Hockey Stick

Abstract

A hockey stick having a composite blade and a shaft is disclosed. The composite blade includes a heel section that is recessed relative to the front and back faces of the blade. The recessed heel section is configured to be received by a hockey stick shaft or an adapter member configured to connect the blade to the shaft. The composite blade preferably comprise a foam inner core overlaid preferably with substantially continuous fibers disposed in a matrix material and may include an internal bridge structure extending from one side of the blade to the other. The blade may also be preferably comprised of a core comprising non-continuous fibers disposed within a matrix material. In another aspect, processes for manufacturing the previously described hockey stick blade(s) are described.

1 . A hybrid hockey stick blade adapted to being removably coupled to a hockey stick shaft comprising:
 a composite paddle portion comprising:   i. an elongate member extending from a tip section to a heel section and having a front face and a back face;   ii. the heel section comprising front-side and back-side facing surfaces that are recessed relative to adjacent portions of the front and back faces;   iii. the elongate member further comprising an inner foam core and one or more plies disposed within a hardened resin matrix material overlaying the inner foam core, wherein the one or more plies comprise fibers aligned in one or more defined directions; and a wooden hosel portion comprising:   i. an adapter member constituted at least in part of wood and extending longitudinally from a first end section to a second end section;   ii. the first end section includes a slot wherein the recessed surfaces of the heel section are received and permanently coupled thereto; and   iii. the second end section being adapted for receipt within a tubular portion of a hockey stick shaft,   wherein a portion of said fibers being interposed between one or more of the recessed heel section surfaces and an overlying inner surface defining the slot in the first end-section of the hosel portion.   
   
   
       2 . The blade of  claim 1 , wherein at least part of one of the fibers is selected from the group consisting of carbon fiber, aramid, glass, polyethylene, ceramic, boron, quartz, and polyester. 
   
   
       3 . The blade of  claim 1 , wherein at least part of one of the fibers is selected from the group consisting of carbon fiber, aramid, glass, polyethylene and ceramic. 
   
   
       4 . The blade of  claim 1 , wherein at least part of one of the fibers is selected from the group consisting of carbon fiber, aramid, and glass. 
   
   
       5 . The blade of  claim 1 , wherein at least part of one of the fibers is selected from the group consisting of carbon fiber and aramid. 
   
   
       6 . The blade of  claim 1 , wherein at least part of one of the fibers comprises carbon fiber. 
   
   
       7 . The blade of  claim 1 , wherein the recessed front-side and back-side facing surfaces of the heel section are configured to be partially received within the slot of the first end section. 
   
   
       8 . The blade of  claim 1 , wherein the recessed front-side and back-side facing surfaces of the heel section are configured to be entirely received within the slot of the first end section. 
   
   
       9 . The blade of  claim 1  further comprising one or more internal bridge structures disposed within the foam core and extending between the front and back faces. 
   
   
       10 . The blade of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of the one or more internal bridge structures comprises one or more plies of substantially continuous fibers disposed within a matrix material. 
   
   
       11 . The blade of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of the one or more internal bridge structure comprises non-continuous fibers disposed within a matrix material. 
   
   
       12 . The blade of  claim 1  further comprising one or more internal bridge structures disposed within the foam core and extending between the recessed front-side and back-side facing surfaces of the heel section. 
   
   
       13 . The blade of  claim 1  further comprising one or more internal bridge structures disposed within the foam core and extending between the front and back faces of the blade and between the recessed front-side and back-side facing surfaces of the heel section. 
   
   
       14 . The blade of  claim 1 , wherein the foam core further comprises a top edge and a bottom edge extending between the front face and back face of the blade, wherein at least part of the outer perimeter of the bottom edge or the top edge of the foam is overlaid with a durable edging material. 
   
   
       15 . The blade of  claim 14 , wherein at least part of the outer perimeter of both the top edge and bottom edge of the foam is overlaid with the durable edging material. 
   
   
       16 . The blade of  claim 14 , wherein the durable edging material is selected from the group of materials consisting of thermoplastic resins, thermosetting resins, one or more groups of substantially aligned fibers disposed within either thermoplastic or thermosetting resins, and non-continuous fibers disposed within either thermoplastic or thermosetting resins. 
   
   
       17 . The blade of  claim 1 , wherein the foam core comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, PVC, and epoxy. 
   
   
       18 . The blade of  claim 1 , wherein the foam core is comprised of one or more discrete elements. 
   
   
       19 . The blade of  claim 1 , wherein the wooden hosel is comprised of wood laminate. 
   
   
       20 . The blade of  claim 1 , wherein the wooden hosel is comprised of wood laminate overlaid with fiberglass. 
   
   
       21 . The blade of  claim 1 , wherein said plies define an exterior cavity on the back face of the blade. 
   
   
       22 . The blade of  claim 21 , wherein said exterior cavity is filled with a material having a density greater than the inner foam core.