Field hockey stick having a top weighted head

Abstract

A field hockey stick including a throat and a head adjoining the throat, the head having an upper portion adjacent to the throat and a lower portion, and at least the lower portion of the head defining at least one depression. The throat can also define a throat depression.

1 . A field hockey stick comprising: 
 a handle;    a throat adjoining the handle, the throat having a playing side and a non-playing side, the throat defining a longitudinal axis when viewed in a direction facing the playing side of the throat; and    a head adjoining the throat on a side of the throat opposite the handle,    the head being hollow and having a flat playing side wall and a non-flat non-playing side wall, and    the non-playing side wall defining at least one depression disposed at least partially below a center of a field hockey ball when the ball and the field hockey stick are resting on a planar surface and the field hockey stick is positioned with the longitudinal axis perpendicular to the planar surface.    
   
   
       2 . The field hockey stick of  claim 1 , the head having a center of gravity disposed at a distance from the planar surface greater than a distance between the planar surface and the center of the field hockey ball.  
   
   
       3 . The field hockey stick of  claim 1 , the at least one depression having a generally oval shape.  
   
   
       4 . The field hockey stick of  claim 1 , the head having a first end attached to the throat and a second end opposite to the first end, and the at least one depression disposed completely within about 1.47 inches of the second end of the head.  
   
   
       5 . The field hockey stick of  claim 1 , the head having a first end attached to the throat and a second end opposite to the first end, and the head having a center of gravity disposed at a distance greater than 1.47 inches from the second end of the head.  
   
   
       6 . The field hockey stick of  claim 5 , the second end of the head having a distal mass that provides perimeter weighting.  
   
   
       7 . The field hockey stick of  claim 1 , the head having a toe and an end opposite to the toe, the distance between the toe and the end being about 3.94 inches, and the head having a center of gravity disposed greater than about 1.97 inches from the end of the head.  
   
   
       8 . The field hockey stick of  claim 1 , the field hockey stick being hollow and made of a composite material.  
   
   
       9 . The field hockey stick of  claim 1 , the throat defining a throat depression in its surface.  
   
   
       10 . The field hockey stick of  claim 9 , the throat depression disposed in the throat closer to the head than the handle.  
   
   
       11 . The field hockey stick of  claim 9 , the head having a first end attached to the throat and a second end opposite to the first end, and the head having a center of gravity disposed greater than about 1.5 inches from the second end of the head.  
   
   
       12 . The field hockey stick of  claim 9 , the head having a toe and an end opposite to the toe, the distance between the toe and the end being about 3.94 inches, and the head having a center of gravity disposed greater than about 1.97 inches from the end of the head.  
   
   
       13 . The field hockey stick of  claim 9 , the throat depression being disposed in the non-playing side of the throat.  
   
   
       14 . The field hockey stick of  claim 1 , the at least one depression comprising three spaced apart depressions, each of the three depressions disposed entirely below the center of the field hockey ball.  
   
   
       15 . The field hockey stick of  claim 1 , the non-playing side wall of the head having a first wall thickness within the at least one depression and a second wall thickness outside of the at least one depression, wherein the second wall thickness is greater than the first wall thickness.  
   
   
       16 . The field hockey stick of  claim 15 , the non-playing side of the throat defining a throat depression and having a third wall thickness within the throat depression and a fourth wall thickness outside of the throat depression between the throat depression and the head, wherein the fourth wall thickness is greater than the third wall thickness and the first wall thickness.  
   
   
       17 . A field hockey stick comprising: 
 an upper portion comprising a handle; and    a hollow lower portion attached to the upper portion, the lower portion comprising a throat and a head, the throat disposed in between the head and the upper portion,    the hollow lower portion comprising a non-playing side wall and a playing side wall,    the throat defining a longitudinal axis when viewed in a direction facing the playing side wall,    the hollow lower portion defining a depression in the non-playing side wall, and    the depression disposed at least partially below a center of a field hockey ball when the ball and the field hockey stick are resting on a planar surface and the field hockey stick is positioned with the longitudinal axis perpendicular to the planar surface.    
   
   
       18 . The field hockey stick of  claim 17 , wherein the lower portion has a distal end opposite to the upper portion, and wherein the head has a center of gravity disposed greater than 1.47 inches from the distal end of the lower portion.  
   
   
       18 . The field hockey stick of  claim 17 , wherein the lower portion has a distal end opposite to the upper portion, and wherein the head has a center of gravity disposed greater than 1.47 inches from the distal end of the lower portion.  
   
   
       19 . The field hockey stick of  claim 17 , wherein the depression is disposed entirely below the center of the field hockey ball.  
   
   
       20 . A field hockey stick comprising: 
 an upper portion comprising a handle; and    a hollow lower portion attached to the upper portion, the lower portion comprising a throat and a head, the throat disposed in between the head and the upper portion,    the hollow lower portion comprising a non-playing side wall and a playing side wall,    the hollow lower portion defining a first depression in the non-playing side wall, the first depression disposed at least partially within a distance 1.47 inches from a distal end of the head opposite to the throat,    the hollow lower portion defining a second depression in the non-playing side wall, the second depression disposed in the throat,    the non-playing side wall having a first wall thickness within the first depression, a second wall thickness within the second depression, and a third wall thickness outside of and in between the first depression and the second depression, and    the third wall thickness being greater than the first wall thickness and the second wall thickness.