shaft portion has a first shaft characteristic and the second hollow shaft portion has a second shaft characteristic, wherein the first hollow shaft portion and the second hollow shaft portion are selected to impart a selected shaft performance when the first hollow shaft portion and the second hollow shaft portion are operably joined in aligned relation.  
     
     
         15 . The hollow-shafted hockey stick of  claim 8 , wherein the first hollow shaft portion has a first external appearance and the second hollow shaft portion has a second external appearance, wherein the first external appearance and the second external appearance are different.  
     
     
         16 . The hollow-shafted hockey stick of  claim 8 , wherein the means for joining comprises a first shaft plug, a second shaft plug, a flowable adhesive and a plurality of body members, wherein the first shaft plug is positioned within the first hollow shaft portion and the second shaft plug is positioned within the second hollow shaft portion such that the flowable adhesive and plurality of body members are constrained at the interface as the flowable adhesive cures.  
     
     
         17 . A method for forming a hockey stick shaft comprising: 
 providing a first hollow shaft portion and a second hollow shaft portion, the first hollow shaft portion having a gripping end and a first joining end, the second hollow shaft portion having a stick blade and a second joining end;    attaching the first hollow shaft portion to the second hollow shaft portion with a means for joining, wherein the means for joining operably couples the first hollow shaft portion and the second hollow shaft portion at a shaft interface between the first joining end and the second joining end so as to present a substantially continuous hockey stick shaft.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the means for joining is selected from the group consisting essentially of: a repair insert, a flowable adhesive, a sleeve member and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the means for joining comprises a first shaft plug, a second shaft plug, a flowable adhesive and a plurality of body members, wherein the first shaft plug is positioned within the first hollow shaft portion and the second shaft plug is positioned within the second hollow shaft portion such that the flowable adhesive and plurality of body members are constrained at the shaft interface as the flowable adhesive cures.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the means for joining comprises a first shaft plug, a second shaft plug, a flowable adhesive and at least one body member, wherein the first shaft plug is positioned within the first hollow shaft portion and the second shaft plug is positioned within the second hollow shaft portion such that the flowable adhesive and plurality of body members are constrained at the shaft interface as the flowable adhesive cures and wherein the flowable adhesive expands within the first hollow shaft portion and the second hollow shaft portion as the flowable adhesive cures.