Field hockey stick with ball portion

Abstract

A field hockey stick that allows a player to have improved handling of the ball. The field hockey stick of the present invention includes a ball portion in at least a portion of the shaft front surface. The ball portion provides an area to seat the ball providing the player better control of the ball and more accurate drag flicking.

1 . A field hockey stick comprising: 
 a shaft having an upper end, a lower end, a front surface extending between said upper end and said lower end, and a convexly curved back surface extending between said upper end and said lower end opposite from said front surface;    a handle section located near said upper end of said shaft;    a toe section located near said lower end of said shaft, said toe section having a ball contacting surface adjacent to said shaft front surface; and    a ball portion formed in said front surface of said shaft to assist in stabilizing a ball on said front surface.    
   
   
       2 . The field hockey stick of  claim 1 , wherein said ball portion has a generally oval shaped outer perimeter.  
   
   
       3 . The field hockey stick of  claim 2 , wherein said ball portion consists of a recess.  
   
   
       4 . The field hockey stick of  claim 3 , wherein said oval shaped recess outer perimeter is flush with said shaft front surface.  
   
   
       5 . The field hockey stick of  claim 3 , wherein an imaginary longitudinal axis is defined by the length of said shaft and runs through an approximate center of the shaft approximately parallel with said front surface and said back surface, said oval shaped recess is defined by a major axis that is parallel to said imaginary longitudinal axis and a minor axis that is perpendicular to said imaginary longitudinal axis.  
   
   
       6 . The field hockey stick of  claim 5 , wherein said oval shaped recess major axis has a first end positioned near said upper end of said shaft and a second end positioned near said lower end of said shaft.  
   
   
       7 . The field hockey stick of  claim 6 , wherein said major axis first end is spaced apart from said toe section.  
   
   
       8 . The field hockey stick of  claim 6  wherein said major axis first end is positioned within said toe section.  
   
   
       9 . The field hockey stick of  claim 6 , wherein said recess has a generally concave cross-sectional surface along said major axis.  
   
   
       10 . The field hockey stick of  claim 9  wherein said recess has a generally concave cross-sectional surface along said minor axis.  
   
   
       11 . The field hockey stick of  claim 10  wherein said recess includes a maximum depth in the range of about 2-5 millimeters (mm).  
   
   
       12 . The field hockey stick of  claim 11  wherein said major axis of said recess has a maximum length in the range of about 200-400 millimeters (mm).  
   
   
       13 . The field hockey stick of  claim 12  wherein said minor axis of said recess has a maximum width in the range of about 30-40 millimeters (mm).  
   
   
       14 . A field hockey stick comprising: 
 a shaft having an upper end, a lower end, a front surface extending between said upper end and said lower end, and a convexly curved back surface extending between said upper end and said lower end opposite said front surface;    a handle section located near said upper end of said shaft;    a toe section located near said lower end of said shaft, said toe section having a ball contacting surface adjacent to said shaft front surface; and    wherein a portion of said shaft front surface includes a ball portion defined by an outer perimeter and an inner ball contacting area, said ball portion generally having a major axis oriented parallel with respect to the length of said shaft and a minor axis oriented perpendicular with respect to the length of said shaft.    
   
   
       15 . The field hockey stick of  claim 14 , wherein the ball portion consists of multiple areas formed on said front surface of said shaft.  
   
   
       16 . The field hockey stick of  claim 14 , wherein said outer perimeter of said ball portion is generally oval in shape.  
   
   
       17 . The field hockey stick of  claim 14 , wherein said ball portion is configured as a recess such that a ball contacting surface of said ball portion is recessed with respect to said front surface of said shaft.  
   
   
       18 . The field hockey stick of  claim 17 , wherein said ball contacting surface of said recess has a generally concave cross-section.  
   
   
       19 . The field hockey stick of  claim 14 , wherein said ball portion is elongated or includes a portion that extends into said toe section.  
   
   
       20 . A field hockey stick for contacting a field hockey ball, comprising: 
 a shaft portion having an upper end, a lower end, a front surface extending between said upper end and said lower end, and a back surface extending between said upper end and said lower end opposite said front surface;    a handle section located near said upper end of shaft that is intended to receive a player's hands thereon;    a toe section located near said lower end of said shaft, said toe section having a ball contacting surface adjacent to said front surface of said shaft for contacting the field hockey ball;    a ball portion formed in at least said front surface of said shaft, said ball portion being recessed with respect to said front surface of said shaft.